Gracie Dutton

12

A week had passed since John asked Gracie what those men did to her. She was getting stronger each day, but her struggle was more mental than physical. "Hey, darlin." Rip greeted Beth after a long day of work. Gracie glanced over at her parents before looking back down at the book sitting on her lap, her mind too busy to focus on the words on the pages. Rip walked over to the couch where Gracie sat. "Hi, honey." He bent down to kiss her head. "Hi," she said quietly as she looked up at him. Rip took a moment to look into Gracie's blue eyes. He felt a pang of sadness to see how dark and dull they were, unlike the usual blue sparkle that was usually there. Rip crouched down in front of his daughter. "Did you have a good day?" He asked. Gracie shrugged. "Just another day, dad." Rip sighed. "How about we go riding tomorrow? You're healing up pretty good. You think you can ride?" Gracie felt a jolt of panic and then was brought back to that night: walking down to the bunkhouse to find Ryan before everything went black. Rip noticed the far off look in her eyes and reached up to grab her hand, the contact bringing her back to the present. She did miss her horse and the feeling of riding. "I don't know..." she trailed off. Rip gave her hand a reassuring squeeze. "You can think about it, Gracie." Rip stood up and looked at Beth. "Dinner almost done? I'm gonna go shower." Beth nodded. "Go ahead. You have time." Rip nodded and went upstairs leaving the mother daughter pair alone in the large living room. Gracie closed the book and tossed it onto the coffee table. She turned her body to face her mother's. "I was going to see Ryan." Beth gave her a curious look, not exactly following what she was talking about. "That night. I wanted to talk to Ryan. I wanted to understand why he had done the things he'd done and to see if there was ever a chance for him and I again. I missed him." Gracie paused. A look of compassion from Beth gave Gracie the courage to keep talking. "I was almost down the hill. I didn't hear or see anyone. All I remember was it went dark and I woke up in pain." Gracie let out a sigh. "Honey, have you told Ryan that?" Beth questioned. Gracie just shook her head. "We haven't gotten a chance to talk much. He's so busy with work. I heard Kayce talking about how busy they've been at the commissioners office and the ranch. Not to mention that I haven't left the house since I've been home." Beth sighed and played with Gracie's fingers absentmindedly. "I think it will be good for you to go ride with your father. I don't want to push you though. If you don't think you can ride yet or just don't want to, that's okay. But I want you to remember something, Rip will be walking by your side down to the barn and will be riding right next to you too. You won't be alone anymore, baby." Gracie let her mother's words sink in. She just forced a small smile along with a nod. "Dinner's ready!" Gator announced as he walked into the dining room with a platter of food. Gracie stood and followed Beth into the dining room. "Hi, Daddy," Beth greeted John who was already seated at the head of the table. Gracie's eyesbrows were raised when she saw Lynelle seated on the left of John, not knowing that the Governor was joining them and from the glare Beth was shooting her way, she wasn't aware either. "Hi, Gracie Girl," John said gently. Gracie gave him a small smile. "Hi." She went and sat beside Beth who had clenched fists under the table. Lynelle ignored Beth's look and turned to greet Gracie. "Hi, Gracie. I hear you've had everyone quite worried about you. Are you doing okay?" Gracie blushed. "I'm trying my best not to. But, I'm doing okay." Lynelle gave her a gentle smile. "I'm glad." Rip walked into the dining room and greeted everyone before sitting beside Gracie. He shot her a confused look but she just shrugged. Jamie and soon Kayce entered the room. "About damn time," John told them. "Sorry," Jamie said before sitting beside the governor, Kayce taking a seat next to him. "Where's your family, son?" John asked Kayce. Kayce cleared his throat. "Uh, they went out to the res for dinner." Gracie looked at him peculiarly, knowing he was lying. Kayce met her look but didn't give her anything. She sighed and watched as Beth poured herself a glass of wine. Gracie reached over and grabbed the bottle from her, pouring herself a glass. Everyone at the table started to object. She looked at them all like they were crazy. "What? Are you going to make me show you my id?" She questioned before bringing the glass up and taking a sip. To them, Gracie was the little girl of the family but in this moment reality his them like a train. She was grown. Gracie was 21 years old. Jamie smirked at the Gracie's attitude. "You better not become an alcoholic like your mother." The room went still. "You motherfucker!" Beth grabbed her knife and threw it at Jamie, missing him, it clattering in the plate in front of him. "What the fuck!" Jamie yelled as he stood, his chair flying back behind him. "Beth!" John growled and grabbed her arm. Gracie's eyes went wide, not believing her mother just did that. "Goddamn it! Can't we just have a nice family dinner for once?!" John demanded. "Oh since when was the governor family?" Beth sneered back. "Enough!" Kayce pleaded. Rip sighed and held the bridge of his nose while Lynelle just sat quietly, taking the chaos in. "You're a psycho bitch!" Jamie pointed at Beth with a