thanks for the reviews, follows and favorites! i would love to hear what you think of this chapter, please review!
So sorry for the delay everyone! I've had so much going on and then…I feel like I'm awful at writing about weddings so it takes me longer to do idk why lol but here's the next update, please enjoy! The wedding scene picture the party they have at the ranch after John gets elected in season 5
…
Flashback, 1994
Ryan had been pretty irritated that evening. He had just finished football practice and was exhausted. His dad, of course, forgot to pick him up. He used the pay phone nearby the school to try the house but it just rang and rang. With not much other option, he started the walk to town. It was a few miles to the diner where his mom worked which was going to be better than the 10 miles to their house. Her irritation matched his as soon as she saw him coming through the door.
"Your father, honestly," she said in annoyance from behind the counter lined with barstools, a few booths off to the side along the windows. "Wendy, give me a second," she said, going for the phone on the far wall.
"Take your time Dee," the other waitress told her, shortening her name of Delilah. Wendy nodded for Ryan to sit before leaving, then appeared back quickly with a turkey sandwich.
"Just keeps ringing, I'm sorry honey," Delilah told her son.
"It's whatever," the twelve year old shrugged.
"I'm not out of here until 10," she went on. "Do you have some homework you can work on or-"
"I can take him back to the house Dee," Donnie told her, back when he was still a cop and not the sheriff; he was one of his mom's regulars at the diner.
"Thank you," she said appreciatively, knowing Ryan wasn't going to want to sit around the diner for five hours and wait for her. Ryan finished his sandwich before heading back to the house, annoyed at his dad not only for forgetting him, but also that he made his mom feel bad about it.
His dad had been doing a lot of that lately, making his mom feel bad, no matter how much she tried to hide it from Ryan.
When they got the house the windows were dark and his dad's truck was gone. The door was shut, but through the screen they could both see something stuck to it.
"Wait here a second," Donnie told Ryan, going to grab what ended up being a note. He skimmed over it quickly before shoving it in his pocket.
"Where's my dad?" Ryan asked.
"I think we should go back to see your mom," was all he would say before starting the car and heading back. She saw them pull up outside and was confused as to why they were back, nodding to Wendy that she was heading outside.
"Something wrong?" She asked as Donnie and Ryan got out of the car. She looked at Ryan who looked at her clueless.
"Nick left Dee," Donnie finally admitted, handing her the note.
"Left, what do you mean he," she was saying in disbelief, taking the note and reading it over. She usually never let Ryan see her upset, but she couldn't stop as tears started running down her cheeks. They had been fighting, sure, but none of it seemed like anything to leave over.
"Mom?"
…
Ryan sat up suddenly early that morning, having to relive that awful nightmare in his dreams. Not even sleep was peaceful anymore thanks to the return of his father.
"You alright baby?" Lexi asked sleepily, his startling waking her.
"Mmm, fine," he nodded, laying back down with her.
"Maybe you should go into the office with Kaycee today," she suggested. "Just avoid Laramie for a little bit." Clearly finding out he had a sister ripped open some old wounds.
"Yeah, maybe," he agreed. After how he just tore out of there last night, he didn't feel like seeing much of anyone.
Once they were ready to get up and go for the day, Lexi left with Beth for dress shopping while Ryan did take her advice to head to work with Kaycee. Figuring something was wrong, Kaycee asked and Ryan admitted everything to him about having a sister.
"There's days I think our dad is a piece of work, but shit," Kaycee lamented as they started the drive back to the ranch that evening. "Did you talk to her about it?"
"Your sister?" Ryan asked like it was obvious.
"Yours," Kaycee clarified and Ryan looked at him curiously. "I'm not a talking expert or anything, but you probably should talk to her about it." He shrugged. "If I were her, I would probably think you hated me."
Ryan hadn't really thought about that, but Kaycee was right. His life wasn't the only one up-ended by finding out they had a sibling and, as it was pretty obvious what happened, he probably made Laramie feel horrible in the process of avoiding her.
When they got back to the ranch, Lexi and Beth were still gone. Ryan decided to take Kaycee's advice, finding Laramie in the bunkhouse and asking her if they could talk. She followed him up to the lodge where they sat outside on the porch.
