Rip took Katie to work with him for the afternoon. They had a short break at the river where Katie and Rip picked some flowers for Beth.
Rip knew she wouldn't be easily impressed by his actions but thought going out for dinner might be nice.
The sun was beginning to set when they got back to the cabin. Rip sat her down on the couch and explained that she needed to be extra good and have a bath because they were going to surprise Beth for dinner. Katie was willing to obliged just this once as long as her hair didn't get washed. Rip took what he could get.
"Where does Mama keep the extra nice clothes?"
"There." Katie pointed to the right side of her wardrobe where dresses were hanging. Rip pulled out a navy dress with a little bow on the back and a cream cardigan.
"Why did Mama buy white for you huh? Do you like this?" Katie nodded trying to put the dress on herself. He found some matching tights for the cardigan and helped Katie put them on too and then some navy buckle shoes he found under her bed.
"Very pretty cowgirl. Now I'll get ready and then we can go." Rip changed into a clean shirt and jeans and his better pair of boots.
"Daddy my hair is messy." Rip did not have a clue how to do hair. He had watched Beth battle with Katie trying to just brush it let alone put it in a pony tail.
"It'll be fine darlin'"
"I want to look nice like Mama."
"You do." Rip could see she wasn't having a bar of it. "Come here. I can brush it for you, I'll be as gentle as I can." A few tears later Rip had managed to brush it and put a small clip in the side.
"We are going to be late and we'll miss Mama." Rip hurried to the car with Katie and started driving in to town, ignoring most of the speed limits.
Rip parked outside the office.
"Now the flowers are a surprise and so is dinner, you can hold the flowers behind your back, ok."
The pair waited beside Rip's truck where Beth would see them when she came downstairs.
"What are you two doing here?" Beth couldn't help but notice how cute they both looked. She had bought that dress for Katie a while ago but hadn't seen her in it yet, she couldn't take her eyes off Rip though, he cleaned up well.
"We got you flowers AND we are going for dinner!" Katie blurted out. Beth raised an eyebrow taking the flowers from Katie.
"You didn't strike me as the type Rip."
"It was my idea Mama."
"Thank you baby. Let me tell you a secret though, you make sure when you get flowers or give them, you give them because there was no reason to. Not to say sorry." Rip sighed knowing that was meant for him and that it would have gone over Katie's head.
"I've booked a restaurant down the street, we can walk." The three walked a block before arriving at a high end restaurant. Beth was impressed Rip knew of it. It didn't strike her as a place he would like.
"They've got steak. I checked." Beth laughed, of course he checked that.
They were seated at a table towards the back away from other diners. Rip sat across from Beth and Katie. The waitress brought over crayons and some paper for her.
"Thank you."
"She has great manners." Beth and Rip smiled at the waitress and nodded.
"Did you do her hair?"
"I did, at her request." Beth was impressed, even with the bow clip.
"It didn't even hurt like you do." Beth acted like she was hurt by Katie's words.
"Maybe Daddy can do bath and hair every night then." Rip shrugged his shoulders, it didn't bother him.
Rip ordered a steak, Beth ordered a salad and they ordered Katie spaghetti as that was her new favourite.
"Any chance you have big napkins?" Rip pointed at the clothes Katie had one wanting to cover them when she ate.
"I'm sure I can find one." The waitress gave Rip eyes up and down, clearly liking what she saw.
"Thanks sweetie." Beth rolled her eyes at the waitress making it known that everyone could see she was giving Rip eyes.
A different waitress brought out their meals and a napkin for Katie.
"I don't want to wear that."
"You're going to or you'll get dirty clothes." Beth had managed to get it around her and tie it up.
"Please, no."
"Katie –" Rip's tone was enough to stop Katie in her tracks. Beth cut some of the spaghetti into smaller strands so she didn't choke.
"This is nice hey." Rip said sitting back in his chair after finishing his steak. "Just us for once."
"Flowers and a meal doesn't fix it Rip. Or putting her in nice clothes so she looks cute."
"I know but it's a start and she's ridiculously cute in that dress."
Rip paid the bill and as they were leaving an elderly couple stopped them.
"Excuse me, we couldn't help but notice how well behaved she is." Katie had gone shy and was holding on the Beth's leg. "How old is she?"
"Thank you, she's three."
The lady smiled, "a lovely age. I remember going out as a family when mine was that age. Enjoy it."
"We will, thank you Ma'am" Rip nodded to the elderly gentleman and his wife.
Outside the restaurant, Beth knelt down to put Katie's cardigan back on.
