Roxy sat in the pasture and looked out as the sun rose behind the mountains. It was already quite warm and at the rate it was going, it would to be a hot day. She smiled upon seeing an eagle at a distance soar above the mountains.
"Glad to see that Archie is back."
She smiled as he sat down next to her, removed his hat and hand-combed his hair.
"Me too. I'm sure he wasn't far, it's just that we kind of have a ritual."
She put her head against his shoulder. "You're up early."
"There's always work to be done, especially on Mondays."
She smiled. "It's not like you're on the clock. When was the last time you actually slept in?"
He laughed. "I've been doing this for so long, I don't even think I'd be able to sleep in. Why do you always get up at the crack of dawn?"
"Because it's peaceful and quiet and I love watching the sun rise."
He looked at his watch. "We'll, I better get this show on the road. We've only got a couple of hours."
She put her arm around him. "Stay a bit longer, will you, Dad?"
He looked down into her beautiful brown eyes and saw her smile. "Of course, my sweet Roxanne," replied Lloyd as he hugged her.
After a few more minutes, both stood and headed back toward the lodge together.
As they did, she couldn't help but think back at how everything had so easily fallen into place between them. It was then that she realized just how much of a father he had always been to her, more than John Dutton had ever been. He had held back a lot of things in how he was with her because she didn't know the truth, but after the surgery and the hospital, they had spent a lot of time talking together and over time, he had become freer with how he was around her. Furthermore, he had been there by her side through everything that had happened since the hospital.
ROXY:
Shortly after their release from the hospital, I put in a petition for a legal name change and obviously it brought on more unwanted attention around the Dutton family, and of course, the Governor. To save face, as always, John had stated that he had known all along the truth but had not wanted to tell her because at first it had been Evelyn's choice, afterwards it would have been too hard with Evelyn's death, to finally never having had to because Roxy had fled the ranch. A handful of people knew it was a lie, but it didn't matter to any of them. For me, the most important thing was being as far away from John Dutton and his toxicity, but mostly not owing him anything.
Once all the dust around that had settled, I left Montana and went back to Cheyenne. It was hard to believe that it had been 5 years already since I had taken my life back into my own hands and finally decided to live it the way I wanted to. I had returned to my previous practice, happy to work as an associate, and finding once again the happiness and stability I once had.
The 25 million dollars were still sitting on my bank account acquiring interest and I pondered about what I would do with it. I had given so much of myself and time for others that I decided to use that money for myself. That's when I had decided to buy the ranch. It was ideally situated in Northeastern Wyoming with wide-open spaces and incredible views of the Kara Creek and Bear Lodge Mountains. On clear days you could see as far away as the Big Horn Mountains! It was breathtaking and beautiful.
On the 2000 acres, the newly constructed timber frame home encompassed over 8200 square feet of living space. Every space was open, and you could see the living room and dining room from the kitchen, which was handy when having guests. There were 5 bedrooms and 3 bathrooms all in the same wooden style of the house with some additional stone floors. One of the other available rooms was turned into a gym facility and a pool had been built on the back of the house surrounded by a wooden deck.
Another smaller version of the lodge had been constructed shortly after to accommodate guests. Stables, a barn, an arena, various pastures, a bunkhouse, and her practice completed the property. It was perfect in all its layout and along with the cattle, horses and dogs running around the property or grazing, it was topped off with wildlife from the surroundings which included, bull elk, whitetail and mule deer, mountain lions, turkey, bobcats and on the unfortunate occasion a wolf or two and foxes.
It could have been mistaken for the Dutton ranch, and yet it was as far away from it as possible. John Dutton had served his term as Governor, keeping his promises about keeping out-of-staters away from Montana. As it had been mainly out of spite, preventing Jamie to get the position, one term had been enough for him, and he finally returned to caring full-time for his ranch. Unfortunately for him, a lot of the ranchers had seen a side of him they didn't really appreciate and by the time he was in his second year as Governor, most had left, leaving only Rip, Jake, and Ethan, meaning he had had to hire new people.
Most of the ranchers had gone over to other ranches. Teeter and Colby had headed over to Texas to join Jimmy at the 6666 Ranch. Jimmy and Emily, the veterinarian tech that he met there, had gotten married on the ranch three years ago and we were more than happy to go down and be there for the ceremony. One year later they welcomed their son, Knox. Unlike his father, this one is a natural bred rancher. Teeter and Colby, even though in love, haven't gotten married to this day, but then again it doesn't surprise me. Neither one of them has really an ounce of romance in their bones, but who says you need to get married to show how truly you love one another, right?
I know you're wondering about the rest of the Duttons… Well, Rip and Beth are still married even though from what I've heard they still fight like cat and dog and end up cursing more than they make love or tell each other "I love you", but that also is not a surprise; people don't change. We didn't stay in touch, but I get updates through the grapevine, and as that is part of my old life, I don't mind and don't miss it either.
