Chapter 15

MARY ELIZABETH’S STORY

Cody had been home for several months now. He had completely settled into life on the ranch and we had settled into life as a family. It seemed I’d been right all along about Cody being a cowboy. It was as if it were always meant to be.

Life had been busy. Every day was spent not only running the ranch, but readying our movie for filming. I had immersed myself in the screenplay and arranging for local filming locations and extras. Cody had worked out all the production side of things.

He’d certainly taken to having an office of his own. And I was learning more every day about his habits and how to read him. I knew if he was at his desk with his door open it meant he wasn’t really focused and wanted a distraction. But if the door was closed and the heavy metal was blasting he was completely lost in whatever he was doing and needed to be left alone to work.

We’d still made time for each other through it all, though it wasn’t as much as either of us would have liked. I’d wondered from time to time if we would just continue on as we were…or if someday there would be a wedding in our future. No matter how happy we were I still hoped that was waiting for us.

For now though, every waking moment was focused on the movie. We were into the last few days of a whirlwind shoot. We’d been working at a breakneck speed, mainly to keep the costs down. To say this was a low budget shoot would be an understatement. I knew we had the cast and crew we had because of their belief in our story…and in Cody and Jake. And let’s face it, we employed as many family and friends as we can could get our hands on. No matter how little we were spending on the film we all wanted it to be a well-crafted, quality film, something to do the book justice.

I, on the other hand, was a nervous wreck. Not for the script, not for technicalities of making the film, but for my performance as Mattie. A play or two in high school and college really hadn’t prepared me for this. But I was completely dedicated to giving it my all. After all no one knew this character better than I did. I had created her, for goodness sake. Or that’s what Cody kept telling me.

And so far, I guess he had been right. Jake hadn’t made me do too many takes on any one scene. And none of the other actors seemed to be whispering behind the scenes as to why in the world I was in the movie as well as writing it.

I wasn’t sure this was something I’d ever want to make a career of, acting. And certainly it wouldn’t interest me at all if I wasn’t standing beside Cody. Writing was still my passion. But I’d lost myself in Mattie, lost myself in every moment with Cody’s Travis. I stood in awe of his talent, quite honestly. I’d always admired his work but to see it first hand, to see his love of his craft…it was something completely inspiring.

And thankfully, now, I could sit back and do just that…admire the love of my life in action. I’d finished the bulk of my big scenes, so I was sitting with Jake as he directed Cody and Blake in an intense scene on one of the high ranges on the ranch. I was in costume just in case we had time to reshoot any of my last scenes, but for now I was just relaxing and proudly watching my man live out our dreams.

I was in awe really. He had completely thrown himself into this role…this role I had written solely for him. He had seamlessly moved into the life of a cowboy and it fit him like a glove. He left me breathless. I was completely captivated. So breathless and captivated I didn’t hear Jake talking to me until he shook my shoulder.

“Mary?” He shook my shoulder softly and snapped his fingers on his other hand, laughing.

I shook my head, blushing and smiling as I turned to him. “Sorry about that, Jake. Did you need something?”

“One of the…” He furrowed his brow in thought for a moment before I heard Cody’s laughter booming over the prairie. “Cinches!” Cody yelled out. Jake flipped him off without even turning from me. “One of the cinches on Mr. Asshole’s saddle is broken. Is there another saddle we can use so we can get this scene finished?”

I laughed at their college boy antics, nodding my head. “Yes. His personal saddle is in the barn. I’ll take the Jeep back and pick it up real quick.”

“Great!” Jake grinned. “I’ll keep shooting the dialogue and we’ll save the action shots until you get back.”

I nodded, jumping up from my chair, grabbing the keys to the Jeep, waving to Cody and blowing him kiss before climbing in, starting the open air vehicle and heading back towards the barn. It was a good 10 minute drive at the quick speed I was driving. I didn’t want to hold up production by them having to wait for me.

I parked the Jeep and jumped out, walking into the barn, humming to myself as I moved through the stalls and into the tack room in the back. Things were in a bit of disarray at the moment. Chris was out on the set, working both as an extra and managing the horses. The fast and furious speed we’d all been working had left little time for taking the usual tidy care of the ranch matters.

I had been digging around in the storage closet, moving things around to find the saddle when I heard movement in the barn. I just assumed it was Chris, thinking they had gotten impatient and sent him along to help me find it.

“Chris? They didn’t have to send you,” I said, turning to walk out of the room. “I found…” I stopped dead in my tracks, dropping everything in my hands, frozen in shock and fear.

