"Beth, we should talk about the South." Rip said early the next morning as he got ready for work.
"He doesn't want you to go." She said looking down at Katie who slept between them last night.
"I know that." He said as he shrugged his jacket on.
Beth sat up, careful not to move Katie who stirred before settling.
"It's because he is giving us the ranch."
Rip looked at her saying nothing.
"His words were that Kayce will want it but it will be you who runs it and Jamie is out of the question. He said he's not here enough and that's why he doesn't want you to go." She finished running her hands through her own hair.
Rip sat on the edge of the bed before glancing at Katie. "Ours huh? Wonder how that will go down."
Beth moved across the bed. "It doesn't matter. You'll run it and I'll make sure it's always ours."
"Ours." Rip said with a small smile on his lips.
Beth wrapped her arms around his neck, kissing his temple.
"I'm going to take her to the toy store later. I'll pick you both up."
"See you then." She said as he left. Beth sat watching Katie's even breaths before getting up to get changed. She moved Katie to be in the middle of the bed before leaving to make a coffee.
"What are you doing today honey?" John asked from the dining table.
"I don't know." She said with a sigh.
"Everything ok?"
"As long as she is, I will be." She said referring to Katie.
Lynelle came down the hallway in casual clothes to sit at the table.
"I didn't realise you were here Lynelle."
"I got here late last night." She said as John poured her an orange juice.
A scream interrupted the conversation startling them all.
"Bloody hell." John said looking down the hallway. "What's going on?"
Beth got up from her seat making her way to their bedroom. She found Katie tangled in the sheets, red faced and crying.
"Woah, hey." Beth said as Katie tried to get out, instead getting tangled further. "You're fine."
"Everyone left." She said between hiccups.
"Daddy is working and I was getting a coffee. We're not leaving." Beth reminded her rubbing circles on her back until she calmed down.
Katie trailed closely behind Beth to the dining room holding on to her hand tightly. John and Lynelle excused themselves before they took a seat.
Beth passed Katie some apple juice and a slice of toast. She watched as Katie nibbled at the toast slowly, a sign Beth knew meant it was not going to be eaten.
"No more." Katie said pushing the toast away after a few bites.
An argument wasn't worth it in Beth's eyes. Katie would eat when she felt like it.
"Come on." Beth said leading the way to Katie's room. She opened the door, heading for the drawers to get fresh clothes.
She pulled out a pair of thicker cream winter tights and a corduroy long sleeve navy dress with red flowers embroidered on it. She helped Katie when needed before passing her, her boots. Hair sticking up in multiple directions, Katie frowned as Beth pinned it back.
Beth took her outside and down towards the stables. Katie didn't wander far from Beth's side, almost uncertain of herself. She pulled out Katie's bike and helmet before letting her ride around on the gravel.
"She seems fine honey." John said coming to stand beside Beth.
"I don't think so. She's quiet, she's timid, something happened and I don't know what. Not yet." Beth turned to look at John.
He nodded. "She flinched away from me Beth."
"She didn't like Tate or Kayce near her either."
"That bastard did something to her to make her afraid of us. What about Rip?"
"Not Rip." Beth said.
"That would have killed him."
Beth made a sound of agreement. She knew he was right.
Both adults turned hearing tyres come down the drive way to see a black car pulling up. Beth saw Katie out of the corner of her eye see the car and try to turn her bike, slipping on the gravel. She waited a second before Katie got up, leaving the bike and running to Beth. John already making his way to the unknown car.
"She's back." Katie said reaching her arms out for Beth.
"Who is?" Beth asked not recognising the car. The moment the doors closed Beth knew exactly who Katie meant. The woman who came to take Katie away to her Uncle stepped out the car with another man dressed in a suit.
"Behind me baby." Beth directed Katie.
"Can I help you?" John asked from the porch step.
"We're here about Katie." The man announced. "May we come in."
"No." John told the pair.
"Here." Beth said to Katie before picking her up. She walked over to where John was. Katie's grip on Beth tightened.
"We came to inform you that Katie's uncle is deceased -"
"We are all aware. We were there. She came to me because she knew that was where she would be safe because the likes of you sent her to someone who beat her and burnt her skin." Beth spat at them.
The woman looked aghast. "I was not aware."
Beth laughed harshly, she put Katie down telling her to go inside, John following her. "That much was obvious. But you sent her to the most rundown house and thought she would be safe. You're both delusional. So get off my property and stay away from my child."
Inside the lodge John tried to distract Katie with books and toys.
"What about this one granddaughter?" He said pulling out another book.
"I want my Mama." She said looking out the window watching Beth.
John sat on the sofa next to Lynelle with a sigh.
"It's not you John. Beth is her security." Lynelle said squeezing his arm.
Beth opened the door when the CPS idiots had left. "They're gone." She announced.
"Mama."
"I'm here." She said before taking a seat across from John and Lynelle on the sofa.
Katie climbed up beside Beth on top her lap, she put her hands on Beth's cheeks. "I don't like them."
"Me either. They're gone." She told Katie.
"Promise?"
Beth sighed. She thought they'd never come in the first place after the papers were signed but she was wrong. "Daddy and I will do our best to make sure of it."
