THE ENCOUNTER
The sun was setting on the ranch, Scott Lancer and his younger brother Johnny were finishing their housework when a noise attracted their attention:
"What was it Scott? "
"No idea, but we'll know it soon! It came from the barn. Let's have a look."
"Who is here? I have a weapon!" Scott said pretending to place his gun on his belt.
"No sir, please," ...
A little girl about seven years old was hiding behind crates and haystacks.
She was small, frail, blue-eyed, blond-haired, her clothes were in tatters, her eyes were sad and scared.
"Come here!" said Scott in a soft voice,
"What are you doing here?"
The little girl approached:
"You have to get the sheriff!" Said Johnny, "I think we've solved the case of stolen pies! Someone took the pies I made today from my cooling shelf by the door! I want answers!"
"No, we won't bother the sheriff" Declared Scott."It's too late for tonight! Don't talk sbout the pies now."
"Come with me!" he said, holding out his hand to the girl, she hesitated, obviously, she was afraid!
"I'm not going to hurt you. Do you want a hot meal and a good bed tonight?"
She nodded.
"Anyway, it's out of the question for me to leave you alone out here!"
He was so firm that the girl looked down and grabbed his hand.
All three went towards the house.
Scott put her at the table and served her chicken, eggs, bacon, bread, she ate voraciously.
"Well, are not our pies enough?" Said Johnny asked insistent on an answer to his missing pies.
Scott glared at him!
"Drop it brother, should I send you to your room?"
"No Scott!" he replied respectfully.
As the little girl is finishing her meal, Scott pulls out a chair and settles next to her.
"Good eating! He said, "Now are things better?"
She nodded.
"Politeness would like you to answer me little girl!"
"Yes Mr. Scott," she said, making him smile …
"Well, my name is Scott Lancer. This is my little brother Johnny Lancer. Our father left for a few weeks for his business. I take care of my brother and the ranch."
"What about my pies?" Johnny insisted.
"It's been two times Johnny! I said drop it! Go to your room!"
Once Johnny left, Scott redirected his attention to the girl.
She had followed the brothers' discussion and wondered why the boy had not protested being sent away.
She will later learn that Scott is not a man with whom we argue.
"Good!" He said, "You know our names, I would like to know yours."
"My name is Sam," she says, "Samantha."
"Samantha what?"
"Just Samantha"
"What is your mom's name, sweetheart?"
"Mum"
"And your father?"
"Dad."
He felt a smile start but he repressed it as the girl had tears in her eyes.
"Well, we'll talk more about this later."
"Look, I'm going to make you a bath, find you a room, and then I'll talk to Johnny! I'll lend you one of his shirts, it should cover you up for tonight."
"Thank you Scott," she said, "but I do not need a bath!"
"You have to wash, you can not sleep in clean sheets without a bath or you will leave the smell of sleeping in the barn!" Sam replied.
"Do not worry, I'll give you all the privacy you need."
"What if I refuse?"
"Then, I'm throwing you in the tub with your clothes on! What's your choice?"
"I'll do what you say to me"
"Good choice!"
Then Scott crouched, he lifted her chin with a finger so that she looked at him:
"Sam, I'll never hurt you! I promise you! I just want to help you and protect you but you have to trust me and do what I tell you. Can you do that?"
She nodded.
"Well, let's go, get that bath." he says. Scott fills the tub with hot water, taking a shirt from a peg in the process.
"Look," he said, "the towels are here and the soap is there."
"Yes, Mr. Scott."
"Good I leave you your privacy for you to wash, immediately."
He left the room and headed for Johnny's room, pushing lightly on the door.
Johnny was sitting on his bed, butterflies in his stomach, he feared Scott's scolding.
"I'm sorry Scott, are you going to punish me?"
"Why are you sorry, why did I send you here?"
"I blamed the girl for taking the pie, when you told me to drop it!"
"Well, when I say no, it's no! You do not argue and you obey what I say, is this clear?"
"Yes Sir, are you going to punish me?"
"No, sitting here for a moment is enough for me, do you need more?"
"No Scott, I apologize!"
"Apology accepted."
Johnny was looking at his brother and Scott guessed what he wanted:
"Come here!" He hugged him murmuring "I forgive you Johnny!
"Now please go down and prepare us something to eat, while I put Sam to bed."
"Sam?"
"Yes, that's her name, Samantha."
"Okay, Scott."
Scott then moved to the guest room prepared the bed, closed the shutters and returned to the bathroom.
"Sam, are you finished, can I come in? Are you wearing the shirt?"
"Yes, Mr. Scott!"
Sam had on the shirt, but for the bath ...
"Samantha, look at me!" She looked up.
"Did you take that bath?" He asked sternly.
"No sir, no need for" ... ..
"You will learn that I mean what I say! I told you to bathe yourself and you did not!"
After quickly checking that the water was still hot enough, he carries the girl over to the tub standing her in it. Dipping the cloth in the warm bath he took the soap and washed her arms. Taking off the shirt, he orders her to sit down, washing and rinsing her hair.
Now young miss, you do the rest alone! But I will stay here! I can not trust you!" He tells her firmly.
She obeys, Scott's furious glance leave no room for discussion!
Sam was upset, it had been a long time since anyone spoke to her so sternly.
Giving her a towel, he said he was going to go get another shirt.
Slipping the shirt over her head, Scott took her hand and accompanied her to the guest room.
He sat on the bed, and placed Sam right in front of him, between his knees, looking into her eyes.
"I thought we had an agreement, you were to do what I said! You deliberately disobeyed me!
"You know Sam, I'd put Johnny over my lap for a spanking, if he'd disobeyed me like that! Do you need a spanking?"
"No Scott, please," she said, her eyes bright with tears.
"I disagree, but I will not do it this time! Let's say I do not know you yet, I'll give you one chance, but I'll do it next time you misbehave! You understood me?"
"Yes Sir, thank you!"
"Don't thank me. I said I was not going to spank you, not that I was not going to punish you!"
"Oh!" said Sam.
With Sam's desperate expression, Scott says:
"Your punishment for disobeying me will be to go to sleep right now! You will have neither game, nor story as you are being punished!"
"Yes sir!" She said with tears in her eyes.
Having had the desired effect, Scott reached out and pulled Sam into his lap, hugging her in his strong arms! Sam did not resist and plunged into his chest.
After a moment, he laid her in bed, offering her kisses on the forehead.
"Well, listen, my room is right next door, if you need something, do not hesitate to wake me up. I will not be angry, okay?"
"Yes Scott!" And she squeezed him tightly around his neck!
That's nice but why do you do that?"
"I'm sorry I did not obey you when you're so good to me!"
"Apology accepted, but in this house when you are punished, it's over, everything is forgiven and no more talk about it. Good night Sam!"
"Good night Mr. Scott!"
Scott arrived at the kitchen, Johnny had prepared everything and they ate quietly.
"Well, Johnny, you can go to bed, I'll do the dishes and put them away."
"Am I being punished?"
"No, but tomorrow I need you to buy clothes in town for Sam, so you'll have to get up early."
"Ok Scott!" And he approached his brother to give him a hug.
"Good night Johnny," Scott said, responding to the hug.
In his room, Johnny opened a drawer and took out a cigarette that he had hidden there.
"Great!" he says to himself, "If I'm alone in town tomorrow, I could smoke with Jason!"