WARNINGS: The only swearword used in this part is 'damn'. There are a few times sex is alluded to, but there are no graphic descriptions at all. Dorothy, Jane, Freddy, Billy and Shirley (as well as Krys and Lu) are original characters created by me.
Part 8: Saturday Morning
"Okay watch this," Nathan says, as he shoots at the target and hits it dead in the middle.
Josiah chuckles and says, "Nice one, Pity you're so close to the target."
They laugh at Nathan's cheating.
Meanwhile, at a ranch not far away…
Chris and Vin are riding side by side talking, at the huge ranch. Krys is riding behind Vin on his horse, as she's never rode before. JD is riding far behind, as his horse is slow.
Chris asks Vin, "How long d'you reckon we should stay here in Memphis, considerin' we've still got several days vacation left?" Chris had finally worked out what day of the week it was.
Vin sighs and replies, "I wish we could stay forever - everyone is so nice."
"We haven't even been here a whole day. You might get bored soon."
Krys shouts to JD who's lagging behind them, "What's keepin' you?"
JD shouts back, "I think I'm gettin' low on gas."
Krys and Vin laugh at the joke JD just made.
Vin says, "I'm gonna go and help JD. His horse is trailin' far behind."
"Okay, Blackie and me will wait here for you," answers Chris.
Vin and Krys ride back to JD.
"Get off ya horse, let me try that one and see if'n I can make it go faster," says Vin.
Vin and Krys get off their horse. JD dismounts off his slightly smaller one. Vin gets onto JD's horse and kicks it to make it go. It moves very slowly. He kicks it a bit harder but it still stays slow, so Vin dismounts.
"I don't think she's very well. You take my horse an' me an' Krys will take her back and let them know we think she's unwell. Then we'll bring another one back fer ya."
"Okay, I'll join Chris and we'll wait for you guys," says JD, giving the horse a sympathetic stroke, hoping there's nothing seriously wrong with her.
Meanwhile, Chris has got off his horse and is throwing stones into the river nearby, seeing how far he can make them skip across the surface.
Back at the shooting range…
The shooting group are having fun shooting at the targets with their rifles. Nathan is failing miserably to even hit the targets.
"Are you having difficulties, Mistah Jackson?" asks Ezra.
"It's not my fault - the targets keep movin'," complains Nathan.
"Targets don't move on their own," says Lu.
"Nathan, why don't you try another rifle?" suggests Josiah.
"All the rifles are the same, I don't think changing Mistah Jackson's weapon would be to his advantage," says Ezra.
"Maybe this rifle's unlucky," thinks Nathan out loud.
"Yeah, maybe it's got a curse on it," suggests Josiah jokingly.
"Maybe Mistah Jackson, you are the one with the curse," suggests Ezra.
"Let's head back, it's nearly lunch-time," says Josiah, coming to Nathan's rescue.
"No-one has lunch dead on 12!" exclaims Lu, after looking at her watch to check the time.
"They do if they are famished and don't wish to die of starvation, Miss Travis," replies Ezra.
They head back to Dorothy's house.
Back at the ranch…
Vin and Krys have finally got back to Chris and JD, who are sitting on the grass talking. They've replaced JD's horse with a much faster, bigger one.
"I think we should stay here tomorra then head back the mornin' after," suggests Vin.
"I decide when we leave, Vin. I say we should stay another day then head back the morning after," says Chris, pretending Vin hadn't spoken first.
"I jest said that."
Chris starts humming, ignoring Vin. Vin looks at Krys for her to defend him, but Krys just shrugs.
"Are you two still engaged?" asks JD.
"Of course we are, JD. We gotta set a date for the weddin'," answers Vin.
"Already??" exclaims Chris shocked.
"Can't stay engaged ferever," explains Vin.
Quickly changing the subject, Chris says, "It's nearly lunch-time. We better get back to have lunch."
"I can't wait to see what Dorothy's cook has made - that dinner last night was the best I ever had," says JD, licking his lips in anticipation.
"You sayin' you don't like my food?" questions Chris.
"You should take some lessons from Dorothy's cook," says Vin.
Chris starts riding back, annoyed at the remark Vin just made. Krys has learnt to ride well very quickly, so rides JD's horse while JD rides with Vin, much to JD's annoyance.
"Quit fidgetin' JD," orders Vin.
"But this is really uncomfortable," moans JD.
