Family Secrets
Keep An Open Mind
The next morning Stephanie sat quietly at the table pushing her food around her plate and sighed. She knew it was the day of Papa’s show but she wasn’t going to bring it up because of the way that Rip had reacted to it the night before. She heard Carter ask if she was going to be given any chores and looked up. “I’m not sure about a lot of ranch work but I will do my best. Just let me know what you want me to do.” She spoke up quietly.
"Right now, no." Rip replied pushing his food around.
“Just let me know when.” She sighed. “Grandpa, I have some friends coming to see me soon. Are they allowed to stay here or do they need to get a hotel room?”
"Their welcome to stay here." John smiled. "We have plenty of room."
“Thank you. I think Matt and the guys are coming.” She blushed a little thinking of Matt. “I miss them.”
"I see a blush. Do I need to get my shotgun ready?" John questioned.
“No.” She laughed quickly. “They are just my best friends. I’m closer to Matt but I miss all the guys.”
"Are you sure?" John questioned.
“I’m sure.” She laughed a little. “Do you mind if I walk around more today since I don’t have any plans? I want to see the family cemetery that Uncle Kayce told me about.”
"We don't mind honey. I am sure your dad would show you around." John suggested.
“Only if he wants to. I don’t want to be a bother.” Stephanie told him. “I’m just bored and not use to no plans.”
John smiled, "I am sure he'd like to too." John said.
Rip took and cleared his throat pushing his plate away, "I don't mind." Rip told her.
Stephanie nodded her head and walked with him finally reaching the cemetery. She looked at the graves before sighing and sitting down under a tree. “Can we talk?” She asked Rip quietly.
Rip looked down at his daughter nodding his head to her. "What's on your mind?" Rip questioned.
“Don’t get mad and walk off because I would be lost trying to find the house from here.” She sighed. “I know it upset you last night when I asked about going to see Papa but hear me out on this. He was the only dad I knew and I love him. It doesn’t mean I love you any less. I want this time with you but I don’t like being afraid to bring up the people who raised me.”
Rip looked at her knowing she was right. Sighing he took and knelt down beside of her, "I know." Rip told her. "I shouldn't had acted that way and I am sorry."
“I know this is hard on all of us and I don’t want to lose either sets of parents. I don’t feel the connection with Beth yet but I have a bond with you. I’m sorry if it hurt your feelings because I asked to go see Papa. I was thinking we could both go and have dinner together and the go see him with Jeff Dunham. Maybe our first father daughter date?” She smiled at him. “Please be nice to Matt when he gets here too.”
"I like that idea." Rip smiled at her. "I can't promise that." Rip told her.
“Daddy, I really like him and he is a sweetheart. He is protective of me and we might want to be more than friends based on the phone call I had with him.” She admitted.
"Well then." Rip cracked his knuckles. "He'll get the talking to when he arrives." Rip smirked. "I know your uncles will help too." He grinned a little.
“That’s not fair.” She laughed. “You have to be nice because I’m your princess and you have to do what I ask.” She pouted.
"True, but when it comes to boys. It goes against everything." Rip smiled pulling her into a hug and kissing the top of her head.
“So I heard a story about one of the people buried here. She was brave and blazed her own path before she died. Is that true and if so, which grave is her’s?” She asked him. “I want to know more about my family history.”
Rip nodded his head, "It's very true." Rip pointed to her grave. "Elsa was her name." Rip told her. "John can tell you more about her." He smiled.
“I will ask Grandpa about her one day.” She whispered leaning back against him and smiling. “I like to think I’m a little like the women in this family.” She admitted before they started talking about more of her relatives.
"Right now, no." Rip replied pushing his food around.
“Just let me know when.” She sighed. “Grandpa, I have some friends coming to see me soon. Are they allowed to stay here or do they need to get a hotel room?”
"Their welcome to stay here." John smiled. "We have plenty of room."
“Thank you. I think Matt and the guys are coming.” She blushed a little thinking of Matt. “I miss them.”
"I see a blush. Do I need to get my shotgun ready?" John questioned.
“No.” She laughed quickly. “They are just my best friends. I’m closer to Matt but I miss all the guys.”
"Are you sure?" John questioned.
“I’m sure.” She laughed a little. “Do you mind if I walk around more today since I don’t have any plans? I want to see the family cemetery that Uncle Kayce told me about.”
"We don't mind honey. I am sure your dad would show you around." John suggested.
“Only if he wants to. I don’t want to be a bother.” Stephanie told him. “I’m just bored and not use to no plans.”
John smiled, "I am sure he'd like to too." John said.
Rip took and cleared his throat pushing his plate away, "I don't mind." Rip told her.
Stephanie nodded her head and walked with him finally reaching the cemetery. She looked at the graves before sighing and sitting down under a tree. “Can we talk?” She asked Rip quietly.
Rip looked down at his daughter nodding his head to her. "What's on your mind?" Rip questioned.
“Don’t get mad and walk off because I would be lost trying to find the house from here.” She sighed. “I know it upset you last night when I asked about going to see Papa but hear me out on this. He was the only dad I knew and I love him. It doesn’t mean I love you any less. I want this time with you but I don’t like being afraid to bring up the people who raised me.”
Rip looked at her knowing she was right. Sighing he took and knelt down beside of her, "I know." Rip told her. "I shouldn't had acted that way and I am sorry."
“I know this is hard on all of us and I don’t want to lose either sets of parents. I don’t feel the connection with Beth yet but I have a bond with you. I’m sorry if it hurt your feelings because I asked to go see Papa. I was thinking we could both go and have dinner together and the go see him with Jeff Dunham. Maybe our first father daughter date?” She smiled at him. “Please be nice to Matt when he gets here too.”
"I like that idea." Rip smiled at her. "I can't promise that." Rip told her.
“Daddy, I really like him and he is a sweetheart. He is protective of me and we might want to be more than friends based on the phone call I had with him.” She admitted.
"Well then." Rip cracked his knuckles. "He'll get the talking to when he arrives." Rip smirked. "I know your uncles will help too." He grinned a little.
“That’s not fair.” She laughed. “You have to be nice because I’m your princess and you have to do what I ask.” She pouted.
"True, but when it comes to boys. It goes against everything." Rip smiled pulling her into a hug and kissing the top of her head.
“So I heard a story about one of the people buried here. She was brave and blazed her own path before she died. Is that true and if so, which grave is her’s?” She asked him. “I want to know more about my family history.”
Rip nodded his head, "It's very true." Rip pointed to her grave. "Elsa was her name." Rip told her. "John can tell you more about her." He smiled.
“I will ask Grandpa about her one day.” She whispered leaning back against him and smiling. “I like to think I’m a little like the women in this family.” She admitted before they started talking about more of her relatives.