Once Upon A Rodeo

2: Dinner at the Bradshaw's

Dinner at the Bradshaw's

I awoke in my bed, with the same clothes I had on last night. As usual, my daddy probably picked me up, out of Landon's truck, and carried my sleeping body to my room, where my mama tucked me into bed. Sadly, this happens a lot. Even though I tell my parents to wake me up, because I am seventeen and too old to be carried, they always let me continue sleeping and carry me to bed.

I sit up and look at my cork board wall that was covered with pictures of my horse, Dance Partner, and I. As I looked at the pictures my beautiful horse, I realized how long it's been since I last rode her. I do see her quite a bit since she lives in the Bradshaw's stables -with the rest of their family's horses- and the Bradshaws are like my second family. I just never have enough time to take her out anymore. I really missed it. I always felt free and on top of the world when I rode her.

"Annabelle!" I hear my mama call my name from downstairs. "Sweet pea, it's 9:30, you need to get up."

I ran downstairs and saw my mama cooking breakfast with her back facing me. I run to her and throw my arms around her waist, causing her to jump out of surprise. "I'm already up," I chirp in her ear.

"Annabelle!" She shouts turning around to face me, "you nearly gave me a heart attack!"

"But I didn't," I say pointing my finger at her. "So you should thank me for not scaring you enough to kill you. The way I see it, I just saved your life."

She shakes her head. "Thank you for not killing me. I have no idea what I would do without you."

"Mm, probably die of boredom." I smile widely at her, and she scoffs.

I hop up on the high bar stools and lean on the counter that separated my mama and I. "Can I help you with anything?"

"Nope. The pancakes are close to being done and your father already set the table," she says smiling at me. "Why don't you go along and say good morning to him. Don't forget to nearly give him a heart attack too."

I laughed, jumped off the stool, went around the counter, and have her one last hug. "As if I could ever forget."

I skip to the living room where my daddy is on the couch watching the news. I leap over the back of the couch and plop down on the cushion next to him. "Good morning," he says, his eyes still glued to the TV, unphased.

"Mornin' Daddy. How's your back?"

He looks at me, "huh?"

"Your back. How bad is it hurting? I assume you carried me up last night while I was sleeping, and your back gives you enough problems without carrying a 125 pound girl up the stairs."

"My back is fine."

"Daddy," I groan. "Don't try to be stronger and take on more than you can handle. I'm really don't want you to hurt your back further. I-"

"The reason my back is fine," he cuts me off, "because I didn't carry you upstairs last night. Landon did."

"What?"

"You heard me. Landon carried you upstairs to your room last night. I tried to carry you, but he insisted on doing it. He said he didn't want me to wear out my back."

"Well that was really sweet of him. I'll be sure to thank him when I go over there today."

"You going to the Bradshaw's today?"

"Yup, I'm gonna go early so I can take Dance Partner out and have dinner over there. Apparently Dan has some big surprise and wants me to be there for the reveal."