"Oh sure, it would be the prudent thing to do. But I'm not there just yet. I mean, it won't be too much longer, Speed and I are proposing a town ordinance prohibiting guns in town, or at least we're considering it. And yes, Charlie ain't ready just yet. So finding replacements really would be a good idea. That. and letting the Town Council know that we are intent on leaving, sooner rather than later." And that was the plan for both men, or at least it is what they had discussed.
"I have to think of the ranch, first and foremost, which includes you and Wheeler. I mean, this is our future here. The three of us and those yet to come. That big family you threatened me with. Not the Town of Kalispell. besides, I only took the job til I was ready to move on, 'course I never got the chance, thanks to you."
"You didn't have the ranch to worry about when you first came here and took up the badge," Emeline pointed out, "nor a family. I don't even think you were thinking about those things then, so you didn't have to worry those things, or find time for them."
Even for her, things had changed rapidly, in ways that she hadn't anticipated, and had she known, she would have made different decisions earlier on.
Putting her hand over his, she gave it a squeeze. "So, think about this. We met in Virginia City, and you decided to buy this ranch and move us here. When we came into Kalispel, you were approached by Speed and asked to be his deputy. What would you have said then?"
It was hypothetical, of course, but it might help him look at things from his new perspective.
"Nop, you're right about that. I had nothing but my horse and tack. And the job seemed to be a good one. Which it is, and no, I had no thoughts of a ranch, or a wife and family, that's true. I was just knockin' about. Well, that is until I saw you. Then I got a real job, washin' dishes for you. That love, was when everything began to change. Not in a rush, but slowly over time like it was supposed to." He admitted.
"Oh, well, I can see where that would have been out of the question. There'd be a whole lot of work and no time for anything but building this place, gettin' here and us settled in till she was done. Nope, no way I could have accepted the job under them circumstances. 'Course it ain't that way, but I see what you were gettin' at. Both of us can see the future for him an' I don't include duckin' bullets and arrestin' drunks. Money's good, but I don't keep it anyways. We're, both of us on the short side of the job, we just haven't come ta Jesus about it just yet." He looked down at Wheeler, who was fast asleep in his arms. "I don't care ta miss a minute of this one's growing' up, or them that follows."
"If we could hold him just like he is, that would be nice," Emeline smiled, "but then, I'm anxious to see him as a man...you know we have those rockers waiting for the grandchildren!" It was a long ways off, and she knew there'd be good and bad along the way, but she had little doubt that one day, she and Barnabas would be sitting in those chairs on the porch, watching their grandchildren play.
"At any rate, we've all sorts of options, and there's no rush to decide. We're coming into Spring when things on the ranch will start moving, and you may find you are needed here more." She shrugged. "But there's certainly no rush to decide anything."
"No darlin' there's no rush about much of anything, but you are right that come spring proper, it'll get real busy around here. There'll be round up, branding', huntin' strays. Even though I believe most of the herd is right close, there's others that wandered off and some of those will have dropped calves. It'll be a busy time of it for sure!" Pike said, thinking of all that would need to be done.
But turning in his badge was like leaving a job undone, and he couldn't quite put his finger on why he felt that way. Case Steelgrave and his men were nowhere to be found. Not unusual, except there was the feeling that they had dispersed, which was as much a comfort as a mystery. That left his father Ekl\lias Steelghrave and his men to contend with, though they had been pretty quiet as well.
"Guess leaving the job just don't feel right at the moment, but ya know, this too will pass. Heck, the town and Speed made out just fine while we were off galavanting around the country, and I'm thinking I'd like to do a bit more of that! I would." He added.
"We'll have to wait a couple weeks until Wheeler is a bit older before we go gallivanting again!" Emeline chuckled, ruffling Barnabas' hair. "I'm interested to see the workings of a ranch. I grew up around farms, but that's a different cycle, with planting and harvesting. And there's the horses..."
A few of the mares were noticeably pregnant, and soon it would be time for them to drop foals, and that would give her more to do at the ranch.
"It's going to be busy, but exciting. I'm looking forward to it! And I plan to go out with you on occasion. I want to know all I can about the operations."
So, maybe she'd have to give in to his suggestions and hire someone to help around the house.
"Yep, Spring after the thaw, life will be a whole lot busier around here, that is for sure!" He commented. Of course, Wheeler was not even close to crawling, let alone walking and, there were far too many things for a curious toddler, when he got there, to be investigating that could do him harm.
"We'll get it all worked out. I know there your Morgans to be working, and there's just so many other things you'll be doing, whether you want to or not. And I'll be here to help as best I can, but I'll have a lot to do myself." Then he smiled at her, so the Rockin' P'll deffinately be rockin' with activity in just a couple of weeks, barring the unforeseen change in the weather, that is. More snow'd make things a bit worse. But it probably ain't likely."
"Well girl, I'll be glad to have you along with me learnin' what there is to learn about runnin' the place. All'a the things thats done around the ranch that make it work like we want. We got us a good-sized crew, an' they all know their way around cattle, horses, and the like. They'll help keep the place up too. It's their home as well as ours, make no mistake about that."
"Of course. You did a fine job in choosing a crew, and I know they already care about the place." It was about as close as an odd group of folks could be to a family, and that was an important key to success.
"I'm looking forward to the warmer days, and the sunshine and wildflowers." Emeline sighed wistfully. "I know it will get hectic, but the fact that our plans will be coming together...It's exciting, and there is so much to look forward to! And to be able to do that with you..."
They would make a formidable team, no question, and they would build something amazing here.
"And I suppose I'll hire some help for around the house. I do like the cooking, and will stay with that, but I want to be able to work with the horses and such...have a garden, milk cows..." Her ambitions were, well, ambitious!
"Of course. You did a fine job in choosing a crew, and I know they already care about the place."
"I'd like to take credit for that, the only man I knew was Frank Teal, the rest were his men." Pike admitted with a smile, which was true, but he could not have inherited a finer group of riders.
"I'm looking forward to the warmer days, and the sunshine and wildflowers." Emeline sighed wistfully. "I know it will get hectic, but the fact that our plans will be coming together...It's exciting, and there is so much to look forward to! And to be able to do that with you..."
He chuckled as he held his boy and listened to her talk, something he never tired of. "It'll be plenty to get done, that's a fact. But you an' me, we're a team on this here spread, and those boys we got out there, they're the best, I'll take my oath on that." He bragged, but to him, it was the truth. They had proven themselves on the drive more than once, that was a fact. "Here, you best take this boy before I haul him off to help with the cattle." He spoke as he handed to baby back to his mother, "Gonna get some coffee before I head back out." But she was not finished yet
"And I suppose I'll hire some help for around the house. I do like the cooking, and will stay with that, but I want to be able to work with the horses and such...have a garden, milk cows..."
"Of course, no reason not to get some help with all you do and all you want to do." He replied, "The payroll can afford one more name on it, that's for sure!" And it would be nothing they couldn't handle financially.
"I'll look into it." Sighing, Emeline took Wheeler and cradled him in her arms as she followed Barnabas down the stairs. "There should be some coffee on, Pythias has been a big help, but I don't think he'd be happy doing laundry and dusting the cabinets!"
The man had taken a lot of the burden of cooking off her shoulders, and Emeline enjoyed his company, but she had the feeling he'd rather be working with the cows or horses, at least part of the time.
"I'll talk to a couple people the next time I go to town," she commented as she poured him a mug of coffee, "and talk to a couple people. I'm not in a hurry."