Hope y'all enjoy chapter 9!
P.S. Please let me know some of the things y'all might want to see happen in this series.
/
Ring ring
I roll over to grab my phone from my nightstand and look at the caller ID: Ryan "Hello" I groggily answer.
"Get dressed and come to the barn," Ryan says in a way too peppy tone.
"Ryan, it's 3:30 in the morning" I groan.
"I know. Just get dressed and come to the barn." He repeats
I sigh "Alright. Give me ten minutes"
When I walked into the barn I saw Ryan saddling a gray gelding, named Duke, and an already saddled Sundance tied up by his stall. "What are you doing?"
Ryan checks the straps on his saddle "Making sure I don't fall off of Duke"
I roll my eyes and walk over to Sundance "No, smartass. Why did you call me to come down here at 3:30 a.m.? Don't you have a job to do in a couple of hours?"
"Actually work starts now. Rip told me to take someone with me to check the fences by the reservation and I thought you'd enjoy the time away" Ryan says as he takes Duke's reins and leads him out of the barn.
"A few hours away from here is just what I need," I say to Sundance as I untie him and lead him out to join Ryan, who was busy checking Duke's saddlebag. "I still don't see why we have to leave so early the sun won't even be up by the time we get there," I say to Ryan as I mount Sundance.
"Well, I was thinking maybe we can make a stop on the way there. I packed coffee and last night's biscuits" Ryan says as he mounts Duke.
"Sounds nice. I think I know just the spot" I say before racing off.
"Clara!" Ryan frustratingly shouts from behind.
/
The fading moonlight glistened off the water as me and Ryan sat in silence on an old blanket near the murky pond in pasture six. I slowly sipped my coffee as I watched the sun just barely start to peak out behind the mountains.
"I've been meaning to drag you out here again. There's just something out here that heals the soul" Ryan says breaking the silence
I turn to look at him "Do you think my soul needs healing?"
Ryan sets his coffee down next to him and turns his body towards me "I think it's been almost a month since Lee died and ever since our talk the other night I've been wondering if you've started to figure out what your new normal is gonna look like."
"I've been wondering about it, just haven't figured it out yet." I sigh and look into Ryan's blue-gray eyes "I am going to be just fine Ryan. I promise." I say with a smile.
Ryan reaches his hand out and tucks a stray hair behind my ear "I'm still gonna worry about you Clara."
"I know." I reach up and grab his hand. A million thoughts start running through my head about what I should do next. A part of me is screaming at myself to kiss him and the other part is screaming for me to let go of his hand and move on with the day. Sundance makes the choice for me when he lets out a loud, frustrated whinny.
"I think Sundance is ready to go," Ryan says with a laugh.
I let out a chuckle and reluctantly let go of Ryan's hand. We both stand up to gather our things and mount our horses. We both spent the rest of our ride to the bordering fence in silence.
/
When me and Ryan returned to the ranch I noticed a familiar truck and trailer in the driveway. Ryan lets out a heavy breath and heads toward the barn while I head toward the owner of said truck and trailer.
"You could probably get him bought for about a million. He's got 200,000 in earnings. But if you're looking to raise Cadillac Ranch horses, that is your stud." Travis said from the back of a pretty chestnut horse.
"Travis Wheatly I know you're not trying to get my Father to buy a million-dollar horse," I say to the man as I climb off of Sundance and hand him off to one of the passing wranglers before walking up to the fence that Dad, Rip, and Jamie are leaning on.
"I may have a soft spot for you Clara Dutton but I am a horse trader," He says with a big smile.
"Why don't we just breed the one Kayce gave you?" Jamie suggests to our Dad.
"No one can ride the damn thing, Jamie," I say which earned me a glare from my older brother.
"Which one do you like?" Dad asks Rip.
Rip points at the bay horse in the corral "I like that $5 million bastard that just spun a hole in the ground, but it ain't my money."
Jamie shakes his head and turns to Dad "We can't do it."
"Don't ever tell me what I can and can't do." Dad grumps before pouring the rest of his coffee out behind him and walking away. I turn to see my Dad going up to Monica and Tate standing at the gate with Jamie and Rip soon following behind him.
I turn back to Travis "I don't know what that's about but I'm pretty sure it means there's not gonna be any horse trading today."
"Well tell your Dad to get back with me soon." Travis jumps down from his horse and ties him to the fence "You look good Clara. Doing good?"