“Sorry to disappoint you,” Mike snarled with a smirk, a gun tight in his hand as it rested along his thigh.

He began to move towards me as I began to back away, heading towards the back door of the tack room towards the corral. I swallowed hard, my mind racing, trying to figure a way out of this, knowing above all I had to protect Tommy.

“M-m-Mike,” I stammered. “What…what are you doing here?” I stumbled as I neared the door, my eyes trained on the gun he was now brandishing.

He snorted at my question. An evil smile on his lips and a wicked gleam in his eye. I recognized them as the same ones he wore when he attacked me…but now, it was as if he had completely given in to them, revenge and hate flowing completely through him.

“Did you really think that place could keep me from you?” He shook his head, laughing. “I warned you. I warned you that you couldn’t keep me away. Not from you. Not from my son.”

“He is…NOT…YOUR…SON!” I spewed through gritted teeth as my boots hit the threshold to the corral.

He stepped quickly towards me, his long legs making quick work of the room, as I hastily backed away. I felt the dirt of the corral beneath my boots as his large hand curled tight around my upper arm, his ugly breath hot against my ear as we moved across the corral.

“He…IS…my son. And I…WILL…have him,” he growled.

My head snapped up with a fierce determination, my eyes set in fiery anger as they met his. “Over my dead body,” I hissed back at him, struggling to pull away from his tight grip.

He lifted the gun from his thigh with an evil grin. “Funny…that’s just what I had planned.”

CODY’S STORY

I’d never been happier in my life. It was like I was living a dream. Life here, on the ranch, felt like it was the life I’d been born to live. I felt completely at home on horseback, working cattle, doing whatever needed to be done…and completely at home loving my Mary Beth.

That woman…she was my world now. She and Tommy are my family. I would do and give anything in the world for them. We had a whole lifetime in front of us and I could wait for each moment of it.

I know Mary Best had kind of wondered why I hadn’t asked her about our official wedding. She had no clue of what I had in mind. As soon as this movie was wrapped I had just the perfect proposal all planned out. I wanted to give her the proposal of her dream. I mean, we’d had this romantic, dream-like, completely in-the-moment wedding on top of the mountain, but I’d never actually proposed to her. That’s what she deserved.

I’d been working with Chris to plan that proposal since the day I’d set foot back on the ranch for good. Fact is, he’d become like a big brother to me as well. I knew there was a lot I could learn from him. Thankfully he’d been more than happy to help make whatever I could dream up for the proposal a reality.

Now if we could just get this freaking thing wrapped already. I know the shoot had been the shortest for any movie I’d made…and I know it was our dream project…but I had bigger fish to fry now.

We were down to the last couple of days and they were grinding by at a slow pace. Mary Beth was pretty much done with her scenes, but she sat by watching me work. She looked so beautiful, in her period costume and makeup. It was completely distracting honestly.

So distracting I kept flubbing the dialogue for the scene I was shooting with Blake. I was almost thankful with the cinch on my saddle broke and Mary Beth volunteered to get it. I thought maybe I could get these lines out real quick before she got back. That really wasn’t working out for me so good though.

I’d watched Mary Beth ride away a good half an hour ago. From the moment I lifted my hand to wave goodbye to her there had been a sick feeling in the pit of my stomach. I’d shaken it off at the moment, but it kept eating away at me. The more time ticked away, the more I thought she should have been back by now. I mean, I knew how she was. She would have driven way too fast to the barn, snatched up what we needed and sped back. She should have been here with time to spare. But she wasn’t.

Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, Jake called cut on the scene Blake and I were shooting. I let out a breath it seemed like I’d been holding since Mary Beth left. I almost jumped out of my skin as I felt Blake clasp his hand on my shoulder.

“Geez, man! What the heck is wrong with you?” Blake asked, shaking his head as he looked me over.

Before I could answer I heard Jake calling me over. I jogged over to where he was seated, my mind still racing a mile a minute.

“What is it, bro?” I asked, not really paying attention to him at all, my thoughts miles across the ranch.

“Dude, your phone is about to buzz off this table. Would you please see who or what is so important that they can’t stop calling you?” Jake growled, clearly irritated and ready to get this shot finished.

I grabbed my phone where I had left it, set on vibrate. I was hoping it was just Mary Beth calling to ask about what to bring. But what I found was missed call after missed call from Mitchell. I knew this wasn’t good. Before I ever lifted the phone to call him back I knew it.

I took off towards the ranch truck in a dead run, with Jake hot on my heels. He barely had time to jump into the passenger seat before I tore out of the field, dirt flying behind us.

