#bootleg cal weathers | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

teeful-corner · 1 year

Text

" Good Ol' Country Man "

[#]pairings . characters: Cal Weathers x Reader [#]warnings . tags: Cal Weathers, Strip/Lynda Weathers, Tex Dinoco being Tex, Established relationship, Engagement [#]word count: 8.5k [#]synopsis: You tag along with, your boyfriend, Cal to have a Weathers' family style break after a long season [#]note: Everyone in this fanfiction is human! Tex is like a father to Strip, and a Grandfather to Cal. Every summer, the Dinoco and Weathers family all meet up in the Weather's ranch for a month. This month, you were able to tag along. [#]@'s: @bootleg-cal-weathers @kachowthunder [#]requested by no one

There was nothing better than moments like these; moments in which you saw nothing but the open country land, fields rolling behind you with a few sprinkles of animals, and a single road. Country music was playing next to you, filling the car with a melody that was paired with the howling of wind that came in and out of the car thanks to the rolled down windows. The country air was fresh, crisp, and light. It wasn’t like the air in most cities, which tended to be heavier, and you now see what Cal had meant a day or so before you two had left Dinoco’s training center to head down south. Usually, Cal would have left the day his Uncle, Strip, and Tex had, yet he decided to hang back for a day to get one more practice in on the track; He also had decided to stay because you had been running a little late due to your own scheduling problems. Something had happened in which your sponsor hadn’t scheduled you off for the month of this trip, despite you having put in your letter and had been approved months ago. So, you had to prolong your stay at your company for a little longer to get everything sorted out, and couldn’t help but apologize so heavily to Cal for being late. He hadn’t been angry at you for missing the leaving day, in fact he told you he was a little grateful you had done so. Tex and Lynda loved to tease Cal, especially when you were around. So, he was glad he could dodge that bullet for at least a day. Plus, now Cal and you could take your time coming down to the Weathers farm; make any stops along the way as the two of you see fit. Usually, from what Cal told you, Lynda enjoyed shooting through the whole drive just to get to the farm; Strip tended to be impartial to any stops along the way, or how long they took to get there; and Tex enjoyed trying to stop at every Ihop along the way. You couldn’t help but laugh the first time you heard Cal explain how enthusiastic Tex was about Ihop; “ He ain’t ever been more enthusiastic on’the road unlike when his eyes catch an Ihop on the road.” You still couldn’t help but chuckle a little at the statement.

“ Give it half’an hour and we’ll be there. ” Cal’s voice cut sweetly through the road, which he had promptly turned down a little so you could hear him better. In doing so, he could hear your light chuckling, and was inclined to ask, “ What ar’you chucklin’ at? ” His voice was not demanding, but inquisitive; curious like a little kid who wanted to know whether the chicken or the egg came first.

“ He ain’t ever been more enthusiastic.. ” You started, looking over at Cal with a snicker and he almost instantly got your reference. He began laughing a little himself, turning his eyes back to the road but his attention was still on you. A little snicker played on his face, “ Well, it’s’true. We’ve had to go with’im when we come back down. You’ll see what I’meant. You’ll see an Ihop roll by, and there’s always the question if we could stop to get some pancakes’an’bacon. He’s as excited as a pig when they see’their feed. ”

“ What, is he like a little kid when they see McDonalds? ” Cocking an eyebrow up, you turned your head to the side upon seeing a field of cows grazing from the corner of your eye. There was a light spark of joy that Cal caught, one in which was like the joy of a child. He couldn’t help but smile a little wider.

“ Yea, just as excited as a little kid when they see a M’acDonalds. ” Cal hummed with the familiarity of the road that laid in front of him and the joy of having you sit next to him. He usually missed you heavily when the season ended and he couldn’t see you every week, for racing or for practice. You’d usually go home, just as he would come down South to be with his own family. But, this year was different… and he couldn’t help but feel a little ping of nervousness as he remembered what was in his suitcase.

Right, he forgot he had packed that.

The ride died down into a comfortable silence once more, as you turned the radio back up as a song you recognized came on. Melody and rushing wind mixed in the air once more, but this time mixed with the taps coming from Cal’s steering wheel. Taps in which caused you to look over at him a few times, though you’d brush the tapping off when you noticed it usually went along with the beat of the music.

The sun was making its preparations in settling down for the night when you had arrived at the Weather’s family home. It had been around a 10 minute drive through the drive through and ranch before you had hit the big, southern-style home in the middle. The property was large and beautiful in of itself, yet the home that laid on the center of it all was simply breathtaking. As you exit the car, you couldn’t help but slowly shut the door and try to take in the home; It had two-stories and was made up of dark-brown wood that was accented with a white trim. There was a porch that winded along the perimeter of the home, littered with outdoor furniture that looked lived in, but in a good way. Large windows paired up with white wooden frames allowed a majority of the house to be lit by the sun rather than the interior lights. Though there were still a few lights flickered on in the main rooms that, you guessed, were being used due to lack of sunlight that could filter through the windows. The house just looked, and even felt, like a home.

“ Hey, hun, ” Cal called you from the back of his car, causing you to turn around. Having been confused at first, you soon took notice of how your boyfriend was trying to carry your shared bags, though realized he couldn't do so. A small bit of laughter escaped your lips as you walked over to help him. Grabbing a few of the bags he was holding, you allowed him to grab the remaining two that remained in the trunk. Between the two of you, there were around 5 bags, in which 3 were yours and 2 were his. Cal, having been coming to the Weathers family home since he was in diapers, knew exactly what to pack and how much to pack. You, sadly, did not. He tried his best to help you while you packed your bags, but sometimes didn’t have the heart to say no to you. But, hey, it was a bag more than Cal had… so you don’t think you over packed.

“ You got the trunk door, Cal? ” You were answered by the shutting of the trunk door, followed by a small proud smile from Cal. Having found your answer, you were just about to go check the car’s interior for any remaining items, when you were interrupted by a call from the porch of the house.

“ Boy, ” Tex’s voice rang out through the empty yard, the door behind him opening as Strip and Lynda stepped out. You could only guess they had heard the slamming of the car doors or the trunk, or possibly the engine when the two of you pulled up. “ Ain’t no way it took you longer’than three hours to get your butt down’here. If y’all stopped at a restaurant along the way, I expect to be getting some food righ’now. ” Tex teased as he leaned against the railing that flowed along with the porch. Behind him, you took notice how Strip shook his head lightly, while Lynda snickered a little over to her nephew; who was now standing beside you with the three heaviest bags in his arms.