I let out a heavy sigh "I think so"
Travis leans onto the fence and takes his hat off to wipe his forehead "Listen I've been meaning to talk to you since the Houston rodeo but I didn't want to bring it up with everything that you've got going on… "
I take the man's hat from him and place it back on his head "I already know what you're gonna say, Travis, but I uh… think we should just stay friends from now on"
Travis sighs "I was scared you were gonna say that." He leans over the fence and kisses me on the cheek "I've got to get these horses loaded and on the road to Missoula but keep in touch."
"Bye Travis," I say as he turns and starts shouting demands at his team
/
I walk up to the lodge and see Monica watching my Dad and Tate throwing rocks in the horse trough. I walk over and take a seat next to her. "Jamie texted me and told me what happened. How are you holding up?" I ask
"I'm fine," She says without moving her eyes away from my Dad and Tate. "He doesn't act like the man from the stories I've heard."
I look over at my Dad then back at Monica "I guess that's the thing about being a grandfather. He gets to do all of the things with Tate that he never did with us. And the things he regrets doing, he gets to do them differently."
Monica looks at me "It doesn't change the things he did, though."
I sign "No, it doesn't. But I think he's trying to make up for it in a way"
The whirling of a helicopter makes us both stand and look at the sky. Dad and Tate come walking over to join me and Monica. Once the helicopter lands and my brothers get out, Dad and I walk over to meet Jamie.
"It's solved," Jamie says
"For now or for good?" Dad questions
"It's behind us, both things, I think," Jamie says before going over to talk to Monica
Kayce steps into Jamie's place, looking well-prepared for an earful from our Father. Before Dad can say anything I step in front of him and give Kayce a tight but quick hug "You and trouble…"
I let go of Kayce and moved back to my spot next to our father "Thanks for the help,"
"I need a little from you," Dad says
Kayce looks at the ground and then back to Dad "Figures."
"You're not gonna mind this kind of work," Dad says to my brother as they both turn toward Monica and Tate. Instead of joining the small family, Dad and I walk over to Jamie. "Now that you got him here, we need to keep him here. I'm not losing another child. If he goes back, I'm gonna lose him. I can feel it in my bones." Dad says to Jamie while looking at Kayce.
Jamie takes his sunglasses off "How about I put in a call to Mel Thompson?"
Dad pats Jamie on the shoulder "Now you're thinking smart." He walks away and summons Kayce to follow him.
Jamie and I watch as Monica and Tate head back into the house "If you need any help Jamie I'm gonna be doctoring calves in the corral" I say to my brother before taking off to join the cowboys.
/
"He's good," I say as I back away from the calf on the ground in front of me and watch as the wranglers untie him.
"Hey, Jimmy! These cows ain't gonna doctor themselves!" Ryan shouts.
"Yo, Jimmy, you know you're supposed to ride it, right?" Colby jokes.
I look over and see Jimmy limping into the pen with his horse walking slowly behind him. Before I had the chance to say anything Jake heeled a calf and one of the wranglers already had him on the ground. I pull back 4mL of ivermectin and reach down to inject the calf. "Let him go," I say to the wranglers as I pull the needle out and step out of their way.
"Jimmy, get halfway up the fence and keep them from spilling back!" Lloyd shouts. I look over to see Jimmy slowly moving his horse along. All of the wranglers stop what their doing to look over at the young man. "Why you walking? Haul ass, we ain't got all day!" Lloyd hollars as he rolls his rope up. Jimmy kicks his horse in his sides and the man's face writhes in pain with every trot. He stops his horse and bends over in his saddle. A second later, Lloyd trots up to the younger man and starts talking to him.
"Ryan, Colby run those calves back out to pasture" I shout at the men, partially to take some attention off of Jimmy. "Why is everyone standing around? Get back to work" I shout to everyone else.
/
Once all of the calves were doctored and let back with the rest of the herd, I decided to organize the room in the barn where all of the vet supplies were stored. About an hour or so into my new project, I hear a knock at the door.
"Come in" I yell and turn to see Ryan walk in.
"Need any help?" He asks from the doorway.
"I'm actually almost done but I'd love the company," I say as I put the vaccine bottles in my hands back in the fridge and close the door.
"So uh.. how was Travis?" Ryan somewhat hesitantly asks as he goes to lean on the counter next to the fridge.
"He's fine," I say as I pick up my last box of medical supplies to go through and set it on the counter.
