by Rose, Amelia
“But I don’t want to ride in the bus!” Oren said to Laney, tugging on her sleeve and trying hard not to sound like a baby. “It’s only the second day! I want to ride with the cowboys!”
She shook her head. “You didn’t get enough sleep last night. That’s why they do this. They trade off, and whoever stayed up all night gets to sleep some today and take it easy. We’ll get to ride in the saddle again tomorrow, don’t worry.”
Oren looked crestfallen and Laney could see the wheels turning in his mind. He didn’t feel like he deserved a rest, let alone wanted one, especially since he’d fallen asleep and she’d covered for him. An idea began to form.
“Hey Drew? I’m gonna take that ride since I’m an old fogey college kid, but Oren volunteered to let one of the older people have his place in the bus today. He’s still so jazzed about getting to go on this trip that he doesn’t want to miss a minute of it. Would that be okay?” she asked sweetly, prodding her brother forward while doing her best to sound sincere.
“Well, I guess so, if you’re sure you’re not too tired from keeping watch. I know some of those folks in Mason’s group were a little surprised by how sore they were this morning. Riding all day and sleeping on the ground that first night always gets a few people in the backside! I’ll let your mom and dad know you’re in a different group today, but you have to promise me tomorrow you’ll catch up on your sleep. Got it?”
Laney smiled her thanks and Oren jumped up in the air, taking off at a dead run to find his horse but turning around partway and coming back to hug his sister quickly. He didn’t say a word at the unexpected show of brotherly love, but then took off again to get ready to ride.
Laney laughed and gathered her bags, ready to spend a quiet day sleeping, listening to music, and generally not being anywhere near a horse or a certain cowboy named Axel.
Chapter Fourteen
Rose threw her head back and let the sun shine down on her face, her hat falling down her back and dangling by its cord. She didn’t care. It felt so good to be out of the truck and out under the open sky that the hat could stay in Texas for all it mattered to her. When Mason had told her she could fill in for one of the guests who would ride today in the bus, she knew it was just a means to get the horse where it needed to be, but like Mason, she was all too happy to fill in where there was a job that needed doing.
Rose had spent her first day of travel doing food prep in the high-tech rolling kitchen, an oversized cargo truck that the crew still affectionately referred to as the chuck wagon. And while that truck was a rolling gourmet kitchen, it made her appreciate not having to prepare food for the crew in a cramped covered wagon. The truck had a built-in sink, installed refrigerator and freezer, gleaming stainless steel work surfaces, and all of the tools that any good cook could need to feed a large group of people on the go.
As they rolled along the first day at a fairly decent pace, Rose had been buckled into one of the removable captain’s chairs in the back, preparing the ingredients for different meals they had scheduled. Large wall maps of charts guided her work, with each meal for the next two weeks displayed in large block. She’d soaked beans, diced onions, chopped vegetables, and marinated meats that would be needed for the next two days’ worth of meals, dividing the results into different containers so they could be pulled out of the fridge and used at a moment’s notice. It had certainly not been boring to work in a moving kitchen and there had been plenty to keep her busy as they moved, but she was looking forward to the full day of being out in the sunshine before returning to her place in the truck.
“Hey, beautiful!” Mason called out from the other side of the herd, causing several people nearby to turn their heads. Rose blushed slightly and sat up, readjusting her hat and trying to look like she hadn’t just been caught sunbathing on the job. She gave Mason a slight wave and smiled at him as he raced past to respond to a radio call from closer to the front of the line. She laughed to herself at once again seeing Mason’s dog, a tan and white border collie named Bailey, perched on his horse’s back behind his saddle.
Mason had become well-known on the ranch for working side by side with Bailey. Since discovering her tangled in a fence as a puppy, having already mostly lost a fight with some kind of creature, Mason and Bailey had been a team, prompting other ranch hands who saw the purpose in it to take up a few working dogs, too. Now, Bailey rode behind Mason when he worked a crew and leapt down from his horse whenever he gave the command to round up the cattle.
