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"YOU SAID ALL OF THAT?" Doc worries from his seat at the kitchen table, gently resting his fingers around the majority of the coffee mug allowing them to warm up his hands. "And he didn't argue back?" The rain had picked up again making the day that was supposed to be spent having fun, a tiresome bore with everyone cooped up into the house.
"This is the only time where I have ever felt like I had a voice and that it is okay for me to use it and tell my Father how I'm feeling." Florence half smiled as she stared down at the petite pile of dishes that occupied the countertop. "I've never done anything like this before. I'm surprised he's allowed me to ever do such a thing. This isn't me at all."
Doc nodded, "Maybe this will be some sort of a turning point for the both of you. You can make amends and then maybe, just maybe, you'll be allowed to ride into Lincoln on your own. That'll show him that you're able to handle the ranch when he leaves."
"When he's gone, I won't have someone constantly alerting me of all the things I'm doing that they think are wrong." Florence's heart sank. She couldn't believe she just said that about her own father. The one who bathed her, fed her, and protected her all of her life. It felt to her as if she was writing him a death note with the sentence. "I can't believe I just said that." She raised a hand up to her mouth, excusing what just passed through it. "Forget I ever said that."
Doc chuckled while taking a sip from the heated beverage. "You're not wrong though, you've got me there. I bet you that he'll come around to believing in you."
"If he doesn't," Florence sighed, sliding one of the wooden chairs from out beneath the table and sitting down across from Doc, "I've got you boys who believe in me."
"You've got that right." The two hoisted their cups into the air and clinked them together.
The clock was just about striking twelve when Florence decided that it would be best for her to begin lunch considering the facts that there was nothing else to do for the day. Everything had been completed outside before the rainfall and she always kept the inside of the ranch spotless, so her schedule was completely empty.
After Doc shared an afternoon tea with Florence, he decided to head on up to his room and work on some of his poetry and read for awhile. Charley and Steve were always up to no good, joking and laughing hysterically in front of the fire place. Dick had grown tired of their none sense and stormed out the back door and into the barn. Florence could see the clouds of smoke from his cigarette he produced from the kitchen window. Lastly, Chavez found himself seated on the middle step of the staircase leading to everyone's bedrooms.
Florence always made the time to have one-on-one's with the boys in order to get to know them a little better than what she reads about them in the newspapers. She yearned to walk over and engage in conversation instantly, but something was holding her back. She can't figure out a way to properly introduce herself after the passing nights wild rodeo. Her father embarrassed her to the utmost extent, at least she stood up for herself, that's all that mattered to her.
But Chavez? Did he think she did well? Is that something he would have done? Does he even speak enough to even mutter a word she shouted at her father and why did she care so much? She couldn't figure out why.
She rolled her eyes at the thoughts that were sputtering out of control within her mind. She has never had this problem before, so stand up, and go speak to him, she told herself. Florence argued with herself for the longest time. She was worried that she may be coming on to strong too soon, she wouldn't want for him to hate her or anything. After all, she does have to cook for him every single night, so no mattered if he hated her or not, he would have to value her one way or another.
Florence glanced down at her leather boots before beholding a plan to stand up and walk over. What could be the harm?
As she started across the living area and to the staircase located by the grand piano she adored to play, she smiled on her way over. She could make out the tiniest of a smirk that accidentally made their way to his lips before he even had a chance to realize what it was doing without his control.
"Good afternoon, everything going okay?" Florence happily spoke, slipping her hands into her back pockets.
"Everything is fine, yes." Florence hadn't noticed the blade between his fingertips, twirling the knife back and forth, slightly scratching at the wooden floor.
"I wanted to apologize for the other night and my actions. I do not regret anything I said—" She paused herself as he placed the knife down onto the steps, she was worried he would stab it into the floor to stand it up, but he respectfully placed it by his side, something that she would never see Steve do in a million years. "—That dinner was supposed to be for you, for welcoming you to our home, not showing you how disrespectful we can be at times," She twiddled her thumbs and stared down at her feet once more, "I hope you can forgive me."
Chavez nodded in response, "Don't worry, it was not your fault. You didn't mean for anything like that to happen."
"I can assure you that I didn't." Florence smiled as Chavez scooted over to the side of the wall so the lady had a place to sit down beside him. "I just... I don't know what has gotten into him lately... Or me for that matter." She swiftly maneuvered her fingers through her hair to readjust the elastic that held everything together.
The young man's eyebrow raised and he scrunched up his nose, "What do you mean?"
"All of a sudden," She answered, while lowering her hands to her lap, "I have felt like I've had a voice against my father when I never have before. I can speak up for myself, even if I'm looked down upon for doing so."
"That is a powerful feeling," Chavez began, obtaining the knife once more, "Believing in yourself."
Florence's eyes travelled up to where she met his, the two of them meeting each other for the first time. Did she really believe in herself? She couldn't possibly run this ranch on her own without him, she thought, but with the help of her boys, she could do whatever she put her mind to. Florence has one thing that her father never had, a group of people who were willing to do anything they say for them. How could Chavez possibly have muster all of this information in such little time? It is almost as if he already had her all figured out.
"I do believe in myself. That I can handle this ranch," Her lips curled into a bright smile, "that I can handle you boys... and that I can handle going and apologizing to my father."
Chavez admired her as she stood up for her position next to him, "You clearly are the brains of the whole operation, you can handle anything."
Florence couldn't help but gush as she thanked Chavez and ran off to find her father. "I'll be the bigger person, he'll see."
ミ☆ AUTHOR'S NOTE update!! thank goodness, i was worried that i wouldn't get a new chapter up before school starts back up and that the story would get piled under all of the homework i'm going to get along with all the other stories i need to edit and upload.
i'm not ready for school, i really don't want to go back. it absolutely drains me and i hate waking up in the morning.
i'm working on a new chapter now so hopefully i can have this uploaded sooner or later. i hope you enjoyed it!