Ryan leans over to look in the box next to him and then back over at me "Is he staying in town long?"
"He said something about taking the horses he had with him to Missoula but I didn't really ask," I say as I walk over to the cabinet on the other side of the room and put some of the supplies from the box inside.
"What else did he say?" Ryan questions.
I close the cabinet rather loudly and turn to Ryan with crossed arms "What is this? Twenty questions? If you have something to say, Ryan, just say it."
"I just know that over the years you and him had an on again off again thing. So I just wondered if he was trying to get things back on." Ryan responds.
I let out a huff and uncrossed my arms. "The last time I saw Travis was at the Houston rodeo this February. I stayed with him in his trailer for a weekend." I pull out one of the chairs from the small table in the middle of the room to sit in. "One night I went to have dinner with some old rodeo friends and when I got back to his place, he was in bed with some buckle bunny. So today was the first time I've seen him in four months."
Ryan takes his hat off and sets it on the table before sitting down next to me "He is one sorry son of a bitch"
I smile as I reach over and swipe some dirt off of his tanned face "It wasn't the first time something like this had happened and I knew it wouldn't be the last so, I told him that we should just stay friends from now on"
"What made you decide that after all these years?" Ryan asks.
"Well somebody once told me I should figure out what my new normal was gonna look like, and I don't think a meaningless, occasional relationship with Travis Wheatly is in that future." I look down and notice Ryan's hand resting on the lower part of my lower thigh. I look back up at Ryan "I think you were right about the soul-healing properties of the back pastures." I say somewhat lightening the mood.
Ryan lets out a small laugh "You should never doubt me." We sat and chatted about meaningless things for a while until a growl from my stomach interrupted."Hey, how about we grab dinner at the bunkhouse and eat it here?" Ryan asks.
"Actually, why don't we go…" Before I could finish my sentence I was interrupted by Tate's excited shouts from the doorway "Aunt Clara! Grandpa told me I can spend the night!" Ryan swiftly moves his hand off of my thigh as I smile wide at the young boy as he trots over to me and Ryan "Grandpa also told me to come ask you if you were coming to eat dinner with us while he talks to my Mom and Dad."
I look over at Ryan "Can I have a raincheck for dinner?"
"How bout Friday? There's a new place in Bozeman called Cooper's that I heard was good." Ryan asks as he stands and puts his hat back on.
I stand up and take a hold of Tate's hand "I have the Stockman's Dinner with Dad that night. Saturday?"
"We'll figure out a time later," Ryan says as we walk out of the room and into the barn.
"Sounds good" I reply as Tate starts pulling me in the direction of the lodge. "See you tomorrow" I shout as I give in and let the boy drag me up to the house.
/
After putting on my PJs I open my bedroom door to go check on Dad and Tate but instead, I'm greeted by my sister storming into her room and slamming the door behind her. A few seconds later, a loud scream comes from behind her bedroom door. As the screams continue, I silently walk down the hall to my father's room to find him tucking in Tate.
"Have you talked to your sister today?" He asks as he walks out of his room and closes his door to join me in the hall.
"I missed a call from her earlier but other than that, nothing" I answer as I follow my Dad into the lounge next to the stairs.
Dad walks over to the leather chair, sits down, and takes his glasses off. I pour my father a drink and hand it to him before sitting on the footrest of the chair next to him, the only sound is Beth's screams in the background. A minute later Jamie walks up the stairs with a drink in his hand and sits in the chair next to me and Dad. Jamie rubs his face and looks at our father "You should send her back to Salt Lake City, Dad. She's…" He lets out a deep breath "The longer she stays here, the worse she's gonna get."
"No, I need her here." Dad says.
"I can do whatever she does." Jamie attempts to reason.
Dad takes a drink from his glass "Beth, and God, how I love her, She can... She can be what you won't ever be. She can be evil. And evil's what I need right now." Dad stands from his chair "It's good to have Kayce home, isn't it?" He says while walking away.
With the slam of Dad's door I take his chair and look at my older brother "Don't you and Beth have that meeting with the governor tomorrow?" I question
"Oh God," Jamie exclaims and downs the rest of his drink "Clara you have to talk to her. The longer she's here the worse it's gonna be for all of us."
"I love you but I'm not poking the bear with a stick" I stand to pat my brother on his shoulder before I head to bed. "She needs to work through some stuff and trying to force her to go back to Utah will probably make things worse for you."