The Long Ride Home (Cowboys & Cowgirls)

by Danielle Lee Zwissler

  “You have got to be kidding me!”

  “Nope.”

  Holton shook his head, not believing how cunning a little Elena could be. “You are a brat, you know that?”

  “Sure. So, what are you doing calling so late?”

  Holton looked at the clock and groaned. “I just finished working. I wanted to hear your voice.”

  Elena smiled and turned off her desk lamp. Up until the time he called, she was doing homework and studying for her anatomy class. “That’s sweet.”

  “That’s what I am,” Holton agreed.

  “Mhmm. You are sweet. I remember a few sweet times in your life.”

  “Oh yeah? What’s that?”

  “Oh, when you stayed with me my junior year of high school.”

  “Dear God, I’m still trying to get over that one.”

  “You remember?”

  “Yeah, how can I not remember?”

  Elena giggled. “Well, I wasn’t exactly subtle in my feelings for you.”

  “No, that you weren’t.”

  “Why was I over there anyway?”

  “I called you. My parents were late coming home from the movies and it started storming out. Remember the sirens?” Elena asked.

  “Yeah, I remember now. You hate thunder.”

  “Lightning’s much worse. Well, the animals were going crazy and there was no way in hell I was going outside to get them in the barn.”

  “Yeah, I had to put our animals away, and then come over to your place. You were freaking out. My mom ushered me out of the house quickly so I could get to you.”

  “Your mom was great.”

  “Now that I know a little more about you and her, I’d say you were thick as thieves,” Holton replied, making Elena grin.

  “She knew my feelings for you,” Elena said quietly. “I told her many times.”

  “Well that’s embarrassing.”

  “Embarrassing? No, she was always really good about it. She told me about her and your father.”

  “What about them?”

  “She said that we were a lot like them.”

  “Really?”

  “Yep.”

  “How so?”

  “She said that your dad was an idiot, too.”

  Holton didn’t say anything for a minute and Elena laughed.

  “You’re lying,” Holton said.

  “Nope. She said that she told your dad how she felt several times and he pretty much just ignored her…well, that was until Bobby Shelton came around.”

  “Dear God I remember something about that guy. My dad always grumbled about him around my mom when she mentioned high school.”

  “That’s because he dated your mom.”

  “How is it that you know so much about my parents?”

  “Hmm…probably because I pay attention to those things! I was at your house all the time. I looked through your photo albums, hung out at your place for a glimpse of you. It was pathetic.”

  “It really was,” Holton joked.

  “Hey! If it weren’t for me, you wouldn’t have had a teen stalker.”

  Holton grinned and leaned back on the couch. “I know that’s right. Listen, I have to get off this phone. I’m exhausted, and I know you have to get to school pretty early.”

  “Yep, seven.”

  “Hell, I’ll be half way done with my morning by then,” Holton said.

  “Well, some people do have lives.”

  “Yeah, that’s why I get up so early.”

  “Holton, you are ridiculous.”

  “So are you. I really wish I could talk longer. I’m glad you were home.”

  “I’m glad you called.”

  “Goodnight, Elena.”

  “Goodnight, cowboy.”

  ***

  The next morning Elena woke up feeling like she was on top of the world. Holton called her the past few days and they had actually had a real conversation.

  “What are you daydreaming about?” Chery asked Elena as she was getting the coffee maker ready.

  Elena looked at her with a smile on her face. “Holton called last night.”

  “Really?”

  “Yep.”

  “Has Hell frozen over? Isn’t that two nights in a row?”

  “Yep,” Elena said, swooning.

  “I can’t believe it. I think you may have actually caught your man, El. What will Jonathon think?”

  Jonathon was a guy in her anatomy class that had asked her out on more than one occasion.

  “Well hopefully he will take the hint that I am not interested.”

  Cheryl put her coffee cup under the holder and waited for the hot liquid to dispense. “I hate these damn KCups. They take forever!”

