Spencer Hope Dutton. Tiny. The youngest of the Dutton household, if only by a few minutes. She swore those few minutes after Kayce popped out were the only moments of peace she had in life...
Now Spencer's family is being pushed to the brink and her...
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March 30, 1997
"You know, she's not gonna stop bugging you until you let her help," Evelyn laughed as she watched her youngest daughter slump down the stairs. Spencer had been begging John for days to let her help with the cattle branding, claiming she was big enough this year to help.
"She's gonna get hurt," John chided to his wife as he buttoned his flannel. "She should just go riding with you today."
Evelyn shook her head at her husband. "We got a real cowgirl on our hands, John. You'll need as many of those as you can get around here."
John huffed as he turned from his wife walking to the balcony overlooking the living room. His children, in all their stages of growing up, were not a group of ranchers. They all seemed to have bigger dreams waiting to be discovered just under the surface. But Spencer? Well his Tiny knew exactly what she wanted from the moment she rode her first horse.
"I suppose you're right," John laughed as he felt Evelyn walk up to him from behind. He gave her a kiss on the forehead before walking down stairs to tell his bubbly seven year old the good news.
"Tiny!"
Spencer's head poked up from the table, having laid it down in sad dramatics when she sat for breakfast. She sluggishly made her way over to her father when he motioned, really laying into her emotions. John rumbled with laughter as he pushed the fiery red hair that matched his youngest's personality from her face to look her in the eye.
"You can help me today, but you have to do everything exactly as I say, alright?"
Spencer bobbed her head up and down excitedly. "I will Daddy, I promise. I'll be the best rancher you ever see!"
She squealed as she hugged her father, running back to the table to finish her breakfast and head outside. Jamie, however, seemed less than thrilled with one of his kid sisters helping out.
"You're just gonna get in the way, Tiny."
Spencer stared at her brother, "Jamie you don't even like helping! Somebody's gotta pick up your slack! Besides, you look like a cow anyway!"
The rest of the children snickered to themselves as Spencer smiled smugly and Jamie looked ready to throttle her. He went to speak but a scathing look from his mother held him back.
True to her word, Spencer did everything her father told her to, even as he saw her starting to get tired. Being as light as she was, she certainly had to put a lot more effort into holding down the calves. But John had to admit she was outworking her older brothers. A feeling of unease crept up his spine, though, and he looked up in the distance, seeing two horses with no riders. Without even thinking John took off in their direction, worry radiating through him when he couldn't find Evelyn or Kayce nearby.
The day drew to a standstill, John and Lee riding out to find Beth, Evelyn, and Kayce on the ranch with the rest of the workers. Jamie had been forced to stay behind to watch Spencer, much to his dismay. He would rather be looking for his mother, not watching his sister color.
