Dallas, Texas
"Ride again!" clapping his little hands excitedly, letting go of the reins, her youngest cousin looked across at her expectantly.
"Again?"
Laughing, Lucy knew she'd end up walking Fog, their newest little white pony, around the ring a few more times before the morning was over.
"Ride again!" Repeating his request, John Ross' words had the intended effect on her and soon enough she was walking around the perimeter of the arena again, careful not to let him fall, although when he was concentrating on riding he had reasonable grip.
Slowing as she passed her granddaddy standing beside the gate as he offered Charlie advice as she rode Snowy independently, building her confidence more than anything else because she'd shown herself to be an able rider already, she came to a full stop when he addressed her.
"You might have a future at Southworth Stables."
Looking a little put out by the fact that they'd stopped moving, John Ross didn't grumble, instead watching and listening as they started to talk.
"Maybe, but you know I like the horses right here at Southfork."
Open just a few weeks, Bobby's new stables were beautiful and the trails were new and unexplored but there wasn't the same heart and soul to the premises just yet. With time it would come, but for now she felt most comfortable and most at home at Southfork.
"You don't know how much it pleases me to hear that."
Holding her eye contact, paying no attention to anyone but her, her granddaddy's smile and statement were warm and comforting.
"I think I do."
Before John Ross, Charlie and her new unborn cousin she'd been the only grandchild in the family, and before Sue Ellen, Pam, and Jenna, she'd been the only additional family member who had come to Southfork from elsewhere. She hadn't chosen Southfork consciously, she'd been too young to do so, but she was glad it was where she'd ended up, because she truly did love it.
"This is your home."
"The only one I've ever known."
Her parents were complicated and absent, not in her life enough to really be considered parents in the way other children had parents. They tried, and she understood why her daddy had to leave after his quick visits, being around the rest of the family made him antsy. Her mother was unwelcome for different reasons, ones she thought she might understand better when she was older.
Luckily, what she lacked in parents she made up for in other family members. Her grandparents had been there for her in the parental roles, as had her uncles and their wives. She'd been delighted when JR had brought Sue Ellen home, not always getting along with her but more than happy to have more family around.
With her grandmother gone, Pam too, the house had felt empty for a while, but Bobby, Jenna and Charlie added life to Southfork and she liked that a lot. She adored her grandfather too, spending time with him as they were now being one of her favourite activities, no matter her age. She missed her grandma every day but she had grieved and had experienced living with loss, so each day was easier than the last.
"Is that a problem?"
His eyes on hers, her granddaddy appeared concerned, concerned that perhaps she felt differently to how she presented herself.
"No, I love it here and I wouldn't want to be anywhere else."
Reassuring him that she was happy, his happiness at her answer was apparent, something that made her feel good.
"Horsey!"
Raising his voice, it was clear that John Ross' patience for sitting still was wearing thin, and with that, she started to walk again, leading Fog on the same path they'd been walking since they started.
Half an hour later, after moving outside to one of the small paddocks so Charlie could ride a little more independently, she herself could let Toffee get some exercise and Fog could have a break, she slowed as her granddaddy and John Ross waved at her from where they stood by the gate.
"Lucy, we're just heading inside to find the apples."
Understanding what he meant, that she was to watch and make sure Charlie was ok for a few minutes while he was gone, she nodded and waited for her cousin and granddaddy to turn around before starting to ride again.
Approaching Charlie, they rode along the perimeter of the paddock together, talking a little and then falling silent, enjoying the natural sounds of the ranch.
"Lucy?"
Slowing down, Charlie looked beyond her over at the stables, nodding her head in the direction as if to tell her to pay attention to something.
Listening, she could hear a faint noise, one she could only put down to distress, human distress, not equine.
Uncomfortably familiar with the feeling in her stomach, she asked, "is that John Ross?" although she already knew the answer.
Her mind racing, her body followed, Toffee taking off towards the gate immediately as she changed her riding cues, Charlie and Snowy closely behind.
"Charlie, please watch the horses!"
Dismounting, she shouted over her shoulder, not caring whether her tone startled the girl or not, she could always apologise later, there were more pressing things requiring her attention at present.
"John Ross? Granddaddy?"
Running inside, following the sound of John Ross' cries and her prior knowledge of where the two had been heading when she'd last seen them, she passed the tack room and headed for the feed room.
"John Ross? Granddaddy?"
Reaching the doorway, noticing John Ross first as he approached the sound of her voice, his face red and tear streaked, it wasn't until she looked in further that she noticed why.
"Granddaddy!"
She'd always known him to be tall and strong but he was neither of those things now. Slumped in the corner of the room, pale, sweating and looking as if he could barely breathe, he met her eye and it was at that point she knew.
"Go."
"I love you. We'll be back."
Shaking, she pulled John Ross into her arms, carrying him out of the room in search of help. Her granddaddy wouldn't make it, her intuition told her that, their shared look indicating he knew it too, but she had to do something.
To be continued…