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But the paint was on the other side of the corral now, twisting sideways, still bucking fiercely. Thrown off-balance, Daisy lost her stirrups. As the horse’s rear legs flipped up in back, she spilled forward in the saddle, grabbing for the horn.
Her arm jerked away as Lucky gave another big buck. It sent Daisy flying through the air, straight for a barrel. Feet free of the stirrups, her head thunked on its metal rim and she collapsed in a heap on the sand, motionless.
******
Hank clutched Daisy’s fingertips, still as certain he was going to lose her as he’d been five hours earlier, racing towards her collapsed body.
Her eyes were closed, as they’d been when he’d reached her, crumpled in the sand, her hat beside her, golden hair streaming into a motionless fan on the dirt.
Her head was shaved and wrapped in a white cap, all of her beautiful hair gone.
An oxygen mask was strapped to her mouth, and a shunt ran from behind her ear into her collarbone, draining the fluids that collected on her brain. The machines around her beeped steadily, measuring her heart rate, her oxygen, her brain activity, anything that would prove to Hank that Daisy was still alive.
He’d made two fatal mistakes. He’d let her ride an untried horse, and he’d let that damn truck go unrepaired. Now, he was paying for it. This was the punishment for his hubris, his stupidity.
Daphne was behind him, her jean-clad hips leaning against the windowsill. Chewing her nails, feet in flip flops, hair flat on one side because she hadn’t had time to comb it, she said, “The docs said she’s gonna be fine, Hank,” but her voice quivered so, he didn’t know if she was trying to reassure him or herself.
“I heard ‘em, Daph,” he muttered, not bothering to hide the tear rolling down his cheek. “They said her brain’s swollen too. I also heard ‘em say she could have a seizure or a stroke anytime.” His voice broke. “Hard to tell what might happen.”
Daphne came up behind, wrapped her arms around his neck, and pressed her cheek to his. “Hey, they gave her drugs to prevent seizures, Hank,” she said quietly, “She’s gonna pull through this, you know that. Daisy’s strong.”
“I don’t know that, Daph.”
“Well, you better start knowin’ it. She has to pull through, Hank, that’s all there is to it. I won’t lose my sister and my daddy in the same year,” Daphne said, dry-eyed, jaw tight. “I won’t.”
He took the hand that wasn’t holding Daisy’s and clasped it over Daphne’s. “I’m so sorry, Daph,” he choked.
“It musta been hard, seeing it happen,” she whispered.
“I’’ll never forget it, and I’ll never forgive myself. Blame it on me…I let it happen.”
“Hell no, you didn’t.” She gave him a nudge. “That’s just foolishness, Hank. You didn’t let anything happen. It just happened. You love her, don’t you?”
Dropping Daphne’s hand, he wiped his cheek and swallowed. Squeezing his eyes shut, he tried to speak normally. “It’s like nothing I’ve ever felt before, Daph. I’m crazy on her.”
“She’s crazy on you, too,” Daphne replied. “She’s not big on showing how she feels, though, in case you didn’t notice.”
“Naw, she’s doin’ alright. Things have been real good between us these past few weeks, but now it feels like I don’t deserve her. Feels like I’ll never make it up to her. You shoulda seen my old man. . .” He choked, letting the words trail off.
Never again would anyone disrespect Daisy the way Red Gallagher had.