Flushed, Cal glanced off to the side before he answered Tex, “ We got mud’stuck in some traffic while tryin’ to get down here. The drive took a little longer than expected. ” Though his answer was truthful, in which you could advocate for, Tex seemed to just sarcastically hum to tease Cal; implying in which the two were late for reasons other than traffic.

“ Tex! Let the two be. ” Lynda gently smacked Tex’s shoulder, “ At least they made it for supper, just as Cal had promised they would! Come on you two, you can put your bags up in’the spare room. You know the way Cal. ” Lynda smiled at the two of you sweetly, before she nodded her head towards the house as though she was giving the both of you some needed reassurance that you were allowed inside. She then turned to the two men standing next to her, a hand being placed on her hip as she ushered the two, “ Now of the both of you, scoot your butts inside and get ready for dinner, it’ll be ready before either of you can shoot out another teasing remark towards poor Cal and his company. ”

“ Do ya need help with the bags, Cal? ” Strip called from the porch as he made his way over to the porch steps. Behind him, Tex was laughing while Lynda ushered him inside, knowing he wouldn’t help either of you with your bags.

“ Nope, I think we got it, Uncle. ” After sneaking a peek into the car, something you were about to do before being interrupted, Cal began making his way over to the steps of the porch with you in tow. Now you understood why Cal had told you to pack as many close-toed shoes that were comfortable yet sturdy to walk around in. You were looking around at the property near the house as the two of you walked in and noticed the mass amount of land that was just grass; the only paths having been made by the mass amount of feet that had compacted the dirt to the point of forming the trails. Luckily, you had listened to your boyfriend.. Despite your slight inclination to not listen to him when he told you just for the funnies.

With a nod of his head, Strip walked back towards the door of the house. It was a two-way door, with the door on the outside being like every other normal door and a screen door on the inside. “ Well, you heard your Aunt. Supper’s gonna be ready as soon as y’all come down from setting your bags down. So hurry yourselves. ” Strip gained a little nod from Cal as he passed through the door, though he stopped you before you could enter. “ And it’s finally nice to be able to host’ya in our home. ” Strip extended his hand and you met it with a small yet rather firm handshake.

“ Thank you Mr. The King. ” A small smile slipped your lips, while Strip chuckled a little from in front of you. He raised his left hand and waved it a little, reassuring you there was no need for any sort of formalities.

“ Please, no need to be so formal, just call me Strip. We’re family now, after all. ” With a pat on the back, Strip allowed you to enter their home. In which, you saw Cal waiting at you from the stairs with a slightly worried expression on his face. You cocked an eyebrow at him, snickering a little as you walked over to him. “ What, didn't think your Uncle would like me? ” You teased him lightly as Strip walked into the kitchen, allowing Cal to release the breath he was holding. You couldn’t help but playfully gasp a little and hit his shoulder.

“ What?! Can’t I be just a little nervous? ” Cal retorted, raising his hands a little in defense. In which you shook your head at, not believing he’d actually be nervous about his Uncle letting you inside of the house! And it’s not even like this was the first time you had met the racing legend, you usually got to talk to him a little bit when you went to go support Cal in his pits! Strip and you had been able to talk a good handful of times, enough to where you were more comfortable around him than Tex or Lynda.

You pushed past Cal, still shaking your head with a small smile, “ I can’t believe you, Mr. Weathers! Thinking your poor Uncle wouldn’t let me into the house. ” Cal followed you, rolling his eyes lightly but his worried look still lingering from before. He couldn’t help but be nervous when his Uncle had stopped you at the door like that out of nowhere!

“ He stopped ya’ out of nowhere, I had a right to be at least a little worried. '' As he defended himself, the two of you walked down the long hallway. The staircase cut somewhat in half of the hallway, leaving a left and a right of the hallway; in which the two of you walked over to the left, went around a corner and Cal opened the door at the end to you ‘tsking’ at him.

“ You’re such a worrier. Your Uncle is too nice to turn me away at the door when we had traveled here together. What was he going to do? Say I couldn’t come in because of X, Y, and Z and then tell me to go find a ride back to the city? Now we both know he would have never done something like that… Unless I was Chick Hicks. ” You continued as Cal rested the bags he had on the foot of the bed, and offered to take your bags so he could set them down. Though you passed him, giving him a kiss on the cheek as a ‘thank you’, as you placed the bags you had brought from the car next to the others.

Cal sighed a little, running his hands through his hair, “ I don’know, he might of. ” Cal sheepishly smiled at you, his brows frowned upwards. Again, you couldn’t help but shake your head at your boyfriend; someone who you loved dearly yet someone who you could also smack right upside the head sometimes. He was brilliant, but he too often lets his brilliant mind trick himself into thinking thoughts that were just not true.

You strolled over to Cal, giving him a gentle yet firm hug in an attempt to calm him down, “ Well, your Uncle loves me..” You paused for a moment and looked off to the side, a cheeky thought racing through your mind. You snickered a little, “ I hope- ”

“ You HOPE?! ” You laughed a little at Cal as he was instantly set off, panicking again as he parted from your hug. His hands landed on your shoulder as he looked down at you with worry. “ What do you mean you hope!? What happened? ” Your soft, airy giggles cut through his panic as your hands glided over to his arms, just by your soft touch and your unworried face, Cal could tell you were just joking with him. He let out a heavy sigh and sunk into his shoes a little, causing you to snort and laugh harder knowing you gave your poor boyfriend such a startle.

“ Well you never know, ” You continued, trying to speak through your laughter. Yet Cal was having none of this, he already had his own doubts about his Uncle, Aunt, and Tex accepting you into the family, he didn’t need to have you giving him gray hairs before he was 30. He turned you around, shaking his head as he pushed you out the door and followed right after you. “ Not today, please. ” His voice sounded tired, and you would have been tired of yourself too if you were in his shoes.

