It had been five weeks since Kathy and Wade had first made love. Every Friday night Dedee would pick up Kathy in the Trans Am and they all would meet up at the 8 Seconds bar. At the end of the night if Dedee didn't plan to go to the ranch then Kathy would ride with Catori.
Kathy always remained in Catori's room at night and helped in the stable or rode horses with Catori while Wade worked Saturday. On Sundays Kathy and Wade would ride horses together and Kathy had learned her way around the ranch as if she lived there.
They often rode to a secluded pond and fished, or sometimes to picnic. She had quickly become quite comfortable on horseback and often wondered if it would be possible to make love on a horse riding bareback.
Sunday nights had become quite the night of passion when Wade drove her home and always spent the night. She was growing more accustomed to his size but foreplay was still required. Budget cuts at the library cut her hours and income; she now was getting birth control pills from the local health department. Other than her job situation Kathy felt like she was on top of the world.
Wednesday morning Kathy was off of work and wanted to see her cowboy, even if it was just to share a lunch. She arrived at the local BBQ stand and ordered two pulled pork sandwiches to go. She had also brought a small cooler with ice, root beers, and bottled water. Also, one Bud light in case he wanted that with his lunch. She kept remembering the story dating back to turpentine mills and the ladies bringing lunch on Wednesday as Dedee had told her.
Her BMW seemed out of place as she pulled into the ranch parking near the house. Pops came out and saw her and seemed bewildered at her car since she had never driven it to the ranch.
"Is that yours?' he asked.
"Yes Sir, a graduation present from my father," Kathy replied.
"I brought Wade lunch, shall I wait on the porch or at the stable?" she asked.
Mr. Rutherford just smiled and pointed as Wade and the crew came riding up.
He replied, "I reckon ya'll could go around back to my office if you want to sit outside but stay out of my liquor this early in the day."
Wade saw her and handed off his reins to Leroy and started walking to the house to greet her. Kathy nodded with her head for him to follow and started walking around back with the cooler and to-go bag in hand. Wade caught up quickly and grabbed the cooler as he leaned in for a kiss.
"What are you doing out this way midweek?" He asked.
"It's Wednesday, and you said you wanted to see me one Wednesday, so I brought lunch," Kathy replied.
Wade started slow, "Yeah, about that, it's an old tradition...."
Kathy cut him off saying she knew where it came from, and she wasn't here for his paycheck.
"Hell, you can have that if ya want, I just want to make sure that you know the Wednesday thing is a sign of long-term commitment around here," he followed.
Kathy had placed the food on the wooden spool under the tiki roof Mr. Rutherford called his office. She turned and wrapped her arms around Wade's neck and pulled him in for a longer wetter kiss.
"Ok, I'm here to do whatever it takes to show commitment Cowboy, I've given you my body freely, and my heart just leaped without any control," she told him in her softest tone.
"You have given me my deepest desires Darlin', but you still haven't given me your full name," Wade spoke back just as soft.
Kathy had avoided revealing her full name again by opening the bag and handing him his sandwich. She had leaked enough info about her family to give ideas but still wasn't ready for everyone to know how ruthless her father was. He was the kind of man that would buy that ranch and build condos and townhomes around a golf course and never look back.
As they ate lunch Wade explained he would be leaving town Friday morning and would be gone about a week, but would try as hard as he could to be back before the following weekend. He and three ranch hands were going to Texas to get two trailer loads of cattle. Kathy realized it would be her first weekend without him since the start.
After Kathy was driving back to town and Wade was back in the saddle Mr. Rutherford dialed the phone.
"Hey Sheriff, I need some information. I have a tag number and would like to know who drives the car if you don't mind," he spoke into the phone.
His old friend, the sheriff, informed him it was registered to Blackwell Investments & Holdings, a Land Barron company that was a nationwide investment banker and land developer.
Kathy spent Friday afternoon pulling weeds around her place, then fixed herself a bowl of soup with half a sandwich. "Now what?", she asked herself. She thought to herself might as well take a shower and catch up on some reading. The hot water felt good on her body and then decided to adjust the showerhead to the massage setting.
The hand-held shower head delivered high pressure pulsating relief to her aching muscles. She closed her eyes and let her mind wander, her thoughts always on Wade. The pulsating jets on her clit soon brought upon other relief.
As she had no plans on leaving the house for the night, she just slipped on a cozy robe and snuggled into a big comfy recliner. As she turning the third-page Dedee came skipping through the door.
