SEALed

by Naomi Niles

  Smiling at my friend, I said, "Oh, it's going to be Margie's garden, but right now I'm just forming the backgrounds. Brown and black for the earth, various shades of green for the pastures, and blue and white for the sky."

  A row of tiny houses lined the edge of the property, and as I was painting a swath of dark-brown lowlights where they would eventually be, I asked Mack about them. "What are those tiny buildings? They look like houses, but they're too small. Are they used for storage?"

  "Oh, those are cabins employees can stay in if they want to," he said.

  "I thought all the employees lived in Riverbend."

  "Well, most of us do, but when calving season comes, there's always more work than the locals can handle, so Mr. Hutchinson hires travelers from out of town."

  "Like Frank Hill?"

  Now it was Mack's turn to look surprised. He spit out some of his chewing tobacco juices onto the ground and nodded his head. "Yeah, like Frank. He showed up here last calving season and decided to stay on. Most of them leave, but every now and then one will stick."

  "What do you think of him?" My curiosity had to know, and Mack was someone whose opinion I trusted. He was honest and down to earth, like a father figure should be.

  Running his foot along the ground, as if drawing a pattern, Mack thought long and hard. The he rubbed his hirsute jaw and said, "He's a man who likes to keep to himself. A loner. He never joins us down at the Lucky Horseshoe for a drink Friday nights. He just holes up in that cabin and never comes out until it's time to work again."

  "Does he have a wife or children?" I held my breath.

  Mack didn't even have to take the time to think. He just shook his head and said "Nope. No wife or girl that he ever talks about. I showed him a picture of Becky holding my first grandson, and he didn't even say congratulations. Why? Do you know him?"

  "He's a stranger to me. I was just curious." It wasn't exactly a lie, but with a man as good as Mack I felt guilty for leaving out the other half of the truth.

  "Well, he's a stranger to me, too. He's been here ten months and I don't know anything more about him than I did the day he arrived."

  "Thanks, Mack," I said gratefully. It hadn't been what I'd wanted to hear, but it had been the truth. Frank Hill didn't talk about me, but then again he didn't talk about much else, either. Was it really such a crime to be quiet? Maybe he was shy or just liked his privacy. Maybe he was ashamed and regretted leaving.

  For the next several days, I asked as many people as I could what Frank Hill was like. Did he drink? Did he chase women? Did he like to read? Did he go to the movies? Nobody seemed to know. Frank Hill was a loner, plain and simple.

  I decided to change tactics and find out what kind of an employee was he. Did he clock in for his shift early? Did he stay until the job was done or was he looking to leave just as soon as he could? Was he strong? Was he smart? Was he loyal?

  "Why are you asking so many questions about the employees?" William’s eyes narrowed at the dinner table. The officer in the house had a sharp sense for anything suspicious, and I felt myself sink lower in my chair.

  Brett was quick to my defense. "She's not asking about the employees. Just one particular employee."

  I should have known the brother with a crush on me wouldn't let any details about me slip past.

  "Leave her alone guys," Colton said sternly and tried to change the subject. "The vet said the neighboring ranch has a verified case of Brucellosis. He's got a new shipment of antibiotics and recommends we vaccinate the herd."

  "Won't paying for antibiotics screw up our profit margin?" Margie was worried.

  "Not as much as losing the herd," Tom chimed in. "Several kids in my class had to miss school because of Brucellosis last year. It's serious stuff."

  "Not as serious at that mother whose kid you were tutoring the other day. She was seriously hot," William teased his brother, and Tom shot him an angry glare

  "Dear Lord, I pray we don't get an epidemic here," Margie said, and clutched Brett's hand to her left and Colton's hand to her right. The men grabbed hold of the hand of the person sitting next to them, and before I knew it, we were all holding hands in a giant circle around the table.

  It was the kind of unity and caring I always wished for growing up and never had. Margie closed her eyes, and her five sons all followed suit. I just stared in awe, having been raised by a mother who surely would have been struck by lightning if she ever stepped foot inside a church.

  Margie said a quick prayer, and when everyone opened their eyes, somehow a cornbread muffin was missing off of William’s plate.

  "Where the hell is my cornbread?" He glared right at Tom, but the school teacher held up his hands to prove that he was innocent.

  Margie sighed heavily and rolled her eyes at William. "Don't swear right after praying. Now who the hell stole food while we were praying? Don't you know that's a sin?"

  "Mama, what the hell did you just say?" Colton teased, causing an uproar of laughter from around the table.

  She blushed bright red for having been caught doing the exact thing she was admonishing her son not to do. Brett pulled it out from under his napkin and threw it across the table, starting an impromptu food fight.

  It was a joyous scene filled with laughter and love. The warmth of family filled my heart, and I wished more than ever that I could be a part of one. Margie had done her best to make me feel welcome, and her sons did, too; but the truth was I wasn't one of them. I was just a guest at their family table. My own family was broken and spread across the States.

  My mother resented me for driving away her husband. My father had abandoned us both and was now working on a cattle ranch, unaware of my proximity.

