Lucy woke up the next morning when she heard Rip going down the stairs.
She got out of bed, following him.
"What are you doing up?" He asked.
"Can I go and feed the calf?"
"Go and get changed then." He told her quietly. She rushed upstairs and changed in to her clothes that she would wear to school.
Rip made her toast to eat on the way to the stables before telling Beth that Lucy was going to feed the calf.
"We'll drive down and I'll bring you back up so Beth can take you to school." He said getting in the truck. He pulled up in front of the bunkhouse while Lucy went straight for the calf.
"If you're feeding the calf, you better get the bottle ready yourself." Rip told her. She locked the stable door before following him while he showed her how much to give. "You go do that and I'll get the cowboys sorted."
Lucy nodded heading for the calf. She got down next to it and gave it, it's bottle. "You're so cute." She whispered while it suckled away.
Jimmy could hear someone talking in the barn while he was grabbing the saddles for the day. He walked down to where the calf was to find Lucy feeding it.
"Hey Lucy. She's pretty cute isn't she?"
"Oh hey. Yeah, Rip said I could feed her." She said, worried she might be in trouble.
Jimmy held up his hands. "Fine by me! See you." He said before leaving.
"Jimmy, stop chit chatting and get to work." Rip said coming through the barn.
"Yessir." Lucy heard Jimmy say before Rip appeared in front of her.
"All done?" He asked. Lucy held up the bottle, affirmative. "Let's go then." He said opening the door.
John Dutton was walking down to the stables when he saw Rip with what looked like a near carbon copy of teenage Beth. He stopped to watch them get in to the truck before they drove off.
"Who was Rip with?" He asked Colby and Teeter as they got on their horses.
"Ahhh. Maybe you should ask him." Colby said before riding off, Teeter not far behind. Both wanting to steer clear of whatever that was about.
Lloyd overheard the interaction before pulling out his old phone as John left.
"Hey Rip." He said in to the receiver.
"What is it Lloyd? I'll be back in ten minutes. I'm just dropping Lucy off before school."
"Mr Dutton was just here asking who she was. He saw you with Lucy."
"God dammit. Alright." Rip said hanging up, closing the front door.
Beth was sipping her morning coffee when she overheard the tail end of the conversation.
"Your Dad saw Lucy with me."
Lucy overheard at the top of the stairs. "Am I in trouble?"
"No!" Beth and Rip said at the same time.
"I'll take you to school and then deal with whatever that will become. I'm working from here today." Beth said putting the rest of her coffee down the sink.
"I better get going." Rip said. "I love you both."
Beth gave him a kiss at the door. Lucy stood there saying nothing. She couldn't believe that this tough person could love her so quickly. She had heard Beth and Rip tell each other that they loved each other but that was the first time the words were directed at her.
"Get your stuff Luce. You'll be late." Beth said grabbing her keys. Lucy met Beth in the car before she sped off the ranch, kicking up gravel dust behind.
Beth dropped Lucy off at the school gates watching her walk in to the building before leaving. She had no idea what her Dad was going to say but knew he would be more than likely waiting for her.
Rip joined the rest of the wranglers, thanking Lloyd for the heads up.
"I thought he knew."
"He knows about her but didn't know she's back with us." Rip told him not elaborating any further.
Beth pulled up at the cabin, ending the phone call with her receptionist. She opened the door to the cabin and put her bag down on the kitchen counter.
"Hi Beth." She turned to see her Dad sitting in the armchair with his hat resting on his knee.
"Jesus Christ, Dad. How long have you been sitting there."
"Long enough." He said standing. "I'm going to ask that you're honest with me here Beth. Who was that with Rip this morning?"
Beth poured herself a whiskey. "I know that you know exactly who that was."
"I thought so."
"You bastard. You took her from us for 15 fucking years. You left her with a family that didn't love her. That didn't keep her safe."
"No Beth. I left her with a family that was looking after her. I always kept and eye on her and then one day she was gone."
"But you left her. You left MY baby with strangers." Beth yelled now upset. "You never tried to apologise for what you did."
John sat on the stool. "I did what I thought was best for you. I didn't know at the time this would happen. I thought you would be fine."
"You were wrong! It was never about me. It was about our family name and she's a Dutton and she was never fine. We came to you for help and you told Jamie. You had a choice and you picked Jamie to turn to."
John reached out for Beth's hand. "You have to let me try and fix this."
"I don't know how you'll do that." Beth said opening the door for him, before slamming it as he left. She finished her drink now in a bad mood.
She opened her laptop to make someone else's life hell.
Lucy tied up her runners in the school gym before the class started.
"Hey Lucy, you trying out for the basketball team tonight? It's after this." Her friend Ella said.
"That's tonight?"
"Yeah, don't tell me you forgot." Ella said. She was a tall brunette that Lucy had been friends with since they started high school. Ella was everything a basketballer should be, tall, lean, long limbed and naturally athletic.
"I'll text my Mom and see." Lucy said knowing there was no way home without being picked up. She hoped Beth hadn't left yet to come in to town and then pick her up
Hi Beth, can you pick me up half an hour later than normal? Lucy sent.
Beth heard her phone ding as she was getting ready to leave to get Lucy. It was Lucy's name on the screen. She wasn't sure what this could be about. She read the message and replied.
Yes. Everything ok?
"Hey Ella! All good for tonight." Lucy said with a grin.
She quickly sent Beth a text back. Yeah basketball team try outs.
Beth re-opened her laptop for another hour before she needed to leave. She was a bit surprised that Lucy was trying out, she didn't know that it was something she liked but there was probably lots of things she didn't know about her.
