Spencer Hope Dutton. Tiny. The youngest of the Dutton household, if only by a few minutes. She swore those few minutes after Kayce popped out were the only moments of peace she had in life...
Now Spencer's family is being pushed to the brink and her...
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Tuesday
"Jamie," Spencer nodded as she held her hands out to take the needle and thread from her older brother. Out of all the Dutton children, Spencer had always found her older brother to be the most squeamish when it came to blood and bandages.
Her brother smiled, a look of relief washing over his face as he disappeared from the living room outside. Spencer gave her father a small smile, cutting away the shit sutures Jamie had started to work on.
"You okay Daddy?" Spencer asked her father as she began to tug the needle through his forehead, moving quickly to close up his wound.
"I'm fine."
"That's not what I asked."
John huffed at his daughter, mumbling about her stubbornness coming from her mother which pulled a laugh from the red head. Twisting twice Spencer secured the knot of the suture before handing her father the small mirror on the table.
"I don't think you could get any uglier Daddy," Spencer laughed as she poked her tongue out at her father's grimace. "What's he trying to sell ya now?"
John sent a look to his daughter, "Timber. Town says we can clear cut the whole nut."
"Shit that'd take their view away," Spencer laughed as she shook her head, "Thought Jamie was supposed to be the smart one."
John only gave her a brief smile as he nodded his head once. It was moments like these he realized how grown his youngest was becoming. How much time felt like it was slipping away. He stood to his feet, walking outside as Spencer followed.
"Beth's going to be in town for a few days," John informed his youngest daughter as she turned to leave him, "Don't get into too much trouble with her Tiny."
Spencer smiled at her father, nodding but not responding. It had been close to a year since her sister had been back in town, but it always meant something bad was about to go down. The redhead wandered down to the barn, smiling at the wranglers and ranch hands that were floating around, finishing their work for the day. Not paying attention to what was going on around her, Spencer walked head-on into another person. Spencer grunted, mumbling an apology as she caught her balance.
Rip stuck his arm out, saving the redhead from the hay-covered floor. He smiled as he realized who it was, having been lost in thought like Spencer had been.
" Spence," a ghost of a smile slid over Rip's face before fading away.
"Rip," she acknowledged, a smile gracing her face as she slipped past the man.
Riding was one of the only times Spencer truly felt at peace these days. With the rest of the town slowly creeping onto her family's land, the secrets her family kept from one another; even the truths she hid from herself, Spencer felt like she was living in a never-ending loop of worry. Worry for her father's health, worry for the ranch, her family, herself. But out on the ranch, the rolling hills and ever changing sunrises and sunsets, she felt the world slow down for just a while. It was usually best when he was with her, but he was part of the concern at the moment.