  “They take less than a minute,” Elena defended.

  “Who are you, the inventor of the damned Keurig?” Cheryl asked, irritably. “Oh, no… I know who you are… you are in love.”

  Elena laughed as Cheryl made gagging faces. “Nice. I hope your face doesn’t stick that way.”

  “I hope it does,” Cheryl said, making Elena laugh harder. “I would love to see people’s faces as they noticed mine.”

  “You are nuts.”

  “Yep, just a little. So, what’s going on tonight?”

  “Nothing. I have to work at the diner, and then I have to study pre-calc. I have a test Thursday that I am going to fail.”

  “Sounds painful,” Cheryl chimed. “Need some help?”

  “Would you?”

  “Of course! I love math, but absolutely know nothing about anatomy, except for the basics…like what a penis is. I’ve seen one of those before.”

  “Oh God!” Elena laughed. Her face turned a bright red and Cheryl grinned. “That never gets old. You are such a ninny, Elena. I have never seen a grown woman blush at the mention of a penis before. I really have to visit where you grew up.”

  “Thanks, Cheryl. You always know how to make me feel better,” Elena groaned.

  “No problem. Hey, before you go to school I wanted to tell you something.”

  “What’s that,” Elena asked as she loaded the toaster with two pieces of bread.

  “Penis, penis, penis,” Cheryl chanted, grinning.

  Elena laughed and threw a kcup at Cheryl. “Get out of here.”

  “Penis,” Cheryl said once more and left the apartment.

  ***

  Holton went into town that afternoon and bought a few new things, including a suit jacket and a new pair of pants for his date with Elena. He also had to stop in at the bank and make a payment on the loan that Elena took out for her schooling.

  “Hi, Mr. Dade,” Jenny Soren, a bank teller at the First National greeted as he came in.

  “Hi, Jenny. I’m here to make a payment on Elena’s loan.”

  “Oh, great. How is Elena?” Jenny asked as she logged in to her computer. “Do you know the loan number?”

  “No, I don’t know the loan number. Sorry. And she is doing great. She’s in her final semester at school. I’m here to make sure she doesn’t struggle to make her month’s payment.”

  “Aw, that’s sweet. I didn’t know you two were still engaged. I had heard…”

  “Everything is okay between Elena and me,” Holton assured Jenny as he handed her over the envelope. “I know who she opened the loan with if that helps,” Holton said as Jenny was searching for the loan.

  “Nope, I found it. I am not authorized to let you know the balance, but it’s okay for you to pay the loan down,” Jenny said as she opened the envelope he handed her.

  “That’s okay, I would just like a receipt. I’ll put it in an envelope for her.”

  “That’s fine, that I can do. So, when is the wedding?”

  “We haven’t set a date yet. When we do, I’ll be sure to let you know.”

  “I am so happy for you guys. I remember how obsessed Elena was with you in high school. She had a picture of you in her locker.”

  Holton laughed. “She did?”

  “O
h yeah. We were all pretty jealous back then. Congratulations again, Holton.”

  “Thanks, Jenny,” he said as she handed him a receipt. “I’ll let you know.”

  ***

  “Hi, I’m Elena, I’ll be your server this evening,” Elena said to a couple of teenagers at the Uni-diner. She had worked there for the past four years.

  “Hi,” “Hi,” they both said at the same time. They were two teenagers. They looked like they were on a date.

  “Can I get you both something to drink?”

  “I’ll get a chocolate milkshake,” the girl said. The guy next to her grinned and said that he would take the same. Elena smiled and turned to place the order.

  She came back a few minutes later with their shakes and the two teens were holding each other’s hands. “Here you go,” Elena said as she placed the shakes on the table.

  A few minutes after that another couple came in followed by two more. It was like love was in the air, and the only thing that she could think of was Holton. He was coming in two more days!

  ***

  Elena walked in the apartment two hours later and put her backpack and purse on the table. She rolled her neck to the left and then to the right. Just then, Cheryl walked in.

