Destiny by chance: A Contemporary Romance Fiction Novel (23 page)

Destiny ran Daisy as fast as she would go along the fence line from where Peanut had come, and then over each of the small hills, scattering herds of goats, and horses and cattle as she ran.  She stopped every so often and called out Sydney’s name, sitting high in the saddle, her eyes searching carefully for a purple lump in the field somewhere.  They had told Sydney not to go too far, but Destiny knew that every so often the young girl would push the limits and go a little further.  She arrived at the last summit that was visible from the house and looked down at the field and the forest beyond.  Jessie had warned Sydney to stay away from the creek because the flooding upstream would soon reach their property.  Destiny looked up and saw the wall of rain just miles away.  She could smell the rain that hung in the air.  Suddenly Destiny felt a wave of panic.  She kicked Daisy hard and galloped down the hill to the woods.

A small herd of cattle was grazing by the path where they usually entered the forest.  They scattered as Destiny raced toward them.  When she arrived at the entrance, she walked Daisy through. It was something she had to navigate carefully; she could be unseated and even scratched and cut by the branches.  She called Sydney’s name, again and again, waiting for an answer, but all she heard was the rushing water just a hundred yards away. She thought she heard a faint voice call back.  She listened again, ducking and dodging and trying to navigate her way through the branches into the clearing just feet away.  When she finally broke through, she clicked her teeth and galloped the last hundred yards to the fork in the creek.

Immediately she saw Sydney, standing in the middle of the island that was now surrounded by water on both sides.  Beside her was a brown Jersey and a brand new calf that couldn’t have been more than hours old.

“Sydney!” she screamed.

“Destiny!”

“Don’t move!”  Destiny looked around to get her bearings and assess the situation.

“The water’s getting higher!”

Destiny reached for her phone in her pocket, but it was gone.  Crap!  It must have worked itself out during her search.  She paced in a circle for a moment, and then drew in a deep breath and moved to where she remembered the shallowest crossing.  Then she heeled Daisy repeatedly.  The mare hesitated to enter the rushing, rising water, but she finally obeyed and cautiously walked into it.  After a few feet in, the water was up to the mare’s knees.  Destiny drew in a deep breath.  She hoped she hadn’t misjudged the depth of the water or the length from the shore to the island. 

Bill drove as fast as he could, carefully navigating the bumps and the hills, so as not to run into a bewildered herd.  They, as Destiny had, drove the fence line first, then with no luck, turned and drove into the pasture.  Ten minutes of driving frantically through the fields felt like hours.  Charlie looked over at Bill and could tell he was beginning to panic. 

“Where the heck is she?” Bill exclaimed, slapping the wheel.

“I don’t see Destiny, either,” Charlie remarked.  “Where could they possibly have gone?  It’s like they disappeared.”

Bill sat upright as he crested the summit of the hill overlooking the forest.  Raindrops began to fall on the truck, and he fumbled around trying to find the window wipers.  “I know where they are,” Bill said, hitting the gas and sending dirt and grass flying behind them.  He raced down the hill toward the forest.  “They are in there,” he said definitively.

“What the hell are they doing in there?”

“It’s like their secret hideout.”

“Yeah?  Look!” Charlie said pointing at the creek below.  What was usually a peaceful brook now ran over its banks, and he could see white water and debris in it.  “Creek’s up.  If they’re down there, it’s a dangerous place to be right now,” he said, worry now showing on his face as well.

Bill pressed the gas pedal harder.

Destiny arrived on the island and jumped down, holding the reins in her hand.  She hugged Sydney to herself and looked her up and down.  “Are you okay?”

Sydney nodded confidently.

Destiny shook her shoulders as she snapped at her.  “What were you thinking?  Your dad is scared to death? 
I
was scared,” she said, tears filling her eyes. 

Sydney started to cry.  “They got stuck on the island, and I just wanted to try and help them get off, but they wouldn’t come, and then the creek got higher,” she sobbed.  “I’m sorry.”

Destiny pulled her to her chest again and held her tight.  “I’m sorry, Sweetie.” Destiny stood and looked around.  The water was still rising.  She felt a raindrop on her head and looked up.  “We’ve got to get out of here, now!” Destiny said, taking Sydney’s hand.

Sydney stood firm.  “We can’t leave them here!  They’ll drown.”

