Breakfast

Clint gives Wendy a silly grin, allowing her into the mess hall. As they enter and Wes hurls the amusing warning in his direction, he jumps to the side in an astonished movement. He grabs a plastic fork from the table and assumes a sword fighting stance, aiming at a group of chairs. “Back! Back I say! Or I shall cut you to ribbons! You are no match for me. Ha!” He leaps forward, taking a stab in the air with the fork. “Take that! And that!” Satisfied with his attack, he twirls his weapon and returns it to an imaginary sheath at his side. Bowing to Wendy, he ushers her towards the table. “The way is clear, melady.”

Becky sticks her head out of the kitchen and rolls her eyes. “What’s gotten into that boy?”

Rosalynn giggles from her place at the kitchen counter as she pours a cup of coffee. “I haven’t seen him this wound up since we were in grade school.”


Cindy walks slowly to the mess hall, taking her time as she looks up at the clear morning sky. She’d woken up in prayer today, her only wish to see Jason safe again. Despite the knowledge that he had been seen, worry was still on her mind, and she would feel much better when her son was back.
She opens the front door of the mess hall just in time to hear Wes call to Clint about the chairs. She looks at him in surprise, a wry grin spreading across her face as she shakes her head.

Austin takes route to the ranch, with Con directly behind him. Sleep hadn’t come easy the night before, and today he was anxious for Jason and Katie to get back. He’d gone over a million times, it seemed, what he was going to say to his grandson. He’d get his point across if it killed him, and that would be the end of these shenanigans.


Jason directs Katie across town to a little family-owned restaurant, where few have gathered yet this early. A bell jingles as they enter through the door, and a heavy, middle-aged woman comes out of the kitchen to greet them. Her eyes widen as she sees them, a genuine smile spreading across her round face. “Well I’ll be. Hotshot! We thought you dropped off the face of the earth, and from the looks of it, you did!”

Jason chuckles and nods to the woman. “Hi, Mrs. Owens.”

She comes forward, furrowing her brow in sympathy at Jason’s scarred face and his crutches. “You poor thing, what happened?”

“Oh, just got in a little scrape.”

“Uh-huh. That means it’s one of those ‘if I told you, I’d have to kill you’ instances, doesn’t it?”

“You’re just as sharp as ever.” Jason winks at her in amusement. “It’s nothing some of your fine cooking can’t cure.”

Mrs. Owens waves him off, rolling her eyes. She glances in Katie’s direction with a smirk. “He’s such a flirt.” But she can’t help a good-natured laugh. “He does know the right things to say though, doesn’t he?” She shakes her head and turns back towards the kitchen. “Find yourself a table,” she calls over her shoulder. “I’ll be right back out.”

Jason grins, spinning his gaze to Katie. “My favorite table is over there by the window. And trust me – if you wanted coffee, you’re at the right place.”