glare. "Oh fuck off! You deserve to be stabbed you traitor!" Beth yelled back. "Alright! Come on!" Rip stood up and dragged Beth up with him. They started walking out of the dining room but Rip stopped in front of Jamie. "Say something bad about my wife again and you'll regret it. Especially when it involves my daughter." Jamie visibly swallowed in fear of Rip. Rip dragged Beth into the living room so she'd cool off. Gracie sighed and took a swig of her wine. "If this family keeps going the way it's going, I just might become an alcoholic." Kayce let out a chuckle and shook his head. "Not the time, young lady," John told her. Gracie just shrugged and stood up. "Someone has to make light of the situation." She kissed his cheek. "Good luck," she whispered to Lynelle who just laughed. Gracie found her mother chugging down a glass of whiskey while Rip watched on disapprovingly. "You're just proving him right, ya know?" Gracie's voice made Beth freeze. She looked over at her daughter and felt guilt fill her. "I'm not trying to. The son of a bitch won't stop." Gracie just looked at her mother. "You won't either," Gracie bit back. Beth look as though she had been slapped. "You think I'm the problem?" She questioned. "I think you don't help," Gracie said. "Gracie..." Rip warned. Beth scoffed. "Oh, you think you know it all?" Beth sneered. Gracie felt her defences going back up. "I think I know enough." Beth poured herself a new glass. "Really? Enlighten me, Gracie!" She knew it was a trap. Beth was fishing for a fight, the adrenaline and the alcohol working against her common sense. "Why waste my breath." Gracie walked out onto the front porch and closed her eyes. She opened them and took in the darkness of the ranch. She felt a pull towards it. She didn't think it was the glass of wine or if it was the urge to scream at her mother or from all the emotions she has felt bottled up, but she just wanted to run out into that darkness and not be found. She sighed and ran her hands through her hair nervously. She took a step down from the porch. Then another. And another. Ground. She inhaled sharply as she stood on the grass. Then she took a step forward. Then another. And another. She kept aimlessly walking. Her mind a peaceful chaos. Her head on a swivel, the fear still present in the back of her mind, not knowing what lurked in these shadows. Then she felt her heart rate picking up. Then she felt her breathing quicken. This was a mistake. What the hell was she thinking. As Gracie tumbled into full blown panic mode, a flashlight shone bright in her eyes and she let out a blood curdling scream. "Gracie?!" Ryan exclaimed, jumping off his horse. He took her in: no jacket, no shoes, tears streaming down her face. "Gracie! It's me!" He grabbed her arms and looked at her with so much concern. Her scream was heard all the way up to the house. "What was that?!" John said as he rushed out of the dining room. Rip was already swinging the front door open as he realized Gracie was no longer on the front porch. Beth went pale not knowing what happened to make Gracie scream like that, but blaming herself that she stormed out of the house. The men were already quick to run off the porch in search of Gracie. Gracie squirmed in Ryan's hold. "Baby, it's me!" Ryan pleaded with her. He cupped her face and her wild eyes locked in on his own. She felt tranquil. "Ryan," she whispered. Tears silently flowed down her cheeks. "I'm right here." He pulled her into his chest. He could hear what sounded like Rip yelling Gracie's name. "What happened? Why are you out here with no shoes on or a jacket?" She didn't answer him. Ryan took off his jacket and drapped it over her shoulders. She inhaled his scent. "Ryan, I was looking for you," she urgently told him as Rip's voice grew closer. "That night I was looking for you before I got taken. Tonight I wasn't looking for you, but you found me." Her lip quivered. Ryan tried to absorb this new information. "I was scared. It's so dark out here but you found me." Ryan cupped her face. "I told you I would protect you from here on out." Rip continued yelling her name. "Over here, Sir!" Ryan yelled out. Rip rushed over once Ryan turned his flashlight back on. "Is she okay?!" Rip asked worried. "Yes. Just shaken up." Rip looked at Gracie concerned. "Why'd you leave the porch?" He asked. Gracie stayed huddled in Ryan's arms. Ryan held her close and rubbed her back. "Come on. Let's get you back." Rip looked at Ryan. "Walk her back up to the house. I'll take your horse for you." Ryan did as told. Rip let John, Kayce, and Jamie know that Ryan found her. Beth stood frozen on the porch as Gracie came in to view. Relief filled her body and she let out a breath she didn't know she was holding. "Gracie.." Beth said and reached for her. Gracie stepped out of Ryan's arms and brushed past Beth, going inside and up to her room. Beth's face fell and disappointment in herself ate her within. Ryan noticed the look on Beth's face and assumed that whatever happened for Gracie to run off had to do with Beth. Ryan turned to leave. "Ryan," Beth said and he turned to look at her. "Go up to her," she said softly. Ryan felt unsure but knew that Gracie needed him. He went up to her room and she rolled over in her bed. "Ryan," she whispered relieved. "I'm here." He climbed into bed with her. She cupped his face and kissed him desperately. "Don't ever leave me again," she begged him. "Never, Gracie. You have my word."