The next morning Rip and Beth woke to Katie amusing herself downstairs with her toy horse.
"Good morning darlin'"
"Good morning baby." Rip kissed her.
"Just five minutes to ourselves." Rip muttered deepening the kiss.
Beth and Rip made their way downstairs an hour later to a very messy kitchen and Katie trying to pour milk into a bowl of cereal.
"Woah, what happened here." Rip looked around wondering just how long they had left Katie for.
"I made breakfast."
"I can see that cowgirl. Let me help you pour that." Katie huffed but let rip help her pour the nearly full milk carton.
"Beth Dutton. I said I would be there." Rip looked across to see Beth hanging up her phone.
"What's wrong baby?"
"Work stuff, I'm going in for the day probably won't be home until late."
"We can manage the day can't we Katie." She nodded stuffing her face full of cereal.
"Slow down, baby. You'll make yourself sick again." Beth moved around the living room gathering some papers before getting ready.
Rip found Katie's backpack by the door and packed her a sandwich and some fruit as well as a few other essentials.
"See you later baby." Beth kissed Rip.
"Say bye to Mama Katie." She looked up from her breakfast before going over to Beth as she put her heels on. Beth bent down to give her a kiss.
"Love you Mama." Katie said softly. Rip froze, turning around slowly to watch them. Beth didn't reply, she looked up at Rip before leaving without another word.
Beth got in her car. Fuck she thought. I didn't say anything to her, it's not that I don't love her. It just hard to say. I'm going to have to pull myself together.
She put in in her back of her mind by the time she got to work. She would send Rip a message later to bring her to the office for lunch.
"Did I say something wrong?"
"No cowgirl, Mama's just got a lot on her mind." Rip had no clue how to handle that situation. He wasn't shocked Beth didn't respond but also thought she would have said something to Katie.
"Shoes, jacket and let's go!"
"Got it!" Katie replied, looking at her Rip notice her shoes were on the wrong feet.
"Nearly baby. Swap the shoes to the other feet." Rip grabbed the backpack and they drove down to the round pen where Kayce was training a horse.
Rip stood against the fence holding Katie who sat on it watching Kayce.
"Just watch her Rip, not sure what he's gonna do." Rip nodded to Kayce acknowledging that he was watching the horse too.
"Where's Tate?" Katie asked Kayce.
"He's at school today."
John joined them, watching Kayce do his thing.
"What are you doing down here Katie."
"Workin'" John laughed telling her she sounded just like Beth.
Rip turned round hearing his name called, seeing both Jake and Colby approaching them.
"What the fuck happened?" Jimmy tilted his head to Lloyd who was sitting in the dirt.
John had taken Katie off the fence and sent her to sit in the shade with a book from her bag. He approached the Lloyd after hearing that he had been fighting Walker.
"Dammit Lloyd. For you to be breaking the rules. This is your last chance, I'll let Rip deal with you."
John told Rip to make an example out of the last one standing before leaving Rip to get the rest of the hands.
"Lloyd and Walker, get in there." Walker tried to back out telling Rip he didn't want to fight. Rip pushed him in to the pen with Lloyd, closing the gate behind him.
"Let's dance." Lloyd swung a right hook, missing Walker. The pair started wrestling throwing careless erratic punches and kicks at each other. The other wranglers were getting sick watching the pair hit each other relentlessly.
John approached the men. "How long they been at it?"
"Over an hour now sir." Neither men realised that Katie was now behind them wanting to see what the commotion was about.
"They don't like each other much." John turned around hearing Katie's voice.
"Thought I told you to stay over there?"
"I finished the book." Katie held up the picture book as if it was the most obvious thing.
"I'll finish it Rip. Can't have her watch this though, take her away from here first."
"Sorry sir, can't let you do that. They'll hate you if you do it. It has to be me. You're right though, take her away from here first." John took Katie's hand and headed towards the stables distracting her whilst Rip laid in to Lloyd.
Rip headed in the direction of the stables. Fucking dammit he thought. He stopped to catch his breath before Katie rounded the corner yelling for him.
"Hi cowgirl."
"Why did they fight?" Rip sighed, how was he going to explain this to her.
"Well darlin' sometimes things need to be sorted out like that. This was one of those times. It doesn't mean you can go 'round throwing punches and kicking people. If I found out you've been doin' that, you'll be in trouble, wishing you were scooping shit instead."
"Ok. Everyone looks sad." Rip shook his head, pulling out his phone he saw a message from Beth 'I think I fucked up this morning, you and Katie come for lunch at 12'. Seems like everyone is having a bad day he thought.
"Go and get your bag Katie. Sir, Beth wants to see Katie and I for lunch." John went to tell Rip that there was work to do but thought otherwise remembering the conversation he and Beth had.
"Might see you for dinner then."