“ Aw, I’m sorry, Honey. ” Snickering, you leaned back and laid your head on his chest. Promptly, having done this many times before with you, Cal wrapped his arms around you but still was trying to get the two of you downstairs. There was a noticeable nervousness lingering on Cal’s face, you could tell by the two his eyebrows were slightly frowned upwards, his eyes were just ever so much softer, and there was a frown to his lips.

Leaning up, you planted a soft kiss on your boyfriend’s jaw, “ Don’t worry, I’m sure they’ll love me as much as you do.. And if they don’t, I’ll love you all the same. We can run away to… Italy or something and live happily ever after there. ” Cal shook his head at you again as the two of you managed to walk down the flight of stairs, though he still smiled a little. In which, you knew you managed to cheer him up a little and allowed yourself to cup his cheeks and squish his face a little.

“ Alright, alrigh’! I understan’, no need to be worried. ” He chuckled lightly, sounding genuinely happy to have you there to keep him from worrying his butt off. He leaned down to plant a kiss on your forehead, yet was interrupted by none other than Mr. Dinoco himself;

“ What’s this what’s-it-talk about runnin’ away to Italy? ” Tex cut into the conversation with ease, causing Cal to jerk his head up and you to grow upset that you didn’t get your little kiss. Tex sat in a little breakfast table that was pushed towards the window parallel to the kitchen. His little comment had alerted the attention of Lynda and Strip, who were setting up the dining table for dinner.

Lynda poked her head in with a confused look, while Strip just walked by to get the remaining food on the stove, acting as though the comment was a casual Tuesday conversation. “ Runnin’ away to Italy? Pause, sweeties!- “ Lynda folded the cloth she had in her hand and put it into the pocket of her cooking apron, her hands were promptly placed on her hips right after. Her tone was assertive, but still friendly, “ No need to elope, I thought you both knew that by now! Because if we didn’t, you Uncle and Tex would have been runnin’ me up a wall as they threw a fit about your lover comin’! ”

“ Oh, I’m sorry, can you repeat the part you said that you support Cal and me? ” You jokingly leaned forward, cupping your hand behind your ear as you glanced up at Cal with a snicker. You cocked one of your eyebrows as he darted his eye to side and then at the ground, growing embarrassed of all his worry earlier. “ I get it, I get it.. I was being a worry wart. ” With a snort, you frowned your eyebrows playfully and smiled at your boyfriend, retailing with a “ You think? ”

With a shake of his head, Strip vanished into the dining room once again and Tex let out a howl of laughter as you outed your boyfriend. Lynda was not as amused as the two men, but she did smile sweetly at Cal as she walked over to the fridge to get a pitcher that was inside. “ Cal, honey… ” She started, her voice simmering down into a much more sweet tone. She turned back over to Cal, “ It’s sweet that you’re worryin’ about us accepting them, it shows you care. Now your Uncle and Tex, they won’t be as forgivin’.. But y’all need to wash up and get ready for supper. The table is set and I expect us to have a nice family dinner, no more of this elopin’ nonsense! ”

Cal responded with a soft, “ Yes Ma’am, ” then parted from you and walked over to the sink, in which you followed to simply be polite and respect the household rules. You found your place next to Cal and began to wash your hands as you noticed his face; he was a little flushed and you could tell he was embarrassed beyond belief at the whole ordeal that had just transpired in the kitchen.

“ So.. ” As soon as you started, Cal glanced over towards you. “ Are we still going to Italy? ”

Tex’s laughter grew louder from the dining room, as he had moved from his seat at the breakfast table. You were pretty sure you could hear Strip trying to muffle his own softer laughter and Lynda scolding the two lightly about eavesdropping. “ It ain’t eavesdroppin’ if we can hear their conversation from here, Lynda. ” Tex tried to save himself, though Lynda seemed to be having none of them today. At least it was reassuring to know that Lynda was more so on your side than Strip and Tex were, but from what you heard by Cal’s first hand accounts… she can tend to be a little ruthless too with teasing.

A cheeky grin spread across your face as Cal shook his head, though a small smile had twitched on the corner of his lips. “ If you really want to, Hun, we’ll go to Italy for a vacation. ” Cal sweetly responded, drying his hands with a rag before handing it off to you so you can do the same. As you dried your hands, Cal turned off the sink and waited for you to finish so the two of you could head into the dining room together.

“ Well, that took ya’ longer than it should have. Plannin’ your escape-? ” Lynda gently hit Tex with her hand, looking at him with a cheeky yet daring look; simply just asking him to say something again so she could have him go eat out with the dogs. Tex raised his hands in defense, “ Aye! I’m just curious, I migh’need to write their trip off as a business expense. ” As Lynda and Tex bickered lightly, not being harsh in words or actions, Cal pulled out your seat. He got a kiss on the cheek for his chivalry before you sat down, allowing him to push you in before taking his seat next to him. There was a spread of various different home-cooked plates such as: a bowl of thick and creamy mashed potatoes that made your mouth water, a watermelon salad, and a bowl of various assorted roasted vegetables. All food that complemented the main course, which was a well-done grilled steak that seasoned, glazed, and just made your stomach growl with anticipation.

From this meal and the joyous, light air that everyone shared around the house and still into the dinner table, you knew that this was going to be one wonderful vacation.

It had been a week since You and Cal had arrived at the Weathers family, and one less week he had to fulfill the plan he had in mind. He knew he had given himself a grace period of 2 days, 3 days max, because it would have been too soon into your stay for him to ask.. But now he’s about 7 days in and he doesn’t even know how he’s going to start. The thoughts flew through his head as he stood in front of a beautiful Applaloosa mare that stood in front of him, slighting digger her striped hooves into the dirt as her molten coat got brushed out by Cal; who couldn’t be paying any less attention to Cotton. So much so that Strip, who was brushing a handsome American Quarter stallion two stalls down from Cal, had to kick a bucket towards him to get Cal to snap out of his own thoughts.

Cal jerked back as the bucket clattered in the background. He turned to look at the bucket, confused on how it had suddenly moved, before hearing Strip snicker, “ Well, good’mornin’ sunshine. How was your open-eyed, bodily-functioning beauty sleep? ” Cal turned to look at his Uncle, thoroughly confused and a little dazed about what was happening. Strip could tell and he chuckled a little to himself, “ I called ya’ about 10 times, ya’ didn’t answer. I had to kick that bucket over to you so you’d snap out of your daze. So.. tell me, was it [y/n] or? ”

“ What?! No- I wasn’t!- ” Cal was quick to defend himself from his Uncle, but shortly became quiet as he knew he would be lying straight to his Uncle’s face if he continued that sentence. He shortly leaned over against Cotton with a defeated look on his face that caused Strip to chuckle a little at.

