Her cowboy his cowgirl

15 years ago

I look down at daddy who’s now shorter than me “your smaller daddy” I tease and point at him sure I’m on top of his horse but still I’m taller “yes you are darlin’ ” he has his accent prominent with every word he says “ya know daddy I wanna be like you when I’m older’” I say pretending the throw rope. “darlin’ that’s Wonder woman and I know yall be great at it it’s in your blood like it’s in mine” he said stroking my hair as I lean on the neck of the horse.

“ya know darlin’ ‘ere,” he says pulling me up into a sitting position and popping something on my head I look to him and see his heads naked “daddy your heads naked Where’s your hat,” I say frantically looking around “darlin’ it on your head,” he says patting my head well the hat “keep it safe don’t want ya to lose it do we?” he asks me “no daddy,” I say putting my hand on the hat and feeling it “we betta get goin’ don’t want your mamma mad,” he said pulling me down and putting my feet on the floor. Today daddy was teaching me to ride horses with him he was spending so much time with me today he took me to the only local bar/diner around here it’s where everyone goes family’s, kid’s, adults all of it while we were there we ate and line danced paddy taught me to line dance like him since I could walk it is our thing and always will be.

Daddy drove me back to his house in his Puck up truck where mamma would be waitin’ I don’t like mamma she’s not fun and she’s stuck up and the word daddy says snobbish. As he stopped the car Momm walked out of her’s and over to the car daddy was getting out and so was I before momma yanked open my door and pulled me out by my wrists and put my feet on the floor “go get changed!” she yelled and I was just about to but daddy stopped me “oh relax Julie she’s a kid not a doll leave ‘er be” he said picking me up and putting me on his hip”you won’t tell me what to do John she’s my kid” “as she is mine” he came back at her “darlin’ go in the house and to your room I’ll be there soon” he said putting me on my feet in the direction of the house. I did as daddy said and went to my room which was the attic daddy built everything in my room once he found out he had a daughter. He told me once he was so siked when he found out about me. I ran up to my room and opened the window since it was facing where my parents were and I eavesdropped on their conversation which was not hard to hear “I DON’T CARE JOHN SHE’S MY DAUGHTER AND I CAN TAKE HER WHEREVER I WANT!”

“SHE’S YOUR DAUGHTER HA THAT’S LAUGHABLE. YOU NEVER TAUGHT ‘ER TO WALK OR TALK YOU DIDN’T FEED’ ER OR GIVE ‘ER A ROOF OVER’ ER HEAD I DID YOU DIDN’T WANT ‘ER. I DID SHE’S MY CHILD AND YOU CAN’T TAKE’ ER AWAY FROM ME”

“YES I CAN JOHN I’M THE ONE WHO BIRTHED HER SHE LIVED IN MY WOMB FOR NINE-MONTH THAT MAKES HER MINE”

“HA RIGHT RIGHT LIVED, SHE WOULDN’T HAVE LASTED NINE MONTHS WITHOUT ME IF I’M CORRECT YOU WANTED TO ABORT ‘ER AND NEARLY DID IF I HADN’T OF FOUND OUT SHE WOULD BE DEAD AND THEN AFTER YOU TRIED TO KILL’ ER IN OTHER WAYS. DRUGS, SMOKING, ALCOHOL, FALLING DOWN THE FRIGIN’ STAIRS”

“I’M PAST THAT AND I WILL FIGHT FOR HER I HAVE THE BEST LAWYERS AND WILL TAKE HER FROM YOU SHE’LL NEVER SEE YOU AGAIN AND I’LL MAKE SURE OF IT NOW GIVE ME HER,” she said making grabby hands “NO SHE LIVES WITH ME AND I HOPE NEVER YOU, SHE TELLS ME YOU KNOW, ABOUT HOW YOU DRESS HER HOW YOU TELL HER TO TALK AND WHAT TO LIKE AND DISLIKE. YOUR PATHETIC AND APPALLING I NEVER SAY THIS TO ANYONE BUT I HOPE YOU FALL OF THE END OF THE GOD DAMN EARTH AND DIE”daddy said then walked towards the house he looks up at my room and I quickly move away from the window.

And run onto my bed.

I hear him knock on my door three times then enters “darlin’” I look at him “your mommas not having you this week” “alright daddy” I say trying to hide my smile “your ‘appy aren’t ya?” I nod she just laughs and elopes me in a hug “ya know I’m never gonna let’ er take ya your Ma baby, ma lil cowgirl” I nod into his hug while he strokes my hair.

“alright lil cowgirl go get your pj’s on then come downstairs for dinner,” he says walking out the room and closing the door I quickly get changed into my blue pj’s and then run downstairs “no runnin’” he calls from the kitchen I sit on the couch and gran the remote and find something to watch. I flick through multiple channels when daddy comes In carrying two plates of steak roast potatoes and veg “anythin’ good on?” he asks sitting next to me “yea Alien” I say putting it on and taking my plate from daddy. He sits next to me and puts his feet on the coffee table. We watch Alien and eat as soon as I clear my plate it’s only halfway in and daddy is already done I set my plate on the coffee table then snuggle into daddy’s side while I watch curling my feet onto the couch. Daddy pulls a blanket over us as we continue to watch TV. Sooner or later I start to nod off when daddy puts my head on his lap and strokes my hair while I try to