"Morning baby." Rip said getting ready for the day.
"That time already." Beth said groaning.
"I'll be back by noon. I'll just check on Katie." Rip said giving her a kiss.
"Being her in here." Beth said as he opened the tent.
He poured himself a coffee as the others dug in to the breakfast Gator has prepared. He had a mouthful before opening Katie's tent. She was sleeping soundly, her blankets all over the place. She stirred as he picked her up before settling again. He put her down next to Beth before closing the tent.
"Morning Sir." Rip said getting on his horse.
"Morning Rip. This is my favourite part." John said.
"Well I prefer when it's all done and everything went smooth."
John chuckled before they left for the morning to finish the branding.
Beth got up once the sun had risen, leaving Katie still sleeping to get herself a coffee. She was surprised how long Katie was sleeping for. She watched as the girls from the bunkhouse, Summer and Lynelle came out of their own tents. Each grabbed a cup of coffee before sitting down around the fire.
"Look at all you tramps." Beth said.
"You're sitting here too. I don't think you just wandered down from the house to take in the view." Summer bit back.
"Ah, well. I'm a married woman. But you lot.."
"Oh yes the ritual where you stand in front of friends and family and swear before God, that you will surrender your independence and obey the man you are betrothed to." Summer said as Lynelle hid behind her mug. Katie at this point had crawled out of the tent in her pyjamas and come over to Beth, standing between her legs.
"See, what Summer is attempting to do here is make out that marriage is designed to somehow oppress and control a woman. You know if you're married to a piece of shit, it can be. But if you marry the love of your life, the mirror to your soul. It's pretty fucking great."
"I thought we agreed to get along." Summer said smugly.
"We did. I didn't agree to placate some of your hippie bullshit where every institution is designed to oppress." Beth said holding Katie on her knee.
"They are."
"They are what you make them, babe." She said holding up her hand to show her ring.
"I'm going to shower in the bunkhouse." One of the women said, others following.
Monica sat down across from Katie and Beth. Passing Beth some water for Katie.
"Why are you so mean?" Monica asked.
"They give as good as they get. It's fun to say what everyone else doesn't have the spine to say." Beth retorted. Monica shook her head before clearing up the plates around from breakfast.
"Does Santa come now?" Katie asked.
"Not for a while." Beth said. "You need a bath."
Katie opened her mouth to argue as Beth put her hand up. "No. You knew this was the deal." Beth said standing up holding her hand out.
Katie shut her mouth, taking Beth's hand as they walked up to the lodge. "Where are you shoes baby?" Beth asked noticing Katie's dirty bare feet.
"Don't know." Katie said looking back at the camp. Beth rolled her eyes, seeing they were about to walk on gravel. She held her arms out for Katie and carried her like a baby.
"I can walk."
"You'll get sore feet." Beth told her. "Aren't you my baby?"
"Mama, I'm so big now." She said dramatically as Beth held her in one arm, tickling her with the other making her squeal. She put her down once they were at the lodge telling her to go upstairs for a bath. Beth got a fresh set of clothes ready before scrubbing all the dirt off Katie.
She dressed her in a olive green long sleeve smock dress, tights and spare boots. She sent Katie downstairs to play before getting herself ready for the day.
"Mama!" Katie called to upstairs.
"Just wait. I'm coming." Beth yelled.
"I'm going to feed my horse!"
"No you're not. Don't you dare leave the house before I come down there." She yelled back pulling her boot on. She got downstairs to Katie reaching for the door handle.
"Hey! What did I say?" Beth said, Katie taking her hand away as if it burnt her hand before turning around with a guilty look.
"I don't mind going. You just need to wait for me."
"Sorry Mama." Katie said. Beth opened the door letting her rush ahead back down to the camp. Beth caught up to her halfway when she got tired and started walking.
Rip was coming in on his horse when they got back.
"Hello darlin'" he greeted Beth. She gave him a kiss before asking him to watch Katie with the horse.
"I fed your horse this morning cowgirl." He told her. "She could do with a brush." He said passing her a brush. He picked her up so she could reach, helping her brush the old mare.
"She's pretty nice hey Daddy."
"She is."
"Can we go ride?" Katie asked hopefully.
"Let him sit down first Katie." Beth told her noticing he seemed distracted.
"What happened Rip?" Beth asked.
"Cattle may have brucellosis. We found stillborn bison." Rip told her.
"What does that mean for us?" Beth asked.
"We need to test the herd. Your Dad wants to lease land down south and move them there."
Beth looked at him stunned as the cogs turned in her mind. "I got to talk to Lloyd." He told her.
He watched as Lloyd branded the cows before calling him over.
"What's the plan?" Lloyd asked.
"Lease down south, get the herd out. I'll go."
"Who are you going to take?"
"I don't know."
"You're going to be a long way from home for a long time. A long way from your wife. A long way from your little girl." Lloyd said as they both looked to the other side on the pen where Beth held Katie on the fence watching the branding. "I ain't go nobody, you should send me."
"I'm ranch manager Lloyd, it's my responsibility. I appreciate the offer." Rip said with a nod.
"Hey sweetheart, having fun?" He said to Beth and Katie.
"Can I do one?" Katie asked pointing to Teeter.
"Baby, you have had a big two days. Not this year." Beth said. Rip agreed with her.
"Do you mind watching her? I need to do something at the lodge." Beth said, kissing him before he could reply. She sat down with her laptop in the lounge room before John walked in.
"Before you break anything. I am working on a solution."
"Beth. The only solution is to move down south." John said.
