Stone Cold Cowboy(27)
“Hey, Dad. How are you?”
“No use fussing over this old man.” He held her softly, not wanting to hurt her, but then stepped back and held on to her shoulders. “Are you okay?”
“Right as rain.”
“No use lying to me, girl. That Colt Kendrick came by to tend the horses and told me all about what happened.”
“I’m fine, Dad. Come on, let’s go in and get you settled. You must be hungry.”
He looked past her shoulder. “Who’s your friend?”
Sadie spun around to face him, her golden hair flying out behind her. “Rory, is there something you need?”
“Yeah, you to stop dismissing me.”
“I . . .”
“Mr. Higgins, I’m Rory Kendrick. Have you seen your son, Connor?”
Her father stepped beside her and hooked his bony arm around her waist, holding her close. “He’s not about to show his face here after what he’s done.”
“What’s that smell?” Sadie raised her face and sniffed the smoke on the breeze. Without a thought to her injuries, she bolted past her father and ran into the house.
Rory followed Mr. Higgins in and found Sadie in the kitchen, flipping the stove handle off. She used the potholder to shove the smoking pot off the burner. She waved the pot holder to clear the smoke in the kitchen, then stepped back and opened the kitchen window. Rory opened the one in the living room, noting the piled-up papers, food wrappers, and remotes on the table next to the recliner.
“Did you burn something?” Mr. Higgins asked, looking genuinely confused.
Sadie stared at her father. The initial fear from the fire faded to concern and sadness. “Why don’t you go watch your show, Dad. I’ll clean up here and make you something to eat.”
Mr. Higgins coughed from the smoke, but the rattle in his chest and the way his face turned a deep red disturbed Rory. He took a closer look at the man who couldn’t be more than fifty-five. His pasty complexion, thinning hair, frail frame, and the dark circles under his eyes made him seem older and like a man who’d been sick a long time.
“Mr. Higgins, are you okay?”
“Fine. Just trying to catch my breath.” Mr. Higgins coughed a couple more times.
Sadie stood beside her father, rubbing her hand over his back.
Her father looked up at her and reached to touch the nasty bruise on her face. Like he didn’t see it at all, he said, “You look so much like your mother.”
“Come, Dad, sit in your chair. You need to rest.”
“Your mama used to make the best fried chicken and biscuits. Mmm, mmm, those biscuits melted in your mouth.”
Sadie led her father to his chair. Mr. Higgins shuffled along beside her and literally fell into the seat. Sadie handed him the remote and bent next to him, though it cost her to do so thanks to her many injuries. She squinted her eyes in pain, but didn’t let her father know how much she hurt. That hurt ran deeper for her father’s deteriorating condition.
“I love you, Dad.”
Her father ran his hand down her head and held a lock of her blond hair in his hand. “Now, what’s all this?”
“I had a bad day. I wanted you to know. I love you. I’ll take care of you.”
“You always do. You’re a good girl.” Mr. Higgins looked around the open room. “Will Connor be home soon?”
“I’m sure he will. Can I get you something to drink while I make dinner?”
Mr. Higgins patted Sadie’s hand on his leg. “I’d like that . . . you know the . . .” Mr. Higgins’s eyes squinted as he tried to think of the right word. “You know what I like.”
“Sure, Dad. I’ll get it.”
Mr. Higgins focused on the TV. His face went soft as he stared. Rory wasn’t sure he was actually watching TV or lost inside his muddled mind.
Sadie stood and cocked her head, indicating for him to follow her to the door. She walked out and down the porch steps, standing between the house and his truck.
“Thank you for driving me home. I appreciate all you’ve done, but I need to take care of things here now.”
“What’s wrong with your dad?”
She stared off into the distance and sighed so heavily her breath blew harder than the wind ruffling her hair. “He’s dying.” She whispered the words like she couldn’t bear to speak them out loud.
“Of what?” he asked gently, wanting to comfort, but not really knowing how.
Sadie wrapped her arms around her middle and stared up at the darkening sky. “I don’t know. Not for sure. At my prodding, he saw a couple of doctors, but would never tell me exactly what they said. Just a bunch of ‘They’re doing tests. Everything is fine.’ I can’t say when he went last. He’s trying to protect me, but all he does is make me worry more.