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Having BJ tell him that he'd been missed gave Dylan a strange sort of feeling. He didn't despise the boy like he had when he'd first come here. Especially after that time he'd gotten lost. Maybe it had evolved into him actually caring about his "little brother" but it was still from a distance. He didn't know how to act around BJ, not to mention, Mick thought the world of him and Dylan knew his father was glad for another chance at raising a boy that wouldn't be trouble. 

He remains quiet as everybody else gathers to the table, including Hunter. The food really was awfully good - Dylan liked Becky and Rosalyn's cooking, but he did like Rosetta's too.

Perking up at Rosetta's question, Mick glances to Hunter and Dylan who seemed perfectly content to let him do the talking first, and he grins. "It was long, and I got a sore backside from breaking in that gelding Sparky brought home the other day." He rolls his eyes. "Next time, I'm going with him so he quit bringing back these ornery beasts." 

Hunter chuckles. "You mean like Bonzai?"

"Worse." Mick shakes his head. "When I sell this one, he's going to be sold along with a pillow for the rider to sit on when he's through riding." 

Laughter seemed to ease some of the tension, and the evening proceeded as very pleasant. Dylan smiled once or twice, and though that was it, Mick did notice, and he held onto it, hoping that it was the start of his son finally opening up. He hoped that every day... but maybe tonight was different? 

After supper, several games ensued. First a board game that BJ could play too, then once he was in bed and Rosetta was cleaning up the kitchen, Mick brought out the bowl of pennies - which would all return once the game was over - and a deck of cards. As it ended up, all three men were pretty evenly matched when it came to poker, and it wasn't until midnight that they finally decided to call it a night, even though there had been no winner yet. 

It was a while later that Mick was lying on his back in bed, unable to sleep, even though it was late. Though Rosetta was using his chest as a pillow, he knew by the sound of her breathing that she wasn't asleep yet either. 

"I think Hunter had something to do with Dylan coming tonight," he comments quietly. "I'm beginning to get the feeling that there was more than one reason that man was brought here. I thought it was just for his own sake, but now... I'm wondering if God's plan was bigger than that."