Monday November 5, 1979

Dorothy was in a bind. Her best waitress was out on maternity leave and tomorrow would be one of her busiest days of the year. Election day always was. This one might result in the biggest voter turnout yet. You see, Deputy Lucian Connally had decided to take on old Sheriff Baxter in the election. He like many others thought the Sheriff was too old and set in his ways and things needed to be shaken up a bit. But the old timers, and there were plenty in Absaroka County, thought Lucian was "too big for his britches" and needed to step back like a "good boy". She knew everyone would turn out the next day to share their opinion at the polls.

She had tried calling her regular backup staff but none had been available, so she called down to the high school and asked to speak to the home economics teacher. She explained her situation and asked if there were any girls the teacher thought might be good to have come into the Busy Bee to help her out with the extra customers. That was how Martha Gilbreath ended up waiting tables at the Busy Bee.

Barlow came into the Bee for breakfast after voting the next morning. He found a table all the way at the back and sat down. He was lucky to have a place to sit at all it was so busy. He turned his coffee cup right side up and started to read the paper while he waited for his waitress. He didn't even glance up when his cup was filled and a saucer of creamers was placed next to it, "Morning Susan, I'll take the usual."

"I'm sorry sir, Susan's with another customer but I'd be happy to take your order."

He looked up into the face of a girl with auburn hair and the prettiest blue eyes he has ever seen, "Well hello there."

He was greeted with a warm smile, "Hi!"

"I'd be delighted for you to take my order."

She dropped her head down to look at the floor and he detected a slight blush rising in her cheeks.

"I'll take two eggs over easy, bacon and toast."

"Okay, I'll get it right out to you."

"You do that."

He watched her walk back to the kitchen to turn in his order. She looked to be about nineteen, young but not too young. He wondered if she was seeing anyone.

Unfortunately, the restaurant was too busy for him to really talk to her again. She kept his coffee filled and checked on him with a smile, but quickly hurried off to tend to another table. After she dropped off the his check she didn't make it back by and he knew he may as well get to work. He planned to come in the next day when things would be slower and maybe have a chance to talk to her a little more.

The next morning he walked into the Busy Bee and looked around for Dorothy's newest waitress. She wasn't out front so he went ahead and sat at a table. Dorothy came over to pour him coffee and he took the opportunity to inquire as to her whereabouts.

"Where's your new girl this morning?"

"New girl?"

"Yes, the younger one with the piercing blue eyes?"

"You mean Martha?"

Barlow smiled, so her name is Martha, "Yes."

Dorothy gave him a stern look, "Martha is back at school today. She was just filling in for me yesterday since Julia is still on maternity leave. She's not a regular employee."

"Oh, that's a shame, she did a great job yesterday."

"Yes she did. She's got a bright future ahead of her Barlow, so leave her alone." After delivering her warning Dorothy went back to the kitchen to get his order started.

Well, that was certainly direct but he was used to Dorothy. Her mention of Martha being back at school though had caught him off guard. He thought about it and decided she must be taking classes at the community college over in Sheridan. The girl is furthering her education. That made her even more appealing to him. Unfortunately he knew Dorothy would be tight lipped and refuse to tell him anything more about her. She was very protective of her employees and knew too much about Barlow to give him anything more than she had. He would just have to see what he could find out on his own.

Dorothy had watched Barlow walk out the door of her restaurant. She was still concerned about Barlow's interest in Martha. The Connallys had always been a well-respected family with a reputation for being strong-willed and determined but fair. They had been in Absaroka County for several generations, being some of the original settlers in the area. Barlow's father John was an only child but he and his wife Carol wanted to have about a dozen children of their own. Their first pregnancy was uneventful and Carol gave birth to their oldest boy Lucian. Over the next several years they suffered a series of devastating miscarriages that nearly tore them both apart. They were thrilled when Carol was able to carry another child to term and decided to name him Barlow. Unfortunately, there were some complications during his delivery and they almost lost him. He spent several months in the neonatal ICU up in Billings before he was able to come home. Though they didn't have the large family they had hoped for, they were thankful for what they had and generous and loving with both of their boys. They had given them everything they had ever wanted and every opportunity in life. Lucian took it all in stride, but Barlow reacted to all the love and attention in a different way. He often acted as though he was better than everybody else, both at home and elsewhere. His parents meant well and just wanted him to be happy and healthy but he took it a step further focusing strictly on material and monetary gains. He wanted wealth and power and wasn't afraid to step on whoever got in his way. He had a sense of entitlement you often see in children who are extremely spoiled. As Barlow got older he began to really butt heads with his father as his lack of empathy for others grew more pronounced. He resisted any attempt his parents made at establishing boundaries during his teen years and once he finished school and joined the family business he wasn't willing to listen to any kind direction. He showed little respect for his father or those who had worked beside him for decades. Dorothy thought it a shame that after how much John and Carol had loved and done for their youngest son, that their relationship had become strained due to Barlow's arrogance. Eventually Barlow had been able to harness himself into a tolerable human. After he took over the business completely he learned quickly how to manage both allies and competitors and he could bullshit with the best of them. Deep down though he maintained a sense of superiority that would slowly seep it's way into any close relationships he managed to cultivate. That was one of the reasons that he was in his early thirties and had never dated anyone more than a few months.

Dorothy had grown up with Barlow and knew that once he set his mind on something that he would not easily let it go. Martha was a good girl and only sixteen. She did not need Barlow pursuing her. Dorothy was glad Martha wasn't a regular employee because it would have been a lot harder to keep her away from Barlow. That's why she had made sure to mention that she wasn't out of school yet. Dorothy hoped that Martha's age would keep Barlow from pursuing the girl.