My Life Is a Cliché

I struggled for an idea of what to bring with me on Saturday. Finally I just decided on a simple bouquet of flowers for Isabelle. I pulled up and parked at the curb, feeling very nervous. I didn’t even know if Thaddeus was my boyfriend. So why was I here?

I got out of the car and rang the doorbell. Thaddeus was standing there looking as fit and handsome as ever. He opened the door with a smile and I passed the flowers to Isabelle.

“That’s so sweet of you!” she crowed.

“So, why am I here?” I asked, putting my hands in my jean pockets.

“Oh! Follow me!”

“Do you know what this is about?” I asked Thaddeus as we followed her down to the ranch.

“No clue,” he shook his head and slowly held my hand.

I was aware I had turned a brilliant shade of red so I did my best to look anywhere but at him. I did hold his hand back, though. The air was warm but a breeze swept through bringing just enough cool air with it to make it a beautiful day. When we got down to the barn, I could hear the sound of metal striking metal.

“They’re here, dear,” Isabelle called and the sound stopped.

We turned around a corner to see Carl shaping out a horseshoe.

“Great,” he grinned and pulled a shoebox out from a closet. “We got these for you,” he told me and passed it over.

Curious, I opened it and gasped quietly.

“If you’re going to ride, you need some decent boots,” Isabelle said with a smile.

They were black with a red sole and roses curling up the side with green vines and thorns.

“Thank you very much,” I said, grinning.

I sat down and tried them on. They fit perfectly.

“What are we waiting for?” Carl said. “Let’s go ride.”

-Thaddeus’s POV-

Judging by the look on her face, it was clear Morana wasn’t too excited but we went with them anyway. I helped her onto the horse and mounted my own.

“This time we’re going to the pasture,” my father announced.

Morana looked incredibly nervous. “Isn’t a pasture just a bunch of open land?” she asked me.

“Don’t worry,” I assured her. “I won’t let you get lost.”

She let out a little laugh and was silent the rest of the trip. We followed a trail and she looked around.

“This place is beautiful,” she said. “I’ve lived in the city all my life; I never really knew what it’s like to be in the country.”

“It’s a wonderful place to live,” my father said over his shoulder.

We came out of the trail into the pasture and I heard her gasp. I smiled at her as she looked around the land. It was five acres of rolling green hills and wild flowers. There weren’t many places like this in Oklahoma. It took a lot of work and upkeep over the years for it to look like this.

We started off just walking the horses and I tried to get her to gallop.

“No way,” she said firmly and I scoffed.

“Come on. I dare you.”

She narrowed her eyes and dug her heels into the horse’s side. She cried out as it shot forward and I smiled, urging my horse to follow. She started to laugh and threw her hair back into the air. I couldn’t help but notice how beautiful she was. Then the whole world stopped.

For no apparent reason, the horse came to a halt. But Morana didn’t. She went flying over the head of the horse and I pulled mine to a stop.

“Morana!” I shouted and ran to her.

She landed on her upper body and bounced a few feet. My parents were yelling and jumping off their horses. I reached her first. The first thing I checked was her neck. It wasn’t broken and I let out a sigh of relief.

She was unconscious, though.

“Her eyes,” my mother panted. “Check her eyes.”

I did as she said. “The pupils are reacting,” I said, my hands shaking.

Then I saw her collarbone and nearly fainted. A bone had broken through her flesh.

-

We rushed her to the hospital. On the way, I called Katie to let her know what happened. Panicking, she told me she’d meet us there.

They took Morana in the back and I made to follow.

“Are you family?” a surgeon asked.

“No, I’m her boyfriend,” I said, not even bothering to wonder if that was true.

“Only family can go back there.”

“She doesn’t have any other family,” I said. “All she has is us.”

Katie came barreling down the hall, tears in her eyes.

“I’m sorry, sir. We’ll keep you updated.”

The doors closed in my face and I groaned, putting my head in my hands.

“Come sit down,” my mother whispered and led me to the waiting room.

I sat heavily in one of the chairs, running my hands through my hair.

“This is all my fault,” I groaned.

“No it’s not,” my mother said firmly.

“I’m the one who talked her into it,” I said.

“But it was the horse who came to a stop,” she reasoned.

“Why did he just stop?” I asked, my voice hoarse.

She sighed. “I have no idea. He’s okay, though. Your father is looking him over now to make sure there aren’t any sprained bones.”

“What exactly happened?” Katie whispered.

While my mom told her, I started to pace. I couldn’t stand not knowing what was going on. Was she going to be okay? What if there was internal bleeding? What if there really was a concussion but I missed it?

After what felt like eternity, the surgeon came out.

“She’s going to be okay,” he said and Katie let out a sob of relief. “Obviously, her collar bone was broken. She had a slight concussion but no internal bleeding. Half of her ribs are bruised. She won’t be riding horses for a long time.”

“When will she be released?” I asked. “She has a business-”

The surgeon shook his head. “Not for a week at least.”

“Shit,” I murmured.

“I’ll go by her office tomorrow,” Katie said with a clogged nose. “I’ll let them know.”

“I’m staying,” I said and no one challenged me.

We had to wait another hour before we could go in and see her. When we did, I couldn’t help but wince. There was a large bruise all over her chest. The skin was stitched up where the bone had broken through. She had bandages wrapped around her head but she was smiling.

“Did I win the dare?” she asked in a hoarse voice.

I laughed and held her hand. “Yeah, yeah I’d say you did.”

She closed her eyes and I kissed her forehead.