Cassie

Rating: PG-13

Disclaimer: no one besides Cassie and her family belong to me, no infringement intended.

AN: My apologies for any grammatical mistakes and colourful spelling errors. Thanks again to Cougar, and all those who reviewed!

Cassie was still furious when she stormed into the house, she pulled open the front door and slammed it shut behind her.

"Cassie?" Mrs. Weston called from the kitchen, "you see Cole Younger? I told him where you were at."

"I saw him all right," Cassie said shortly, she turned and made her way up the stairs.

Mrs. Weston watched her eldest daughter run up the stairs and chuckled. Cassie never got so riled up, unless Cole was involved. Mrs. Weston shook her head.

How could a girl be so foolish?

Cassie flung her wet hair over her shoulder and tied the laces of her shift. She shook her head and snorted. She'd give him the privilege all right -- of watching her dance with every boy but him. She pulled on her housecoat and tied it loosely around her waist.

She walked out of the bathroom into the hall, she heard a sharp cry and made her way to her parents bedroom. She stepped inside and grinned at Natalie who was sitting up and sobbing in her crib.

Cassie lifted Nat into her arms and Nat buried her face into Cassie's neck. Cassie grabbed Nat's old doll from the crib and handed it to her. Nat rested against Cassie, sucking her thumb, clutching onto her rag doll.

Cassie bounced her up and down and walked over to the window. Nat was warm from her nap and Cassie struggled to open the window. A cool breeze lifted Nat's wispy blond hair from her face and she opened her large blue eyes.

Cassie settled onto the ledge of the window and stared out across the fields and the pasture. The farm wasn't as big as some of the other's in the county, but it was home. The Westons made a small profit selling vegetables in town and as soon as Nat was five years old Mrs. Weston would be taking up her old job at the corner store again.

Cassie pulled her fingers through her hair and closed her eyes, resting her head back against the window frame.

"Cassie!" Mrs. Weston called, "Cassandra!"

Cassie stood up and walked into the hall, she carried Nat to the top of the stairs. "What is it Mama?"

Mrs. Weston smiled, "thought I heard the baby cry," she muttered. "Your Daddy needs help mending the fence."

"All right," Cassie replied, she met her mother at the middle stair and Mrs. Weston took her youngest daughter into her arms. Cassie made her way back upstairs and to her room she shared with Becca.

She opened the oak chest at the foot of her bed and pulled out a pair of brown trousers and one of her father's old work shirts. She dressed quickly and pulled her hair away from her face.


Cassie dropped a hat onto her head, she walked across the farm to the edge of their property where she saw her Father stopped over, hammering a nail into the joint of the fence. He looked up and grinned, waving.

"Grab a hammer," he instructed and Cassie took a hammer and a hand full of nails. She dropped onto her knee's and picked up a fallen rail that was black with rot. Her father helped her carry a new board and secure it in place.

By the time they finished it was nearly three o'clock.

Mr. Weston closed his eyes and took a long drink from a glass jug that rested in the shade. He passed the jug to his daughter and wiped his face.

"You going to the Younger farm tonight?"

"I was thinking about it."

Mr. Weston dropped his hands onto his hips, "those boys..." he murmured.

Cassie knew her Father would never admit it--he loved his daughters dearly--but he'd always wanted a son.

"Cole Younger has turned into quite a man."

Cassie furrowed her brow, "we must not be thinking about the same Cole Younger then," she pulled off her hat and brushed her sweaty hair off her face. "The Cole I'm thinking of is still as arrogant, intolerable and thick, as ever."

Mr. Weston had a thoughtful look on his face. "Sounds like you two have picked up just where you left off."

Cassie sighed, she took her fathers tool kit and the box of long nails.

"I think I'm gonna go for a ride," Cassie said as she deposited his box on the front porch. She made her way to the barn and grabbed Bullet's lead.

She made her way over to the corral, and whistled. Bullet dipped his head and knocked his muzzle against Cassie's shoulder. She slipped on his halter and secured it tightly. She opened the coral and lead Bullet to the barn, careful to latch the gate closed behind her.

She saddled Bullet quickly and led him outside.

Cassie pulled herself into the saddle, she pressed her heels gently into his haunches and Bullet broke into a quick canter. Cassie steered him towards the field and gave his haunches a quick kick.

The wind whipped Cassie's face and her hair flew out behind her. Bullet galloped, head forward gathering speed.

Everything disappeared when Cassie rode, a row with her mother, sadness and especially her anger.

Cassie closed her eyes for a brief moment before pressing her heels against the stirrups. She pulled back on the reins and Bullet jogged to a stop.


Cassie closed the front door and dropped her hat onto the bench in the hall.

"Cassandra Weston you are a mess." Cassie turned to her mother, who simply shook her head. Cassie's mother stuck her thumb in her mouth and brushed it across Cassie's cheek while smoothing her hair back with the other. Cassie turned away.

"Stop fussing," she mumbled.

"Listen Cassandra," Mrs. Weston said, "I know this may be hard for you to understand but I do have your best interest at heart. Me and your Pa want what's best for you."

"What about what I want?"

"What do you want?"

"I want to feel that I can go one day without you criticizing every move I make!"

"You're not twelve years old any more Cassandra! It's time you started acting like a young woman."

"Don't you understand?" Cassie cried, "I'm not you!" Cassie regretted the words as soon as they left her lips. She saw the look of hurt on her Mama's face and her cheeks flushed and Cassie blinked. Her eyes burned and she realized she was going to cry. "Mama," she whispered.

But Mrs. Weston stepped away from her daughter, "dinner's ready," she said, her voice hollow. "Tell your Pa."

Cassie watched her mother walk back into the kitchen and burst into tears.


Cassandra pushed her food around her plate, she wasn't hungry. She still could no believe she'd spoken like that to her Mama. She didn't look up across the table for the fear of seeing her mother's face and that she'd start crying all over again.

The table lacked it's usual chatter and Mr. Weston cleared his throat, looking from his wife to Cassie. Becca pretended nothing was the matter and fed some mashed potatoes to Nat.

Finally Mr. Weston pushed his chair away and picked Nat out of her highchair. He called to Becca and she followed him out of the kitchen.

Cassie swallowed trying to think of something to say, anything.

"You'll want to get ready," Mrs. Weston said standing up, "if you don't want to be late."

Cassie took a deep breath and stood up, she grabbed the plate of potatoes and followed her mother to the counter. "Mama..." she said again, finding it difficult to speak. "I'm sorry." She shook her head and realized how stupud that sounded. "I--"

Mrs. Weston turned to her daughter. "I just want you have everything I didn't."

"I know."

"I love you Cassandra."

"I know." Cassie nodded, a smile touched her Mama's face.

"It's hard for a Mother to watch her children grow up."

Cassie threw her arms around her Mama's neck, Mrs. Weston stroked her hair then stepped back. "You best get ready now, you don't want to be late."



Onto the shindig! Woohoo!

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