"Thank you sir." Rip turned around to see Katie pulling food out of her bag trying to open the container.
"Hold up cowgirl, we are going to have lunch with Mama. You can have some fruit on the drive." Rip gave her two pieces of cut out apple, catching her arm as she reached back to throw some to the horses.
"They don't need any honey." John told her.
Rip and Katie arrived at Beth's work just after 12. They walked in to the office, Rip noticing that it was a new receptionist.
"Can I help you sir?"
"Just here to see Beth Dutton." Katie peeked out from behind Rip smiling at the receptionist.
"You'll need an appointment."
"Should be fine." Rip reached out his hand to Katie before walking in to Beth's office. Katie waved back at the receptionist.
"… I told you I would fucking handle it." Beth hung up the phone hearing her office door open.
"Bad word Mama." Beth laughed.
"Sometimes Mama needs to use it to remind people of who she is." Beth waved away the receptionist who had followed them to the door.
"Hi darlin'"
"Hey baby, how was she after this morning?"
"She was a bit confused. Asked if she did something wrong." Beth rested her forehead on Rip's chest and sighed.
"She's fine Beth. Hasn't mentioned it once." Katie was preoccupied looking at the breakable objects in the office to notice Rip and Beth.
Beth approached Beth bending down to her height.
"How was your day baby?"
"Good. I saw a fight and finished my book and fed the horse." Beth was confused as to who Katie saw fighting.
"Who was fighting?"
"Daddy. But I wasn't allowed to watch that one." Rip rubbed his brow waiting to see Beth's response.
"What one did you watch?"
"Lloyd and Walker. There was a lot of blood Mama."
"Hmm is that so. Did Daddy win?"
"I dunno." Beth passed Katie some paper and pencils sitting her at her desk whilst she spoke to Rip.
"Why did she see the fight?"
"Your father had told her to stay away but she finished the book and came over." Beth nodded waiting for him to continue.
"I didn't let her see me fight. She knows that if she gets caught throwin' punches or kicks around she'll wish she never did."
"Only if she gets caught or does it for no reason will I tell her off." Rip laughed at her response.
"I hope we are a long way from that. Come on let's get some food, she is apparently 'starving'".
"There is a new diner down the street I thought we could try." Rip nodded in agreement.
The three walked to the nearby diner, sitting in a booth, Katie beside Beth and Rip across from them.
Both adults ordered a burger each and ordered Katie a sandwich and fries. Beth and Rip made conversation about their respective days and plans for the upcoming weekend.
Beth could feel Katie tapping on her wrist trying to get her attention.
"Yes?"
"Mama, I …" Katie seemed to get nervous which was unlike her around Beth and Rip.
"What is it Katie?"
"Can I have a new book?" She wasn't a child that asked for many toys, she was content with spending time outside running around on the ranch or playing with what she did have. It wasn't like Beth would say no to whatever Katie asked for if she did ask for anything but Rip didn't want her to be spoilt.
Beth wiped Katie's hair out of her eyes, was starting to look like she might need a haircut too. "I think there is a bookstore across the road. After lunch we can all go and have a look."
Their meals arrived shortly after and Katie was trying to eat as quickly as she could.
"Hey, slow down."
"Sorry, Daddy." Rip smiled, she nearly ate faster than he could.
Beth paid for the bill whilst Katie and Rip waited outside, Katie now up on Rips shoulder's laughing as he jumped up and down on the spot.
"You have a lovely family." The waitress told Beth.
"I do, thank you."
"Right you two, across the road." Beth stepped out, Rip and Katie one step behind as they crossed to the bookstore.
"Duck your head cowgirl." Rip told her as they entered the store before lifting her off his shoulders.
Katie spotted the colourful children's section making a beeline for it and the bright beanbags. Rip walked after her whilst Beth looked around for some books herself.
"What sort of book do you want Katie."
"A ranch book."
"Huh, well, let's see. They've got a book about a horse." Rip pulled the book down from the shelf, sitting down in a beanbag Katie in his lap. He started to read the book out loud putting on all sorts of voices causing her to giggle uncontrollably. Beth came over after hearing her laughing to watch where they couldn't see her. Rip finished the book, telling Katie to see if she could find another she liked. He noticed Beth watching waving her over.
"She loved you reading that one."
"Yeah. It's comfy here too." Rip patted another bean bag for Beth to sit in, Katie brought back a thicker book that Beth recalled from her own childhood.
"This is a big one cowgirl. We won't be able to read it all here, just a little." Katie sat in Beth's lap this time, listening as Rip started reading again, this time in a softer voice. Katie relaxed back in to Beth side whilst she smoothed her hair back. Rip checked his phone seeing the time realised he was likely going to be needed back at the ranch.
"Come on, time to go." He reached out a hand to Beth helping her up and passed the book back to Katie who had the other book still in her hand. She turned to Beth smiling sweetly hoping she could have both.
