Diamond S Ranch

5-The Ranch and Lillie

*note: so I have been made aware that about halfway through this chapter you might come across a big gap. Unfortunately I am unable to correct it at this time. If you will continue scrolling you will eventually find the other half of the chapter. Sorry about this...Annette

Elle rolled over pulling the covers over her head shutting out the morning sunshine that was intent on waking her up. But try as she may sleep kept eluding her and thoughts of the day ahead began to bump into her memories from yesterday. Something started nagging her in the back of her head and bits and pieces like a foggy dream started to drop into her mind. Yesterday at school, the fight, the police car...a plane...a truck ride...a town...a long dirt driveway...some dogs...something about brothers. Brothers...broth....Jake! She sat straight up in bed, her eyes darting around the room, her heart pounding.

"Oh, shit! It was all real!" She said flopping back down onto her pillow. 

She lay there for several long moments staring up at the ceiling trying to sort out what she was feeling. The thing was she wasn't really sure what she was feeling. Her stomach growled. Well, she did know one thing, she was hungry. She looked over to the alarm clock Jordan had given her. 8:23am, then she remembered what Jake had told her about breakfast being served till 6:30am...why so freaking early, she wondered out loud. Throwing back the gray comforter, she slid out of bed. Finding something for breakfast was on her list but first a shower. After her shower in her new bathroom, she slipped on her same black leggings from yesterday, though, opted for a different t-shirt, of course still black, and made her way to the back staircase.

Hesitating at the top for a moment, biting her lower lip, she strained to hear what she thought were voices down below. Not able to tell who it was she finally she began the descent. The old wooden stairs would occasionally creak under her feet. She was remembering how the old children's homes stairs did that too, she used to know which ones to avoid or side step if she wanted to sneak out. She noted she would need to figure out how to maneuver down these old stairs so when she wanted she could sneak out undetected.

As she stepped down the last few steps she could see that at the far end of the long table sat Jake and Zach with Cappy.

"Well, look who decided to finally join us?" Zach announced causing Jake to look up from his papers now putting his attention on to her. Thanks, Zach.

"Come on in sleepy head," Zach added as he patted the bench beside him.

She started towards the table, Cappy got up, "Let me get this little filly some breakfast." He announced as he started towards the kitchen. He must of seen the confused look on her face, because she very vividly remember Jake explaining that if she missed breakfast she was on her own. "I saved you some breakfast," he explained, "Jake told me he was letting you sleep in today." He finished with a wink.

"Orange juice or milk?" He asked.

"Juice, please." she answered stepping over the bench to sit next to Zach and ignoring the fact that Jake had let her sleep in.

"So, how did you sleep?" Jake asked as he picked up his coffee cup and took a sip.

"Good," she answered, "really good." She really did.

"Glad to hear it." Jake replied. 

Just then a commotion was heard coming from the mud room and seconds later, Gage and Garrett and someone else she did not know, burst into the kitchen. Tagging along was Buddy and Rosie. The calmness of the morning was broken with their boisterous voices and dogs barking, as they made their way to kitchen, returning with some bottle waters, Gatorades in their hands. Garrett, at least she was thinking it was Garrett, was munching on a cold biscuit. They came around Jake and dropped to the bench on the opposite side of the table.