Cowgirl Up

Chapter 4- Jake

The phone ringing at seven AM on Saturday woke me up. I heard Mom answer it in the kitchen. Well, I was awake and it was gorgeous outside, so I decided to get up and start my chores. I was in charge of the horses with the help of Andrew. My older brother and I brushed and fed every single horse- we have five- and walked them around the corral. Throwing on some old jeans and a blue tshirt, I walked down the stairs and into the kitchen. I wanted a bagel before I left, to tide me over until Mom made breakfast. Mom was a schoolteacher at the elementary school adjacent to my and Gabe’s high school. She left before us during the week but always made a big breakfast after morning chores on the weekends. I noticed her sitting at the table, her back facing me. “Morning, Momma,” I said, opening the fridge and grabbing one of the blueberry bagels from the bag. I turned to walk out and grab my boots, when I saw Mom’s face. Her bright blue eyes were red and tears streamed down her face. Her shoulders shook softly as she looked up at me. I didn’t waste a second. I was by her side instantly and pulled her out of her chair and into my arms. Out of everyone in my family, I’m closest with Mom. Not even my grandparents or cousins or anyone else could beat Mom. She cried harder as I held her. “I-it’s Aunt J-Jamie a-and Uncle Liam,” she hiccupped. The faces of my parents’ best friends from college flashed in my mind, along with the face of their daughter, Lily. “They’re d-dead,” she said, barely getting out the awful word before she went hysterical. She didn’t hold back and soon my dad and brothers were downstairs. They took their turns consoling Mom, and I told Andrew what she’d said. “I’ll call their lawyer. Don’t say anything to dad,” he whispered to me. I nodded.

Gabe helped me get Mom into her bed. Mom had told dad what she told me and he stormed out, slamming the front door behind him. It had been an hour of hearing the heartbreaking sobs coming from behind Mom’s closed door and the angry slams of the ax against the wood block we used to chop firewood on. Andrew came up the stairs slowly. I came out of my room and he just nodded at me. “Gabe,” he called. Our youngest brother came out of his room. “Go get Dad please,” Andrew asked. He sounded tired and broken. It had been at least three years since we saw the Mappletons, but they were close friends. When Gabe and dad returned, we all went into my parents’ bedroom, where Mom was tucked under the sheets. She was sitting up, but just staring at the wall in front of her. We knew she was listening. “It was a car crash,” Andrew started. A small sob escaped Mom’s lips and tugged at my heart. “Jamie had gone to the airport to pick Liam up. He was in Africa and coming home early was going to be a surprise for Lily’s birthday.” Andrew paused to let us all take everything in. I took a quick glance at my dad. A tear was coming out of his eye. “Their car was hit by a drunk driver. Liam died on impact and Jamie died five minutes into the drive to the hospital.” My mom went back into hysterics. She just leaned into my dad as they held each other and cried. “Their lawyer said they requested for us to be there and-“ “Of course we will,” my dad said, interrupting my brother. He sounded angry. “We fly out tomorrow.” Andrew turned and left, followed by me and Gabe.

What made this so hard was how sad my mom was. My dad and I had a rough relationship, but Mom? We were close. I chuckled a little at what a momma’s boy I was. But it was true. The whole time, all I wanted to do was help my mom. I wanted to help her pack, but dad was doing it for her. I wanted to make her tea but Andrew thought of it before me. I wanted to sit next to her on the plane but I got voted out. The flight was excruciating. Every time I glanced at Mom, she’d be in a different position. First, she was just staring at the small TV screen in front of her, watching the animated plane fly across Nevada. Then she was staring out the window. For the past half of the flight, she slept. Tears still streamed down her face