Gray Wolf Ranch

Chapter 35 - Memories

HURITT

The scent of burnt coffee wakes me up. As I look around, I find Istu still asleep, Kitchi checking on the horses and Rowtag getting water by the river.

"Did you put the coffee in without the cloth filter?"

"Of course not, I know how to make camping coffee," Rowtag says as he walks back. "What you smell is your crappy pot. It's ancient!"

"Don't you dare insult it. It's a reliable tool," I stand up and stretch.

I slept well and don't remember any dreams. My mind and my heart felt lighter after the events of the previous afternoon; only my mouth still throbs from the punch I got from Kit.

"Do you want an egg?" Rowtag asks while putting a pan with water on the fire.

"Not if you are making them. I rather have a dry cracker."

"I can boil a damn egg. I'm not that useless in the kitchen," he takes eggs out of a covered bowl.

"You fed me under cooked rice and frozen meatballs once!"

Rowtag stares at me and then laughs hard. Istu turns around and pulls a blanket over his head.

"In my defense, I was only 14. Olivia has been teaching me some basic cooking skills. I haven't messed any eggs so far."

"Okay, I'll have one. About yesterday... Again, I'm really sorry for the punch I gave you," I say while adding boiling water to the coffee pot.

"We'll have to make up some heroic stories on how we got hurt."

"Our women are smart. We'll get the questions anyway," I touch my mouth carefully. "Kit is a menace when he is pissed. We must promise we won't keep any more secrets, or punch each other."

"I should have told you a long time ago, but didn't know how to do it without hurting you."

"There was no way to soften that blow. Row, who was our biological mother?"

"I don't know much about her. According to Grandma, Dad loved her a lot. Karen had his eye on him already as they worked together and when our mother died, she took her chance while he was mourning."

"Why doesn't it surprise me? Have you seen photos of her?"

"Just one. I look a lot like her," Rowtag serves us coffee in two metal cups.

"I would have loved to meet her."

"Me as well. Morning, Kit," Rowtag says to my brother as he joins us.

"Morning. I have saddled the horses already so we can pack after breakfast."

Istu looks groggy after waking up and pats around him for his glasses.

"Here," Rowtag holds his hand and places the glasses on it. "Almost stepped on them this morning."

"Thanks. I should get me a second pair, seems I like living in the blind edge," he jokes.

"There's probably a bunch of ladies interested in what we have been up to. Prepare to relay a play-by-play."

We spend our breakfast time teasing each other about our new relationships. It feels like old times.

After an uneventful trip back, we arrive at the stables where Ben receives us. Kitchi stays behind to deal with the horses and the rest of us bring the camping stuff to the storage shed.

Melanie, one of the front desk girls, approaches us as we come inside.

"Good morning, Rowtag. I'm having problems to log into the reservation system. Clicking does nothing. I restarted it already and still doesn't do anything."