Hell's Coming with Me

Season Two: A Thundering

Author's note: I took a hiatus, expecting to spend some time writing, editing, getting ready for Nanowrimo. Having chapters ready to post for November. . .Instead I hurt my wrist! So this is the only chapter I managed to flesh out during the month of October. I hope ya'll enjoy. I was so thrilled to see the amount of views! You guys are awesome!

A Thundering

As much as I loved the holiday season, by the middle of January I was tired of the snow. Snow meant being cooped up inside the house, so when the thaw began I was restless. I was restless as I watched the snow melt into the ground. When the rivers began to swell due to the melting snow. When the trees started to bud and erupt into fresh growth.

It was a beautiful sight. Remarkable to see the fertile landscape after such a desolate and harsh winter. But springtime meant that the cattle needed bred. Once the grass turned green in the pastures, it was time. The reason why we bred the cattle when the grass turned green was so they could be well fed during their pregnancy. Then they would have their calves and the cycle would begin anew.

Travis and the Texas outfit were up here, visiting during a break in the circuit. This meant that they were here to help out while we brought the cows down from the pasture. Also to lend a helping hand when we had to round up the angry bulls.

This was an exciting time in our cattle drive. Rounding up the bulls. It was exciting, invigorating, but also enervating.

As I rose from bed, I smiled at my reflection in the mirror while I got ready for the day. Beth and I had found the perfect dress a couple days ago. It would be altered and ready for June 11th. I felt like a Princess in that dress. It was beautiful with little rhinestones all over the skirt. The neckline was modest, but it was a corset waist. It accentuated my figure and made it pop.

Beth and Daddy, both agreed it was the perfect dress. We even managed to get the most surly men alive, Kayce and Rip, to come along and agree on the dress. Kayce seemed to be fighting tears as he watched me try on the dresses, but that dress is what brought an emotional response to Rip. That's when I knew that this was the dress.

"Daddy!" I bounced into the kitchen to grab a cup of coffee. "We going out today to get the cows?"

"Yes, darling," my daddy said. "Why are you always so excited for rounding up the cattle? You would be a great cowboy."

"It's exciting! You get to be in the open air, with a horse as transport. It's freeing and almost as if we are frozen in time," I explained, drinking down more coffee to rid my bones of the tiredness that was seeping into them. "It feels like I'm connected with our ancestors, you know?"

"I know exactly how you feel," Daddy appraised me with a different expression on his face. Almost like he was reappraising me and comparing me with Lee.

"I'm gonna go tack up my horse!" I pressed a kiss to his cheek and grabbed a banana off the table. There was no time to waste on grabbing a full meal. The cowboys would be leaving sooner than later. "See you soon!"

I didn't notice that Travis was sitting on the front porch when I bounded out of the door and down the steps. He followed along behind me as I took a bite out of the perfectly ripe banana.

"What are you doing out here, little bit?" Travis asked, jogging to catch up to me as I walked towards the barn.

"Getting my horse tacked up to go on the round up with ya'll," I explained and he raised an eyebrow.

"Hmm," he hummed. "Did you get my RSVP?"

"Of course," I smiled, eating some more of my banana. "I can't believe it's already April," I sighed. "Time feels like it's moving so fast."