Jessica was so happy that she wanted to hug herself. Then, out of the clear blue summer sky, a feeling of doom settled over her.
A vision of the little girl that she dreamed about so often popped into her head. Was that the other shoe dropping that she had feared and Wade had mentioned? Was the thing that would ruin her and Wade抯 relationship the fact that neither of them could get over the past, and move on to the future?
What if Lily got hurt on that thing? Sure, there was padding all around it to soften the fall if she didn抰 stay on the mean-looking critter for eight seconds, but time didn抰 matter here. She could get thrown off and hurt in two seconds or even six or seven. She could land wrong, break a rib, puncture a lung, and die in seconds. In that moment, Jessica wished that she had never agreed to buy the damned thing.
Risa laid a hand on her arm and whispered, 揥e can抰 protect them from everything, but I抦 terrified about letting either of them get on that thing.?
揗e too,?Jessica said in a low voice. 揟hey抳e become like my nieces, or maybe even my daughters.?
Lily climbed on and settled on Bodacious抯 back, wrapped the rope around her left hand, and threw her right one up in the air. 揕et 抏r rip, Daisy,?she yelled.
Lily gave it all she had, but she took a tumble after six seconds and got up giggling. 揟hat抯 enough for me. I抎 rather play in a band as ride bulls, but it was fun. Your turn, Daisy, and I owe you ten dollars.?
揥e抣l see. If I stay on eight seconds, then you owe me.?Daisy jerked the hat off her sister抯 head and crammed it down on her light brown hair. Then she climbed up on the bull抯 back and got into position. 揑 had it at medium speed, so you can抰 make it go any faster than that.?
Lily just giggled again, and when Daisy was set, she pushed the controls all the way up to the fastest speed. Bodacious twisted and turned and bucked. Daisy made it to six seconds and slid off the side flat and landed on her butt.
揧ou cheated,?she yelled at her sister. 揧ou made him go faster for me and harder than I did for you.?
揧ep, I did,?Lily said. 揧ou told me not to, but I didn抰 promise that I would. Now we don抰 either of us owe the other one money. Besides, Granny Stella and Granny Martha would have matching hissy fits if they knew we were betting. Have you got your quarters ready for the jukebox??
揑 do and I抳e got my song picked out.?Daisy got up rubbing her butt. 揑抣l stick to playing music. I like folks clapping for me better than I like getting thrown off that thing.?
揋ood choice,?Risa told them both, and then whispered to Jessica, 揟hings are still working out. I抦 glad y抋ll bought old Bodacious. Now Lily will hopefully go to college and forget about riding bulls.?
Jessica blew out a lungful of air she hadn抰 even realized she was holding in. 揑f either of the girls got hurt bad, I was going to burn that thing.?
揑 wonder what song Daisy has picked out??Haley asked.
揟hree songs,?Daisy said. 揑 get three for my money.?
揑s the first one that song y抋ll played by the Pistol Annies about a hunter抯 wife??Wade asked as he sat down and pulled Jessica down to sit beside him. 揑 thought that was pretty cute, and it抯 on the jukebox.?
揑抦 thinking it will be 慚y Church,挃 Jessica said.
揘ope,?Oscar disagreed with a shake of his head. 揑 bet it抯 something more modern, like maybe one of Blake Shelton抯 songs.?
Daisy put the quarters into the jukebox and turned around. 揂re y抋ll ready for this??
揇on抰 tease us,?Lily scolded her. 揓ust push the buttons.?
揟his is my part of the show, so don抰 rush me,?Daisy threw back at her sister. 揑抳e given this a lot of thought, and y抋ll might need tissues on the first one.?
She whipped out a box of tissues from the tiki hut and carried them to the edge of the stage, where she set them down between Jessica and Risa. 揟he second one and third ones just seemed to be fitting,?she said as she returned to the jukebox and pushed the buttons. 揌ere we go!?
Jessica knew that the song was 揇anny Boy?within five seconds of the soft violin music lead-in to the lyrics. Tears rolled down her cheeks and dripped onto her shirt. She didn抰 like for people to see her cry, but there was no controlling it, and then Wade buried his face in his hand and his shoulders shook as he wept. She wrapped him in her arms and raised his chin with her hand. Then, cheek to cheek, their salty tears blended together.
Mary Nell grabbed a fistful of tissues and wiped her eyes. 揑 hope Danny can hear this and is looking down on his tiki bar.?
Risa pulled the tissues over closer to her and Haley. 揇ammit, Daisy, you抳e got us all weeping.?
揗e too.?Daisy knelt in front of her mother and laid her head on Risa抯 lap. 揑 couldn抰 think of a better song to christen the jukebox with than this one. I didn抰 know Danny, but I feel like I do. Lily and I have never even seen a picture of him.?