Almost two months had passed since Walker and Lloyd's brawl in the round pen. The two had fortunately reconciled, and were now on civil terms with each other.
Beau's abrupt and sudden return to the Yellowstone had set off Rip into a brand new frenzy of anger.
Despite Rip's fury and hatred for Beau, he'd been allowed to stay in the bunkhouse alongside the rest of the hands.
Laramie and Mia, however, were a different story.
After learning that Lloyd's whole issue was rooted with Laramie, John sent the two barrel racers off and told them to never come back.
The two women had bawled and whined as they left, Laramie's tears only coming from the fact that she hadn't gotten what she wanted.
Mia, was more understandable. The man she loved, Jimmy, would return to the Yellowstone and unfortunately she wouldn't be there waiting.
Elisabeth was now five months pregnant, and disguising her belly from the rest of the bunkhouse had grown easier, due to it getting colder out and having an excuse to layer up in clothing.
John had been regularly scheduling appointments and checkups for Elisabeth, just to make sure she was ok and that everything was on track.
She'd thanked him more times than either of them could count, but to John, it was simply taking care of his surrogate daughter.
Elisabeth and the ranch owner had grown much closer in the duration of her pregnancy.
He had taken to caring for her as if she was his own, which unfortunately upset Rip.
Rip felt that he had done more to earn John's approval and affection, but Beth kept him distracted most of the time.
John had even started calling Elisabeth his daughter, especially when he was just checking in on her.
He'd say: "Don't be stubborn now. You're my daughter and I want to know if my daughter and grandbaby are ok."
Kayce had always taken to her as if she was his sister, but even more so now.
He'd already appointed himself as an uncle alongside Ryan, and was happy that Elisabeth was comfortable enough to let him into her and Walker's little family circle.
Gator had even found out when he'd heard Kayce and John talking about it, and ever since he'd been giving her first pickings at cookouts and would sometimes find the time to cook some of her cravings for her.
Elisabeth had never felt more loved and protected, especially with Walker, Kayce, Ryan and Beau all guarding her like watchdogs.
She slid out of the barn, wrapping herself in her old brown Carhartt jacket.
Kayce had told her that he wanted to speak to her about the bunkhouse inhabitants and the new dynamic.
Usually he'd discuss with Rip, as he was the foreman, but he preferred Elisabeth's perspective because she wasn't biased and didn't let her personal opinions about the people get in the way.
She strolled up to the house, huffing a bit as she stepped inside.
Beth gave her a slight glance as she walked in, but nothing more.
Elisabeth walked into Kayce office, grinning a bit as she saw him.
"Well you look a lil winded." The Dutton remarked, returning her smile.
"It's a long walk from the barn." She answered, brushing a hand across her hair.
Elisabeth stripped her jacket and placed it down on the chair, resting her hands on the small of her back.
She arched her back and sighed, earning a chuckle from Kayce.
"Hey, you ain't the one that has to tote an extra human around." Elisabeth spoke, her voice laced with amusement.
"I know, I know." He replied with a cheeky grin.
They were so enveloped in their conversation that they didn't even notice Beth stop at the doorway.
"You're pregnant...? You're pregnant?!" Beth screeched, the papers she'd been carrying falling to the ground and scattering.
"Beth... I-" Elisabeth tried to speak but the other woman cut her off.
"God takes motherhood away from me, and He gives you a child?! You're not even fit to be a mother!" She screamed, hot tears of rage pouring down her cheeks.
Elisabeth gulped, swallowing back her attitude for the moment.
"You drink like a man, you chain smoke, you cuss like there's no tomorrow, fuck, the list goes on!"
Beth's sides heaved as she gasped, out of breath from her rant.
"You're one to talk. You act like you don't do all that yourself." Elisabeth murmured, leaning against the desk where Kayce sat.
"I've been through more than you could ever imagine!" Beth snapped.
"I get it. But that's not an excuse. Trauma doesn't excuse behavior, it explains it. I don't know your whole life story, nor do I want to, but you don't have a right to be angry at me for having something that you unfortunately don't get to have."
The Dutton woman opened her mouth to speak, but it was Elisabeth's turn to interrupt.
"Beth, you have a father that loves you. A man who loves you, and has loved you since you were fifteen. You live in this amazing house with amazing property, and you always get off scot-free no matter how horrible you treat people. You have a big last name and privileges that come with it. You're luckier than you understand."
Kayce looked up at Elisabeth, surprised at her eery calmness despite all that Beth had said.
"I didn't plan to get pregnant. It was a surprise to both me and Walker. I'm terrified of motherhood, always have been. But I'm not going to let that affect how I am going to raise my child."
Beth scoffed. "Oh please. You're going to regret not aborting that thing."
Elisabeth simply rolled her eyes. "Bethany, listen."
"Don't call me that." The other woman hissed.
"Too late. Now listen. You didn't come from nothing. You didn't grow up having to fight and work for everything you wanted. You've had a silver spoon in your mouth since the day you were born into this God forsaken world. Rip never beat you black and blue just for defending yourself. Your father never did either. You were never sent away or corrected for your actions. You didn't have to spend your eighteenth birthday burning a body at the border of Wyoming. You didn't have to assume that the man you loved was dead because he just wanted peace. You didn't save your own ass when those two men came to Schwartz and Meyer."
Beth gulped, unsure of what to say.
"Y'know who had to deal with all that? I did. While you got to sit back on your happy ass in your bedroom with a glass of wine and a bottle of adderall. Stop acting like you're some innocent child, and grow up. Don't you go blabbing to Rip about this either."
"Oh, what are you gonna do? You can't do anything with that precious baby in your stomach." Beth snarled cockily.
"Be that as it may, I happen to have a few guard dogs who wouldn't mind sticking by me." Elisabeth smirked, subtly glancing at Kayce.
Beth gazed at her younger brother with wide eyes, hoping that Elisabeth wasn't implying what she thought.
Kayce only smirked, and spoke one simple phrase.
"Bark bark, bitch."
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
And I thought that they might ride off in the sun
But you wrecked it all, you wrecked my heart
You wrecked our house and you wrecked my car
Left all the pieces shattered on the lawn
YOU ARE READING
Yellowstone
FanfictionBeing practically raised by the Duttons seems like a dream for some. But Elisabeth had it rough. Her dad was a runaway and her mom was never around. When she turned 12, she found work all the way up in Montana at the Yellowstone Ranch. Not only did...
