The Paralyzed Dream (COMPLETED)

Chapter Nineteen

       "Lacey." Zane drew out, clearing his throat. "Don't think you can go back to the barn without telling me why you didn't come home last night." His voice made Lacey turn around on the porch to look at her dad who just joined her outside. Slade and Lacey had already done about three hours of work on the ranch before they ate breakfast. Knowing her dad would interrogate her about her whereabouts last night, Lacey had tried escaping immediately after breakfast so she could slip into the barn without being questioned. She would have made it, too, if her dad hadn't come out of the kitchen just in time to hear Lacey rolling out onto the porch. 

         Lacey fought the urge to roll her eyes at her dad as she turned around to look at him. He stood on the porch, facing Lacey with both hands on his hips. His eyes were set in a stern look as he waited for his daughter to respond. "I...I stayed at Slade's." She knew better than to lie to her dad, plus, he would find out one way or the other where she actually was last night. "But, it's not what it looks like." 

          "Really?" Zane took a step closer to Lacey. His arms were now folded over his chest. "Because it looked to me like you slept with Slade last night, young lady." His voice wasn't angry, but that fatherly tone that she hadn't heard in a long time was exposed. 

           Lacey fingered the arm of her wheelchair. "Okay, yes, we slept together, but not like that." She took in a deep breath when her dad's stern look didn't falter. "It's not what you think, dad. Slade and I had a really good talk last night, and he shared some very big things about his childhood with me, and afterwards, he was really tore up. He just needed someone to talk to, and he needed me to be there for him." Looking back up at her dad, her role model, the man she never wanted to disappoint, she added in a whisper, "I'm sorry." 

         With her apology, Lacey's dad's posture softened. His body language told her that he was done with the fatherly spiel now. "I understand and I'm fine with it as long as you promise that y'all just talked, and nothing else." Zane gave his daughter a look.

          "Nothing else, dad. I promise." Lacey said, honestly.

          "Okay. Thank you for your honesty. You know that I trust you, and I just want you to be careful is all." Crossing his spot on the porch, Zane bent down to hug his daughter. "I love you, sweetheart." 

           With her arms around her dad, Lacey took in a deep breath. "I love you, too, daddy."

          Pulling back from the hug, Zane smiled, "Now, go help your cowboy with his chores." 

           Lacey reciprocated the smile. "Yes sir." And with that, Lacey rolled off the porch, heading towards the barn. Once inside, Lacey sees the man that she swears is the sole reason for her smile. "Hey, handsome." She calls out across the barn aisle to her boyfriend.

           "Hey, beautiful." Slade walked over to Lacey, setting down the feed buckets beside her chair. Leaning in, he dropped a kiss on her cheek, instantly making the blush appear. "How are you?" He placed a hand on on either of Lacey's arm rests on her chair. 

           "I'm good. Just talked to my dad some." Lacey looked up to Slade to see his reaction. 

           Slade stood up from leaning on Lacey's wheelchair to take in a deep sigh. "He was upset because you stayed with me last night, wasn't he?" His voice suddenly became agitated. "I knew I should have walked you to your room last night." In frustration, Slade kicked one of the empty buckets by Lacey's feet, then rested his hands on one of the horses stalls. "I was so stupid and selfish." It came out in a practically undecipherable mumble. 

            "Slade, no. Don't beat yourself up. Honey, it was my own choice to stay with you last night." She rolled over to her boyfriend, looking up at his set jaw. "Honey, my dad was actually incredibly understanding." Grabbing Slade's hand, Lacey continued, "And either way, you needed me to be with you, and I wasn't afraid of the punishment. You're worth it, regardless."