Dodge and Ally

"Mom will probably accept that for the time being. Aunt Mary has said she will stay with mom with the next week. Uncle Jack has taken her home to pack and they will both sleep here tonight."

"Well tell him there's no need to sort me out."

The girls laughed and Pru said, "Dodge if it came to push and shove you'd cream Uncle Jack."

Dodge sighed and through no matter what he or anyone else said, this was something Ally would want done her way and who could blame her.

There still were a number of people with Ally when he went into the house via the back porch and made three trips out to his vehicle loaded with his personal possession. No one saw him enter or leave. He drove off quietly and the two ranch hands greeted him warmly and made the meal being prepared larger.

They sat down with beers and Larry said, "What do you know that's new?"

"The big news is Mrs Silver is staying put here at least for the time being. The girls told me there's plenty of money to run the ranch."

Larry said would Dodge's position change and he replied it might but Mrs Silver had to speak to him yet. "There are extended family members over there with Ally giving her a hard time but the girls told me most are pretty sympathetic. I guess some are circle like vultures wondering if money will be coming their way."

"Will it?"

"I have no idea but it wouldn't surprise me if Mrs Silver, being strong-willed and particular, has long had a copy of the will but she'll see no reason to release details. She'll probably decide that's best left to the family attorney. Now I know nothing else and won't know about our positions for sure until Mrs Silver speaks to me but my thinking is nothing much will change."

"It might change more than you think," Larry said. "I've seen the way she looks at you."

"If you value your teeth Larry you'll shut the fuck up. Any problems moving the bulls?"

* * *

Uncle Jack, who'd earlier indicated he'd only stay overnight, told his wife Mary and Ally that he'd decided to stay on because he believed Ally had to get that good-for-nothing foreman out of her mind and began organizing her new life without dear Sloan.

Ally glanced at her aunt who shook her head, indicating she couldn't expect help from her and so Ally accepted Uncle Jack was there to stay.

He then picked up her cell phone.

"I'm confiscating this phone; I don't want you calling that foreman or he calling you. This phone is now off and will stay off."

After lunch Uncle Jack said, "Ally now go to your room and either sleep or read till 4:00. You need rest."

"I don't believe I'll do that."

"Oh ho, do you want me to carry you to your bedroom and lock you in?"

Ally went off, too mentally weary to resist any further.

That night she pulled out her old cell phone and charged it and after lunch next day she went, head bowed, to her room and once in privacy she smiled and called Dodge.

"Dodge speaking."

"Hi."

"Oh it's you. Usually the only person who called me was er..."

"Sloan?"

"Yeah and I miss him but I guess not as much as you do. How are you doing?"

"Okay I suppose."

Ally told him her uncle was holding her virtual prisoner in her own home.

"What? He was supposed to be staying overnight."

"Well he decided otherwise."

She told Dodge what had been going on and he roared, "Right I'm coming in and will run that cunt off the ranch."

"Dodge!"

"What?"

"That awful word."

"What word are you... oh jeepers. I'm truly sorry Ally. I just..."

She laughed loudly and said it was okay.

Her laughter had reached Uncle Jack and Ally could hear him coming down the passage.

"Hold the call, here comes trouble. I can handle it."

Uncle Jack burst into the room without knocking and said, "Why are you laughing?"

Ally thought Dodge would be able to hear them so put on a real act. She sniffed wiping her eyes, head bowed and said, "I was crying, missing my dear husband. Please leave me alone in my grief."

"Oh my dear I am so sorry to have intruded. Come out to us if you require comfort."

"Did you hear that?" she whispered. "Plead don't use that awful C-word."

"Yeah I heard. You were pretty good, almost fooled me as well."

She giggled, hand over her mouth and asked him what there were doing.

He said bringing in the first lot of cows and calves to the main pens to separate mothers and calves to start the weaning process.

"Well that's more important than running my C of an uncle off the ranch. How long will the work take?"

"We'll work through the weekend so will finish sometime Monday. There are 400 calves to deal with."

"Well listen. I need to talk to you at length and here's the plan. We do this on Tuesday."

Mary went out to shake crumbs off the tablecloth after lunch on Tuesday and was patting the old retired cattle dog Rex when she looked out to the horse barn, movement catching her eye.

"Jack," she called. "Ally is riding out on one horse and leading another saddled horse."

"What?" roared her husband, rushing from the toilet and holding up his pants. At the doorway he tripped over the dog and went flying and nose-dived into a Rosemary bush. His knees hit the porch decking painfully and his upper denture went flying on to the grass.