With one final, softer and weaker stroke, Strip paused on brushing out Apricot’s mane as he turned his full attention to his nephew, “ What’s wrong boy? You’ve seemed troubled ever since your second or third day of bein’here.. And your Aunt had picked up on it way before, maybe even the minute she had seen your face in the driveway. ” Strip slipped his hand out of the band attached to the brush as he set it down in its proper bin to be used for later, when he managed to get Cal to spill what has been on his mind lately.

Something that wasn’t a hard task, since Cal knew he could trust his Uncle, Aunt, and sometimes Tex, with anything he might want to tell them. So he lifted his head off of Cotton, though he still brushed her as he began to tell his Uncle what has been on his mind. All of the worries he was facing as well as the fact that he wasn’t sure when the perfect time to do all of this would be. He relayed how he knew he wanted to do this before the trip was over and before the second night, but also how his stomach just grew knotted and he felt a little snick even thinking about his plan. He wanted it all to go well and he wanted you to be happy with what he had in store, yet he wasn’t sure if this is what you’d want and if he should go through with all of this. What if you didn’t like it and said no? What if you criticized him about what he did and everything he told you? What if…

“ Son.. “ Strip had found himself leaning against a wooden post of a stall around the middle of Cal’s ranting. His voice catches Cal’s attention, causing him to jerk up from his slowly spiraling thoughts and caused him to give his Uncle a sheepish smile. “ Sorry.. “ He mustered out as his eyes darted to the ground beneath him, “ I just… want to make this perfect for them. ”

Strip knew he had to choose his words carefully at this moment, as he was on a fine line of making Cal realize that everything he was worrying about wasn’t as important as his brain was making it seem… and Lynda not being happy with him and having him sleep out with the dogs: Chase and Peach. With a soft click of his tongue, Strip found his words and gave his Nephew a small smile, “ Cal… I’ve seen the way the two of you look at each other. It’s filled with nothing but pure love, respect, admiration, and care about one’another. I’m sure anyone who even takes a glance at the two of you knows that you both want to be at each other’s side for as long as you can be, and that’s all that really matters. If they love you as much as you love them, and as much as Lynda and I think they do, than it won’t truly matter how you go about doin’ this. What matters is that you took the step to make it special, or to even do what you’re doin’ in the first place… because even that takes guts.

Do what you think is right and don’t listen to the voices in the back of ya’re head tellin’ you any different. ” Strip’s eyes softened a little at Cal, showing him that Strip genuinely meant what he was telling him. Cal kept his eyes on his Uncle for a moment before glancing over to Cotton, his hand slowly working through her mane again as he thought about his Uncle’s words for a moment. As he thought, he could hear his Uncle stand up from his leaning position and walk over to the bin of brushes; he took one out, strapped it back onto his hand, and went to go work through Apricot’s mane again.

A silence fell over the two before Cal took in a deep breath and let it out in a heavy puff, “ Maybe you’re right, Uncle… ” Cal began as he caught his tongue before he continued, thinking about his next words. Strip hummed towards him, verbally showing his Nephew that he was listening to his words even while working. Cal coniplated for a moment, nerves taking over him before he shook his head of all the nervous thoughts that kept piling up, “ I’ll do it tonight! Before supper, after we finished with the chores around the ranch, and after I take my shower. ” Cal nodded to mainly convince himself that he could do this and that he was going to do this! Tonight would be the night, tonight had to be the night; if he didn’t do it tonight, he wouldn’t do it on this trip and would continue to put this off.

“ I support your decision, boy. ” Strip hummed as he finished Apricot’s mane with one final, confident stroke. “ I’ll tell your Aunt to give you both some time before supper. But other than that, I better see them come back with that ring on their finger, or else you’ll be cleanin’ up the horse poop tomorrow. You hear me? ” “ Yes sir. ”

Leaning against the railing of the porch, your eyes stuck on the setting sun and all the colors it had painted the sky; the oranges mixed with the pinks, yellows, and baby blues. It was a picture you weren’t able to see often due to the busy life of a nascar racer paired with living in the city. If you weren’t at your sponsor’s training center, you were on the road, if you weren’t there you were at the next racing track practicing, if not then you were at home or with Cal relaxing. Nothing really left time in your schedule, or even a thought in your brain, to go outside and look at the setting sun in all of its beauty.

A small smile was plastered on your face, a smile that Cal loved so much and a smile on a face he couldn’t like but watch as your amazement slowly framed your face. He took in a deep breath and let it out, closing his eyes and leaning his head back against the pole behind him as he thought to himself; he reminded himself that he’d had to leave with you soon, that he had to make good on his word with his Uncle and return with you happier than both of you were at this moment. At the minimum, he has to at least try.

So after a moment of rest, Cal kicked himself back onto his feet, “ I’ll be right back, hun. ” He told you softly, causing you to roll your head over in his direction to glance at him. The same smile lingered on your face as you nodded towards your boyfriend before turning back to the sky above the two of you. Cal walked off towards the stables, shaking off his nerves as he released his arms from the tense cross they had been subjected to ever since the sun first started setting. You hadn’t questioned him, in fact you seemed too peaceful to question him about it.

You had taken notice of some of his nerves, but you didn’t bring it up because he noticed how peaceful he usually was here. It made you soften as you watched Strip and Cal trying to cook breakfast for everyone while Lynda was asleep, yet they had ended up starting a small food fight with flour, salt, sugar, baking powder, etc. Soon enough they had begun to rough house on the floor, laughing and trash talking each other to the point where they had accidentally woke Lynda up and caused her to nearly drop dead at the state of her kitchen. She forced the two boys to go out to the yard and hose themselves down as the dogs had raided the kitchen and began to make the mess worse. Tex and you had been sitting at the breakfast table, both losing your minds laughing at the whole ordeal. You couldn’t help at giggle at another situation where Tex had purposefully opened the pen of the cattle so Lynda, him, and you could watch as Cal and Strip panicked and struggled to rangle in all the cattle; of course, he was ready with his own horse to jump on and help them if a cattle escaped, but they had managed to bring everyone back home.

