A Father's Love
Disclaimer: I don't own these characters. I just like to spend time with them. No other profit to be had.
The two young men raced across the prairie as fast as they could in the twilight of the evening. No one was chasing them. No one knew anything of them and the deed they committed. At least, no one knew anything as of yet.
They reached a small stream of water about 15 miles north of Dodge City and just over the border of their father's land before they finally slowed down and stopped.
"Ya…. You don't think they're still back there do ya?" Eighteen-year-old Tag Granger asked as he nervously looked behind them, unable to see anything in the deepening darkness.
"I don't know." Rey Granger, Tag's nineteen-year-old brother answered. "I don't think so, though." He straightened up in his saddle and forced himself to relax as he looked over at his younger brother. "They're probably already back at their place, licking their wounds." He grinned over at his brother, noticing the grin was not returned. "Ah, come on little brother. We're home. We're safe now. What's got you so down in the mouth?"
"What's got me…" Tag was incredulous. "Rey, we just ran for lives. If those men had a caught us…"
"But they didn't, little brother." Rey's smile didn't diminish. "Look, I know those men were mad and all. But they'll eventually get over it. No matter what that girl said, she did agree to talk. And I have no doubt she knew more than talk was going to happen. She probably wanted what she got. And if her men don't like it… Well, we can't do anything about that. Like I said, they'll get over it."
"And if they don't?" Tag asked. Tag waited only a moment for an answer, knowing he wouldn't get it. He loved his brother, but he knew him. Rey could be loving and kind when he wanted to, but his arrogance often overrode that and he did whatever he wanted to, to whomever he wanted whenever he wanted without fear of repercussion. Unfortunately, their father had spoiled Rey unmercifully and Rey felt he could do no wrong.
"Would you let it go?" Rey shook his head. "Look, nothing's going to happen to us. Okay? Even if those men were reckless enough to try something, Pa would stop em. Besides, like I said before, that girl probably wanted what she got."
"Rey, that girl was hurt pretty bad. Whether she wanted it or not, I doubted she wanted to be hurt. And those men… They didn't look like they'd get over it. They were mad, Rey, MAD. If we hadn't a hightailed it like we did…"
"Yeah but we did hightail it and we're safe now." Rey cut him off. "Now there's no use in worrying about it anymore. It's over. So let's go on and get back to the ranch before Pa catches us. Betcha anything those men are on their way home with their tails between their legs like whipped pups. They'll go on back and warn that girl to stop smiling at men like she did and that'll be that."
"What if it isn't?" Tag pressed. "What if she never smiles at another man again because she can't? Rey, she was hurt! There was so much blood and… Rey, what if she died?"
Rey ignored the question. "Come on. Let's get on home." He said as he spurred his horse. "It's too late for what if's."
Tag let it go. There was no sense in talking anymore. Maybe Rey was right and nothing more would come of this nights events. He hoped so. He truly hoped so.
TBC