For Once In My Life (Stevens Book 2)

Chapter 7

The next day at breakfast, Lizzy and Elizabeth greeted her as they always did. The men were suspiciously absent. They did not refer to her husband or her past, as they spent the morning talking about nothing particular while Dana worked on the program for Quinn.  She had a driving urge to get it finished quickly.

She was steadily working when both Lizzy and Elizabeth appeared before her.

"It's time," Lizzy said seriously.

Dana looked up confused. "Time for what?"

The ladies looked at each other and grinned. Lizzy's beautiful blond hair was pulled back in a ponytail, and she was wearing old jeans, cowboy boots, and a flannel shirt.  Elizabeth was dressed similarly except, instead of flannel she was wearing a chambray shirt.

"We are going to teach you how to shoot," Elizabeth said moving towards her, grabbing her arm and pulling her up from her seat.

"Shoot?"

"Yep, what's your preference, a pistol or a shotgun? We even have a rifle." Lizzy took her other arm, and the marched her out the back door.

"I've never even held a gun," Dana objected.

"Well, you've got to start somewhere, and as soon as you're proficient, we'll get you your license and buy you your own gun."

"Our treat," Lizzy agreed with her mother.

Dana shook her head. This was their answer.  These women had just learned about her past, and instead of saying poor girl, they were going to teach her how to shoot a gun and then buy her one.

"What did Bryce tell you?" She had to know how much they knew.

"Not much, just that you had an abusive husband, who you were in the process of divorcing, and that you were afraid that he would find you." Lizzy led the way to a clearing that had been set-up with bales of hay and targets.

"There's so much more than that." Dana looked from one to the other. Should she tell them?

"Sweetie, it doesn't matter, the past is past, and now we have to prepare for the future." Elizabeth put her arm around her and held her close for a minute just as a real mother would.

"With firepower," Lizzy said picking up a gun with a grin.

Elizabeth handed her some ear plugs. "Quinn will have to teach you the rifle if you want to learn how to shoot one. All of the men can handle one, but Quinn was always the better shot."

Dana's heart contracted when she heard Quinn's name.

Lizzy gave her the shotgun first, teaching her how to hold it. "Now, the good thing about a shotgun is you don't have to have good aim.  You have to shoot in the general direction of what you are aiming at."

Dana held it to the crook of her shoulder aiming at the hay bale. When she squeezed the trigger, she practically fell backward from the recoil.

She started laughing it was the first time she felt like there was hope.

"Here this one is my baby," Lizzy said handing her a 9mm. "I prefer a semi-automatic, but Mom prefers a revolver."

Dana took the gun carefully, and Lizzy showed her how it operated then let her try it. Next was the revolver. She had better aim with the semi-automatic.

They heard a sharp whistle behind them, and they turned putting the guns down. Quinn was approaching them along with Caleb, and both were on horseback.

"What on earth are you three doing?" Caleb asked in an amused voice.

"We're teaching Dana about guns and showing her how to shoot one." Lizzy grinned.