Destiny looked at the cow and its calf and then back to Sydney.  She drew in a deep breath and knelt before her.  Destiny shook her head and then gently took Sydney’s shoulders.  “Okay,” she agreed.  “But first, I’m getting you out of here.  Then I’ll come back for them.”

Sydney looked back at the cow and her new baby, and back at Destiny.

“Do you trust me?”

Sydney hesitated, then nodded.  “You promise?”

“I promise.  But we have to move fast.  We’re running out of time.”  She moved Sydney to Daisy’s side and then lifted until the girl’s feet reached the stirrup to climb onto Daisy.  “Sit forward, Sweetie,” she instructed, as she climbed behind the saddle, holding Sydney from behind.  Once more she had to coax Daisy into the water.  The water was now at her mount’s forearms, just beneath the stirrups.  “Doin’ good, Girl,” she said, praising the mare as they proceeded through the rushing water.  Once they arrived on the other side, Destiny quickly dismounted and helped Sydney down.

As they neared the wooded area, Charlie looked over at Bill.  “You know there’s no way in there by truck.”

“I know,” Bill said.  “But they have a path they travel.  I’ve seen it.”

“For what it’s worth, this old thing has been through the ringer.  That bein’ said it’s just an old farm truck.  Why Jessie’s always kept full coverage on it is a mystery to me.” Charlie turned to his nephew.

Bill looked at him, understanding his meaning fully.  He accelerated.  “Hold on!”

The moment the truck hit the brush on the opposite side of the woods where it was less dense, Destiny and Sydney turned and yelped.  The explosion of trees and brush and rocks startled them all, including Daisy.  She reared, but Destiny held firm to the reins.  The truck crashed into a large tree about a hundred feet away.  Destiny immediately climbed onto Daisy and looked down at Sydney.  “Stay here,” she ordered her as she raced to the truck.  She jumped off the mare and quickly tied her to a branch, then ran the rest of the way.

“Bill!” she screamed, when she saw him in the driver’s seat, his head against the steering wheel, blood splattered on it.  She screamed his name again and rushed to his door, trying to tug it open.  “Oh, God, no!” she cried.

Slowly, Bill raised his head, a small cut on his temple oozing blood down his cheek. “I’m okay.”  He looked around, disoriented.  “Sydney?”

“I found her.”

“Daddy!” Sydney screamed at that very moment and ran to him, climbing through the brush and the door and onto his lap. 

Destiny gasped and sobbed, with relief.  Then she looked over at Charlie.  “Charlie?” she yelled, climbing through rubble to the other side of the truck.

Charlie moved his neck, side to side.  “I’m gonna feel this tomorrow,” he moaned.  “Did you find her?”

Destiny pulled his door open, and he slowly stepped out.  “Yes.  She’s okay.”

At that moment, the cow bawled as the water neared their feet.

Destiny looked around and then glanced into the back of the truck.  She saw tools and tack.  And rope.  She reached in, grabbed the rope, raced back to Daisy, untied her and climbed back into the saddle.

“Where do you think you’re going?”

Destiny turned Daisy, glancing back at Charlie.  “To keep a promise.”

Bill climbed from the truck, his daughter wrapped around him, slowly walking after Destiny.

“Fool girl,” Charlie called after her.  “Don’t risk your life for a damn cow!”

Sydney gave Charlie a hurtful look, watching as Destiny and Daisy moved laboriously across the water, which was now up to Daisy’s belly.  When on the other side, she immediately looped a noose around the Jersey’s horns and began pulling her.  The bovine refused to budge, so Destiny edged Daisy closer and whipped her with the other end of the rope and kicked her with her foot.  She repeated this several times until the cow finally started moving.  She wrapped the lasso around the saddle horn several times, literally dragging the reluctant cow into the water.  The calf tried following but wasn’t nearly as brave.

Just then, six men, plus Lisa and Jessie, ran into the forest where the truck had made a path.  They looked inside the truck and raced to where a bleeding Bill and injured Charlie stood.  Several of them moved closer to the water and even stepped into it up to the tops of their boots.  When Destiny was halfway across the steadily rising water, she motioned to the men and then tossed the other end of the rope to them.  When one of them caught it, she unwrapped the end from the horn.  The new recruits immediately all grabbed the rope and began to drag the cow to safety. The fearful calf stood, water covering his hooves, bawling for its mother, who was now safe on the other bank of the growing river.  Destiny turned Daisy and headed back to the island.

