Ranch Life 9

I don't own these characters; I just like to spend time with them. No other profit to be had.

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As Bravo thundered past him, Tom frantically tossed another loop at his head, hoping to snag at least a horn. He missed. Desperately, he recalled his rope for another try, just as Bravo reached the buggy, and the lone small boy sitting inside.

Kitty had already climbed out by then, and was standing in the middle of road, purposefully facing the raging tower of beef down. With blue eyes blazing, and hands on hips, she seemed to be more than a match for the infuriated animal.

The bull stopped in his tracks, staring at the red headed creature before him. For a brief span of time, neither woman nor beast moved, as each stared at the other. Taking in deep gulps of air, Bravo shook his massive head, not understanding why the woman did not seem to be afraid of him.

Bravo snorted again, bellowed again and pawed again, but the woman did not move. Never taking her eyes from the bewildered brute, she called to Tom. "Tom, while his attention is focused on me, don't you think it would be a good idea to try that rope again?"

Tom nodded in reply, before he realized she wouldn't see the nod. Her focus had never strayed from Bravo. "Yes, Ma'am," he tried again in a strangled voice. Thinking better of once again trying to lasso the bull, Tom instead rode right up to him, and simply settled the rope around Bravo's head, with very little protest from the animal in question. Glancing over at Kitty, he was completely in awe of her feat.

Kitty didn't move, until she saw Tom tighten the loop, and begin to drag the now tranquil animal back down and off the road. Finally, she released the breath she had been holding, and turned to see the stunned and amazed expression on Luke's face.

"You stopped him," Luke said in wonderment. "He was gonna kill us, and you stopped him."

"Yeah well…." Kitty muttered, still shaking. "What you say we don't worry about that right now, and get ourselves on to the ranch, huh? I need a drink."

Luke looked a little curiously at her and nodded. The only drinks he knew about were water, milk and the strong brew his father sometimes drank, called coffee. He wasn't sure how any those would help her, but it didn't matter. Once again, the heroine of his dreams had stepped up to the plate and took care of him, when he needed her.

Kitty climbed back into the buggy and steered it back onto the road, clicking softly to Peaches urging her forward. Tom had already pulled Bravo far back from the road and had him securely tied to a tree, where he would stay until after Mrs. Dillon and the boy were well away.

"See ya at the ranch, Tom," Kitty called as she drove away.

"Yes, Ma'am," he answered, watching until she and the boy were out of sight. "The boys in the bunk house ain't never gonna believe this one," he said, not realizing he was speaking out loud. "Nope, they ain't never gonna believe this."

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Luke remained quiet as they continued onto the ranch, never taking his eyes off of Kitty. "She saved me," he kept thinking. "She saved me."

Kitty felt the boy's stares and they were making her uncomfortable. That, and the fact that she still hadn't told him who would be at the ranch, when they got there.

When they finally reached the entrance gates of the ranch, Kitty pulled up on the reins and brought the buggy to a halt. Glancing over at Luke, she followed his gaze up to the ranch brand above the gates.

Luke looked at the brand and then back at Kitty. "What's that say?" he asked.

"Well, it really doesn't say anything," Kitty explained seeing an opening, "it's a brand for our ranch. See the curving line at the bottom, kinda looks like the rocker on a rocking chair?"

Luke nodded, studying the sign.

"Well, that is a symbol for rocking. Now, do you see the big D resting in the middle of the rocker, with the smaller R sitting inside of the D?"

Luke nodded again.

"Well that D stands for Dillon and the R stands for Russell. My husbands name is Matt Dillon, and my name is Kitty Russell, or at least it was before we married. The ranch is called the Rocking D R."

Luke continued to study the sign, not giving any indication as to whether Matt's name registered with him or not. "Why is your name inside his?" Luke asked after a few seconds.

"Well, because it sorta stands for the relationship I have with my husband. My initial being in the heart of his, is like me being in Matt's heart. Does that make any sense?"

Luke nodded slowly. "Pa always said he carried my ma and me in his heart. Said it meant he loved us. Is it like that?"

Kitty nodded, glad that Luke understood, and hoping it would make a difference in how he treated Matt. "Yes, Luke, it's just like that. And of course, I carry Matt in my heart, as well as our children."

Luke looked up at that, startled at the news. "You got kids?" he asked. He had never thought of 'his' red haired lady having kids, or anyone else close to her besides he himself.

"Yes I do, Luke." Kitty answered. "I have a boy named James and a baby girl named Emily."

"Do they know about me?" Luke wondered if she ever told her husband and kids when she left them to come to him.

"Yes they do. Or least my son and husband do. Emily is a little too small right now to understand. But I know she and my son and my husband will like you as much as I do."

The name Matt Dillon had finally sank in and Luke looked up at Kitty. "Your husband shot my pa." He said it as a simple statement of fact and Kitty heard no condemnation in it.

She nodded. "Yes, he did, but only because your pa gave him no other choice. Luke, Matt is a good man and he would never hurt your pa or any one else if he could help it. That's why he took your pa into town to see the doctor, and why I came for you. We want you to understand that and we want you to be safe and happy with us until your pa's better. Okay?"

For the first time, Luke looked away from her, refusing to meet her gaze. For as long as he could remember he had trusted this woman, and he wanted to do so now but her husband had shot his pa. He decided to forget that.

Luke finally turned back to Kitty, with a deep sigh. "You always took care of me." He told her "And you was always honest with me, so I'll trust you?"

Kitty smiled at him. "Good," she said, as she flicked the reins and started Peaches on her way to the house.

TBC