A Ranch to Call Home

Caleb grabbed Midnight’s reins and wrapped them around his saddle horn, then pulled Kaye from her saddle and settled her in front of him. He took off her cowboy hat and folded her close to his chest.

Her body shook as if she were on a Tilt-a-Whirl at the state fair. He rested his chin on her head and rubbed his hand over her back. The world around them disappeared while Caleb held this brave woman, who was seeing another world, living through a different storm.

He could only guess at the horror she saw, but he knew she’d endured a lot in the hospitals she’d been in. He experienced nightmares about the accident that had just happened with the rider who was hurt, but his nightmares were nowhere in the realm of hers.

Midnight danced, but Razor stood rock steady underneath him. Midnight calmed.

Caleb started praying. He might not know what she saw, but God did.

The storm raged around them, cutting them off from the world. The leaves shook, but only a few drops worked their way down Caleb’s back. As he prayed, Caleb felt a deep connection to this woman—one he’d never experienced before. He didn’t quite understand the feeling, but he recognized a wounded soul when he saw one.

He lost track of how much time passed, but the lack of sound finally caught his attention. The rain stopped as suddenly as it began.

Kaye’s body relaxed and she melted into him. He continued to hold her, lightly rubbing her back. After a moment, she stirred and looked up at him.

Slowly she became aware of where she sat. She didn’t cry or accuse but quietly waited for an explanation.

“You seemed a bit— Uh, Midnight panicked and—”

She looked down at her hands. “Thanks.”

No further explanation was needed.

He wanted to ask her what she was reliving, but from her closed expression, he knew she didn’t want to talk.

“I think I can ride by myself.” She refused to look up.

“So how do you want to do this? You want to try to slip your leg over Midnight’s back, or do you want to mount from the ground?”

She eyed the maneuver she would have to make to slip onto Midnight’s back from his horse. “I think maybe let me mount from the ground.”

He gently set her on her feet, handed back her hat then unwrapped her mount’s reins from around his saddle horn. She slapped the hat on and looked around—he guessed for a rock that she could mount from.

He dismounted and cupped his hands so she could use them for a boost up.

“Thanks.”

She stepped into his hands and he lifted her over her horse’s back. Her neck turned red.

He remounted his horse and they started toward the house. They didn’t talk as they rode, but as they topped the next-to-last rise before the ranch house, the sight and smell of smoke filled the sky.

Kaye stopped. Caleb stopped beside her.

“The house and barn are in that direction.” She glanced at him.

“There were several lightning strikes close to us. Maybe one of the trees or some grass burned.” At least he hoped that was all it was.

They kicked their mounts into a run. As they topped the last rise, their worst fears were confirmed. The back porch of the house was on fire. Joel and her grandfather fought the flames.

Riding down the hill, they galloped to the barn. Joel stood outside with the hose, and Gramps held a bucket. Caleb raced to the back of the house and dismounted on a run. He took the bucket from the old man and ran to the outside trough and filled it. He threw the bucket on the edge of the porch. Kaye went inside and grabbed the broom and started to beat the two-by-fours anchoring the screens.

They worked for several more minutes at fighting the fire until they had it out. Finally, Joel stepped back and held the hose at his side. “I think we’ve got it. Anyone see any smoldering spots?”

“Looks like it’s out,” Caleb said.

Gramps stumbled to the singed picnic table and sat. Caleb set the bucket down. He collapsed next to Gramps on the bench as Joel turned off the hose.

Opening the screen door, Kaye joined the others. Part of the porch’s roof was blackened.

“What happened?” she asked.

“I was riding in when I saw the bolt of lightning hit the porch. I vaulted off my horse and ran to the hose and started fighting the flames. Gramps came out the back door and tried to help, but—”

“I was sitting in my chair asleep when a loud crack woke me. What that tractor didn’t do, the boom nearly did.”

They looked at the smoldering roof of the porch.

“It could’ve been worse,” Caleb said. His words were punctuated by the roof crumbling onto the porch.

Silence settled until a choked laugh escaped Kaye. She looked around, guilt flushing her cheeks.

Joel shook his head. Caleb fought his smile while Gramps just shook his head and walked back inside.

Caleb thought about what Joel said. “Did you see the lightning actually strike the house?”

Under the soot on his face, Joel frowned. “I did. Why?”

“Horsefeathers.” Gramps’s comment drifted through the screened back door.

Caleb rubbed the back of his neck. “Because if there was a direct strike, it probably fried all the electronics in the house.”

Kaye sat down next to Caleb. “What else could go wrong?”

“Do you really want to know?”

She shook her head. “No.”

But when it rained, it poured. And it was raining hard.

Chapter Four

Kaye pulled the marshmallow out of the fireplace and placed it onto a graham cracker. She topped it with a square of chocolate and a second graham cracker, and handed it to her grandfather. “This reminds me of the first time you took Joel and me on a campout.”

Gramps accepted the treat and tried to take a bite but lost hold of the s’more. It plopped in his lap. He glanced at Kaye. “Nothing’s going right today.”

Kaye quickly picked up the s’more and put it on a plate. “I’ll make you another.”

Gramps shook his head. “Nope, just give me back that mess. I’ll finish it.”