No Man Left Behind: A Veteran Inspired Charity Anthology by Elizabeth Knox (black authors fiction TXT) 📕

“Hey.” Bear stops what he’s doing because now I’m breaking down.

“I’m sorry.” I wipe the tears. Honestly, I don’t know why I’m really crying. No, that’s a lie, I do, I don’t want Thunder to die. I bring Thunder in from the paddock and give him some oats and try to start on the next stall while sobbing.

“Just spend some time with him.” Bear takes the shovel from me and pushes me back in with Thunder and I spend time with him, talking to him, brushing him, and hugging him. I do this until Bear comes and gets me for breakfast.

Of course, Ava is at the table. I bristle but try not to show it.

“Where’s Hawke?” I ask. Might as well get it all out there.

“What?” She tries to act innocent but I don’t buy it, my time in the military made it easier to spot a lie and a liar.

“I saw you last night leaving Walmart,” I state.

“Shit.” Chance takes his plate from my mom and heads back outside, I guess he doesn’t want to be here when shit starts to fly.

“Sienna,” Ava starts.

“You know? I shouldn’t be mad at all. I mean it’s been so long. I should have been over him years ago. I should have seen the signs. But you know what sucks is that you act like you’re my friend when all along you were shacking up with him. The adult thing to do would be to just tell me. So, tell me, when?”

Ava looks stricken, but I don’t care. I could care less right now. I’m the one she betrayed not the other way around.

“Right after you left that day,” she says sadly.

“Thanks for being honest. Now, get out!”

“Sienna!” she cries out, as I start shoving her to the door.

“You will always be my friend, Ava, but I’m going to need time. Don’t call me, I’ll call you,” I tell her as I shut the door right in her face and as childish as it is, that felt satisfying.

I walk back into the kitchen and everyone at the table just stares at me.

“You’d forgive her after that?” Chance asks, guess he came back inside.

“It would be childish not to,” I reply. I’ve learned that life is too short and while I’m pissed, I still care for her.

“True, but . . .” Chance says and I hold up my hand.

I wave him off. “It was a long time ago. Could she have been honest with me, yes. She wasn’t. And that will take some time, she will have to earn it.”

“That’s my girl.” My dad beams.

“Why didn’t you hire Hawke?” I ask Dad.

He shares a look with the others. “He was in some trouble, did some prison time.”

“Hawke did prison time?” I blink.

“Yeah. He lost at a rodeo and was out of a job at the time and he tried to rob a gas station,” Bear says.

“He didn’t do much time, but he did time. He couldn’t hold a job after high school and he wasn’t doing well at the rodeos. And we all know you have to pay to play. Ava stuck it out with him, in fact they have a kid.” Chance drops that bombshell on me.

“Wow,” I mumble, as I slump into my seat. I can’t believe Hawke has a kid.

“He’s not worth your time,” Dad says and maybe he’s right. No, I know he’s right.

“I think I’ll take Thunder for a walk to the meadow.” I stand and take my plate to the sink, not really hungry anymore.

“Bug.” She comes running. I put a halter on Thunder and we walk a short walk to this meadow filled with wildflowers that Thunder loves. I wonder if animals have bucket lists and what would be on it if they did.

Some people do. I don’t, not really. There are things I want to do before I leave this earth and I hope I get to do them, is that a bucket list?

I think my mission is to spend time with Thunder and give him the things he would love before he leaves this earth.

Even Bug is getting up there in age, and the day she goes will be devastating. Same with Thunder, he and Bug are my life.

I let go of Thunder’s halter and he runs around and rolls, like he was a small colt as Bug chases him. I laugh at their antics, acting like youngsters. It makes me happy and breaks my heart all at the same time.

They play and run and act like the years haven’t crept up on them and that is worth everything.

I take a seat on the ground, leaning up against a tree and watch, tears welling up in my eyes knowing that soon they will leave me and I know I won’t be okay with that, though I will try to move on.

“He looks happy.” I feel him before I see him, but I still jump.

“Sorry.” Bear smiles at me.

“That’s all that matters,” I reply.

“This is the most active he’s been. That’s because of you. He loves you,” Bear says as he takes a seat next to me.

I wish others loved me, meaning people, but it’s hard to love someone that is anxious and closed off.

But the love of a pet is deep.

“I love him. I’m sorry I was gone so long,” I say softly.

“You did what you had to do.” He shifts closer, so close I can’t breathe.

I am having a panic attack, oh god. I’m a mess.

He’s going to reach for me and I’m going to freak.

This is why I’ll never find love. I think this as Thunder walks right to me and puts his muzzle on my head.

“Sometimes animals need us, just as much as we need them. If you can love them, you can love someone. You have a heart, Sienna,” he says as he stands and disappears into the trees.

Thunder and Bug must have sensed that I needed them, because Bug