This place and these people, you knew, were Cal’s family; not only by blood but by choice. He loves his Uncle, Aunt, and Tex with everything he had and you knew he would do anything to have summers like this last forever.

The painted sky made you smile, but the memories made on this ranch made you grin and come to peace. You inhaled the sweet country air and leaned your head back to take everything in; if you were being honest with yourself, you didn’t want this summer to end either. No worries about the press, no worries about meeting quota for your sponsor, no worries how your words would be taken out of context… There was nothing to worry about; there was just love, playfulness, and a wide open yard that held a big southern family who had big hearts and bigger attitudes towards each other.

And that’s what made you love being here.

And these are the people and home who made the man you love today.

And this is the man you love; truly, wholly, with everything you have, forever and always.

The barking of Chase and Peach, the Weather’s Border Collie and Australian Shepherd, followed by the footsteps of trotting hooves brought you out of your train of thought. Your attention was captured to the general area in which the stables laid from the house, causing you to take notice of your boyfriend making his way over to you. He was mounting on top of Cotton and made a gentle yet gentle stop right in front of where you were relaxing, “ Care for a sunset right? ” Cal asked with a small smile and a hopeful gleam in his eye that pulled you in, causing you to become curious of what he was planning; you knew Cal all to well, in such you knew that when he got that hopeful gleam in his eye he was hoping for whatever he was planning to go just right.

So you entertained him, taking his hand as he held it out to you and mounted Cotton. “ Remember, ” Cal started as he shuffled up, allowing you to have a more comfortable spot on the saddle. He let go of the reins for a moment and reached back, cupping his hands over yours and brought them around his waist. “ Hold on tight and don’t let go. ” You hummed softly as you shuffled closer to Cal, who kept his hands on yours for a moment. A dorky smile had snaked its way on his face as he relished in your hold for a moment before gently kicking Cotton in the side, clicking his tongue a few times to get her to start going. After a steady start, Cal released his hands from cupping yours and took control of the reins again.

You had a sneaky suspicion he didn’t want to, in which you leaned a little closer to him and planted a kiss on the back of his neck. You can feel him warm up a little, in which you laughed at because he was simply just too adorable.

A trot through the ranch, which had had all the lanterns lighten… your favorite time of each day, being able to see the fireflies dance around and mingle with the stronger light of the lanterns. Than a trot through the nearby forest trail as the sun peeked through the opening in the leaves, leaving enough light where the forest was dim but not dark. It was beautiful seeing the patches of orange-sun playing hide and seek as they two of you trotted by, making your way towards a clearing that Cal knew all too well. He had walked this path many times, and he had always imagined taking you down this path one day.

Of course he imagined coming down this path with you first to ask you to be his lover; yet you had beaten him to it before he could do it! You had asked during a date right after one of his biggest wings in a piston cup season. It was a little cliche, but it still made Cal’s stomach fill with butterflies as he remembers the day;

You had invited him over to your home for dinner, in which the two of you would cook instead of going out to eat. It always ended up in some cute food fight the two of you would have to clean up before you ate, this time it had been flour as it had been decided that you guys had to eat cupcakes after dinner! And Cal was feeling devious that day, having flicked flour in your direction and caused a little war between you two with flowers being thrown back and forth. He can still remember your light but charming laughter as the two of you ran around your kitchen just chucking flour at each other, trying to see who can make the other more white. And when you both had declared a winner, sadly it had been you, the two of you sat on the floor and couldn’t help but get all your laughter out.

And your question had come out of nowhere, he was sure it had come out of nowhere, “ Hey Cal, ” You began, turning your head in his direction and he matched your movement. You had been speaking through your fit of laughter, “ How would you feel if I asked you to be my boyfriend right now? ” You had cocked your eyebrow up, a light snicker to the corner of your lip. He remembered he felt so warm, having flushed bright red and looked away from you.

But even despite his reaction, he managed to mumble out a, “ I think I… would say yes.. ” And he remembered how gentle you were in cupping his cheeks; and how loving and soft your eyes look staring into his eyes as you turned his head to face you; and… how perfect it just felt to finally have you be his as you kissed him and he kissed you back.

That day was one of the best days in Cal’s life, and he wouldn’t change any of it for the world. You were one of the only people who he strived to be better for. You made him a better man than he could be on his own and he couldn’t thank you enough for everything you’ve done for him.

You were his world, and he hoped he could show you just how much you meant to him.

Cal clicked his tongue at Cotton, causing you to raise your head from off his back in confusion and take a look around. The two of you had broken through to a less wooden area of the forest trail which now allowed you to see the beautiful sight of a sunset at a small beachy area. Cotton trotted off path, leaning you both down to the beach before she stopped right next to a big oak tree, allowing Cal to swing his legs over her and dismount. He turned to you with a small smile, extending his hand out to help you dismount… and you thought he was simply going to do that as you went to take his offer. Yet then he cheekily slid his hands around your waist, pulling you off Cotton himself before he spun you around.

“ Cal! ” Laughter escaped your lips, your hands defaulting to be placed on his shoulders as he chuckled after you; seeming rather amused by your sudden shocked face. He connected your foreheads as he continued to spin you around for a hot moment; simply basking in your presence and your laughter before he slowed down and placed you back down on the ground.

You gave him a cheeky look and playfully slapped his shoulder, “ Now what was that for, mister? ” Your tone was as light as fluffed butter, yet still playful; Cal’s eyes softened for a moment before he snickered just a little at the corners of his lips, “ What? I can’t show you how much I love you? ” He queered back, placing his hands on his hips and pretending as though you had offended him a little.

To which he heard a shake of the head from you, “ Whatever you say, hun. ” Yet, Cal knew he had succeeded in giving you little butterflies in your stomach by his simple gesture. He could tell by the light flush on your cheeks and your slight dorky, love sick smile. It was always small moments like that where you’d become flustered, love sick for him as he was for you; as no matter how long the two of you might have been together, Cal always carried a puppy love essence in the relationship he was glad you could reciprocate. It always made him heart skip a beat whenever he knew he was able to make you flush, laugh, or simply just enjoy life at that moment… because he just wants to make you as happy as he can; You deserve it after all.

