by H. J. Bellus
The ringing of my phone pulls me from my nasty thoughts and when I look at the screen, it’s Challis. It takes me several seconds to decide whether or not to take the call.
“Hello.”
“Merek.” My name rolls off her lips in a sob.
I don’t know what to say to her, so I just listen.
“I’m…” I can tell she’s trying to catch her breath on the other end of the phone. “I’m sorry.”
The two words are a bit of a welcome to me, but I’m still beyond pissed about how easily she could have just written me off and was ready to walk away from me and from us.
“Say something, Merek.”
Bending forward I bury my head in my free hand. “I don’t know what to say, Challis. If you were so damn ready to walk away from me that easily, why would I want to come back?”
“I freaked out.”
“No shit. You freaked out. Lola was more than likely lying and just played you like a fucking fiddle. I’ve never claimed to have a clean past, but I am sure of one thing, Challis Jones. I’m the best thing that’s ever walked into your life and you just chose to throw it all away on a drop of a dime.”
There’s a long pause, and I’m proud of myself for not caving right back into her. She’s my one true addiction, the reason I get up in the morning, and the person I wouldn’t be able to live without, but I refuse to be a doormat to anyone.
“You’re right. I freaked out. I told you I suck at relationships, and all this built-up stress has done me in. I’m sorry.”
“I suck at this relationship shit too, Challis, but I’d never throw you away fucking ever. I love you, and when you love someone you don’t treat them like you just did me.”
“I love you too, Merek,” she whispers.
And it seems we are at a crossroad. I’m still furious with her and don’t even want to see her face right now even though I love her and want her forever, but what she did hurt me.
“Bye, Challis.” My thumb pushes the red circle ending the call. As soon as I do, I hear the distinct sound of Maverik’s truck pulling. He parks right next to me and looks down at me out the driver side window.
“Rough day, partner?”
“You have no fucking idea.”
“She find out about the money?”
“Oh, hell no. Her fucking stepmom or whatever the hell she is made some comment at the bank about me running around with her niece a while back, and Challis blew off the fucking handle claiming to end everything.”
“C’mon, little bro.” Maverik steps from the truck and goes to the back of it. I hear the squeak of the metal as he slams down the tailgate.
I follow him and plant my ass down. Maverik takes a seat next to me and hands me a beer. He must know it’s pretty bad because he’s always the one harping my ass about drinking before riding.
“Do you love her?”
“I’m not going to answer that.”
“Why?”
“Because fucking of course I love her.” I take a long pull from the beer bottle.
“Put yourself in her shoes. No family at all, working her ass off to save the ranch she grew up on, her body is sore as hell from training colts. She falls in love with the bad boy of rodeo, and then the one person she despises in this whole world digs at her one final time with the fact you fucked her niece.” Maverik cracks open his second beer and isn’t shy about putting it away.
“That gives her the excuse to blow up at me?”
“Think about it, dumbshit. Just for a minute, step back and think about it. Who else does she have in her life? Who is she going to go running to? Yeah, she has her aunt, but you know damn well how stubborn and bullheaded she is. You were an easy target.”
Maverik’s words sink in and I crack open a second beer, downing it within seconds. He’s right.
“She called me to say sorry.”
“And what did you say?”
I just shrug and think about how I ended the call without saying a goddamn thing to her. I pull my phone from my pocket and redial her number, but she doesn’t answer. I try her number three more times and no answer.
“She’s not answering.”
Maverik takes his hat off and scratches his head. “Just for once, I wish you fucking kids wouldn’t be so damn bullheaded and just work things out. Guarantee you she went home. To a ranch that she now owns but has nobody because you are too fucking stubborn to work shit out.”
“Let’s go.” I slide from the tailgate. “She pointed out the ranch to me on the way here.”
Maverik holds up his beer. “I’m not driving and you most certainly aren’t either. You know the cops will be all over our asses.”
“I’ll find someone. Let’s go.”
I scour the back of the chutes and finally find a teenage boy who can drive us.
“Merek, you don’t have enough time.”
“I’m making time, Maverik. Are you in or out?”
He slides into his back seat with a fresh beer, pissing and moaning about the whole situation.
“Are you a local?” I ask the young man.
“Yes, sir.”
“Don’t fucking call me sir and take me to the Wine Cup Ranch.”
“Um, sir…” He stops himself. “I mean, Merek, that ranch has been deserted for months now.”
“Just fucking drive.” I lay two one-hundred dollar bills on the seat between him and me.
The drive is hell and seems like it takes an eternity. Wine Cup is on the other side of town and at least ten miles out. As we get closer and closer, awful, nasty thoughts begin to fill my mind.
“Stop.” Maverik knocks me in the back of the head.
That damn man can read me all too well. When we turn down the driveway the first thing I spot is the large archway with their brand on it and then far off in the distance I see her lime green truck.
“There. Take me there.” I point to the truck. “And haul ass.”
The young man follows my directions to a T, causing gravel to fly as he gets after the gas pedal. I’m out of the truck before it comes to a stop. Teebaby is still in the trailer and I begin shouting her name and get no response.
