"Can you tell me about your father?" Bradin asked. The two teenagers were in Kay's house in the kitchen. She was pouring them some hot chocolate as they sat at the kitchen table.

"When he was little, his father wanted a ranch of his own after moving here from...I think it was a small town in Oklahoma. So, for months, they worked on this place. After my great grandfather died when my father was twelve, he passed on his horses to my grandfather. Since then, this ranch has been a part of our family's life. Back to my father, this ranch was his life. He only left it I say for two weeks at the most due to the honeymoon with my mother. Then, I say a year after the marriage, I came to life. When my mother left, after my birth, my father was devistated. I always wanted to do more than just stare at him drooling like babies do."

Kay wiped her eyes as she continued.

"He watched me as I ran around with these horses when I was little. He promised me two things when I was six: he would buy me a horse and never leave the ranch. He broke one promise. He left the ranch because of me. We got into this huge argument about my life and he went off and joined the army."

"What was the fight about?" he asked.

"How stupid I was being not applying to college," she said, "He told me that I needed to get away from the ranch for a while and I argued against it. I don't know what I'm going to do with my life. I hate it so much. The only reason why I said that I hate it is because the only two people, well one person and a horse, that actually ever came to me because they were upset are now gone. I don't know if I can go on knowing that they're both gone because of me."

"Kay, that's not true."

"It is. My mother left because she didn't want me, my father left because he couldn't handle me anymore and Bandit died because I rode him badly."

Bradin placed his hand on hers making her look at him. He used his other hand to wipe away the tears on her face. "Please, don't ever think that you're not wanted. You are. You're aunt and uncle care for you. The workers here care for you. And, I care for you. Why else would we be worried about you?"

"You're all wasting your time."

"Just because all of this is happening to you doesn't mean you're not wanted. Kay, you don't know how bad I want to be with you. Why do you think I've tried to be there for you as best as I could of? Why do you think I came here tonight after arguing with someone I wanted to be with months ago when I heard that you got hit by a car? Why do you think I held you tightly in the stables tonight as if I never wanted to let you go?

"You've made me go back to who I was when I was in Kansas. I'm the old me again. When I want something, I don't always get it, but I don't give up until I know that I'll never get it or do get it. Hell, if you and I are just friends, I'll be one happy guy."

"There's a lot more to my life, Brae," she told him, "I can't tell you, though, not yet at least."

"I'm fine with that. There are things I still need to tell you but I want to wait until the right time. I understand completely, baby."

"I'm really sorry about tonight," she said, "Everything was just going in weird directions and I don't know if it was what I wanted."

"Don't worry about it," he told her, "I'll wait forever if it comes down to it. I just need you to make me who I truly am. And, your uncle and aunt told me that you need me because I make you who you truly are, which is what I like."

The phone rang making Kay get up and answer it. "Hello?" she asked softly trying to hide that she was crying.

"Kay Michaels?" she heard.

"Yes. This is she," she said with confusion.

"My name is Greg Francis. I work with the Army. in which your father joined. Are you free sometime tomorrow?"

"Yes. Why?"

"We need to talk about some things. Can I come over and talk around...noon?"

"What do we need to talk about?" she asked.

"Your parents," Greg said, "There's some things you need to know about them."

"My mom left when I was little and my dad died in the war with the army a few months ago. What else is there?"

"I'll tell you tomorrow. Please, Kay. Over the phone is not a good way to talk about what we need to talk about. I'll stop by around noon. Have a good night."

They hung up leaving Kay so confused and scared about tomorrow. Bradin got up and walked up to her.

"What's wrong?"

"Um," she began, "Greg Francis, the head army man or whatever he is, wants to meet with me tomorrow and talk about my parents. How could he know my mother?"

"If you need me with you when you talk to him, call me."