Cowgirl Boots: a Cinderella Story

Chapter 1

Father proposed and Alicia accepted. I'm still not sure about it. Maybe it's just because I don't remember what it's like to have a mother. I hope she's more than just polite. The whole meal, she was pleasant and had impeccable manners. Is it possible for someone to be perfect? I'm pretty sure she has a bad side and I won't trust her until I know she has one. Then again, maybe I don't want to see it. I don't know.

I should probably just focus on making breakfast. I took the baked oatmeal out of the oven and put it on a place mat on the table. Benjamin would be here any moment and Father had already left for work. He's hardly ever home, but I guess I'm used to it. Benjamin keeps me company at meals instead. He's always hungry, even when he eats at home before coming over. Benjamin abruptly slammed the screen door open.

"Good morning. What's for breakfast?" He asked, hurrying over to the table.

"Have you eaten yet?" I replied with a question.

"Ever heard of second breakfast?"

"We're not hobbits, Benjamin." I tried to tease, but it came out in a more snappy tone then I wanted it too.

Benjamin narrowed his eyes at me as he sat down.

"What's eating you?" He inquired.

"I'm sorry." I apologized, sitting down and putting my head in my hand.

I took a deep breath and faced my best friend again.

"Dad proposed to Alicia last night." I told him.

"Oh."

Benjamin's eager expression fell. I could tell he didn't know what to say. We sat in silence for a bit.

"When is the wedding?" Benjamin asked.

"They're thinking of two months from now, in August." I replied then I took another deep breath and smiled, "now, do you still want second breakfast, hobbit?"

Benjamin grinned back, but his eyes still glistened with concern.

"You bet."

As soon as we finished cleaning up after breakfast, Benjamin took care of the water again while I let the horses and cattle into their pastures and cleaned out the horse stalls again. It was a beautiful, sunny May day. Benjamin went out to the field again and I decided to take a ride around the pastures, using the excuse of checking the fence and insuring that there were no breaks in it. The cattle's fence was fine, however there was a small break in the horses fence. I unmounted Thunder and tethered him to a near by tree. I quickly pulled out a pair of pliers and twisted the wires back together. As I did so, the thought of Alicia's seemingly perfect perfectness came back to me. I pushed the thought away and slipped the pliers back into the saddle bag. I mounted Thunder again and finished trotting around the pasture. Birds chirped and a light breeze rushed past me. A small smile broke across my face.

"Beautiful day today, Thunder." I told my horse.

I checked my watch, finding it to be quarter past eleven. I thought I had enough time to take the long way back to the house before I made lunch.

"Thank-You, Jesus, for this beautiful day!" I shouted, raising one hand in the air.

I nudged Thunder into a lope and hurried down the old trail which ran by the far side of the dugout, which was behind the house. As long as I have Thunder and beautiful days and Jesus' love, I will be fine. I decided to show my soon-to-be step-mother respect and kindness, whatever may happen. When I reached the house, I unmounted Thunder, cooled him off and unsaddled him. I gave him a sliver of a hay bale and then prepared lunch.