The wranglers headed back to the pen after being out on the horses most of the day. Rip fed the calf before joining everyone else. Most of the boys watching on the fence as Jimmy struggled to break in a horse.
"I swear the kid has never ridden a horse in his life. Get it together Jimmy." Ryan said laughing.
John came up to lean against the fence next to Rip.
"Rip."
"Mr Dutton." He greeted, not looking at him.
"A word." John said as Rip jumped off the fence. The rest of the wranglers watched on silently other than Jimmy screaming for his life on the horse.
The two men moved away from the others.
"Sir?"
"I spoke to Beth." John started. "And I'm going to try and fix what damage I did."
Rip looked away from John. "I don't know how you'll do that but what you did and what Jamie did broke Beth and I won't watch her go through that again and I will not let anything happen to Lucy again."
John nodded. "I know Rip."
"You find a way to make it right by Beth and Lucy." He said before leaving. He told the wranglers that he was heading home and that they were done for the day too.
Rip noticed Beth's car still at the cabin, normally she would have left to pick Lucy up by now.
"Beth?" He called out.
"Yeah?"
"Honey, should you be picking up Lucy?" He asked.
"She's trying out for the basketball team tonight. I'm about to go."
"Our kid for the basketball team? I didn't think she would be tall enough." Rip said surprised.
Beth shrugged her shoulder, giving him a kiss goodbye.
The school coach made the girls go through a series of drills, practicing defence and layups before a practice match. Lucy thought she was playing ok but probably not her best. She was feeling more tired than usual after getting up early for the calf.
The coach blew the whistle. "Alright girls. We've made a decision. Names are in no particular order." She said as the assistant coach passed a clipboard. She started reading out names, Ella being the third name called. Lucy clapped extra loud for her friend.
"You'll be next." Ella whispered to her.
"I didn't play so well." Lucy whispered back. Lucy held her breath and crossed her fingers.
"Our final player that made the team is... Lucy." The coach said. The other girls clapped before everyone parted ways.
"If I called your name, please come and collect your uniform." The coach said opening some bags.
Lucy and Ella lined up collecting their numbers and matching shorts.
"What days are practice?" Lucy asked the coach.
"Tuesday, Thursdays after school and Saturday morning matches." She told her handing out information booklets.
"Thanks coach. I better go Ella. I'll see you tomorrow!" Lucy said rushing off to grab her bag. The sun was starting to set when she finally found Beth's car out the front.
She slammed the door shut handing Beth the booklet.
"What's this?" She asked.
"I don't know, coach said it's for you. I made the team." Lucy said.
"Good job Luce!" Beth said putting the booklet on the back seat. "I'll read it later. When is the game?"
"Ahhh, every Saturday." Lucy said. "I'll see if I can get a lift."
"Why?"
"I figured you and Rip would have stuff on."
"Baby, we will get you to the game and cheer for you." Beth told her.
"Cool." Lucy said with a smile.
"Hey Rip! I made the team." Lucy said dropping her bag at the door.
"That's my girl! When's the game?"
"Saturdays. And training on Tuesday and Thursday after school." She said looking back at Beth.
Beth raised an eyebrow, pointing at the now forgotten backpack.
"Sorry." Lucy said picking it up before taking it to her room. Beth dropped the information booklet on the counter.
"What is that?" Rip asked.
"From her coach." Rip opened it flicking through the papers.
"Can I go feed the calf?" Lucy asked now changed out of her clothes and reaching for her hat.
"Dinner first and then homework and then you can." Rip said turning the stove off.
"It has to eat too!" Lucy argued back.
"So do you. It will be fine." Rip told her.
She huffed out of annoyance but sat at the table waiting.
Beth put her arms around Rip. "Good job Dad." She whispered.
"Hmm." He said turning to put the plates down. The two adults sat down as they began to eat.
"Sorry for arguing back." Lucy said to Rip.
"It's fine Lu. We just need you to make sure you eat and do your homework before you can go and do what to you want after school." He explained
"Guess I'm not use to being told what I can and can't do."
"We don't have many rules, but we want you to be respectful, try your best and do your school work."
"Ok. So I can still feed the calf?" She asked with a grin.
Beth rolled her eyes. "Finish your dinner and your homework and then we'll see."
Rip and Beth cleared the table as usual while Lucy opened her books. Lucy read the next chapter of her English book and answered the relevant questions before moving on to the next subject.
Rip sat down with Beth on the couch to go through the new basketball information Lucy had brought home.
"I guess this is what it's like to be parents." Rip said reading all the dates for the games and training times.
"I never did any of this shit when I was at school." Beth admitted.
"Yeah I know." Rip said with a smirk. "First game is next Saturday. She's got to be there at 9 and game starts at 10."
Beth nodded putting the schedule on the fridge.
"I'm ready now." Lucy announced grabbing her hat for the second time. Rip looked at the time before standing up.
"Come on then." He told her driving her down to the calf. He visited the boys in the bunkhouse while Lucy organised the bottle, telling her to meet him there once she was finished.
"Lloyd. I need a favour." Rip said as a beer was put in his hand.
"What do you need?" He asked.
"When you go in tomorrow for more feed I need you to get a good basketball and ring for Lucy. She made the basketball team at school."
"Oh that's great. What kind of basketball will she need?"
"Whatever the good one is." Rip told him.
Lucy finished feeding the calf, closing the stable door, walking to the bunkhouse. She opened the door to find the wranglers playing poker and drinking beers.
"Ready Lu?" Rip asked finishing his beer. She nodded yawning as he stood up and said goodbye. "Bedtime for you kid." He told her when they got to the cabin.
"Goodnight." She said to Rip and Beth going straight to bed.