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[i]Dead Diary...for the first time in maybe fifteen years, my hair is blonde again. I know right? Crazy! I’ve been all red everything since before I started high school. Rhea loves it. She’s all like “Mommy! Mommy! You’re blonde like me! Yeah, if it makes the little princess happy it can stay. I’ll probably be red again by next week haha!”[/i]

The pounding of little feet outside of the bedroom door forced Roxy to put her pen down and a smile to cross her face. [color=C30000]”Morning little one, I’ll be out in a sec”[/color] Pushing herself to her feet, the proud momma bear steadied herself somewhat, the chemo was really fucking with her balance, bit of a shit one for a former cheerleader. Once she had corrected herself, Roxanne made her way from the bedroom and down the stairs to the kitchen where her little pigtailed bundle of treasure was eagerly awaiting her breakfast. Once she had made some cereal for the munchkin, Roxy began washing up the last few dishes from her dinner party the night before and staring out of the window.

Gatling, Texas. In some ways it was straight out of a storybook. Roaming fields, farms and dirt roads, little rivers and ponds that children would use as swimming holes in the summer. Roxy was one of those kids. She was born in this place, she grew up in this place and it was likely she would die here. At least there were worse places for it to happen. It was Friday in Gatling which meant that football was going to be on everyone’s mind today, including her ex husband [url=https://i.giphy.com/media/wp0Q9FYqxNsClNaJtE/source.gif]Jack Palminteri[/url] the current coach of the Gatling Garrison. As much as she hated that handsome piece of shit, he was a good father to Rhea and their current relationship was based solely around what was best for that little girl. They were civil and cordial and had left all the poison in the courtroom. He would be here soon to take the baby to school. Even on game days he still took time for his baby girl, at least that much Roxanne appreciated.

It was a warm humid day in West Texas, the sun was rising high, the wind was nonexistent and the town itself was getting ready for the Gatling Stampede. The Stampede was their version of a homecoming, many old faces and favourites were due a return to the town that acted as their foundation. There were a lot of old faces that Ro was looking forward to seeing again and there was just as many she was hoping would finally come home. She had reached out and hopes they would get her message but the world was the world and Gatling was Gatling. She had hope it was not high.

The doorbell rang which soon snapped Roxy out of her daydream. [color=C30000]”That’ll be daddy Rhea, go get your things”[/color] Roxanne made her way to the front door and opened wide to be greeted by that damned smile of Jack’s that made everyone in this devil town melt. [color=C30000]”Hey Jackie”[/color] the former couple kissed each other politely in greeting. [color=C30000]”Big game tonight Coach, what’s the play?”[/color] Jack nodded nonchalantly, a trademark of his. [color=skyblue]”Same as of always is. Hit em hard, hit em fast. Cero Miedo”[/color]. As with most of them now, this interaction was brief and ended as soon as Rhea re-entered the room. She was soon scooped up into her father’s arms. [color=pink]”I love you Mommy”[/color]. [color=C30000]”I love you too, squirt. Be a good girl for dad”[/color] Jack took a step back from the doorstep and smiled. [color=skyblue]”I’ll bring her around about lunch time Sunday. My parents want to take her into Austin in the morning”[/color] Roxanne offered up a genuine smile, as much as she had grown to dislike Jackie she did love his parents [color=C30000]”No worries, send them my love. Good luck tonight”[/color] She waved off her family as they headed down the drive before closing the door.

Now she had peace and quiet, the bodacious new blonde made her way to her office. One of the benefits of her job was that she could work from home, which was pretty much her plan for the next few nights. With Rhea spending the weekend with Jack it meant she had the world to herself and could do with her valuable free time whatever she wanted. The evenings were for walking, the days, well they were for something else. Sitting down in her big leather recliner that she had stolen from Coach Copeland upon his retirement, Roxy turned on the video camera and flashed the bright smile that had won over the hearts of an entire town. [color=C30000]”Hey, so this is video number, well I’ve kind of lost count. I was never good at maths that was always Cyrus’ thing. Anyway, so this is almost everything I wish I’d said the last time I saw your face”[/color]

Sunday comes and Jack and Rhea arrive at Roxy’s place just shy of 12pm. As the little creature runs in search of her mother, a weird uneasy feeling swallows Jackie whole. Something wasn’t right. [color=skyblue]”Ro?”[/color] He called out to no response. Wandering through the house they once shared. She was nowhere to be found until he heard the muffled sounds coming from the office. He pushed the ajar door open and covered his mouth with his hand; aghast as his daughter sat on the lap of her mother. Her eyes were closed, her hands hung at her sides and the little angel was confused.

[color=pink]”Mommy?”[/color]

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It was a gloomy Friday in Gatling. The usual orange sky had been replaced by a dull grey veil which hung high above reigning down heavy showed in spaces out intervals. It was as if the heavens themselves wept for the departed Roxanne Williams. Most people had already headed off the wake or to their homes to prepare for tonight’s game, even a death such as this wouldn’t stop Gatling football.

Dustin Rockhold alone walked the streets, it was like a scene from a zombie movie or something. He had left his truck back at the ranch, he was going to get fucked up tonight, he didn’t really want to deal with life today. His black cowboy hat shielded his bearded face from the rain as he moved slowly through the main stretch of road that was the town. He looked around and of course, everywhere was littered posters and signs hyping up football or the Stampede, most stores had signs into the windows [i]”Closed. Gone to Game”[/i]. To an outsider, this worship would be ridiculous but to everyone in Gatling, this was a way of life.
It was always God, Football and Texas; not necessarily in that order.

The venue for the wake was the Border Tavern, of course it was; it was everyone’s favourite shithole. Apparently Roxy had left some kind video will to be played at her funeral. Dusty has been to enough funerals in his lifetime and each one was worse than the last. Beyond the horizon, the cowboy could see the feint lines of the Gatling football field where he shared so many memories with Roxanne and their friends. God, they were worlds apart from who they used to be. Everyone but Roxy, she never changed. She was always the heart and soul of everyone around her. The lord must have needed another angel to take her so soon.

Opening the door of the Tavern and stepping out of the rain, Dusty recognised too many of the faces in there and not all of them he wanted to see. He beligned for the bar and the old hag that ran the joint. [color=AF986D]”Two shots, two beers Delores and make it your strongest shit”[/color][/center]