The flat open prairie stretched ahead of them unhindered, letting her see for miles. She was awestruck to watch Mason veer off to his right and head out into the grassland to retrieve a cow that had strayed, and wondered once again how Bailey managed to stay right behind him even as his horse ran across the plains. He casually chased the animal down and positioned himself in her way, patiently repeating the process over and over until she gave up and rejoined the line. Bailey stamped her paws, itching to get down and do her job but refusing to move until her master gave her the command. She wasn’t needed this time, and the disappointment showed in the droop of her ears and hang of her shoulders.
Mason rode over to a break in the herd and darted between the slow moving cows to come up behind Rose. She gave him a winning smile and reached out to rub Bailey’s ears, praising her even though she hadn’t had a part in returning the cow this time.
“Careful now, she’ll get spoiled and lazy if she you keep convincing her she’s beautiful,” he teased, looking over his shoulder to where Bailey had stretched forward so Rose could reach her neck. She shot Mason a disparaging glance.
“I hope that’s not how you think all females respond to compliments, Mister Carn. It’s condescending at best, and sure to backfire one of these days.” He realized his mistake a little too late and quickly stammered an apology. Rose cut him off with a grin. “Good. Just so we’re clear.”
He gave her an apologetic smile before kissing her quickly on the cheek and calling out the command to Bailey to hold on. He tapped his earpiece to explain that he had to move along the line, promising to save them a seat in the shade when they ate lunch later that day.
“Don’t put up with any of his sexist comments, Bailey!” Rose called after them. Bailey just happened to bark at the sound of her name, but Rose and Mason both laughed at what seemed like the dog’s sound of agreement.
“That young man sure does seem to have taken a shine to you,” a woman said, riding close to Rose. She turned and looked at the older woman, Mrs. Posey, and returned her smile.
“I like to think so,” she agreed, coloring slightly. “But what about you? Do you see any cowboys who look particularly handsome?” The old woman laughed heartily.
“It’s been a long time since anyone looked that handsome, at least not with my eyesight the way it is!” She laughed at her own joke before moving along to join her friends up ahead, leaving Rose to smile after her. That’s the kind of old woman I want to be when I’m her age, she thought, watching the woman and her friends talk and carry on. They’re living life to the fullest, not afraid to try something brand new, even at their age. That’s how I plan to live.
The rest of the morning carried with it the usual, expected hazards. There were snakes and small creatures to look out for, sunburns to prevent, and of course, the bulk of the Carson family profits for the season to transport safely to market. Despite the small bumps in the road along the way, it was another great day for riding.
By noon, the temperature had climbed as high as it would go, despite the warming of the ground that would still occur as the sun began to drop. The intensity of the heat was fading, much to the group’s relief, as white fluffy clouds blew in overhead, blocking some of the driven rays of the sun. By the time lunch was ready and everyone had tended to the animals, the clouds provided just enough shade to make the meal seem almost like a pleasant picnic.
“I told you I’d find us some shade,” Mason teased, dropping down on the grass and reaching up to tak
e Rose’s plate so she could settle herself down more slowly. He handed her plate over to her, placing it on her lap before handing her one of two jars of sweet tea. All around them, weary riders, both newcomer and veteran, let the wonderful food, light breeze, and cloud cover lift their spirits.
“Uh oh,” Mason said after taking only one bite of his lunch. He cried out in mock alarm. “These aren’t your cornbread muffins! What am I gonna do? What if the cook is trying to poison me for that comment I made about her pie crust?!” Rose covered her mouth as she laughed, knowing Mason had purposely waited until she’d taken a bite to say something funny. His timing was impeccable that way.
“You’re completely silly, you know that?” she said after she’d finally managed to swallow.
“But you know you love it!”
