The Long Ride Home (Cowboys & Cowgirls)

by Danielle Lee Zwissler

  “What?” she asked, crestfallen.

  “What about this guy you are going to homecoming with?” Holton asked curiously. He was jealous! Jealous of a 14 year old.

  “I’m not in love with him, Holton. I just asked him because I couldn’t take you. Besides, I’m patient. I’ll wait.”

  “You’re patient? You’ll wait for me, huh, brat? Okay.”

  “You don’t believe me?”

  Holton smiled. “Have fun tonight, Elena.”

  “What if I kissed him, Holton? Would that bother you?”

  Holton stopped and turned toward Elena, feeling more jealous than he should. “No, of course not, Elena. But you should like someone if you are going to kiss them.”

  “I like him well enough.”

  Holton’s heart was beating fast in his chest.

  “I thought I was going to kiss you first,” she admitted. “I wanted you to be my first everything. I pictured it you know!”

  “You did?”

  “Yeah.” She smiled shyly and twirled around in her black homecoming dress. Her wild red hair was contained in an updo with a few escaping ringlets, crowning her head.

  “You shouldn’t be thinking about me, Elena,” Holton said. “I am years too old for you. You should be thinking of boys your age.”

  “Fine!” Elena yelled. “I will. And you know what?”

  “What’s that?”

  “I’ll be thinking about you the entire time I am kissing him.”

  Holton’s face contorted in anger at that last comment. He excused himself shortly after that and went back home. He called Grace Melinor that night and made his first mistake of many when it came to Elena.

  Chapter 12

  When Holton’s flight touched down it was coming on 5 p.m. He was tired, worried and hungry. He couldn’t keep a thing down since leaving Dallas.

  He dialed Cheryl’s number and informed her that he would be there shortly. The airport was twenty five minutes from the hospital.

  After securing a rental car, Holton was on his way. The only thing they had left to rent was a jeep grand Cherokee. Elena’s first car.

  “What do you do first?” Holton asked a sixteen year old Elena. Elena rolled her eyes and tapped the steering wheel.

  She smiled wickedly and looked at him. “Like put my makeup on?” she teased.

  “Elena,” Holton sighed. “I don’t have time for this.”

  “Yes you do,” she replied. “You have nothing but time for this. You don’t have much of a life, Holton.”

  “Shut up, brat. What’s the first thing you do?” he asked again, impatiently.

  “Check the mirrors.”

  “No. Start the engine.”

  Elena started the engine and looked over at Holton with a grin on her face. Holton felt like he would melt. She was so damned cute. He cleared his throat. “Okay, smartass, let’s put the car into gear. Check your mirrors first.”

  “Aye Aye, Captain,” Elena cheered. Holton laughed. She looked in the mirrors and then put the jeep in drive. Nervously she pressed on the gas with her right foot and the car jerked forward.

  “Easy, nice and slow,” Holton said calmly. Elena’s face reddened. Holton laughed.

  “Shut up,” she said weakly.

  “Okay. Let’s go around my place,” Holton said. Elena looked over at him quickly and he pointed back to the road. “Pay attention.”

  “I’m paying attention,” Elena grumbled.

  “I know; you’re doing a good job. Now ease in to the drive way and park the car.”

  “Okay,” she said quietly. As soon as she finished she turned toward him. “Now what?”

  “Now, we practice parallel parking. You can practice parking around my car.”

  “Oh,” Elena replied morosely. “Why don’t you like me, Holton?”

  Holton turned in his seat and faced her. He looked around briefly to make sure no one was looking. “What are you talking about?”

  Elena had tears in her eyes. “You! Why don’t you like me?”

  “I like you.”

  “No, not like that.”

  Holton swallowed back his nervousness and took her hand in his. Elena’s eyes shot up to his and he rubbed her hand with his thumb. “Listen, Elena. It’s not like I don’t like you. You’re sixteen. Do you understand?”

  “Yeah, you think I’m a baby and you’re trying to make me feel better!”

  “Trust me when I tell you, I don’t think of you that way,” Holton said quietly.

  “You don’t?”

