Heartland: My Journey

Chapter #7

"Give me that," I said to Ty.  I grabbed the envelope from his hands and stared at the writing.  Brad Borden wrote this.

"Hey, Chick!  Give that back!" Ty exclaimed.  He reached over my shoulder and pulled the envelope from my hands.

"So, what?  Am I not important to him anymore?  Am I forgotten?" I asked.  "Open it!  Read it right now!" Tears started brewing in my eyes.

"No, Chick.  I wasn't going to open it at all," Ty responded.  "Relax."

"You know what?  It's none of my business anyways," I replied.  "Just so you know, he's a liar.  He just wants money.  Don't listen to a word he says." I turned and walked towards the barn.  Luckily Caleb grabbed my horse from the paddock and saddled him up for me.

"Hey," Caleb said.  He noticed me crying.  "What was that about?  Are you okay?" He reached for my arm.

"No, don't touch me.  I'm fine.  Let's just get out and practice," I said.  I took my horse's reins and yanked him towards the barn door.

"Chick, no," Caleb said, grabbing my lower part of my arm.

I shook out of his grip and dropped Spirit's reins and without thinking, my hands flung up and pushed Caleb back.  He stumbled back a few steps and just stared at me, surprised by my actions.

I looked at my hands, then I looked back to Caleb who was still taking in what I had done.  "Oh, my god. . ." I started.  "What did I do?"

"Chick, don't worry about it," Caleb started.  "It was your first impulse.  You're angry.  I shouldn't have touched you."

"You don't understand, Caleb. . .  I just assaulted you," I said.  "If you report it, I could go to jail."

"I won't.  It was an accident," Caleb said, taking Spirit's reins.  He brought his left hand to my right shoulder.  "I love you.  One little accident can't change that."

"Caleb--" I started.  I pulled away from him and took my horse's reins back.  "Get Shorty.  We need to practice."

I walked Spirit out into the pen where the bull dogging pit was set up.  I put my horse onto the right side of the steer shoot.  I grabbed my rope off of my saddle and unraveled it.  I started to walk towards one of the cows I had wrangled up.  I twirled my rope, keeping my elbow in my once again and flung it at the cow.  It wrapped around its neck perfectly.  I tightened it and grabbed the rope tight.

"Come on, cow!" I yelled angrily.  "Let's go!" I waved my free arm in the air, making the cow move.  I chased after it until he got into the shoot.

I looked up to Caleb who was to my right, but on the left side of the steer.  I met his eyes and then quickly turned away, putting my brown leather reins onto Spirit's neck.  I stepped into my stirrup and flung myself over.

"Good boy," I whispered to Spirit.  I gave him a quick pay then said to Caleb, "Call it."

Caleb nodded shyly and I tugged the rope.  I kicked at Spirit's ribs.  "Yah!" I shouted.  Spirit jumped up and sprinted as fast as he could to get to the steer's side.  I was watching Caleb as I let Spirit do his job.

Caleb was tensing as he leaned over onto the steer.  No, he didn't lean over, he jumped onto the cow.  He grabbed onto the steer's horns, then he slipped off as the cow kicked him in the face.

"Oh, my god!" I pulled up on Spirit's reins.  Spirit stopped abruptly and I literally jumped off of him.  I scurried into the sand.  "Caleb, are you okay?"  I put my hand on his back as he laid in the sand stomach down.