Walker (Cordell Walker x Female!Reader)

Bad Apples

3rd Person P.O.V
On Walker ranch, Cordell and August were sanding down two rocking chair that Cordell had built. "All right. What do you think?" Cordell asked his son, who clears his throat. "Uh, well, I think we could've used a sander." He said, waving the dust off one of his hands.

"A sander? No. No. Doesn't leave the same mark." Cordell told him and August scoffs. "You know what, you haven't really talked about the Rangers in, like, two weeks. Think you'll be happy without 'em?"

Cordell chuckles at this question. "Augie, I never needed to be a Ranger to be happy. Torturing my son with manual labor brings me far more joy than the Rangers ever could." He said and August scoffs humorlessly.

"I mean it. Seriously. Being yours and Stella's daddy makes me the happiest man in Texas." Cordell continued. "Mm. Just Texas?" August asked, raising an eyebrow. "It's a big state. Come on." Cordell replied and August chuckles.

"Hey, will you grab me the chisel? I think I left it inside on the counter." Cordell said, pointing at the outdoor wall of the farmhouse. "Yeah. Got it." August said, heading off towards the door.

"Yeah. Thanks." Cordell said, watching him go then clears his throat as he reaches into his back pocket and pulls out the belt buckle for his ranger uniform, staring at it longingly.

Hearing footsteps approaching, Cordell looks up and tosses the buckle into a nearby potted plant right as Stella came around the corner, her eyes glued to her phone. "Hey. How are those, uh, summer plans shaping up?" Cordell asked her.

"Um... get a job at The Side Step?" Stella suggested and Cordell chuckles. "I know the management." She said, pointing at Cordell with a playful smile. "Ah. Come on, Stel. Summer before your senior year? You need something you can put on a college application." Cordell told her.

At that moment, Liam's car pulls up and parks in front of the porch. "You know what? Your uncle... how 'bout working on a campaign? Got an idea." Cordell said to Stella as his brother gets out of his car. "Hey. You need an intern?" He asked Liam as he points at his daughter.

"You want to lick some stamps?" Liam asked Stella, who hums then chuckles and heads back inside the house. "Yeah. Teenagers. Uh, what's up?" Cordell asked Liam as he gets back to sanding one of the rocking chairs. "Stan's poll numbers, actually."

"It's only a poll, right? I mean, those things change every day." Cordell told him. "Only a poll? I... I don't even know why I'm asking you. Where's Mom?" Liam asked. "Uh, she and Daddy went up to Dallas for a livestock auction. They'll be gone for a few days. So... I'm all you got." Cordell said, shrugging his shoulders and taking a seat in a nearby none-rocking chair.

"You know why Stan's beating you?" He asked Liam. "Well, he's got the Rangers' endorsement, for one." Liam muttered, picking up August's sandpaper. "No. No. Uh, it's because he's a closer. Maybe it's time for William Walker to get in there for a few rounds, mix it up." Cordell advised him.

"You know what? You're right. You know, I need... I need a speech." Liam said. "There you go." Cordell said and Liam begins sanding the other rocking chair. "Damn it. You know, Bret could totally nail this." He said in a depress tone.

"Yeah." Cordell said, gently and looks at his brother with sympathy, understanding the pain he's feeling. "You, uh... you talk to him yet? About everything you went through?" Cordell asked, standing up. "He knows I was in the hospital. But he doesn't know the details of what happened here. And even before, when I... lied to him about cheating." Liam explains.

"Yeah. You got a hell of a lot to unpack." Cordell said. "Mm, yeah." Liam muttered. "That's for sure. I didn't ask, but I assume you thought about him when everything went dark back here." Cordell said.