  “No, Elena, I don’t. I’m just…it’s the wrong time right now.”

  “Then when?”

  “Call me up when you’re over 18.”

  Elena smiled. “So, two more years.”

  “Yeah, two more years,” Holton said gruffly. “Can we just get through today?”

  Elena wrapped her arms around Holton and hugged him. The scent of her shampoo swirled in his senses and he tried not to think of her in any other way that driver and teacher. “I’ll put you in my calendar.”

  Holton laughed. “Alright, Elena. You are pushing it now with the touching though.”

  “Okay, honey,” she said wickedly. “I’ll be a good girl and not touch you…for now.”

  “Good, because I don’t feel like going to jail.”

  “Very funny. Mom and Dad love you.”

  “They won’t if they find out I even considered dating you.”

  “You’ve considered it?” Elena asked excitedly.

  “Please, can we just park?!”

  “Oh, yeah, I was hoping you would ask!”

  Holton sighed. “Elena!”

  Holton pulled into the hospital parking lot and hurriedly got out of the car, bringing his bag in with him. He walked down the hall until he found the waiting room that Cheryl said she would be in and he stopped dead at the look on Cheryl’s face.

  “She still hasn’t woken up!”

  Holton looked up at the ceiling, hoping to God that she would wake up soon. “Where’s the doctor?”

  “He won’t talk to you. He will only talk to family.”

  “I am family,” Holton said.

  “But…”

  “I’m her fiancé. He should be able to tell me.”

  Cheryl closed her eyes and stood up. She put her arms around Holton and hugged him. He hugged her back. Poor Cheryl was there alone dealing with all of this.

  “It’s okay, Cheryl. She’s going to be fine.”

  “But…”

  “Where is Denny?”

  “I haven’t been able to get a hold of him.”

  “You need to take care of yourself, Cheryl. Elena—she is a survivor.” Holton took her hand and looked at her sadly, “Now, help me find her doctor.”

  “Okay,” Cheryl said quietly, taking Holton down the hallway.

  “I need to see my fiancé. I just found out she was here,” Holton said to Dr. Elroy as he came around the corner with Cheryl. Cheryl was drying her eyes when the Dr. looked at her.

  “Her fiancé?” Dr. Elroy asked.

  “Yes…this is Holton Dade. They’ve been engaged since around Christmas.”

  “Where’s her ring?” the Dr. asked Cheryl. Holton was glad that he thought of that before they found him.

  “It’s right here. She takes it off when she washes dishes. I went home. I thought she would want to have it with her…in case.”

  Dr. Elroy looked from Holton to Cheryl and nodded. “I suppose. Have you talked to her parents?” Dr. Elroy asked Holton.

  “Her parents are both dead. Her father passed away from an accident this December; her mom passed away a few years ago from cancer.”

  Dr. Elroy nodded. “Just making sure. Okay, Mr. Dade, what do you want to know?”

  “I don’t know what’s going on. Cheryl called me and told me what happened. I got here as soon as I could.”

  “She has brain swelling, a lot of it. She hit her head pretty hard. She has three cracked ribs, a broken verteb
ra. Her left ankle is broken and her right is badly fractured. She is badly bruised all over. If she does wake up, she will be in a world of hurt.”

  Holton felt like he would puke; he bent over. Suddenly he felt as if he would pass out.

  “Are you okay?” the Dr. asked.

  Holton nodded. “Wh-what are her chances?”

  Dr. Elroy looked at him and sighed. “If she doesn’t wake up soon, I’m afraid not good.”

  Holton slumped to the ground just then and cried.

  ***

  The phone rang at 11 p.m. and Holton had just gotten out of the shower. He picked it up quickly and sat on his bed in his towel. “Hello?”

  “Hey, do you know what day it is?” Elena asked.

  Holton smiled. “Hey, Brat, how’s school?”

  “It’s okay. How was your day?” she asked, smiling as she sat down on her bed and twirled the curly phone cord around her finger.

  “It was okay,” he said. “So, what’s up?”

  “I asked you a question, Mr. Dade,” she said, laughing. “Or are you just going to ignore me?”

