Summary:
Cade MacKenzie is a rodeo circuit rider. He's gone for weeks or months at a time, leaving his wife, Kate, back home in Louisiana. He's injured during a ride and is told he'll never ride again, the same week, he loses Kate and their unborn child in a fire.
Now, he must peice his life together somehow. Can he forgive himself for neglecting his wife before she died? Can he trust God to rebuild his trust, so he can learn to love again?
The noise of the crowd always exhilarated Cade MacKenzie as he saddled to ride a bronc� in the Cheyenne State Finals benefit rodeo.
The painted faces of the clowns that would pull him to safety, were he thrown, were seen just out the corner of his eye. Old Trent reared impatiently beneath him. The only difference between going home, his head hung in defeat, and continuing the circuit a champion, was the amount of time he stayed on Old Trent�s back. If the sweat on his brow was any indication, he was nervous.
�You ready, Mac?� came the familiar question from his manager, Gordon Mayes. In the back of his mind he could hear the announcer over the loudspeaker, as he fixed his eyes on the wedding band on his left hand, those blue orbs traced the delicate metal with a soft gaze. Katie.
�Mac?� His thoughts were severed as he was brought screeching back to reality, trying to remember why Gordon was talking to him.
�Mac�are you ready?�
Cade gave a half-hearted nod and gripped the saddle horn. �Let�s go!�
Before he knew it, the gate had been flung open and Trent was taking advantage of having his freedom. Cade fought to hang on, because even with the leather strap holding him tight to the horn, he was still having a job of remaining saddled. He worked to focus on the bronco�s movement, but his foot came loose and he swung over the side, his hand caught in the leather holding. He held back a cry of pain as he felt the pinch of the horn on his numb fingers. Trent�s hooves were barely missing his leg. Reaching up, he wrestled his hand free and fell to the hard-packed dirt ground below. In moments, two clowns ran in to keep Old Trent occupied, while a third helped him to the safety of the gate. He held on to the bars with his uninjured hand.
�Cade MacKenzie riding Old Trent�nine seconds.� He could hear the fans going wild as he jumped down into the empty ring and walked down the line, through an open gateway under the stands. Gordon didn�t waist any time getting an EMT on Cade�s hand.
�Mac�you beat your record!� He was blabbering on as his client�s hand was being wrapped.
�How bad is it?�
The medic looked up at him, his eyes bloodshot and obviously tired. �Your three middle fingers are badly jammed, but nothing permanent. You should be able to ride in the next rodeo.�
�Thanks,� Cade said, extending his good hand to him. �Get some rest. You look dead to the world.�
�Nah. I�ll be fine. I�ve got another six hours before I�m off-duty anyway. Get well and good luck.�
Gordon shut the door behind their departing guest and turned on the loudspeaker to hear the rest of the rodeo play out.
�Sean Davenport on Captain�eight seconds.�
Gordon wiped at his brow, leaning against the wall with his elbow. He looked at Cade, his eyes wide. �That was close, Mac.�
�But not close enough.� He said, his eyes glued to his temporarily indisposable hand, wrapped in tight white, thick gauze. �My injury could�ve been worse. Atleast with it like this, if I win tonight, I can continue the circuit.�
�I guess you�re right.� Gordon sat down in the chair across from Cade and turned the loudspeaker up a little louder.
Cade leaned his head back against the brick wall, closing his eyes for a moment, forgetting the now faint voice of the announcer, his mind somewhere on the other end of the country, wondering what that brown-haired, brown-eyed beauty with his last name was doing. Judging by the time, she was probably just now sliding into bed, wrapping those slender arms around his pillow, as she always did when he was away. She was probably praying at this very moment, praying he�d come home safely, praying he�d be alrite. Than she�d pull the covers tight around her, set the body pillow against her back, and hold another in her arms. She�d close her eyes, listening to their song playing faintly from the CD player next to the bed.
Cade could almost hear the words. They'd danced to them so many times since the night they met.
...If I think of turning back
'Cause I'm having my doubts
She tells me I've come so far
Nothing in this world comes easily
But I can't lose with her right next to me
'Cause she thinks I could rope the moon
In her eyes there is nothing I can't do
When I think it's out of reach
She's the reason I still try...
