Chapter 17
~ Anelise ~
Ifumbled with the horse's reins as I trotted down the path with her. The frustration within me was building and the horse could feel it. Not that I could blame poor Rainbow. This wasn't her fault, but horses could easily feel your emotions and often reciprocated what you were feeling.
"Let's go back," I told her, petting her neck. She snickered at me and then turned us around. I paused her for a second, judging the distance as I got the reins situated. "You know what Rainbow?" Her head tilted as if she was looking back at me. "Run home. Just go."
She turned her head back around, lifted her lips as if she was smiling, then took off down the path, causing me to laugh. She was a great horse with speed coursing through her veins, and I knew that every once in a while, she'd need this.
I rather her know that she could do that with me than with my daughter who had no idea about control.
We slowed as we neared the barn, and I jumped off to lead her into her stall.
"You looked good on her. Carefree."
"Is there a reason I shouldn't be, Markus?"
I took the saddle off her, then the mat, before I started to groom her.
"No, just a statement. She needs to be free."
"Yes, something she and I figured out.”
"Come to the game with us tonight?" he asked.
"Are you joking? And risk the chance of seeing the asshole? No thank you."
"You know it’s MaryBeth’s favorite thing. She could use it."
I stopped to look at him, my brow lifted.
"You can take her, I don't mind, Markus."
"I think you need to be out of here. And so, what if you see him? It’s been five days, and it was a false alarm."
"Are you freaking kidding?" I struggled to keep my voice low, not needing to spook Rainbow. "False alarm or not, he made his choice."
"I’m not defending him, he hurt my girls, and I told him not to do that. But you also can’t deny that it was a news bomb that exploded in a way to freak him out."
"Thats usually how pregnancies work. Even when you are married. You can’t honestly plan for them though you may try.
Look, I get it. Even if it’s not true now, it still doesn't disqualify how he viewed it.
What he wanted or what he didn't want. Sorry, he hurt me a lot more than I thought. And he hurt my daughter."
"I still think you should talk to him before you write him off. He’s not leaving for the rodeo."
I stiffened as he said that. Sure, in my anger I wished him gone, but I'm glad he wasn’t going back to that. That was dangerous and I'm not sure my heart could handle seeing him maimed or something worse, by a bull.
"He has a job here, Anelise, I need him here. So, either you are going to have to learn how to deal with it, sister, or forgive."
I paused with my hand on Rainbow’s side, feeling her steady breaths. Her eyes flicked back and forth between my brother and I and her ears were pushed back, as if she was listening and understanding the whole exchange.
"I know, Markus. I got it. And regardless of what you might think, I can be the bigger person and tolerate him."
"Good to know. So," he said, resting his hand on mine and causing me to look at him, "come to the game tonight. Just so your daughter can be happy."
"Sucker punch," I muttered. He knew damn good and well the card he threw down. I’d do anything for my daughter and her happiness.
And that’s how I ended up here, sitting on the cold bleachers with my daughter next to me and my brother on the other side.
With absolutely no Troy in sight.
Was I happy?
I don’t know.
Was I sad?
Again, don’t know.
I just knew that boiling around in me were mixed feelings. I don’t think I blew up anything, he said something he shouldn’t have. But at the same time, I kind of felt like I did. I mean, if I was in his shoes, would I have been jumping for joy?
Chances would be no.
So, did I have the right to go all crazy on him?
I glanced over at MaryBeth who was grinning like a fool, a smile I haven’t seen on her face in a few days.
But then again, that smile was certainly bigger than I had ever seen it.
I frowned at that thought, curious why that would be.
I mean, yeah, she really liked the game, loved watching it, but that grin seemed way too much.
“All okay, MaryBeth?” I asked her, brushing her hair back.
“Yes, mommy, just ‘cited!”
“For the game?”
“For more!”
“Let’s go get snacks, MaryBeth,” Markus said, and I glanced at him, a questioning look on my face which he ignored completely.
“Sure!” She jumped up with him and then took his hand, rushing down the stairs.
I jumped to follow them but then stopped as the people around me started clapping and I looked out to the field, seeing the marching band there. But instead of their normal routine, they were formed in two simple words, ‘forgive me’.
I blinked a few times, slowly shaking my head in utter disbelief when I saw Troy walk out onto center field, with a microphone in hand.
“Ladies and gentlemen, I’m sorry to take over the opening intro for tonight’s game, but you see, I need to make a grand gesture to a young lady to show her just how sorry I was for being a dumbass.”
The crowd laughed as I slowly made my way down the stairs, not even aware I was moving until I was on the sidelines, next to my brother and daughter.
“She was perfect for me; all I was ever looking for, but in a typical male fashion, I screwed it up. I just really need her to know that I’m sorry. That I love her with all my heart, and that her daughter, and her, are my world. That I could never see my life without them being part of it.”
“Say yes, Anelise!” someone called from behind me, and rather than embarrass me, it just made me smile.
“I’ll admit, I’m just a dumb cowboy who thought what I really wanted wasn’t found in this one-horse town, but wild horses couldn’t keep me away. But, if she doesn’t feel the same, if she wants me gone, I’ll let her be. But, if, just if, she wants me to be something better, I’ll do it for her.”
“Mommy, I likes Troy.” I glanced down at the little girl who was tugging on my hand. “I say yes!” Before I could stop her, she let go of my hand and then ran across the field, straight into his arms and I realized there wasn’t anywhere else I’d rather be.
So, I followed my daughter and jumped into his waiting arm, holding both him and MaryBeth tightly.
“Where did that cut on your cheek come from?” I questioned.
“Your brother. He didn’t like me making his girls cry.”
I wiped my tears away and then watched as he turned to MaryBeth and kissed her cheek.
“I promise, sweetheart, to go sit with you all night if I can kiss your mama right now?”
“Duh!” She gave him a tight hug then scrambled down and he held me close, his lips claiming mine before the whole town and not one part of me minded.
Sure, it had only been a week since I felt his lips on mine, but it felt like a lifetime.
And I never wanted to go that long without it again.
So, with my lips still brushing his, I gave him my own vow of love. “I don’t want you to change, Troy, and I don’t want you to clean up your name. Because now, and forever more, you’ll always be my Fallen Cowboy.”