For Them, We Must

I wouldn't do this with anyone else.

"Now, what color icing should we write on the cake with?" Gator asked Evelyn.

Oakley smiled as she watched the two of them put Tate's cake together. Evelyn was standing on a stool, one of Gator's large aprons engulfing her tiny body. There was already chocolate around her mouth as she analyzed the color options. Evelyn looked up at Oakley.

"Tate's favorite color is green," Oakley smiled.

"Green!" Evelyn cheered up at Gator.

"Y'all make me run out of green more than anything else," Gator sighed.

"It's what happens when you have three boys who all have the same favorite color," Oakley shrugged.

"What's your favorite color, Gator?" Evelyn asked him.

"I like yellow," Gator smiled. "What's yours?"

"I like blue," Evelyn nodded and then looked at Oakley again. "Momma's is purple."

Oakley smiled and stood up from her seat. She stretched around and looked over to where the boys they were speaking about should be coming back soon.

Tate's seventeenth birthday consisted of the men getting up early for a full day of riding and fishing. Oakley had barely registered Kayce kissing her cheek and tucking Evelyn into their bed next to her before she passed out again. Once she and Evelyn woke up properly, they had spent the morning decorating the camp as best they could with balloons and streamers.

"There," Gator said and leaned back so they could see the cake with the green letters spelling out 'Happy Birthday, Tate' on it.

"It's perfect, Gator," Oakley said. "Thank you so much...always."

"Can't believe he's seventeen," Gator then placed the cake into a container and walked over to the ice box he had going.

"You and me both," Oakley took a deep breath. "I do not need the next two years to fly by."

"You think he's going to school?" Gator asked after helping Evelyn down from the stool.

"I don't know," Oakley shrugged. "If he wants to, he can...I did. Kayce went into the military and while I appreciate that I don't want Tate to do that too."

"Think he would?" Gator looked at her.

"I don't think so," Oakley shook her head. "Think I've rubbed off on him too much for that choice at least."

"He could just work here?" Gator pulled out a basket of potatoes.

"I want him to have some schooling," Oakley crossed her arms. "Things and ways are changing here...at least get him into some finance classes or something...maybe at Western? Or even at Montana Tech?"

"Don't really see him at school," Gator said peeling the potatoes.

"Yeah," Oakley sighed. "I didn't see him past ten years old...but here we are."

"You did good, Oaks," Gator smiled.

"Thanks," Oakley chuckled as she looked back at the road.

There were her boys...

...and also Jamie and James. Oakley plastered on her smile as she went to stand on the edge of the wagon, waiting for them to come in. She caught Tate's eye as he walked over to her, handing his rod off to Kayce. Oakley opened her arms.

"Happy birthday," Oakley said as she hugged Tate tightly.

"Thanks," Tate laughed into her shoulder.

Oakley leaned back and looked at him.

"How was the day?" She asked.

"Good," Tate nodded. "Fished and rode a little bit...it was nice."