Jamie is still Attorney General and is running for Governor. I think he has a fair chance at being elected. He ended up marrying Christina and adopting James Jr, making him an official Dutton. Not sure that is a blessing or a curse, but Christina hates John and I'm sure she'll do everything in her power to keep him out of their lives. In all honesty, I don't know if they love each other. Jamie has never felt as though he had truly been loved and that being the case, I think he is unable to love properly, except maybe James Jr. Regardless, their couple and marriage seems to work and that is all that matters. Even though our interactions are limited, I only wish him the best.
Kayce, Monica, and Tate live up higher on the property in a small and quaint home they built. He offered to buy his plot of land, but I refused. Kayce works on the ranch doing what he loves the most and not feeling the pressure of being Livestock Commissioner or needing to constantly look behind his back, is a gift. Monica teaches American Indian history, arts and literature at the National American University in Rapid City, South Dakota. It's approximately 61 miles away from here, but as she's in charge of the program, she sets up her hours to make things work. Ever since the program started the University has seen their American Indian student percentage increase from 5% to 15%. She's doing amazing work and as her sister-in-law, I couldn't be prouder of what she does.
Tate is 14 and a freshman at Sundance High School. If I hadn't seen him grow up all these years, I probably would not recognize him if I crossed him in the street. He's grown so much and is becoming an extraordinary young man. He's really a smart kid and has just joined the science club and junior varsity soccer team. When he's not hanging out with his buddies, he'll more than happily give a hand on the ranch or go riding with us. He's also a great big brother to Ella who just turned two. After John Jr's death, things were hard for Kayce and Monica and they weren't anywhere ready to try again, but over time the grief and fear they had turned to hope, and they were blessed with her arrival. When Monica is at the University, Ella goes to the daycare there, when she's not, well… she's a little bit everywhere, enjoying time with all of us. Last I heard, Kayce wanted another child, I know they are talking about it, so only time will tell. You won't hear me complaining about more kids around.
It's amazing what can happen in five years when you are surrounded by the people you love.
I can hear you asking, "and what about Ryan?"
You really thought I'd leave Montana without him? Of course not. It took a bit of time and talking things out for our relationship to… no I can't say go back to what it was before… even if it was good when it was working. We both realized that we had made mistakes, even when things were good, so we promised to lay everything out on the table, no more secrets. We talked about my past with Rip, the baby I had lost, his previous relationships, Roarke, and the unnamed women he consoled himself with. We were both adamant about starting things over on solid foundations and not having the Dutton chaos was a good starting point.
We've been married now for 4 years… yeah it didn't take long to confirm what we had known all along. The wedding ceremony was done here on the ranch with all those that mattered, and Lloyd walked me down the aisle. He was so proud, and I could tell he was moved by it being his first real action as my dad. I do have to think him to some extent, as I learned in time that he had been the one to tell Ryan to give it a shot, that I was worth it.
Ryan manages the ranch and it's so natural to him, I understand why he and Rip butted heads so often. Ryan has a very different way of taking care of the men and they all appreciate and respect it him for it. Unlike on the Dutton ranch, it's earned respect, not out of fear. It's a great working environment and we have our regular ranchers and on occasion some young lads come to help during the summer vacation.
We welcomed our son Brett merely 9 months after our wedding… it appears as though our wedding night was favorable. He just turned three and my goodness is he so a mini-Ryan. You should see him walking around the ranch in his cowboy boots, hat, and mini-sized lasso, shadowing his dad, grandpa, or uncle. Ryan says that aside from looks, he's a lot like me and seems to have a connection with animals and nature in general. I want to think that it has to do more with the environment we live in, but if Ryan wants to give me some credit, then I'll take it.
Evie just turned one. We named her after my mom. She's only starting to walk but she always has this determined look on her face, like she knows where life will take her, and she just goes. She's got dark blond curly hair and a cute little button nose. She's a perfect mix of Ryan and me, even if I see a lot of my mom in her. She has an amazing and contagious laugh, I love it when it echoes through the house when she plays with Brett, runs after the dogs or horses around with Ryan. She has an amazing connection with dad… and aside from being his grand-daughter, I know it warms his heart because she reminds him of mom.
Just as Kayce, Ryan is trying to negotiate baby number three… Ah men. It's easy for them. Now don't get me wrong, I'm only talking about the pregnancy and delivery part, because the men in our lives, they feed, they burp, they give baths, change diapers, sing lullabies, and read stories before tucking into bed. In the end, there is no need to negotiate anything…. I'm already 8 weeks pregnant but luckily, it's not showing nor has the morning sickness officially settled in. I'm crossing my fingers to keep this a secret for another week, so that I can give him the best anniversary surprise ever! I bet he won't see that one coming.
