Once Upon A Rodeo

7: Landon's Plan

Landon's Plan

It is tradition for my family to go over to the Bradshaw's house for dinner on the first day school. Though instead of a home cooked meal as usual, we treat ourselves by ordering in pizza and sitting around the fire outside. We mostly tell funny stories that we've heard a million times before. Our parents always tell the most and try their hardest to embarrass us. For the most part they succeed.

I was sitting in between my mama and Jenna. Travis Hillwood, of course, sat beside Jenna and was telling her all about his cowboy friends. (That girl never takes a break!) Hunter and Landon were sitting directly across from me. They were talking quietly to each other in low tones. Hunter looked overly amused about something, which is never a good thing.

"Andrew," Hunter asked my daddy, smirking at me. "Won't you tell the story of Annie and the sprinklers?"

"No!" I glared at Hunter. "Please don't, Daddy," I pleaded.

"Sorry baby girl but I 'ave to tell it. It's everyone's favorite." He looked at the cowboy then looked back at me smirking, "plus Travis has never heard it."

"And he doesn't ever need to hear it."

"I think everyone needs to hear it," chimed in Landon. "It's cruelty to keep it from us."

"Landon!" I gave him a pointed glare, to which he replied my shrugging casually.

"Do you want to hear the story, Travis?" My daddy asked the cowboy.

He looked a bit undecided at first but quickly came to a decision. "Well I can't not be told the story now that y'all have made such a big deal about it."

"Good choice, son." Replied my father, who looked more excited than he probably should be about telling the awful story.

I turned my pleading look to my mama. She was my last hope of holding on to what little dignity I have. She shook her head, laughing. Well there goes my dignity!

"When Annabelle was about seven years old," he began the story. "We used to set up a tent in the backyard. Every weekend we would go "camping" in the backyard. This particular weekend Suellen was out of town so it was just me and Annie."

I felt my face already starting to heat up remembering the ordeal. I placed my face in my hands too embarrassed to look at any one. Especially Travis Hillwood. Why do I even care what the cowboy thinks of me? I shouldn't care! His opinion of me means nothing! Why am I so embarrassed?

"I woke up early and remembered that the sprinkler system was set to go off. So I went out front to turn it off. After that I went inside and made myself a cup of coffee. Later I hear screamin' and cryin' from outside. I turned the sprinklers off in the front yard not the backyard!" He was laughing hysterically remembering my finest moment. Everyone joined in, some were laughing so hard that they had tears in their eyes.

The cowboy looked amused. And it made me mad. I felt the need to defend myself, "it's not funny! It was traumatizing! I woke up to water hitting the tent, soaking everything in it including me. I look over for my daddy but he isn't there. I was just a little kid of only seven with a wild imagination and no daddy to offer her a solution or comfort! Plus, the zipper was stuck so I was unable to escape. I haven't been able to camp in the backyard since!" I was empathized with more laughter.

"That's actually really sad," Jenna said.

"Oh please Jenna," I said sarcastically. "If it happened to you it would have been the end of the world. You wouldn't have gone campin' ever again. And you always bring it up to get whatever you want. Luckily for everyone your parents don't put up with that."