Yellowstone: Love and Cowboys

Like in a Dream

Travis and Coralee made a habit of waking early to make love before the baby would wake them, It was a daily routine, sex, get the baby and change her wet diaper, then put a fresh nightgown on her. They'd bring her into the bed, and stay for fifteen minutes, then Travis would get up and get dressed and go downstairs to get his morning coffee.

He'd bring a cup for coffee for her, then kiss her and the baby good bye, but this morning he asked her a question she didn't expect. "I need to go to Vegas and check out some horses, but I won't be gone much longer than a week. Do you think you and the baby would like to go with me?"

She sighed, "Would you mind if I sat this one out? I'd like to stay home if it's okay with you."

He leaned down and gave her a coffee flavored kiss, "Well, I'd like it better if you'd come but if you feel like staying home I'd understand. You could work with one of your new horses and see what you think."

She gave him one of her winsome smiles, "You should have warned me what it was like living with a horse trader. The next horse you buy me that I like we don't sell, okay? Since you'll probably be hitting the sales, I'd like a Tennessee Walker. Dad had one that he really liked."

"Okay, a Tennessee Walker it is, and maybe a new cutter. Gonna miss you, but it will be easier without the baby, I'll be able to do more business without the two of you around. I'll give you a call from the road." He kissed her again and left the room.

"Well, Lucy, it's time to eat. How about some scrambled eggs and homemade biscuits?" As she got up Lucy held out her arms. "You expect me to carry you all the time? Well, I know you still have trouble negotiating the stairs, but someday you won't. Come on, Mommy's hungry, bet you are, too."

The house seemed empty without Travis. She could hear Elena bustling around the house, cooking and cleaning. The baby played with her toys, making rattling and thumping noises, but it did not make up for his absence.

Shelly missed him too, she was usually his faithful shadow, but Travis had left her behind, and now, mournful, she followed Coralee around, but seemed to let her know she was a poor substitute.

"Let's go down to the barn, girl, I'll saddle up a horse and you can follow us around the pen. We'll ask Elena to watch the baby, and then take a ride on the ATV, does that sound good?"

At the word "ATV" Shelly perked up. Elena agreed to watch the baby and owner, and puppy got on the ATV and rode down to the corral.

Getting on a horse helped, as it always did. She practiced her reining routine until she felt like it was the horse carrying her, not vice versa. She contemplated practicing on one of the cutters but decided to save it for the following day.

She didn't realize how accustomed she'd become to having Travis around. It wasn't the big things, it was the little ones, teasing him while he shaved in the morning. Watching him walk to and from the kitchen while he was waiting as impatiently as a hungry teenaged boy for Elena to finish dinner.

She missed watching him play with the baby. He'd pick up Lucy and hoist her high in the air while she laughed and screamed with delight.

Most of all, she missed him in their bed. They were like newlyweds again, making love morning and night as if they couldn't get enough with each other. She loved it when he held her in his strong arms, squeezing her tightly. The nights now seemed empty without him and even though he promised he'd be home soon the days seemed to drag.

Jamie passed every day on edge, neither his father nor Beth knew what he had done although it was only a matter of time before they found out.

Lynelle had come to visit, and her presence lifted John's spirits. Were it not for Beth she would spend the night, but John had exacted a promise from her to join him at summer camp that year. He'd decided to move the cattle to the upper pastures and leave them there through the summer.