“Cody, what the hell?” Jake started before I held a hand up to silence him.

“Cody?” I heard Mitchell answer on the other end of the phone, a frantic terror in his voice.

“What is it? What happened?” I asked breathlessly.

“He escaped. Mike escaped. He’s headed that way. God, I just know he’s headed that way. Is she okay? Please tell me she’s okay?” he said in a breathless rush.

“I have to get to her. I have to go.” I hung up the phone, my heart racing and about to explode out of my chest as I quickly dialing Aunt Dot.

She answered and I didn’t even give her a chance to start talking. “Get Tommy. Get into the storm cellar. Lock the doors. Don’t come out until I come get you. Now!”

I hung up the phone and push the accelerator to the floorboard of the old truck, pushing it as hard as I could, urging it to go faster. I cursed every minute it took to get there. Too long. We were taking too long. I was consumed with both fear and rage and my heart felt like it was about to jump out of my chest. Every moment it took us to get to the barn my silent prayers went up for the safety of my family.

“He’s here isn’t he?” I heard Jake ask, as if he was a great distance away.

We’d told Jake the whole story before we started filming. We knew he needed to understand the importance of it all. I nodded, not even able to answer him. All I needed to do was get to my precious Mary Beth, to make sure she was safe.

As the truck tore over the horizon I saw the Jeep parked at the barn. I tried to breathe a little sigh of relief, but that sick feeling was still there. She shouldn’t still be at the barn. She would have grabbed the saddle and headed straight back.

I slammed on the brakes and skidded to a stop in front of the barn, gravel and dirt flying. I started to jump out of the truck when Jake grabbed me around the wrist. I turned to him, growling.

“Brother, what are you going to do if he’s in there with her?” he asked anxiously.

“I’m going to kill the son of a bitch,” I spat, jumping out of the truck and slamming the door.

I heard Jake’s door slam shut and footsteps following mine as I ran into the barn. Just as I made the turn to head towards the tack room I heard a gunshot.

“No!” I cried out, tearing into a flat run, no longer having any time to try and assess the situation.

When I reached the door to the corral I saw them, my beautiful Mary Beth with blood pouring from a gunshot wound to her shoulder. Her eyes met mine for a brief moment, panic written all over them as she struggled with the bastard.

I heard one more shot go off, Mary Beth crying out in pain, as I started towards them. Then her scream of “NO!” ringing out as she struggled with Mike for the gun, one more shot echoing through the air. As I reached them I watched Mike fall lifeless to the ground and my Mary Beth start to crumple to the ground next to him.

I managed to catch her before her head hit the ground, but she was already unconscious. She had been shot through the shoulder and through the ribs and the blood was just pouring from both wounds. I looked up frantically for Jake.

“Call 9-1-1!” I screamed, my eyes wild with worry as I found him.

I ripped off my vest and my plaid shirt, leaving me in my undershirt. I pressed the clothes to the wounds, doing all I could to put pressure on the wounds, willing them to somehow stop the bleeding. I could vaguely hear Jake talking to the 9-1-1 operator as I held my Mary Beth close. I looked down at her beautiful face, getting paler by the minute, my hot tears splashing on her skin.

“Please God. Please!” I prayed, turning my tearstained face to Heaven. “Not my Mary Beth. Not now. Please. He can’t win. He can’t have her. Please. She is my life, my world. Please!”

I could feel Jake kneeling next to me. I felt someone else on my other side. Who it was, I didn’t know. They tried to take my hands from Mary Beth’s wounds, but I couldn’t move. I wouldn’t move.

Soon the sounds of a helicopter landing reached my ears. The paramedics began to treat Mary Beth and ready her for transport. I stood to go with them, my legs shaky and almost giving way beneath me, my hands covered in my wife’s blood. Strong hands reached out and steadied me. I looked up to see Chris and my mind began racing all over again.

“Tommy!” I said to him. “I sent Aunt Dot with him to the storm cellar. I was afraid he would come after them.”

Chris just nodded, sniffing back his own tears, his deep voice breaking. “I’ll take care of it. You take care of our girl.”

With that they loaded Mary Beth in the helicopter and I climbed in after them. She hadn’t woken, not one moment, since that last gunshot fell. But I kept one hand on her always, always talking to her, always whispering to her. She needed to know I was here. That I wasn’t leaving here, no matter what.

