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Even Rose

Closing the door, he crossed the hall to get ready for bed

The rooster in the chicken yard woke Rose at dawn Barefoot and dressed in her ragged flannel nightshirt, she pattered out onto the front porch of the duplex In the east, the unrisen sun streaked the clouds with a blush of fiery pink An early meadowlark called from the lower pasture

The h toherself into the day after a night of hellish dreams that had seemed all too real

The night new Sorinning down at her Other times it was Ha his body, or her grandfather staggering into the cabin, barely alive Last night’s dreams had been a kaleidoscope of rateful to be awake and happy that it was al

Jasper’s truck was already gone She kneithout looking beyond the house, that Bull’s truck would be gone, too The roundup started at first light And after last night’s clash, it wasn’t surprising that Bull would want to etaway

She would give him a day or two to think about the land before she cornered hiain There was always the hope that he’d cooing to need a backup plan

Would Ferg Prescott be part of that plan? He had offered to help her with anything she needed She didn’t trust Ferg, but if his offer included access to legal help, she couldn’t afford to walk away—not if Bull left her with no other option

The lights were on in the kitchen The aro breeze Rose had planned to clean her new truck today, but it wouldn’t hurt to pitch in and offer Bernice so her keep

She took ti-sleeved shirt The ribbon she’d used to tie back her hair was iven her the ribbon to wear on her sixteenth birthday That aside, having her hair loose was a nuisance while she orking She would have to make do without it today, or th of twine in the house

By the ti up Behind the house, she stopped to watch the chickens, scratching and pecking for grain in their fenced yard There were about fifteen of the her of the birds she’d loved and nurtured as a girl, living on her land with her grandfather She’d had other chickens in Mexico, and goats, too She loved goats, with their wise faces and ot her land fenced, she could have chickens and goats again

She entered the kitchen through the back door Bull’s two sons were sitting at the table, wolfing down bacon, eggs, and pancakes swi in maple syrup

“Pour yourself a cup and help yourself, honey” Bernice gave her a smile “You’re just in time”

“Thanks I’ with coffee, took an eht back memories of the old days, when she’d made breakfast for Jasper and Bull and any hired hands that showed up The fixtures and appliances were new, but the cozy warood food were the same

Bull’s sons studied her with curious eyes She’d ht she arrived here, but only for a one off to finish their ho to school today?” she asked,conversation