Lyrics to My Life (First Book in Life Series)

Chapter 8

When you are fighting for it all your life, you've been working every day and night, that's how a superhero learns to fly, every day, every hour, turn the pain into power
~The Script, Superheroes, 2014

On Monday afternoon Gran has a doctors appointment. Della and I take her. "Well Julie, I have some bad news." The doctor says.

"What?" Gran asks.

"The cancer is spreading fast. Faster than we predicted. You have a couple options. We can do surgery then chemo or you can choose not to do that and let the cancer take its course." The doctor explains.

"I will let the cancer take its course." Gran says without second thought.

"Are you sure?" The doctor asks.

"I'm very sure." Gran replies. "Is that all?"

"For today. Your next appointment is scheduled two weeks from now."

"Thank you Doctor." Gran says before we leave.

The drive home was tense to say the least. Outside it is pouring rain, perfect for my mood at the moment. As soon as Della parks the car in the driveway, I bolt out the door. I run to the stables. I feel tears falling down my cheeks as I run straight to Max. I don't even put a saddle on him, I just get on him and ride bareback.

Max runs through the meadow and the forest. I'm full on sobbing now. It's cold and rainy but I don't want to go back. I am mad that Gran isn't going to do anything for her cancer and I am mad at myself for ever being with Blake.

Max runs past the stream and into another meadow. I have never gone this far so I don't know what is ahead but that doesn't scare me. We go through the forest.

It's getting dark and we should head back. As I have Max turn around, thunder booms from up above. It scares my horse and I fall off his back. I hit the ground. I feel shooting pain in my wrist and my head hurts like hell.

I close my eyes and let the rain fall on my face. I'm cold and I want to go home. Max runs away, leaving me alone in the dark and in the storm.

Callahan

The rain continues to pour outside. I wonder if Monroe brought a jacket with her when she went bounding off on Max? I feed the other six horses in the stable their dinner. Monroe and Max should return soon. I fear the storm will get worse.

I head inside the farmhouse. Miss Julie and Della make dinner for all of us every night. Miss Julie is watching the weather forecast. "Monroe needs to get back. There is an ice storm heading in tonight." Miss Julie says.

"She will probably be here any moment." I say.

"I hope so." She remarks. I see Max running to the driveway without Monroe. Cash comes out of the barn. I go straight outside.

"Monroe isn't back, is she?" I ask Cash.

"No. I think something is wrong. She would never let Max just run free like that." Cash says worriedly. There is another crash of thunder. Max has never liked thunder.

"It's the thunder, Cash." I say. "Max hates the thunder. It must have freaked him out and Monroe probably fell off."

"Shit." Cash says. When a person falls off a horse, it's never good. Dallas comes over.

"Cash, go inside and tell Miss Julie and Della. Dallas and I will head out into the forest." I say. Cash runs inside and I fill Dallas in.

Dallas takes Beau and I take Max out to look for Monroe. We of course put saddles on them. Max is a smart horse and he leads us right to Monroe. We go past the stream. "She never has gone past the stream." Dallas says. "She doesn't know the terrain."

"Shit." I say.

About twenty minutes later, we find Monroe. She is knocked out. There is blood on her face and it's a lot of it too. It scares me. "Dallas, I'll take her. Go back and get ready to take her to the hospital." I say, getting off of Max. Dallas heads back on Beau with the horse running. I pick up Monroe, trying to be as gentle as possible. She groans in pain. "It's going to be okay, Monroe. I'll keep you safe. I promise." I say. Her skin feels like ice which is not a good thing. I take off my jacket and put it on her to keep her warm. I moved her arm and she groans in pain.

"It hurts." She mumbles.

"I know." I say. "I'm sorry." I add.

I manage to get her on the horse with me. Max runs back to the farm with us on his back.

Dallas has the truck ready to go when we arrive. I jump off the horse and carry Monroe to the truck. Cash takes care of the horses, making sure they are in the stables.

Dallas drives like a maniac to the hospital while I sit in the back with Monroe. Her head rests in my lap and she is still knocked out. I stroke her honey-blonde hair. Her skin is still cold but not like before.

When we get to the hospital, Dallas helps me get her out of the truck. I carry her in and the nurse on duty immediately gets a stretcher. I lay her on it and the doctor wheels her away. Dallas and I follow.

Miss Julie, Della, Cash, Dallas, Tennessee, and I wait in the waiting room for the doctor. We wait about an hour for him to come. By then I am really antsy and worried. Finally he comes. "Monroe is going to be okay." He begins. "She has a badly sprained wrist and she had to get stitches on her forehead from a deep cut. She has a slight fever also. She is pretty damn lucky too. If she was out any longer then she would be in a much worse condition." Everyone lets out a sigh of relief. "She is sleeping now. But you can all go and visit her if you'd like."

I sit by her side all night watching her rest. I memorize her face. Her rosy cheeks, how the tip of her nose is pink, just everything. I hold her left hand all night. At some point I fall asleep holding her hand.