Supper?

Jason nods thoughtfully, understanding what Katie said about the ranch. He loved it there too, he just didn't visit very often. He should though... to at least see his mom and sister. He'd wanted to go recently, but... not while Katie was there - especially with Hunter there as well.

"Glad your dad is better. I was kinda worried there when you said he'd had a heart attack. I know he hasn't been strong for a long time."

Glancing down he picks at the edge of his sub wrapper. Even though the tension was a little less, it was still just as hard to think of what to say next. Right now, he was at a loss for words. It was strange... for so long he and Katie had communicated without talking. It had been so natural. They'd had conversations all day long just by listening to each other's musings. Once that was gone... well... he wasn't convinced that they really did have anything once that connection had been taken away.

Realizing he'd been quiet for several seconds, Jason clears his throat and wraps up the rest of his sub too. He probably wouldn't eat it, but he wouldn't waste it here. Finished, he folds his arms on the table and looks at Katie again. "Well... I'm ready to head back to work, unless there's more on your mind. Your call."

Sitting in the grass and leaning back against the back wall of the barn Hunter takes a long swallow of cold lemonade before wiping sweat from his brow. Bum knee or not, he'd been helping Dylan clean up the toolshed they'd just painted the day before, and as hot as it was out today, it had been hard work. 

Dylan sits next to him and sighs, closing his eyes while cradling his own glass of lemonade. "I have to get back to my schoolwork," he mumbles. 

"Seriously?"

"Yeah. I usually work a bit after morning chores, right before lunch, then again late afternoon, then after evening chores when the others are all calling it a night." 

Hunter quirks an eyebrow and turns his head to look at the younger man. "I figured it wouldn't take as long, you being homeschooled and all."

Dylan shrugs. "I'm trying to catch up. I was behind... got further behind... yeah. Rosetta's cool though - she's been helping me catch up. She's let me test out of a few things so my plate isn't so full. I'm already a grade behind though - I don't want to fall back any further than that."

"Mm. I can understand that." Hunter takes another swig of his drink. "What about your dad? He help you with school too?"

"Nah." Dylan opens his eyes and squints out at the back pasture. "Fine with me though - he tells me what to do enough without having him do it with my school too. I'd never do it good enough anyway." 

Hunter purses his lips in thought. He didn't want to interfere, but what he saw of Mick was certainly a different picture than what Dylan saw. He understood father/son tension though, and knew that there were always two sides. "I dunno... seems to me he's pretty proud of you." 

Dylan scoffs. "Are you kidding? He's pretty proud of Jade, but me... I've always been the failure. I'm the child that always got into trouble and disappoints."

"Well we all make mistakes." 

"Not like me." Dylan concentrates on his lemonade for a moment before shaking his head. "Don't tell me you don't know about me either, 'cause you're too smart not to have at least figured it out." 

Hunter grins. "I guess I put a few pieces together. Regardless though... I've had a few talks with your dad and he-"

"Yeah he likes to talk to everybody but me." Dylan can feel his own bitterness and he bites his tongue. "Guess I deserve it though." 

Hunter sighs. "Look... I know what it's like to be at odds with your dad - I haven't even spoken to my father or seen him since I was in high school."

Dylan quirks an eyebrow. "Really? Why?"

"Got in a fight. Some of it was me. Some of it was him. He was pretty rough on me when I was a kid." 

"Yeah well... Mick hasn't exactly been what you'd call soft either."

"I know. He's told me." Hunter shrugs. "I know you see things different, but let me tell you... I'm actually pretty jealous of you."

"Huh? Why?" 

"'Cause no matter what's happened, your dad loves you. Every time he talks about you, I see it in his eyes - he thinks the world of you, regardless of past mistakes - yours and his. If my dad ever would have had that look in his eye when talking about me... I woulda felt like I was walking on the moon." Hunter finishes his off his drink and nods with satisfaction. "Yeah... even with the bad, I wish I had a dad like yours." 

Dylan looks down at his glass and shoos away a fly. "I wanna be closer to him," he admits quietly. "I just... don't know how and... I figured it was best that way." 

Hunter grunts in response. "That's just the easy way out... but even if it's easiest, it's also the suckiest 'cause you end up alone. And this... I know." 

"So how come you haven't spoken to your dad if that's how it is?"

Hunter grins. "Because I'm only now figuring it out." He gives Dylan's arm a whack. "Just don't tell anybody. I want 'em to think I was this smart when I got here."

Dylan rolls his eyes, but a little smile tugs at his mouth too. "Well... you might be right, but that doesn't mean things'll change between my dad and me."

"Maybe not. I bet he'd meet you halfway though."

"Halfway to what?"

"Whatever you want. A nice word. A handshake. Dinner?" He eyes Dylan thoughtfully. "Speaking of which... I'm going back over to your dad's and Rosetta's house tonight again for supper. I betcha they'd set an extra place for you if you showed up." 

Dylan smirks. "Isn't that me going all the way instead of halfway?"

"Nope. The other half is your dad letting your stay and enjoying your company. And if I'm wrong, you can hit me... on my bad knee... as hard as you want." 

Dylan's eyes narrow and he huffs a sigh before standing. "We better get back to work." 

"Ugh. Why did you have to say that?" Hunter pulls himself up and bends his knee a couple times to gain back his flexibility. "Mm... that smarts." 

"Bad?"

"Eh... gets a little better every day. It better, if I'm ever going to leave."
 

"And here I thought you wanted to stay."

Hunter grins. "Who said I didn't? I have to leave... that doesn't mean I want to..."

...It was later that evening and while Hunter was still cleaning up, someone else was stepping up on the house porch. After knocking, lightly Dylan slips inside, glancing around quickly. He didn't see his dad yet, but he could smell something good in the kitchen. "Rosetta?"

He wanders in that direction, poking his head into the kitchen. "Hi. Um... I know Hunter's gonna come over for supper... he um... well..." He shrugs lamely. "Can I stay too? If there's not enough food, that's okay - I can go back over to the dining hall."