“I thanked you for that.”
“Yes, you did. It’s just…you’re staying here in our house. You can’t have things your way all the time. I’m not sure about everything, especially not about you. I do know, though, that this attitude of yours won’t work with my dad. You may hate it here for whatever reason, but you’re going to have to suck it up and do it so you can eventually leave, and things will go back to how they were.” I let go of her arm and walked back to the couch. When I sat, I finally heard footsteps walking farther away in the distance.
Chapter Four
Daisy
Icouldn’t believe the way Colt had spoken to me. Did I have that much of an attitude? I mean, I didn’t want to be here anymore than he and Walt wanted me here, but this is what my dad insisted on. What choice did I have? I liked where I was living now. I wasn’t happy living here, so I left after graduation. Seven years away from this place, and it seemed like somehow, I always knew that I would be back here at some point.
I think after my mom died when I was sixteen, I just had so many memories of her - memories that haunted me every place I went in this town. I wanted an escape, and the city was that for me. I knew when I left that my dad would stay. I did miss him, but the thought of being here and dealing with all the memories of my mom seemed to outweigh being away for so long. I asked him to visit. He came out once and saw my place and where I worked as a photographer. I went to a community college in the city and studied art. I was always into taking pictures and being creative, so that seemed like the best fit for me. When I found the magazine advertising for a journalist, I knew that would be a good opportunity for me. I have been therefor five years now, working as a photographer and having my place. I was proud of that. My dad was so uncomfortable while in the city and looked so out of place that I just knew he wouldn’t visit again, and I was right.
I watched Colt walk away, headed for the TV again. I waited for a moment and then walked down the hall to the room I had been staying in. It was decorated in beige and brown, with some black accents here and there, and a few off-whites. I liked the colors. It gave me a good memory. It was what my mom and dad had decorated their place with when they built it. I guess it was just a ranching thing to use those colors.
I shut the door, grabbing some shorts and an oversized t-shirt from a drawer. I slipped out of what I was wearing and changed into those to be more comfortable for the night. I plopped onto the bed, thinking about my past yet again. I thought about how this was not the first time I had been here.
? ? ?
My dad and Walt were good friends, and sometimes my dad would bring me and my mom here when he was coming to help Walt out or just spend some time catching up with his buddy. Growing up, I was used to this way of life. It was fun being around the horses and riding through the open fields. Once my mom passed, though, it was hard to find enjoyment in it all.
With two years of high school left, I was dreading every second. My mom had fallen from a horse and hit her head on a rock. It was nearly instant. I remember so many things flashing through my eyes after the accident. My high school graduation, prom, going to college, getting a job, getting married, having kids…and my mom wouldn’t be there for any of it. Getting away from Garrity Valley was so much easier than dealing with all the feelings that came when I saw this place. There were too many memories and too much of a painful reminder.
I remember one summer when my dad was coming to help Walt out with some cattle, and he brought my mom and me along.We wanted to ride horses while the men worked, so Walt let us ride his. I was only eleven then, and Colt was thirteen. Colt’s mom, Rose, wanted to go with us. While we were saddling up, Colt kept looking over at us. Rose gave my mom the reins of her horse and whispered, “I’ll be right back.” My mom and I were each sitting on a horse, waiting to go. I saw Rose pull Walt to the side for a moment, and when she came back over to us, she had Colt with her.
“Ladies, Walt thought it would be a good idea to have a man come along with us - you know, just in case we find ourselves in any trouble or need a little assistance.” She winked at us both while Colt ran inside to grab a horse from the stalls. We rode for several hours around the ranch that day and stopped at a stream before heading back to give the horses a little break. Colt and I talked some while our moms talked to each other. Colt and I talked over the years of us coming here, spending lots of time together, and we became the best of friends. He helped his dad once he was old enough to do some manual labor and ranch work. His mom, though, like this time, would sometimes convince Walt to let her steal him away for some fun. That was one of my favorite memories.
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Chapter Five
Colt
The next day, I did feel bad about what I said to Daisy. I mean, it wasn’t like I lied, but I knew it upset her. I could tell by the look on her face, even after I apologized to her, that the words I said stung. My dad had to go into town to pick up some things, and he gave me specific instructions to stay with Daisy and monitor her to make sure she was doing what chores he had her doing.
I watched her shovel out the stalls. She dropped some off the shovel onto her foot. She huffed loudly, and I couldn’t help but let out a laugh. She must’ve heard me because she rolled her eyes. She was so miserable, and I wondered if it was because she just hated this type of work or if it had to do with her past. I knew she and I had both experienced heartbreak, and I wondered if that had something to do with it.
Daisy’s mother had passed when she was sixteen. My mom passed when I was twenty. I was grateful for all the time I had with her and all the moments in my life she was there for. I could only imagine what Daisy must’ve gone through withouther mom. She had to graduate without her mom. She moved away to college without her mom. She got a job without her mom. I knew that wouldn’t be all. I mean, if she ever found someone willing to put up with that attitude, she would get engaged and later married without her mom. She would have kids without her mom. Her mom would never get to be a grandma. My mom would miss those later things, too, and that was always a hard pill to swallow. That never got easier.
“Do you want a hand?” She kept shoveling, glancing out the corner of her eye at me. “I’m offering to help you…If you want it.”
“I would like that.” Maybe she was trying to change after our talk last night. We finished cleaning out the stalls, not saying much to each other.
Once we finished, I did the rest of the work I did each day around the ranch while Daisy did her own thing, which was whatever my dad told her she needed to do. I wanted to go for a ride, so I saddled up my horse. I saw Daisy sitting on a step on the porch, using her hand to brush her hair out of her face. I walked over to her.
“Long day?” She huffed.
“What do you think?” That was that ever-so friendly attitude of hers.
“I think it’s been a long day for me, too.” I waited a moment, then made her an offer. “I was about to go for a ride on my horse, Shadow. It always helps me after a long day. If you want, you can come with. You can ride Domino. He’s very calm. The only thing is that you must saddle your horse.” She looked up at me, and I could tell she didn’t know what to make of my offer.
“Well, I used to saddle my horse all the time. I still remember. It hasn’t been that long.” She rolled her eyes. "It has been a while since I have rode, though." I saw her face soften. "I'm not sure."
"Oh, come on. Don't you miss it?"
"Maybe a little."
“Does that mean you’ll join me?” She gave me a slight, cocky smile and I gave her my hand to help her up. We walked back to the stalls, and I hopped on Shadow while waiting for her to get Domino ready. I gently brushed Shadow’s mane, something he always liked. He huffed and blew it all over Daisy. I couldn’t help but laugh. Daisy glared at the two of us, wiping her face.
“Better watch out, Shadow. She can be a mean one.” She rolled her eyes again, then turned to Domino. She paused for a moment as if contemplating on whether she should get on or not. Slowly, she put her left leg in the stirrup and threw her right leg over Domino, landing upright on the saddle. There was that strong determination of hers that I remember.