"I think there is a fair on by the park, we could go have a look."
"I'll get her coat, there is a spare one in my car." Across the street another Dad had his son on his shoulders.
"Look Daddy, he's up sooo high!" She was pointing to the boy a little older than herself.
"Come here then." Rip picked her up easily and put her on his shoulders. She giggled away excitedly yelling at Beth how tall she was. Beth snapped a picture of the two on her phone, Katie's cheeks flushed red with excitement.
"How was your day darlin'".
"Cut short. I wanted to spend it with her but there is this guy out to try and break us."
"Did you make his life hell?"
"Of course." By the time they reach the fair Katie was resting her head against Rip's on his shoulders.
"I think someone is a bit tired." Beth looked up at Katie yawning.
"We could try the merry-go-round." Rip pointed to a section that had more kid friendly rides. He took Katie off his shoulders and put her on the horse while Beth paid for the tickets.
"You getting on Daddy?" She expected Rip to get on the horse after her like they did at home.
"No cowgirl, you can ride this one yourself. Hold on to the reins." Beth and Rip stood behind her whilst the ride did a few laps before finishing.
"I love riding. Can we play that one?" Katie pointed to a game where you had to shoot the balloons to win a soft toy prize. Rip seemed almost more excited to shoot balloons than Katie. The guy passed the gun to Rip, he gave it to Katie and helped her line it up before firing the balloons.
"Not bad kid. You can pick a toy from this level." The guy pointed to the where there were unicorns and farm animals.
"The cow please."
"Is Mom any good with the gun." The young guy asked sarcastically giving Beth another gun.
"Is there something up there you really want?" Beth whispered in her ear.
"The big teddy." Katie hadn't quite grasped the concept of whispering yet but was close enough. Beth straightened and shot the gun, not missing a single balloon in quick succession. Rip couldn't help but laugh and shake his head. The young guy stood there dumbfounded.
"Yeah, you get the big teddy." He lifted in down and gave it to Katie. "Remind me to never mess with you."
Beth smiled sweetly and walked away, Katie following with Rip now carrying the toys.
"What's that?" Beth looked to see what Katie was pointing at noticing kids holding fairy floss.
"Let's get some so you can try. It's called fairy floss." Beth got one stick and gave it to Katie, showing her how to pull it off and then eat it. Katie's eyes went wide as she tasted the sugar.
The three headed over to a nearby picnic table to eat the fairy floss before going home.
"I liked today."
"That's good kid." Rip put her in the truck ready to go home. "We'll see Beth at home." Katie waved to Beth as she left for the Ranch.
The sugar fully kicked in on the way home and Katie chatted to Rip the entire way, no letting him get many words in. He was exhausted by the time they got back to the Lodge, meeting Beth and John inside. Katie headed straight for Beth colliding with her knees.
"I'm ok." She giggled.
"I think someone has a sugar high." Beth fixed the bow in her hair before getting some milk for her in the kitchen.
"You look pretty Katie, did you have fun?" John asked.
"Yeah, like my Mama. We went to dinner and then on rides and we had.. what is it called?"
"Fairy floss baby." Beth interjected from the kitchen.
"Woah, big day for you. You must be tired."
"Not yet." Rip rolled his eyes hoping he was not going to be kept awake tonight if Beth and Katie stayed with him. He wouldn't mind if Beth kept him awake.
Rip and John sat in the armchairs with a drink in hand each chatting about the ranch. Beth came back with a glass of wine for herself and some warm milk in a cup for Katie. The two girls sat on the other side of the room, Katie curling up in Beth's lap allowing Beth to pull out a story book from her bag to read. Rip was keeping an eye on them from the other side of the room.
"I heard what happened."
"Yeah, messed up there."
"I said I would stay out of it but Rip, they both love you and you clearly care for them. Don't throw that away. Once it's gone, you won't get it back. Trust me, I know."
"I know sir, I'm working on it." John nodded, Rip got out of the chair to help Beth who had finished the book and had Katie softly snoring in her arms.
"I'll get her, where does she sleep?"
"Thanks, just put her in my room upstairs." Rip carefully lifted her out of Beth's arms and carried her to the room, Beth behind him. He put her down in the middle of the bed.
"I'll get going, see you later darlin'" Rip kissed her forehead.
"Stay Rip. It's late." Rip didn't need telling twice as he crawled in to bed, Katie in the middle of them both.
Rip woke a bit later than, Katie and Beth still asleep with the sheet tangled around them. He met Kayce downstairs.
