I don't know how long I rode away trying to escape from my thoughts with the sun at my back. I felt free. I felt alive. And as I finally slowed my horse, I suddenly felt lost. I dismounted and looked around. "Shit Rebecca" I muttered to myself. I certainly had not been thinking ahead when I rode out without any warning to my new family or sense of direction to help find my way back.

I'm a skilled rider but have a terrible sense of direction. Once, when checking on a patient of my father's a few miles outside of his office in town, I'd gotten completely lost on my way home and he'd had to send out a few riders from town looking for me. He'd never let me live that one down. Now I didn't have anyone who knew me well enough to tease me like that. I realized the McCoy's would have no idea where to look for me, so I'd have to do my best to follow my trail home.

I mounted again and started back in the direction I'd come. After half an hour at a brisk place I passed a lake to my left and realized how hungry and thirsty I was. Taking special notice of where I was, I veered left to get some cool water. I splashed some water on my face. It felt cool and refreshing as the day all around me heating up as the sun climbed higher in the sky. I gazed at my reflection in the water.

Everyone had always told me I was pretty with long, dark hair and bright green eyes. My father always used to say that I had my mother's eyes. I can't remember her enough to picture her eyes. Since she died, my father had been extremely protective of me. He had turned away a number of men interested in marrying me. Not that I'd been interested in marrying yet, I always felt quite content spending my days helping my father with his practice, spending time outside, riding horses, learning to shoot and other activities that were generally frowned upon for a proper young lady my age. I looked back at my reflection and smiled. Maybe I would find a place to fit in here in Kentucky. Maybe I could get married and start a family of my own.

Just as I was laughing to myself at this thought, I heard some commotion and yelling a ways away at the edge of the lake to my right. I immediately stood and was relieved to realize that the place I was standing was well hidden by low bushes. I turned and watched to my right as two boys sprinted down a wooden dock I hadn't noticed was there. I felt a blush creeping up my cheeks as I realized that they were quickly stripping off their clothes to take a swim. I felt guilty watching but couldn't seem to take my eyes from them and certainly couldn't escape with my horse now without their noticing.

Even at a distance I could tell they were brothers. They shared the same blonde hair, broad shoulders and strong facial features. They were clearly very handsome and strong and I imagined many local girls would think the same. I blushed ever deeper realizing I had never seen a completely naked man before. I enjoyed hearing their laughs and taunts at each other.

One seemed slightly older, though it was slightly hard to tell by how much from the distance I was at. The older brother shoved the younger one off the dock and into the water, jumping in himself with a whoop and a large splash. I couldn't help but smile at how playful and good-natured they seemed as they swam and splashed around for a while. Finally they climbed out and I forced myself to turn away as they got dressed and ran away from the dock.

Once I was sure they were away, a laugh bubbled up inside of me that I couldn't keep in. I felt more myself than I had in weeks. I considered going for a swim myself but remembered that my cousins still did not know where I'd gone. I found my way back to the McCoy house by around noon, with a smile on my face and a more optimistic feeling about my future in Kentucky.