“You do keep things interesting, that’s for sure!” She laughed when he came closer and nuzzled her ear, smiling at his antics. She looked around self-consciously and caught the eye of the older woman who’d spoken to her earlier in the day, smiling sheepishly at her and her friends. They simply toasted Mason and Rose with their tea and went back to their happy conversation.
“Where’s your brother?” Rose asked, changing the subject. “I thought you’d want to catch up with him at mealtimes.”
“Naw, I’ll get to see him plenty during the ride. Besides, I don’t to sit with him while I’m trying to eat my food, he doesn’t smell nearly as nice as you do! Plus he gets mad and punches me every time I do this,” Mason answered, reaching for a bite off Rose’s plate with his fork. She wrestled her plate away and shielded it with her body as Mason continued to stab at her lunch, pleading with her for sustenance. They finally gave in to the giggles and had to stop their game in order to finish eating.
+++
“Laney… Laney, wake up.” Her mother gently shook her shoulder until Laney rolled over and opened one eye. “Hurry, I know you’re tired but you’re gonna miss lunch. Wake your brother and come on out to eat.”
It took a few beats for Laney to wake up and realize where they were and what was happening. At that moment, whatever lunch-on-the-go the cook had prepared didn’t compare in any delicious way to getting more sleep in a nice soft bed, even if it was a narrow bunk bed bolted to the wall of a moving bus. She rolled back over to go back to sleep, but not before reminding her mom about Oren.
“He’s not asleep, he wanted to keep riding today,” she mumbled sleepily. Her mother came back and sat on the edge of the bunk.
“What? What are you talking about, he was supposed to ride in here and get some sleep.” Mrs. McGrady’s voice took on a worried edge.
“No, he didn’t want to. He said he only got to ride for one day before he had to get on the bus, so the group leader and I said he could ride his horse. They had to swap his group, that’s all. Drew said he would tell you.”
“He never spoke to me! So where is Oren now?” she demanded, rising up to peer out the windows of the bus at the people who were still finishing their lunches.
“I don’t know, I’ve been in here the whole time.” Laney sat up and whacked her head loudly against the top of the bunk, crying out in surprise and pain before rubbing the place with her fingertips. It was hard enough to make her wonder if she’d broken the skin, but thankfully her fingertips came away clean. Her mother absentmindedly, instinctively pressed her hand to Laney’s bumped head, but her attention was still held out the window as she watched for any sign of her son. Laney flinched when she felt the pressure of her mother’s fingers against the sore place.
“I don’t like this,” Mrs. McGrady declared. “I’m going to go speak to that leader. If you want to eat something, I can make you a plate and have your dad bring it in here.”
Laney shook her head, her mind elsewhere and certainly not on food. She racked her sleepy brain to think back to exactly what Drew had said, what her brother had said. How could a group like this miss a scrawny little kid? He didn’t exactly blend in with his floppy hair and hipster glasses. And he was the farthest thing from looking like a cowboy. Shouldn’t someone have noticed him?
She threw off the covers and slid her feet into her boots before stomping down the aisle of the bus and down the steps at the front. She jumped to the ground and began looking frantically for Oren, stopping different people to ask if they’d seen him. Her heart sank a little more with each no, but the responses from people who didn’t even seem to know who she was talking about hurt and worried her even more.
“Drew! Drew! Did my mom find you?” she called out to her group leader. He turned to look at her on his way to return some equipment during clean up. He shook his head.
“No, I haven’t seen her. What’s up?”
“She just told me she was coming to talk to you. I mean, like, literally two minutes ago. And you haven’t seen her?”
“Nope, sorry.” He shrugged his shoulders when Laney didn’t offer any other explanation, turning to go. Something wasn’t sitting right with Laney, and she became all the more suspicious when she saw Drew turn back and look over his shoulder to see if she was still watching him. There had to be someone else she could ask…
“Well, well, if it isn’t her royal highness. Did you have a good nap while the rest of us worked?” Axel teased her, coming up behind her and tapping her opposite shoulder so she’d turn around in the wrong direction. She didn’t have time for his irritation. Instead of letting him walk past, she grabbed his shirt sleeve in her fist and turned him around to face her, nearly knocking him off balance.