  “I’m not ignoring you. Yes, it’s an hour before your birthday.”

  Elena smiled. “I knew you would remember.”

  “How could I forget? You’ve reminded me at least ten times this week.”

  “Har. Har. So, do you remember your promise?” Elena asked. She could hear Holton’s labored breathing over the line. “Nervous?”

  “No…yes…Yeah, I remember.”

  “So, how about it? Want to go to the movies this weekend?”

  Elena was asking him out. Holton closed his eyes and leaned his head against the wall beside his bed.

  “I don’t know, Elena.”

  “Come on, Holton, you promised.”

  “What about your parents?”

  “They love you, Holton. You know that. Why are you so nervous?”

  “Because, Elena. This isn’t some little thing. You’re in high school still.”

  “Well, I guess we can wait until this summer. I’ll be out of school and then you’ll be out of excuses.”

  “I guess I will,” he agreed. “I do have something for you, though.”

  “Oh yeah?”

  “Yes I sure do.”

  “Okay, well, I could come over.”

  “It’s not your birthday yet,” Holton teased.

  “It will be in less than an hour.”

  “Okay, well, we will meet then.”

  Elena sat up straight and a light shined in her eyes. “Yeah?”

  “Yeah, meet me by the east pond.”

  “On your property?”

  “That’s the one.”

  “Tonight?”

  “Yeah, brat, tonight. I’ll see you in 40.”

  “Okay! I’ll be there. And, Holton?”

  “Yeah?”

  “Thanks!”

  “You’re welcome. Be careful going out there.”

  “Okay.”

  Less than an hour later, Holton couldn’t believe he was meeting her…especially at this hour. If she were his daughter, he would hang her up by the toes, and he couldn’t imagine what he would do to himself. He shook his head, thinking he was completely nuts, but it was her 18th birthday and he did make a promise. She was 16 at the time, but he meant it.

  He was sitting on the bench that he built with his father years ago, waiting on Elena. It was his favorite spot on their property. It was a place where he could see her bedroom window unobstructed.

  “Hey,” Elena called out. She walked around the bench and her hair almost glowed in the moonlight.

  “Hey, brat,” Holton said, smiling. “Come sit,” he said, offering the spot beside him. Elena’s smile rivaled the moonlight.

  Elena sat down and leaned toward him, bumping his shoulder with her own. Holton looked down at his watch and smiled. The minute hand clicked once and then the hour hand moved, making it midnight. Elena’s 18th birthday. Holton moved his right hand up her shoulder and then to her face. “Happy birthday, Elena,” he said and then leaned in and kissed her softly on her lips. He lingered there for a moment and then pulled back. Elena’s skin was flush and her eyes were still closed. Holton’s skin tingled from touching her.

  Her eyes opened and she smiled slowly. “That was the best present that I have ever received.”

  “That’s not your present, Elena,” Holton said, as he handed her a long small box. “Here.”

  Elena grinned and then tore at the wrapping paper. She lifted the lid and then gasped. Inside was a gold locket. “Oh, Holton, this is gorgeous!”

  “I hoped you’d like it.”

  “Like is such a dirty word when it comes to something like this. I…Holton this means so much to me.”

  Holton held out his hand, “Here, let me.”

  She handed him the locket and then swept up her hair. He couldn’t help himself; he leaned in and kissed her neck. He could feel the heat of her skin on his lips and he closed the clasp of the necklace and kept his hands on her shoulders. “I shouldn’t be doing this.”

  “Please, just don’t think for once, Holton.”

  Holton chuckled for a second. “I’ll try not to.”

  Elena turned in his arms and she looked up at him with a smile on her face. “What do you think?”

  “I think you are just about the cutest thing that I have ever seen.”

  “This is the best birthday that I have ever had.”

  Holton looked down at his watch and sighed. “You have to get back. Your parents are going to worry.”

  “They’re asleep.”

  “What if they wake up?”

  “Are you worried that I am going to tell on you?” she asked.

  Holton looked at her with a guilty expression.

  “Why would you give me such a beautiful necklace then?”

