Chapter 2 : So it begins

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2nd of JULY 2018

"Hayley" Colby shakes her thigh gently waking her "c'mon time to work". She pulls on her jeans, wrapping her chaps belt around her hips. She enters the kitchen tugging a shirt over her head, yawning Ryan offers her a mug of coffee. She sips it looking up at him, his brown hair disheveled, eyes heavy with sleep. He wraps an arm around her shoulders hugging her , as Colby trots into the room.

He frowns at her playfully "where's my morning hug" he whines. Smiling when she wraps her arms around his.

Rip walks through the door "lets go" he calls rousing the others. He grins walking over to Hayley, he takes her mug taking a long drink of her coffee.

"Oi! That's mind asshole" she says appalled. He smirks, taking another sip before handing it back. She frowns at her now almost empty coffee mug. Scowling she picks up her hat walking over to Jimmy's bed. She sits on his bed as he pulls a shirt on, he glances at her warily.

"You ready kid" she drawls putting her hat on her head.

"For what?" He asks glancing at the others.

"To see how crazy she actually is" Lloyd nods towards Hayley as he walks past them, Jimmy's eyes widen in fear. He looks at Hayley, she stays were she is smiling like a kid with a bucket of candy.

"Jesus, he hasn't even seen it  yet and he's already shitting himself" laughs Ryan walking over. He pulls Hayley from the bed wrapping an arm around her shoulders.

 "You ain't seen nothin' yet Jimmy" she calls over their shoulders as they walk out the door.


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Hayley's eyes stay upon the horse the whole time. She clicks her tongue quietly edging him on, whispering to the stallion. He trots calmly in a circle, Hayley grin at the slight jolt he makes. Gripping the reins tighter, she waits knowing what will happen if she gives her heels a squeeze. The stallions begins to buck in his attempts to throw her off, she shouts gleefully. The wranglers watch her grinning, she holds on tightly. 

Lee and his father walk down towards the round pen, noticing the wranglers first, then Hayley. Lee smiles glancing at his father, a grin tugs at Johns lips. The first time he had close to smiled since she disappeared. Hayley looks up meeting Lee's eye she beams, then her eyes look past him at the truck pulling up in the drive. Kayce steps out opening the door for a small boy. A boy who even from a distant holds similar features to his father. The horse jerks, hard throwing her to the ground. Lee yells out as Colby and Ryan jump over the wooden fence. Ryan grabs the horse as Colby lifts Hayley to her feet. She glances at Kayce, worry laces his face as Colby leads her away.

"What the hell was she doing on that horse" Kayce yells at his father, approaching quickly.

"What'd you think she was doing Kace" Lee replies, frowning at his younger brother. Kayce  looks between his brother and Hayleys retreating back. 

He glances at his son then at his father "take tate for a while would you" he says.

 His father nods "come on grandson" he walks away Tate trailing behind him, chattering loudly.

"She still loves you, you know that don't you?" Lee asks wearily, kayce rubs his temples nodding in response. "Do you still love her Kace".

" Of course I do,how could I not she's stubborn and loving and a real bitch at times. But all of those things are what make me love her more Lee" Kayce rambles " but what about Monica and Tate, I married Monica for Tate, but I don't love her the way I do Hayls".

Lee watches his brother for a moment before he hugs him tightly. "I know brother, I know" Lee sighs.

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"Hayley!" Kayce yells jogging towards her, as she throws a hay over the fence.

"What do want Kayce" she mumbles wiping sweat from her forehead.

"Can we tal-" 

She cuts him of "about what Kace the part where  you have a kid or the part where you didn't tell me". He looks at her angrily, she stares back just as mad.

"What? Did you just expect me to sit around waiting for you to come back! We didn't even know where you were or if you were alive! I thought you had just moved on and forgotten me". They were both silent then, staring at each other sadness replacing their anger. "I thought you didn't love me anymore" he whispers.

Hayley watches him, standing there he looks so vulnerable. Like when they were kids, young and innocent. Kayce turns to walk away.

"I didn't just leave Kayce! I didn't get a choice" she cries, tears falling down her cheeks. He turns back pulling her to him, his lips pressed to hers nothing else mattering. Then the truth seeps back into his mind. Monica, his wife, Tate's mother. He pulls away quickly, realisation finds Hayleys face.

"Your son" she whispers looking Kayce in the eye "his mother, are you together?" Her eyes fly to his left hand immediately, the gold band sitting upon his finger. Hurt fills her face then anger, as she steps out of his grasp shaking her head.

"Hayley, Monica and me we're over we have been for a while" he calls, desperately following her as she stumbles towards the bunkhouse.

She turns back to him suddenly "Monica!? From the reservation?" She questions "do you love her". He's silent, she scoffs turning to walk away.

"No. No I don't love her"

"Prove it to me Kayce. Then you may have a chance because I won't be a home wrecker Kayce I won't do it" she says continuing towards the bunkhouse.

Hayley flings the door open angrily, stomping into the bunk house. The Wranglers look up at her, Ryan raises his eyebrows. "What the fuck are you assholes looking at?" she shouts kicking her boots off and throwing her hat on the couch. She storms over to her bed pulling a pair of skinny jeans from her bag. She strips off, pulling on the jeans in huff. She reaches back into the bag pulling a lacy white camisole from it. She grabs a bottle of whiskey from the bag and heads for Beth Dutton.

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