LMPYITP: The Random Passages

[He] Should've Been a Cowboy

"They're more his cows than yours!" I shot back. "They're yours in name and name only. But our Genius is the one who does all the work."

Gene followed me when I went to fetch the keys out of my purse.

"Don't drink and drive!" I warned him holding the keys just out of his reach.

"Fuck's sake, Jules!" He whined. "I'm not stupid!"

"I didn't say you were! But it's St. Patrick's Day Weekend and the cops'll be out thick."

He rolled his eyes. "Who the fuck d'ya think I am?"

"A twenty-one year old boy who's tryin' to impress a bird he ain't seen in a coon's age." I shrugged my eyebrows at him suggestively.

"Give us the keys!" He tried to snatch them from me.

"Don't text and drive either!" I held them further out of his reach.

"So, who's this Courtney when she's at home?" Liam asked as he, Noel, and I relaxed in our hotel room.

Liam and I shared a room while Noel and Gene each got their own.

"Her and Gene went to prom and homecoming together." I informed him. "She's nice."

"What happened to 'em?" Noel inquired. "They have a fallin' out or summat?"

"No, I don't think so." I shook my head. "She went to nursin' school and he went to drum for his father."

Noel ended up crashing in our room that night. Why, I have no idea but I think he enjoyed the company even if he wouldn't openly admit it.

Everything was quiet while we slept...until there came a pounding on the door.

"JULES!" Gene screamed through the door as he beat on it. "OPEN THE FUCKIN' DOOR! JULES! JULES!"

"Jesus Fuckin' Christ!" Liam exclaimed as all three of us shot up. "What the fuck's wrong with 'im?"

"I don't know!" I replied.

"Well, then let's-"

"He's yellin' for me not you!" I held Liam back from going with me.

Gene obviously had a reason for calling for me rather than his father.

I raced out into the hallway where Gene stood.

"She...she..." He broke down sobbing throwing his arms around me.

I wrapped mine around him unsure of what the heck was going on. As much as I wanted to find out, I knew the best thing to do was just help him calm down.

Surprisingly, things quieted back down and everyone went back to bed.

More surprisingly, I was up before Liam the next morning.

His hip surgery really threw him off and put him down a lot more than anticipated. He was doing his best to get back up to speed but he still had a long road ahead of him.

I left him and Noel sleep after Gene texted me to let me know he was ready to head back to the Expo Center.

"Do you think I'm a nepo baby?" He questioned me as we cleaned stalls after feeding and watering the cows.

"Why the heck'd you ask me that?" I quipped.

"'Cuz I want your opinion. Be honest with me...please."