"Morning, what are you doing here?"
"Beth and the kid are sleeping upstairs." Both men headed out on to the porch discussing the days work.
"How it working out? Monica loves her."
"Yeah, she's a good kid. We're adopting her, we've filled in the paperwork but just waiting now."
"Good for you, Rip. I guess we will be having that party." Both men heard screams and crying from upstairs, Rip was running up the stairs before Kayce could say anything.
"No! Leave me alone, don't hurt me."
"Shh, you're safe. It's ok." Beth had Katie in her arms trying to hold her as she fought against her.
"What's wrong?" Rip said standing in the door way. "I could hear her outside screaming."
"Bad dream." Katie was looking at Rip wide eyed, tears down her face. She reached out for him, he easily scooped her up and held her close.
"You're safe darlin'. It's ok." Beth got out of bed and sighed, it was the second bad dream in two nights where she had woken up crying and screaming.
"Want to tell me about it?" Katie shook her head at Rip. Beth shrugged her shoulders, not wanting to push it.
"I'll come back for lunch to see how you both are." Rip passed Katie to Beth, giving both a kiss on the forehead.
"I think we will spend the day up here." Katie rested her head on Beth shoulder and twirled her hair between her fingers.
"All good?"
"Yeah Kayce, she's fine."
"I remember Tate having nightmares. Took a while to stop." Rip nodded hoping that wouldn't be the case for Katie.
They noticed that John was not at the table this morning.
"He's gone to see the Governor. He wanted me to let you know." Beth thanked Gator putting Katie down next to her at the table. She reached over trying to crawl back over to Beth. It wasn't very often that Beth and Rip let Katie sit on their lap at the dining table, trying to make good habits for her. Beth made an exception this time, eating her breakfast one handed, trying to get Katie to eat who was pushing Beth's hand away.
"Come on baby, just a few mouthfuls." Katie turned her head in to Beth's chest.
"All right, maybe later then. You and I are having a quiet day today." Katie nodded, twirling her own hair in her fingers, creating a knot.
Beth was able to bath Katie and wash her hair with minimal fuss. Beth was worried by how quiet she was and she was extra clingy.
It was overcast outside and chillier than normal, Beth put a movie on for Katie to watch whilst she sent the adoption paperwork back.
"Mama, I'm bored." Beth looked outside and saw the sun was starting to come out.
"We can go for a little bike ride if you want. Go and get your coat first." Beth got up to get her bike and helmet, putting them on the porch. Beth yelled out to Katie who was calling for her inside that she was on the porch.
Zipping up her coat she got on her bike, Beth holding the seat helping her balance as she pedalled along the path. They decided to have a rest before going back to the lodge and lie on the grass, watching the clouds.
"That one's like a puppy dog."
"It looks like one doesn't it."
"Can I have a dog?" Beth knew that Rip would say no to the idea of a dog but thought he could tell her that himself.
"I think we should ask Daddy that, sounds like he is coming here now." Beth could hear the truck coming down the drive. Beth carried the bike back to the Lodge, Katie trailing behind.
"How's my girl?"
"Can I have a dog Daddy?"
"Absolutely not." Katie looked to Beth for some help.
"I said we would ask Daddy and that's his answer."
"I really want one, I'll play with it."
"It's not just about playing with it kid, you have to walk it, wash it, feed it and pick up after it." Katie's bottom lip threatened to fall. Rip looked at Beth.
"Maybe when you're a bit older baby." She tried to storm off on them both but Rip had longer legs and picked her up throwing her in the air and catching her.
"I'm not trying to be mean cowgirl, but we are not getting a puppy."
"I want one."
"I know you do."
"Just wait until she's a teenager." John said from the porch. "She'll storm away as good as Beth can by then." Beth rolled her eyes and kissed her Daddy on the cheek.
"Not on my watch she won't" Beth whispered to John who laughed.
"That's what I told myself too, honey."
Katie found her blocks in the living room, emptying the entire bucket on the ground before laying down to play.
"How is she Beth?"
"Quiet. Extra clingy. That's the most she's said all day." Rip was surprised, she was normally a chatty kid.
"Should we be worried?"
"I don't know yet. She won't talk about it." Beth rubbed her face.
"You're doing good with her darlin'."
"I've emailed the adoption papers back. They said they'll send out a new birth certificate within the next week."
"Kayce seems excited for a party. I think Monica may have started planning one."
"Let's keep it small." Rip nodded getting on the ground to play with Katie's blocks, whilst Beth watched from the couch.