  “I saw it and immediately thought of you.”

  “I will keep this a secret, just like I will keep this night a secret. Just sit with me…until the sun comes up, and then I will go home and I will turn back into Cinderella and this will all have been a dream.”

  Holton nodded and she smiled. “Tell me about your day,” she said.

  Holton told her.

  ***

  “What did the doctor say?” Cheryl was asking Holton as he went to stand up.

  “She is in bad shape. There are a lot of broken parts and if she doesn’t wake up soon…”

  “Oh God!”

  “Yeah,” Holton breathed. “I don’t know what I’m going to do, Cheryl. I’ve just… we’ve just…”

  “I know! She’s told me about you, Holton. She is in love with you. You know that.”

  “I know.”

  “Do you want to come with me to the chapel?”

  Holton looked at her with his heart in his eyes. “Yes.”

  ***

  It was Christmas Eve and the Dade’s, Holton’s parents, had been dead for over a year. Elena had turned 18 and only a few months later, they were in a bad car accident. Holton sat by himself in church in the third pew from the front. Elena walked in and sat right next to Holton.

  “Hey there,” she said softly as she sat down. He looked over quickly and smiled a small smile that she knew was reserved just for her. “You okay?”

  “Yeah, I’m fine.” He looked back from where she came and nodded, “Where’s your parents?”

  “They’re not coming tonight,” she said quietly.

  “Oh,” he replied, looking forward.

  Elena reached for his hand and he looked at her immediately. “What are you doing?”

  “No one is here, Holton. Just…I don’t know, God already knows how I feel about you. We don’t have to hide here.”

  Holton briefly held her gaze and nodded. His hand held hers while the preacher talked about forgiveness. After giving communion, Elena and Holton stood and sung ‘Silent night’ with the others.

  After the service, Elena continued holding his hand until they reached the parking l
ot. Nobody else seemed to notice that they were together; at least they didn’t say anything.

  “Do you want to go get a cup of coffee or something?”

  “Aren’t you supposed to be home with your parents?” Holton asked.

  “I am not leaving you alone, Holton.”

  “I’ll be fine. Just go home.”

  “Don’t do this, Holton. Talk to me.”

  “What do you want me to say? I’ve told you that you are too young for me, and yet you keep coming around.”

  “You told me that when I turned 18 it would be okay. I waited, Holton! I waited two years! Do you know who my first kiss was?”

  Holton nodded his head irritably. “Yes, I do. That moron you took to homecoming when you were 14!”

  “No,” Elena shook her head. “No! He wasn’t. It was you! It was you on my 18th birthday. It was you, Holton. I couldn’t kiss that guy. I couldn’t. It’s always been you!”

  “Why are you doing this, Elena?”

  “I am doing this because I love you. I don’t want you to spend Christmas alone, Holton. You shouldn’t have to be alone!”

  Holton’s shoulders shook. “They’re dead, Elena. I don’t have anyone anymore.”

  “That’s what I’ve been trying to tell you for years, Holton. You have me! I have you. You don’t have to be alone!”

  “You’re 18!”

  “I am 19 and I am in college, Holton. When will I be old enough for you?”

  Holton looked haunted. “I don’t know.”

  “I want kids, Holton. I want them with you. I won’t wait forever!”

  “Then go, Elena! Go!”

  “I’ll be home if you need me, Holton. Merry Christmas,” she said softly, then got into her jeep and drove away.

  ***

  Holton looked up and saw the cross that was lit up at the pulpit of the hospital chapel. Cheryl was lighting a candle and saying a prayer for Elena. All Holton could do was think about the way things were over the years. Memory upon memory kept surfacing in his mind. Elena was lying in a bed, dead to the world, while he was thinking endlessly of her. He wanted to die. He would take her place in a heartbeat. He started to cry and Cheryl came up to him and put her arms around him.

  “Come on, pray with me,” she said. She brought him up to the front and handed him a match so he could light a candle. He wasn’t catholic, but if there was a God, he wanted Him to know that Elena was special and he wanted her to live. He wanted her forever. He wanted her as his wife.