"You know, I think I have some of those books at home at the Lodge. We'll ask my Daddy if he has kept them." Rip smiled thinking he would ask John when he got back.
"Give them to the lady Katie." Beth helped Katie put the books on the counter before paying for them.
Rip carried the books, holding Beths hand whilst Katie walked ahead.
"Hey. Don't run across the road. Down to the crosswalk." Katie nodded at Rip before walking a few more steps ahead. She stopped at the curb waiting a couple of seconds for Rip and Beth to catch up before stepping out. Rip heard a car revving in their direction that didn't sound like it was slowing down.
"Wait!" He let go of Beth's hand, running to pick up Katie as the car slammed the brakes nearly hitting her. Katie stiffen in his arms getting a fright before bursting in to tears. Rip was furious, damn out of towners driving like idiots. The car stopped and Beth was hauling the guys arse out of it before he could get away.
"What the fuck is your problem?"
"I didn't see her."
"Too fucking right you didn't, you nearly killed her."
"Calm down lady." The guy grinned at her before lifting his shirt to show a gun. Beth stopped for a second before pushing him against the car.
"Don't you try and tell me to calm down and walk around here with your tiny pistol like you own the place."
"What, you have some big weapon that you think will hurt me."
"I do. It's my name. Beth Dutton, what's yours?" The guy tried to side step her holding his hands up in surrender. Beth turned on her heel walking towards Katie and Rip who was smirking. Beth took Katie from Rip rubbing her back as she calmed down. The three walked back to the office.
"I should probably get going. Come on Katie, we've got to go back home."
"I want to stay."
"I said we are going, that's final." Rip was not in the mood for back chat.
"No." Katie stamped her foot. Beth glanced at the clock seeing it was a little after the time that she sometimes would nap. She hadn't slept well last night, Beth expected that she was overtired. Beth said to Rip that it was fine, she could stay until Beth had finished work and they would meet him at home.
"You can't always give in to her."
"I'm not Rip. She's a three year old girl that was sick last night, nearly got hit by a car and is definitely overtired. Let's decide on some proper rules when we are at home tonight." Rip shook his head giving Beth a kiss goodbye and Katie a hug.
"Right kid, you need to have a nap so I can work". Katie grinned Beth who was sitting behind her desk.
"Ah, that was very Dutton-like of you Katie. You just wanted to get your way." Her cheeks grew red and she looked down. "You're not always gonna get your way. Still, you need to have a nap." Beth got up and put Katie on the couch, with her jacket over her body.
"Close your eyes." She did as she was told and Beth went back to her desk. She sat and watched her for a while as her breathing evened out, before going back to her own work.
"Miss Dutton?" Beth was interrupted by her receptionist, looking up Beth saw she had her bag on her shoulder. "I'm heading off, do you need anything else?"
"No. Thank you, see you later." Beth starting packing up her own desk, noticing Katie was still asleep. She wasn't shocked, it had been a big day for her.
Beth picked Katie up off the couch, wrapping her jacket around her back before grabbing her bag and going downstairs to the car.
"Shh, we're going home." Beth put her in the car before driving home. By the time they were half way home Katie was wide away and chatting to herself. Beth was driving down to the cabin when they heard music coming from the bunkhouse.
"What's going on there Mama?"
"I think we should find out." Beth stopped the car and got Katie out heading down to the bunkhouse.
Rip was waiting on the porch for the girls with a beer in hand. The wranglers music was travelling up to the cabin. Only those fuckers could ruin my night he thought, heading in the direction of the bunkhouse.
Beth helped Katie opened the door where the wranglers and two barrel girls were having a party with music, drink and food.
"A party!" Katie ran in going straight for the food.
"Woah hey kid." Katie grinned at Teeter. Beth went straight for a drink.
'Don't mind us, we are here to party." The wranglers looked shocked at Beth but continued on, turning the music up. Lloyd was showing Katie how to rope catching the wranglers.
Beth was dancing by herself when Katie joined her. Beth swung her around in her arms before Katie stood on her feet dancing.
Rip burst the door open "What the fuck are you dipshits doin'?" The wranglers stopped what they were doing at all looked towards Beth dancing with Katie who hadn't noticed. Rip looked across to where they were dancing.
"I should have known it was you two." Both turned around and saw Rip smiling at them.
"You should have." Beth kissed Rip on the lips as Katie complained.
"C'mere you." Rip picked up Katie spinning her around, the wranglers went back to their games.
"I wanna rope, Lloyd showed me."
"Did he, well, he's not as good as your Daddy." Katie looked shocked at Rip.
"Daddy will teach you if you want baby." Beth smiled dancing with the two of them.
"Rules tomorrow though." Beth rolled her eyes at Rip, he was clearly going to be the task master.