"You can't go to the bar dressed like that!" snapped Dedee.
Kathy informed her that she did not feel like drinking. '
"So, what are you going to do? Waste a Friday night sipping your herbal tea & petting a cat?" Dedee scolded her.
A bit annoyed at that statement made her snap back, "I don't have a fucking cat."
She went to her closet and grabbed the first dress she saw. She really didn't care what it was, since she wouldn't be seeing her cowboy tonight. The little bar was busy with ranch hands trying to drink their hard week off. The testosterone levels were pretty high as she witnessed two brawls break out. But she felt safe there knowing Leroy would stop any trouble and most of the locals had come to know her.
Catori offered her a ride at closing time, to which she was surprised, knowing that Wade was gone. She was still invited out to the ranch, and the ranch made her feel nearer to him. So she climbed into Catori's truck. Catori was glad she was more sober than normal and spent the entire ride back to the ranch talking about her horse Lightning Bolt. She explained the horse had not eaten in two days and she was worried.
Dedee followed them to the ranch and headed straight in upon arrival. Catori told Kathy to head on in and she would be up as soon as she checked on Lightning Bolt. Upstairs both girls stripped and showered and turned in before Catori came up. Cathy feel asleep as soon as she laid down.
Just before sunrise, Kathy woke to Dedee's loud voice.
"No, just wait for the vet" she begged.
Catori had a pistol in her hand and said "No, I can't let her suffer anymore, she can't breathe", as she walked out the door.
Kathy jumped out of bed yelling, "Wait, I might can help!" as she pulled on her panties and grabbed the closest shirt running after Catori.
Kathy ran to the stable barefoot clad only in panties and still trying to button the shirt.
Catori was standing over her horse Lightning Bolt with tears in her eyes.
"Give me a damn minute" Kathy shouted.
"She's gasping, she's dying, and I can't just watch anymore," Catori cried.
Kathy put her ears to the horse's chest, then started feeling up and down her neck. She then slides her arms under the neck while she was whispering to the horse.
"It's either a swollen gland or cyst, we need to roll her over," Kathy said as she grabbed the front legs of the horse and pointed for Catori to grab the rear. They tried with all their strength but could not roll the horse. Kathy grabbed the pistol to make sure Catori didn't use it and ran for the bunkhouse.
As she entered the bunkhouse she screamed like a Drill Sergeant, "I have a horse down in the stable and we need help. I need two strong men out there now to help roll that horse."
Leroy looked at two of the guys and pointed to the door. They yanked on pants over their boxers and ran toward the stable.
Kathy was still being loud as she yelled, "I need an electric beard trimmer and a razor blade, and alcohol if there is any here."
Leroy spoke up, "I have actual electric shears and a medical bag in the office in the stable." pointing back out where it would be.
"Good, get it fast" she yelled and ran back to Lightning Bolt still swinging the pistol in her hand.
The guys had Lightning Bolt rolled over and she dropped back to her hands and knees to inspect the knot she had felt in her neck. Her sheer panties were showing the guys all she had as the shirt rode up her back. She paid no attention nor did she care at that time.
Leroy dropped a dusty black medical bag beside her and told one of the guys to get an extension cord as he unwound the short cord from the sheers. Kathy had been running her fingers through the hair at the huge lump and telling Lightning Bolt she was going to be ok.
"I believe there is tranquilizer and lidocaine in that bag," Leroy told her.
"Don't have time for lidocaine to work and pulse rate is too low for a tranquilizer" Kathy answered as she started shaving the area with the shears.
"What are you going to do then?" asked Catori.
"Old school trick, run in the house and get me all the alcohol and peroxide you can find," Kathy said as she kept rubbing for the right spot on the cyst.
Catori ran for the house as instructed.
"Stop her before she gets here if she comes running back," Kathy said looking at Leroy, "She can't watch this."
Kathy pulled a scalpel from the bag and quickly and precisely made a one-inch slice in the spot she had picked just off center of the cyst. Lightning Bolt made a loud whinnying sound and tried to kick but she had no fight left.
Kathy put two fingers on each side of the slit to pull it open and it spewed smelly puss and blood across her face and chest. She wiped at her face with a sleeve and opened the hole again as she massaged more puss towards the hole.
Catori came running from the house with five bottles in hand. Kathy looked at Leroy and he went to meet her halfway.