  As food flew across the air amongst laughter, I realized more than ever just how important family was. My mother had told me to stay away from my father, but I believed deep in my heart that was just because she was afraid of being hurt again.

  Well, I was tired of being afraid and alone. First thing tomorrow morning, I was going to do the thing I came here to do: I was going to confront Frank Hill and tell him I was his daughter and find out once and for all if he wanted to be my father.

  Chapter Six

  Colton

  "Are you all right?" I asked Bethany as she came down the stairs after having changed her clothes from the food fight. She was wearing jeans and a pale blue blouse, the same color as her eyes.

  "I'm fine." She sat down beside me in front of the roaring fireplace and stared into the flames.

  "You look worried about something. Tell me what it is. Maybe I can help."

  "I told you, I'm fine," she insisted and continued to stare emptily into the fire.

  Her hair was still damp from when she'd rinsed out the mashed potatoes in the sink, and her face had a rosy glow from being freshly scrubbed. Still, her eyes had the far off gaze of someone deep in thought with worry, and I was concerned about her.

  I alone knew that Frank Hill was her father. She had sworn me to secrecy after seeing him that first time several days ago, and I refused to break her trust.

  I had been lucky enough to be raised in a loving household by two parents who were devoted to one another and their children. I couldn't imagine what it must have been like for Bethany to grow up in a single-parent household, raised by a mother who resented her, and never even knowing her father. It was terrible burden and I had no right to judge her for how she handled it. Still, I would have thought that after finally finding her father, she would at least want to meet him; but I wasn't going to push her. She would do it when she wanted to and not before.

  It seemed, however, that her curiosity about Frank Hill was growing rapidly by the day. Rumor had it she'd been asking all th
e employees about him, and now she was even pumping my brothers for information at the dinner table. I knew she was asking for trouble; Will was far too good a detective, and Brett was just plain nosy. If the food fight hadn't distracted everyone, she may have had to explain her relationship with him, whether she was ready to or not.

  When the potatoes, green beans, and cornbread finally stopped flying, I saw her face had become very serious, and she was much quieter than usual. At first I wondered if the food fight had upset her. Some girls didn't like getting messy, although I'd seen Bethany up to her elbows in paint with splatters in her hair. I didn't think she was the prissy type; so why was she suddenly so forlorn?

  After helping Mama clean up the mess, my brothers scattered to the wind, and I stayed behind in the den to light a fire in the fireplace. I was sitting there silently watching the flames perform their seductive dance when Bethany appeared at the base of the stairs.

  She sat down beside me, and I waited for her to tell me what was bothering her. Long minutes passed, and I realized she wasn't going to. It was going to be up to me to assuage her pain without even knowing what was weighing so heavy on her mind.

  "Come on. I want to show you something." I grabbed her by both hands to pull her up to her feet.

  "Where are we going?" she asked me. The sun had set outside and the night sky was filled with stars.

  "It's a surprise." I winked, and I saw the light had returned to brighten her eyes.

  I took her out to the stable, and she helped me fit Whiskey with her saddle and bridle. She hopped onto the back of the horse herself with the help of a nearby stepstool, and I climbed on in front of her.

  With her arms wrapped snuggly around my waist, I couldn't help but notice how wonderfully familiar that sensation was becoming.

  The full moon was shining brightly overhead and lit the way as we rode down the worn path through the forest to the lake hidden amongst the trees. The water was crystal clear, with the moonlight reflecting off its still surface.

  "It's so beautiful," Bethany sighed as we stared out at it. Then she looked at me and her eyes flew open wide. "What are you doing?"

  "What does it look like?" I tossed my shirt onto a nearby log and started taking off my boot, hopping up and down on one leg as I did so.

  "You're getting naked!" She covered her eyes with her hands as her cheeks turned bright pink.

  "Well you don't expect me to go swimming with my clothes on. They'd get soaked."

  "Swimming! You expect me to go skinny dipping?" She sounded horrified, but as I pulled off my jeans, I saw her peek through her fingers to catch a glimpse.

  "Of course. Why else would I bring you up to the lake? It's what we Hutchinsons always do in the summer when we need to unwind."

  "Well, I'm not a Hutchinson," she huffed. I had stopped undressing when I got to my underwear, and seeing me safely covered by my briefs, she let her guard down and put her hands on her hips.

  "No, you're a chicken," I stated, hoping to provoke her.

  "What did you call me?" She glared. "You've been spending too much time with your brothers if you think you can goad me with childish names."

  "Okay, but you're still a chicken. First, you were too afraid to talk to your dad, and now, you're too afraid to go skinny dipping. It's okay, most city girls aren't tough enough to really handle the country."

  "Not that it's any of your business, but I already decided to go up to Frank Hill and tell him he's my father."

  "Sure, you say that now."

  "I'll have you know I made that decision at the dinner table tonight," she said, and her shoulders pulled back confidently.

  So that's why she seemed so tense . Suddenly, Bethany started pulling off her shoes, saying to me, "And I am not afraid to go skinny dipping. City girls can do anything country folks can do."

