Return to Tacoma Falls

They say in life you have choices and your choices lead you to decisions in your life, whether they are good or bad.  When I returned to Tacoma Falls, I was broken. I was faced with a choice between two men. An old love and a potential new love. I chose the old love and I'm glad I did. I've never looked back.

He gave me three beautiful children and twenty-one years of happiness that still continues to this day. I'm still his darlin and he is still my babe.

Now out of our children, our oldest Dalton seems to be the one that followed in my footsteps and chased his dream. I worry about him but then again I worry about all my children. Payton tells me, it's because of everything I went through with Dalton but it's more than that. I see so much of me in him.

I just hope one day he makes a choice that helps him just like how I made the choice to help me. This is about Dalton and how he found out making a difficult choice led to unexpected results.

                               ******
"Where are you," Sawyer said to himself tapping his fingers on the steering wheel impatiently.

The truck door opened and in climbed Cassidy and Cassidy's friend Harper.

"It's about time," he grumbled.

"Well, excuse me if we have school to attend.  You know ma and pa will kill me if I skip," Cassidy said with an eye roll.

"Well, I think they will make an exception for today."

"What's today," she asked with confusion.

He turned to her and grinned, "guess whose home?"

Her eyes widened and she looked at Harper who looked at her with confusion. She turned back and grinned.  "Dalton's home."

Harper let out a sigh. Yep, Dalton was home and things were about to get interesting.

Sawyer started the truck and put it into gear before peeling out of the parking lot.  While, Sawyer and Cassidy were happy to see their big brother, someone else wasn't.  You'll find out later on.

                                 ******
Sawyer pulled up, turned off the truck and jumped out. Cassidy pushed past Harper to see her big brother, leaving Harper to let out a deep sigh.  She got out and followed behind them.

They ran over to the fence and heard Payton yell, "ready?"

Then a deep husky voice yelled, "ready!  Let her go!"

Payton opened the gate and he horse bucked with Dalton on its back.  It bucked him but he held tight.  I stood there and watched my boy hold the reigns like Payton showed him.  It was a new filly we were breaking in. Since Dalton came home, Payton gave him first crack at it.  If not Dalton then Sawyer would have broke the horse.

"Come on!  Show me what you got!"

"Go Dalton," Cassidy yelled but Dalton still kept his eye on what he was doing. Payton would never allow the boys to break a horse if they were distracted. It was dangerous.

Finally she quit bucking and calmed down. He patted her neck and smoothed her mane as he ushered her back to her stable and climbed off.  Payton left him to finish up. He walked out and over to Cassidy, "what were you thinking?!"

"Sorry pa.  I was excited to see Dalton," she said softly.

"Cass, you can't scream like that when someone is breaking a horse.  You know that.  The minute they get distracted, they get hurt."  Payton was upset.  Especially when it came to disobeying the rules.

"It's okay pa.  It's going to take more than Cass's big mouth to distract me," Dalton grinned as he patted Payton's back.

"Comedians. Darlin, we live with comedians!"

I shrugged, "I think they get that from their father!"

"And your mother joins in," he sighed.

"By the way dinner is almost ready," I yelled walking towards the house.

They looked at each other as Sawyer said, "can we get Chinese tonight?"

"I was thinking burgers," Cass said.

"Oh come on, your mother's cooking has gotten better," Payton said.

"Since when?  Even I know being gone and coming home, she still can't cook," Dalton said.

"Good point.  How about steak instead?"

"Works for me," Sawyer said.

Payton walked to the house, "darlin we are going for steak tonight!"

"Aww, I just finished making dinner," I moaned.

"Which I'm sure your dad's pigs will clearly enjoy."

Cassidy looked at Harper, "you coming?"

"No, I think I'm going to head home," she whispered.

"You sure?"

"Yeah."

Dalton stared intently at her as she turned and walked down the driveway.  He looked at Cassidy, "who was that?"

"That's Harper."

"That ain't Harper. Harper wore glasses and pigtails," he said in a low voice.

"Brother that's Harper.  Man it has been a while," Sawyer said.  "Come on Cass. We better go help pa before ma hurts him."

Dalton stood there and rubbed his chin as he watched Harper disappear from view. He mumbled to himself, "so, that's Harper. Huh. Looks like time has been good to her, either that or I need some sleep."  He shook his head and chuckled as he went inside.

Looks like Dalton has some choices to make.

*this chapter was in Ember's POV. The chapters after will be in Dalton's and Harper's POV.*