Chapter 37:
The week before Jake's clinic was the most important spring event know to ranching; branding season. Sam found herself enjoying the cool spring air while sitting atop Ace. Her job was mainly to rope the steers and drag them to the fire ring Dallas and Pepper had made up. Once there, one of the cowboys would hold down the steer to be branded and vaccinated. This often was painful to see for a rancher's daughter who loved every four legged animal but she knew in her gut she had to get used to hearing the calfs bawl out in pain to their mothers.
Every so often she would pick up her camera and snap a few shots. She zoomed in on small details such as Pepper's detailed spurs with background of cattle nearby. Jake's perfectly rounded rope loop was magazine material as she snapped each shot. She even took a few of Quinn teaching little Cody how to hold down a steer. With Sam's eyes on them she knew Quinn was being extra careful keeping Cody safe around the cattle and the fire ring.
Most of the Ely brothers came to help and Maxine brought over a lunch around noon. Sam was thankful for the small break since they started early this morning. After this they would ride over to the Ely's for more branding and the Three Ponies herd was almost twice the size of River Bend's.
"We leave on Thursday, right?" Quinn asked, taking a bite out of his ham sandwich.
Jake nodded in return, "Yep. At dawn."
A slight sense of jealously tingled in Sam's thoughts. Jake had asked her earlier that week if she was okay with Quinn and Bryan tagging along to the clinic with him. Even though she bet it wasn't Jake's idea, this was a once in a lifetime chance for him, he shouldn't be alone to experience it. Of course his family should go to support him. And so should she, she thought.
She shook her head at herself. Don't be selfish. Jake deserves this. She should be home helping tend to the herd with Dallas, Ross, and Pepper. Spring was always a busy time with calving and branding season. As much as she wished she could tag along she knew where her place was. Jake looked over to catch her green eyes but she only met them for a moment before glancing away. But lately, her place was often by his side.
"You're going to do great," Maxine encouraged while passing out cold refreshments.
"But don't come cryin' to us when you blow it," Quinn joked, deserving an elbow to the rib from Bryan. The brothers all smiled except for a serious Jake.
"Or when you can't speak up," Seth chimed. The boys joked and Maxine gave them glares as if they knew better.
Sam rolled her eyes at the banter but knew Jake hated when his brothers picked up him. When they were little kids Jake often found escape from his pesky brothers by hanging out with her at River Bend. She had no idea how he put up with them for years growing up.
"I don't know fella's," said Adam, "If Baby Bear keeps this up he'll be more famous than Kit."
A few of the men laughed and some just smiled with a shake of their head. Jake thought about his oldest brother currently residing in Hawaii. While most saw Kit as a classic cowboy hero, Jake often saw him as mystery. He had to admit, Kit was a great horseman but he was intimidating. When he showed up in town a few years ago he could make heads turn just by walking in small town Darton. He'd never be as good with horses as Kit was, Jake thought shamefully, Kit was a natural.
"That'll be the day," Quinn pipped up sarcastically, "Nobody will be more famous than the greatest bronc rider in the world."
They all enjoyed teasing Kit knowing darn well it was okay to as long as he wasn't here to kick their butts.
Cody jumped up and ran to sit on Jake's lap. He pushed up his small cowboy hat and leaned back to read Jake's face.
"You ride bronc's too, Ake?" the child asked sweetly.
Quinn and Bryan's eyes danced with laughter. Jake on a bronc? They'd seen him thrown multiple times off bucking horses but not for a competition. This kid sure kept them entertained.
Jake held Cody in his lap and looked down at him. "Not this time," he said softly. "I'm going to help other horses, like Ace and Blue."
Cody's face lit up, "ustangs!"
They all laughed and Jake nodded, "Yes, mustangs."
Cody squirmed in his lap, "Are you gonna help the silver one, too?"
The voices around the fire quit laughing and looked around at each other. Sam met Jake's dark brown eyes from across the inner circle they sat around. No one had to guess about which horse Cody was talking about, they all knew only one silver horse around this area.
The Phantom.
Jake saw the worry in Sam's faint green eyes. How did Cody know about the Phantom? Had he seen him perhaps while driving on their way to town? Had the Phantom visited the ranch while they had their backs turned?
Thinking to himself, typical old cowboy style, Jake waited a minute before giving the boy an answer.
"I already have," he told Cody quietly.
Sam thought about his simple response. All the training the Phantom knew was from Jake when he was a jet black colt. Even though he blames himself for the accident, Sam knew the Phantom wouldn't be as gentle as he is without that first introduction Native American training Jake used. To this day the Phantom still responds to her cues, such as his secret name, they taught him at such a young age.
As much as they'd hope to recapture "Blackie" back then, Sam knew now that he was safer as a wild horse, where he truly belonged. Did the sick twist of events after the accident prove Jake helped the stallion become himself, a free horse now finally meant to be wild, she wondered. Or how his training skills proved to have a lifelong effect even after a tamed horse was set free?
She wondered if she was the only one thinking the same thing when no one spoke. Quinn took another bite of his sandwich and Bryan and Seth stood up ready to mount back up.
Little Cody was satisfied with the answer but still sat in Jake's lap, happy as a kid in a candy store. Sam wished she could freeze this moment in time, she never would have guessed her little brother would be talking to her best friend now husband about the Phantom. She was grateful Jake didn't make the stallion out to be a menace like other people did. And that was one of the eye opening reasons she fell more in love with him everyday, she thought.
Sam reached out to grab her camera as Cody kept talking to Jake. Now that he was getting older he was learning more words quickly. Poor shy Jake sat listening and answering each question Cody threw at him and Sam's heart fluttered when she snapped a picture of the matching big and little cowboys lost in conversation. She couldn't help but to grin at them.
"Head 'em up!" she heard Dallas holler across the field.
Cody stood up and hollered back, "Mooove 'em out!" He finished the old quote.
They all laughed out loud and slowly began getting ready to finish up the long day of branding.
*** hey ya'll! I hope you've enjoyed these few chapters! & by the way i looove all of your sweet comments, i do read them and thank you all so so much for your kind words and support! :) keep it up! Happy trails!