36 "a cold coke"

"This fence  needs to be done by the end is the week. Next week we are to camp to push the cattle up. This fence needs to get done! They will be out in this pasture come next week. Do we all understand?!" Rip directed up to the south end of the ranch. We drove down on wheelers and gators to get to right end of the property. Each gator was loaded up with fence posts and fence hammers. "Jimmy, Colby, Ryan on the south side. Willie how about you take it easy with me on the horses. We will walk the fence to make sure the rest of the fencing is still up from winter" the men behind me began whispering because they were annoyed I got the easy job. I looked at rip a bit annoyed "I'm not a pussy rip. I'll work the fence too" I got off my horse to grab the items I needed. "I figured you could use a break is all" rip said. "I'm fine" I grabbed the very heavy post hammer then began my day. I would spend ours bashing steaks inro the ground. I was very slow at my job. It came to a point where my other bunkmates were getting really angry with me. "Willie! You've put in 7 posts in 5 hours! While we have done over 500! You're slowing us down! What is up with you!?" Colby yelled. "Now we're gonna get bitched at all because you are flaking behind!" He quickly snatched the hammer from me. I stepped back to allow him to work. What was taking me an hour to do took him ten seconds. "You seriously can't do that!?" He yelled again. I gulped. "I'm sorry... I'm trying" I spoke softly. "Trying my ass!"

"I won't let you get in trouble. I'll take the blame"

"It doesn't matter who takes the fucking blame. We all get in trouble if one falls behind. Must be nice being the farmers daughter. Move! I'll finish your job" he was really annoyed. I was doing my best. I didn't have much upper arm strength. I sat down on the gator to peel my gloves off my hands. As I did so I see a whole lot of blood underneath. The scabs on my hands have broken open. Each one of my gloves were pooled with blood. I sighed heavily. "That's okay! You sit on your ass and do nothing!" Colby taunted me again. "Colby chill man. It's her fist day" jimmy defended me. "First day or last day I don't give a fuck! She's slowing us down!" Colby responded. "She's never done this before! Give her a break" jimmy glanced at me as I looked down at my hands. "Jimmy relax. She isn't gonna fuck you" Ryan cackled. Jimmy rolled his eyes as he stepped to me. He slapped his gloves off as he went to speak to me. "You did pretty good. You just know to get better" jimmy smiled. I nodded my head sadly as I stayed quiet. "You alright?.. you've been distant.." he sounded saddened by that. I nodded. "I'm okay.. I've just been through a lot.."  I glanced up at him with my sad tired eyes. I watched as jimmy looked down at my palms as I rubbed them sorely. "Will.. Jesus..what happened?" He pulled my hands out for him to look at. He then noticed the bruising on my arms and body. He looked up at my scared face with a worried tone "willow.." I pulled my hands away "it's a long story.. I promise I never wanted to ignore you Jim..."

"Can't you tell me what happened?" I bowed my head at his words "not right now.." I squinted my eyes at him as the sun beat down. "Well... if you're not busy later I'm headed to the rodeo tonight. I guess everyone is coming. Will you go with me? I need a cheerleader" he smiled. I smiled snuggly as I picked the gloves fuzzy sour of my palms. "Alright jimmy. I'll go with you" jimmy gently took my hand again then kissed my palm gently. "Alright. We head out around 6"

....