When Jack got it all together including waiting till Mary dressed his skinned knees, he jumped into his car and went after Ally.

"Disobedient bitch," he muttered. "I'll bare her ass and give her a taste of my belt."

He drove over a crest of the dirt service road dissecting the ranch and had to brake heavily because two pickups blocked his way completely.

Jack jumped out of his car and walked toward Ralph and Larry and said, "Get those vehicles out of my way please."

"Sorry Mister, we are only obeying Mrs Silver's orders. "We stay and you return back to the ranch house."

"Right you jerks. Give me clear passage or I'll ram my way through and send you my bill for damage to my vehicle."

Jack looked into the distance and saw Ally riding side by side with the foreman.

He swore violently.

"Oh sir are you retreating or do we have to deal with you?"

"You'll have nothing to deal with when my one and a half-ton car rams those pieces of shit you call pickups."

Ralph leaned over the side of the cargo box of Dodge's vehicle and produced a lever-action Winchester. He loaded the firing chamber, the noise turning Jack white.

"Remove your pants and briefs."

"No, I refuse. Molest me like this and I'll have the Sheriff jail you two."

"We're acting on orders. The person jailed could be Mrs Silver."

Jack dropped his pants.

"Get those underpants off too sir," Larry said. "You can take your wallet with you. Mrs Silver will collect your pants when she returns."

"This is humiliating me."

Larry grinned. "I believe you have been humiliating Miss Silver. Guess what this little procedure is?"

"I'll come back with my rifle and show you two what humiliation means."

"Yeah well there are two of us with rifles and the boss has a shotgun. He'd really like to prove that at close range that grade of buckshot could decapitate a man."

Jack snatched his wallet and fled to his car and began backing along the track.

"You should have opened a gate for him to turn and then come back on the track facing the home run."

Larry said, "Oh I don't think so. I want they guy to ding that Ford 500. It's in such immaculate condition a big dent in the rear would be very eye-catching.

They heard a big bang on the other side of the brow.

"God he's hit the market post of the culvert that comes right to the edge of the track," Larry said.

They fell about laughing.

* * *

Dodge and Ally cantered for a mile to the biggest Messa Creek Dam where there was a picnic table under shade trees. After tending to the horses, Dodge joined Ally at the table and asked, "Are you really okay?"

"Yes but I'm not really surprised. The deep feeling Sloan and I had for each other began to erode not long after the twins turned ten and I have no idea why. It was just a drift, not sudden and I don't think it ever gained significant moment. It was just a slow ebb."

"I'm sorry and probably so were you?"

She sighed and said she was for a while but grew out of that.

"I'm more interested about what happens now and need information from you. Are you really committed to living with me when you imposed month's separation is up?"

"I would think so."

"What if I'm no good in bed?"

His looked surprised and replied she had to be kidding him and she laughed, the most relaxed laugh she'd enjoyed since the tragedy.

Dodge eyed her closely. "Has that got that uncertainty out of the way?"

"Yes absolutely. Are you committed to staying on here or if I leave what would you decide?"

He replied firmly, "Where you go, I go if invited"

"Oooh."

She took in breath and Dodge tensed.

"I received a call from Athol Palmer last night. He said the family tried to sell out to Allied Ranch Corporation. They sent an appraisal team in but the decision was the ranch was a bit small to convince them to establish in this district."

"And Athol said if you sold to allow a merger of the two ranches, the deal could go through as it would provide Allied with a holding of around 45,000 acres?"

"In fact 47,200."

"If you accepted what would you do?"

"Get away from here," Ally said, looking away.

"It must have hurt Sloan knowing the twins were not interested in ranching and only Pru was mildly interested but only in horses?"

"Correct. It quite cut him up thinking it was the end of a dynasty unless I managed to produce another son but I hurt him by saying no, that in my first marriage I'd had two late miscarriages and that was enough mental despair for me."

Looking across at her sympathetically, Doge said, "Gee doesn't life gives us some knotty issues?"

"Indeed. In recent years Sloan began to believe that small is best in cow-calf operations."

Dodge countered that. "Others agree and others say not. Allied for instance must believe that bigger is best."

"Yes, well I don't know. As I see it I have three options. The first is to stay how we are, the second is to hope that any payout I receive is large enough to buy out Palmer Ranch and the third is to sell this ranch and relocate."

"And what happens if you sell?"

"I'd want you beside me. Well that's my cards on the table and I ask what would you advise? I'll have to make the final decision but your thinking is important to me."

"I say you should seek professional advice."