The corrals are empty, haystacks tipped over, and tumbleweeds occupy every nook and cranny of the place. It’s the picture-perfect ghost town. Just a skeleton of a once has been ranch. I check barns, stables, and even open the door to the house and holler in.
The inside of the house is the most heartbreaking. I take a step in and pick up the picture that’s propped up on the foyer table. It’s a five-year-old toothless Challis smiling back at me from the top of a pony, with her dad smiling right back. She’s holding a trophy. My eyes scan around the house, and picture after picture is of Challis, and in each one she’s on a horse with her dad right along her side.
One photograph sticks out to me and it’s of Teebaby and Challis. A birthday scene lay in the background with a large cake, balloons, and friends, and then there’s her dad leading Teebaby off a trailer and Challis standing frozen covering her mouth. A set of chills run up and down the length of my spine as I study the cases of buckles, mostly of her dad’s from bull riding. But I’m haunted by the fact that every single picture she’s standing right next to her dad from birthdays to graduations.
“Merek.”
The sound startles me as I whirl around with the picture of Challis and Teebaby in my hand. It’s Challis with red, puffy eyes that are nearly swollen shut.
“I have nothing.” Tears flow down her rosy cheeks. “I have the ranch back and lost you. Look around. I have nothing.”
She falls to her knees in the entryway and begins wailing.
“Hey, hey, hey.” I fall down right next to her, dragging her into my lap. “I’m here. You have me, Wine Cup, Teebaby, my brothers, and Silver Star. It will all be okay.”
“I worked so hard my whole life to end up here and have fucking nothing.”
“Challis.” I pull her head up and force her to look at me. “You have me, and t
ogether we can have everything.”
“You left me.”
“Baby, you pushed me away. You were angry and said things, but look where I am. I’m right here. I’m not letting you go, Verde.”
She breaks into another fit of sobs, and each time her body racks against mine and I have to fight to hold it together. I never thought I’d see the day where my feisty little cowgirl would break down.
“The bitch moved my dad’s body.”
“What?”
“His grave is all dug up and the headstone is gone.”
I hold back all of my emotions, trying not to add any fuel to fire, but I will be having words with Lola.
“I’m here, that’s all that matters. We’ll get everything back, and for fuck’s sake we’ll run bucking bulls if you want.” I readjust her in my lap so she’s straddling me and looking straight into my eyes. “We have a clean slate and can build whatever empire we want. Our future is endless.”
Challis melts into my body, tucking her head into my neck. “I’m so sorry, Merek. I was lashing out, and really, I don’t care if you boned the Tooth Fairy. Just never leave me again no matter how big of an asshole I’m being.”
I laugh hard and finally relax just a bit. “I’ve fucked the countryside but never ran into the Tooth Fairy.”
We sit in silence for a long time, and I let Challis cry and just hold her. As much as I want to tell her to knock it off because it’s killing me, I don’t. I know she needs this release and probably to learn to show these emotions more often instead of blowing up.
Footsteps enter the house. “You two going to rodeo or sit around and cry like pussies all day?”
Leave it to Maverik to keep shit real like he always does.
Challis lifts her head from my shoulder and shrugs, silently asking me what I think.
“We need to go to the rodeo and do our thing. Hell, your hometown needs to know you’re still alive and ready to kick ass.”
“What if Lola’s there?”
“You won’t look or talk to her. Her ass is mine.”
Challis tries to stand but tumbles right back on top of me. Clearly her legs aren’t ready to steady themselves. Maverik holds his hand out to her and she takes it.
“My brother can be a dick, Challis, but just so you know you now have two other brothers in your life who’d love to kick his ass any day for you.”
“Thanks, Maverik.”
Challis throws him off guard by wrapping her arms around his neck, pulling him into a hug. My body is stiff and I do my best job of sliding back up the wall off the cold tile ground.
“I’m taking this one.” I pull the toothless picture of Challis off the wall.
“Let me see that.” I pass it to Maverik and he erupts into laughter.
Challis snags the picture and holds it to her chest. “Hey, we all go through a bit of an awkward stage.
“Thank God you grew out of it.” I slap her ass and guide her down the front steps.
“Um, who is that?”
“Some kid Merek paid to drive us here.”
Challis looks confused. “Don’t worry about it.”
Challis and I hop in her truck and head back to the fairgrounds. I told Maverik to stop at a fast food place and grab us some grub. I study Challis as she drives us back into town with her game face plastered on and strong spirit well and alive. The sun shines off her dark brown hair and lights up her fire green eyes, and it’s in this moment that I know beyond a shadow of any doubt that I’ll be making her Challis Slatter before it’s all said and done.
Chapter 18
Challis
Part of me wishes Merek would’ve said we were going back home to Silver Star instead of insisting on going through with the rodeo. My eyes still as my heart aches and my pride feels beyond foolish. I can count on one hand how many times my own dad saw me cry. Crying and having meltdowns isn’t in my vocabulary or the way I roll.
The haunting sight of my dad’s grave dug up with fresh dirt strewn everywhere is a sight I’ll never forget, and I can only hope that if I see Satan tonight I’ll be able to hold my emotions.
