By Chance: Day 7

Word Count: 42,137

Summary of Events:

Steele was taken by Alder to a physiotherapist who, to Steele's dismay, wasn't inclined to believe Steele could or should be back on a horse in time for the CFR, even wearing a more flexible knee brace, although she did give him some helpful tips on what he could do with one good leg and crutches. On the way back, they went for lunch at a pizza place, where they discussed Steele's chances at the CFR, and the fact that he was probably going to need to pursue a different horse to ride for the following rodeo season, with Steele expressing hope that the man he was currently renting a horse from would offer him a better horse without his even having to ask…

Excerpt of the Day:

“That might be nice,” Alder said, sounding doubtful.

“You don’t think it’s going to happen though?” Steele asked.

“Being honest, no,” Alder replied.

“Why not?” Steele asked.

“Dolan and I were never friends,” Alder replied. “Mostly, probably, because of the fifteen-year age gap between us, so we really had nothing to do with one another, but when we did interact on occasion, usually at community events and FourH and stuff like that, it never went well. I mean, it was usually kind of petty and childish interactions, but even just the Haggertys as a family, they’re not horrid, and I want to think better of them than I do, but it’s easier said than done, for sure.”

“What do you mean?” Steele asked.

“Having looked back as a mature adult on the matter,” Alder replied. “I think it’s just that the whole Haggerty family are competitive. They all want to be the best at whatever they do. They’d be in FourH and if they didn’t get top they’d accuse of bias until eventually I believe Dolan’s father actually got banned from attending FourH events because he was belligerent, and I think the kids all ended up quitting after that because they didn’t like getting second any more than their dad did.”

“I could see that,” Steele agreed. “Dolan competes pretty hard.”

“And, I mean, being competitive isn’t horrible,” Alder said. “I had to be competitive and train and all that stuff to ride bronc for all the years I did. But to be a sore loser isn’t exactly doing anybody any good.”

Steele nodded.

“I mean, having still been in rodeo when Dolan entered, I was able to observe him, and even though he is still a driven competitor, I could tell he’s come off his ‘I must win’ horse a bit,” Alder said. “Which is good. But I didn’t really have a lot to do with him there, which was probably as much because we were in different events as it was because we’re fifteen years apart, so I still have that lingering negativity, and I shouldn’t.”

Steele nodded.

“I will still admit, though,” Alder said. “Even though I know little about how competitive roping works, and roping horses and such, there could be a possibility that you doing well on a horse that’s in over his head, as it were, could backfire and lead to Dolan rejecting the idea of your changing horses because you’re doing so good on the one you have.”

Shifting his jaw, Steele nodded. He’d not actually thought of that, but it was just as much a potentiality that Dolan might be inclined to make him stay with his current gelding because of the fact that he’d made it to the CFR with him as it was possible that Dolan would be inclined to grant him a better horse without his asking for it because he’d made it to the CFR on a lesser horse. He didn’t like that thought.