Chapter Sixteen #2
“You could never, and I mean never be useless. You hear me? You had a bad accident and needed to recover—”
“But I—" she tried to interrupt me.
“No. Not a single one of us here at the ranch feels like you’re not pulling your weight. We’re family and it gave us one hell of a scare. We want you rested, recovered and protected.”
She sniffled quietly, angrily brushing away a tear that had the audacity to escape.
“You hear me?” I asked, my tone serious.
She nodded.
“August.”
“I hear you. Sorry for my outburst.” She gave me a small smile and I smiled right back, plucking a bit of hay from her hair.
“You don’t need to apologize.”
“Thanks.”
“Right, now I need to go for a ride before I go off and help Daddy. Not because you’re useless but because I’m awesome,” I winked at her and she snorted.
“Why do you need to ride so bad?” she asked.
I placed my boot in the stirrup and swung myself up into Sunshine’s saddle.
“Man problems,” I grunted.
“He’ll get bored of her eventually. She’s not for him,” August said absentmindedly, brushing her knuckles softly over Sunshine’s nose.
“Who? Leo?” I frowned. “How did you know who I meant? And how do you know she’s not for him?”
August fixed me with a chagrined smile before she tapped Sunshine’s side. “Off you go girl, take Maddy on a wild ride!”
“Wait, August!” I shouted over my shoulder as Sunshine bolted out of the stables. But the joy on August’s face had me leaving it alone. I needed to find my own joy this morning.
We rode for miles and miles, the rush obliterating all thoughts in my brain which was exactly what I needed.
I was so lost in the thrill of the ride that I realized I must have been two hours at least. I immediately felt guilty and directed Sunshine back to the ranch.
I rode to the north pasture but couldn’t see Daddy anywhere.
He must have done that one already, so I headed to the south.
When I drew closer, I heard a long, high-pitched whinny. My heart pounded, that length and pitch meant something was wrong.
“Faster, girl!” I ushered Sunshine and she sped up. When we approached the mouth of the pasture, I could see Chester pacing back and forth in front of the wrought iron gate. I leapt off Sunshine and opened the gate, palms up and tried to calm Chester.
“Hey, whoa boy! Come on, it’s okay.” He slowed enough that I grabbed his reins and brushed his nose to soothe him.
I looked across the pasture but couldn’t see anything.
I knew Chester wouldn’t be upset for no reason.
I climbed into his saddle and reached out for Sunshine’s reins, and we set off at a trot together.
Eventually I spotted my father, sitting on the ground by the fence, looking up at the sky. I slowed the horses and laughed as I slipped off Chester’s back smoothly.
“Just having a little break, are we?” I teased as I headed over but he didn’t move. Chester whinnied again, pacing back and forth in front of him. “Daddy?”
He turned to me, his face and lips devoid of color, one hand gripping his left arm.
“Daddy?” I rushed to his side. “What’s wrong?” I grabbed his hand, the skin ice cold to the touch.
“I’m pretty sure…I’m having…a heart attack,” he panted out.
My stomach dropped, fear came rushing in and my mind fragmented into a thousand different thoughts.
I had done plenty of emergency and first aid training.
Of all my sisters, I was the best one to have found him.
But I wasn’t prepared for having to apply my training on a loved one and it all just vanished from my mind.
“Okay, well, stay calm,” I began.
“Sure,” he snorted.
“Let’s get you back on Chester…”
“Maddy…”
“So we can get back to the house.”
“Maddy…”
“We’ll call an ambulance and then we can—”
“Madison, sweetie…” He broke off.
I shook my head because the resignation in his face said it all and I wailed. “No! Come on, we can do this, we can get back.”
“Maddy, I don’t think I can walk.”
“Then I will carry you. I’m strong enough, because we can’t just stay here.”
“Sweetie, ride back to the house, then call an ambulance.”
“I’m not leaving you here!” I snapped, voice rising with my panic.
“Maddy—”
“No, I’m not leaving you because I know why you’re making me go and it’s not going to happen, okay? You’re not going to die out here. We’re going to get you home and to the hospital and it’ll all be okay.”
His pale lips pulled into a tight smile. “Okay sweetie, I believe you.”
He was lying, I knew it. But it was good enough for me.
“Good, now, put your arm around my neck.”
He was shivering, likely from the shock and being out in the pasture for so long.
He couldn’t lift his arm and I fought down the rising panic.
I gripped him, the limb heavy, cool and useless.
I anchored it around my neck and looped one arm around his back.
I braced my knees and pulled us up, both of us grunting at the strain.
If I hadn’t done all my strength training, I would never have been able to lift him. I was struggling as it was.
“Talk to me,” I grunted under the weight of him.