Come Home

Chapter 40

Feeling a shove from behind she stumbled forward and turned to see Zero behind her. "Silly boy," she smiled sadly as he nudged her again. She giggled and turned to face him. He took the black horse stuffed animal from her arms and playfully pranced around, making her burst out laughing. "Come here you little rascal," she called out as she walked toward the playful pony.

"I can't believe she is really here," Jasper muttered as he stood next to Jackson and watched her laugh at the pony's antics. "I keep thinking it's a dream."

"You and me both," Jackson nodded.

"She lost too much weight," North glared as he saw her remove the thin hoodie and toss it on the fence. She was wearing faded blue jeans and a black sports bra with a spaghetti strap shirt over it. Her boots were very worn out. They could tell she was skinny from when Dr. Roberts carried her in and then when they saw her sleeping in the barn but now, she looked unhealthy skinny. It made their stomachs ache from worry at how dangerously skinny she was.

"Her fucking hair," Gabe sighed shaking his head. "It's not shiny anymore."

"You can't be surprised one bit," Dr. Roberts said coming up to them. "With everything she has gone through before leaving then leaving and now what brought her back, you can't be that surprised."

"I know you said not to push not eating, but fuck that Doc," North shook his head. "She has to fucking eat, that—" he pointed to the window "is not safe."

"You think I don't know that Boy?" Dr. Roberts glared at him. "Trust me, I'm trying to think of a plan but you know as well as I do how stubborn that girl is. We have to tread carefully."

North sighed knowing that he was right. The last thing he wanted to do was push her so she ran again. "Hey come on Boss Lady, time for breakfast!" Justin yelled as he headed to the ranch house.

She shook her head and he chuckled, "Alright, I'll make you a plate and bring it out to you then." She shook her head again and he sighed, "Oh come on Boss Lady, first the pony and now you? I can't watch over the both of you and run this ranch you know."

"You talk like that thing is a newborn," another ranch hand rolled his eyes, "it's a full grown damn horse, it's not a fucking pony."

"He is a two year old mustang, he is a pony," Alice glared as she crossed her arms over her chest.

"Awww shit," North said as he sat his coffee cup down and Luke opened the door so they could step out onto the porch. Her back was to them so she didn't hear them.

"He is a full grown horse," the ranch hand glared at her.

"He is what I SAY he is," she stood straight up and locked eyes with him. "And I say he is a pony."

"With all due respect Ma'am you aren't the boss of this ranch anymore," he sneered. "You lost the right to declare anything when you sold the ranch to the ACTUAL bosses and left. You don't get to tell or demand anything anymore."

She smirked and shifted her weight to her left hip, "Is that right? And you are?"

"Adam," he smirked.

"Well, Adam, ask Justin what happened the last time a little boy tried to correct me."

"You know damn well what happened to Andrew," Justin glared.

"Yeah he ran his mouth and some guys beat the shit out of him."

"Wrong," Alice glared, "he tried to boss ME around and tell me that I wasn't the boss of him. He then tried to intimidate me and lay his hand on me and when I fired him he hit me and MY horse Jack, Zero's father, protected me. So since you CLEARLY didn't get a proper history lesson on this ranch, I'll educate you. This is MY family's ranch. MY grandparents created this place for as Justin said misfit toys. Yes, I left but this ranch was still MINE. I know EVERYTHING that goes on in this place. Just because I wasn't here doesn't mean that I wasn't aware. I know every single purchase that is made and I am the one that signs every single paycheck YOU receive." She placed her hand on Justin's shoulder and stood on the fence. "Not that it is any of YOUR business but after I signed over my portion of the ranch and left, the Boss Men as you call them, signed the full ranch back over to me so I do own 100% of it. So this Ma'am as you called me does in fact have the right to tell and demand things from you. Now this is your last chance, leave MY PONY alone, shut your fucking sexist mouth, and get the hell away from me."

Adam shut his mouth and nodded. He turned to walk away and Zero nudged him, making him stumble.

Once he was out of sight, Justin chuckled and turned to Alice, "Fucking hell, it's nice to see your sassiness back, Boss Lady. Ready for some breakfast now? I'll bring it out here so you can eat with your little pony."