"I'm sorry about taking off last night," Ryan started off.
"It's ok, I get it," Laramie assured him. "And, I'm sorry too. I talked to my step dad and aunt though," she said quickly. "My mom didn't have any idea, if that makes you feel better at all."
"I think it actually makes me feel a little worse," Ryan said lightly. "Knowing he did that to someone else's mom too." Laramie nodded in agreement.
"I don't have to stay," she was saying now. "I don't want to mess things up around here with you and now your kid coming and-"
"You don't have to go anywhere," Ryan stopped her. "What happened wasn't your fault."
"Are you sure?" Laramie asked and Ryan nodded reassuringly.
"Do you know how long they were together?" He asked of her parents.
"I don't know if that's going to…" She started but stopped as she saw his face and knew she would want to know too. "Mom had said once they were dating two years when she got pregnant."
"Great," Ryan laughed dryly. His dad had been cheating on his mom since he was 10. "What happened to your mom?" he asked now, knowing what Mia said last night about having one parent left.
"Car accident last year, drunk driver," Laramie said. "Yours?"
"Breast cancer, when I was seventeen," he answered.
"Shit," she commented as she didn't know what else to say.
"You don't have any younger brothers or sisters I need to know about," Ryan laughed now to lighten the mood a little. "Right?"
"Half siblings," Laramie laughed now. "Two brothers and a sister in high school, my mom and step dad."
"Your step dad is a good guy?" Ryan questioned.
"Yeah, he's really more like a dad," Laramie explained. "He's been around since I was about seven." She looked at him. "You ever get a step dad?"
"Mm-mm," Ryan shook his head. "Mom was working so much and then she got sick…" He trailed off, shaking his head.
"Where did you go?" Laramie asked in concern.
"Here," Ryan shrugged now. "Lee was my best friend in high school, his dad took me in."
"And you thanked him by knocking up his daughter?" Laramie laughed; Ryan laughed as well.
"We've been together close to…" He trailed as Lexi and Beth were getting to the house now, both looking agitated with the other. They didn't speak as Beth went inside, answering her phone on the way through the door while Lexi joined Ryan and Laramie on the porch.
"Everything good?" Ryan asked her.
"I think we just need some space from each other," Lexi said lightly. "I really appreciate her helping, I know I don't have the mind for this, but…" She made a face like "holy shit" and both Ryan and Laramie laughed. "And she's making it HUGE, it-"
"How huge?" Ryan asked skeptically. How many people could possibly be there?
"Anyone that's ever met my dad basically," she answered. "She's making it this big social event. Because then, in her words, what community would let them build an airport on this land, a seven generation ranching family with a doctor daughter who married a livestock agent. It's for our kids and Kaycee's and a whole bunch of other stuff I know she doesn't actually buy into herself."
"So, our wedding is also strategy?" Ryan asked now.
"Can you really say you're surprised?" Lexi asked in reply. She turned to Laramie now. "Are you coming Laramie?"
"Oh," Laramie said in surprise. "I, ah…"
"That's her subtle way of asking if we're good," Ryan joked to his fiancée. "Which, we are," he told Lexi. "And we'd be really happy to have you," he added for his sister.
"Definitely, I'll be there," Laramie said and they noticed Jamie was coming up to the house.
"Hey Jamie, did you get the-" Lexi was asking about the marriage license and his officiant papers but was met with him just walking inside and slamming the door.
"I will trade you siblings," Lexi told Ryan in annoyance.
…
If the next few weeks were a blur, then the wedding went by even faster. It was huge, bigger than Lexi ever expected. There were other ranch families, livestock association members, government officials, people she had never met. She had to hand it to Beth, she could never plan something like this, let alone on this much notice.
The things that mattered to her most were perfect. Her sister kept everything running smoothly, making her day stress free. Her dad gave her away and, as her anxiety got the best of her and she was walking too fast, he gently pulled her arm to slow her down.
"Take your time sweet pea," he murmured to her. "You'll both remember this for the rest of your life."
