For Him, I Would

Chapter One - It's okay to go back.

Meet Oakley James Dobson

Age – 28

Hair color – sun-kissed auburn

Job – Ag Inspector for the Department of Agriculture for the State of Montana (past 4 years)

Lives – Near Helena on a family ranch (about 45 mins from the Yellowstone ranch)

Parents – James and Erin Dobson (both retired)

Siblings – William "Cash" Dobson – incarcerated, serving ten years for aggravated assault and robbery (took the fall for his friend)

Background with Kayce – Oakley and Kayce met at school and became friends after Cash tried to beat Kayce up in the parking lot but Oakley defended Kayce. They fell in love as teenagers, but Kayce got Monica pregnant at the age of eighteen (a drunk night on the Reservation) and Oakley didn't speak to him after he called her to tell her. Oakley went to Helena for college, then got her current job with the Ag Department with the State. She makes sure ranchers abide by state laws when it comes to producing, farming, and selling.

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It was early Saturday morning, the clouds fooling everyone in not really knowing if it were warm or cool outside. Oakley was sitting at her parent's kitchen table, trying to organize the papers in front of her. She was almost done with this fiscal year's inspections, there was just one more ranch in need of her attention. She had been putting it off for weeks now because every ounce of her being was telling her to run far away from that place.

And Oakley always followed her gut.

"Hey sweetheart," Erin Dobson, Oakley's mother, walked into the kitchen with a basket of fresh eggs. "You're up and dressed early."

"Hey momma," Oakley didn't look up from her papers. "I've got a little work today that I'm trying to find an excuse not to do."

"That doesn't sound like my daughter," Erin laughed, walking over to kiss the top of Oakley's head. "Where are you headed?"

"The Yellowstone," Oakley muttered quietly and felt her mother tighten her hold on Oakley's shoulder.

"Can you have one of your coworkers do that one?" Erin asked.

"Nope," Oakley shook her head. "I already tried but the closest one is over two hours away and that's just not fair."

"Well," Erin tapped Oakley's shoulder before moving around the kitchen. "I hear he's out on the Res now so you don't even have to worry about seeing that boy's face."

"Mom... " Oakley groaned. While she would be the first person in line to run Kayce Dutton over with her truck, he wasn't a boy anymore. Oakley wasn't a girl anymore, they were teenagers anymore.

"I'm just saying," Erin shrugged, busing herself with the eggs. "Probably for the best, he's on that side."

"Mom!" Oakley rolled her eyes, collecting her paper. "You're better than that."

"Not with you I ain't," Erin gave Oakley a look. "That boy wasn't there when your father and I picked you up off of your bathroom floor that day...I can say whatever I want about him and that Indian bitch."

"Don't call her that," Oakley mumbled, picking up her papers and grabbing her bag. She needed to get out of there before her mother devised a plan to murder them. "We don't even need to think about that."

"I'm sorry baby," Erin sighed. "I just want you happy."

"I know," Oakley nodded. "But being a racist and wanting to murder someone isn't how I'm going to get that. Now, I love you. I'll see you later for dinner if I can finish in time."