A Gambling Man // Ryan x OC

56

"Betrothed?" Laramie mocked her and Abby laughed. 

"See, what Summer's attempting to do here is make out that marriage is designed to somehow oppress and control a woman. You know, if you're married to a piece of shit it can be but if you married the love of your life, the mirror to your soul, it's pretty fucking great," Beth replied. 

Mae nodded along, "When you meet that person, the one that makes you feel safe and alive. The one that doesn't want you to change any parts of yourself but somehow enhances the best parts of you and makes the bad parts feel not so terrible. The one that probably knows you better than you know yourself. Life with that person, it's the best feeling in the world." 

"I thought we agreed to get along," Summer told the two girls. 

"Yeah but we never agreed to not call you out on bullshit," Mae smiled widely at the girl.

"We didn't agree to placate some of your hippe bullshit where every institution and every custom is designed to oppress," Beth continued Mae's statement.

"They are," Summer replied and Mae glanced up at her sister before they both held up their rings for the others to see. 

"They are what you make 'em, babe," Beth stated. 

"I'm going to get a shower," Summer sighed, done with the conversation. 

"You could probably use one," Beth told her and all the girls laughed. 

"Are there showers here?" Abby asked and Laramie nodded, "Yeah, in the bunkhouse. I'll show you." 

The two got up to leave but Laramie turned and looked expectantly back at Beth who asked, "What?"

"Just waiting for another zinger," Laramie grinned. 

"I'm all zinged out for now," Laramie laughed and nodded at the two sisters before walking over to the bunkhouse. 

Monica then walked over to join them and asked Beth, "Why are you so mean?" 

"No reason," Beth replied, and Mae laughed while mumbling a 'yeah right'. Beth didn't do anything without a reason, she wouldn't allow herself to. 

"It's fun," she decided to add. 

"That's fun for you?" Monica asked. 

"What? To point out the very thing that everyone's thinking but they don't have the spine to own it and say? Yeah, I romped in the tent all night. You should try it. Which I did and I know Mae did, most of the night. Yes, I find that amusing," Beth asked. 

"Okay, I'm going to go help Gator and Charlie with Evie before even more of my sex life gets discussed," Mae laughed as she got up to walk away. 

"If you think this was bad just wait for the bachelorette!" Beth shouted after her sister, who laughed. 

"MI-MI!" The little girl shouted as she saw Mae walking towards her. 

"BUNNY!" Mae grinned as she ran over to her niece and picked the girl up to swing her around. 

"I'm stealing your child," Mae called out to Charlie, who waved her away. She was busy cutting up some potatoes while Gator stood behind her with his arms wrapped around her waist. 

"Want to go feed the horses?" Mae asked the little girl, who clapped her hands in excitement. 

xxx

Mae and Evie were in the field dancing to the country music blasting from the speakers. Mae twirled the little girl, who laughed and jumped up and down with her aunt when they heard a whistle and loud clapping.