And when it came time to give her away, she saw him blink back tears. Kaycee stood next to her as her man of honor while Jamie, who had been super stiff over the last few weeks, shoved that all aside as he officiated.
And, most importantly, she was marrying the man of her dreams.
As fast as the ceremony went, the reception also seemed to be a whirlwind as she was dancing with everyone. Ryan, her dad, Kaycee, Tate. She managed to get her sister to stop running things and dance with her too. She even danced with Laramie who had invited her step dad and half siblings at Lexi's insistence.
The only one she hadn't seen was Jamie, who was standing outside the reception tent alone, having a drink. She gathered up the skirt of her dress to go get him.
"Hey," she said, getting his attention. "Everyone in this family owes me a dance."
"Ah, I'm gonna pass," Jamie said, nodding at the tent as if he was overwhelmed by it all.
"It's for the bride," she joked. "I heard that gets me whatever I want today."
"Pretty sure you're a wife now," Jamie said lightly, though he was clearly not intending to give in.
"James," she said seriously. He sighed, downing the rest of his drink before going back in with her. They were dancing among a few others as the night was winding down.
"What's your problem lately?" She asked him softly. "If you're back on this hating Ryan thing because you're out of the bunkhouse I swear-"
"It's not him," Jamie stopped her. "I'm happy for you Lexi, really."
"Then what is it?" She insisted.
"This isn't the place," he told her.
"It's for the bride," she said again.
"I had to get my birth certificate to officiate," Jamie said finally; she raised her brows at him as she wasn't sure what that was supposed to mean. "My real name is Michael Randall."
"You're…"
"Adopted," he finished for her as the song was over. He left her speechless as he left the reception again, this time heading for the house. Lexi was forced to immediately let it go as the party was still going on. Ryan was talking at the bar with Colby and Greg, Laramie's step dad.
"You good kid?" Rip caught her attention.
"It's just a lot," Lexi said of the reception, not wanting to share what just happened with Jamie.
"You know your sister," he chuckled, offering her his hand for a dance. After hounding Jamie she couldn't believe she hadn't danced with Rip yet.
"Think you'll be next?" Lexi said lightly. They both looked over to where Beth was instructing the photographer.
"I think we both know the decider in that," he said back. He would marry Beth that day if she wanted him to.
"Well, I'm rooting for you," Lexi said, kissing his cheek. Beth had come over to grab her so the photographer could get a picture of her and Ryan under the lights now that the sun was gone.
"You gotta switch me," Lexi said, grabbing her sister's hand and pulling her into her place to dance with Rip.
The rest of the night went about as perfect as could be.
…
After spending the night in their old cabin for some privacy, Lexi and Ryan left early the next morning for their honeymoon. She was able to get off of work and her dad told Ryan they would be fine without him for a few days. They drove a few hours north to a lake house they rented for the week.
Beth had texted a picture of the local paper, saying her wedding made the front page. There were pictures and stories about their wedding in other papers as well, all over the state. If the plan was to let everyone in the state know they were married it was working.
Lexi didn't bother to answer though, spending uninterrupted time with her new husband. They were laying in bed that evening facing each other on their sides, blankets pulled up high as the cabin wasn't heating well. Lexi was holding Ryan's left hand, running her finger over his ring.
"I'm still not used to seeing that," she said lightly and he gave her a faint smile; she could tell something was on his mind. "What's wrong baby?"
He shook his head like it wasn't important right now.
"Can you believe we get to find out what we're having in two weeks?" she changed the subject and he grinned now. She had just progressed into her second trimester and was starting to show.
"I can't wait," he told her honestly.
"Have you thought of any names?" She asked him.
"For a girl," he told her and she looked a little surprised. "What?" He laughed at her expression.
"I thought all guys rooted for sons," she laughed and he shrugged. "What is it?"
"Lila Evelyn," he told her. Lila was a play on his mother's name, Delilah; then Evelyn was obviously for her mother.
"That blows my girl name out of the water," she laughed, kissing him once. "It's beautiful."
"Do you have a boy one?" He asked her.
"I kind of thought to just name him after you," she said and he made a bit of a face. "What?" She asked curiously.
