"Explain to me what we're doing again." She looked at Rudy beside her.
"Remember that big board with the grid on it at the entrance?"
"The one where you handed over money to put our names on little squares?"
"Yes. Each of those little squares represents a square foot in the arena. They've fed this cow well all morning before releasing her into the arena. Now we wait for her to poop. If she poops in our square, we get the money."
Once again, Eden looked at him like was crazy. Just like she had when he handed over fifty dollars to put their names on ten squares. The dog races had been humorous to watch as some dogs refused to run, and others chased balls that didn't belong to them and still others enjoyed running so much they refused to let their owners leash them again.
But waiting for a cow to poop? This wasn't fun to watch.
"Don't cows have like four stomachs? It could be hours before it processes all the food they fed it this morning."
Rudy grinned. "Yes, but last night's food should be digested by now."
Eden just shook her head, still giving him a “you're-crazy” look. "What happens if the cow doesn't poop?"
"They'll let a second one into the arena, and eventually, a third, if necessary."
This would have been a good time for them to have their talk because nothing was happening! But Rudy didn't seem inclined to bring the subject up, so Eden didn't either. He did, however, hold her hand and tell her stories about how much he'd always enjoyed celebrating Independence Day with his family as a kid in this small town.
In some regards, Eden envied him. She usually traveled with her father around this holiday, often spending time with friends on a yacht or visiting places like New York City and the Bahamas. Those places were great, but with all the things they'd done over the years, they'd never celebrated their freedoms the way the people in this small town did.
While they waited for the cow to do its business, Eden couldn't help thinking about Esmeralda's words. She hoped the conflicts with her dad would resolve themselves in time, but she wasn't sure she could be so patient with her career and her personal life. Especially since the manager of her apartment building had insisted she pay three months’ rent to keep her apartment.
And what did Esmeralda mean about me owning my own business?
The idea had never crossed her mind, but now she couldn't seem to get it out of her head.
The officiators finally turned a second cow loose in the arena, and ten minutes later, the first one decided to poop. Hearing everyone cheer for a bovine as it did its business was the oddest thing Eden had ever experienced. Then spectators held their breath as officials brought out a measuring tape.
The cow patty landed across the line of two different squares, but both contestants cheered when it was announced that the owners of each square won eighteen hundred dollars.
People accumulatively spent thirty-six hundred dollars to watch a cow poop?
Fortunately, the afternoon improved from there, and Eden found herself repeatedly laughing as she watched preschool age children chase a goat staked to a post in the middle of the arena with the goal of pulling the ribbon off its tail. Then slightly older children strapped on a helmet and rode sheep for as long as they could with nothing to hold on to except the sheep's wool.
Most of them didn't last very long but watching them get up and dust off their little chaps was the cutest thing Eden had ever seen.
She was ready for a nap by the time they left the rodeo grounds, but Rudy drove them back to the park where the crowds had thinned out some but began to grow again in anticipation of a live band and later on, fireworks. They joined most of his family who were gathered under a large oak tree and eventually made their way to the food trucks again for dinner.
She and Rudy bought an assortment of pizza, scones, chicken kabobs, more Italian ice, and more cotton candy. She'd feel horrible tomorrow, but she may as well enjoy herself tonight.
They all laughed, ate, visited, and played card games while listening to the country band that played. Eden didn't think she'd ever enjoyed herself so much or laughed so hard. That is until the bloated feeling hit her stomach much sooner than she expected.
As dusk settled in, Rudy excused himself and disappeared for a while. When he returned, he wore his full uniform again.
He took her hand and pulled her to her feet. "I have to be at the northwest corner of the park to direct traffic immediately after the fireworks. Would you like to watch them from there with me?"
"Sure." She'd been with him almost all day, but she liked the idea of spending even more time with him.
They packed up the blanket and camp chairs they'd been lounging on and made their way to the corner where Rudy's patrol car was parked. When they got there, Eden expected him to set the chairs up again, but instead, he dropped them on the ground and pulled her into his arms.
"Dance with me?"
Eden laughed. "Here? If you wanted to dance, why didn't you invite me to the dance floor in front of the bandstand?"
The closest group of people—the ones who planned to make a quick getaway after the fireworks—sat at least twenty feet away. This was the most privacy they'd had all day.