"We don' have a mini bus for the moment, JD," says Vin.
Chris farther ahead mutters, "I miss that bus."
Vin gains on Chris, "Hey, pard. Give me all your money or you'll be sorry."
"Quit messin', Junior."
"Let's play Cowboys an' Indians - I'll be the Indian chief," announces Vin.
"We're not kids, Vin," answers Chris.
"You're no fun. We'll play without you."
Vin rides to Krys and tells her what they'll do.
"I thought we were going for lunch," she says to him.
"We'll do that first, then we'll all play it. It'll be fun," Vin says back to her.
"We ain't got no costumes or props though," says JD from behind Vin.
"We have our imaginations, JD - better than any props," says Vin.
"I'll be Billy the Kid," says JD.
"That suits you, Kid," says Vin with a smile.
"Not because you think I'm still a kid!" says JD.
"You are still a kid."
"I didn't suggest playing cowboys and Indians," argues JD.
"Guess I'm a big kid," admits Vin.
Krys rides over, "I don't wanna be an Indian, but I wanna be on your side, Vin."
"We could always have good and bad cowboys instead," suggests Vin.
"Like in Billy the Kid," says JD.
"Who's gonna be on the bad side?" asks Krys.
JD and Vin simultaneously answer, "Chris!"
Krys says, "I'll be the Sheriff then."
"Damn, I wanna be the sheriff," says JD.
Chris comes over, "Can you stop saying 'damn', JD?"
JD shrugs and says, "No, I can't."
"It don't sound nice."
"When have you ever been against swearing?" asks Vin.
"You're a bad influence on Krys - she's younger than you," explains Chris.
"Really? That means I'm not the youngest anymore," says JD with a smile.
Chris glares at him and says, "You're still the youngest member of ATF team 7."
"Da ... oh well."
While the two groups were riding and shooting, Buck, Dorothy and the kids went shopping…
Dorothy, Buck and the kids drove to town and went into the supermarket. The kids were picking up things and asking their mom if they could have them. She always said no. Buck put a few of the things in his basket, secretly for the kids.
They go to the toy section and Buck looks at all the Legos, especially the Star Wars things. He puts several boxes in his basket, although he knows he can't afford them. He was hoping Dorothy might buy them for him, as she's so rich. He runs up to Dorothy. "Look at all this great Star Wars Lego I've found," Buck tells her.
"You're into Star Wars and Lego, Bucklin? Aren't you a bit old for that?" asks Dorothy, surprised.
"I'm into adult things as well, darlin'," says Buck, smiling flirtatiously at her.
"Not in front of the kids, Bucklin."
"Of course not."
"You have some sense then," says Dorothy, not realising the real meaning of his statement.
"We'd do it with the bedroom door locked," replies Buck cheekily.
Dorothy tuts at him, "Bucklin, I'm a married woman."
"So?" asks Buck, raising his eyebrows.
"Stay in your own bedroom," replies Dorothy, frowning at him.
"Only if you buy me some of these Legos," blackmails Buck.
"If you promise to leave me alone I will," replies Dorothy.
"I promise."
They get to the counter and Dorothy pays for the food and Legos. Buck pays for the sweets pretending they are for him. Dorothy frowns at him.
They go into the pet shop just to look at the animals there.
"These animals are so cute," says Buck, admiring some puppies.
"That brown puppy reminds me of you when I first knew you," says Dorothy.
"I've never been THAT cute."
Billy runs up to them, "Can we get a hamster?"
Dorothy says without hesitation, "No, dear," then looking at her watch says, "look at the time, I expect your friends will be gettin' hungry. We better get the food back for cook."
Jane asks Buck, "Can we play with your Legos when we get home, Buck?"
"Yes, as long as you are very careful with them," answers Buck, with a smile.
Freddy nods his head and says, "We will be."
They get back home to find everyone sitting in the front room watching Scooby Doo on the widescreen TV.
Dorothy looks at the group and exclaims, "Don't tell me y'all like Scooby Doo?"
Lu answers her, "No, Chris doesn't - he's gone upstairs for a lie down."
"Last time we left him alone he got drunk," remembers Buck.
"There's no liquor in the house," says Dorothy.
"The rest of us like Scooby Doo though," says JD, with his eyes still on the screen.
"It's a classic episode!" announces Krys excitedly.
