Tacoma Falls: Wild Horses

Healing

Amber

When you meet someone, you have these ideas about how things should be. You never realize reality differs from your ideas. You learn a lot about yourself. I know I did. I discovered I wasn't expecting to become a victim of domestic violence. It was a harsh reality that opened everyone's eyes, including mine.

I endured horrible abuse from someone who claimed to love me. That's not love. You don't hurt someone you love.

If someone hits you and claims to love you, run for the hills and don't look back. They don't love you. If they did, they would never hurt you.

Keep running if someone comments about your clothes, hair, or weight. They don't love you. If they did, they would accept you for you, not try to change you.

You know what to do if someone keeps money from you, including yours. No one should have total control over money. It's one thing to discuss money. It's another if they keep it from you.

If someone calls you names and says you're worthless, run until they become a distant memory. No one should demean another person. You don't tear someone down to build yourself up. You lift others up, not hold them down.

I had to learn these things in therapy and the support group. While Grayson worked with me, I still had to heal. It took months of support and understanding to recover properly from the abuse Satan inflicted on me.

But I survived. Oh, hell, yeah!

All the work I put into myself led me to this moment as Grayson and I hosted a barbecue with our family and friends. Grayson grilled meat while my musketeers helped me with the sides. I even included Maury in our little groups since he was my friend.

Beau opened the screen door and poked his head inside. "Little lamb, where is the cold beer?"

"In the cooler, Beauregard," Mary said, shoving a spoon into the potato salad.

"We checked. It's not there."

"That's because Mary didn't put it there," Hank said, lifting a case of warm beer.

"No rule says you can't fill the cooler." Mary shrugged.

"Thanks, Mary. We enjoy drinking warm beer." Hank followed Beau outside with a case of beer.

"What's wrong with these men? Are they so helpless that they can't do anything for themselves?" Patsy said.

"Only when it comes to their beer," Morgan said.

"Now, not all men are helpless," Maury said.

"You're one of the few, Maury," Patsy said.

Maury smiled and nodded. "I'll have Shep bring cold beer since he's running behind." He called Shep and asked Shep to stop by a store on his way here.

"I don't know who's worse—Beau or his brothers," Mary said.

"Waylon and Shep are bringing the cattle in before coming over. They didn't want to leave them out in the pasture," Patsy said.

I poured a glass of iced tea and took it out to Grayson.

Grayson took the glass from me before kissing my cheek. "Thanks, Wild Filly."

I kissed Gray's cheek before talking to my folks and Grayson's folks.

*******
Grayson

Amber has come a long way since she bolted from the rat's place that night. I witnessed a broken and battered person who risked her life to escape a monster. I thought I knew how to help her. I didn't have a clue.

It took time to listen to Amber and understand what she endured. Even then, I still didn't get it. I made mistakes with her when I should have followed her lead. I learned from my mistakes.

But I realize something. Amber was stronger than we gave her credit for. She proved it when she fought to reclaim her life.

"Yeehaw!" Amber yelled.

I glanced at Amber as the others left the house while our folks, Hank, and Beau looked on. Amber threw her arms out and spun around while we watched with smiles.

"Freedom never tasted so good!" Amber yelled at the sky.

One simple word had a tremendous meaning.

Hank took over the grilling from me and nodded at Amber. I gave him a slight nod and walked toward Amber. Amber lowered her arms and looked at me as I stood before her with a smile. Her lips twitched into a smile as she wrapped her arms around my neck. I wrapped my arms around her waist and swung her around as she released my neck and threw her arms into the air. Amber threw her head back and laughed.

That was the best sound I ever heard. It made everything worth it.

*******
Morgan

It's funny. Mary, Amber, Patsy, and I dealt with betrayal from the people we trusted the most. My ex-husband cheated on me without a second thought. There was no working it out with the snake, not after losing Momma. But it was a blessing in disguise.

Hank came into my life at the most unexpected moment and helped me. He took care of me at my lowest without hesitation. I returned to Tacoma Falls a broken person. Hank was the person who fixed what Rodney broke. Who says country boys are better than city boys? I'll take a country boy over a city boy any day of the week.

I walked toward Hank and rubbed his back. He kissed my temple before flipping the meat on the grill.

*******
Mary

Sometimes, I wonder about Beau. He shattered my heart when he kissed Dixie and claimed we were only friends. I'm not one for sitting around to pout about a weasel. I would rather hog-tie him and drag him down the highway.

But Beauregard surprised the hell out of me when he begged me for a second chance. I didn't think he had it in him to get on his knees and grovel. He sure proved me wrong. It also didn't help that my folks conspired with the weasel when they forced me to work at his family's ranch.

It was for the best since I forgave the weasel and didn't hogtie him. Although, I have rope just in case he does something stupid the next time.

*******
Patsy

When people warned me about the Shaw brothers, I should have listened. Nope, I made the mistake of falling for Waylon. Then the idiot had to go and kiss the training wheel and smirk at me.

Do I regret shooting out the windows of his house? Nope. He deserved it.

I wasn't expecting to work on his ranch to pay for the damages or become the ranch manager. I would say the Lord was working in mysterious ways, but he wasn't.  That was the people of Tacoma Falls meddling in our affairs.

I still have my shotgun and target practice if Waylon screws up again. This time I'll shoot out more than his damn windows.

*******
Amber

Waylon and Shep arrived in their trucks. Shep grabbed two cases of cold beer from the truck bed. He held them up as he walked toward us. "I heard Beau was whining about warm beer."

"I wasn't whining. Mary forgot to put it in the cooler," Beau said.

"Little brother, you were whining." Waylon walked past Beau toward Patsy and kissed her.

Shep thrust the beer at Beau before heading to Maury and kissing him. It was good to see Shep come to his senses about Maury. I still have my blowtorch waiting with his name written on it.

Life was good.