Yellowstone: Love and Cowboys

Back in the Saddle

She wanted to go to the bunkhouse to get away from the stifling atmosphere in the lodge but knew she couldn't. Instead, she sat in the living room in front of the fire and talked, or mostly listened, as the family discussed the small things that John would permit.

Tomorrow she would try riding again. The doctor had said she shouldn't experience too much in the way of soreness, sex was taboo until she felt up to it. That was what she missed most about having to leave Travis behind. They had a healthy sex life, it encouraged intimacy and it broke down barriers they had between them. They were still newlyweds, they made love in the morning and before they went to sleep. Sleeping without him was hard.

Around ten everyone retreated to their separate rooms. She was still on Texas time and she was tired enough that falling asleep was no problem. Staying asleep was another matter, and she woke in the middle of the night and was unable to get back to sleep.

She crept down to the kitchen in her bare feet to see if Gator kept any herbal remedies that might help. Luck was with her, she found some valerian and skullcap in a cupboard, tucked away with some other herbs. Both herbs had a nasty taste, but combined in an infusion would help her fall asleep. She'd learned to make herbal teas from her mother: bring the water to a boil, then remove the pot from the heat and add the herbs.

She let it sit for twenty minutes then strained some into a cup. It tasted as awful as she remembered but when she went back upstairs she fell asleep within a few minutes. Though it made her feel a little guilty she left the mess to Gator to clean up.

She slept until five-thirty and woke up feeling rested, well, rested enough. She went downstairs to the kitchen to see if breakfast was ready, or if Gator had something she could eat.

The others were drifting in and taking their place at the dining room table. Gator gave her a plate of scrambled eggs and a couple of biscuits. She hid in the kitchen until she finished eating then joined the others in the dining room.

There were two rules regarding meals. You ate with the family at breakfast and dinner. No hard rules existed for lunch because no one might be around. Gator might bring food to the wranglers if they weren't too far, otherwise, you'd grab something and bring it with you if didn't want to deal with an empty belly until dinner.

She poured a cup of coffee but refused food. "I already ate," she explained, "You all weren't up yet."

That seemed to satisfy John Dutton. "Well, honey," he told her as Beth made a sour face, "What are your plans for today?"

"Well, it all depends on Jake. If he's busy, I'll be in the pasture with the wranglers. If not, then I want him to teach me how to train. Travis wants me to learn. I can lunge, but I don't know the finer points. Travis is teaching me to work the reining horses, but Jake is good with the cutters, and that's something I need to learn. I need to improve my skills so I can help. I can practice, but I want to learn how to do more than that." John was impressed with the way she was taking this seriously. Coralee had never been one just to sit by and let others do the work, getting dirty never bothered her. As she grew more experienced, she and Travis would make a good team.

He wondered if motherhood would interfere, but knowing his niece she probably would not let it. She would do what her father had done, put the baby on her lap, and keep working in the saddle. She had grown up viewing the world through a horse's ears, not much would change.

"Well, talk to Jake and see how his schedule is. If he's busy, we can always use help with the cows. We'll put Travis to work when he gets here, we have the branding coming up so we can use him."

Yellowstone specialized in grass-fed beef, so there was no fattening on grain. Each year calves would be weaned, bull calves would be castrated, and there was branding to be done. Travis had always come to help, and this year would be no different, only he would be sleeping in the lodge with her.