Billy, Jane and Freddy rush upstairs with Buck's Star Wars Legos - they've seen that Scooby episode a lot of times already.
"We're having lunch soon, wash your hands, kids," Dorothy calls after them.
Billy shouts back, "Yes, Mom."
Buck asks JD, "How did the horseridin' go?"
JD replies, "I got a slow horse - went like a snail in slow motion. Vin had to ride it back to the ranch and get a better one. Thought it might be sick, but turns out it's always been that slow"
"I'll bet Vin saw that one, knew it would be slow, and made sure that you got it," says Buck with a smile.
"Looked fine ta me, it was a better size for JD anyway," says Vin, defending himself.
"You callin' me short?" asks JD, irritation showing in his voice.
"I thought you didn't like heights much, that's all."
"You don't like bunnies much either."
Chris comes down; "Good, you're back. Did you get anythin' good at the shops?"
"I got some Star Wars Lego - the kids are playin' with it," answers Buck.
"Great."
"Great, Chris?" exclaims Vin, looking at Chris with a worried expression on his face.
"Your sanity is becoming doubtful lately, Mistah Larabee," comments Ezra.
"I feel great!" says Chris, sounding a bit like JD.
"Did ya meet Shirley upstairs, Chris?" asks Nathan.
"No, course not, I haven't been anywhere near her since breakfast."
"Did you sleep with her last night?" asks Buck, suspiciously.
"NO!" comes the not very convincing answer from Chris.
"Why are you sweatin'?" asks Nathan.
Chris replies, wiping his face, "It's too damn hot in here."
"You told me not to say that word," complains JD.
"You were abusin' it."
"Let's leave Chris alone. I got a great idea for after lunch," says Vin, coming to Chris's rescue.
"Goin' home?" says JD, beginning to get bored and missing Casey a lot.
"No," answers Vin.
"We're gonna play act at cowboys," says Krys, in a very excited tone.
"Okay," says Buck, throwing a questioning look toward Vin and Krys.
"Some of us have to be bad cowboys though," explains Vin.
"Mister Larabee would make an excellent villainous cowboy!" says Ezra, recalling the resemblance between Chris and Johnny Ringo in the film Tombstone.
"I'M NOT PLAYING NO KIDS' GAMES," shouts Chris, annoyed.
Billy and his siblings come downstairs after having washed their hands.
"Uncle Chris, do you want to see Buck's legos?" asks Jane, grabbing his hand.
Chris replies, "Sure, I'd love to."
He goes upstairs with the kids.
Lu looks at the rest of the men and asks, "What's got into Chris?"
Josiah grins and replies, "I don't think that's anatomically correct."
"He stayed in Shirley's room last night," explains Buck, with a wide grin on his face.
"Yes, I had the misfortune of hearing the two miscreants sleeping very noisily," grins Ezra.
"Do you think he'll make her pregnant?" asks Nathan concerned.
"Vin's getting married, Chris is havin' babies, whatever next?" asks JD.
"Us being bridesmaids at Chris and Shirley's weddin'," laughs Josiah.
"Jane would make a lovely bridesmaid," says Shirley, rejoining them from the kitchen.
"So would Casey," suggests JD.
Chris comes downstairs and everyone goes silent, trying to hide that they were talking about Chris.
"I know y'all were talking about me," says Chris.
"No, we weren't," argues Vin.
"Hey, don't lie to me," says Chris, lightly hitting Vin's arm.
"Are you gonna ask Shirley out?" asks Vin.
"That's not your concern."
Shirley comes in; "Lunch is ready. You'd better hurry up before the ants get it."
Nathan looks startled and says, "You have ants in your house?"
Shirley explains, "No, we're eating in the garden as it's such a nice day."
Nathan looks relieved that she doesn't have ants in her house. JD stifles a giggle.
They go outside and their lunch is set out on a picnic blanket. There are various types of sandwiches, chocolate bars, fruitcakes and other things. They all eat hungrily.
JD talks between mouthfuls, "I'm sure they're tryin' to make us fat with all this food."
Dorothy answers him; "Nonsense, we like feeding our guests properly."
"Do you get many guests?" Chris asks her.
"My husband often has friends and business partners over. We don't get many of my friends here."
"You're a great hostess - I'm sure we'll visit again in the future," compliments Buck.
"It's like havin' a big family with you guys and gals. You're welcome to visit again," says Dorothy, smiling at her new friends.
To be continued…