The Unbound Horizon

Breakfast

     Colton walked back to the main house, wondering if Evelyn would show up for breakfast, or if she was going to go hide in one of her places, to avoid awkward confrontation. He was beating himself up for telling her that he liked her the way that he did, but at the same time there was a sense of relief that the truth was out, and he wasn't hiding anymore. 

Colton walked through the front door, and just as he expected, Evelyn wasn't there.

"Mornin Colton," Matthew began, "Are you alright? You look like you just got punched in the stomach?" 

"I'm fine, thank you." Colton replied.

"Colton!" Ben said, "Do you know what's wrong with Evelyn?"

"What?" Colton asked, in confusion,"I don't know, why?"

"She came bustin in my house today demanding to speak with Emily bout somethin, and wouldn't tell me a thing about it, she seemed a little shook up, but insisted that she was fine. I had asked her if Mason had come back, and she said no, but I'm still thinkin maybe he did, and thought maybe you would know." Ben explained.

"No, I didn't see Mason at all this morning, and Evelyn and I were together all morning, so I don't know." Colton said, being overly contious of how he said they were "together" and hoped no one else noticed.

"Thank you so much for looking after Evelyn," Helen said, walking over to Colton, "We appreciate how much you care about this family. You're a good man."

"Thank you Mrs. Johnson, that means a lot to me."

"Oh stop, with all that Mrs. Johnson stuff, you know me better than that, how many times do I need to tell you to call me Helen?" She smacked his arm, and walked away.

"Sorry Helen."

     Just as everyone was about to sit down for breakfast, the back door opened, and Evelyn and Emily walked in. 

"Mornin everyone, sorry we're late for breakfast." Emily said, in a chippy tone. 

Colton noticed that Evelyn kept her head down, except for a split second, that she looked up to meet his eyes, and then blushed.

"Mornin Evelyn, you doin alright?" Helen asked,

"Mornin Mama, I'm fine, why?" 

"Well Ben, said that something got you all stirred up this mornin, and he didn't know what it was, and was concerned."

"What!? Ben!" Evelyn exclaimed. 

"Ben!" Emily interjected, wanting to save her husband from could have been bad verbal lash from Evelyn. "I told you that if there was anything that you needed to know about concerning Evelyn, that I would tell you. I haven't told you anything, because there isn't anything to tell worth worrying about. It was not your place to tell the rest of the family, when we have private conversations."

"Sorry Emily." Ben said, and sat back down in his chair. Evelyn was always so impressed by how such a tiny little woman like Emily, could calmly, sweetly and assertively put a six foot man in his place, but it was definitly something Evelyn loved about her. She was such a tiny woman, but had so much stregnth that was hidden, but came out when it needed to. 

"Dang it," Colton thought, now Emily knows about him spilling his guts to Evelyn, he was hoping to keep it just between the two of them, but apparently that wasn't happening. After breakfast he went out to look for Evelyn, and found her out feeding the chickens.

"Evelyn!" 

She whipped around to face Colton, the tone in his voice made her nervous.

"What?" She replied, already nervous that he had come to talk to her, and once again, a little uncomfortable with how close he was to her.