"I don't want to give him my middle name," Ryan told her and it dawned on her. Ryan's middle name was Nicholas, after his dad.
"Right, shit, I'm sorry," she shook her head. "What about Ryan Johnathan?" She asked now. "RJ Parker."
"That's kind of what I wanted to talk to you about," Ryan was saying, referring to what was wrong with him before. "I don't…I don't want our kids to be Parkers."
He seemed like he had more to say, so she waited for him to continue.
"I kind of just thought you wouldn't change your name," he went on. "And then our kids can have your last name."
"Baby, you don't have to-" She wondering if it had to do with her family's name and meaning in that area.
"I don't want anything to do with him," Ryan stopped her. "If you want to change your name or do Dutton-Parker, it's your name, it's up to you, but I just want Parker to be done with me."
"If that's what you really want," she assured him, kissing him again.
Unfortunately though, Ryan was going to be forced to face his dad pretty soon.
Lexi and Ryan got back from their honeymoon, still feeling pretty blissful. Between the honeymoon phase and the baby coming, they were both on cloud nine. The week after they got back from their honeymoon dragged as Lexi was waiting for her doctor appointment to find out what they were having; she was dying to know.
The day finally came though, and Ryan took Lexi to the doctor that morning. Laramie had gotten back around lunch with two baby presents, one pink and one blue, and ran into the bunkhouse to wrap them. She wanted to have it on hand and ready for whatever they were having, taking being an aunt seriously already. Neither she or Ryan were there when someone unknown to everyone else walked up to John and Rip who were standing by the corral, watching the others.
"Can I help you?" John was asking him.
"I'm hoping so," Nick answered. "I'm looking for my son-"
"What the hell are you doing here?" he was cut off by Ryan. He and Lexi had just gotten back, parking behind the bunkhouse as Lexi couldn't wait to tell her dad about his next grandchild. They had been holding hands while Lexi used her other hand to smooth her maternity dress over her growing stomach.
"Man can't come to see his son?" Nick asked back.
"I think we're past dropping in on each other," Ryan told him, releasing Lexi's hand; her dad gave her a look to come over by him and Rip, which she did. Nick stood with his back to them, facing his son.
"I wanted to congratulate you," Nick continued, pulling a folded newspaper from his back pocket. "Got to find out with my morning coffee that my kid got married. Then of course the other news on the street," he nodded back at Lexi's obvious showing. "That I'm going to be a grandfather."
Ryan ran a hand over his face in frustration.
"You cannot actually think you're going to be a grandparent," he accused him.
"You don't get to pick your family Ryan," he informed him to which Ryan actually laughed.
"You did," Ryan reminded him. "And maybe I don't, but I do get to decide if I let a convicted felon around my wife and kid!" he finally snapped.
"It-"
"What?" Ryan continued with a raised voice.
"It wasn't like that, they weren't…mine," Nick was saying, though he knew how pathetic that sounded.
"Oh," Ryan nodded with fake thoughtfulness. "Oh, ok, well problem solved then."
"I screwed up," Nick continued.
"Screwing up was leaving me at practice," Ryan reminded him sarcastically. They were past 'screwed up.'
"Can we go somewhere else to talk?" Nick asked seriously. Ryan had attracted the attention of everyone there, but he didn't care.
"Dad?" Laramie asked as she was coming out of the bunkhouse now, confused by the yelling. Nick looked just as surprised to see her.
"So you can tell me I have a sister?" Ryan quipped. "Already got that one."
He was feeling something he hadn't really felt towards Laramie before; it must be a big brother instinct. He liked her well enough and they got along as friends but he hardly felt overly protective of her; he figured that had to do with not growing up around each other. He barely cared about whatever fling she had going on with Lloyd. But he didn't want their dad around her. With Lexi between John and Rip he turned to head to the bunkhouse and take Laramie inside.
"I didn't deserve either of your mothers," Nick continued, going to follow Ryan now; Ryan kept walking, jaw clenched. "What I did to them…Ryan, would you just," he said, grabbing his son's shoulder.
Ryan whipped around and punched Nick in the face.
"Ryan!" Laramie shouted, though she didn't know why. Seeing Nick get punched in the face was something she had always wanted.