When we finally reached the hospital they had to pry my hand from her for them to take her into surgery. Somehow the nurse managed to move me to the waiting room where I sunk down into a chair, my head in my hands as I shook with the sobs tearing from my body.

Soon I felt a warm hand on my back, rubbing softly and soothingly. I couldn’t lift my head though. I just didn’t have any strength left in me. I recognized Karen’s voice as she spoke quietly.

“She’s going to be okay, Cody. You have to know that. She’s waited so long for you, for what you two have. She’s not going to leave you. She’ll fight. You have to fight for her, with her. You have to be strong enough for both of you right now. And strong enough for Tommy too.”

When she mentioned Tommy I took a deep, ragged breath, lifting my head, nodding softly. She was right. My family needed me. I had to be the rock they both needed right now. I had to lead us through this.

She smiled encouragingly at me, patting my knee, as David held out a cup of coffee to me. I nodded my thanks, taking a long sip, the hot liquid burning my ragged throat. My knee bounced nervously as I looked from the waiting room door to the clock to the phone in the corner of the room and back to the door.

It seemed like an eternity before the doctor stepped through that door, taking the seat across from us. I took another deep, ragged breath, preparing myself for whatever he might have to say.

I listened closely, my knee bouncing, as he explained that both bullets had passed through her body. The damage to her shoulder had been tissue damage. The shot to her side had broken a rib and ruptured her spleen. That had required surgery to remove her spleen. She had also lost a significant amount of blood requiring a transfusion. There were side effects they were worried about because of the removal of her spleen, but they hoped for the best. Tonight would be a rough one and they planned to keep her in I.C.U. overnight at least until she was stabilized.

I nodded at each bit of information he shared. I listened as Karen asked a few questions of him. I breathed a sigh of relief when they said I could go back during each bit of visiting hours in I.C.U. and I shook his hand when he said a nurse would be out to get me when they got her settled.

I was still shaking on the inside, but I had to believe she would be okay. They had taken care of her injuries and would continue to take care of her. My sweet Mary Beth just needed time to heal. I knew she would come back to me. I couldn’t wait to get back there with her, take her hand in mine, softly kiss her lips and tell her how much I love her. I knew she would hear me. I knew she would feel me there. And I knew she would come back to me.

I heard Karen talking to her mom, telling her everything the doctor had told us. She looked at me as she told her that I would call and talk to Tommy after I had seen Mary Beth. I nodded at this, taking another deep breath. I needed to make sure how she was before I talked to him. Our boy was going to worry himself sick until he knew she was out of the woods.

I stood quickly as I saw the nurse walking towards us. Karen stood up next me, hugging me tight, smiling encouragingly before I followed the nurse back to the I.C.U. I swallowed hard, stuffing my hands into my pants, suddenly realizing I’m still wearing my Old West cowboy costume from the set. I’m dusty and dirty and patches of Mary Beth’s blood are still caked all over my clothes.

I pulled out my phone as I walked the halls behind the nurse. I sent a text to Jake asking him to bring clothes for me and to have Aunt Dot pack a bag for Mary Beth. I pocketed my phone and took a deep breath, saying a silent prayer as we entered the I.C.U. The nurse took me to the last room, letting me go in alone, giving me space and time to be with Mary Beth.

My heart just clenched in my chest. I couldn’t catch my breath as my knees almost went out from underneath me. I felt the tears well up again as I saw all the machines and wires and tubes. I almost fell into the chair next to the bed, taking her hand in mine. My head dropped to the bed for a minute, trying to pull myself together. I couldn’t break down. I had to be strong for her. I had to be her rock.

I took another deep breath and stood up once more. I looked down at the face of the love of my life, reaching out and soft brushing the hair from her face. I bent down and softly pressed my lips to hers.

I rested my lips next to her ear, whispering softly. “Hey there, love. I’m right here. I’ve got you. I’m looking out for you. You’re safe and you’re going to be okay. You just rest and when you’re ready you can wake up and come back to us. I’m never leaving you, Mary Beth. You’re my forever. I love you with all that I am.”

I kissed her once more and sat down back down in the chair next to the bed, pulling it as close as I could. I took her hand in mine, lifting it to my lips, kissing it softly. I settled in, because I didn’t plan on going anywhere until they made me leave. This woman was my life and without her…well, without her my life wasn’t a life.

I wearily dropped my head to the bed, resting it next to our joined hands. The day and the trauma of it hit me full force as I felt my eyes drifting closed. My hand tightened around Mary Beth’s, my other hand resting on her leg. No matter what she was going to know I was right here…and that I wasn’t going anywhere…no matter what.