March 30, 1997
"You know, she's not gonna stop bugging you until you let her help," Evelyn laughed as she watched her youngest daughter slump down the stairs. Spencer had been begging John for days to let her help with the cattle branding, claiming she was big enough this year to help.
"She's gonna get hurt," John chided to his wife as he buttoned his flannel. "She should just go riding with you today."
Evelyn shook her head at her husband. "We got a real cowgirl on our hands, John. You'll need as many of those as you can get around here."
John huffed as he turned from his wife walking to the balcony overlooking the living room. His children, in all their stages of growing up, were not a group of ranchers. They all seemed to have bigger dreams waiting to be discovered just under the surface. But Spencer? Well his Tiny knew exactly what she wanted from the moment she rode her first horse.
"I suppose you're right," John laughed as he felt Evelyn walk up to him from behind. He gave her a kiss on the forehead before walking down stairs to tell his bubbly seven year old the good news.
"Tiny!"
Spencer's head poked up from the table, having laid it down in sad dramatics when she sat for breakfast. She sluggishly made her way over to her father when he motioned, really laying into her emotions. John rumbled with laughter as he pushed the fiery red hair that matched his youngest's personality from her face to look her in the eye.
"You can help me today, but you have to do everything exactly as I say, alright?"
Spencer bobbed her head up and down excitedly. "I will Daddy, I promise. I'll be the best rancher you ever see!"
She squealed as she hugged her father, running back to the table to finish her breakfast and head outside. Jamie, however, seemed less than thrilled with one of his kid sisters helping out.
"You're just gonna get in the way, Tiny."
Spencer stared at her brother, "Jamie you don't even like helping! Somebody's gotta pick up your slack! Besides, you look like a cow anyway!"
The rest of the children snickered to themselves as Spencer smiled smugly and Jamie looked ready to throttle her. He went to speak but a scathing look from his mother held him back.
True to her word, Spencer did everything her father told her to, even as he saw her starting to get tired. Being as light as she was, she certainly had to put a lot more effort into holding down the calves. But John had to admit she was outworking her older brothers. A feeling of unease crept up his spine, though, and he looked up in the distance, seeing two horses with no riders. Without even thinking John took off in their direction, worry radiating through him when he couldn't find Evelyn or Kayce nearby.
The day drew to a standstill, John and Lee riding out to find Beth, Evelyn, and Kayce on the ranch with the rest of the workers. Jamie had been forced to stay behind to watch Spencer, much to his dismay. He would rather be looking for his mother, not watching his sister color.
"Jamie, look!" Spencer smiled at her older brother, holding up her picture of the family she had drawn. Jamie lost it.
"This is all your fault! I should be out there helping, not sitting around with you! If you had just gone with mom, none of this would have happened Spencer," he yelled, although guilt filled his chest immediately as Spencer began to cry.
Jamie tried to console her, make up for his actions, but she ran to her room before he could. Spencer could hear him banging on the door, but the only thing she could do was cry herself to sleep, hoping her mom would be home soon.
-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --
Spencer woke up, the feeling of sadness already lingering in the air. She knew what day it was, and by the sight of the blacked out SUV in the driveway, she knew her father remembered too. A knock sounded on Spencer's door, and she wasn't surprised to see Beth when it opened. The Dutton women hadn't spoken since Beth had come home drunk and freaked out on Spencer, but it wasn't the day to hash out those details.
"Water's hot," was all Beth said as she pulled her robe a little tighter. This... This was the one thing Spencer could give her sister. Give to herself. No amount of therapy, professional or otherwise, could help them today. So Spencer could push aside her residual anger at the blonde for today. And so she stripped down, wrapping her own robe around herself.
"What the fuck are you two doing?" Jamie asked from the kitchen, watching the pair walk out to the yard, a bottle of champagne in each hand. The girls had heard him follow, but they sure as hell weren't about to listen.
"I'd turn around Jamie, I don't think either of us wants to explain why we don't have the same peepee," Beth bluntly warned her brother as Spencer opened up two of the bottles. She didn't wait, however, dropping her robe and stepping into the trough while her siblings bickered. At some point Beth settled in across from her sister.
"God, I knew you two were fucking crazy," Jamie whispered under his breath. "Look, I get it, it's your cry for help. Just get out of the damn trough!"
Spencer looked up at her older brother, a hand shielding her eyes from the sun to focus on the idiot.
"You know what today is, dipshit?"
"It's Thursday."
Beth snorted, "You are so wrong."
"I'm the only one with a calendar here!" Jamie started to argue back.
"It's the day our mother died," Spencer cut him off, "So unless you plan on joining us I'd walk the fuck away Jamie."
Jamie paused, mouth gaping like a fish for a moment before walking away. The girls sat for a moment, wallowing for their mother but celebrating the victory. Lynelle walked out, smiling and waving to Spencer as she approached. The woman stopped short at the shake of Spencer's head, realizing it may not be the best time to deal with the volatile sisters. Spencer usually had no problem with the women, but not today.