  “Just getting off work?” she asked.

  “Yeah, my neck is killing me. It was a good night, though. I just had a hard time getting everyone to leave.”

  Cheryl laughed. “You need a broom.”

  “For what?”

  “To hit them with. Tell them, I’m off at 8, bitches!”

  Elena laughed. “You are insane. I couldn’t exactly hit the people with a broom. I had a few teenagers, a few couples my age, and then the rest were old people. A bus of people came in ten minutes before close. They all wanted ice cream.”

  Cheryl rolled her eyes. She worked at the same diner Elena did for two years. She quit this semester because she was student teaching. “I hate that ice cream machine. Truly, I believe that is the act of the devil.”

  “Yes, I think you are right. I am so hungry.”

  “Why didn’t you get something there?”

  “I would have, but then the bus came. I planned on going to a deli, but then…”

  “The bus.”

  “Yeah. Wait, why are you so late?”

  “Oh, I was at Denny’s.”

  “So you already ate?”

  “No! Denny’s…Denny Vick.”

  “Oh!” Elena laughed. “I was jealous for a moment there.”

  “Hey!”

  “I’m just joking. So things are going well with Denny, then?”

  “Yeah,” Cheryl smiled. “I didn’t tell you, but we’ve been dating for a while now.”

  “How long?”

  “Over a year.”

  Elena’s eyes widened. “A year?”

  “Over a year.”

  “How could you keep this from me?”

  “Are you really mad?”

  “No, it’s just…how? He is never here.”

  “Well, he’s here.”

  “What do you mean, I’ve never seen him.”

  “Elena, think about it.”

  Elena put her hand in front of her mouth and gasped. “Is he here now?”

  Cheryl nodded. “He’s in my room.”

  “What!”

  “Shh!” Cheryl shushed Elena. She started laughing. “I’m in love with him.”

  “Yeah?”

  Cheryl nodded. “He asked me, Elena.”

  “He asked you what?”

  “To marry him. We are going to get married.”

  “You are marrying this guy that I have never seen but a few times after class!”

  “Yeah,” Cheryl said, somewhat embarrassed. “What do you think?”

  “Are you embarrassed of him?”

  “No! I just… I didn’t want you to feel bad. I didn’t know Holton was good for you…but now I can see how it is, I thought you should know.”

  “Oh, Cheryl!” Elena said, hugging her best friend. “I can’t believe how good a friend you are to me.”

  “You think so,” Cheryl asked.

  “Honey, you are the bestest friend in the whole world.”

  Cheryl grinned. “Can he come out now?”

  “Do you have him caged up in there?” Elena joked.

  “No, of course not! I have him chained.”

  “Oh, Cheryl, you probably do!” Elena slapped Cheryl playfully.

  “I’ll go get him.”

  A few minutes later, Cheryl and Denny came down the steps. They were holding hands and looked very happy. Elena smiled and introduced herself formally to Denny.

  “So, you are the one that is making Cheryl late for breakfast?”

  Cheryl had the audacity to blush and Elena laughed.

  “That’d be me,” Denny said. “But, I’m usually out before she even wakes up,” he said, winking at Cheryl. “She kicks me out every morning before you get up. She didn’t want me waking you.”

  “Well, you don’t have to do that anymore.”

  “Thank God,” Denny said. “I can’t tell you how bored I am at the student center.”

  “Why the student center?”

  “I have nowhere else to go. She kicks me out and the only place on campus that is open that early is the Student center, and those couches are pretty damn comfortable.”

  Elena laughed, picturing him lying on the long leather couches. They were comfortable, but she couldn’t imagine sleeping there. There were too many weirdoes hanging around campus. One guy that hung around there constantly went around cussing to himself. He was aptly named F-U-Bob.

  “I am so sorry about that. I feel terrible knowing that she didn’t trust me enough to be happy for her.”

  “I’m sorry, too, Elena. I don’t want you to feel bad,” Cheryl apologized.

