Ranch Life 8
I don't own these characters; I just like to spend time with them. No other profit to be had.
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Two hours after leaving Doc's office, Kitty and Luke, with Tom trailing on his horse, were finally on their way home. Before they had left town, Kitty had asked Luke if he had any clothes or belongings that he wanted to take with him. "No, Ma'am," Luke answered. "Only clothes I got, I'm wearin'."
"Well then," Kitty remarked, "I guess we'd better stop by the store then, before we leave."
Luke looked at her curiously but didn't reply, as Kitty led him over to the general store and proceeded to buy him several outfits as well as a hat and a pair of boots.
Luke sat proudly beside her now, as she steered the buggy down Front Street, looking down at his new boots. "I ain't never had nothing new afore." He stated. "Pa always said new clothes weren't as important as food to eat and a place to stay."
Kitty glanced sadly at the boy. Though it had been many years ago, she remembered when she had first taken off on her own and the sometimes desperate choices she had been forced to make, just to survive.
"I understand what your Pa meant by that, Luke," she said, "but having something new can sometimes be just as important."
Luke looked up her and smiled as though she had just imparted golden words of wisdom, meant only for his ears. In fact just about everything she had said, since she first met him, had garnered the same reaction from him. It was almost as if she was some sort of hero to the boy, which made no sense at all as they had never met before this morning.
"Luke?" Kitty asked. "You act as though you know me. Why?"
Luke looked over her. "Cause I do know you." He stated as though that had been a stupid question. "I've always known you."
"How?" Kitty asked. "I mean, we've never met before today."
Luke looked at her strangely. "Sure we have. You been coming to me ever since I can remember."
Kitty arched a brow in surprise. "I have?" she asked.
Luke nodded. "Uh huh. Anytime things was bad for me you would come, exceptin' before you only come when I was sleepin'. Figure ya come after I woke up this time cause Pa's so bad hurt. You mean you don't remember?"
"Well…." Kitty shrugged, "not really. But I guess it doesn't really matter though, now does it? I mean I did come for you."
Luke smiled happily up at her. "Yes, Ma'am, just like always."
Kitty returned the smile, thinking on what the boy had said. Apparently he had been dreaming of someone for some time now that she must either look like or at least remind him of. That explained somewhat his reaction, when she had appeared at Doc's office. 'Poor kid', she thought. 'I hope I can help him like his dream does.'
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They were only a short ways from the ranch, when Kitty suddenly pulled up sharply on the reins, bringing the buggy to a screeching halt. Standing in the middle of road was Bravo, without a doubt, the biggest and meanest bull that the Rocking DR ranch owned.
Luke looked up at Kitty, then over at Tom with frightened eyes. "What's that?" he asked as Bravo bellowed, raking the ground beneath him.
"It's Bravo," Tom answered. "Don't know what he's doing out. You and the boy best stay here, Ma'am, and I'll see if I can rope him and get him back into the pasture."
Kitty nodded. "You be careful, Tom," she told him. "Matt's told me how dangerous he is and I don't want to see you hurt."
"Don't worry about me, Mrs. Dillon" Tom answered bravely. "I'll be fine."
Kitty looked up at his words remembering another tall cowboy who had told her the same thing many times and wasn't always able to mean them.
Glancing over at Luke, she could see the fear and worry, as Tom resolutely took his lariat and started whirling it above his hat heading for Bravo. But Bravo had other ideas.
Looking at Tom, as one would a gnat, he turned his attention instead on the buggy and the occupants of that conveyance. Tom twirled his reata one last time and tossed it squarely at Bravo's head. But somewhere in his lineage, Bravo must have had an ancestor that was more acrobat then bull. Deftly, he turned his head and stepped to the side, completely avoiding the lasso that had been meant for him.
As Tom recoiled his rope, Bravo gave another mighty bellow of frustration, tossing his head and again pawing the ground beneath him. Tom could see the agitation in the animal, and the focus of his gaze. "Ma'am," Tom said, trying to keep his voice calm and level, so as not to alarm his employer and the boy. "I think it might not be a bad idea if you were to try and back the buggy up a little. There's a small turnout just behind you, that'd get you out of the road."
"Alright," Kitty agreed as she slowly pulled on the reins. "Back, Peaches," she called to the horse, "come on, back up." Peaches apparently understood the urgency of the situation and the danger, because she responded quickly to Kitty's commands, backing slowly but surely down the road till they had arrived at the spot mentioned by Tom.
Kitty deftly pulled the buggy into the turnout, taking it completely off the road just as Bravo decided it was time he obliterate the four wheeled contraption in front of him.
With a snort and a bellow, Bravo furiously shook his head, pawed the ground then bolted forward. A buggy, a woman and a small frightened boy firmly in his sights.
"Run, Mrs. Dillon," was all that Tom managed to get out, as the enraged bovine raced madly passed him.
TBC
