Country Mile

SURVIVE ANYTHING

As the magnificent yet terrifying creature turned on her, Genna slid to a stop in the dirt and sprinted as fast as she could back the way she came. Adam stood on the fence rails, leaning over the top with both arms open and ready for her. As soon as she got close enough she leapt into his arms and he pulled her up and over the top railing. The aggressive stallion came to a stop just as Adam's body hit the ground with Genna held tightly to his chest. It stomped its hooves several times and let out a loud snort before sauntering off proudly.

As the pair laid on the ground with their chests heaving, their ragged breaths billowed into the air. Adam sat up and pulled Genna between his bent knees. She wrapped her arms around his middle and he rocked her stunned frame back and forth. Nothing but their heavy breathing could be heard until a sob suddenly erupted.

Genna's startled brown eyes immediately looked up to Adam's tearful face. "Daddy?"

"I could'a lost you. I.. I could'a lost you," he repeated. His deep voice sounded like rain running through gravel as the devastation of the possibility hit him.

"I'm sorry! I'm so, so sorry!" Genna profusely apologized.

Holding tightly to one another, Genna realized that yet again, her emotions lead her astray. And yet again, Adam was the one to find her. He was the constant in her life that she needed. The voice of reason that she didn't have. Her sense and stability.

"I messed up," she whispered. "I know I need to stop fighting you. I.. I'm sorry for running in there. I wasn't thinking."

After a while, Adam's crying slowed. He rubbed her back and patted her gently, as if he was trying to remind himself that she was indeed still alive and in his arms. But he still hadn't uttered another word.

"You're my soft place to land. Literally and figuratively," Genna smiled in an attempt to bring some levity to the situation. "You saved my ass."

Adam let out a breathy chuckle at that and finally wiped the tears from his eyes. His humor grew louder and heartier until he was full on laughing.

"I saved your ass? Oh, baby girl," he kissed her hair. "You ain't gonna be thinkin' that by the time I'm through with you."

Genna's smile immediately fell. She pulled back and looked up at his laughing face. "What?"

Laughing even harder, Adam's adrenaline bottoming out left him in a different form of hysterics. He wiped another tear from his face.

"Ahhh, good Lord," he sighed. "I ain't ever wanted to take my belt to your backside more than I do right now."

Unsure of this reaction, Genna reached up and felt the back of Adam's skull for contusions. "Dad, did you hit your head when we fell?"

Adam shook his head, a smile still plastered on his face. He released her from his hold so they could stand. Once standing, he looked down at Genna and brought up his hand up to stroke her cheek. "Nah, I ain't hurt. Not physically anyway."

"Are you sure?"

"Seein' you in Abaddon's corral..." his smile fell and Genna could see anger slowly replacing all of the other emotions he had previously been feeling.

"But, but I'm fine. See?" She took a step away, not liking the glower forming on his face. "No harm, no foul."

"No?"

"I mean, I'm fine.. you're fine.. we're good, right?"

Adam nodded slowly. He lifted his ball cap and ran his hand through his hair before putting the cap back on. His hands found his hips as he glared down at her.