“ Why did you bring me out here, Cal? ” Yet Cal had to snap out of his loving gaze towards you as you turned to look at him, lips pierced together and a quizzical look on your face.

“ Oh!- ” Dammit.. Cal didn’t think of an excuse he could spew to you, his mind had been too focused on making sure he knew exactly what to say to you and where to bring you. Cal glanced off to the side, nerves hitting him all of a sudden as the only thing he could think of at this moment was, “ I just… wanted to show you how beautiful the sunset was from here; you keep telling me how pretty it was from the front porch. ” He explained, rubbing the back of his neck. Thankfully, you didn’t seem to outright question him on his motives; something you would usually do whenever he began to rub his neck when speaking to you. He was thankful for that… but also a little terrified because something in the back of his mind poked him ever so gently, telling him that you knew about his plan.

But all those worries melted away like ice cream in the summer heat as you took his hand, “ Then come on you dummy, ” You started with that smile he loved so much. “ What’s the use of standing here when we can get a better look from out there. ” You had gestured out into the small open beach, earning a nod from Cal.

The two of you traversed down the beach, hand-in-hand, like two couples in a cliche rom-com and halted at the shore, where the view of the sunset was the clearest. And then everything was silent, minus for the splashing and washing of the ocean’s waves and the gentle wind that shook the trees. And the silence was comfortable, even more so when you had leaned over to Cal and rested your head on his shoulder.

And everything was perfect.

A perfect sunset. A perfect gentle breeze. A perfect view…

A perfect moment.

A perfect… Oh…

Cal turned his eyes to glance at you, a gentle glaze that took in everything about you. Who you were inside and out; how bright you could light up a room, how your off-handed dad jokes with Tex and Strip always seemed to shift the mood in the pits during a tough game, how you refused to give up on following your passions, how you loved him no matter if he won or lost… how intelligent you are and how beautiful you are… and how much he loves you.

Oh. How perfect you are .

You are more perfect than the sunset.

You are more perfect than the gentle breeze.

You are more perfect than the view.

You are more perfect than a perfectly drawn circle.

You are more perfect than a meadow of blooming sunflowers.

You were more perfect than the most symmetrical, glistering diamond.

You are more perfect than Cal himself.

You are more perfect than anything and everything, all at once.

And Cal wasn’t sure how he ended up with someone like you, someone so perfect in his eyes; but no matter how he managed to end up with someone like you, he was glad to have you with him. No, no. He was more than glad. He was more overjoyed and grateful than words could ever explain…

And oh… He didn’t know how he was going to explain that all to you; he possibly couldn’t explain the unexplainable to you.

“ Cal? ” Your voice was gentle and soft, it had caught his attention though he already had all his attention on you; because he would rather take in that you were here with him rather than the sunset that laid in front of him. A sunset, no matter how much it tried, could never be more perfect or beautiful than you were.

“ Yes, dear? ” He answered you with a softer voice than you've heard before. It was full of love and endearment, and you melted a little in hearing his voice.

“ You’re staring at me. ” You rubbed his hand a little with your thumb.

“ I know… ” He admitted, a small hum to his voice as he didn’t avert his eyes from yours. It was the first time he didn’t look away, flushing when you pointed out that he was staring at you.

The two of you stared at each other for a moment, silently agreeing that in that moment nothing else nor no one else existed; it was simply you and Cal, Cal and you, and a sunset that was not as perfect as you were in Cal’s eyes.

“ [your name]... ” Cal started, his breath a little airy as he started, causing you to cock an eyebrow up at him in confusion. But you still kept your small smile, causing him to feel much more calm than he would have. He took in a deep breath, squeezing your hands a little before he began to speak to you again, “ I have to come clean with you… I… didn’t bring you here to look at a pretty sunset with you. ”

Slipping one of his hands out of yours, Cal placed it into his pocket while glancing down at it. You hadn’t noticed to square shape that defined his pocket until now, “ And I don’t know what exactly to tell you right now… because I’ve rehearsed this so many times to myself in my heads, in my dreams, and whenever I look at you… but… no words ever feel just right to tell you in a moment like this; and I don’t think there will ever be the just perfect words I’m searching for.

So… ” And he paused again, slowly returning his eyes back to yours; he noticed the gleam in your eyes and how they seemed a little extra watery, looking like you were about to cry. He reached out, cupping your cheek while looking at you so gently. He tried talking again yet his words caught on his throat a little, causing him to stifle before he let out soft chuckles. He was about to cry himself. You couldn’t help but laugh at him, and how much of a dork he was being, as you reached your own hands up and cupped his face.

“ Go on, ” You reassured him, “ I’m listening to you. ”

“ So I… ” He gently pulled away from you before slowly lowering himself down onto one knee. “ …was wondering… ” He pulled out a velvet wedding ring box, “ …if you would make me the happiest man in the world and marry me. ” He popped the box open, showing you one of the most gorgeous engagement rings you’ve ever seen, yet one that also looked all too familiar.

“ Oh.. Cal.. “ You gasped a little, your hands covering your mouth as you realized why the ring looked all too familiar.

“ It was the first ring that had caught your eye in that jewelry store when we had first talked about marriage. It had made you so excited… and I knew from that day, I wouldn’t have you wearing any other engagement ring. ” Tears slowly began to roll down your cheeks, “ I… love you so much, [your name]. You’re the first thing I think about when I wake up and my last thoughts before bed. You make me a better man and any moment with you in my life is a moment I always want to cherish and keep; I don’t think I could ever handle a day where you were not here by my side, helping me and pushing me… so please… ”

Cal didn’t get a chance to ask you the same question twice before you pulled him onto his feet and into a sweetly sick loving kiss. He was surprised at first, not having expected you to do something like that … but then he warmed into it, knowing you had actually accepted to marry someone like him. In which he wrapped his arms around your waist, making sure to close the ring box just encase, and pull you close to him.

This moment wasn’t exactly how he’d imagine it going, how he had planned it in his head; but, just like you had asked him to be your lover, he wouldn’t change this for the world.

This moment was just as perfect as you were… and he didn’t want it to end. He wanted to be in your arms forever and always, in good health and in bad, until death do part the two of you in old age.

Because Oh..

Oh…

He loves you so much.

And you love him.

And that’s all the two of you needed for ever and always…

And neither of you would have it any other way.

