At the table at the ranch. The girls laughing at some dad joke Nia told. Snuggled on the sofa with them watching that stupidBachelorshow they fuss over...
Who aren’t here tonight despite the shorter trip becauseapparentlythey will not condone me killing myself.
In the saddle, loping around the round yard, Maggie against my chest, her laughter drifting through the treetops as the wind whipped past us.
“...easy cowboy?” an unfamiliar voice says. I look up to see the arena manager bent over the chute.
“Sorry, I got to re-strap.”
I peel my fingers from the hand piece and slide it out. Shoving it back in, I go through the same procedure again.
This time, I hone my focus.
To Hells Bells.
The devil I know.
The devil that smashed my body to pieces eighteen months ago.
“Now this pairing right here,” the announcer drawls, “was almost a fatal one, this time a year and a half ago. These two know each other well. In chute number three, say hello to Hells Bells! And the man who came back to tame his archnemesis, HAD-LEY J-O-N-E-S! He’s fighting for the hardware tonight, folks, and injured to boot, so give it up!”
With a last glance around the arena, as if I could see my family sitting there. Sunshine perched on the rails with her camera in hand and ready to go...
I rest my cast arm on the chute gate and nod. “Send it!”
The gate flies open.
