The House That Built Me

Daybreak

I take a step back from the light brown horse standing in the flipped trailer "Dad there's no way fucking way he's gonna make it"

"I know honey," Dad says before wiping some blood off of my cheek and walking towards the injured animal. "It's not fair this life. I know you deserve better. Best I can offer you is peace."

Bang

I watch Dad pick up his hat and go to the flipped semi in the ditch. I hear sirens in the distance as I make my way to the fence Dad was leaning on. He stares out at the cows "The things we lose to keep you fed"

"Jesus, that's John Dutton and his youngest" One of the state troopers says while jogging towards us.

"Commissioner, are you alright," The other asks.

"We're fine." Dad steps away from the fence to talk to the troopers. I pull my phone out of my pocket and call Lee.

"Lee, I hope you're not too busy........."

/

"Jamie, if you stick that needle in our father's head, I'm gonna stick it in your eye," I say while walking over to him and Dad in the living room.

"I know how to do stitches, Clara," Jamie says while handing me the instruments

"I know that, but I literally went to school for this shit," I say while taking the instruments from him and starting stitches on Dad

"All right, Alan asked me to mention it so I will. They'd allow us to harvest the timber before the–"

"No" Dad waves me away. "The answer is no"

"Can you let me do this?" I ask. Dad nods and I go back to stitching him up.

"When you say no, it must be the death of the question. If there's even a hint of maybe, the questions won't stop until they find something you can't say no to. You got to learn when to think like a lawyer, and when to think like a landowner. Or a lawyer's all you're ever going to be"

"All done Daddy," I say after tying off my last stitch. After stitching up the gash on my check last night and now the one on Dads' forehead, I seem to be getting awfully good at fixing up people.

"Clara, you have your mother's hands," Dad says while checking out my work in the mirror. He stands up and heads outside. Jamie and I quickly follow behind.

"Hey," Jamie yells from the bottom of the steps. "I told them no." He follows after Dad as I trail behind him. "Hey, I said you wouldn't consider it. Should you consider it? Absolutely. We could use the money and the leverage that comes with it."

Lee pulls up and jumps out of his truck and makes his way over to us. "You're not coming, Dad?"

"No, I got a meeting in Bozeman. Why don't you take your badge out with you today? Take a rifle too." Dad pours his coffee out and hands the cup to Lee.

"I mean, they won't give us any trouble over strays. I mean, hell, they'll probably help us round them up." Lee states

"Well, the badge is for the ranchers riding with you. It'll keep them from bringing home any extras. Why don't you go with him, Clara." Dad says before Jamie starts talking to him again.

Lee and I get in his truck and leave before we can hear whatever rebuttal Jamie was working on.

/

The car ride was mostly silent except for the rattle of the trailer and the low hum of the radio. I look out the window and see the Brocken Rock sign up ahead. After that, I couldn't contain my curiosity.