“Boss, you’re fidgeting like a high school boy going to pick up his prom date. What the hell is going on?” Sadie asks.
“Nothing, I’m fine. Worry about yourself.” I pull the towel off my shoulder and start wiping down the already clean bar.
“Okay, grumpy pants.” Her snarky comment causes a fewmen at the bar to snicker in response. I ignore them, going back to my clock watching.
Seven-thirty comes and goes and she’s not here. A little bit later, the food shows up and I put it on the counter behind the bar.
Seven-forty and she still hasn’t gotten here.
Seven-fifty.
Hey Caroline, I got some food here for you, when you going to get here?
She reads it but doesn’t respond. Must be driving or something.
Another fifteen minutes passes and she still isn’t here.
Hey Sunshine, I’m worried now. Everything okay? Cash is up in twenty minutes.
Eight-fifteen.
Eight-twenty.
I decide to call her this time.
“Hey, this is Callie, leave a message.”
“Hey Caroline, it’s almost eight-thirty. I was expecting you an hour ago. I’m really worried now. Please call me back. I love you.”
I look up at the show and hear them announce Cash. Leaning against the bar, I watch him ride. It’s beautiful as always. The countdown timer in the corner counts his eight seconds.
Six-seconds, he flows perfectly in sync with his bull.
Five-seconds, they dance like it’s choreographed, his talent on display for the world.
Four-seconds, the tail of his rope is loose and whipping around.
Three-seconds, the tail whips him in the face. The crowd ‘ooooohs’ in response.
Two-seconds, the great beast beneath him does a double rear, pushing him back, the tail of his rope flying around and Cash loses his hold, flying off into the sand. His arm somehow lodges under the flank rope, getting trapped against the body of the raging animal. The barrel-men rush toward Cash to pull him free, his arm twisted at a sickening angle. They pull him while the fighters try to distract the bull.
As soon as they pull his arm free, Cash collapses to the ground. The thousand-pound bull sees him fall and stomps on top of him, catching him across the abdomen with his hooves. The bull is pulled away as Cash lays in the dirt, unmoving.
“What the fuck?” I hear from behind me, though I have no idea who it is. The camera pans away from Cash’s prone body as the announcer discusses the wreck. I feel my mouth hanging open, but no words come out.
I feel a hand on my arm and Sadie’s voice. “Duke, are you okay?”
I don’t respond. I just pull my phone from my pocket. I don’t know if I should call Caroline to find her or Sleepy to figure out what’s happening with Cash.
I settle on Sleepy.
“Duke,” he says by way of greeting when he picks up.
“Tell me he’s alright, Sleepy.”
“I can’t do that. I don’t know.” My heart sinks at his words and I walk into the back room, leaning over the slop sink in case my stomach decides to empty itself.
“Is he…where is he? What’s happening?” I plead for any piece of information.
