Old fashioned roots, nice cowboy boots

Take a drive

Miranda's pov

We're at the funeral. I stare at him worriedly. He stares at the ground, his hands holding tightly to his pants legs, his eyes bloodshot. I rest a hand over his and his hand jerks in surprise. Once he realizes he holds mine.

*after the funeral*

He lays in the bed, I sit beside him. He just stares at the ceiling. "Ya wanna talk?" I ask. He shakes his head and sits up. "Like Rodney Atkins sang, if you're going through hell, keep on goin'." He says, getting up and grabbing his keys. "Wait, where are you going?" He covers his eyes with his hand, his shoulders shaking." I stand up and hug him tightly. "I just have to get out of here. You got the kids?" "Of course. I love you." "I love you too." He leaves and I make lunch for the kids. I sit on the couch, my hands shaking and tears threatening to rack my body. But I can't. I have to be strong. For them for him.

Jason's pov

Brantley is already waiting along with Luke, Brad, and Blake at the cemetery. Man these guys are fast. He hands me a beer. I pour a little out. "I don't think I'll ever stop thinking about her." Questions still swirl in my mind. The one big one was did she suffer? But no one knows but the twins and there's no way I'm gonna ask them. My poor little sister. I finish off the rest of the beer with Luke patting my shoulder. I keep picturing her smiling and being goofy. I get back in my truck and head for home. Just as I get on the main road, it starts raining. I glance in my rear view at the guys running frantically to their trucks, trying not to get wet. Alabama comes through the speakers. I smile and turn it up. Just then she sits beside me!! "K-Kasi? Or am I just too buzzed?" "No it's me. I can't believe you're drunk driving." I stare ahead. "I'm not drunk. I had half of one beer. I'm only a little buzzed." "I've gotta go Jason but keep your head held high, brother, you've still got a lot of life to live. Don't cut it short." She disappears and I ease on the brake, staring at the passenger seat shocked where my sister just sat. "Don't cut it short." I mumble, pulling to the side of the road. I'm not gonna drive buzzed. Buzzed driving is drunk driving. I pocket the keys and lay my head back. Now that's the brother I know. I smile and close my eyes. "Fly high Kasi." I whisper, drifting off.

*later*

When I'm more level headed, I get back on the road. My eyes go wide though seeing the bridge is out. I shudder. When I was drunk earlier, there's no way I would've been able to stop in time. I take the detour and get home in time for dinner. "Feelin' better?" Miranda asks. I smile. "Much better." I say, hugging her. "Are you?" I ask. She nods but I can tell she's upset. "You can come talk to me anytime you want about this." I whisper, fighting back tears. I can tell she's trying hard not to cry too. "Hey baby, go take a drive in my truck. I promise it'll help. Just don't take the bridge it's out." Maybe the same thing that happened to me will happen to her. She shakily grabs the keys. I kiss her lips, my hands on her arms. "Drive safe baby."

Miranda's pov

I get in his truck and take a back road. "Hey." My head flips. Kasi!? "Hey, how-" "This is how I can talk to you now. When you need to, come take a drive on the day of my funeral. Every year, don't not come." She disappears. My hands are shaking. Kasi is okay. My best friend is okay. I quickly drive home.

Jason's pov

I just laid Cassie in her crib when the door downstairs opens. I walk downstairs. "You saw her too didn't you?" I ask. She nods. "Tully needs to see this too." She says. I nod and wake him up off the couch. "Tully, take a drive in my truck. You won't regret it, I promise." I say. Miranda tosses me the keys and I hand them to him. "What's going on?" He asks. "Just do it." She says. He sighs and pulls his boots on. "I don't know what's going on but I'm gonna figure it out when I get back." He mutters, snatching the keys. He leaves. "Actually he'll find out while he's gone." She says, smiling. "I can tell it helped seeing her." I nod. "More than anything." I cross the room and pull her into a hug. "I'm sorry I was so distant." I mumble. "Don't be. I'd be the same way if something happened to Tully." She whispers, kissing me softly. My hands get tighter around her waist. Then I hear the baby cry. "I got her." She says. I kiss her again. "No baby, I got her." I go upstairs to Cassie's nursery. "Hey baby girl, you're supposed to be asleep." I pick her up and rock her and ten minutes later she's back to sleep. I put her back in the crib as Tully gets home. By the shocked look on his face, he saw her too. "She said the only time that can happen is on the day of her funeral. So we have to wait a year to see her again." Miranda says, picking my keys up. She tosses them to me. I can't wait for next year.