She watched his figure grow on the horizon, from the back hall window upstairs, in the far off distance; Charlotte spent much of her time alone watching and waiting for Peter to return from where the cows were. She could see he was tired by his posture as he came closer into view and Buster looked tired as well. What little she did pick up on was how he tended to Buster first, so she had food ready for him in the barn; oats set out and fresh water filled his bucket, she even put up notes for Peter to let him know she had done that for him. She recalled how haggard he was the first time she witnessed him coming back and felt bad not knowing what to have done for him, but then again, he had managed without her long before she showed up. She watched him as he rode up to the barn and got off the tired horse and led him into the barn. He wasn't in there long, having things ready for him so he was out and locking up the barn in a few moments. Charlotte went downstairs and into the kitchen; from the last time he returned she realised he wasn't as hungry as he was thirsty so she poured a tall glass of cold sweet lemonade for him and brought it to him at the door. Peter mumbled a 'thank you' to her and drank it down on the spot, then handed the glass back to her and went upstairs. A few moments passed and the water was turned on in the shower; she stayed downstairs. She was by no means depended on him, nor he on her, that was their way it seemed but he had helped her and she now wanted to help him. It was a nice thing to do as far as she was concerned so she did what she could to make his life a little more easier. She listened for the water being shut off and Peter shuffling off to bed as she finished getting things tidied up in the kitchen and their meal for tomorrow ready. She poured a large glass of water and headed upstairs and listened at the door for a moment to determine if Peter was still awake.

Silence.

She carefully and as quietly as she could slipped into his room and set the glass down on his nightstand and covered it with a tissue for him to find in the morning. When she looked down at him, the tired dirty man she had just met at the door looked as though he was just a young man now. She could see the little boy in him from the pictures she had looked at for hours when she dusted the parlour; he was just as fragile now as he was then in those photos it seemed. He worked so hard to run this ranch that she was at a loss over why he did it. Charlotte shook her head, she concluded he was obsessed over too much, at least for one man to handle. He looked so peaceful, she leaned in to him and without even thinking kissed his lips ever so softly. Peter's eyes opened and she gasped and jumped up and took off. Her head shook at what she had done and she reprimanded herself for being so thoughtless.

Peter woke up the next morning, still tired and extremely hungry; the sound of dishes being washed and the smell of coffee was beckoning him. 'Dare he go down.' Was the only thing on his mind; he knew he didn't dream of Char kissing him, not this time, so down he went. The last dish was being put in the draining rack and there was a cup of coffee waiting for him on the counter, still steaming hot. Char was gazing out the window above the sink, motionless. "Morning. See anything?"

Her head shook, "It's dead silent."

There was remorse in her voice that it struck him rather odd as the day was bright and slightly warm. He sighed, "Char. Next time, ask me."

There came a mumble, "Yes Peter."

He went out to see Buster, coffee cup in hand. He reckoned she was probably just lonely being out in the middle of nowhere with him but just the same, he was too, but that wasn't an excuse in his mind to treat her like she was at his disposal. A few hours later Vicky showed up and took Char to town; he asked her to pick up the mail while she was there so it'd save him a trip and give him something to do when he was in the house with her. He liked that Char was going out without him, he hoped that meant that she was ready to leave him soon but not too soon; the company, although quiet, was better than nothing.

Weeks went by, Esme came and left as did Charlie; both satisfied that Char was doing okay considering what she had gone through, neither concerned about her caretaker. There was no news coming along the wire, Charlie was keeping an eye out for missing persons matching her description but nothing. Peter found himself watching her more and more; he thought he could now see what Buster did when he first saw her, her gentle heart and soft spoken kindness. He thought that after what she had been through that it would have hardened her. He shook his head, that kiss though, there wasn't anything hard about it. He had to get off that thought, and get to what he had to do to run his ranch. "Char?" She was brushing Buster; he was rock solid still for her so she wouldn't stop. Peter put his elbows up on the rail of Busters stall, "I need to do a run around to check up on my fences in the north west fields and was wondering if you wanted to come along?" She stopped her bushing and Buster stared at him.

"That's an overnight one right?" He gave her a nod. She was well aware of what it was to sleep out in the elements, it wasn't the best or safest of conditions when she needed to but this would be different and Peter did it all the time so he'd know what he was doing to keep her from harm. "I'd be a bit much on Buster if we were both on him for that long, I can't do that to him."

Peter gave a chuckle, "I'd get another horse to ride. You'd be on him as he'd get jealous if you were on anyone else but him. If Buster could talk, Peter would imagine there would be words from him too about the subject. He went off to call a friend who had a few extra horses to see if there was one that would be suitable. It was a few days later that his friend showed up with his loaded trailer and gave Buster a new companion in the barn; the trade off being that the horse try to be bred. Peter didn't think Buster would mind. There was another favour too but it was one that was a yearly one so it wasn't a big ask. Charlie was called, Vicky informed and arrangements made so they wouldn't be missed by anyone. They set out in the morning.