#cars fandom #pixar cars #cal weathers #cal weathers x reader #cars 3 (2017)#cars (2006)#cars pixar #strip weathers #lynda weathers #tex dinoco #cars 3

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newstfionline · 3 years

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Wednesday, July 28, 2021

As Delta variant spreads, so do vaccine mandates (Yahoo News) Spurred by the Delta variant of the coronavirus, new cases of COVID-19 have risen in the U.S. by 170 percent over the last two weeks. Accompanying that rise, which is expected to continue to worsen, a slew of new vaccine mandates are being enacted across the country. The Department of Veterans Affairs announced Monday that it will require 115,000 of its frontline health care workers to be vaccinated over the next two months. Earlier this month, San Francisco issued a new policy requiring city employees to be vaccinated. On Monday, the state of California followed San Francisco’s lead, releasing a new policy that requires state employees to show proof of COVID-19 vaccination or undergo weekly testing for the virus starting Aug. 2. New York Mayor Bill de Blasio unveiled a similar policy on Monday for his city. While it is largely up to private businesses to decide whether to require proof of vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test from customers, more and more companies and business owners are now grappling with the decision to impose restrictions in the wake of the spike in new infections.

Confusion besets new police reform laws in Washington state (AP) Washington state is embarking on a massive experiment in police reform and accountability following the racial justice protests that erupted after George Floyd’s murder last year, as nearly a dozen laws took effect Sunday. But two months after Gov. Jay Inslee signed the bills, law enforcement officials remain uncertain about what they require, leading to discrepancies around the state in how officers might respond—or not respond—to certain situations, including active crime scenes, welfare checks and mental health crises. “When you take the legislation and apply it, that’s when you really learn how effective it’s going to be,” said Rafael Padilla, the police chief in Kent, a south Seattle suburb. “The challenge is—I’m going to be very frank—the laws were written very poorly, and the combination of them all at the same time has led to there being conflicts in clarity and in what was intended versus what was written.” Law enforcement officials have embraced some of the changes and said they share the lawmakers’ goals. But uncertainty about how to comply, combined with a greater possibility of being decertified or held personally liable in court, puts officers in a tough position, they say.

The Dixie Fire (NYT) California’s largest wildfire this year, the Dixie Fire, combined with a smaller fire on Sunday and grew to cover over 200,000 acres by Monday. The burn area of the Dixie Fire is larger than New York City, but only roughly half the size of the Bootleg Fire, which tore across Oregon earlier this month. Despite being a smaller fire than the Bootleg Fire, the Dixie Fire could affect a larger population: while only 300 people live within 5 miles of the Bootleg Fire, 4,900 people live near the Dixie Fire. Rick Carhart, a spokesman for Cal Fire, said that the most worrying thing about the Dixie Fire was its timing. Normally, firefighters would expect a blaze this size some time in September, after months of dry weather. A wildfire of this magnitude this early into the year signals that fire season is beginning earlier and earlier. According to Carhart, “We’re all kind of learning that fire season isn’t a three-month or six-month thing anymore.”

U.S. warns against travel to Israel, Portugal and Spain as delta fuels outbreaks (Washington Post) The United States is now warning against travel to Israel and several European countries as the more contagious delta variant fuels coronavirus outbreaks. The State Department and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued new travel advisories Monday for Israel, Cyprus, Portugal and Spain, as well as Kyrgyzstan, citing surging case numbers in all five countries. The warnings came as the White House also said it had no plans to lift broad restrictions on visitors from Britain, Europe’s Schengen region and other nations such as Brazil, China, India and South Africa.

US suspends cooperation with Guatemala attorney general (Washington Post) The U.S. government has suspended cooperation with Guatemala’s Attorney General’s Office in response to the firing of its top anti-corruption prosecutor, saying Tuesday that it has “lost confidence” in the Central American country’s willingness to fight corruption. The firing came less than two months after Vice President Kamala Harris visited Guatemala and spoke with President Alejandro Giammattei about the importance of the country’s anti-corruption efforts. Harris has targeted corruption in the region as one of the key factors in pushing outward migration.

Peru’s new first family leaving behind rural, Andean home (AP) The humble two-story, adobe home of the Castillo family, located in one of the poorest districts of Peru deep in the Andes, feels a little empty now. Lilia Paredes packed up the family’s belongings within the last week, neatly folding her husband’s shirts and picking some plates and silverware in between visits from farmers from nearby villages stopping by to say goodbye. A neo-baroque presidential palace awaits Paredes, her husband and Peruvian President-elect Pedro Castillo, and their two children—should the family chose to live in the historic building. Castillo, will be sworn in as president Wednesday, less than two weeks after he was declared the winner of the June 6 runoff election. “We don’t have any property in Lima,” she told The Associated Press last week on her foggy patio in Chugur while she rubbed her hands amid the cold of the Andean winter. “We are people from the countryside, and almost always, the provincial have to wait years to have a property in the capital. We are not kings to live in a palace, we go to work.”

In aftermath of German floods, fires burn in southern Europe as rains drench London (Washington Post) Wildfires are spreading on the Italian island of Sardinia, and elsewhere in southern Europe, fueled by wind and dry weather—adding to a list of travails that have plagued the continent over the summer, including high temperatures, dry spells and drenching rains. The fires come as rains wreak havoc to the north. Germany is grappling with the aftermath of flooding that devastated entire towns with little warning. In London, extreme rain beginning Sunday, following a heat wave, barreled the city, flooding roads, hospitals and train stations. Authorities in Sardinia declared a state of emergency on Sunday as fires tore through tens of thousands of acres and forced some 1,500 people to evacuate. In northeast Spain’s woodland rural areas, wildfires broke out Saturday evening, burning through over 3,000 acres in an area about 62 miles west of Barcelona. Weather varies according to many factors, buts scientists say that extreme weather that drives fires and floods is becoming increasingly frequent due to the effects of climate change.

1 killed, 4 missing in German chemical blast; 31 injured (AP) An explosion at an industrial park for chemical companies in Germany killed at least one person Tuesday, with 31 others injured and four missing. Fire officials who tested the air said there did not appear to be a danger to nearby residents after authorities initially urged people to shelter inside. The explosion at the waste management facility of the Chempark site in the city of Leverkusen, near Cologne, sent a large black cloud into the air. It took firefighters almost four hours to extinguish the fire that took hold after the explosion. The city of Leverkusen said in a statement that the explosion occurred in storage tanks for solvents.

