Teen Trials

Prairie Party

The next day had been even more tiring if that was possible. Emma was falling asleep at the dinner table. "Do you want to go to bed?" Hunter asked her.

"No Sir." Emma said, she could see the teens gathering back by the horses again and a couple of them were waiving her over. "Can I be done?"

"Yeah, baby, that's your third plate. You ate really well. Where are you supposed to stay?"

"Where I can see the fire." Emma said, not as bothered by it today, knowing that seemed to be the command for everyone.

"Good girl."

Emma threw her plate away and walked over to the other teens. "What took you so long?" Garret asked.

"Aren't y'all tired?" Emma asked.

"Nah, cuz we aren't city folks." Aubrey teased.

Emma rolled her eyes good naturedly. "Tease all you want. I am bone tired."

"That's too bad, we were gonna ride the quads out to the tree line and have a small party there." Aubrey told her.

"I need to go ask my dad if that's okay."

"Why?" Garret asked.

"He told me to stay where I could see the fire."

"Those are the little kids rules." Aubrey said.

"Hey if you need to go ask him, go ask him. None of us want our parents breathing down our necks." Kacey said. "I can come with you if you want."

"Yes please."

"Don't listen to them," Kacey said as they walked back. "They wouldn't disobey their parents either. We just already have permission to be that far out."

"What's up?" Hunter asked as they approache, pausing his conversation with the man he had been speaking to. Emma was always amazed how no matter what Amy and Hunter were doing, they would stop to give her their attention. Even at work talking to her boss, Amy would pause long enough to ask Emma the urgency of what she needed. She was sure if she brought it up, they would act like it's just what you did, but it always made Emma feel important.

"Everyone is going over to the edge of the woods to start like a separate fire." She watched Hunter look out to the woods and frown.

"Is it where you can still see this fire?"

Emma turned to Kacey. "No Sir."

"Then it sounds like you have your answer." Hunter said.

"Hunter!" Emma whined.

"Emma, you don't know this place well enough that I want you out of my sight..." He knew that this was going to turn into a fight and was instantly annoyed.