The Texas Boys: Dallas

He stood on the steps of the courthouse waiting for her to appear not believing they were getting married. It’s unreal they’d been so careful, yet she was pregnant. She hasn’t even told him it’s as if she doesn’t want him to know. He only found out when the doctor called to tell him. She seemed excited about getting married, so the baby was just a bonus glancing at his watch for what seemed like the twentieth time she still wasn’t here. Nerves began to set in she wasn’t going to show she’d gotten cold feet deciding not to go through with the marriage.

Again, he glanced at his watch then sighed heavily as several people ran by both men and women, but none were her. A young boy was coming up the stairs toward him, but he paid him no mind.

The boy stopped in front of him, “Are you Dallas Montgomery.”

“Maybe.”

The boy shrugged his shoulders and replied, “I have a letter for Dallas Montgomery. I was told he’d be standing on the steps of the courthouse are you him or not.”

His blood went cold, “I’m him.”

The boy handed him the letter then ran down the stairs never looking back. Dallas stood holding the letter not exactly sure whether to open it. Something happened to Georgia, so she sent a letter, but his instincts were telling him otherwise. Ripping open the envelope he pulled out a single piece of paper unfolding it, he read:

Dear Dallas,

I’m sorry but I can’t marry you it would be the worst mistake of my life. As for the baby, don’t worry I’ve already taken care of it. You won’t have to fear I’ll come back for anything. I hope you have a good life.

Goodbye, Georgia

He stood there just staring at the words she didn’t want to marry him. She didn’t bother to see if he wanted his child. How could he have been so mistaken about the kind of woman she was. He thought for sure she was the type who would follow through with the marriage especially if she were pregnant. Dallas looked at the paper again and realized it told the truth about the kind of person she truly was. She didn’t want him and had aborted his child. In that moment, he built a wall around his heart and would never allow another woman close. He went down the steps heading for his car there was no point in hanging around slipping into the driver seat he drove home. His plan was to head right out to Nevada if he left now, he could make the annual bull riding competition. He’d put it off this year for the sake of marring Georgia, but now that was over. Pulling into the driveway he slammed on the breaks the car came to a screeching halt he jumped out. Jogging up the front stairs, he unexpectedly came face to face with his Dad.

Drake glared at his son, “What is going on.”

“Nothing,” Dallas walked past his Dad into the house and took the stairs two at a time.

Entering the bedroom going straight to the closet pulled out a duffel bag then began throwing clothes into it. When he grabbed the second bag, he noticed his Mom standing in the doorway.

She smiled tentatively before speaking, “Are you going to tell me what is going on or will I have to guess. It’s not like you to snap at your Dad.”

While he went back to shoving things into the second bag he replied, “It’s nothing I’m sorry I snapped at Dad.”

She looked skeptical but didn’t comment on his statement, “Where are you going.”

Dallas zipped up the last bag and commented, “I don’t know anywhere but here.”

As he reached out to grab the bag, sitting on the bed his Mom took hold of his hand looking down into her compassionate whiskey eyes, “Tell me what happened.”

He sighed Audrey saw a small tear escape his eyes. Her son Dallas was never one to cry he was tough and rugged the wild and adventurous one. He rode wild horse and bulls for fun and had so many broken bones over the year’s pain was nothing new to him. Whatever happened caused him pain in which he’s never felt before. Tears in his beautiful sapphire eyes hasn’t happened since he was five and broke his arm climbing a tree.

“She didn’t want to marry me.”

Audrey gasped, “What about the baby.”

He looked away from the shock in his Mom’s eyes because once he told her Georgia aborted the baby that look would change, “She got an abortion.”

She couldn’t believe it; it was a good thing Dallas hadn’t been looking in her eyes. The first was sadness then they flared with anger, “I can’t believe she’d do that.”

Dallas pulled away from his Mom grabbed the two duffel bags full of clothes and said, “Believe it Mom she sent me a letter. Didn’t even have the stomach to face me and tell me herself.”

Audrey chased her son out of his room, “So you’re just going to leave.”

“Yep, I’m going to Nevada, maybe I can make the rodeo there.”