US pays $4B to Afghan forces; who is keeping track? (AP) The U.S. and NATO have promised to pay $4 billion a year until 2024 to finance Afghanistan’s military and security forces, which are struggling to contain an advancing Taliban. Already, the U.S. has spent nearly $89 billion over the past 20 years to build, equip and train Afghan forces. Yet America’s own government watchdog says oversight of the money has been poor, hundreds of millions of dollars have been misspent and corruption is rife in the security apparatus. Monitoring where the future funding goes will become virtually impossible after Aug. 31, when the last coalition troops leave. Much of the billions injected into Afghanistan the past two decades has gone largely unmonitored, leading to runaway corruption by both Afghans and foreign contractors. In one instance, the U.S. spent $547 million to buy and refurbish 20 G222 military transport aircraft for the Afghan Air Force. Sixteen of them were later sold as junk to Afghan scrap dealers for $40,257 because the American refurbishers delivered flawed and unsafe aircraft. Of $7.8 billion provided since 2008 to Afghan civilian authorities for buildings and vehicles, only $1.2 billion went to buildings and vehicles that were used as intended. Only $343.2 million worth of what was acquired was maintained in good condition.

Myanmar floods (Reuters) Flooding in Myanmar has displaced hundreds of people, residents said on Tuesday, adding to the misery of a nation struggling against a fast-spreading coronavirus outbreak while living through the chaos created by a military coup in February. Heavy downpours since the weekend caused flooding in several areas, forcing healthcare workers to move COVID-19 patients through drenched streets and alleys in search of someplace drier.

South, North Korea reopen hotlines as leaders seek to rebuild ties (Reuters) South and North Korea have restored hotlines that Pyongyang severed a year ago when ties deteriorated sharply, and the two countries’ leaders are renewing efforts to rebuild relations, Seoul’s presidential office said on Tuesday. The hotlines are a rare tool to bridge the two Koreas, but it was unclear whether their reconnection would expedite any meaningful restart of negotiations aimed at dismantling Pyongyang’s nuclear and missile programmes.

China may be having a harder time with Biden than with Trump (Washington Post) On Monday, the United States’ Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman met with Chinese counterparts in the port city of Tianjin. U.S. officials said the aim of the discussions was to set “guardrails” around the increasingly fractious Sino-U.S. relationship and “keep the channels of communication open.” Coming out of the meetings, it wasn’t quite clear what markers had been laid down amid a testy airing of grievances. In exchanges with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Vice Foreign Minister Xie Feng, Sherman laid out Washington’s many concerns with Beijing, from its campaigns of repression in Hong Kong, Xinjiang and Tibet to the recent determination by the United States, the European Union and other world powers that hackers affiliated with the Chinese government have participated in a broad array of malicious cyber activities. Sherman also raised the matter of the pandemic and China’s conspicuous lack of cooperation with the World Health Organization’s efforts to understand its roots, an issue that is both a sensitive subject for Beijing and a source of political anger for U.S. lawmakers. In its first six months in power, the Biden administration has slapped sanctions on Chinese officials involved in the crackdown on Hong Kong, placed export controls on certain Chinese technology firms and extended Trump-era measures to prevent U.S. investment in Chinese companies that deal with the country’s military. Meanwhile, U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai has barely budged from the adversarial path taken by the Trump administration, while drawing Chinese ire by backing Australia in its own trade disputes with Beijing. Indeed, some notable Chinese commentators contend that China is in an even tougher place with Biden in the White House, as the United States tries to build a more united front with European and Asian partners after four years of Trump’s “America First” agenda.

Guilty verdict in first trial under Hong Kong security law (AP) The first person to be tried under Hong Kong’s sweeping national security law was found guilty of secessionism and terrorism on Tuesday in a ruling condemned by human rights activists. The Hong Kong High Court handed down the verdict in the case of Tong Ying-kit, 24. He is accused of driving his motorcycle into a group of police officers while carrying a flag bearing the protest slogan “Liberate Hong Kong, revolution of our times” on July 1 last year, a day after Beijing imposed sweeping national security legislation on Hong Kong following months of anti-government protests in 2019. Tong pleaded not guilty to charges of inciting secession and terrorism, and an alternative charge of dangerous driving. He faces a maximum sentence of life imprisonment.

Businessman Najib Mikati becomes Lebanon’s latest prime minister designate (Washington Post) Billionaire former prime minister Najib Mikati secured enough votes on Monday to become Lebanon’s next prime minister designate, tasked with forming a government that many hope will halt the country’s precipitous slide into economic and financial collapse. Mikati is the third nominee for the post since the explosion at Beirut’s port nearly a year ago. Whether Mikati will succeed where the others failed to form a new government is uncertain. In the meantime, the country’s collapse has accelerated. The currency has lost more than 90 percent of its value, impoverishing millions. Food and medicines are scarce. Lebanon has almost completely run out of fuel, paralyzing transport and leaving even those wealthy enough to afford generators without electricity.

Human Rights Watch: Israeli war crimes apparent in Gaza war (AP) Human Rights Watch on Tuesday accused the Israeli military of carrying out attacks that “apparently amount to war crimes” during an 11-day war against the Hamas militant group in May. The international human rights organization issued its conclusions after investigating three Israeli airstrikes that it said killed 62 Palestinian civilians. It said “there were no evident military targets in the vicinity” of the attacks. The report also accused Palestinian militants of apparent war crimes by launching over 4,000 unguided rockets and mortars at Israeli population centers. The report, however, focused on Israeli actions during the fighting, and the group said it would issue a separate report on the actions of Hamas and other Palestinian militant groups in August.

Lemonade stands get more freedom (Reason) Two weeks ago the governor of Illinois signed a law that will allow children to operate lemonade stands without risking a visit from the health department. This was deemed necessary after a 2017 incident in which a 9 year old had her 50-cents-a-cup roadside operation shut down by the city. According to the new law, health departments can’t regulate the sale of lemonade or nonalcoholic drinks by a person under the age of 16 in the state of Illinois. Similar legislation is awaiting the signature of the governor of New Hampshire.

#headlines #news

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