"Beth she can't stay afraid of the horses, we live on a damn ranch." Rip said talking about Katie.
"I don't like those fucking things either, is that a big problem for you?" She retorted.
Rip sighed. "Beth, I don't want to argue, I do not have time for this shit other than me saying she use to love them and now she's afraid and I want to help her move past it."
"Fine. Just don't you dare yell at her if she backs away." Beth said crossing her arms, remembering how her own mother made her feel for not being comfortable on a horse.
"Darlin' I can see you going there but don't. Don't do it to yourself." Rip told her watching her. He left her in their bedroom to find Katie downstairs watching the tv with John on it waving.
"Why is Grandpa there?" She asked.
"Ask your mom later." Rip switched it off. "Come on, we're going outside." Katie followed him stopping at the top of the porch.
"Where we going?"
Rip turned standing at the bottom of the steps, he put one leg on the last step and lent closer to her. "Baby, I want you to be safe here and that means being safe around the horses." Katie backed away. "Hold on, I'm going to be with you. We're not riding them but just a pat."
She looked at him skeptically.
"Rip." Beth said in a warning tone from the doorframe.
"Mama come too then?" Katie asked. Rip looked at Beth hopeful.
"All right." They went down the steps before Rip took Katie's hand.
Lloyd had brought Rip's horse out earlier without a saddle and tied him up. Rip swung Katie up high in to his arms before going closer to the horse.
"I'll hold you the whole time. We can pat his belly." Rip reach out first to show her before holding her hand and doing the same.
"Good job cowgirl!" He praised.
"This boy likes his nose rubbed, do you want to do that?" He asked her. Katie looked back at Beth who nodded.
"You can if you want." Beth told her.
"A little pat Daddy."
Rip grinned relieved. "He might make some noises but it's not because he is angry."
He looked at his faithful horses being stroking his nose. Katie reached her own hand out patting him before pulling back. Rip praised her for being brave.
"Ok. Down now." Katie said squirming. Rip obliged and they watched as she skipped away.
"Well that went better than expected." Beth commented. Rip agreed.
"Beth, we need to talk about your Dad running for Governor."
"I know." Rip put his horse away and met Beth on the porch.
John had been away for the past three weeks and now was relying on Beth to meet him out on the road this weekend.
"What's he doing to this place Beth?"
"Trying to save it. He needs me on the road this weekend."
"Ok. So no one else could do what he's doing?" Beth looked at Rip. "All right. We need to agree on what we do with Katie."
"If she's seen on tour it's going to help Dad's image."
"Beth, I'm not having her be some little poster girl for his campaign."
"Baby whether you like it or not, our family is in the spotlight. If she's in offical photos or not those bastards are going to be lurking to take photos of her."
Rip sighed. "I don't want her being put in some spotlight and then criticised. Hell I don't want you criticised either."
"I've been called everything under the sun by those bastards. They can't hurt me." Beth told him. He stretched and walked along the porch.
"Here is my compromise. We are all going to be analysed anyway. Go on the road this weekend and take her only if she agrees, but she comes home at the end of the weekend and we re-evaluate."
"Thank you baby." She stood kissing his cheek. "I love you, but so you know, I would have done it anyway."
Beth called Katie inside. "We gotta talk kid."
"What did I do?"
"Nothing. Remember how you saw Grandpa on the tv?" Katie nodded at Beth. "He is going to be a politician but has to go around and visit people to get votes to get in office.
"Uh-huh. Is he coming back?"
"Soon Katie. Grandpa needs me this weekend to help out so I'm going to help --"
Katie looked between Rip and Beth. "Am I going away?"
"Either come with me or you can stay here but you'll be working with Daddy on the ranch."
Rip and Beth were not sure what she was going to pick although being told she would be at work with Rip meant she was going to work with the horses.
Katie patted Rip's knee where he sat, "I wanna go with Mama."
"Told you she's a Mama's girl." Rip said quietly.
"We are coming back Rip." Beth laughed. "Kiddo, we are leaving in the morning."
Beth packed a few changes of clothes for Katie including play clothes and some nicer ones and her own work clothes that night. Gator offered to make dinner but Rip declined, deciding he would cook for their last night together. This was going to be their first time as a family that they had spent apart from Katie off the ranch and first time Beth and Rip have been apart since Katie.
Katie helped Rip in the kitchen under his guidance. "Are you mad Dadda?"
"Mad about what cowgirl?"
"I won't go, I'll stay and work." Katie told him.
"Darlin'" he started putting the knife down that he was using. "I'm not mad. I'm just going to miss you both." He didn't want to tell her he was worried that people would take lots of photos of her and they would end up in the papers about the Dutton family.
"I'll look after Mama."
"I know you will baby." Rip said helping her off the counter.
Beth hung up both of their outfits for the next morning before coming downstairs, she went to the dining room expecting both Rip and Katie to be there ready for dinner but they weren't in sight. She could hear giggles down the hall in the lounge.
She followed the sound and found Rip telling Katie a story with torches on the ground. He had laid out blankets and pillows and a picnic style dinner. He patted the ground next to him when he saw Beth as he continued his made up story. She sat and listened as Katie moved to sit in her lap.
"The end! Right let's eat." Rip said.
Katie lent forward picking bits of food, Beth holding her so she didn't fall any further forward. She smiled at Rio over the top of Katie and mouthed 'thank you'. He smiled back at her before helping Katie.
Katie was just starting to sleep through the night but was still in the same room as Rip and Beth at the lodge. Rip woke at his normal time and went down to the bunkhouse to organise the cowboys before letting them know he would meet them out there in a few more hours.
Back at the house, Beth was dressed and doing her her before she woke Katie.
"I can get her ready." Rip offered. Beth smiled and nodded.
"Her clothes are on the hanger."
Rip woke her up gently, wiping the sleep out of her eyes.
"Time to get ready cowgirl." Rip took the long sleeve floral smock dress off the hanger, he undid the wooden buttons on the back before helping do them up. Rip went to put her shoes on before Beth intervened.
"I got tights out for her." Beth said passing him the grey ribbed tights. Katie looked at them and then Rip as if to say no.
"It's what Mama has said kid."
"It's too cold out for you to just be in the dress." Beth said not turning away from what she was doing.
Rip managed to get them on before putting her cardigan on and buckle shoes and sending her in Beth's direction.
She gently brushed Katie's hair and pinned it out of her face. Rip put their bags downstairs, waiting for them as they came down.
"Stand with your Daddy for a photo." Rip crouched down on one knee and Katie half sat on his knee. Beth's heart hurt watching them together as she took a few photos before a car pulled up.
"All right. Ready baby?" Beth said holding her hand out.
"I'll get the car seat." Rip said, grabbing one off the porch and taking it to the car.
The man in the suit greeted him. "I can put that in for you sir."
"I'll do it myself." Rip said. Beth shook her head as Rip's protectiveness as he connected the car seat.
"All done." Rip said grabbing Katie and putting her in the car buckling her up. "I love you, I'll see you in two sleeps." He told Katie before going around to Beth. "I love you too. I'll be here on the porch waiting."
Beth kissed him one last time before getting in to the backseat with Katie. He watched as they drove off, ready for two days to be over.
