(Untitled- first chapter)
A fine beam of first light entered the dark room through a slight gap in the curtains.
Milly lay fast asleep. Under the cotton sheets and quilt she was naked. Or maybe,
she had his cotton shirt on.
Chet couldnt tell. He moved about the dimly lit room, trying to be silent- and failing.
He had kicked an open door with his toe already and his pocket knife clattered across the
old wooden floor as he moved his jeans from the chair. "Damn! I guess I wore her plum out",
a little smirk crossed his mouth as he thought the thought. The late night had taken a toll on
him too. But it was a good kind of tired, loving Milly was worth all the tired in the world.
Daddy still ran the place, but it seemed like Chet did all the work these days. "I got to get
the calfs culled out... and call the vet." the words passed through his head ...always a head full of lists.
Fall was the money time of the year for a rancher. Two-hundred and fifty weaned calfs to ship would
make a good check. And Chet's cut would go a long way to settle his new bride. And Chet still had a few
colts to line out and start for a neighbor...cash money for that. The ranch ran a string of broodmares
with colts of their own, the seven in a corral would be under saddle, starting, stopping and following thier noses by the the end of the week.
Chet gazed at Milly while he fumbled with the snaps on his blue cotton shirt. He held his boot and looked it over before pulling over his foot. His spurs were still on the heels. The spurs had been Uncle
Bob's. Like everything on the ranch the spurs had a story. No one knew how old this pair was... but they were hand made from a old peice of leaf spring from some ancient farm machine. The rowel on the right did'nt match the left... replaced and repaired. rust, brown, burnished from years of wearing.
Bob had left his soul on a beach in the Pacific Ocean. Grandma had a box of papers and some medals.
And Chet had the spurs.
Chet came back in from the kitchen. a pot of coffee started, he warmed his hands with the cup.
She was still sleeping. Now she was curled up with his pillow. Daddy had fed and saddled the morning
horses already and the day was wasting. "He'll be hell on wheels, I'd best be going", Chet smiled at the thought of his Daddy. "All bark and no bite",
Milly stirred as Chet leaned over and kissed her forhead. The baby was starting to grow already.