Haley Dutton (Rip Wheeler)

Chapter 2

Haley POV

Frank just finished hitting and hurting me. I sat in the stall crying my eyes in pain. My head shot up when I finally heard the horses coming back. I stayed sitting in Rip's horse's stall until he came to put him up. I was so scared to face my father. I felt so ashamed of what just happened. Rip finally brought his horse back to his stall and was shocked to find me in there crying. He walked over and sat down next to me and I latched onto him and held on for dear life. He calmed me down and asked "Haley what happened?" I looked up at him crying still and said "Frank hurt me." Rip looked down at me dumbfounded. Rip said "Haley, we need to tell your father." I shook my head no because I knew  my father would never believe me. Rip gently grabbed my hand and led me to my father. Who immediately turned when he heard our shoes. He asked "what's wrong sweetheart?" When I didn't answer he looked to Rip and asked "Rip what happened to her?" Rip simply leaned to his ear and whispered "can we talk somewhere private?" My father nodded and started towards the house with me and Rip in tow. We finally reached the porch and papa sat down on the bench and went to pick me up and I screamed. Rip carefully picked me up and held me in his arms while my father asked the questions. I cried while I answered him. My father said "sweetheart I need you to tell me everything Frank did to you" I cried harder because I was scared of what was to happen next. I simply looked up at Rip and he nodded and I climbed into my father's arms and I leaned my head up to his ear and whispered "Frank came in and grabbed me and pulled me onto the hay and hit me until the bruises are dark and then he.."
I couldn't finish the sentence and my father knew immediately what he done. My father stood up and handed me to Rip and nodded to the house stairs. Rip gently carried me upstairs to mine room and laid down on my bed with me still in his arms. I felt safe there. I finally fell asleep when my sister Beth walked in flirty and stated "Rip put her down and come lay with me." Rip looked up at her and said "No, your father trust me with her and right now I'm not leaving her." Beth huffed and walked to her room and slammed the door making me jump awake. Rip asked me gently "do you want a shower or bath?" I said "a bath." Rip left me on the bed and started the bath and turned off the water when it was full. He looked at me over his shoulder and said "Haley the bath is ready for you." I nodded and slowly got up and walked over to him. He closed his eyes while I undressed and got in and he opened them to see me laying in the bathtub. Rip got up to leave when I stopped him with my voice. "Rip please don't leave yet." He nodded and sat down next to the bathtub and held my hand until I was done. I was in the bathtub for an hour when I decided to get out . While I was in the bath I was thinking about what my mama would have done if she was me during that time. I also thought about my brother Lee and how we made a promise to each other that we could tell each other anything. I could not even tell him about what just happened to me today while he was out steering the cattle to the right pasture.

Rip walked out to get me clothes to wear to bed and laid them out on the counter for me. He said "Haley I'm headed down to get dinner, do you want some and I'll bring it up to you?" I looked up at him in a large T-shirt and said "I would love that." I finished getting dressed while he went downstairs. I loved eating dinner with my family after a long day but tonight was different. I feel so sick in my new covered skin. When I finished getting dressed I sat on my bed and covered up with my blanket that Lee got me on one of his trips that papa sent him one. Since mama death, Lee's blanket has been a getaway for me. Lee said mama wore this all the times when they would cuddle together. It still smelled like her.

Rip POV (time as Haley's bath)
I closed my eyes while Haley undressed but then I heard water moving so I opened my eyes slowly to see her laying there in the bathtub. Once I know she was good, I stood up to leave to give her privacy. Her beautiful angel sounding voice stopped me. "Rip please don't leave yet." I knew she couldn't see me but I nodded anyway and sat down next to her. I reached for her hand and we held hands while she took a bath. She finally looked up at me and smiled and I knew she was finished. I simply smiled back and stood grabbing a towel for her to dry off while I get her clothes. I grabbed a pair of shorts and undergarments and one of mine shirts. I knocked on the door to let her know I'm back with her clothes. She opened it wrapped in a towel. She stepped aside to allow me to set the clothes on the counter and I walked back to her bed to let her get dressed. Once she was dressed she cracked the door and I could see she brushing her hair in the mirror. I watched her for about 7 minutes or so before I heard dinner being cooked. I stood up and made myself known by saying "Haley I'm headed down to dinner. Do you want some and I'll bring it up to you?" She looked up at me in the mirror in my shirt and said "I would like that." I nodded and walked downstairs making sure to close her door.