Return to Tacoma Falls

Explain

I walked into the kitchen and there sat pa and ma at the table.

"Sit." Pa motioned to a chair signaling me to sit down. This only happened when I had done something wrong or was in trouble. I sighed releasing a heavy breath I hadn't realized I had been holding. I strolled over to the chair and sat down. I ran my fingertips over the top of the table, looking down. I knew what was coming.

"Why? Why didn't you tell us?" His question lingered in the air. What could I say to them? Oh, hey by the way, the people on the rodeo circuit are unscrupulous animals that care more about money than your own son's welfare. I pursued my lips at that thought.

"Dalton, if this was going on, you should have told us," ma said reaching for my hand and placing hers on it.

"I couldn't."

"Why not?" I lifted my head, looking past my long lashes to see the look of confusion on her face.

"Because I didn't want to disappoint either of you." The words slipped off my tongue and last my lips like they were nothing.

"Disappoint us?" Pa leaned towards me, "Dalt, you could never disappoint us."

"I just figured if I quit, you would be disappointed."

"Son, quitting something that hurts you would never disappoint us. Quitting what you love, would."

I stared at him blankly.

"You love horses just like I do. It's not the horses you quit, it's the unscrupulous situation. Understand?"

I stared at him in amazement. He got it and I didn't even have to explain it to him.

"Pa, they won't stop. I'm their cash cow. I rode even when I was tire, sick and injured," I said to him my voice breaking.

"What?" Ma looked at me flabbergasted.

"A horse would buck me off and I would get hurt. They told me to rub some dirt on it and get back on. I had the flu and they told me I didn't have time to be sick. Then there were nights we would travel and ride shortly after arriving. I hadn't gotten any sleep. I was beyond exhausted but they didn't care."

Ma looked at Pa, "Payton, they ran our boy. You yourself know how dangerous breaking a horse can be if your not 100 percent." Her tone was serious.

He looked at her, "darlin, I know."

"Then fix this. I'm not going to have my boy hurt anymore." She stood up and stormed out of the kitchen.

I looked at him, "I'll make some calls but I want you to steer clear of them, got it?"

I nodded as he got up. Sitting there at the table all I could think of was not the rodeo circuit but those big brown eyes. I needed to see her. I got up quickly, grabbed the keys to my truck and left.

*******
Harper's POV

I was coming in from the barn when I heard the sound of a truck coming up the road. I wondered who that was. I walked into view to see a truck pull in. Sawyer?

They stopped and opened the door, stepping out. Dalton.

I watched as he closed the door and leaned against his truck. Sawyers words ran through my mind, "stay away from my brother. He's in a bad place." I shook my head and walked towards the house and past him.

Then I heard him say, "not going to say hi?" That voice stopped me dead in my tracks. I closed my eyes, mumbling something to myself as I clinched my fists. Taking a deep breath I turned to look at him.