Stupidest thing ever
Dillon woke shivering. Almost to the point of convulsing. A blanket was being wrapped around his shoulders.
“Here, you need to drink this?” He couldn’t hold the cup. His hands were shaking too bad. She gently took the cup from him, holding it to his lips.
He gagged, “that’s bitter.”
Teka snorted in the background. “It could be worse. You could be in the hospital with an i.v. stickin’ out of your arm.”
As he looked around, she had built a small fire. Teka was hitched to one of his new fence posts. “How did you score a Friday off?” She asked in a teasing manner.
This drink hit his hot stomach and he almost threw up. “Tolliver needs Sunday and Monday off.” He gagged.
“This means you won’t be in church.”
“I know.”
“You need to sip at this as often as you can.”
“How did you find me?”
“Have you not figured out yet,” she said playfully, “Teka is a smart girl.” The horse snorted.
He pulled the blanket tighter around his shoulders. “When we were growing up, what did you dream about being?”
She sat at his knee, facing him. “I don’t remember havin’ any specific dream. All I knew is, I didn’t want to be here.” She sighed, “I felt like a bird in a cage. Dad was always makin’ sure I got to experience stuff.”
“You never showed it.”
“I always felt empowered around you. Neither you or dad ever laughed at my silliness. Or shot me down as a dream filled girl.” He looked at her like she was stupid. Not knowing what she was talking about. “Sip.” She smiled, noticing his expression. “I loved my mother but she always made fun of me. Nothing I did was ever right. Good enough. The only time she was ever proud of anything I did was home ec. I don’t remember you havin’ specific dreams. But sheriff fits the Dillon I knew more than a farmer/rancher.”
“I like it out here. It’s calm. Sheriff is a livin’ to make this possible.” He took another sip of the nasty liquid from the cup. “I feel grounded out here.”
A curious cow meandered over toward them. It stood off, in the shadows chewing its cud.
“Think you are able to make it home?”
“I’ve slept outside before.”
She stood, extending her hands to him. He stared at her with amusement. They both knew full well she couldn’t pull him up. “You need to get out of those wet clothes. Take a shower. And eat something, even if it’s apple sauce.”
He smiled despite himself, she really did care. That was never the question was it? “Yes, mam.” He staggered to his feet.
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