Chapter Text
The phone call had been unexpected for John Dutton. Any call from Rainwater was usually a sign of rising tensions and some new move of their ongoing chess game over land.
This time he was simply acting as a messenger. His driver, Mo Brings Plenty wanted to meet with his newest hire, Edith Laskey. Mo wanted her to come to the reservation that afternoon for a personal matter and no amount of digging John’s heels in would get Rainwater to share the details.
He hung up, brisk on the edge of rude and left his office to find his newest ranch hand. He had to admit to himself that he liked Ed. She was a hard worker who thought things through, would stand up for herself but bend to the situation as needed. Where his own daughter would dig her heels in on an issue because of her combative nature, Ed was strategic. He also liked that she was comfortable in her place that she didn’t mind joking with him a bit but that might be from a paternal instinct of his. None of his children had engaged with him like that since their teens, the trials of growing up and loss removing an easy sense of humor.
That didn’t mean he was comfortable having connections to the reservation considering Thomas Rainwater was getting chummy with Jenkins.
John found Ed in the barn untacking one of their mares. She was attentive, quickly removing the tack then running her hands over the back and legs, checking each hoof, before taking a curry comb and brushing down the animal and returning her to her stall.
“What can I do for you, sir?” Ed asked.
“There’s no sneaking up on you, is there?” John asked.
Ed snorted as she refreshed the mare’s water and then lugged the tack into the tack room where it was out of the way.
“I wouldn’t have been very good at my previous job if you could,” she reasoned.
“I got a rather interested phone call just now.”
“Oh?”
“From Chef Rainwater. A Mo wants to meet with you this afternoon. About a personal matter.”
Edith didn’t say anything as she looked past his shoulder.
“Mo’s been looking after my horse for me.”
“You have a lot of connection to the res?” John asked suspiciously.
“No. Our paths have crossed but we don’t have strong ties and I am aware that I have no place in their business or on their land. Would it be alright if I clean up and head over now?” Ed asked.
“Go for it, Rip and I will accompany you.”
“That’s not necessary sir,” said Edith.
“It’s not an offer, Ed. I trust Rainwater about as far as I can spit right now.” Edith nodded in understanding.
“Alright, give me 10 minutes and I’ll meet you in front of the lodge,” she said and she walked passed him to the bunk house.
Ed was sitting in the back of one of the ranch’s trucks with Rip and John up front. A short horse trailer with basic tack was hitched up. She may have only spoken a handful of words to Mo Brings Plenty before but she had taken off her jeans to give them a strong shake before putting them back on in an attempt to rid them of some dust. She switched out her sweaty long sleeve for a lightweight black muscle shirt and a loose white button up shirt in an effort to look a bit for presentable.
The truck was quiet as the truck pulled into a open area just down the road into the reservation. Mo and Chief Rainwater were already waiting for them. Behind them was the chief’s SUV and a similar horse trailer hitched to it.
She slipped out once the car had stopped and walked over.
“Welcome to the Broken Rock land Ms. Laskey,” said an older man in a sharp suit and dark sunglasses. “I am Chief Thomas Rainwater, it is a pleasure to meet you.”
“You as well sir. Thank you for the invitation this afternoon on this occasion. And please, call me Ed.” Ed turned to the quiet man behind him.
“Mo, it’s good to see you again,” she said as respectfully as she could.
“You as well. Come, there’s someone who would like to see you,” Mo gestured for her to follow and walked towards the trailer.
John and Rip and joined them behind her and stood next to Chief Rainwater.
“Dutton.”
"Rainwater.”
The chief looked at Rip who gave the slightest nod.
“Quite the interesting character you’ve added to your collection,” said Thomas.
“She certainly is. How well do you know her,?” ask John.
“Only from what knowledge has been shared by Mo. This is the first time I have met her and certainly the first time she’s been on our land.”
They watched in silence as Mo and Edith rounded the trailer and emerged with a tall, sturdy male buckskin Quarab. John and Rip with their knowledge could tell the horse wasn’t a pure blood, the faintest gradients to its coat demonstrating a cross breed but it had excellent structure and a smooth gait.