I was nervous to go out in public. I stayed so isolated for so long I was scared of the world. I felt okay going since everyone was going. Not just jimmy, but rip, my dad, Casey, everyone. I dug through my clothes realizing that my favorite pair of jeans were missing. I remembered I wore them the night Tate went missing. It made me sad to make me rethink about what happened again. I rummaged some more. Every item of clothing I owned held some kind of blood of some sort. I put on better pair of jeans before looking around at everyone getting dolled up. I sighed as I had nothing decent to wear. I feared I would be judged. "What's a matter miss Nelson?" Lloyd asked as he stabbed his foot through his boots. "All out of hand me downs?" He chuckled. I nodded "yeah..actually.."  Lloyd then tossed me a button down flannel "it's gonna be huge on you but you could style it. You're a girl" he smiled as he buttoned up his shirt with a grin on his lips. I did just that. I tied it up comfortably. It's as if he knew I'd prefer to be comfortable. Not too much skin. It was a perfect shirt. Once I slipped my belt on I was out the door. I leaped Into the backseat next to jimmy as we drove down town for the rodeo. This was a bigger show. Crowds and crowds of people gathered around along with many food venders to enjoy. I stood in the middle of a huge crowd of people a bit lost. I didn't know what to do, where to go, who to follow. I looked around for a familiar face but I had lost everyone. I became real nervous with my surroundings. That until I felt two fingers pulling my back belt loops. I was tugged backwards. "This way will!" Jimmy smiled as he directed me. He gently reached for my hands as he dragged me along with him. "I thought you left me" I teased. "I'd never leave that perty face" he kissed my wrist as we walked. I smiled up at him "you ready to kick some butt?" I asked as I jogged along with him to try and keep up with his long lanky legs. "Sure thing. If I can even call it kicking butt" he laughed. "You're real good at what you do Jim" I shook his arm in an excited way "you haven't seen me do it yet" he laughed. I smiled at his warm laugh "by the way you talk about loving the rodeo I know for a fact you're good. You wouldn't love it if you weren't good!" Jimmy quickly pinned his number to his chest as he adjusted his protective vest. I noticed his hands and feet were shaking with anticipation. "Hey.. wanna go get me a coke to cool me down?" He asked. I nodded my head   "Of course. I'll be right back"  the concession stand  was so long I was about to say screw it im going back to jimmy. But I wanted to give him what he wanted so I did wait for that stupid coke. By the time I got back to him The cup was sweating in my hand. I stepped to the aerna to see jimmy with another woman. A skinny gal with long brown hair and a dirty pair of boots. She was a barrel racer. I could tell. I've never seen jimmy look so dumbfounded before. Not even towards me. He was saying something that made the girl laugh. I watched as she leaned her body into him in a flirtatious manner. Jimmy held his hat to his chest that meant he adored her..he respected her.  I stood heart broken watching his heart flutter away from me. "Jimmy!" Lloyd called out as Lloyd jogged past me to get to jimmys lanky lustful body. He pulled his arm "quit flirtin! You got a bronco to buck boy. Let's go!"  Lloyd laughed at the young love and how dumb he was acting. Jimmy didn't want to pull away. He wanted to keep talking to her. It was like He was willing to throw his career away just to love up on the girl. The brunette smooched jimmy very softly on the lips as he was dragged back "I'll call you. Okay?" Jimmy was more giddy than I've ever seen him. The girl smiled as wide as he used to  make me smile. "I'll be waiting jimmy! Good luck!" She squealed. I followed behind jimmy and Lloyd as they walked to the fence line. the broncos hissed and snarled inside their den waiting to throw off any cowboy they could. "Here jim.." I held up the drink to him with a hopeful look on my face. He took the cold drink then nodded to me "thanks Willie" I noticed his demeanor change in that moment. I frowned heavily as that lust for me wasn't in his eyes very much. "Good luck jimmy!" I gave him a loving smile that I did not get in return. All I got back was a head nod as he got on the wildHorses. I stepped away from the gate as I watched jimmy shoot his finger at the girl across the arena. Wow. This is what heart break feels like. I hugged myself tightly as I made my way up to the bleachers to sit between rip and Casey. Who was there with Beth and Casey's family. "Your little boyfriend find someone better?" Beth snickered. I sat down holding my large flannel closed on my body. I ignored her as she laughed. "He will find out real soon what he's missin" Casey whispered beside me. I glanced up at him then scoffed "yeah.. right"  Casey was quick to put his arm around me then squeezed. "I been meaning to talk to you" he continued to talk lowly. I glanced back up at him "about?" "Tate told me everything. And I mean everything. I need to thank you. For saving him. Concealing him. I owe you. A lot" I shook my head as I looked out at the arena. "Don't mention it"  I tried not to think too much about what happened. I tried to move on.  "Not just for that. But for leaving you. For yelling at you the other day. I'm sorry" I sighed as I tapped a water bottle against my crossed denim knee. "I'm not a pussy Casey.. I can handle my own. All I care about is Tates safety" Casey understood my changing of subjects. He sat quiet for a moment to let me relax. He then said "Jimmy don't know what he's missing willow" he nudged me. I nodded. "Thanks case.. but It doesn't matter much anymore..we were only talking"...

"I don't know about that. I saw you two smooching a couple time" he snickered. I shook my head with a slight smile "Casey stop" I was embarrassed. "Awe she's blushing" he nudged Monica. Monica shook her head "oh leave her be Casey" ....suddenly, as the game started jimmy was doing real good. The crowd roared and cheered, he was gripping harder than you'd ever think as he was going up and down, wild and crazy... until he finally did what I was scared would happen. Jimmy landed head first in the dusty arena. The crowd gasped and yelped at the sight. The crowd stood up with fear gripping their seats. "Daddy! Daddy! Jimmy!" I called out to my father as it happened. "Jesus Christ" he mumbled. as people stood around in shock .. I took off. Out of my seat, down the bleachers and into the stadium. As I ran in the brunette from before reached out to touch jimmys unconscious body. I shoved her harder than I meant to "watch it! Don't touch him!" I held my arm out to block him. She watched me a bit puzzled, almost irritated with hate "you can't touch a man when he's down. "His neck looks snapped" I shouted to not just her but other bystanders who were trying to help. I stood around him as the medics came rushing in. I watched closely at him with horror in my eyes. "Jim?" I called out softly as they slowly moved him. He was out cold. No response. I watched the medics as they spoke to one another. He had a pulse. Just a weak one. Luckily they were quick to get him to the hospital.  I followed them all the way there. I sat in the waiting room of the hospital for hours. Just waiting for someone to come and speak to me... once they did I was horrified. I was heart broken for what I saw next...