My Cowboy and Our Kids

The Final

We arrived at home and our parents agreed to have the kids sleep in their hotel room so we could have the night to ourselves at home to you know....

That day was the greatest day of my life. All night we talked and had sex and just enjoyed being young like we used to. I'm not even sure if we slept that night.

The next day, August 26th, was the worst day of my life I just didn't know it. On the way to pick up our kids, a tractor trailer's brakes went out and slammed into the driver's side door of Ryder's truck.

When I saw my life flash before my eyes, most of it was my time with Ryder and my kids. My eyes opened and everything was blurry for a second. We were upside down, with the roof crushed in from flipping.

"They flipped four times." I heard someone say.

Within minutes, I heard sirens. All around me there was broken glass and I looked over at Ryder.

"Ryder." I said, tapping his shoulder. "Ryder!" I screamed.

Unresponsive. I knew I shouldn't have unbuckled my seatbelt, but I needed to get out of the truck immediately and get help. I carefully climbed out while the fire trucks rolled up. I crawled through what used to be the windshield.

"Stay right there ma'am. Don't move." One of them instructed, but I finished climbing out.

"My husband's unresponsive. He's not breathing." I said, with all my might trying not to cry.

They rushed over to get Ryder out. A paramedic came to examine me. I should've been worried about the baby, but all I could think about was Ryder. I knew my shoulder was dislocated, but I couldn't really feel it. Everything was numb. If they couldn't save Ryder, it would literally be the worst thing that's ever happened to me. I wouldn't be able to live without him.

A random young bystander came up to me after the paramedic fixed me up by popping my shoulder back into place, which was no picnic, and fitting me with a sling. He checked for other wounds, but other than cuts and bruises, I was fine.

"Can I call someone for you?" The bystander asked before anyone else had a chance to.

"Yeah, actually. Could you call my dad?" I answered. I told her the number. She attempted to hand me the phone, but I looked at her and said, "I-I can't." I stuttered.

"I understand, I'll explain it to him." She said.

I heard her mumbling in the background as I sat and watched them trying to save Ryder. The police asked me questions and I told the nice bystander I was going to the hospital.

She relayed that information to my dad who said he was on his way.

"Thank you." I said to her as tears streamed down my face.

I rushed to Ryder's side as he started to breathe again. Before then, I was frozen. I couldn't have moved if I wanted to. He wasn't conscious, but he was alive.

At the hospital, my parents and friends and his parents and friends all arrived to meet us.

Rani, Kota, Mom, Dad, Juliana, Elliot, Tommy, May, Adam, Emily, the list goes on and on.

Of course, none of them could be there for Ryder's surgery, but they all were waiting patiently. I was checked out by the doctors, extensively, and then discharged. I headed to the waiting room with my family.

"Thank God you're okay. What happened?" My dad asked carefully hugging me.

"The police said an eighteen wheeler hit the driver's side door. I think I remember that happening. Then I remember waking up. First thing I heard was the 911 call and the words 'they flipped four times.' He wasn't breathing." I answered, bawling my eyes out by the end, barely forming words. I wanted a big hug, but it hurt too much.