Although, it seemed the girls wouldn't be getting any peace today. Rip was riding back in from the fields with Jimmy, having already heard of the commotion Beth and Spencer were causing.
"The fuck you want?" Beth asked someone behind Spencer, the redhead not bothering to turn and look. She had an idea who it was.
"You need to get in the house, the both of you," Rip stated, knowing better than to force the two women to do anything.
Beth laughed, throwing her head back as she gulped down champagne.
"Not today Rip," Spencer whispered as she set a hardened look to him.
"Wasn't a question, Spencer, let's go,"Rip turned to Spencer, knowing if she went Beth would most likely follow. "I'm the only thing you can't out wrestle here sweetheart."
"I'd put my money on her any day," Beth jabbed back, "While you two eye fuck each other, I'm gonna somebody else to make suffer."
Beth stood, pushing away the jacket Rip had extended to her as she walked back to the house stark naked. She looked back, scoffing as both Rip and Spencer continued to stare one another down. Spencer popped an eyebrow, sliding further into the trough when Rip turned his jacket toward her.
"Have it your way Darlin'," he sighed as he sat on the ground in front of the trough, leaning back against it. "I got all day."
Spencer nodded, closing her eyes as she leaned further into the trough.
-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --
Spencer heard Sawyer before she saw her. Granted, she was sure half the fucking ranch heard the blonde as she came up the driveway to find Spencer naked in a water trough a few hours later.
"If I didn't have my makeup done I would totally hop in with you," Sawyer laughed as she walked up to her friend. "But also hurt I didn't get the invite, although I'll let it slide today because it's today."
Spencer peeked one eye open to her friend, groaning internally when she remembered it was Thursday and she actually couldn't get heavily plastered.
"Sawyer what the fuck are you wearing?"
The blonde stopped her rant, looking down to her outfit. "What's wrong with my outfit?"
Spencer stared at her friend. "Bitch, you look like a back up dancer for Hannah Montana."
Sawyer frowned at her friend, snatching the champagne bottle from her friend and gulping some down.
"That's not what Ryan was saying a few minutes ago," Sawyer winked, making Spencer fake hurl at her. "Get up, we're gonna be late."
Spencer groaned, standing up from the water. She took the robe from Sawyer, following her inside as the blonde greeted all of Spencer's family. The pair had been working together for less than a month but the Dutton's already knew Sawyer was an extension of the family at that point.
Sawyer had shooed Spencer to the shower, promising to pick her an outfit and get everything set so they could actually leave on time. Spencer grumbled under her breath, but listened to the punchy blonde.
"Sawyer no," Spencer shook her head as she looked at what Sawyer had picked out.
"We don't have time for you to get to argue. I know, I'm an evil genius!"
Spencer looked at the set warily. It had been something she had bought on a whim when she was drunk once, and now it seemed to be biting her in the ass. Sawyer stared at the girl expectantly, making her groan.
"Fine."
"Great!"
The pair were out the door a little while later, Sawyer slamming on the gas once they were clear of the driveway. As a result of the blonde's very reckless driving, they arrived at Paradise Valley with a few minutes to spare. Spencer sent a guilty smile to Roseanne as they hustled in, the woman only rolling her eyes at the girls.
Spencer and Sawyer had become quite the hit at the lounge. Between the music, their outfits, and their looks, the girls drew quite the crowd of transplants. Murmurs of relief that the singers had arrived floated throughout the air as they set up their mic stands and guitars.
"Apologies for the late arrival folks," Spencer spoke into her microphone as she waited for Sawyer. "The ranch life really sneaks up an ya sometimes. But we'll make it up to y'all with some originals to start with, how does that sound?"
Spencer's suggestion was met with cheers and claps of approval, prompting both girls to laugh.
"Well then let's get this show started!" Sawyer called out, strumming into the first song.
~Another Man's Jeans, Ashe (Sawyer's song vibes)~
~America's Sweetheart, Elle King (Spencer's song vibes)~
The guests began to dwindle away late in the evening, prompting Roseanne to nod to the girls, letting them pack up. Just as they were about to leave, however, Spencer stopped, an idea forming. She turned back toward the bar, walking straight up to Dan Jenkins.
"Sir," she nodded as she approached.
"What can I do for you Spencer?"
"Well, I was just thinking, we don't really do rodeos or anything in town here. But we do love a line dance. I was thinking maybe we could put one up here? Get the folks from town here, and bring some of Montana's charm to the club."
Dan paused, looking at the girl in shock for a moment, remembering the conversation he had with John Dutton just a few days prior. "What would that entail Ms. Hope?"
"Well Spence and I are gonna be playing down in town on Saturday, sir." Sawyer tagged in, "And dancin'. You should stop by! Get an idea of what everything would look like."
Dan nodded, smiling to the girls. "Alright I will, I'll see you Saturday."
Spencer and Sawyer thanked him, turning back to walk out the door. They shared a devious look as they sat in Sawyer's car. A perfect distraction to get some of their boys in, cause a ruckus, and maybe get into Dan's office finally. And shit, everyone loved a good night of line dancing.