As he jogged down the stairs, his Dad was waiting at the bottom. Audrey was concerned about her oldest son he seemed to have shut off all emotion. He showed that small sadness upstairs and now was cold.

“Maybe you should stay here for a few days before you decide to run off,” she was grabbing at straws and knew it.

At the bottom of the stairs, he looked up at her as she was coming down, “I can’t Mom not with knowing what she’s done. I need to be alone for a little while.”

She stopped on the last stair he just stood there looking at her. She knew how he could be, so she’d let him go, “Very well, but promise me one thing.”

He didn’t smile or chuckle as he usually did when she’d ask him to promise instead, he said one word, “What.”

She looked him right in the eyes for she could when standing on the bottom stair. All her boys were tall they got that trait from their Dad, “Don’t do anything crazy.”

He hugged her to him, and she squeezed back, “I promise, I love you.”

“Love you too,” she released him and watched him say goodbye to his Dad.

Dallas walked out the front door got into his car driving away. Where he was going didn’t really matter it just had to be away from San Antonio and Georgia.

Audrey heard her son’s car screech away and sighed. Her husband came over pulling her into his arms, “He’ll be all right.”

Audrey wasn’t so sure he’d completely shut his heart off from everything. The one to blame was Georgia Payne, she tentatively smiled at her husband, “I hope you right.”

Georgia stepped out of her apartment locking it up she made her way to the car. Opening the trunk, she put the suitcases in shutting the lid and noticed a young boy coming her way. Her heart jumped into her throat she didn’t exactly know why. It was a feeling something wasn’t quite right maybe something happened to Dallas.

The boy stopped in front of her, “Are you Georgia Payne.”

Georgia felt her heart beating faster than usual, “Yes.”

The boy handed her an envelope, “I have this letter for you.”

She took it from the boy then he jogged off the same way he came she felt a sudden doom upon her. Looking down at the plain white envelope in her hand, she was positive this was something bad. Finally knowing she must read the letter to find out what was going on. Ripping open the envelope she pulled out a single sheet of paper unfolding it she read:

Georgia,

I hope this catches you before you’ve left for the courthouse. I’ve decided I’m unable to marry you it seems my wild ways are not ready to settle down with one woman. I would really appreciate it if you never contacted me in the future. Hopefully, I’ve not left you with anything we may regret.

Later, Dallas

She stood rooted to the spot not believing what she’d read how could he even think she’d want anything to do with him after this. Crumpling up the paper she went back to the apartment packing everything up because Georgia decided to go to Oregon where her sister lived. There her sister would nurse her broken heart Montana always knew how to make her feel better after a failed relationship. Hopefully, there wouldn’t be any trouble with Montana’s husband she was positive he didn’t like her. At this moment Georgia didn’t really care what he thought of her she needed her sister. After an exhausting drive, she finally arrived in Portland, Oregon, and her sister’s house. Pulling into the driveway then getting out grabbing her luggage she made her way to the front door. The bell rang then footsteps followed a few second later and the door pulled open there was her sister.

Montana heard the doorbell and sighed these last few weeks have been rough and the last thing she wanted was company. Slowly she made her way to the door pulling it open she came face to face with Georgia. She threw herself into her arms and began to sob.

“Georgia what happened,” Montana pulled her sister into the house.

She continued to cry but said, “He didn’t want me.”

Montana slowly made her way to the sofa with her sobbing sister in toe, “What do you mean he didn’t want you. Wasn’t he the one who wanted to get married?”

Georgia sniffled a few times before answering, “Yes, but he sent me this letter saying he changed his mind. He said I was just an enjoyable time and decided not to settle down with just one woman yet. Oh God Montana, how am I going to get over this.”

Montana pulled her sister into her arms, “You’ll be just fine honey because I’m going to take excellent care of you.”

Georgia pulled away to search her sister’s eyes, “What about Joe.”

“He has no choice,” she sighed heavily.

“Montana what’s wrong,” Georgia got her tears under control.

“It’s nothing for you to worry about especially after what’s happened to you,” She stood making her way to the kitchen.