  “That’s okay. I understand why you did. I probably would have done the same thing.”

  Cheryl smiled and put her arm around Denny. “You’re a good friend, Elena. Oh, hey, did you want me to help you with pre-calc tonight?”

  Elena took a deep breath and shook her head. “I’m just going to skip it tonight. I have a few days before I really have to worry about it.”

  Cheryl laughed. “Okay, just let me know when.”

  “Okay, you two have a good rest of the night.”

  “Nice meeting you, Elena,” Denny said as he took Cheryl’s hand and led her up the steps to Cheryl’s room.

  “You as well.”

  As soon as Elena opened her door, her cell phone rang. She smiled at the phone and picked it up as she curled up with a blanket on her bed.

  “Hey,” she answered.

  “Hey, yourself,” Holton replied lazily.

  “How was your day?” he asked.

  Elena smiled and sighed. “Long.”

  “Aw…too tired?”

  “No, I just got home from work about twenty minutes ago. I also found out that my best friend Cheryl is engaged. Her boyfriend just asked her to marry him.”

  “I didn’t realize she had a boyfriend.”

  “Neither did I. She kept it a secret for over a year.”

  “Oh, why?”

  “Long story. I met him though. He’s nice.”

  “That’s good. How was work? Why so late?”

  “A bus came and a whole bunch of people ordered ice cream.”

  “And that’s bad?”

  “Oh, you have no idea. People are so stupid about their ice cream.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “Well, there are 45 different flavors there, and you have to mix them with this mixer, and our manager doesn’t care how many different flavors go on each cone…so of course people want a million different things.”

  “That does suck,” Holton agreed. “So did you get yourself dinner?”

  “No. And that’s what really sucks, because I’m hungry.”

  “You should go downstairs and make yourself a sandwich.”

  “No food. I di
dn’t have time to pick anything up.”

  “Can you order a pizza or something?”

  “It’s okay, Holton. I have a bag of M&Ms.”

  “Wow. Elena,” Holton started to speak, but Elena interrupted.

  “Don’t lecture… how was your day?”

  “Pretty good.”

  “Oh?”

  “I went shopping today.”

  “Shopping?” Elena asked, amused.

  “Yeah, I bought a few things, then stopped down at the bank.”

  “Geesh, how much did you spend?”

  “Not that much, no…I went and paid this month’s payment to your loan.”

  Elena was quiet for a moment and then spoke. “You aren’t talking to me now because of guilt, right?”

  “What?”

  “Seriously, Holton. Don’t call me just because of guilt.”

  “I’m not.”

  “Honestly?”

  “Of course. Don’t be mad, I was just trying to help out.”

  “Okay,” Elena said quietly.

  “I’m not lying,” Holton defended himself.

  “I believe you.”

  “Good. So, I’m going to let you go. I really want you to get something to eat.”

  “It’s not happening, Holton. I don’t have anything, and I am totally fine with M&Ms.”

  “Fine.”

  “What did you eat for dinner?”

  Holton mumbled something, and Elena laughed. “What was that?”

  “M&Ms.”

  Elena started giggling. “You’re kidding!”

  “I’m not. I came home to get something to eat and Lousie didn’t either make enough or the guys ate it all. I figured I had nothing to complain about since I cut out early to go in to town.”

  “Oh, Holton!”

  “I know.”

  “Why don’t you order a pizza?”

  “Yeah, who would deliver?”

  “Nobody, that’s why I miss the Triple M.”

  “Yeah…So, when are you coming home?”

  Elena’s heart beat fast and she smiled. “I can’t come home until Spring break. Around April…”

  “That’s a long time.”

  “I know.”

  “Is something wrong?” Holton asked.

  “No, I guess I’m just tired. Today was rough and I didn’t sleep much last night.”

  “I’m sorry. I’ll stop calling so late.”

  “No! that’s not it! I was up thinking about you and couldn’t sleep.”