Untamed

1.

The sun was shining brightly and intently over Darrius Ranch, everyone was hard at work trying to get the day's work done.

Darrius Ranch was in the distinguished part of Texas, it was the best amongst better, it took years and a lot of work before it became a house hold name.

George Maclean ran from the spot lights of San Francisco with his daughter after the death of his wife, he poured his sweat, blood and all his money into the stable to make it work and after a few deadly loans and late repayments it finally did.

He handed the business down to Shelby his daughter when he was diagnosed with Alzheimer, he couldn't even imagine the thought of forgetting her or who he was but the disease didn't really give him a choice. Two years later after the disease had taken the better parts of him he took his last breath.

Shelby caressed the pens arranged side by side on her table shaking the nostalgia she felt, she tried her hardest to remember her father in his good days but the disease had killed that image till she had nothing left but the frame, how could she long for home when she was there?

It was another dull day at the office, she hated how slow and hot it could get, her top was sticking to her body which made her uncomfortable, the fact that she couldn't do anything about it bothered her the most.

"Hey Shel" Her right hand Bran smiled from her door, he had been her father's right hand man, he knew everything about the business and had guided him through it, now he guided Shelby. Bran was an old man, she didn't like to think of him as old but the visible white hair on his head made her worried, he wasn't the strong man who put her on his shoulders when she was four, he was nearing the end of the road.

"Hey Bran, why're you on your feet? I thought I gave you fifteen years off."

Bran waved her off. "I'd be dead by then Shel besides I love working here, Tracy would kill me with all her talk if I spend another day in the house." Tracy was Bran's wife, she was a beautiful woman, which was where the good attributes ended, Shelby never liked her and Tracy returned the feeling.

"Anything to keep you away from Tracy old man" Shelby appreciated it anytime he came in, his expertise in the job saved Shelby a lot of stress with the newbies, she was never a patient teacher, she could never keep her anger in check.

"Thanks. Now, what can I do for you today?"

Shelby threw the strenuous jobs out of her mental list, "You could help me teach the newbies how to not go close to the wild horses, I've had three cases this week of broken bones, I can't have any more."

"I'll do just that boss."

Shelby watched him walk away smiling at the spring in his step, "He's a crazy old man that's for sure."

Shelby went back to her boring desk job, she yearned to be out on the field doing what she loved but she couldn't, she hated how her life was filled with all the things she couldn't do, she was sick of it.

"Shelby?" Bran smiled sheepishly by her door hours later with his hat in his hands.

"What's wrong Bran?" Shelby's brow was knitted in worry; she was about rising to her feet when Tracy walked in. Shelby glared at Bran with a fake smile plastered on her lips.

"What a lovely surprise you brought me."

"I was in the vicinity and felt I needed to check on my Bran, he doesn't need to work as hard as you're pushing him Shel Hun." Tracy smiled with all her teeth.

Shelby rolled her eyes; she didn't need this kind of drama so early. "I'm sure he feels better sitting at home listening to you yap about the nothing you do all day."