Opposite of Close(short story)

Chapter 3

           

We start heading over to the stands when I hear the low whistle, "There she is! Her middle name danger and her first is wild."

I mentally groan. Here comes my past, I look over to see a long time best friend from community college, Josh Beckerman. He rushes over in his entire rodeo gear and I look down to see the kids with wide eyes. He smiles at them and gives me a huge hug.

"And who are these two?" he asks kneeling down to get eye to eye with them.

"These are my niece and nephews through Jose and Leila. This is Carlos and this is Wendy," I say.

Wendy grabs my hand and yanks on it a little. I crouch down to the kid's eye level as well and Wendy whispers in my ear, "Is he a cowboy?"

I nod my head, "Yes he is."

Her eyes widen and she looks over to Carlos who was very excited as well. Carlos started to ramble, "Do you ride the toro and the horsey?"

Josh laughs and nods his head, "A toro?"

I smile, "Spanish for a bull."

He nods his head towards the kids smiling, "Yes I do! Wow, they made great looking kids. No wonder I haven't seen them around."

Wendy squeals and Carlos tries to show off his boots. All I could do is stand there trying not to laugh.

"Is that you wild child?" Another familiar voice says. I look behind me to see Taaron Crocket marching right over to me to give me a huge hug. He pulls away and fixes his hat on his head, "Welcome back traveling lady. It's been a handful of years. Were you really in Norway?"

I laugh and nod my head, "Yeah, I was."

He gives me a huge grin and I smile back. He looks down to Carlos and Wendy and gets on a knee next to Josh. Carlos and Wendy get really excited and start talking to the boys in both English and Spanish

Taaron who spoke Spanish understood while Josh was looking at me clueless.

"Don't you have somewhere to be?" Jose's voice yells. The two bull riders look up and see Jose with Leila. Leila was wearing a beautiful blue sundress that made her skin look perfect. While I'm sure I was looking like I got ran over by the plane I arrived in yesterday.

Carlos and Wendy look over to their parents excited as they hug the bull riders.

Carlos shouts, "Papa! You know the cowboys?"

Jose scoops his son into his arms and kisses his cheek, "I'm good friends with a lot of them. So is your Tio Ryan."

Leila wraps her arm around my shoulders as I tense up while the two cowboys gave me sympathy smiles. They didn't say anything because they knew. They knew it was a touchy subject and that I was torn.

Josh leans down towards Wendy and whispers loudly to her, "Do you want to see your Tia ride a horse?"

Her eyes go wide and she eagerly smiles then looks at me, "Por favor Tia! Por favor!"

I look down at her and shake my head, "Maybe another day, mija." I raise an eyebrow at the two cowboys knowing their intention was to put me onto a bronco that would try to buck me off.

Wendy wasn't willing to give up, "Por favor Tia! Por mi cumpleanos!"

Jose cusses while Leila was giggling knowing she just won.

"Fine, but only because your birthday is soon," I say with a sigh. I lean down towards her and she wraps her arms around my neck giving me a hug.

"This is my daughter's birthday present to you," Jose says.