He takes in the whole picture—wet boy, wet dog, wet me. He shakes his head once and goes back inside without saying a word.
From the barn, Blaze's voice calls across the gravel. "Cross. You teachin' that boy to swim or to drown?"
I call back, "Both, Blaze. Best to know how to do both."
Blaze laughs and disappears back into the barn.
I take Nash's hand and walk him toward our cabin with Diesel padding along behind us, leaving a wet trail across the gravel.
Once we’re inside, I get Nash into dry clothes and hang the wet ones over the porch rail to dry in the sun.
I even wipe Diesel down with the old beach towel I keep in the mudroom.
Once he’s not soaking wet, I send him out to the back porch to finish drying.
It's been quiet all day since Phantom and Marlena left.
I was on the bunkhouse porch with a coffee when the truck pulled out.
Marlena had Cal on her hip and was crying a little. Not sad crying, the kind of crying women do when they're about to have a major milestone for their children.
Phantom had his hand on the small of her back when he helped her into the passenger seat, but before she got in, she walked over to me.
She crossed the gravel with Cal still on her hip and she stopped on the porch in front of me and put her free hand on my cheek. "You take care of Rogue while we're gone, sweetheart."
Like I wouldn’t? "I will."
"He doesn't know how to ask for what he needs. He just needs it. You watch him long enough, you’ll learn."
"I’ll manage, Marlena."
She hugged me with Cal between us. Texas-grandmother style, fast and fierce. Then she walked back across the gravel, climbed into the cab, and Phantom shut her door.
He nodded at me from across the gravel.
I nodded back.
Marlena waved, then they were gone.
The ranch has been different ever since.
Not in a bad way, just unusual.
It’s odd when the Prez and the First Lady aren’t here.
Grace said something this morning when she stopped by for coffee.
She said her mama used to say Daddy being on the ranch was like a generator running. You only notice it when it's off.
I didn't know what she meant until I looked out the kitchen window sometime around the middle of the day and saw the brothers crossing the gravel toward the clubhouse for church.
Blaze in the lead instead of Phantom.
Every brother on the ranch is carrying a piece of what Phantom usually carries alone.
Rogue is carrying the heaviest piece.
I haven't seen him since breakfast. He sat at the head of the bunkhouse table this morning but was quieter than usual.
