No Place Like Home. Maxine Morrey

      Sandy read the same line of her novel five times before giving up and closing the book. It was always the same – she just couldn’t concentrate when Todd went to the rodeo. Mostly she went with him but she had an appointment with the wedding reception venue this afternoon that they’d been waiting ages for. It was an extremely popular location and already had bookings three years in advance; although it was their dream choice, there was no way they wanted to wait that long. Thankfully a cancellation slot that worked for them had come up and Sandy didn’t want to risk losing it by not seeming interested. Obviously, she’d rather they’d both been going but Todd had been doing rodeo ever since she’d known him and there were always dates that he wasn’t available. As she hadn’t been able to change the venue appointment, it was what it was. Todd had already told her that whatever she chose he’d be happy with, saying that all he wanted was to marry her and he’d happily do that in shorts and sneakers on the back porch so long as it meant he got to spend the rest of his life with her. Anything else that would make her happy was a bonus. Staring at the cover of the novel for a moment, she tossed it down and grabbed her car keys instead.

      It was always an enjoyable drive out to Ben’s ranch. There was an open offer to close friends and family to ride the horses whenever they liked and right then, she felt it might help take her mind off worrying about Todd.

      As she pulled into the drive, she smiled. It really was a beautiful house with its wooden slats and shutters, and the porch wrapping around it as though it was giving the house a big hug. Sandy parked the car out front and began walking down to the stables.

      *

      Ben and Todd had been coming to the rodeo for longer than either of them could remember. Todd had been fascinated by it from his very first visit and had been addicted ever since. He’d begged to be allowed to take part and eventually his family had relented. A natural talent, he was soon winning local and then national championships. The draw of it hadn’t diminished as he’d got older and he’d been lucky, he knew. There was no denying that it was dangerous and he’d seen more than his fair share of injuries to both clowns and riders. He hated that it upset Sandy when he took part but they’d made a deal that once they were married, he’d stop. Their plan was to start a family soon after anyway, so he had a feeling free time was going be pretty scarce. Aside from which, why would he be here when he could be somewhere else that meant everything to him?

      ‘Feels weird Sandy not being here today,’ he said to Ben as he got ready for his first ride.

      Ben nodded. ‘She really wants that venue though.’

      Todd smiled. ‘That’s true. She’s had her heart set on it ever since we got engaged. I kind of feel bad I’m not there with her. Maybe I should have cancelled today.’

      ‘You’ve visited that place before, right?’

      Todd bent and adjusted his boot. ‘Mm-hmm. We got a tour like the day after the engagement.’

      ‘OK. So today’s what? Just more details?’ Ben asked.

      Todd shrugged. ‘I guess so.’

      ‘Does any of that matter to you? I mean, would you even notice if the bows were satin instead of silk?’

      He straightened and stretched his back. ‘All that matters to me is marrying your sister.’

      ‘So, stop worrying about it. If Sandy had really wanted you to go, she’d have told you. I think we both know that. I’m pretty sure you’d just be in the way today.’

      Pushing on his hat, Todd grinned. ‘Something tells me you might be right.’

      Ben gave him a quick hug and then clapped his shoulder. ‘Be good and be safe,’ he said.

      ‘But not in that order.’ Todd finished off their pre-ride ritual, turned and walked across to meet his next challenge.

      His friend left to find a good place to watch the next rounds, and sat comfortably chatting with a few of the regulars as they viewed the action, comments and applause mingling as the talent or technique of a particular rider was noted. Glancing over, he could see the top of Todd’s hat as his friend braced himself, ready for the gate to the arena to open.

      *

      Ben had heard a rodeo arena go silent before and it always turned his blood cold. But this time he was completely frozen. Paralysed by the sight of Todd lying on the arena floor as rodeo clowns risked their lives to keep the still bucking animal away from the broken, unmoving body. And then Ben started to run.

      They’d held him back, telling him that the last thing they needed was another person at risk and it had seemed like forever until he was able to see his friend. But Todd couldn’t see him. He’d lost consciousness the moment he’d hit the ground and still hadn’t regained it. As he was wired and tubed up in the ambulance, Ben sat across from him feeling useless and terrified. The siren screamed as they raced through the streets towards the hospital on the other side of town. His hand clutched his phone and he knew what he had to do.

      Sandy was just leading Chancer out of the stables, chatting with Jed, when her cell phone rang. She checked the display and blanched.

      ‘What’s happened?’

      *

      Jed drove Sandy to the hospital. One look at her face had told him that she wasn’t in any shape to drive herself. From what he’d been able to get out of her, Todd had taken a bad fall at the rodeo and still hadn’t regained consciousness. She was almost out of the truck before Jed had pulled to a halt outside the hospital doors. He watched her sprint inside, waited a moment, then drove away, praying all the way home that Todd would be OK.

      *

      It had been four days since the accident, and now it wasn’t only Todd’s health worrying loved ones. Still swarming with wires and tubes, there had been no improvement in Todd’s condition but neither was there any deterioration. Sandy had refused to leave her fiancé’s bedside from the moment she’d been allowed to see him. She wouldn’t eat and barely slept. Occasionally slumber stole over her, trying to embrace her in its warm comfort but she fought against it with a powerful vengeance and, so far, she was winning.

      Ben studied his sister as he placed yet another cup of coffee on the table beside her.

      ‘You really ought to try and eat something, sweetheart.’

      ‘I’m not hungry.

      ‘Even so.’

      She didn’t look at him. She’d barely looked at anyone but her fiancé for days. Her total attention was focused on Todd, hoping for a glimmer of movement, the faintest of signs that he was still in there, and would be back with her soon. Ben took in the dark circles under Sandy’s eyes, the pale skin on her drawn and tired face, his guilt increasing as he did so.

      I’ll look after him, he’d said. I promise. And now look where they were. Machines beeping all around, tubes in one place, out of another, while his own sister could only watch, and hope and pray – no expression on her face, no tone in her voice, her entire being centred on Todd.

      The doctors had been unable to tell them how long he could be like this. He could wake up tomorrow or it could be weeks … or more. God forbid it was either of the latter, or Sandy herself wasn’t going to be in any fit state to see him.

      ‘Honey, please eat something. You’re going to make yourself ill.’

      Sandy took the coffee cup and sipped at the hot liquid as Ben walked around to the other side of the bed and gazed down at Todd. Incredibly, all that showed externally from the fall was a broken wrist and a slight bruise on his temple.

      ‘See ya later, buddy,’ Ben said, closing a hand over his friend’s for a moment. Crossing back, he placed a gentle kiss on the top of Sandy’s hair, not that she noticed, then quietly closed the door on his way out.

      ‘Any news?’ Molly asked as soon as he entered the house.

      He’d been staying at his