Rip had moved like lightning, keeping Ryan back as blood poured from Nick's nose. He spit what ran into his mouth to the side.
"Hey," Rip said through his teeth as Ryan pushed against him. "Your pregnant wife and your sister are here," he rasped.
He knew what it was like to want to beat the hell out of your old man, but he also grew to know a thing about time and place.
"Go cool off," Rip said as he let Ryan go.
"I want him to leave," Ryan said. Nick was still spitting blood as his nose was clearly broken.
"I got him, he'll go," Rip was assuring him, stepping with him to keep him from going after his dad again. He stopped between Nick and where John and Lexi were standing.
"If I ever see you around her or my son, I'm going to kill you," Ryan warned him, not even realizing he blew the surprise as he was saying it. He was too angry. Who did Nick think he was anyway?
He felt John's hand on his shoulder.
"Go on up to the house," John told him, voice stern but not angry; he seemed more sad for Ryan than anything. Ryan went up to the house alone.
"Everyone back to work!" Rip said, clearing everyone from looking on while John led Nick towards where he had parked. Lexi wouldn't be surprised if her dad wasn't threatening him as well.
Laramie came over to her, sheepishly holding out the blue bag she had wrapped.
"Thanks," Lexi murmured to her. "You ok?"
"Are you kidding? That was awesome," she grinned and Lexi couldn't help but laugh a little as her dad came back.
"Not exactly how I pictured finding out I'm getting another grandson," John commented and Lexi nodded.
"Ryan Johnathan," she told him. "RJ."
"Come here," John said as he put an arm around her, touched by the name. "Just give him a minute," he said of Ryan now and she nodded in agreement.
…
Lexi didn't wait too long though, heading up to the house to check on Ryan. She grabbed some ice in the kitchen on her way to their room. She found him sitting on the end of the bed, just kind of staring deep in thought. The sound of the door broke his train of thought.
"I'm sorry," he told her immediately.
"For?" she questioned, tossing him the ice pack for his hand. It looked way worse than it had the night he fought Jamie. With the way Nick's nose looked, she wouldn't be surprised if Ryan had broken his hand.
"Telling everyone it's a boy," he reminded her and she shrugged.
"I took telling them the name, so," she said as she sat next to him. "We'll call it even."
"Hm," he nodded.
"Lemme see," she said as she held out her hand and he offered his. "I don't think it's broken," she observed. "But I would prefer you wrap it and take it easy for a few days."
"Noted," he agreed, replacing the ice back on his knuckles.
"You ok?" she asked gently.
"….I don't know," he answered after a moment. She nodded in agreement, taking his good hand in hers and she rested her head on his shoulder. It wasn't long though before she jumped.
"What?" He asked worriedly.
"Here, feel this," she said, pulling his hand to her stomach. He felt a small pop against her skin. "He's moving!"
Ryan just smiled, continuing to adjust his hand so he could feel his son move.
…
Lexi went into work the next day, still not thrilled about being in the office. Mornings were ok as they worked as a primary care office, but she didn't care for the urgent care hours they had in the afternoon. If she saw one more tourist that didn't hydrate and got altitude sickness….
"Hey, Dr. Dutton?" the receptionist asked; she had pretty much taken over Keith's desk as she was the primary one there now, her lunch in front of her at the moment.
"Hm?"
"Would you be ok with a walk in now?" She asked as they were technically on lunch. "Guy looks pretty rough but doesn't want to go to the ER. I didn't want him to have to keep waiting."
"Ah, sure," Lexi shrugged.
"Probably a ranching thing, looks like a cowboy," she said. "I'll put him in room 1."
"K," Lexi nodded as she prepared to get up. She figured it was probably one of the guys from the ranch sent to see her, making them coming to the office versus the ER make sense.
She didn't expect to see Nick standing in the middle of the exam room.
"Death wish?" She asked as she reminded him of yesterday, nodding for him to sit on the exam table. He looked awful, nose messed up and both eyes having black and blue bruising around them.
"ER says the best doctor is over here," he said lightly as she grabbed a pair of gloves off the counter.
