"you are in pre-stages of liver failure" said the vet
I shook my head following a laugh. "I'm serious dolly Im not playing around this time. You have to stop drinking or else"
"Oh please! You know how many country singers drank as much a so do!? Them boys lived till they were old and moldy!"
"How old were they doll? 65-70s? Yeah! And how old are you!?"
I crossed my arms in defeat.
"Now you're in early stages. So you're able to avoid it. For now!" The doc yells. "I'm serious! Quit the drinking or you're going to die! End of story"
I let out a huff. "now that wound on your side has yet to heal. If you keep running around doing what you're doing you're going to find yourself with an infection or even worse sepsis, an Infection of the blood. That will also kill you!"
"So what your telling me is I have to stay in this damn bed till I heal? I have to be stuck in a room where I can't even have a drink? What are we paying this guy for John. This is bullshit!" I say
"Dolly quit flapping your gums and let him talk would ya!?" John said pushing me back down on my bed as I started to stand up.
"I'm not saying you can't leave the room. I'm saying you need to relax. Take it easy for a while. No wild horse tricks, no lifting anything over a pound, no running and no rough sexual activity"
"Okay! now it's like I'm in fucking prison!"
"I mean it dolly! You will die" he says very sternly. I sigh once more. "yes sir"
"I'll be back in about a week. You need to get your rest. You're extremely dehydrated. Drink water and eat right. Everything will be alright. Understood?"
"Yeah yeah yeah!" I say flopping my hand. The doc leaves the room. I stand up walking to a table in my bedroom that holds all my fancy whiskeys, aka Jim beam. I start to fill a glass.
"Serously?" Says rip.
"It's a new bottle I just bought it! I ain't waisting it!" I say. As I was about to glide the whiskey down my throat the glass was taken from my hands and shot down Beth's system. "Bitch!" I say
"I ain't letting you die" she says snatching the bottle.
"Oh my god!" I scoff "it's like I'm on that damn tv show where the family ruins the junkies buzz"
"Intervention?" Says Kacey
"Whatever! It is! This is bullshit!"
"Dolly it's for a couple weeks" he mentioned.
"Not the drinking. You gotta quit that all together" says John
I look at him "fuck this" I say sitting on bed.
"At least I got cigarettes" I mumble. "So now what do I do? Cook Loyd dinner every night? Hang his undie on a line? Play a banjo on the front porch?"
They laugh. "I can talk to Monica for you. See if you can take Tate for awhile?" Kacey put his hand on mine. I give him a small smile. "that could work" I say looking down.
"More boos for me" beth says as she takes my bottles.
"Fuck yourself beth!" I smirk
"I do every damn night!" She laughs trotting out of the bedroom.
Everyone left the room but Kasey. "You know how you were in the military?" I asked.
He nods
"Have you...ever..had like a flash back? Something reminded you of it and it just took you out In to a trance?" I glance over at him
He sighs. "they all it PTSD. I call it remembering all the bullshit"
"I had a really weird freak out..the other night. I wasn't myself. It felt real. Like I was a teenager again"
"Yeah...your hands go numb and your vision blurs?" I agree with him with a nod. "Yeah... Panic attacks. PTSD attacks. They don't go away. You can't fix them. They're always there. Your memories never fade"
I look down. "great...just great... oh .And kasey...about....Robert...i-"
"It's over with ma... it's in the past. They're investigating it but they won't find shit"
"And if they do Kasey... It was me. If you have to rat say it was me. You have a baby. He needs his daddy. I ain't got nothing. I can manage it was all me. Can I have your word on that?"
Kasey hesitates. He thinks for while. He rubs his thumb over my hand. "Okay. I give you my word." He kisses my head before standing up. "but they ain't gonna find anything" he says. I sigh.
"Rez cops are sketchy. And I don't trust that fucking sheriff! They all are dirty" I look up at him. He nods "I understand mama. Don't worry" he says before waking out the door. I laid back onto my bed staring at the ceiling. The hell am I gonna do now. I can't even work.
A couple days later I walked up to Rip and john and the boys as they grazed at some horses to purchase.
"Wow. There's that sexy lady" Travis says turning himself with his horse to face us. "Oh shut up! You're just kissing my ass because you still owe me money!"
"Money? For what?" Jimmy askedi smirk sitting on the fence.
"Couple years ago I trained a horse to do whatever I commanded without even being on the damn horse. Needless to say I won against this ass clown! 14millon! Guess what I got out of the 14mill? A thousand dollars! If you can't afford it baby don't play the fuckin game!"
Travis rolled his eyes "we didn't even shake on it"
"Uhhh I beg to differ there partner." John says. Travis smirked and looked at me "I did a little more than a hand shake baby and you know it! If only I knew you were a married man at the time it would've been different!" I smirk
"Ooo!" The boys Hollar.
"Alright. How about I give you a horse to make up for the 14mill?" He says tipping his hat to me.
"Mmmm... I think I'd rather have the cash. In all honesty baby, I can train a horse Ten times better than you and sell it doubled that price"
Travis gave up a large grin "have I ever confessed my love to you?"
"Many times Travis especially under the covers. but I'm sorry baby. I like my men rough. You're just a tad to prissy for me" I wink.
The men laugh along with Travis. "My offer is still open for a horse baby girl. You just give me the word" he says before showing off some more horses. "Will do cowboy" I smirk watching him.
Rip glances over at me "the hell did you two have?"
I shake my head "oh he's always tried to get in my pants since the day we met. He got in once. But that's because your pal John here thought tequila shots were the way to go to enjoy a night out at the damn bar!" I say patting John's shoulder.
"It's not my fault. I didn't know tequila threw your clothes off!" John snickered.
"Married too?" Rip laughed.
"ShhhhYeah! Mother fucker had a baby on the way, But I'm the bad guy!? I don't look at someone's family tree before I fuck em!" John rolled his eyes. "You know something, that's really fucking gross" he says.
"You know something John, Im too old to fucking care. Anyways! I just wanted to let you know your grandson is waiting up at the house for his pop pop. I just filled him with a bunch of junk food and sugar! So he's alllll yours!" I smile.
John shakes his head "his mama is gonna kill you"
I laugh "I know! I can't wait!" John starts to waltz back to the house. I look over at the boys "we partying tonight oorrr?"
They all hooted and hollered as they gathered around themselves to go back to the bunks. Rip and I were left. He looked at me a little pissed. "What sweet pea?" I say gently getting down off the fence. "Partying?" He says. "don't mean I can't smoke" I say. "I'm gonna be pissed if I find you with a glass in your hand"
"Who are you rip? My daddy? I can do whatever I want! It's my damn body!"