Tutus & Cowboy Boots (Part 2) by Casey Peeler Read Free Book Online Page A

behind me and peels out of the parking lot.
    “Barrick, I need to know,
is she dead?” I ask as tears form in my eyes. He shakes his head
no. Thank the Lord! I take a deep breath. He starts to ramble. “Barrick, slow down
so I can understand you.”
    He takes a deep breath. “I went to check on
the cows and when I came back, I found her on the ground. Cadence,
she wasn’t moving. I don’t know what happened to her. When the
paramedics came to get her, they didn’t say anything. They just
loaded her in the ambulance and took off. Cadence, I’m so worried.”
Barrick’s concern fills me with fear.
    We park by the emergency room entrance and
hurry inside. We don’t see Mom anywhere so Barrick quickly asks the
lady at the desk where she might be. After making a phone call, she
lets us know Mom will be right out. Within a minute, Mom comes
through the door with a smile on her face.
    Barrick looks at me and I look at Mom. “Mom,
what’s going on?”
    “She’s going to be okay. She tripped over
something and knocked herself unconscious. She woke up halfway to
the hospital and gave me hell about wasting money on an
ambulance.”
    As I start to giggle, I see Barrick turn and
walk out the front door. I look at Mom and she motions for me to
follow him. When I find him, he’s standing at the edge of the
sidewalk completely still. I walk up to him and slide my arm around
him. “Are you okay?” I question.
    “I don’t know,” he states honestly.
    “But, she’s going to be okay,” I state.
    He quickly turns to face me. “You didn’t see
her. Cadence, I thought she was dead. She wouldn’t move, talk,
smile, laugh, make a rude comment or anything. I’ve never been so
scared in my life. What would have happened if I hadn’t been
there?”
    “I guess she would have woken up on her
own?” I say, unsure as to why he’s not relieved.
    “What if it would have been serious like a
broken bone, stoke or even a heart attack? What if no one was
there?”
    “Barrick, you can’t think that way. I’m glad
you were there, and I’m sorry you had to see that. Now, come on,
let’s go check on that old woman,” I say, trying to make a
joke.
    Taking him by the hand I try to pull him
toward the door, but when he doesn’t budge I turn and see him
crying. I take him in my arms, “What’s really wrong?” I ask as I
pull him closer.
    “My papa died in his barn. He had a heart
attack and no one was there. My memaw found him when she went
looking for him because he was late for lunch. What if I wouldn’t
have been there? It could have happened to Ms. Mae. What would
happen to the farm? Memaw almost lost hers.”
    It breaks my heart to see him this way, but
now I know why he’s been so emotional. I can’t imagine losing Gran
but losing Gran and the family farm would rip me apart. “I’m so
sorry,” I say as I hold him. Once he has calmed down and is
relieved it wasn’t something serious, we go check on Gran.
    Gran’s lips are already flapping when we
walk into her room. “I’m okay. I tripped over the hose. I could
have sworn I put it up,” she states like it’s no big deal.
    “It is a big deal. They think you might have
broken something,” Mom says pointing toward her hip.
    “Oh hogwash. I’m fine,” she says as she
grits her teeth in pain.
    “Mother, listen to me. You are going to let
them take X-rays and you are going to stay put. Do you understand
me?”
    “Fine,” she says in defeat and I catch
Barrick looking at me, trying not to laugh. Yes, I know there is
more of her in me than I’d like to admit. Thank goodness he’s back
to himself.
    I walk over to Gran and give her a hug. Mom
tells Barrick to take me home so I can get ready for school. I want
to stay with Gran, but I know that I can’t. I give her a kiss on
her forehead and she grabs my hand.
    “Cadence, you take care of my Daisy,” she
says with a smile.
    “You got it,” I state while hugging Mom
goodbye.
    The entire ride to the farm,