The Bull's Demise

II

The two men entered the small home together. Colby led the way in, while David shut the door behind them, muting the wind outside.

Colby turned to David and asked, "Here, let me take your coat."

"Oh, thanks" David pulled off his long coat and handed it to Colby and then took a seat at the table in the kitchenette. Colby, coat in hand, walked over to the rack in the corner and placed David's on a peg. Afterward he pulled off his own coat, brushed the dust from it, and placed it on the peg adjacent.

"So, Colbs. I know you don't remember me. You were very young when me and my family visited, so I know why you're so wound up. But I really need to speak to your Ma. Is she out right now?"

Colby was in the kitchen pulling out two glasses from a cabinet and bottle from the counter. He walked over to the table and placed his materials on top. He proceeded to pour two drinks and then nudged one of them to David. David gladly accepted it.

"Mom died two years ago." Colby replied with a low voice as if in deep thought. His eyes were looking at something that wasn't there. He took a seat across from David and raised his glass to his lips.

"Oh No, I'm so sorry Colby." David said sympathetically.

"Rose was a great woman. Fun to be around. I have so many memories of me, your daddy, her, and My Lovey shooting the shit."

David chuckled to himself in remembrance, but quickly his expression turned to sorrow when he remembered what he had just heard.

"What happened, Colbs?"

Colby was still lost in thought, but eventually he looked up and replied.

"Mom got sick a couple of months before her death. It had something to do with her lungs. We tried everything we possibly could, but none of Mom's old tribal mixtures had an effect."

David sipped his drink and continued to listen attentively.

"Eventually I came to the conclusion that I needed to go to town and get some real medicine from one of the NCR merchants."

"But the nearest town is almost a week's time away."

"Exactly. Mom knew she didn't have much time left. Her lungs were drying up. She was coughing constantly. She told me that she'd rather have me stay and spend her last moments with her."

Colby was starting to get emotional, but only his voice showed it. He was always soft spoken, but his voice never faltered. This time, it did.

"I understood what she wanted, and I respected her wishes. She died happily, and I buried her the way she would've been buried in her tribe. But I can't help but feel a little regret. Maybe I could've made it with the medicine in time"

The two sat in silence for a moment. Then David began to speak.

"You're a good son, Colbs. You honored her in the best way you could, and I'm sure she's looking down on you proud as can be."

Colby looked up from his glass and smiled at the old grizzled man in front of him.

"Thanks David"

"You're Welcome!" said David in a friendly tone.

"And call me Dave." He added with a smile.

Colby, noticing their glasses were almost empty, poured more into each glass, then began to speak.

"Well, Dave, what did you need help with? You obviously wouldn't've trekked all the way out here for no reason."

David replied after swallowing a sip from his glass.