Looking back, that's what I take out of this… I didn't see any of this coming, not from the moment I got in my car and drove back to Montana. Do I regret everything? No, not everything. Sometimes, you have to go down a certain path before it brings you to your final destination, the one you were meant to get to. Everything that happened in my life has made me who I am; the doctor, the daughter, the sister, the wife, and mother I am today. And for that, I am grateful.
I'm also grateful for the life we lead on the ranch and all that it has to offer, even if it's a bit different than most ranches.
Roxy stood against the railing of the front deck, cup of coffee in hand when the front screen door opened and Ryan joined her, Evie in his arms, Brett rushing down the stairs toward the arena where Lloyd was saddling his horse.
"Brett, stay with grandpa, OK?"
"Yes, mommy."
Ryan laughed as Roxy handed him her cup of coffee and took Evie from his hold.
"I keep expecting him to tell me he's moving into the bunkhouse," said Roxy as Evie nestled her head against her chest.
"We could put him up with your dad in his room first… with your dad's snoring, that should dissuade him rather quickly."
"Good thing you knew he snored, otherwise I wouldn't have put him on the other side of the house."
"Is that the only reason why you put him on that side of the house? It wouldn't have to do with us rodeoing, by any chance, would it?"
"Touché."
Ryan leaned in and planted a kiss on her lips before looking at his watch.
"How many are we looking at exactly?"
"10."
Ryan nodded as he headed down the steps.
"I think they're here," said Roxy as she looked out further up the trail, as a van drove up.
As Ryan whistled toward the arena, Roxy joined him in front of the house.
By the time the van stopped, Lloyd, Kayce and the rest of the ranchers joined them.
When the occupants of the van had exited, Roxy took a step toward them and shook their hands.
"Welcome to the Anderson-Pierce Ranch. My name is Roxy, this is my husband Ryan, my father Lloyd, my brother Kayce, and the finest group of ranchers in Wyoming. We are the ones who will oversee your program. When you leave here, you'll have discovered what it's like to live the life of a rancher. If you don't know how to gear up a horse or ride a horse, we'll teach you. You'll learn the best roping techniques and how to care for your cattle. If you're lucky you'll even be able to see a heifer calve, we have a few that are nearing that time. After your twelve-week program you'll be prepared to work on any of this country's finest ranches."
The six young boys looked at each other eagerly.
"Lloyd and the others will take you to your bunkhouse to settle in, and provide you with the rules and guidelines. Get to know each other, they are some of the best and you have a lot to learn from them. If you have any questions, concerns, or problems, you can come to any of us, we're always around somewhere on the property. In case of a medical emergency, being a doctor, I'm at your service and will be more than happy to patch you up."
The boys laughed.
"In six weeks, your parents will come spend the day with us and see the progress you've already made her at camp. The only thing left for me to say is, have fun, discover, learn and we're happy to have all of you here with us."
They all thanked her and then followed Lloyd, Kayce and the ranchers, bags in hand, down the path that led toward the secondary bunkhouse… the one meant for ranching camp.
"They seemed eager and excited," said Ryan as he put his arm around Roxy, and they too headed down toward the path.
"Sure did, I think they'll have a great time."
"It's the first time that we've had so many at the same time."
"It's a successful program, Ryan, we are victims of our own success… thanks to you and how you run it."
"I just hope we'll manage with that many."
Suddenly both turned around upon hearing the horn of a pickup honk.
Roxy looked at Ryan and smiled. "I might have called in some reinforcements," she said.
He shifted his eyes from her back to the pickup and grinned upon seeing Jimmy, Emily, Teeter and Colby get out and walk their way.
"You never cease to surprise me, Roxy Anderson."
"I know," she replied as the group joined them and they all greeted and hugged each other.
"We'll, I'll be damned," said Colby, "finally setting foot on the famous Anderson-Pierce ranch and ranching camp… It's an honor. And in all honesty, we've missed you guys' big time."
"We've missed you too," replied Ryan. "Come on, let us show you around. You are family, our ranch is your ranch!"
As they headed down the path, together, Roxy knew Ryan was right.
They were all a family. Whether you were born a rancher, a natural bred, or became a rancher through sweat and blood, didn't matter. We are a breed apart, we look after one another, we help each other up and dust ourselves off, we are there from dawn till dusk and sometimes even underneath the star and moonlit sky. We are family, and on this ranch, we will always welcome you and treat you as if you are a part of our family! That's who we are, that's what we do and if you think we're too nice and not tough enough with you… I know a ranch in Montana, but I guarantee you that you'll quickly come back here and unlike them, we'll always welcome you with open arms.
We are the Anderson-Pierce Ranch and family that's how we do things around here!
THE END!
