Broken to Be Mended (The Last Ride from Mitch's Point of View part 1)

 by Luca B. 

Mitch Carter and his brother looked up from there work to see a young man riding towards them, “What do you think that boy wants now?” Mitch asked Chad.

“I don't know and I don't care!” Chad said. “I'm sick of his ways! When his parents come in a couple weeks I'm sending him home with them!”

Mitch agreed, there cousin Daniel was a lazy city slickers with no ranch skills at all. Even Mitch's younger sister Andi could rope better than Daniel. Mitch chuckled, well Andi could lasso anything better than some of the ranch hands.

When Daniel reached them he was out of breath, “Andrea she,” he paused. “She had an ancient!”

“What?” Chad said in shock. “Are you sure?”

“Yes I'm sure, she looks half dead.”

Mitch was confused, Daniel looked serious about this but on the other hand could he be trusted? Chad had apparently made up his mind the Daniel was telling the truth so he said to their foreman Sid, “You take care of things here, we will go into town and find Justin and the doctor.” Then he looked at Mitch, “Let's go.”

As they rode Mitch asked the nagging question, “How do you know Daniel is telling the truth?”

Chad didn't answer for a moment then said, “I guess I just have a feeling that well, that Andi really is hurt.”

“Ok.” Mitch wasn't sure but he had a feeling too, a feeling that everything was about to change.

***

When they got to town Mitch went to Justin's office and Chad got the doctor and sent a wire for there mother who was away. As they rode in the direction Daniel had said, Mitch spoke, “Do you think it is something Daniel did?”

“If he even touched our sister I'll-” Chad began but was cut off.

“We'll see.” Justin said calmly.

After a while they heard yelling, “We're down here! Hurry!” It was Melinda.

Ones there got to the girls Justin was ahead he arrived a minute before Mitch, Chad and Dr. Weaver. Mitch was shocked, Andi looked awful she was covered in dirt and blood.

“How did this happened!” Chad shouted. Melinda began to sob. Mitch crouched down by Andi's side.

“Chad, that's enough.” Justin said.

'I'm sorry sis I didn't mean to bite your head off I'm... I'm sorry.”

The Doctor went to Andi's other side by Justin, he spoke to her, “I'm sorry Andrea but this is going to hurt we'll be as gentle as possible.”

“Where's Mother? I want Mother.” Andi said just above a whisper.

“Where's is Mother?” Melinda asked, “Why didn't she come?”

Mitch explained that there mother was away.

(The rest of the scene is in the Last Ride from Andi's POV. Andi asks about Taffy twice then she gets medicine to make her sleep. Mitch says that Chad with not shoot Taffy and Andi falls asleep)

“What do you mean?” Chad yelled at Mitch, “You know as well a I do that Taffy has to be put down! Why would you promise that we won't!”

Mitch stood from where he crouched beside Andi, “I promised that YOU should not shoot Taffy, I'll have to do it.” He turned to get his pistol.

Chad looked like he was about to protest but Justin put his hand on his shoulder and shook his head.

***

Mitch pointed his gun at the head of his sister's horse. “Goodbye Taffy. Thanks for being such a great horse for Andi.” Mitch took a deep breath and pulled the trigger.

***
A couple weeks later

Mitch walked into his sister's bedroom to find his mother siting at Andi's bedside sobbing. Mitch hurried over to her, “what's wrong? Is she...” Mitch didn't finish his sentence Andi had been hanging between live and death for weeks.

“No she isn't.” Mother said. “But Mitch, what if God does decide to take her, what is he takes my baby girl?”

Mitch didn't answer for a moment then said, “God has a plan and we might not understand but we can trust he's in control.”

“Yes, but sometimes it's just hard.”

“I know.”

Mother left the room and left Mitch with Andi, as he looked at his sister his mother's words echoed in his mind, 'What if God decides to take her, what if he takes my baby girl?' What if? What if? Life just wouldn't be the same without Andi.

***

(A week later, the family is having dinner and Daniel's parents are there and Andi asks about Taffy and they tell her that Taffy had to be shot. Andi is very upset and says that she will never speak to her brothers again. After that Andi tells her uncle that all about that Daniel had made her fall into the draw.)

“Justin please take your sister upstairs,” Mother asked.

“Yes Mother.” Justin said in a low voice.

“I won't go.” Andi said.

Justin replied but Mitch wasn't paying attention, he was going through a mental seesaw, how could so much happen in one family dinner? Should he had tried to save Taffy? Or was it right to put her out of her misery? Would Andi ever forgive him?

Just then Justin's calm but firm voice broke the silence. Justin looked straight at uncle Benjamin. He said that Andi was right that Daniel was a cheat and that he and his parents should leave to go back east. Everyone agreed. There uncle confronted Daniel and asked if he had really made Andi have her accident. Daniel did not defend himself.

Andi spoke, “You know to stolen things in town? Daniel stole them! He hid them in the barn, I found them!”

Daniel stood from his chair and yell, “I'm sorry I want for help! I should have left you to die!”

Mitch was in shock. Anger against Daniel for everything he had done make him stand and punch Daniel to the floor. Shaking his hand from the blow, Mitch spoke triumphantly, “Daniel is not returning to New York, he's going to jail.”

But then his heart sank as he remembered that their family was still broken.

***

Mitch looked over at his sister from where he stood across the yard, it had been weeks since the incident at the dinner table. Andi had kept her word and not said a thing to him or the other brothers.
“Mitch?”

He turned at his name to see who had spoken.

“Hey,” Chad said. “ What are you doing?”

“Just thinking.”

“About Andi?”

“Yes,” Mitch sighed. “Look at her slumped in her chair reading that adventure book Justin gave her, normally she would be the one having the adventures riding alone the rang with Taf-” he looked away.

“Mitch, you did what you had to, Deep down Andi knows that.” Chad said.
“But maybe I should have tried harder to sav-”

“Look at me Mitch Carter! This is not your fault. Do you hear me? It was Daniel and he's in prison for his crimes. Andi just needs time to heal and prayer.”

“Your right. do think we should pray for her now?” Mitch asked.

“That's a great idea. I'll start. Dear Lord...

***

After they had prayed Mitch felt better. He looked back to Andi, she was engaged in conversation with the new wrangler, Riley Prescott. Maybe he will bring some life back into her, Mitch thought. He hoped that someday with God's help (and maybe a bit of Riley's) Andi would learn to forgive and mend.