Caramel | Rip Wheeler

Caramel - Chapter Sixteen

Maria's eyes fluttered open, a morning yawn escaping her lips as she pried herself from her bed, sitting up. She looked around at her surroundings, trying to remember why she was in her own room.

When she did, she sighed. She found out only a couple days before she had to leave for Texas. She couldn't tell Rip, it would undo all the progress they had made together. Instead, she pretended to be sick, staying in the Dutton house for the last two days.

After getting dressed, she decided to skip breakfast, only walking into the dining room to greet the family. "Mornin' daddy." She placed a small kiss to the side of John's head. "Where is everybody?"

"Morning, sweetheart." He set his newspaper down. "Too busy with their own lives to have breakfast with their old dad."

"Awe." She pouted, sitting in an empty chair. "I'll have breakfast with you."

"No, honey." He shook his head softly. "It's all right. I'm just finishing up."

She huffed, nodding. "Okay." She began to stand up, setting a comforting hand on his shoulder. "I'll get started prettying up them horses."

"I'll come with you." He began to his feet as well, taking tiny steps toward her to portray he was going to follow her. "I have something I wanted to chew on with you."

"Everything okay?" They stepped out of the door, onto the porch. She stuck her hands nervously into her back pocket, turning to face him.

He wrapped an arm around her, giving her a squeeze. "It's in my understanding you're leaving us here in a few days." He kissed her forehead. "And by God, I just need you to know how much I'm going to miss you"

He pulled her into a full hug, she bit back her tears, wrapping her arms around him. "I'm sorry." She said. "It's just something I have to do."

John sighed, pulling away. "What's going on?"

"My uncle passed." She almost mumbled, looking up at his face. "It's my turn."

He understood although her lack of words didn't explain much. It was her turn to takeover the ranch. Heavy footsteps caused their attention to turn toward the direction of the barn. Rip was walking toward them, a playful smile on his lips.

When he noticed the serious conversation they were having, he stopped, his smiling dropping to the floor. Although he couldn't hear them, he knew they needed privacy in that moment.

"So..." John sniffed, looking down at the floor before he looked up at her again. She brushed a piece of hair out of her face nervously, tucking it behind her ear. "What are the chances we ever see you again?"

"I'm only twenty-three hours away." She tried to sound optimistic but her voice broke a bit.

With a sigh, he shook his head softly, they watched as Rip turned and walked away so they could finish their conversation. "Is there anyway I could change your mind?"

"Not this time, daddy." She took his hand, giving him a squeeze. His heart strings were tugged by the word, because after twelve years, he did see her as a daughter and she saw him as a father. "It's something I have to do for my family." She looked around, "I'm sure you understand."

"You have no idea how much I do." He gave her hand an agreeing squeeze before dropping it in the air. "Selfishly, I wish I didn't." He motioned over to Rip with a nod of his head, he was removing the saddle from a horse they had just broken in. "He know?"

"No." She shook her head, embarrassed. "I haven't had it in me to tell him."

"Well." John turned, beginning to step back into the house. "You know what you have to do, honey. Do it fast, you don't have a lot of time."

He left her alone, fighting with herself on the porch. She made eye contact with Rip and it was then she knew that was her last chance. She stepped, descending down the short staircase and crossed her arms as she walked up toward the corra.

She stood before him, her eyes gleaming with sadness. He threw the saddle over the wooden fence, nodding his head as a greeting. "Hey."

"Hey." She replied.

"Haven't seen you around. What's up, darlin'?" He knew from her face something was happening and it wasn't good. Nonetheless, he stepped toward her, pecking her cheek. "Everything all right?"

"Yeah." She nodded, balancing on the heels of her boots. "Actually, no." She sighed, looking down at her worn out boots. "I need to talk to you about something."

He furrowed his eyebrows, confused. "What's the matter?"

"I don't know how to tell you this."

"Just spit it out." He spoke eagerly, growing a bit frustrated.

"I'm leaving." She spoke gently, his confusion grew deeper, his face contorting. "I'm going back to Texas." She looked away from her stare for a second, becoming much more nervous. "Tomorrow."

His mouth parted slightly in disbelief. "What do you mean, Maria?"

"Permanently." She finished finally, he began to shake his head softly.

"What?" He scoffed. "Why?"

"My uncle passed away." She said. "My cousin called me two days ago, said he left my father's ranch to me."

He was at a loss for words as he set his hand on his hip, the other rubbing his eyes stressfully. He continued by shaking his head, taking a few steps to the corral fence. He leaned over it, his hands in front of him. He said nothing, so she did. "I have to."

"What about us?"

She leaned over the corral next to him, dipping her head down. "I'm sorry."

"You have to stay." He stood straight. "I just got you back."

"You won't lose me."

"Maria, if you leave," He sniffed, looking away for a second to put his sentence together. "I can't do this if you leave. I can't."

"I'm sorry." She repeated yet again. "I have to, for my parents."

"Maria." His eyes pricked with tears, taking her hand as she faced him now. "Don't do this."

She took the inside of her bottom lip between her teeth to stop herself from crying. "I'm sorry." She began to shake her head, wrapping her arms around his torso. "I'm so sorry, Rip."

He realized then there was no changing her mind, his shoulders fell as he exhaled a deep breath. When she pulled away, he stepped back, looking into her deep brown eyes. "Me too, Maria."

She watched as he turned and walked away, toward what was once a home they shared.