The Heart Grows Fonder

Chapter Seven

"Glad to have you back, Rick." Caleb said "It feels good to be back, Caleb. If it weren't for Elizabeth, I probably would have bled to death from that gunshot wound." Rick said "Rick, I'm so glad that you're alright." I said tightly wrapping my arms around him "Ow, easy." Rick said "Right. I'm sorry. I forgot you're still a little tender." I said pulling back slowly "It's fine. I'm sorry." Rick said, walking up to me, putting his broad muscular arm over my shoulders "Well, well. Look who's out of intensive care. Our sexy little ranch hand." Serena said, knocking me off the bench "Serena, where's Jessie? Did you leave her alone again?" I asked, brushing the dirt off my shoulders "She's fine, Lizzie. She's playing over by the river." Serena said "Dad's gonna be angry, he told you to keep an eye on her." I said running over toward the river "So, you and I are finally alone. What do you say we go fool around in the barn?" Serena asked, seductively unbuttoning Rick's shirt rubbing up and down the front of his torso "Whoa, Serena. I'm not interested, besides, you could end up hurting Elizabeth." Rick said gently shoving Serena to the side "She doesn't have to know... Come on, Rick." Serena said, grabbing Rick by his shirt "Stop. It's not gonna happen, Serena. I love your sister and I won't do anything to hurt her." Rick said, taking Serena's wrists, pulling her off his shirt. "Jessie? Jessie, are you out here?" I called "Elizabeth? I'm stuck." Jessie said straining "Don't move. I'll be right there." I said "Serena, what the hell are you doing? Elizabeth would kill you if she saw what you were doing." Alice said "He is gorgeous, and Elizabeth is plain. Plain and gorgeous don't mix, Alice." Serena said "Elizabeth is naturally pretty. In fact, we're all pretty, you're just a pretty face with an ugly personality. You hate our five-year-old sister because of what happened to Mom. It wasn't Jessie's fault, Serena. A lot of mothers die after childbirth." Alice said "Wake up, Alice. She died after having the sixth child, if Daddy hadn't gotten her pregnant with Jessie, she would still be here." Serena said "She also got sick when she was having Jessie, her heart gave out after she was born." Alice said "Elizabeth.." Jessie said "Jessie, I'm gonna have to tear your dress to get you unstuck." I said, tearing at the skirt of Jessie's dress, pulling her out "Thanks, Elizabeth." Jessie said "I'll fix your dress tonight." I said taking her back to the ranch "Serena, where's Jessie?" Caleb asked "I can explain that, Daddy. You see, I was--" Serena said "I've got her, Daddy." I said calling from over the hill "You were supposed to be watching her, Serena. I'm disappointed in you." Caleb said "Serena's finally getting what she deserves, Jessie." I said lifting her up "Why doesn't she like me?" Jessie asked "Because she was used to being "Daddy's cute little girl" before you were born, and she got jealous because you replaced her as Daddy's cutest little girl." I said "I thought it was because of Mommy dying after I was born, she called me a killer baby." Jessie said "Oh, she did, did she? We should tell Daddy that this isn't the only mean thing Serena's done to you. Dad, can we have a word alone with you for a minute?" I asked "I always have time for my girls. The nerve of Serena leaving Jessie on her own. I'm so angry, I don't know what to think." Caleb said "It wasn't the first mean thing that Serena's done to Jessie; there was Serena calling her a brat, blaming Jessie for Mom's death, calling her a murderer and picking on her, making her feel bad until she cries herself to sleep at night, so when that happens, I sit with her until she calms down. Mary Beth, Danielle, Alice and I are the only friends she has." I said "Thank you for telling me, Elizabeth. Go and play with your big sister, Jessie." Caleb said "Come on." I said taking her hand "Let's see if I can fix that tear for you." I said leading her inside "Jessie, are you okay?" Rick asked "She's fine, Rick. Serena's been given her just desserts. So she'll think twice about picking on Jessie." I said "Elizabeth, I should probably tell you that when you went to find Jessie, Serena was making a pass at me. I had to shove her away." Rick said "Rick, I love Serena, but I hate who she's become since Jessie was born." I said, wrapping my arms around him after I had finished mending Jessie's dress 'Serena had come into the barn the next morning, where I had waited...'

~End of Chapter Seven~