Ed stroked the length of its forehead as it snuffled around her shoulders and neck, Mo’s words lost due to distance as he stroked the animal. She nodded and met his gaze, saying something back before Mo leaned forward and pressed his lips to her forehead. After a pause he walked around her and stood on the far side of the SUV, within eyesight but clearly maintaining a sense of privacy.
“Do you know about her nephew?” Thomas asked quietly.
“Yes, she mentioned him not long after she started working for me. I believe Tate reminded her of him,” admitted John.
“Mo’s son was his father. He died over 10 years ago in a road accident. And then his grandson,” said Thomas. Chief Rainwater turned to John.
“We on this land will never speak of her actions. But the land knows and it is grateful.” Chief Rainwater nodded and walked towards his vehicle.
Edith’s eyes began to prickle when she saw him.
She’d bought him from a livestock auction on one of her larger gaps between deployments about 6 years ago. He’d been cheap despite his excellent form and health due to his attitude. There had been a fair amount of skepticism on her choice but she’d had nothing but faith.
It had been his trust that someone had taken. She’d seen the faint scars on his sides where someone had used their spurns with little regard for the animal’s wellbeing. It had taken her weeks of gentle talking, open space, and patience for him to open up. The gelding’s owner had renamed him Trouble when his attitude started showing, calling him nothing but.
Ed had built up trust and then retrained him. She’d show her boots to the horse before mounting so he could see there were no spurs. She never used a whip and was more than happy to release the reins and give him his head in open fields. He may have been trouble in the past, but he was as true as the wind and just as light on his hooves.
Mo untied his lead rope from the trailer hook and she took it, leading him out into the field.
“Thank you for giving such care to my friend,” said Ed.
“It is because you think of him as a friend that I did so. He is a beautiful creature and I am glad that he has a rider who respects him so. Though I must say, he’s certainly earned his name. I do believe many of the young men on the reservation have tempered their egos trying to befriend this horse,” he said.
Edith huffed out a quiet laugh. “I’m sorry, I should have warned you better.”
Mo shook his ruefully and stroked a hand down the horse’s neck for a moment.
“Beautiful but sad. Just as you are sad.”
“I think the ground under my feet and the sun on my face is helping with that. And his company will help. He’s all that is left here of my family now,” Ed murmured.
“It will take time but it will happen. Keep the memories close to you and let the hurt go. It’s behind you now,” said Mo. He tilted his hat back slowly and leaned forward to gently press his lips against her brow.
“Thank you,” he said quietly.
She looked up at him and they shared a look of pained acceptance.
Mo dipped his hat and walked away.
Edith stepped forward into Trouble and the gelding’s forehead pressed to hers as they reassured themselves of each other’s company. She ran steady hands down each side of his neck feeling his pulse under his smooth coat. The horse lifted his head slightly, taking a step into her embrace and lowering his chin against her back.
They remembered that day together. It had been almost cruel how beautiful the world had been when she found Wyatt while on horseback. Neither she or her companion had been immune to the grief and the few months following hadn’t been nearly enough time together for them to heal.
Stepping back, she undid his bridle and placed it inside Mo’s trailer before closing and latching the gate. It was a new chapter for them both. A new ranch, new fields, and she wouldn’t being leaving for long periods of time anymore. With a click of her tongue to the steady animal, she walked back over to her employers. Part of training Trouble again had been the use of verbal or audible ques, mostly so she could pin the reins out of the way and ride hands free. It had the advantage of her rarely needing to bridle him for a lead rope.
Trouble had quickly learned there was no punishment for trying to run off and no where he wanted to go on his own.
Rip and John were waiting patiently at the truck when she returned.
“Sirs, I’d like you to meet a very good friend of mine. This here is Trouble, best damn horse I’ve ever ridden,” she gave him an affectionate pat.
“Trouble hunh? He’ll be fun to add to the barn,” mused John.
“What’d he do to earn a name like that?” asked Rip, his voice a little soft as he reached out a hand for the horse to inspect.
Edith quickly grabbed his outstretched hand and pulled it to the side a moment before Trouble’s teeth got to the same spot.
“He’s a biter sir,” she said apologetically.
Rip and John looked at her then at her horse who pulled his head back and raised his lip in what could only be an equine expression of laughter.
“Oh for fuck’s sake,” said John.