The Rough Road Home

This is part three of the series, you can read the last installment Here.

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He had his head under the hood of her Stingray when she got back to the shop. He must have heard her coming from miles away, in that beast he called a vehicle, but he kept his head under the hood of her car; waiting for her to acknowledge him? She didn't know. The questions started filling her mind again as she looked him over. He looked good, better than before if she was being honest. His blue jeans were stretched across his hips just the way jeans were supposed to be worn, he always had had the nicest firm ass. Now it was rounded with muscles that hadn't been there when he was a teenager. He was exactly as she remembered, but a little older, and rougher around the edges.

"Cole, ohmigosh that bike, is AMAZ-" She broke off when she saw the look of pain cross his face as he straightened up and turned to face her. "Cole? Are you okay?" She held out her hand to him as she approached. She didn't know what was wrong, but she could see pain when it was plainly in front of her face.

He grimaced. "Yeah Marcie, I'm fine. Well as good as can be expected. Did you enjoy the ride? She's a beaut, isn't she? I bought her last year after I won big in Penbrook." He ignored her look of concern as he rounded the hood of the 'Vette. "This baby is a gorgeous piece of machinery too. You're doing a great job restoring her." He buffed the chrome as he spoke, avoiding her gaze.

"Cole?" She asked again as she placed her hand on his arm. "What's going on? Why are you here? Talk to me. We were friends once, I hope we still are." He sighed as he dropped the pretense of nonchalance. Looking at her he took a deep breath. "Marce, I'm home. It's a long story, but I'm going to be working over at Stan's. Teaching kids how to ride, and taking tourists on the pony trail." He grimaced. "I've retired from the rodeo circuit."

She turned away and began to clean up her tools. It was necessary, and it gave her something to do with her hands. What was he talking about? He was only 27! How could he be retired? What was going on? What was that look of pain? The nonsense of taking tourists out on the trail? That was for old men! Finally, she finished cleaning up and turned around. He was standing right where he had been before, waiting for her attention to focus on him again.

Before she could put a voice to any of the questions that swirled in her eyes, he held up a hand. "Marce, let's go somewhere and talk, okay?" She nodded, and picking up the keys to her shop, she gestured for him to walk ahead of her. Her eyes roamed over his body, noticing the way he held his left leg stiff when he walked, and more questions arose; something wasn't right. "Okay Cole, let's head over to Nan's Kitchen and get a coffee and some pie. Then you can help me understand everything that is going on" He nodded.

They took their time, ordering slices of apple pie and a coffee for each of them. Nancy, the owner, smiled at them and commented about how nice it was to see them back together after all this time. They sat across from each other silently as she bustled around them. Nancy had always been the owner of the only diner in town. They'd practically grown up sitting side by side in these booths, and Marcie swore nothing had changed in all of this time. Except the food had gotten much better.

She wasn't in a hurry and she could tell that Cole was struggling with how to start. She figured she would let him take the lead since he was the one that was returning home, whereas she had never left. She stirred sugar into the coffee that she didn't want, just for something to do. She knew the coffee would be delicious, but she was anxious to hear what Cole had to say.

"Cole" She began, and he raised his eyes to look at her. "We are friends. Just start at the beginning and tell me what's going on." He nodded. "Well, a few months ago I was on the circuit down in Cranbrook, you know?" He looked at her and she nodded. "Well, I was having a good run. I won first place in Steer Roping, and Bareback Riding. I had qualified for bronco riding and the bull riding events. I was ready to go and I was checking in with the animals. Jessy, the bronc, was in excellent form and looked terrific. I was confident about my chances. But when I went to check on Reggie, the bull, I noticed something didn't seem right; he kept shaking his head and he seemed lethargic. The handlers had to keep prodding him to keep him worked up. I should have said something, but I shrugged it off. I was cocky.

My first event that day was with Jessy. I was just getting ready for my mount when I heard a loud crash followed by shouts and then screams. I turned towards the arena and somehow Reggie had gotten loose! He was rampaging throughout the arena like the hounds of hell were after him. I hopped out of the chute and into the arena. There were a few other cowboys and wranglers in there with me trying to get Reggie under control. I managed to get my rope around him but he swung towards me and nearly gutted me with his horns. It was really close Marcie." He paused as Nan arrived at the table with the pie. He fiddled with his fork and took a sip of his coffee before he began again. "As I said, it was really close. He wasn't acting as you would expect. I have fought with him before, and he's a mean bastard, but this time he wasn't mad, Marce, Something spooked this bull. He was scared. I thought he was going to head left and shouted to Tom to head him off." His voice faltered, and he became pale. " Reggie moved so fast, I never saw it coming. Neither did Tom. His horn caught Tom's sleeve and yanked him off his feet, he was pulled alongside the bull which just pissed Reggie off more. Reggie shook Tom off but he landed badly, and he broke his neck. Me and one of the other guys finally managed to corral Reggie. I was locking the door while the vet was trying to sedate him, and he kicked out at me. He caught me in the leg and it shattered my femur. I had surgery, and have mostly healed." He looked up at Marcie and his face was sheet white. She didn't think he actually saw her at all, reliving his demons as he was. She had heard about the accident, of course, she had. Everyone knew what had happened to Tom, but the newspapers just said other cowboys had been injured, they hadn't named them, and the rest of the competitions had been canceled. She also remembered that Reggie had been put down when they finally got him under control. It was all the community could talk about for ages.

"But Tom is dead, and my career is over" He took another sip of his coffee and shook it off. He looked at Marcie, "so I came home. You told me once that we were family, and that home is the place that you go where they won't ever turn you away. Marcie, I know I don't deserve it, but I want the chance to be your family again. I want to be here, I want to be with you, I want to open a refuge for retired rodeo horses. I want to grieve for my friend. And I need you to walk beside me. I have tried to heal on my own, and I don't think I can do it alone anymore." His voice trailed off as he looked at her, and her heart broke for him all over again.

This man had always been her hero, the one she trusted above everything else, and now here he was, broken. Asking her to be his rock. He was practically begging her. Would she be able to do it? Could she put their past behind them, all the regrets and the time lost? Looking at him she knew she would do whatever was needed to help him regain his spirit and make him whole again.

She nodded and placed her hand over his, "It won't be easy Cole, I can't forget what happened before. But I won't turn you away. We will have to work up to being family again, but I'm willing to be here for you." He let out a rush of breath as she finished her sentence and she realized he was actually scared that she might say no. Didn't the man know her at all? "Are you staying at your family ranch?" she asked and he nodded. I'll be there for a while at least. I've got doctors and physio still I have to do. They don't think I will be able to get back into the arena to start riding again until the spring, but it will be nice to be around my horses again." She thought he was probably right, and hoped she was doing the right thing letting him back into her life.

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This story is part of a short series I am writing for the Summer fiction contest. If you like what you've read so far, please stay tuned for the next episode. Also please leave a heart and subscribe to my page for notifications when I post the next stories. Thank you for reading!