Charlotte had been on Buster several times and, in her opinion, had gotten pretty good at riding him. This would be a challenge she thought, the several hours on him would be pushing her to the limits considering that until now, as she recalled before arriving here, she had only seen pictures of horses. Buster was being good to her, not going too fast and watching his step; as animals went, she could see why Peter's friend that leant him the mare wanted his 'genetics'. Char kept her eyes on the horizon and occasionally gave Peter a glance. He was in his element, she saw it as she knew when she was in hers way back in her old life. Part of her missed it still but this living was entirely wonderful on its own.

It was around noon when they stopped and went into the packs for a bite to eat; there was enough brush around for the horses to nibble on and then they were on their way again. Peter noted how timid Char was when she got off of Buster and take a few steps with her own feet; it was normal for novice riders to get stiff. He had them follow along the fenceline and got off when needed to check the wires and open gates from one paddock into the next. It was slow and careful going for hours and when he was working he had Char keep an eye out for anything that might interrupt them. Dusk was coming and he had them stop for the night in a spot that was well cleared of brush and debris so no critters or snakes would be around and set up camp. There was a platform that his dad had constructed decades ago and it still stood to that day and provided a safe elevated sleeping area off the ground. He wasn't sure what Char thought of where they were going to spend the night but it wasn't like there were any options either. Grain was given to the horses as well as a bit of water; there was a place they were going to go by in the morning where there was a waterer so he didn't worry too much about them getting too thirsty.

Char was sore, there was no denying it, tomorrow was going to be that much harder for her to ride. When they had stopped for the evening she got out the blankets and her sleeping pad and set it on the platform; she was glad they weren't going to be on the ground. She watched Peter go off on his own and then, realising what he was doing, turned her back quickly; the thought of needing to 'go' was on her mind too but the delicate procedure of it needed some thought as Peter had insisted that she be dressed for the elements and comfort and that meant layers of clothing. She fumbled around the pack and found the little shovel and roll of paper when she heard Peter behind her. "I need to uh, where should I…" her cheeks got hot. He pointed out a ways and said to avoid any hiding places as there could be spectators and then laughed.

Peter didn't think Char was too amused at the 'facilities" but didn't complain, at least not as much as his sister did when she came out to help him and dad. Supper was had as the night quietly fell over them; Buster and his new girlfriend were secured and he set himself down to sleep. The sky was clear so that night might be cold, "If you get cold then push near me, I won't mind." He knew she was no stranger to sleeping outside, he often wondered how many nights she had to sleep outside out of necessity.

"K" Charlotte found herself listening to Peter's slow and steady breathing, she stared up into space. The occasional bug would zip by and cricket would sound; she found herself looking up at a sea of stars bewildered by them. She started counting them one by one until a glow rose around them, it was magical. Turning to look behind them to find the source of the light, there was the moon, massive, rising slowly and brightly. The whole scene sparked something within her from the past, was it only a few years ago, forgotten so easily, but returned with vengeance; the music she once heard playing in the background in her mind started playing again and it was intoxicating. "Peter?"

There had been much silence between them most of the day, at least from her as he did most of the talking, explaining what he was doing and such but his fading off to sleep was abruptly interrupted by her movement and then speaking his name."yeah?"

Charlotte was too intrigued with the sounds swimming in her head to even think twice, "May I have a kiss goodnight?". Silence. She looked over to a wide awake Peter and waited; she wasn't going to ask twice, a rule of hers.

Peter's finger tipped his hat up a bit from where he had brought it down to shield his eyes, he didn't dare look over to Char; a "Sure" slipped from his lips, even he was stunned by it. He was doubting his reply when he felt Char on his chest and looking up into her eyes. He had to remember himself, he had to remember who this was and what she had been through; he had to not move a muscle. She paused for a split second and then pressed her lips to his carefully at first but then in a more pronounced way. He felt her tongue tickle his lip to part them both only to slip past his. Peter kept his hands firmly in place where they were, where she had them pinned on his chest beneath her. He was marvelling at how soft her lips were when she pulled away and he found himself looking back up into her eyes as his opened. 'Thank you.' She whispered and promptly dropped back down to where she was to sleep. "Uh huh." Was all he could manage, there was too much running though his head, mostly her from the day as he watched her ride, the wind blowing her golden hair around her cheeks, underneath one of his smaller hats he had her wear to keep the sun off her face. He wasn't going to sleep too soon now.

