Under The Montana Skies

7- Have Mercy

Brady's P.O.V.

• 9 months ago •

When I first woke up after the bull riding accident and the doctor told me I could be paralyzed, I just about lost it.

Sitting there, having to wait for the swelling to go down to see if my spine was affected was probably the longest few months of my life.

As the swelling went down, it showed that other parts of my back were messed up too and my spine wasn't as bad as everyone had thought, so my chances of walking again were very high.

As the doctor described to us, the back is composed of a complex combination of muscles, ligaments, tissues, tendons, cartilage, and bones. When the Bull bucked me off, the force of the impact caused everything to twist and tear. The impact also pushed the discs in my spine out of alignment and fractured a small part of my lower spinal cord.

The doctors wanted to fix my muscles, ligaments and everything else first, let that completely heal and then when my body was ready they would go back in and work on my spine.

Luckily I was getting to go home today. My back surgery was a few weeks ago but I've been in this hospital for just about four months now and I was ready to get back to the ranch.

My parents made a ramp for me to get into the house as I'd be getting around in a wheelchair and I'll be wearing a back brace for the next several months until my spinal surgery.

The nurse went over home care instructions and what to expect from the nurses that were going to come to the ranch to help care for me.

I must have fallen asleep after the nurse left because I woke up to the sound of someone clearing their throat. I opened my eyes and looked over and saw Tori, standing next to the door.

I gave her a smile. "Hey. I get to go home tomorrow."

She's been quiet the last few months and started coming less and less to the hospital. I told myself that I was overreacting because I knew she was just overwhelmed like I was and once I was home everything would go back to the way it was.

"Yeah." She walked over and stood next to the hospital bed. "Listen, Brady. I promised your asshole brother and bitch of a sister in law I would wait until you were home but you're out of surgery and on your way home so we need to talk."

My heart sank. "About what?" I tried holding her hand but she backed away.

"Us."

"What about us?" I asked, hesitantly. I seriously wasn't fucking happening.

"I didn't sign up for this-"

"And you think I wanted this?" I snapped.

"No. I didn't say that, but-"

"But what?"

"I don't want to take care of you."

Wow!

I don't even know what other bullshit she spewed out because my ears muffled the sound of her voice.

My brother warned me about her and Jenna hated the woman but I saw something different in her. Looks like they were right all along.

"I met someone."

My head snapped over at her.

"I met him at one of your Rodeos a few months before your accident and then saw him again about a month ago. I'm going to Texas with him."

"Get the fuck out of here."

"I'm sorry, Brady." She gave me a sad smile, "I wish you the best of luck."