Judy Christenberry - Coming Home To The Cattleman

Sam said the prayer and began passing the dishes around.

“How did the work go today?” Rachel asked Sam.

“Fine. We divided that herd and moved the second group to a fresh pasture.”

“Jennifer rode well,” Jason added.

Jennifer didn’t look up. She was cutting her steak and eating. Somehow, she had to find out what had upset her father earlier, and make sure she didn’t do it again. Maybe Jason would know.

“She said she’d been taking lessons for years,” Rachel added.

“It showed,” Jason said, which surprised Jennifer, but still she kept her head down. She liked hearing his compliments, but she knew that there was still a lot of ground to make up between them. Jason had made it clear he didn’t trust her, and a day riding with him wasn’t going to change that.

“Are you riding out with us in the morning?” Sam asked.

Jennifer hesitated before she said, “No, I’d like to spend some time with Rachel in the morning, if you don’t mind.”

“No.”

No elaboration, no coaxing her to come out with them. Nothing. Just no.

No one said anything else. Once the meal was finished, Sam got up and left the kitchen without a word. Jason looked at Rachel.

“What upset Sam, Rachel?”

“I don’t know. Do you, Jenny?”

“No. I just mentioned to him that I had seen Buster earlier today, and he got upset, but I didn’t understand why.”

“Buster? Why were you talking about him?” Rachel asked.

“He worked here when I was little. He used to babysit me when I’d ride with Sam. I was surprised to find he still worked here and just mentioned to Sam if he remembered how he used to look after me.”

“Why would that upset him?” Jason asked, frowning.

“I don’t know,” Jennifer said, “but I wish I did.”

“Okay, I’ll go talk to him, it’s probably nothing.” Jason stood up to go.

“Wait! If…if I did say something that upset him, I didn’t intend to. Please apologize to him for me.”

“I think if you have upset him, you should make your own apologies,” Jason said, glaring at her.

“Fine, if you figure out what went wrong, come tell me and I will apologize. I’d rather do it myself, anyway.”

“Fine!” he ground out and stalked out of the kitchen.

Rachel and Jennifer began clearing the table. Jennifer sniffed a time or two, and Rachel asked, “Are you all right, Jenny?”

Jennifer took a tissue and wiped her eyes. “I’m fine.”

Rachel went to the young girl and placed her hands around her shoulders. “I know it must be hard for you, honey, but you just need to give your daddy some time.”

Jennifer smiled at the older woman and nodded her head. “I know that, Rachel, but we’ve lost so much time. Everything I say or do seems to upset somebody…I feel like I’m walking on eggshells!”

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