“Axel, there’s something wrong. No one has seen my brother since… I don’t even know when.” The urgency in her voice was so out of character that he knew better than to make a smart mouthed reply. He pulled her away from the bus as its engine began to idle, telling her to explain. She did, at least as best she could considering she’d been asleep for most of their drive that morning. Axel watched her face as she spoke, becoming aware that she was growing more and more frightened the more she talked about it.
“And I know he would kill me if he knew I said anything, but he takes medication. If he doesn’t have his medication, he can have serious problems!” Laney had worked herself up so much as she spoke that her voice began to tremble. A single tear spilled down her cheek and she hurried to brush it away, afraid Axel would have another reason to laugh at her. She looked away so he couldn’t see her cry, and was surprised when she felt his arms go around her, pulling her to his chest.
“We’re gonna go find him. Don’t worry.”
Chapter Fifteen
The searchers set out in the wrong direction, turning their backs on the herd and moving away from the slow moving line that pressed onward towards Missouri. They were a small group, only four of the full-time hands and the McGrady’s, although Mason had managed to work his magic to get Axel in their group. He reminded them that his brother should go on the grounds that he had skills that they were all secretly afraid they may need. One other guest, Judy, volunteered and would not be dissuaded.
“I’ll have you know, these old bones may have been alive for seventeen Presidents now, but I happen to still be an ultramarathon runner and an Ironman triathlete,” she explained proudly. “But more important, I’m an expert field navigator and a retired pediatrician.”
“You’re in,” Mason declared without waiting for approval from his boss. He turned to go after pointing Judy to a horse and a pile of supply packs. She smiled at the boss and held up her hands as if to say, “What are you gonna do about it?”
They rode out, each person carrying enough supplies to sustain him if he got separated. They each carried enough for an additional person as well, since any of them could be the one to find Oren after they split up. The group would ride together to the last divergence in the roads, then have to take separate routes to determine where along the way their youngest member could have gone astray.
The members rode single file, spacing themselves about fifty yards apart, far enough that they could eac
h have time to scour the landscape in the area while looking for Oren. Laney rode in line between her parents and kept a watchful gaze out for her brother, calling out to him and waiting desperately for him to answer. She yelled so loud that her voice was hoarse within the first hour, but she didn’t care.
Somewhere in the back of the line, Axel rode without holding the reins, letting the pressure from his calves and feet against the horse’s flank guide the animal. He kept his hands glued to his binoculars, watching the horizon out beside and in front of him, keeping a lookout on the off chance the kid had simply gotten lost and was heading the wrong direction.
Mason didn’t want to worry the group, but the look of the clouds in the distance to the west wasn’t the most reassuring. These weren’t the fluffy piles of downy layers that had shaded them during their noon rest. These were those clouds’ angry cousins, dark piles of billowing vapor that rolled as they moved. Far off near the horizon, a wall of water cascading from the clouds, drenching the ground beneath them with a sudden furious cloudburst. He hoped it wasn’t a sign of what weather awaited either their group or the herd.
+++
“Where’s your sweet young man?” an elderly rider asked Rose as they connected along the trail. Rose smiled at her reassuringly.
“Oh, he’s around. He had some errand to run with a few of the other riders. I’m sure he’ll catch back up to the drive by nightfall. Maybe by morning, at the latest.” Rose felt awkward lying so openly and to a paid guest of the Carsons, too, but she knew that upsetting their visitors wouldn’t be wise, not with so much already happening.
“That’s nice, dear. It must be wonderful to be so comfortable out here in the open range like this. I’d be far too terrified to stay out of doors at night all alone. I wish I could have been brought up more like you young people, eager to get outside and happy to stay put wherever your trail riding takes you! It’s just not how life was in the city back then.”