  "Prove it. I bet I can beat you to the water," I taunted as she threw her shirt at me. Her jeans were lying on the ground, and she was dressed in nothing but her pink, lacy bra and matching panties. God, she was gorgeous, and it took all my effort not to kiss her right then.

  "Okay. I'll race you on the count of three," she readied her stance, with her eyes flashing and her mouth smiling from ear to ear. "Three...two...oh, crap! Someone is coming!"

  She pointed at the road up the hill behind me, but when I looked back over my shoulder, no one was there. The road was completely dark and empty. I turned back around and saw she was already half the distance to the lake.

  "You cheated!" I called after her, and bolted into a sprint.

  As she neared the water, Bethany took off her bra and flung it behind her. Then stepped out of her panties seconds before running into the lake. Knowing she was now fully naked nearly made me trip and fall in the sand. I stumbled forward, and barely managed to regain my balance as she hit the water.

  When I got up to the edge of the lake, I did the same thing and stepped out of my underwear, leaving my briefs lying in the sand.

  The cold water enveloped me as I ran into the water, diving in once I was waist deep. I came splashing up out of the water to see Bethany swimming beside me. Her wet, blonde hair was slicked back and her face was beaming with joy.

  "Wow, this water really is invigorating," she laughed as she stroked through the water. The moonlight dappled on the surface, making it seem to glow, and the night had a magical feel.

  We swam in the cold, clear lake, laughing and playing. The stress I'd seen in Bethany's eyes earlier that evening was gone, and she seemed completely relaxed and at peace. It was getting late, however, and I knew she had a big day tomorrow, so eventually, it had to end.

  I had packed a pair of towels in the pack on Whiskey’s saddle, and I handed her one as she stood shivering on the beach beside me with her arms hugged around herself.

  She wrapped it around herself quickly, but I'd already broken my promise not to peek at her nakedness and seen her gorgeous bare flesh. I wrapped my own towel around my waist just as quickly, anxious to hide the evidence of my arousal.

  We sat in the sand, waiting for our skin to dry before getting dressed and going back home to the ranch.

  "I'm glad you brought me here," Bethany smiled. "Even if you did have to trick me into getting into the water by calling me a chicken."

  "Sorry about that. I guess you're right. I do spend too much time with my younger brothers." I chuckled with chagrin.

  "It's okay. Your family is really wonderful. In fact, they're the reason I got up enough courage to speak to Frank Hill. Tomorrow morning, I'm going to find him out in the pasture and confront him."

  "I take back what I said about your being a chicken. That takes real courage," I told her, and I gazed deeply into her eyes so she'd know that I meant it.

  "Do you really think so?" Her voice had become very soft. Our faces leaned in close together, so our lips were practically touching.

  "I do," I said, and my own voice had become thick. "And, you know what else? I'm really glad you came to the ranch. I want you to stay for as long as possible."

  I took her mouth with my own then, devouring her with my passion. I realized in that moment that I was falling in love with her. I'd never felt that way about a woman before, and it scared me.

  "We'd better go," I said, pulling away from her reluctantly. "You've got a busy day tomorrow."

  "We can stay a little longer," she said, and I wanted to so much it hurt.

  "No." I got up from the sand and started looking for my clothes.

  "Why not? What's wrong?" Bethany looked as confused as I felt.

  "Nothing is wrong," I assured her. "In fact, everything is too right. I don't trust myself not t
o take things too far."

  "What does that mean?"

  "It means, you're leaving in a month, and I don't want either of us to get hurt. Now let's go."

  Bethany was silent as she got dressed and didn't say a word on the ride home. I didn't blame her for being mad at me, but I knew I had done the right thing. I knew that if we made love, it would impossible for me to give her up when the summer came to an end and she had to leave.

  I just didn't realize it was already too late. I was already too deeply in love with her.

  Chapter Seven

  Bethany

  "No. That's completely wrong." I yanked the pins from my hair, letting the intricate braid I'd spent the last twenty minutes working on fall completely apart.

  Nothing I did seemed right. The dress I'd put on was too fancy, the sports jacket was stuffy, the shorts were too casual. Putting my hair in a ponytail was too lazy. Putting it up in a bun was too formal.

  Finally, I realized I was trying too hard. Giving up on pretending to be someone I wasn't, I pulled on my favorite pair of jeans, a comfy blouse with pink flowers on it, and my good boots. I left my blonde hair hanging loose down to my shoulders and kept my make-up light.

  This was me. This was what I looked like every day when I was living at home or going to school. Why should I try to change who I was just to introduce myself to my father? If he was going to meet me for the first time, shouldn't he meet the real me?

  Feeling good about the way I looked, I went out to the stable where Brett helped me saddle up a gentle mare I’d been learning to ride named Rosie, and I rode her out to the far pasture, where I knew Frank Hill had been assigned to work out in the East field. It would have taken me forever to walk out there, but on Rosie's back, it was a pleasant ride.