The following day proceeded like the one before, only difference being was Char was up a bit earlier and after finding a place to make a deposit she found herself back on the platform making friends with the horse Peter rode; Sky was her name and she had the same temperament as Buster she thought.

Peter jostled himself awake, paused for a moment to remember where he was, looked down to where Char was supposed to be and up where she was. He grumbled internally at the thought of no coffee and pulled himself up and away to find a place to water the local fauna out of sight. —- They had a few bites to eat and were on their way to finish inspecting and making minor fence repairs. The day went as quietly as the day before and he tried to keep his mind on his work. Several pieces of wire were mended and tacked back on their posts. The cattle had more than enough space to roam in so they rarely challenged the fences but all just the same they needed to be present to work. It was late in the afternoon when the house came back into sight and normally the thought of sleeping in his own bed lifted his spirits but over the last day, night and previous day he was sad that this little excursion was ending. Char was up off of Buster as soon as they set foot in the yard and leading him into the barn when he called out from behind her, "Put him in the bigger stall at the end of the row, he's gonna have company for a couple of weeks." He heard her voice but couldn't make out what she was telling Buster; Peter shook his head, that was still /his/ horse. —- The next few weeks rolled by and it was time to return Sky to her owner. They set out early that morning, on horseback, only telling Char that they would be 'visiting' for several hours and she would be helping out his friend's misses in the kitchen.

There had been few words between them before their little trip out into the north west field and now it was fewer. The music kept softly playing in her mind from that night in waves of melodies and pitches as she went about her day to day chores. When she was informed that they were bringing Sky back to her owner she welcomed the news that there was going to be a change of scene to break up her week of dusting. The ride over to the next ranch was not a long one, a few miles down the road and then a short mile down the driveway. There were several trucks parked and men standing around; she didn't recognize many of them but Peter did so she wasn't too nervous. Sky was put back into her stall and Buster tied off nearby with a bucket of water and a feed bag and they proceeded to go to the house, which from the outside seemed to be bustling with activity. 'She's here!' a voice came from the inside and Char gave Peter a sharp look, he just smirked.

"It'll be fun for you. Trust me." He really wasn't sure she would find it fun but he was going to give it the benefit of the doubt. He went out to where the rest of the fellas were gathered near the barn to see what he could do to help out. He did like visiting with the occasional person every few months but he was not one to seek it out; he preferred the company of himself, and more recently, that of Char's.

Char stepped into a hot kitchen with many bodies moving around in what seemed like a well choreographed dance; the music in her mind shifted slightly. 'Here here Charlotte, your station is here, start peeling these carrots and when you're done, you can move on to the next bag.' "Okay" She knew how to peel things so she set herself to the task and focused on doing it well as not to embarrass herself and Peter. The one thing she did notice on arrival was that Victoria was not there. She didn't think it was her place to ask, perhaps she was running late or was working so she carried on. 'So how is Peter treating you child?' Char kept her head down, she wasn't in the mood to talk but being rude would be worse. "Very well. He's an excellent cook." There were giggles from behind her; she didn't look. 'Dear, we were all wondering if you finished high school and all that stuff?' Char tried to stay focused on what she was peeling. "I did, I finished at seventeen. I went to university at eighteen with a full scholarship and got my Masters degree and a few other minor ones." There was silence, only the sounds of chopping and peeling being done at a very slow pace. The lady who greeted her, the misses of the house came to stand beside her. "Am I doing this right Ethel, I'm not sure what all these are for, so…" 'We are pickling these ones Char, others will be canned…. ' Ethel looked very uncomfortable to her. 'Just nick out anything that looks bad or dirty.' Char gave her a nod and went back to work. The talking slowly started back up behind her and Ethel moved off to another station in the room. The expression, /Many hands make light work./ came to her mind as she worked and what also occurred to her was that this very kitchen was where many of the glass jars that were on the shelf in Peter's basement came from. An hour or two went by and Char had made her way through peeling several potatoes and was now assigned to apples when they broke for lunch. It had warmed up a bit outside, tables were set up and several trays of sandwiches brought out for everyone. Char sat and took one and started eating as politely as she could but in truth she was so hungry from being around food all morning and not daring to nibble on any of it.

Once Peter had seen Char emerge from the house he was concerned, he had been so the whole time she was in there at the mercy of all the hens who liked to pick away at the newest shiny thing to figure it out. Char gave him a smirk and took a seat near where he was standing and started to eat once she noticed that everyone else had. 'So Peter, how is your mother these days? We haven't seen her in ages.' There it was, the first peck. "She's been in the city and going back and forth travelling around like she's always wanted. She is happy. And before you ask, Alice is happy and doing her thing… no news of a baby yet for her and Jasper." He hoped, more like prayed for that to be the last of their questions, but no… 'Then will you be heading to the city for the convention this year? We hear that they missed you for a few years and Mr Lewis has been asking.' Peter knew just why Mr Lewis wanted to talk to him, he wanted his land and he was not selling. "I don't know, I've been awfully busy lately and it's a huge time commitment."