Beth watched her small lips form a pout before she nodded and turned her head to rest against Beth's chest. She opened her phone to play a kids tv show to keep Katie occupied.
"Beth. I think she's afraid of me. She didn't want to play or read a book when we came inside." John mentioned.
Beth nodded, "Give her some time. I told Rip as well about why we aren't going South."
"Ok honey." John told her figuring they would have had their own conversation this morning about it.
The door opened and Rip entered on his lunch break. He walked up behind where Beth sat giving her shoulder a squeeze.
"Beth. Hi baby." He said holding his arms out to Katie who raised her own. He held her on his hip. "I'll make us something to eat." He told Beth taking Katie to the kitchen.
"What do you want for lunch?" He asked Katie sitting her on the bench.
"Steak Daddy."
Rip laughed. "Not for lunch. How about some chicken and salad sandwiches." He said pulling the ingredients out of the fridge.
Katie helped him make three sandwiches before he cut hers in to triangles as Beth entered the kitchen.
"You've been busy."
"No steak for lunch Mama."
Beth looked at Rip confused.
"No. We're having chicken salad sandwiches." Rip said passing her one and sliding Katie's plate over for her to sit at the breakfast bar.
Rip was surprised that Katie ate the entire sandwich considering normally she would eat 3/4 on a good day. Beth told him that she hadn't eaten much that morning and what had happened when Katie had woken up.
Beth and Rip watched as the dark clouds rolled over the mountains and rain started.
"No toy shop?" Katie asked seeing the rain on the windows.
"We can wear our coats baby." Beth told her, not wanting to go back on what they had already told her.
"We can probably go if you're ready. Lloyd can handle it." Rip said to Beth.
Beth bundled Katie up putting a sweater over her corduroy dress before putting her coat on and a beanie. She grabbed her own coat before Rip put Katie in the truck and they drove in to town.
"Daddy the lady came back."
"What lady?" He asked looking for a park.
"The mean one."
Beth filled him in on the details of the morning as he parked the truck.
"I was scared but Mama said they're gone." Katie told him as he lifted her out of her car seat.
"You were very brave cowgirl." He told her leaving a kiss on her cheek. He held her in one arm, pushing the door open to the toy shop for Beth.
Both adults cringed as they entered by the noise of the place, kids running around and bright lights. Katie grumbled when Rip went to put her on the ground making him smile slightly that she wanted him to carry her.
The trio walked towards the soft toys.
"Which one cowgirl?" Rip asked.
Katie looked at the all thinking through what her options were.
"Deer!"
Rip was surprised by her choice. "Are you sure?"
"Uh-huh." She said reaching out for it on the shelf. Beth passed her the brown deer. Katie cuddled it to her chest.
"Look at its horns!"
"They're antlers." Rip corrected.
Katie shrugged. "Mama, it's like Christmas."
"That's right, the reindeer pull Santa's sleigh."
"No Santa at home." Katie said sternly.
"He knows that baby. I'm just going a few doors down." Beth said.
"We'll come." Rip told her.
"I'll be fine. Stay and look around here."
Rip looked at her as if she had grown a second head. Beth smirked before walking off.
She wandered further down the street to the children's boutique that she liked. She barely acknowledged the sales assistant before grabbing a few of the items she was after. She put what she had in her arms on the counter before continuing. She picked up some thicker winter dresses, pants and knitted jumpers. She knew they were all probably far too nice for the ranch but they were going to be spending more time indoors anyway. She paid for it all before leaving the store to find Katie and Rip waiting outside the toy store.
Katie pointed towards her before Rip turned to see her walking towards them.
"What is all that?" He asked noticing the bags, holding a seperate one from the toy shop.
"Couple of things."
"Right." He said putting Katie back in the truck. Beth put the bags on the other side of the backseat to Katie before getting in to the passenger seat.
By the time they had made it back to the ranch Katie's head was leaning to one side of her car seat and she was asleep.
"I'll get her. Can you put the bags in our room?" Beth said, unclipping the car seat before lifting Katie out. Rip wordlessly put the bags away not wanting to know what half the stuff was, he came back to the lounge to find Beth in the corner of the couch with her legs tucked up holding Katie.
"I can put her in her room?"
"No." Beth said watching Katie.
"Ok." He said kissing her head. He knew she was going to be keeping her close for a while. He knelt next to the fire, getting it going before sitting across from Beth.
"Why don't we do Christmas just us, Beth?" Rip suggested.
"I want her to have a big Christmas, like I did as a kid."
Rip nodded. He understood but didn't think it was quite the right time. Not this year. "Sweetheart, we can make our own traditions."
Beth looked at him. "Ok. But my way."
He chuckled. "I figured."
"What does that mean?" Beth fired back with a smirk.
She felt Katie move before a small voice interrupted them. "Are you fighting?"
"No baby." Beth told her wiping the sleep away from her face. She looked at her worried eyes.
"We're just joking." Rip told her.
Beth looked at Rip with a raised eyebrow, Katie had heard Beth and Rip speak like that before to each other.
"It'll be ok." Rip told her before leaving the room.