Poor Boy

Garret doesn't answer Victoria right away, just letting his eyes fall shut as he feels the cool cloth on his face. Would he ever have her for all time? Would she ever have him forever? Or were they destined to continue living in this nightmare until they both died? 

Sighing deeply, his hand finds hers again, giving it a little squeeze. "Nothing went wrong but me," he responds quietly. "Got sick yesterday but I had to stay and finish the job." He licks his dry lips, thinking about the men he'd gunned down as he had narrowly escaped that warehouse. "So by the time I could get back here... I've been ordered several days of bed rest."

His eyes drift to his open door and to the hallway as he listens. No... that must have been his imagination. "Deacon's gone for two days and Chris is on duty at the main house." He'd forgotten about that. For the time being, he had the guard house to himself. "Just watch for the doctor... I don't know how often he's gonna be in and out of here."

Gazing up at Victoria, he studies how the moonlight from the window casts a glow on her face. "I'll be good as new in no time." His voice was still quiet and somewhat groggy. "I have to be." 

Life was short... and would soon be gone. Jared wondered what that meant for him. Would his last days be spent like this? Helpless in a wheelchair? Would he be able to live life to the fullest or be confined the rest of his life? What happened after that? Was he just gone or was stuff about Heaven true? He wondered. 

Hearing Grace's perspective, he scoffs. "Ladybugs don't have long tails! Look at that." He points again, except by now the clouds had reshaped themselves. "Well okay... it doesn't look like a dragon anymore... but it's more like a toad than a ladybug... from the side... sitting on a rock." 

Still staring at the sky, he closes his eyes, letting his face soak in the warmth of the sun. "Can I just stay out here?" he asks quietly. "I don't want to go back inside... ever." 

"Yeah... I know." Jeff wriggles Rosetta's hand lovingly. "I guess I just always thought life would be different. And now instead of just being booted out of this life, I've been kept around to just be more restricted and taunted a little bit longer." He sighs. "Feels like I'm just a puppet on a string - given the chance to taste freedom but never live it." 

Catching her eye, he smirks a little and shakes his head. He knew all that sounded extremely depressing and he didn't want Rosetta admitting him to the psych ward. Gaining a grin, he rolls his eyes. "But don't worry. This puppet knows he's not alone." 

Seeing a nurse coming into the room, he gives Rosetta's hand a final squeeze. "You better get going. Don't let anybody at the ranch think I need company all day - I'm fine being alone for a while." 

"...No." Mick shakes his head. "I left him on those stalls I was working on."

Eric takes a sip from his water bottle while he and Mick and Sparky stood in the break room of the barn. He rolls his eyes and grins. "Poor guy. Did he know you were ditching him?"

Mick chuckles. "I didn't ditch him. I had other work to do."

"Uh-huh." Sparky thumps Mick's arm. "Of all things to have him do. Those stalls haven't been touched in ages."

"I know. But hey... they need to be done, right?"

Eric nods. "Of course they do."

Sparky eyes Eric suspiciously. "And where were you?"

"I was working on some other stalls."

"Oh, I see. You rope Hunter into helping with the tough stuff, then you go clean out the stalls that were just done two days ago, making him think that you were working just as hard as he."

"Hey now.... He's what? Half my age?"

"I don't think it's quite that much difference."

"Well regardless, he's a young buck and I'm a tired old truck driver."

Mick snickers and stands from the table, grabbing his gloves. A ten minutes break was enough and there was too much else to do today than sit around here. "Think I should rescue him?"

Eric glances at his watch. "Eh... give him another fifteen minutes."

"You guys!" Sparky throws up his hands. "I'm going to the back pasture to look at those fences. If I come back and find the poor boy's had a heat stroke, I know who to blame."

Eric and Mick stifle their laughter as Sparky exits, and then exchange humorous glances before also leaving the break room.

Luke had always enjoyed Katie's company, and today was no different. Working with her was easy since she knew her way around, and in no time, they had the yearlings all cleaned up and tied near the fence to await the buyers. 

Leaning on the fence, Luke nods to Katie. "Thanks for your help. I think I'm gonna go see Angel and get off my feet for a bit. Just keep an eye on these fellas here while you're around here, will ya? They should be okay -  just don't want them getting to antsy."