The term /awfully busy/ as Char had come to understand, in the Peter vocabulary meant /can't be bothered or not interested/. Regardless, Char kept to her sandwich and her eyes down, none of that concerned her or was any of her business. Peter did give her a side glance but she didn't budge on her composure. There was more talking, several side conversations were happening until someone asked, 'Has doc made any progress on snagging Esme yet?' There was a bout of laughter but no more. Lunch was finished and Peter mumbled to Char that they were only needed for a few more hours to which she gave a nod before picking herself up and heading back into the kitchen. He still hoped that coming here with all these people wouldn't upset her as he seemed to think that she was getting accustomed to being alone like him.

Char stepped into the kitchen and looked at the mounds of vegetables that had been chopped up over the morning and waited to be told what was next. Ethel came in with her husband who was carrying a very large container of covered meat. 'Peter's contribution.' He proudly stated and set it down on the counter before rushing out. Ethel waved Char over, found her a plastic apron to put on and set her before a cutting board and sharp set of knives. 'We need all of that cut into bite sized pieces. If the knife starts feeling dull, switch it out. We don't want you cutting yourself.' A few hours seemed to be an understatement, this might take days; she set herself to work. One knife dulled lead to a second one and then third, they were taken away and returned sharpened. Char quickly set into a rhythm and the time flew by. Most of all the other ladies were measuring out ingredients and filling up thousands of jars with all sorts of things and putting lids on them. Boxes of them were being carted out while more appeared to be filled. "I'm done?" Ethel came over and took the heaping bowl away of cubes and told her to give her hands a good wash and go outside to see if the boys needed any help. Char took the plastic apron off and washed up and headed out. She wandered around out back to where they were all in a back semi open building and observed a row of large covered pots on a row of burners and tables everywhere. 'Preserving' Peter mumbled to her when she came to stand by him and she gave a nod. She had put it together with what was happening and saw the community of this place shine through; it all made sense how this place functioned as a symphony of sorts. Jars were loaded into the pots, lids tightened down and burners ignited. They didn't need her out there, she saw that right away and imagined that the ladies back in the house wanted to have a good talk about her. By the time the last pot was loaded the first one was done and Peter along with another fella pulled it from its extinguished burner and brought it over to sit and cool while another pot was put in its place and more jars loaded. Char wandered over to where there was a book set out and started reading the page and the several notes along the margins, it reminded her of Peters ma's cookbook and how over the years a recipe evolved to become better. She read several pages of the book that only seemed to be there as a back up if the men forgot a time that a certain load of jars needed.

It was startling to get dark when they left the place, Peter didn't care for riding in the dark so they said their goodbyes and headed home on Buster. 'That was fun Peter, I was happy to have met everyone and be a help.' Peter gave a nod from behind her, "Ours will be sent over in a few days and they will need to be put away." Peter was happy, it was a good day in his mind and he knew that Char's spirit was a bit happier too because of it. "What gossip was there in the kitchen? I never had a set of ears in there before and am curious."

Char gave a chuckle, "Not too much. Mostly recipe talk. They asked me about my schooling n stuff which was the polite thing I guess. There was talk about Esme and the Dr. I didn't have any insight into that for them and I think they want me to pry for them." She shook her head. "What was that thing they asked you about, are you going to go?" Char felt the deep breath being taken behind her.

"It's this fancy smancy thing in the big city. I get invited every year but rarely go. It was nice when Alice was here and she would come with me until she got married. Ma came a few times but she was a bit too eager to have me sell off my ranch so I didn't want her getting me into a situation." Peter gave a shrug. "Did you want to go with me there? To see what it's all about?" There was a sudden conflict in Peter's head; he did just ask her, he hoped she would say no, he hoped she would say yes. Char stayed quiet for a good sum of time.

There was something in the air, or was it in her head? The time of day, the tired she felt or how Peter's arm was so securely around her waist holding her steady that needed a few moments to take in as she considered what was asked. The one thing that stuck her was the absence of fear she felt at the thought of going to a place full of strangers; she would have to mention it to Esme when she saw her next. "I'd like that a lot." There were no more words between them that night, they were both tired from being 'out' and both found their respective beds once they entered the house. The next morning Char heard Peter on the kitchen phone when she headed down, he was talking to, she guessed, someone about the convention, probably about cattle, what else was there really. Her coffee was waiting and a small plate of scrambled eggs that she quickly ate up as Peter headed out to go tend to Buster and Sam. Char headed down to the basement and started getting the space ready for the jars they were expecting to get back from the day before.