The Paralyzed Dream (COMPLETED)

Chapter Thirteen

      She was, without the doubt, the maddest, most ticked off girl in the world. Looking at her phone, Lacey saw that Slade had not texted her back yet about tonight. He was supposed to come over to her house for dinner. It would be the first time he had a meal with the Ferry family since they made their relationship official.

      Currently, Lacey, Luella, Ryder, and Willie were all at the grocery store in town getting what they need for supper tonight, and Lacey's mom was getting impatient; she needed a response from Slade about tonight so they know what to get, and how much to get. Ryder, for some reason, was extra hyped up, making Lacey's usually very patient mom, irritated.

     "Ryder, please get off of the cart. It's not safe to ride on it like that." Luella said in the calmest voice she could without snapping. Ryder stepped off of the front of the cart from where he was standing on the metal rack below the basket. 

      Everyone has those days where you wake up and immediately feel overwhelmed with everything that has to get done. Instantly it feels like today is going to be a bad day. Yeah, that's how Lacey and pretty much everyone in her entire family felt today. 

     Whether if it was the change in weather or the heat, or just the long to-do list, Lacey wasn't sure, but for some reason, today she was just having one of those days. And Slade wasn't making it any better for her. She really needed him to reply to her text messages; Lacey was beginning to worry about his whereabouts. 

      "Ryder, honey, please stop." Luella asked, yet again, the impatience beginning to show in her voice. "Lacey, has he replied yet?" Her mom asked in an exhausted voice.

      Holding up her phone, Lacey shot back, "No, mom, he hasn't and it's upsetting me, too." Dialing his number, Lacey phoned Slade, only for it to ring six times, then be directed to his voicemail. "No answer either." Lacey said, hanging up without leaving a message.

      "Okay, well, we will just get stuff for steaks, and get one for him. If he shows up, fine, he will have steak. If he doesn't show up, then we have an extra steak." Luella replied, pushing the cart forward down an aisle. 

      "Mom, does dad have plenty of stuff he needs to make his steak sauce?" Willie asked. 

      "Yes. Willie, can you please go take Ryder and help him choose some cereal? And maybe run him around the parking lot a million times to get his energy out." Luella said, exhausted.

     "I'm really sorry, mama." Lacey said to her mom who was leaning against the cart with a hand on her forehead. 

      "For what, sweetheart?" Luella asked, straightening from her slouched position over the cart. 

     "I don't know. I guess for Slade not responding yet and just for everyone being tired and stressed today." Lacey said, rolling down the aisle as her mom pushed the cart towards the meat department.

      "That's alright, honey. No need to apologize. We are all exhausted today. It's nobody's fault." Lacey's mom said, picking up a package of steak from the refrigerated cooler shelf. Normally, Lacey's family would just eat their own steaks from the steers they raised, but planning this dinner only yesterday, they didn't have enough time to get the steaks out of the freezer and thaw.

      Just as Lacey was about to pick up a steak to put into the cart, her phone buzzed loudly in her lap. Picking it up, she glanced at the caller. "Where on earth have you been all day?! I've been worried sick." Lacey said in a teasing motherly tone; there was a smile in her voice.

      "Hey, darlin'." Slade chuckled back. "I'm sorry, honey. I couldn't charge my phone last night because I couldn't find my charging cord, and then today, your dad and I have been absolutely swamped at the auction and I didn't have service until just now." He explained; in the background, Lacey could hear the wind rushing. She concluded that they were on the road, driving with the truck windows down. 

      "Did y'all get anything at the auction?" Lacey inquired. Her mom's voice to her right drew her attention from Slade's answer. "Yes, mom?" She whispered, pulling the phone away from her ear enough to hear her mom. 

       "If that's Slade, can you please ask him about supper tonight?" Luella asked, standing beside the cart. 

       "Hey, Slade, sorry to interrupt you, but my mom wanted me to ask you if you are still comin' over for supper tonight at 6?" Lacey bit her lip, hoping Slade could still come. This past week, with it being auction week, they haven't gotten to spend much time together. Plus, Lacey's parents had wanted them to have a formal family dinner, and now that her and Slade were dating, he was included in the family as well. 

      Slade hesitated, saying something to Bill before responding. "Sorry about that pause, dear. I was giving your dad directions. Of course I am comin' over still. I have been lookin' forward to it since yesterday." 

       "Great. Is steak and taters okay with you?" Lacey smiled; she loved hearing his voice. 

      "That sounds delicious. Dadgum, no you're makin' me real hungry. Your dad and I haven't eaten since nine last night." 

      "I'm sorry, love." With a smile, Lacey realized how much they used pet names with each other; she loved how just hearing his voice, as tired as he sounded, made her day so much better. "How far are y'all from the ranch?" Lacey saw her mom motion for her to follow her down another aisle. Getting her earbuds out of her pocket, Lacey plugged them into her phone and put her phone in her shirt pocket so she could still talk to her boyfriend. Taking the wheels in her hands, Lacey pushed herself forward, following her mom. 

     "Uh, we are still about an hour and fifteen minutes out. But, to answer your questions from earlier, we got a good look at some future prospects. We also acquired a bull and a few heifers that seem to have a lot of promise. We will have to make another trip out to pick up the bull; we reckoned it was not in our fancy to attempt to haul heifers and a bull in the same trailer for a two and a half hour drive." 

     "Ooh, look at you, soundin' all fancy and using big words." Lacey teased, glad he couldn't see how red her cheeks were right now. 

      "Why thank ya. You see, there is this beautiful brunette with blue eyes back home that I have been tryin' to impress for quite some time now, so I have been workin' on my vocabulary in an attempt to woo said woman." The smile in Slade's voice was evident. 

     "Oh? Should I be jealous of said girl?" She asked, playing along with his games. 

      "Eh, I hear she has a pretty great boyfriend, so I don't know." Slade shot back, missing his girlfriend.

      "Her boyfriend is pretty amazing." Lacey's face was as red as a tomato, she was sure. 

      Taking a deep breath, Slade said, "Do you have any idea how much I miss you, darlin'?" 

      Closing her eyes for a second, Lacey basked in the sound of his drawl that she loved so much. "I miss you more, cowboy." 

      Lowering his voice slightly, Slade said, "After tonight, I cannot wait to take you on another date. I know we haven't gotten to spend much time together this week and I really apologize for that."

      Lacey turned, grabbing a few cans of pineapple off the shelf, putting them in the cart. "Aw, honey, it's okay. I understand we have both been super busy." 

      "I know, but I want to make it up to you." Slade said sweetly. After pausing, Lacey heard Slade say something to her dad. Coming back on the phone, he said, "Hey, darlin', I'm sorry, but I have to go. We are stoppin' to get gas and it's my turn to drive next." 

      "Alright. I will see you soon. Thanks for callin'." Lacey said, hanging up the phone. Somehow, just hearing his phone instantly made her day, and made her feel a lot better than before. For that, she knew she was incredibly blessed.