Three weeks flew by, Beth was getting sick of waiting and just wanted to get married and sign the papers.
John had got assistance organised to help Gator prepare food the days leading up to the ceremony and Beth was keeping a close eye on everything. Rip was happy to let her give out orders seeing it made her happy. Otherwise it was life as normal for him.
Katie did not understand why her Mama was so cranky at people and she was occasionally on the receiving end from Beth. More often than not this ended up is tears or arguing back from Katie followed by more tears.
"Katie, put those blocks away. I'm working and you'll need to play by yourself for a few hours." Beth told her the same thing she had been told everyday for the past two and a half weeks. Katie wasn't use to not having someone to play with.
"Can I go to Daddy?"
"No. I've told you what to do."
"I don't want to." Katie said.
"What did you say?" Beth said turning around from her computer.
"I DON'T WANT TO. YOU'RE NOT NICE ANYMORE." Katie yelled tears in her eyes.
Beth could feel her own anger. "That's it. Go to your room. I'll come and get you later." Beth marched Katie up to her room and left her there crying. Beth turned back to her work for a few hours ignoring the crying before Rip got home.
"Hey Beth." Rip gave her a kiss.
"Hi baby."
"Where's Katie?" He asked, surprised she wasn't outside playing or greeting him at the door.
Beth face changed slightly before letting out a whispered "fuck".
"Everything all right? I've noticed Katie not quite herself."
"She's fine. I just told her to put her toys away and she had a tantrum. I told her to stay in her room." Beth said. Rip frowned thinking it was out of character for both of them. Despite Beth being the woman willing to rip anyone limb from limb that was the furthest from the truth at home and especially with Katie.
He took to the stairs and from her doorway saw she had a red blotchy face and asleep. He sat on the edge of her bed and moved her hair behind her ears.
"Cowgirl, it's Daddy."
Katie opened her eyes and burst in to tears.
"Woah. Settle down. What's going on?" Rip said startled.
Katie crawled in to his lap, tears continuing to flow. He stood up with her in his arms and walked around the room trying to calm her down.
"Cowgirl, I can't fix it if I don't know what's wrong. Calm down."
Rip continued to pace but it wasn't working. He decided to go and sit out on the porch swing to see if that worked better. Downstairs he noticed Beth wouldn't look at either of them and Katie's cries got louder.
He gently swung the swing back and forth and rubbed her back, slowly her tears slowed and breath calmed.
"Mama doesn't like me anymore."
"Why is that?" Rio asked surprised.
"She tells me off all day and I don't know why!" Katie said getting worked up.
"Mama does love you. I think she's very stressed at the moment. I noticed she is a bit cranky too." Rip said with a chuckle.
Beth was listening to their conversation and felt guilty. She hadn't really bothered to explain to Katie what was going on.
"You and I can sit here for a bit longer and then we will go and have dinner inside." Rip told her. He thought it would be best if he took Katie with him to work tomorrow to give Beth a break. They sat there for another ten minutes until Katie's face was less red.
Inside Beth was sitting by the counter with a big glass of wine. Rip directed Katie over to her bookshelf while he went to Beth.
"I know you heard Beth."
She nodded, saying nothing. Rip waited for a reply.
"I just. Fuck it Rip. I don't even know."
"I know you're stressed -"
"I'm fine."
"Let me finish Beth. She doesn't understand ok, thinks you don't love her suddenly. Just take some time tomorrow to relax and I'll take her."
Beth had both hands on the counter and arms stretched out, looking down. "I'll talk to her." Beth looked over at him.
He smiled and kissed her forehead.
Beth approached Katie where she was crouched down with a book. She looked up hearing Beth's shoes on the floorboards. She quickly closed the book and put it away on the shelf.
"I tidied up." Katie said looking away.
"Look at me baby." Beth said gently getting on her level. Katie's bottom lip threatened to fall. Beth wanted to scoop her up but knew that wasn't going to help right now. She knew Katie was in fight mode. She knew from her own experience that touching her right now was going to make everything worse.
"I'm going to just sit here, then we can talk." Beth said pointed to the ground next to Katie. She didn't move as Beth sat down.
"I know I've been really awful lately hey." Katie nodded agreeing with Beth. "You haven't done anything wrong baby, I'm sorry that I hurt your feelings. Sometimes I'm going to get stressed and angry but it should never be at you. Ok."
Katie nodded wiping her eyes. She was looking at Beth who opened her arms for Katie to crawl in to.
"I still love you. Daddy and I are getting married so that's why everyone's been so cranky." Katie nodded not knowing what married meant. Beth stood up with Katie still in a ball in her arms. Rip had put dinner on the table. They all sat in their respective spots and started eating.
"What's married?" Katie asked.
Rip looked at Beth to answer. "It means that we have a little party but we are going to spend forever together."