"...winner of the 2004 Cheyenne State Finals benefit rodeo is..."
Cade sprang to his feet, gathering up to the loudspeaker next to Gordon and Old Trent's handler, Jamie Devereaux. "...Cade MacKenzie with nine seconds on Old Trent."
Gordon had to turn the volume all the way down because of all the screams. "You did it, Mac. We go on to Amarillo."
"I get to go home for a few days to see Katie..." was all that was on Cade's mind.
"Now, Mac, this ain't no time to go gettin' lovesick on me."
Cade didn't reply. He just sat down at the desk in the corner of the room, pulling out a postcard of the Wyoming Rapids that he'd gotten at a gas station outside of Wheatland. He took a pen and started to write with his left hand.
When I saw this postcard, I thought of you. You have no idea how much I miss you and wish you could be here, so much I wish you could see. I won in Cheyenne, now on to Amarillo. I'll be home soon. Keep the fire burning.
Your Cowboy, Cade
"Mac...there ain't gonna be no time for you to go all the way to Louisiana, and still ride in Amarillo." Gordon said.
"There definitely ain't gonna be if I advance from there." he countered. "But I've gotta see her."
"No can-do, Mac. We can stop in on the way to Mississippi if you advance. It'll only be a few extra days. Just ride Amarillo."
Cade licked a stamp, placing it in the top right hand corner of the postcard, staring at the scribbled message for a few extra moments. He wanted to hold his wife, and kiss away all doubt in her eyes. If she were any other woman, he could care less about getting home, but Katie was different. She looked past all his faults and failures, to the man beneathe. She made him beleive that he could do anything.
"Mac..."
"Alrite, I'll ride Amarillo." he said, putting the postcard into his back pocket. "But no matter what, whether I advance or not, I go home for a few days after the rodeo."
"It's a plan."
"Let me call Katie." he said, pulling his cell phone from his backpack.
"Can't it wait? The media will be wanting an interview with you."
"Going home can wait. But this phone call can't. Just give them a statement for me Gordon."
Cade watched as manager and handler left, closing the door behind them. He was finally alone. Dialing the number was a fluid movement he'd done hundreds of times in the four years they'd been married.
One ring...two rings...
"Hello..." came the familiar sleepy voice that warmed his heart to the core.
"Katie-bug..." was all that he could muster past the ball in his throat.
He could hear the rustle of the covers and the click of the lamp on the bedside table as she sat up. She was probably brushing her hair back from her face, wiping the sleep from her eyes.
"Kate...I miss you so much, baby."
She sniffled. "O Cade...there aren't enough words in the English language to describe how much I miss you."
He smiled, sitting back. "Did I wake you up, sweetheart?"
"It was worth it. You know that I'd never pass up a chance to hear your wonderful voice."
"You sure know how to make a fella blush, little lady."
He could hear her giggle. "It's from years of practice."
The door opened, Jamie peeking in. "Cade, they're asking for a personal statement."
"Relay my apologies, but my wife comes first." Jamie half rolled his eyes and left.
"How'd it go tonight?" she asked, covering a yawn.
"Tired?"
"Nah. Just regaining oxygen." He laughed. She was adorable.
"Funny, baby." He tried to rotate his stiff hand. "I jammed my three middle fingers on my right hand real bad..."
"Cade MacKenzie...are you alrite?"
"Katie, I'm fine. I won tonight. The injury isn't serious enough to keep me from riding again. 'Medic says I can ride in Amarillo next week."
Katie squealed. "Amarillo? O Cade, that's great!"
"And with this prize money, we..."
"...can start planning for a baby."
Cade laughed at her, but she went silent.
"Katie?"
"I'm serious, Cade."
"Are you..."
"I'm pregnant."
He didn't know what to say for a few moments, letting it all soak in. "O Kate, baby, this is awesome."
"I was trying to hold off telling you 'til you got home, and we could discuss it over a nice romantic dinner for two..."
"...and maybe a candlelit jacuzzi wade under the stars..."
She giggled. "You really know how to heat things up."
"I love you, Katie-bug."
"I love you more, Cowboy."
"Get some sleep, baby." He smiled. "Mommy."
"Get some rest, Daddy. I miss you."
"I miss you, too. Goodnite."