“Leave it,” several of them yelled after her.  Destiny turned in the saddle and watched them all wave to her.  Sydney stood there looking at her, pitifully.  She heeled Daisy; the motion slowed by the water at her knees.  When Destiny arrived at the island, she dismounted, one last time and approached the calf, lifting it carefully in her arms.  As awkward and challenging as it was, somehow she found the strength to straddle the little beast over the saddle.  She climbed back onto the mare, readjusting the calf so that it was in the saddle with her.  She could feel its heart beating rapidly in its chest.  She pinned the calf against the saddle and horn with her hips, and she started her last trip through what was now raging waters.

The men had waded in almost waist deep from the shore to help her since the water was still rising.  It was now at the bottom of the saddle, and it was harder for her to maneuver.  Just yards from the shore Daisy jerked suddenly as a snake wriggled through the water just a foot from her head.  The mare twisted, unable to rear.  She fearfully tried turning, lost her footing and suddenly all three of them disappeared into the swollen creek.

Lisa screamed the instant she saw Destiny go under the water.  Two of the men held a rope, the other end securely tied to a tree, ensuring that they didn’t get dragged into the growing river as well.  They both jumped into the water in an attempt to save Destiny.  The others ran downstream to try and get ahead of her.  Bill handed Sydney to Jessie, who shielded the girl’s eyes in case it didn’t end well.  A few yards downstream Destiny surfaced, the calf in her arms.  The water carried her a few more feet until one of the neighboring farmhands grabbed her and pulled her from the water, her arms still wrapped around the small, terrified creature.  Daisy surfaced beyond them, found her footing and climbed from the water, shaking immediately to try and remove all that encumbered her.

They dragged Destiny to the shore where she finally released the calf, which ran immediately to its mother’s side.  Everyone else ran to Destiny, surrounding her.  Bill pushed through them and grabbed her tightly to himself.  She wrapped her arms around his neck and began to cry.  Gently, he lifted her into his arms and carried her out of the woods to the waiting trucks beyond. 

Destiny and Sydney showered and changed into some of Jessie’s clothes before huddling under blankets, each with a cup of hot cocoa in their hands.  A roaring fire in the massive fireplace warmed them.  Bill hosed himself off outside to remove the mud and blood.  Then he stripped and finished his cold shower outside before toweling off.  Bill pulled one of Charlie’s undershirts over his chilled body before covering it with an old flannel shirt.  He slid on a pair of Charlie’s jeans, holding them up with his hands, in need of a belt.  He finished just before the storm rolled in.

Three men who had volunteered to bring Daisy, the calf, and its mother back walked into the barn five minutes before the storm front blew in.  Jessie and Charlie offered coffee and hot cocoa to those who had helped, but everyone wanted to get home before the storm let loose in all its fury.  And when it did hit, it hit hard, blowing a cold front in along with high winds and cold rains. 

Bill walked into the massive open living room, his bare feet slapping the natural hardwood floors as he moved across it.  He crouched beside Sydney and brushed back her damp hair, kissing the top of her head as she silently sipped her cocoa.  He looked over at Destiny.  “You okay?”

Destiny nodded.

“Can I get you anything?”

Destiny shook her head, then looked back into her cup.  Bill leaned over and kissed her head as well.  He closed his eyes and held her head to his lips for many moments, trying not to think about how close he had come to losing his daughter.  To losing Destiny.  When he stood, he turned to Lisa and Charlie.  “Thank you so much,” he said sincerely.  To Charlie, he said, “I owe you my life.”

“Nope, you just owe me a truck.”  Charlie smiled wryly.

Bill smiled in return.  “Heck if I know how I’m going to explain this one to the insurance company.”

“Durn brakes.  I’ve meant to take that old thing in and have them looked at.” Charlie offered, with a grin.  “Sorry about that.  Should have told you.”  Charlie tried to look as disappointed as possible.

Bill grinned back.  “I’ll call the insurance company first thing in the morning.”

Jessie walked from the hallway just in time for Bill’s grateful hug.  “Well, I made up all the rooms and put fresh towels in the bathrooms.”

Bill opened his mouth to argue, but Charlie held up his hand.  “Now what kind of host would I be if I let you go out in this weather?  ‘Sides that, I don’t think you should take those two anywhere for awhile.”  Charlie nodded toward Destiny and Sydney. 

Lisa rose and picked up her purse. 