“You okay?” Merek asks as I pull into the fairgrounds.
I pull down my aviators and give him a shrug. It’s a bittersweet feeling pulling into this place. It was my playground growing up. We spent more time here at rodeos than we did at home.
There’s a long line of trailers waiting to get into the parking behind the chutes.
“Merek, you better get out and get to the chutes.”
“Nope, not until you’re parked.”
“Don’t be stubborn.”
We inch up in line and that’s when I see it. A brand new archway sprawling across the entrance with the words “Cody Jones Arena” in the center. I fucking lose it again with all sorts of different streams of tears flowing everywhere.
“What an honor, Verde. Your dad would be damn fucking proud of you coming back here and running.”
He grabs my hands and clutches them in his.
“You can’t leave me, Merek. You’re the only thing I have left.”
“I know. You’re screwed.”
I bust out in laughter and shake my head at his cocky ass. I pull up to a parking attendant in crazed laughter with tears rolling down my cheeks as if I was the poster child for “Hot Mess Train Wrecks”.
“Go ahead and park where you’d like. Make sure to leave openings.”
“Got it. Thanks.”
“Pull up next to Maverik’s truck.”
“But I always park a row behind you guys.”
“You’re mine now and I’m the boss, so listen.”
“Whoa there, pony, I don’t remember mentioning anything about you being the boss.”
I listen this time and pull up right next to Maverik, who has food spread out on his tailgate along with Merek’s riding gear.
“Let’s go. You drew a good one.”
Merek hops out and follows Maverik. He stops and hollers over his shoulder. “Watch me tonight.”
“Hell no.”
“Please.”
“No, Champ. I’ll be right here eating. Hurry up and go.”
The announcer is just welcoming the fans and I know Merek is pretty screwed, but also know there’s no way I could talk him out of riding. I haven’t watched him since the first time when the horse rolled up on him. Call it bad luck or a weird superstition, but it was almost like I caused it to happen.
Now, I have my own ritual while he rides. I put on our favorite playlist and listen to our favorite country songs, trying to drown out the background noise. I wait for his name to be announced and then pace back and forth by my trailer until his score is announced and so far so good.
Good Girl by Carrie Underwood comes on and I sing along as I busy myself until I hear his name. Three or four riders go by before I hear his name and the crowd goes absolutely wild, and every single time it makes me smile to know that the World Champion is all mine.
“In chute one, Merek Slatter will be spurring one out as soon as he settles in.”
Laughter erupts from me and I shake my head, “Funny one, Dad.”
It’s a sign to fight like hell to make it work with Merek. The sound of the gate crashing open is the next sound I hear and the pacing begins. I sing the words to the song, focusing in on the beat. The roar from the crowd is so loud I can barely hear my own words.
Then everything goes deathly silent and I freeze. Moments feel like years, but I can’t move. “Medics to the arena.”
“No. No. No.” I race to the back of the chutes, taking the shortcut I did as a young child, jumping from pen to pen until I’m standing at the back of chute one. The scene is insane with the ambulance already pulling in the arena and a swarm of cowboys huddled in a circle. I notice one of the pickup horses is short a rider.
Without thinking, I leap down into the chute and take off for the center of the arena.
“Ma’am, you can’t be out here.”
I turn to see m
y dad’s best friend, Frank, and just keep running.
“Merek.”
I near the circle and keep screaming his name. Maverik pulls me back away from the scene.
“Let me go.”
I kick and scream with all might.
“Merek.”
I see a figure stand straight up and it’s Merek. He’s one of the men huddled around the circle, and when we make eye contact I’m relieved and confused.
“It’s a pickup guy. Crashed into a bucking horse and is beat up pretty badly.” Maverik continues pulling me out of the arena.
“Merek.”
“He’s fine, Challis, get your ass out of the arena before you get fined for not being in proper dress code.”
I relax with his words and pull away from him and begin following him out the arena.
“Holy shit.” I breathe out.
“Merek is fine and will be fine. I suggest you go to your fucking trailer and get your head on straight.”
I exit the arena and kick dirt up as I walk back to my trailer. The sight of Teebaby is everything I need to see. The familiar surroundings, the arena being dedicated to my dad, and Merek standing and walking all sink in at once. Leaning on Teebaby, I run my hands through his mane and know everything will be all right. Not always pretty or typical, but all right. And I’m good with that.
I go about getting ready to run barrels and don’t miss the stares of familiar faces staring me down but not stopping to talk. Childhood friends pass as well as rivals from my high school days, and I’m thankful some of them only offer weak waves and move on. I have nothing to say to them and don’t want to hear any “I’m sorry for your loss.”
When I moved in with Aunt Tori it was heaven in that aspect because no one knew me or anything about my past. Dust flies from Teebaby’s saddle blanket as I toss it up on his back. His saddle flies easily on his back, and I go about cinching him up and putting on his ankle braces.
“Hey, sexy.”
I look behind me and see Merek nursing a longneck on the tailgate of the truck.
“Not funny.” I point straight at him. “Don’t ever scare me like that again.”
“It’ll take more than a rodeo accident to drag me from you.”