Georgia jumped off the sofa to follow her, “Here I’m running on about my misery and you have a problem tell me about it.”

Montana stopped in front of the sink and began washing the dishes she’d been doing before the knock on the door, “It’s really nothing.”

“If whatever it is has you upset then it’s something,” Georgia always had a close connection with her sister.

Her sister stopped washing dishes and turned to look at her, “Joe and I have been trying to have a baby.”

Georgia squealed, “Oh that’s wonderful.”

Montana went back to washing a dirty plate, “No its not.”

Georgia was confused, “Why.”

Montana sighed heavily, “Because I found out I can’t have children.”

“Who told you that,” she demanded.

“The specialist we went to see.”

Georgia was speechless, “So what happens now.”

Montana continued to wash the plate in her hand, “It’s already happened.”

“What do you mean,” then she began to look around and realize something wasn’t right in the house. The place seemed to be missing some things, “Montana where’s Joe.”

Montana dropped the plate in her hand, and it broke into pieces on the floor, “Damn!”

“Here let me help you,” Georgia knelt on her knees to help her sister pick up the broken plate. She looked at Montana and saw tears roll down her cheeks.

“Montana what’s going on,” she was concerned.

Her sister began to sob, “Joe left.”

“What! When, why,” Georgia dumped the plate pieces into the garbage can then turned back to her sister.

“Last week,” Montana stood and sat down heavily on one of the chairs next to the table.

“Why didn’t you say something when I called to tell you about my upcoming wedding.”

Montana looked up at her, “I didn’t want you to postpone your life just because mine fell apart.”

Georgia went over to her sister, “If I’d known I wouldn’t have come here to burden you with my troubles.”

Montana stood embracing her sister, “Oh no this is just what I need. Together we can both help each other get ourselves back on track.”

Georgia hugged her sister tightly, “Your right, together we can bring ourselves out of this love slump.”

They chuckled together then went over to the sink and finished the dishes. There was nothing better than a sister’s love and support to get over a broken heart unfortunately it was easier for Georgia then for Montana. Within months Georgia bounced back finding a new man, but she didn’t share this with her sister. With everything Montana was going through she didn’t need to know how happy she was. Montana on the other hand went through the motions as her marriage fell apart. Two months after Joe left, she received divorce papers, which entailed he was divorcing her because she was unable to conceive children. This devastated her to almost nothing she wouldn’t eat and barely got out of bed half the time. Her work was suffering the boss was ready to fire her she sold the house it’d been awarded to her in the divorce. Montana and Georgia moved into a nice little condominium apartment the last blow which finally sent her over the edge was the doctor’s appointment. She was depressed and had to do something the doctor took some blood work then later called to schedule a time to see her.

“I’m sorry to tell you this but the blood work shows you have leukemia,” the doctor told her.

“That’s impossible,” Montana shrieked.

“Do you have a history of cancer in your family,” the doctor asked next.

“No,” she replied.

“Well, this could be a fluke or maybe someone screwed up. The only option I can think of is to send you to a specialist and have them do further tests. We have a fine Hematologists-Oncologists here or we can send you wherever you wish.”

Montana still couldn’t believe it, cancer, “Well I’m due a vacation at my work besides my boss would probably love to have me out of the way right now. Where are some of them located.”

“Closest ones are in California, Colorado or Texas,” he explained.

“Did you say Texas,” she held her breath.

“Yes, there is a fine Hematologists-Oncologists in San Antonio.”

Montana’s mind began to spin suddenly as a plan formed in her head, “Very well Doctor, would you please schedule me an appointment for the one in San Antonio. I’ll take my vacation there since I’ve always wanted to go.”

The vacation and seeing a specialist wasn’t the only reason she was going a brilliant plan of revenge formed in her head. What could the harm be? It seemed her life had fallen apart anyway since the divorce and she couldn’t have children, now cancer. She was going to die so why not get even with the very man who’d destroyed her sister. In her mind, she knew this wouldn’t help get back at Joe, but this could heal the part of her he destroyed. Considering everything that’s happened in the last year this was perfect. Revenge!