Page 44 of Unbroken

Oh, that sounded perfect. “Yup. So get out already. I’ll be right down.” I finished my shower in record time and slipped on some leggings and an oversized shirt before sliding my feet into my fuzzy slippers and tromping downstairs.

Shannon had laid out a tempting spread and I started salivating before I sat down. I reached for a drumstick and bit down, taking half of the meat into my mouth before ripping the bone away like some sort of animal. I closed my eyes as I chewed, savoring the smoky barbeque sauce. “So, good,” I said on a moan. Maybe not as good as sex with Eli but damn close. My sister made a small choking noise and I opened my eyes to see her smirk. “What? It’s been a long day and I’m hungry.”

She shook her head, grabbed a couple beers from the fridge along with the coleslaw she’d made yesterday, and joined me at the table. She then grabbed a rib and bit down on the fleshiest part, tearing the meat off with a groan of her own.

The only sounds that could be heard for the next few minutes were the two of us chowing down on some of the best charbroiled barbeque I’d ever had. Once we were both sated enough to where we didn’t look like a pair of ravenous zombies, we sat back with a groan.

“So, how was your day, dear? Do anything I wouldn’t do?” Shannon asked and I choked on my beer. By the look on her face, I didn’t think she knew about what Eli and I had done in the tack room, but I planned to play it safe.

“It was good. This was our first all-day ride and while we had a couple newbies in the group, everyone handled the saddle time reallywell,” I told her, hoping she didn’t notice how my voice cracked as I spoke.

She nodded her head. “That’s good. I know Josh and Eli have been talking about overnight rides that would take the riders out to the springs on the east side of Poplar Mountain.” The springs weren’t located on Cafferty property—they were on public land. Josh had already started looking into whether we would need permission to camp there.

A part of me was already thinking about sharing a tent with Eli on those overnights. I had to keep reminding myself that he might not be around anymore by the time we added those trips to the calendar. I knew that Eli hadn’t spoken to Josh yet about his desire to move on and I didn’t want to violate his privacy by mentioning it to Shannon now, but I had to wonder what it would be like to take those trail rides without him.

I felt a sudden stabbing pain that had nothing to do with the amount of food we’d just gorged ourselves on. A big part of what made the trail rides so enjoyable was having Eli with me. It was hard to imagine what the program would be like without him at the helm. I had to admit that the prospect felt a little bleak. But he was intent on moving on and getting away from everything that’d been weighing him down. I couldn’t blame him for that. Eli Carter deserved to be happy, even if getting there meant leaving me behind.

THIRTY

ELI

“Happy birthday, monkey!” Fiona sang out as she set a chocolate cake with a number five candle flickering on top down in front of him. Immediately, everyone began to sing. My son’s eyes were lit with happiness as he blew out the candle, which he managed without adding too much spit. This was birthday party number two and so far, it has been going far better than the first one.

The first party was supposed to have been at Magiano’s Pizza. I’d reserved the back room so people could come and go, with room for the kids to run around, but my father had insisted that we have it at his church instead. He’d pointed out that there was plenty of space and a small playground outside where the kids could play—and that it came free of charge.

I should never have agreed to it. Dad’s controlling behavior had sucked all the joy out of the party, leaving Patrick on the verge of tears and me on the verge of punching something by the time the afternoon was done.

That was yesterday, and when Fiona found out what happened, she’d insisted on putting something together for him at the ranch. It endedup being the Caffertys along with a few of the hands and my mother in attendance. Fiona and Zoe had made the cake, which was multiple layers of chocolate and strawberries.

“You guys didn’t have to do all this,” I told Josh who held up his hands.

“This is all my sisters’ and Zo’s doing,” he said. “Besides, you’re practically family.”

I didn’t know what to say to that and I was feeling a bit choked up, so I limited myself to a grunted out, “Thanks.”

“Daddy, daddy, look!” Patrick shouted, running over to show me the coupon book he’d been given. In it were a stack “gift certificates” for things like: learning about horses, getting a portrait done with his head on his favorite robot’s body, advanced riding lessons, etc.

“That’s fantastic, bud. You’re going to look great as a robot.” I looked over at Zoe, who was leaning up against Josh, and mouthed a “thank you” to her for her part of the gift. The horse stuff could have come from any of the Caffertys, but I knew the robot portrait was all her. I hadn’t seen too many of her graphic designs, but I had seen her photos and they were amazing. I was sure that whatever she created for Patrick would be cherished by him.

He also got a new cowboy hat, a stuffed dinosaur wearing a miniature version of the same hat, and a horse puzzle.

After we’d eaten our fill of cake, Fiona took him outside to play on the swing while Zoe took pictures. She’d managed to capture some amazing candid shots of my son in absolute heaven, and then gotten my mom and me to sit with him for a multi-generational family portrait, promising me a larger, framed print to hang on the wall.

I was touched by all the effort everyone went to in order to give my son a more memorable birthday that didn’t include tears.

Dustin, Mitch and the other hands weren’t able to stay too long. There was work to be done, after all. When the party started breaking up, I contemplated asking my mom to take Patrick home so I could head out and take care of some work myself, but Josh read my mind.

“Don’t even think about working on your son’s special day,” he said. “Enjoy your time together.”

“Is that an order, boss?”

“You bet it is. In fact, I’m thinking of making it a rule.”

I crossed my arms and rubbed my chin, as if I were in deep thought. “While that sounds like a nice idea, isn’t Dustin’s wife getting ready to give birth to another child?”

“Twins, actually, and … oh. I can see the issue. I might have to think about this rule a bit more. But in the meantime, enjoy the day with your son and mom. We don’t know how much time we have on this earth, so cherish the special moments,” Josh said before clapping me hard enough on the back that I staggered forward.

He walked over to Zoe and took her camera from her, holding it just out of her reach until she agreed to kiss him. I looked over at Fiona to see if she was watching them, but she was in an animated conversation with my mom and Patrick.

---