"It is definitely broken," she said as she had him tilt his head back. "Look at me," she said, having him look forward. "This might hurt."
"How bad could it-shit!" He said as she reset the cartridge. She turned to the appropriate drawer, grabbing some gauze for the fresh blood. Once that stopped, she started to splint it.
"Did you ever tell him I came by that first time?" Nick asked her curiously as she worked.
"I did, he tossed your number on a campfire," she informed him and Nick sighed. "Look," she said seriously. "You left him to walk three miles from practice to the diner. The cops took him home and they're the ones that found your letter. They had to go back to get his mom and tell her."
Nick sat there silently.
"Do you have any idea how much it costs just to feed a teenage boy? Because I grew up in a house with three of them," she continued, knowing Nick never paid child support. "He started working for my dad for extra cash, he had to quit football."
Nick still had nothing.
"Then she got sick when he was fifteen," she emphasized. "They didn't have insurance, we're talking bottom of the barrel state funded care. It was slow and it was painful. And he did it alone, orphaned at seventeen. Now he comes to find out that while he was taking care of his dying mother, you ran off to play house with your new daughter and mistress."
"Sam didn't know," Nick murmured of Laramie's mother.
"That makes it worse, because you screwed over both of the mothers of your children, even before you got arrested," she told him.
"You think you need to remind me of all that?" He asked her.
"It seems so, since you continue to show up unannounced," she pointed out. "What is it that you want?"
"Two things," he said as he reached into his jacket and pulled out two envelopes that were clearly full of cash. "They won't take these from me."
"I don't know that I should either," she said, hinting where the money may have come from.
"Feds took that," he informed her. "That's what I had from contracting, just sat in the bank and got interest." He shrugged now. "I never sent Dee anything and Sam didn't want…" He trailed off, shaking his head. "I figured Laramie could get herself a decent trailer. And maybe you and Ryan could start a college fund for your son."
Lexi was quiet a moment.
"What's the other thing?" She asked as he had said there were two things he wanted. She knew neither Ryan nor Laramie were going to take that money, but she wasn't sure how to throw that back at Nick to make him take it back.
"….did you pick a baby name?" He asked nervously and she looked surprised. "I don't want to find out in the newspaper again."
"Tell me this, and then maybe I'll tell you," she warned and he nodded for her to continue. "Why now? Laramie I guess I get, you didn't leave her voluntarily. But Ryan…why upend his life like this?"
Nick contemplated where to start.
"I lost my rights to Laramie when I went away," he started off. "Sam still brought her to see me a handful of times those first few years, but she was pissed. So, then I get this letter," he went on. "Sam's married. This guy is Laramie's dad now and I shouldn't expect to see them anymore. And…I didn't."
Lexi waited for him to continue.
"And I got mad at the wrong person, I got mad at her," he went on. "About six months or so goes by and the pastor from the church Dee and I went to comes, he's seeing another inmate. He stops when he sees me and says something like, 'I guess I know why you weren't at the funeral now.' That's how I found out Dee was dead."
He shook his head.
"That's when I started to panic. Ryan would have been 19 by then, but she died two years before. I asked the pastor where was Ryan, what happened to Ryan? He told me he got to being friends with the oldest Dutton boy, that John Dutton took him in when Dee died."
He looked at her seriously.
"Your dad's a good man," he told her and she nodded in agreement. "He told me Ryan was working on the ranch and he was going to start training to be a livestock agent."
He sighed heavily.
"So, that's twice in six months I find out another man is raising my kids. And not just raising them, but excelling at it. And something that should have clicked a long time ago finally did and….I wanted to get better for them."
Lexi wasn't sure what to make of the story. She could see in his eyes it was the truth, she just wondered if it wasn't too little too late.
"So, I cleaned my act up, was a model prisoner," he said. "Made a plan to see both my kids as soon as I got out. Laramie refused to get out of the trailer, had Mia send me away." He shrugged. "You know the rest."
Lexi was quiet a moment.
"His name is Ryan Johnathan," she said softly. "RJ."
"After two very good men," Nick nodded with a sad smile. "You take care of yourself honey," he said, leaving the cash on the exam table as he left the room.
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