"So I marry you too?" Katie asked
"No cowgirl, it's only for adults who aren't family." Rip said with a chuckle.
"Oh. So we have a party?"
"Remember the special dresses we bought? They're for the wedding." Beth said.
"That's a secret Mama."
"I think Daddy knows now." Beth told her.
"Mama will be very pretty." Katie told Rip.
"I don't think there is a day that she isn't."
Early the next morning Rip packed snacks in Katie's backpack that he still didn't like wearing and a change of clothes just incase before waking her up for the day.
"Be quiet now. You're coming to work with me." Rip told her.
Katie covered her mouth and went downstairs to where Rip had already made her breakfast. She ate hungrily before putting her coat on. Rip drove them up to the bunkhouse. The wranglers were already saddling the horses and were surprised to see Katie tagging along.
"Hey kid." Ryan said. Katie waved before looking back for Rip.
"Right, let's head out, somethings going on with the water in the far paddock. Check the fence and cows out there too." The wranglers got on their horses after hearing the instructions and headed out.
"We're going to take this, cowgirl." Rip said showing her a key. He led her around the bunkhouse to where the ATV was.
Beth woke to a quieter house than usual and then remembered that Rip was going to take Katie to work with him for that day.
She was glad Rip could see what she needed without her having to say anything. She got ready and put some of her nicer work clothes on before heading to the office. There was always someone fucking things up at the office for her to sort out.
Beth's heel could be heard on the floor as she approached, her assistant was quick to stand. "Miss Dutton, your brother is waiting for you upstairs."
"Which one?"
"No. Both." The assistant told her. Beth stopped in her tracks for a moment wondering why on earth they were both here.
She walked in to the office confidently and put her bag down on the desk. Both were sitting in an armchair each, Kayce looking straight ahead with a blank look on his face.
"What do you want?" Beth said.
"It's nice to see you too Beth." Jamie snarled. Beth rolled her eyes.
"Get on with it Jamie. No one wants you here." She said leaning against her desk.
"I've heard on the rumour mill that Dad's running for office. No doubt you're in on it." Jamie was now standing.
"God Jamie, you get so wound up about everything."
"Beth I've been busting my goddamn ask for years to do that."
"Jamie he is never going to look at you the way you want him to. Get out."
He approached her desk where she was sitting standing. "This isn't over."
"What are you doing here Kayce?" Beth asked once Jamie left.
"Stopping by to see how you are going." Katie said now looking at her.
"I'm fine."
"Even I can see you're stressed Beth. Is it the wedding?"
"Kayce, it's fine. You've got your own shit to worry about. Worry about that." Beth told him leaving no room for further conversation.
"All right. See you later then."
Beth raised her hand in farewell as she sat down to start her day. Jamie had really put a bad taste in her mouth. She got stuck in to her work and meetings before heading home mid afternoon.
Rip decided to let Katie steer the ATV on the way back to the lodge after she had spent the day playing outside whilst they worked. Her pants were covered in grass stains and too splattered with mud.
"You're driving so be careful not to hit anything." Rip told her, pointing out John's truck and Beth's car at the lodge.
Both were sitting on the porch watching as the ATV came in. Rip helped guide Katie slightly before turning it off and getting out.
Beth stood on the porch waiting for them both to come up the stairs.
Katie eager to get up the stairs tripped on the second last one, putting her hands out to catch her. She scrapped both her palms and knees landing with an "ow", before standing up.
"Up you get." Rip said coming up the stairs behind her. Katie looked at her hands and the grazes on them and then down at her skinned knees which were bleeding.
"Not again!" She said making the adults laugh. John grabbed a handkerchief and passed it to Beth. He was impressed there were no tears from Katie.
"We need to clean them baby." Beth told her.
"I know, it hurts." Katie told her.
John grabbed a first aid kit from inside the house before passing it to Rip.
Rip crouched down to clean Katie's skinned knees and hands as she hissed in pain. A Band-Aid went over each before the first aid kit was packed away.
Rip sat in a porch chair across from Beth now with a beer in hand. "How are you darlin?"
"Better now I'm home." Beth said smiling. Rip reached over to squeeze her hand. They watched John telling Katie silly stories making her smile. Beth noticed her cheeks looking flushed and her twirling her hair in her hand.
"I think she's getting tired." Beth said to Rip nodding in Katie's direction.
John finished his story and Katie wandered over to Beth, climbing on to her lap. Beth stopped Katie from twisting her hair any further and gently started prying the knot apart.
"Looks like you're forgiven." Rip said with a chuckle.
"What did you do to my Granddaughter?" John asked as she stood up to pace with Katie in her arms.
"Don't be so precious Daddy. I was being her parent." Beth said ignoring them both. It wasn't long before Katie's breathing slowed and soft snores started. Rip and John were busy discussing the ranch as the sun set.