I woke up to the sound of sweet girlish laughter coming from downstairs. I sat up, rubbed my eyes, and saw that it was still quite early. The sun was barely over the mountains in the distance. I got out of bed, yawning, and walked over to my dresser, listening to Casey and my sister laugh loudly downstairs. I got dressed, and walked down, and found them sitting at the kitchen table, chatting pleasantly. Dad was sitting in his chair in the living room, and he glanced over as I walked down. He gave me an irritated frown, and then returned to reading his paper.
"Hey there slugger," Casey said when she saw me, and Jenny laughed. "How are you feeling today?"
"Good enough," I said, bringing a hand up and touching my swollen lip.
"Did you find Amanda last night?" Casey asked. I still couldn't quite tell where her head was at when it came to Amanda.
"Ya," I nodded. "She came back to the bar with me and told Sheriff Farley the truth. I'm not in any trouble. At least not with the law," I added. "I don't know about Derrick's dad though."
"Well if they try anything, I'll tell the sheriff that Derrick hit me," Casey said. "So if they're smart they'll let it go."
"Those folk are smarter than you think," Daddy said from his chair. "They'll be looking for some way to get back at Jim now. I told him not to do anything stupid. But he just had to go and punch a lawyer's son."
"Derrick hit him first," Casey said, turning to my dad. "And if they want Jim to get in trouble, then Derrick will too. I'm going to be a lawyer too you know."
"Is that right," daddy said, looking over at Casey, and then looking at me with that same frown.
"Yep," Casey said happily. "Once I finish school that is."
"And when do you return to that fancy school of yours?" daddy asked, and I could tell he wanted her gone as soon as possible.
"I have to go back in about two weeks," Casey said, her smile fading as she looked over at me. "But I'll be back soon."
"Dewey told me Mikey brought you girls home last night," I said as I sat down at the table.
"Ya," Jenny nodded. "He said he didn't want us riding alone while Derrick's friends were out looking for you."
"Well that was good of him," I said. "He didn't stay did he?"
"No," Jenny said. "He left once we got here. He just didn't want us riding alone last night."
"Mikey's a good friend," I nodded, biting into a piece of toast.
"Is it Mike or Mikey?" Casey asked.
"Uh, I don't know," I shrugged. "Both I guess."
"I call him Mike," Jenny said, and I didn't like the look she was giving Casey. "But Jim always calls him Mikey."
"We've known each other since we were little kids," I said. "Everyone called him Mikey back then."
"Well you boys aren't little anymore," Jenny said with a smile I didn't much like.
"No, they certainly aren't," Casey added, and both girls began laughing. Dad set his paper down, and glared over at us, but we all ignored him.
"So what do you girls have planned for today?" I asked.
"We thought we might head into town for a bit," Jenny said. "Maybe swing by Jasper's. Want to come?"
"I don't think I can," I said. "I still have to fix a lot of the fence on the ranch. I might have some time later tonight."
"Ok, well we'll be around." Casey said. It was weird having her here in my home, chatting with my sister, while my dad sat in the other room listening. There was still a lot I wanted to talk to her about, but not in front of them. What Amanda had said last night was making me question everything. I still wasn't sure who I wanted, or what would happen when and if I made up my mind. I still worked for Casey's family after all.
"I better get going," I said, getting up from the table. "Hopefully I'll see you in town later." They both nodded, and I headed for the door. As I was leaving, I saw my dad get up from his chair. I tried to hurry off before he could catch me, but he was quicker.
"Hey," he called after me, marching out of the house and walking over to me with a scowl on his face. "What's goin' on with you and that girl?"
"I don't know," I sighed, not wanting to deal with this now. "Nothin'."
"Bullshit nothin'," daddy said angrily, getting right up in my face again. "What's she doin' here?"
"She came home with Jenny," I said. "I had nothing to do with it. I didn't leave my room, just like you said."
"I aint stupid boy," he said aggressively, getting right up in my face. I had to turn away from his morning breath.
"I didn't say you were," I sighed. "And I'm telling the truth, we didn't do anything. I didn't even see her last night."
"Except at the bar when you hit the lawyer's kid," dad pointed out.
"Ya, except then," I nodded.
"What the hell is your sister doin' at that bar anyway?" daddy asked, finally taking a step back.
"I don't know," I shrugged. "She asked if she could come with us, and I said ya. I figured its better she be there when I'm around then all alone, right?"
"None of you should be there," he said with a deep frown, but I could tell he agreed with what I had said. "You're all underage for drinking. You don't need to be in there."
"I spent six hours yesterday fixing a damn barbed wire fence," I pointed out. "I think I ought to be allowed to have a beer after that."
"Fine," daddy said, giving me a slight nod of approval. "But that don't mean you need to take your sister there."
"I didn't invite her," I said, sighing again. "I just didn't tell her no when she asked to come."
"Well you should have. She don't need to be hangin' around places like that."
"Then you tell her," I said, and he glared at me again. "I'm just her brother, you're her dad. If you don't want her goin' somewhere then don't let her. It's not my responsibility. I did my part by looking out for her while she was there."
"Was that before or after you got in a bar fight?" daddy asked.
"Both," I said, beginning to walk to my horse again. "She didn't get in any trouble."
"You're gettin' outta line boy," daddy said as I climbed up onto my horse.
"I'm doin' what needs to be done," I said. "I'm workin', I'm watchin' out for my sister, and I'm trying to be a good man when it comes to the ladies. Which is more than I can say for some."
"You're still a kid Jim," daddy said gravely. "You need to watch it."
"I'm watchin' what needs watchin'," I said, turning my horse to leave. "And I'm less of a kid than you think." With that I gave my horse a light kick in the ribs, and rode away before daddy could respond. I didn't look back, knowing he would still be there glaring after me. I was starting to get sick of his shit. Every day he was giving me the same lectures. I knew he was right about some of it, but some of it he was just being an asshole.
I rode to the Howard ranch, and saw only Amy's and Casey's cars there, though I knew Casey wasn't home yet. I rode past the house, not wanting to deal with Amy, and out to the fields. I found the broken fence as I had left it, and got to work. It was hotter than it had been lately, and I sweated like a pig as I worked the fence. When lunch time came around, I rode back to the ranch, hoping to not see anyone. I walked in the house, went to the kitchen, and tried to fix a quick sandwich, but Amy appeared before I could finish.
"You look like you've been working hard today," she said from behind me, startling me slightly. I turned around, and saw her standing there in a shirt that was far too small for her. Her fake tits looked bigger than ever, and I couldn't help myself from staring at them for a moment.