"We don't have the money for that. We will lose this place." She said. "Everything we fought for Dad, will be gone. Every single thing."
"But it will be whole Beth."
"No. I have made a living making people multi-million dollar deals, now I'm going to make you one." She said standing up. She made some phone calls outside before going back down to the branding.
"How long will you be gone for Rip?" She asked.
"I don't know. A year maybe."
"What are we suppose to do for a year? Next time you see her, she'll be in school."
"I know. I don't have a choice." He said not making eye contact.
"We're coming with you. I married you to be with you. She needs her Dad."
He took a deep breath. "It's not going to be like living here. There will be tents only."
"Oh I figure that baby, we will stay in a hotel in the nearest town and visit you. We'll be there though." Beth replied, Rip shook his head.
They watched Katie running around with kids a few years older than her, having fun and playing games.
"We can't take her away from this. She's finally settled." Rip told her.
"If I think it's the best thing for our family baby, I'll do it." She told him. Rip knew whatever he said wasn't going to change her mind once it was made up.
Later that night after all the excitement of that day as the parents were trying to calm their child for bed she asked if they were moving.
"Why do you say that?" Rip asked her.
"I heard the cowboys talking. Said we were going somewhere else." Katie said.
"Maybe kid. That is not your problem." Beth told her.
"If you go, I'll have to stay here and look after the ranch." She told them.
"No cowgirl. You'll come with us." Rip said. Katie sighed, smiling before going back to her colouring book.
A sharp knock at the door startled them. It wasn't often someone knocked at the door on the ranch, unless there was an issue at the bunkhouse.
"Wait here." Rip said going to the door. Beth turned back to what she was doing as Katie watched from where she lay on the floor.
Rip opened the door to Jamie standing there in a tshirt and slacks, a child no older than 9 holding his hand.
"The fuck Jamie?" Rip said. Beth turned around hearing his name.
"I.. I didn't know where else to go."
"Not here." Rip said.
"Rip, I didn't know about him. This is my son."
"That's nothing to do with my family. After all you've done." Rip said not letting Jamie in the door.
"Let them in." John said from behind Beth.
Beth untucked her legs on the couch and sat up, Katie moving to Beth's side. The boy looked like Jamie with a dark mop of hair, wearing clean clothes. She looked at Jamie and then the child. She could see the anger in Rip's eyes.
"Give us the room." John said gruffly. "Gator!" John called out, "get the boy some milk and a cookie."
"I'm staying." Beth said. John sighed but knew it wasn't worth the fight. Rip looked at his wife and then his child who was trying to hide her fear of Jamie and the fact she was holding on the Beth's thigh.
He nodded at Beth before holding out his hand for Katie, grabbing her coat and taking her out to the stars. They sat together on the steps looking up.
"Katie, are you ok?" He asked her.
"I don't like him."
"Ok. It's ok to not like someone and be afraid."
"But you and Mama are never afraid."
"That's not true. I'll tell you a secret. Your Mama gets scared every time you hurt yourself or ride a horse. And me, I get scared every time your Mama is scared and every time you do something I've told you not to." He told her wrapping her tighter in her coat and inside his.
Inside Jamie sat in the nearest armchair.
"Don't bother sitting Jamie, you won't be staying." Beth said.
"Why are you here Jamie. You've made it clear how you feel about this family." John said.
"I've made mistakes. None are his fault." He said looking over at the boy sitting at the table. John followed his gaze before turning back.
"His mother dropped him at my doorstep. Said she didn't want a thing to do with him. I didn't even know he existed. I've been looking after him for a few months but I need help. I love him but it's hard." He said getting emotional.
Beth scoffed. "Hard, Jamie. Please. You bastard." She said slapping the coffee table. "You ripped my womb from me, taking away my husbands chance and mine. You walk in here complaining how 'hard' it is. All you've done it throw insults at my family. At my child." Her voice getting louder with each sentence.
"I know Beth. It is my greatest regret." He said. John sat listening.
"You're right Jamie. It isn't his fault. Sometimes people need to pay for their failures. What is it you want?" John said.
"I want him to know his family, to be apart of this. I need help looking after him."
Beth laughed. "Not a fucking chance. You prick Jamie. You walked away from here, tried to take it all away and now you want a piece of it. Go fuck yourself." She said walking towards the door. "Actually, I'm sorry you have a kid. One that you didn't know about. I hope he turns out nothing like you."
"Jamie, you're my son. You've made choices that I will never agree with. I'm not saying I won't help you but right now you need to prove yourself. Go home." John said standing up.
Outside, Rip was pointing out different constellations to Katie and telling her stories as Beth sat down. He took one look at her before she put her head down, resting on his knee. He kept one arm around Katie, the other around Beth. Katie looked at Beth, putting her hands on Beth's cheeks.
"Don't cry Mama." She whispered as Beth sniffed.
"I'm ok baby." Beth told her. John watched from the doorway after seeing Jamie out, feeling torn as to what was the right thing to do by his children and grandchildren. He turned and retired to his own room for the night. He vowed to always protect Beth after failing the first time but knew he would need to have a discussion with all his children about this.
"That's Orion up there Mama. Daddy said he stepped on a scorpion and died so that's why he's in the sky."
Beth smiled softly, tucking her own hair behind her ear. "Very clever honey. I think it's bedtime for us all." She said standing up, Rip and Katie following. Katie pushed passed Rip to hold Beth's hand looking up to her as she looked down. Beth squeezed her hand tighter before tucking her in. She crawled in to her own bed and cried as Rip held her that night.