“That goes for you, too,” Charlie said firmly.  “We have plenty of rooms, plenty of food.  No need for anyone to take any more chances tonight.  Right?”

Bill looked at his daughter, turned to Charlie and nodded.  “I’ll call Sandy and make sure she’s got everything covered.”  He pulled his cell phone from his pocket and excused himself. Sandy had already graciously offered to stay the night since it was Sydney’s birthday so that he didn’t need to rush home.

“I’ll just go.” Lisa slowly side-stepped toward the door.

“Don’t even think about it, young lady.  We’ve got a room for you, too.”

“I hate to be an imposition.,

“Sweetheart, you’re never an imposition.”

Lisa nodded and followed Jessie down the hall to choose a room.

Destiny set her cup down, and Sydney matched the motion before crawling into Destiny’s lap.  She held Sydney close; her arms wrapped lovingly around the young girl.

“Thank you, Dee,” a tiny voice said from under the blanket.

“A promise is a promise.” Destiny brushed back the girl’s hair.

Bill walked back into the room and straight to Sydney, crouching again before her.  “Your Uncle Charlie and Aunt Jessie offered to have us stay here tonight.  Would you like that?”  When she hesitated, he added.  “Maybe if the weather lets up, you can check on Peanut in the morning.” 

Sydney instantly perked up.  “Can I ride him?”

“We’ll see.  No promises.  C’mon,” he groaned, as he picked her up.  The man’s t-shirt Sydney wore, fit her like a dress.  As he gathered her into his arms, she wrapped herself around him.  He carried her and her blanket to the only room with a bunk bed in it.

Destiny rose, carrying the two empty mugs to the kitchen.  As she began to wash them out, Jessie gently pushed her away.  “I’ll take care of that,” she insisted. Destiny gave Jessie a hug and a thank you, before shuffling across the floor to the enclosed porch.  She nestled into the swing by one of four other wood-burning stoves in their home and stared out the wall of glass windows into the night sky.

Charlie moved to the counter across from Lisa and uncapped a bottle of whiskey with one twist.  After pouring two shots, he handed one to her.  She raised her glass, tapped it to his, downed it and gasped.  Charlie poured them another as Bill walked back into the room.  “Pour you one?”

Bill shook his head.

“Is she asleep?” Jessie asked.

“Yeah, she fell right off,” he replied.  “Where did Destiny go?”

Jessie nodded toward the porch, then turned and walked to Charlie.  Without alerting him, she reached in front of him, and slowly she started unbuckling his belt.

“Woman, this isn’t the time or the place.”  Charlie looked at his wife, perplexed, as she bent down at his waist.

“In your dreams,” she said, pulling the belt quickly through his loops.  With a satisfied grin, she turned, walked back to Bill and handed the belt to him.

“And what am I supposed to do about keeping my
pants up
?” Charlie inquired.

Jessie grinned.  “Not to worry.  Between your belly and your butt, honey, you have nothing to fear.”

Lisa chuckled at their playfulness.

“Jezebel,” he grumbled, as he downed another shot.

“Scrooge,” she muttered under her breath, flashing Lisa a wink.

Bill stepped through the door and onto the extended porch.  Destiny was curled up in one corner of the swing, laying against one of the comfortable pillows Jessie had used to decorate.  Awkwardly, he sat on the other end. Destiny glanced over at him and reversed her position, nuzzling under his arm and laying against him.  The wind howled and whistled through the cracks, the occasional flashes of lightning outlining the trees as they blew in grand motion, even the branches on the heaviest of them swaying slightly in the massive storm.

“How’s Syd?”

“Sleeping,” he replied, slowly rocking them back and forth with his foot.  “You okay?” He leaned his head until he could see her face.  She didn’t move, but he saw her discreetly wipe away a tear.  He turned, causing her to stir.  “Destiny?”

“I’m okay.  Really.” She wiped away another tear and lay flat in his lap.  He leaned back again, petting her head, the wood squeaking against the metal with each swaying motion.  “I was just so scared,” she finally said, “when I couldn’t find her.”  Destiny slowly sat up on her arm, looking into his eyes.  “When I thought,” she began.  She took a deep breath.  “When I thought you…” she suddenly started to sob.

Bill immediately pulled her to his chest.  “I’m fine,” he assured her.  She pulled away.  “But when I thought that you were…” she began again, unable to say the words.  “I was so scared.”  She sniffed and her hands moved to the scratches on his face.  “I can’t lose you, too,” she added sadly.

