Page 59 of Can I?

“Ryder J called me and told me what he was doing. I had to be here, just like you had to go talk to my mama. Now go get ready. Mister Red is waiting on you.”

I smiled big then kissed his lips. I ran over to where they were and hugged him then Mr. Legend. My mama joined me and helped me get suited and booted, then went to the back of the chute while Mr. Red grabbed my hands.

“You’ve been doing well, and it’s time to show the people what you made of, baby girl. You got greatness running through your veins. Your mama didn’t do this until she was in her thirties. You’re just twenty-two. If that isn’t great, I don’t know what is.”

I smiled at him then closed my eyes. “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.”

I nodded slowly, tuning out all noise except Mr. Red’s voice. “For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.”

I was relaxed, loose, and calm. “Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.”

As I was about to release his hands, he said, “One more. I think this one is one of Legend’s and your mama’s favorites. Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.”

He released my hands, but my eyes remained closed.“I’m gonna be even better!”Those words stayed in my head and motivated me. When I opened my eyes, I said to him, “Let’s do this.”

“Hell yeah.”

When I got to the back of the chute, Mr. Legend, my mama, and Mr. Red’s friend, Mr. Zayson, were all there. Carter Legend and Red Squared were at the gate. Shortly after, my mamadisappeared. I knew what that meant. She was going to be my pickup man. I slid down on the back of that horse as Mr. Legend tightened the rope around the horse, and I got my hand situated in the leather rigging.

When “Like a Boss” blared through the speakers, I bobbed my head for a moment then lay back and gave the head nod. Carter Legend swung the gate open, and the horse went ballistic.

I held on for dear life, making sure I remained relaxed, like my mama had said.Rocking chair.I was swiping that horse’s shoulders with my spurs as my body jerked back and forth. The muscle in my arm I was holding on with had tightened, and I was praying I wasn’t about to catch a cramp.

When my mama appeared next to me and had loosened the flank so the horse would stop bucking, I could hear her screaming. “That’s my fucking daughter!”

I slid to her horse, and after she slowed, I slid to the dirt. She jumped off her horse and ran back to me. The entire crowd was on their feet. I was so happy. My mama wrapped her arms around me and swung me around as I laughed.

“I am so proud of you, Lana. You gon’ fuck those people’s minds up! You are only the second black woman to do this after all these years have passed by.”

I smiled big and waved to everyone as my family surrounded me, offering hugs and kisses. My dad and Ryder J hoisted me on their shoulders like I’d already won. I giggled as they carried me outside the practice arena. My girls were screaming and hopping up and down in excitement. When my daddy and Ryder J put me down, they practically knocked me down. My eyes met Ferris’s as they congratulated me on a job well done.

He walked over to me as I noticed Asad behind him watching Ashanni. He licked his lips and said, “Congratulations, baby. You know we gotta celebrate an amazing ride. How you wanna celebrate?”

I gave him a devilish grin and asked, “I want to celebrate by riding another horse. Can I?”

EPILOGUE

MILANA

Seven months later . . .

“Uncle Mayor, I need a set of tires on my truck.”

“That’s gon’ be fifteen hundred.”

I frowned as I jerked my head back. “For real? You charging me?”

“You muhfucking right I’m charging.”

I rolled my eyes. This nigga was stuck on that latest Z-Ro album. First, he was walking around talking about he was ‘Himathan,’ and now he was quoting another song on the album. I swore he was on everybody’s last nerve with that shit, and he knew it.

He frowned hard at me. “First of all, your ass just won a ton of money in Vegas at the NFR for barrel racing. You been cleaning shit up in barebacking and predicted to go to the finals next year in that event. Yo’ ass got it. Quit being cheap and shit.”

I took a deep breath, not wanting to pay for those tires, but I supposed so. I knew tires were expensive. We got free oil changes and shit like that, so I should have been grateful. Ferris shoulder bumped me as he chuckled. “Pay Unc, baby. It ain’t like you ain’t got it, Lana.”

“I knoooooww,” I whined.

I handed Uncle Storm my card with plenty of attitude, and he snatched that shit from me and swiped it through his card reader with a deep frown on his face. Once it approved, he gave me my card back and said, “It’ll be ready in about an hour. Go eat yo’ lil pasta and calm your nerves while you wait before you get fucked up. You must be smelling your upper lip and shit, like Mama used to say.”

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