Everybody knows the Dutton Family but none of them have made a name for themselves quite like the youngest, Mae Evelyn Dutton. She's a force to be reckoned with, just like her big sister but can she overcome past demons knocking at her door?
You'll...
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"You okay, Bear?" Mae asked as Rip walked out of his and Beth's room.
"Yeah, it's just strange," he muttered as he looked around the main house.
"It's about damn time," Mae smiled at him, "You've always been family, it's only right that you start living like it."
Mae kissed his cheek before returning to her room to grab her bag.
"Let's go, Ryan!" Rip called out to the younger man. Ryan gave Mae a kiss and walked out with Rip.
"You're all becoming so domestic," Charlie teased from the doorway with Evie in her arms. Mae chuckled as she took the baby from Charlie and started rocking her back and forth. The baby smiled and blabbered to her aunt.
"As if you and Gator aren't? Taking him home to meet the family and all," Mae teased back.
"Yeah, I'm not even going to deny it. I never thought I would find someone after Lee and then he was just there and he's just everything. I love him but he understands that a part of me will always still love Lee," Charlie smiled as she watched Mae with Evie.
"I'm happy you're happy Char. Lee would have wanted you to be happy," Mae smiled at the brunette. Her heart still ached at the mention of her brother but she knew that he would always be there for her.
"I know," Charlie agreed, "Do you maybe want to spend some quality time with your niece tonight?"
"Gator taking you out?" Mae asked and Charlie nodded.
"Good, you two deserve some alone adult time. I'll drag Ryan into babysitting with me," Mae grinned as she kissed Evie's forehead. The little baby squealed up at her.
"It will be good practice for you two," Charlie smirked as she watched her best friend blush.
"I'll feed her full of sugar right before you come home," Mae threatened.
"Jokes on you. I'm only coming home tomorrow morning," Charlie smirked back.
"Scandalous," Mae laughed.
"Come one, we've got to get to work," Charlie laughed as she took the baby back into her arms.
xxx
They were able to close the clinic rather early that day, much to everyone's relief. Charlie hurried up the stairs while Mae picked up Evie after her nap and took her for a walk outside. Willow and Archie ran around the pair making Evie giggle as she watched them. Mae smiled as she saw them do tricks or repeat certain things every time they heard Evie laugh.
While Mae was walking with her, she was unaware of John standing on the porch watching them. Every time he looked at the two of them and Tate, he knew why he was fighting so hard to keep the ranch.
Mae realised that she hadn't had a chance to just hold Evie ever since she was taken. She hadn't had a chance to do a lot of things since then.
"I thought I would never get to see you or hold you again, Bunny. I was so scared. Some people are monsters. They take everything they can from a person and when there's nothing left to give, they break you until they find more to take. You'll unfortunately learn this. You'll have to learn what a total mess the world is and how the monsters are hiding all around us in plain sight. I wish I could protect you from all of this but I can't.
