Ride On

Luke

We head back to the house. I walk in and no one was home. I don't see Kylie. Where did they go? I walk out the back door and they are at the arena. I see my horses are already saddled. I slipped on my boots. I walk down.

"Jade don't" Luke said

"Only way to find out.. if I'm ready or not" I said

"Jade... your only hurting yourself even more"

"Luke.. I cant.. plus don't you think it'll look suspicious"

He let me go. I walk down to the arena. I grabbed Viper and put the bridle on. My ribs were still hurting. Before I got on, I took a deep breath. Which was a bad idea, because I made it even worse.

I got on and I sat up. I warmed up Viper and the pain eased a bit. Now it was the moment to find out. I swung my rope, and it hurts. I pushed the thought of pain out of my mind. I rode into the box. I took a deep breath and nod my head. I called for it and swung my rope. I reached but I missed the right horn. Then I tried it again and I caught the steer. I dallied and the pain was more intense. I let my rope go.

"Jade you alright" Cade asked

"Ye- yeah.. cramp on my side" I said

"Take your time" he said and rode off

My ribs hurt. After I got my rope, and walked up the arena, I got off my horse. I was bent over. I'm trying to get my air back. I started walking around.

I walk back to the trailer with Viper. Luke was waiting there for me.

"I told you not to" Luke said

"Luke... it hurts... it hurts" I sobbed out

He took the reins from me and hugged me. He leaned his head against mine.

"I don't know what I'm doing... ever decision I make, it leads to failure... I'm tired of starting over" I cried out

"Sis.. you have to be strong... be strong for Kylie... I'm here for you all the time" he said in my ear

"Luke it hurts...what if this is what he always wanted... he always wanted to hit me and he would use the drinking as his excuse... I'm scared to be near him now.. like he's reviving all my nightmares... it.... it just hurts.. to see the one you love, walk all over you.. and give nothing back"

"Jade..listen to me.. he may have done this to you.. but don't let it discourage you from being a mother...your doing the best you can for Kylie... that's all you need to worry about right now.. you have Kylie to take care of.. ok.. don't cry... he's not worth your tears"

I pulled away and looked at him. He pushed my hair back and wiped my tears. I'm closer to Luke than ever. He is is always there for me.

"Come on.. ill help you feed and unsaddle.. and will go get something to eat"

"Ok" I said with a weak smile

I put my rope in my rope bag. Luke was unsaddling Viper for me. I went back to the arena and grabbed Kylie and Stark. Kylie was awake at the time. She was smiling at me. I kissed her forehead and she held onto my locket.

"You ready to go eat" I asked her

She smiles wide, showing her two teeth. My little girl is growing to fast. We walk back to the trailer and Luke was waiting for us. I hand him the halter and he starts unsaddling. I grab out the buckets from the trailer and put them in the horses' stalls. I set Kylie down on the hay.

I filled up the water in the buckets and turned the water off. I picked Kylie back up and headed towards the trailer. I can see Luke throwing a bale off the trailer. Kylie was playing with my hair.

"Look at uncle up there" she looked around

"Kylie... baby girl" Luke said

She looked up at him and smiled again. This little girl is all smiles today. I went to go put her in the truck and buckle her in. I also started my truck as well. Once Luke had everyone fed, we were off to the restaurant or diner.

"What do you feel like eating" he asked

"Don't matter... I'm hungry for anything" I said

We drove around Porum. Looking for a place to eat. We did, and pulled up to this new restaurant. I got out and took Kylie out of her carseat.

Luke grabbed Kylie and we walked in. We were seated in no time. Thats a first in this town. We sat by the window, the hostess brought a high chair for Kylie. She was playing with her toys.

The waiter came and took our order. Leaving us to talk to one another. I can't remember the last time Luke and I went to dinner by ourselves, well before I had Kylie.

"Have any thoughts" Luke asked

"About"

"Her dad"

"I cant take her away from him... later on she's gonna be asking for him.. and what am I gonna say, if she's not around him"

"Honestly Jade.. I think..you two need a break.. yeah it hurts... but maybe this is what you need...to get away from him... ever since that night in Vegas, y'all haven't been yourselves at all"

"I'm still shocked... this makes everything change...I don't know for sure that I love him or I'm scared to love him again. It kills me that he did what he did"

"I know what your going through... I went through the same thing.. I'm speaking from experience.. marriage can go either way... if you want love and all that yahoo stuff, make it work... don't force it... because forcing makes everything more difficult.. I'm thinkin that's what LJ is doing... he's forcing himself to be someone he's not... I know I flipped when you told me what he did.. my blood was boiling... but marriage is not easy like it seems...yeah you may love one another but then what happens after... when one falls out of love..then what? Marriage is a mind game.. you have to find a way to make it work.. but as far as the incident, I have no idea..what goes from there...there's the obvious reason of leaving.. your saying that you don't want to take Kylie away from him...if he loved you two so much..he would've stopped that night.. and say hey... I've got a family to head home to.. I can't be out here, reliving the single life... I should be home with my wife and kid.."

"But that's the thing... I let him go do whatever... look what happened... I mean now to think about it, I was the cause of all of this"

"Don't go start blaming yourself Jade... it's him..it was his choice...it was his choice to stay or go"

"Luke I can't lie to Kylie... I don't to lie to her.. I don't want to lie to her about her dad..."

Luke and I talked all night. Kylie was gettin sleepy on us. We left the restaurant. We headed back to Cody's place. I was gettin sleepy myself. I took those pain pills that the hospital gave me.