Bill smiled sweetly and pulled her closer to him, kissing her forehead and pressing her against his chest.  They rocked for many moments in silence before she slowly pulled away.  She looked up into his dark eyes, searching them, memorizing them.  Tentatively her hand traced his face, his cheek, his hair.  He dropped his forehead to hers, and she closed her eyes. 

Destiny leaned back against his chest.  You know when Dr. Villarreal asked me what I was the angriest about, after…” her voice trailed off.  “After Winston…” Somehow she couldn’t mouth the words.  “And I couldn’t tell her?  Maybe it was because there were so many things I was angry about and I was afraid if I spoke them out loud that they would be real.  So, I just… didn’t.”

Bill gently rubbed her arm as she spoke, allowing her to talk through overwhelming emotions.

“I was angry about Phillip.  I was angry about Rhett.  At first, I was angry that I didn’t die with them.”

Bill closed his eyes, her words breaking his heart.

“I was angry about what Winston did, that I trusted him.  I was angry with myself for being so stupid.” She bit her lip nervously. “I was angry because he stole more than just my trust.  He stole something so much more personal.”

Bill looked down as he continued to rub her arm.

“Phillip is the only man I’ve ever been with,” she cried softly.  “And when he died, I swore I’d never…” Destiny caught herself as the tears streamed from her eyes.  “That I’d never get close to anyone again.  That I’d never fall in love again.”

Bill’s hand moved to her head, stroking her auburn hair. 

“And then I met you,” she sniffed.  “And suddenly, I thought—” She bit her lip again to keep from sobbing uncontrollably.  “I thought that maybe I
could
… be with someone else.  But he stole that from me, too,” she concluded with another sniff.  She sat up suddenly and looked him in the eyes.

His heart broke, seeing her tear-soaked face.  He reached to wipe the tears away.

“He took away my choice.  He ripped away that precious thing that we give of ourselves to one another.”  She looked deep into Bill’s eyes.  How could he ever understand?  “I wanted it to be you,” she said almost in a whisper.  “And he took that away,” she cried.  “Now, I don’t know…”

Bill pulled her with all his might until she was sitting on his lap.  “I can’t begin to know how you feel, but know that it doesn’t matter,” he said, wiping away her tears.

She wiped her nose with the blanket.

Bill raised her chin with his finger.  “It doesn’t matter.” He smiled sincerely.  “And I hope that you come to a place where you don’t allow him to have another moment of your day by giving him the satisfaction of thinking that he stole
anything
from you.”  He held her face within his palms.  “He was a coward and took what he couldn’t get by any other means.”  He brushed back her hair.  “But it will never change how I feel about you, or how I look at you, or, when you’re ready, how much I want to be with you. Make love to you. And I do,” he said, pulling her face closer until their foreheads kissed.  “It won’t be any less special because of him.  I won’t give him the satisfaction.”

Destiny closed her eyes and felt his cold kiss on the tip of her nose.  She smiled and dropped her head to his shoulder again as he rocked her in his arms, feeling spent, emotionally.  “I didn’t mean to fall in love with you,” she whispered.

“I didn’t mean to fall in love with you, either,” he replied, opening his eyes.  “In fact, if this is all we
ever
do, I’ll be happy—just holding you in my arms.”

Destiny sniffed.  “How is it you always seem to know the perfect thing to say?”

“I used to write Hallmark cards.”

Destiny chuckled.  “Yeah, so why did you stop?” she asked playfully, with a sniff.

“Well,” he sighed dramatically.  “I didn’t have anyone around to inspire me.”

“So, what happens now?”

Bill drew in a deep breath.  “Well,
first
, I’m going to take
another
really
cold shower.”  He felt her chuckle under his arm.  “And then I’m going to crawl into a bunk bed, which, by the way, I haven’t slept in since I was fourteen.  And then, I
hope
that I can fall asleep.”

Destiny felt her eyes getting heavy as she smiled against his chest.

“Then I’m going to wake up, call the insurance company and see what we can do about Charlie’s truck.”

“And then?” she said in a breath.

“And then,” Bill hugged her tighter, “I’m going to take my family home.”

Destiny’s smile softened.  There were no more words spoken.  No more words were needed, as they rocked quietly until she fell asleep in his arms.