"Yes and I intend doing that. Please kiss me."

Dodge had to stand and lean over the table but he chose to do that rather than go around to her and risk possible entrapment.

They kissed and it was beautiful but when he felt her tongue tip against his slightly open lips, he pulled away. They were here to talk.

He sat back smiling and said, "You kiss beautifully."

She blushed and looked happy.

"I reckon in your situation I'd go for the option offering the most money and that's sure to be the merger-sale option. Allied attracts investment money and so when push comes to shove can offer more."

"Well that's something to consider. I guess we should be riding back otherwise everyone will be thinking I'm out here having sex."

Dodge said sagely, "They'll be thinking that anyway."

Ally sighed and they walked hand-in hand to the horses.

"One more consideration," he said. "Allied would probably retain the boys because they know the land, they know the cattle."

"Thanks and that's something else to factor into the mix."

On the ride back Ally giggled when she picked up her Uncle Jack's pants. One of the boys had stuffed the briefs into a pants pocket.

She walked from the barn and could see Uncle Jack on the porch waiting for her.

He roared when she got close, "Where the hell have you been?"

"Experiencing my return to freedom."

"Well I hope you enjoyed it because from now on you are under house arrest and if you dare..."

"Can it Uncle Jack. You have an hour to get off my ranch. I would like Aunt Mary to stay here at least a few days longer. She's proving to be a great comfort to me."

"Look here Little Lady, I'm going nowhere."

"Well I have news for you," Ally said. "Either you go quietly or you'll be carried out with a bullet up your ass."

"You wouldn't dare."

"Well is that so. Why don't you test me? Any Judge would rule I had right on my side."

Thirty minutes later Uncle Jack was waved goodbye. He did not wave.

"My word dear, you're a tough," her aunt laughed.

Aunt Mary said Ally could have the foreman living back in the house if she wished. Ally would appreciate having company of people around her own age."

"Dodge has said he'll stay away from me for a month to give me space to think and adjust."

"He sounds like a fine man. But won't you miss having sex?"

"I've never had sex with him. You shouldn't take too much notice of waggling tongues."

"But what about today when you had him to yourself behind the blockade?"

"Believe or not I was ready to fool around at least going some of the way but he backed off. He said nothing but I could see he meant no. I knew when he said a month for me to be on my own he really meant that."

"Oh my, how on earth have you managed to find a guy like that in this day and age?"

"It's his way of helping me to adjust to my greatly changed life slowly."

"Well I think it's a more refined way of aiming to help than Jacks methods," Aunt Mary said and they laughed.

* * *

Over at the bunkhouse the boys sat with Dodge drinking beer.

He said it was Ally's wish they'd now call her Miss Ally rather than Mrs Silver.

"I can't say your jobs are secure but I can't say they aren't. Miss Ally has a big decision to make and my thinking is she won't make it quickly because there's no need for that. She discussed her options with me and I think she'll sell. Of course it's early days and there are no offers on the table."

Larry and Ralph listened without drinking and were very focused.

"As you know to date we've come through this year with a calving percentage of 88.7% which is rather high for this district and that will interest potential buyers if Miss Ally decides to sell. Some of that is due to quality breeding stock, and excellent animal husbandry. We hit hard on potential predators and of course drench and spray to schedule religiously. If Miss Ally goes I'll go with her but any new buyer will be off his rocker if he decides to dispense with you two because you've been here several years and know how to farm this land better than any replacement any new owner could hire."

Dodge attempted to involve them. "Let's say the property changes hands in December. What would the new owner think?

Larry said, "They'd know the bulls are out and would think about how do they handle calving, specifically and not just going on general chat, and which pastures we use prior to calving and are all the heifers being put to a bull or have we held back because of size and they will become late calvers. That kind of stuff."

Dodge said exactly. "And they'll think why bring in new guys when we already have the old hands with a wealth of information and who can really work the ropes."

The boys looked much more relaxed and Ralph pulled out his guitar.

* * *

Almost three weeks into her separation from Dodge, Ally said in her regular early afternoon phone conversation with him that she'd received a call from her attorney and would be seeing him in the morning. Aunt Mary would accompany her.

"Will you go the long way because the regular route means crossing that bridge?"

"I will drive the regular way and face my demons."

"Good girl."

"Oooh you make my feel sexy when you talk to me like that. Roger my attorney has engaged a Mrs Blackwell, a specialist in accident claims litigation. Roger said he's received a tentative offer from attorneys representing the trucking company and driver that says it looks promising."

"Promising?"

"He probably means it's a good offer but let's press for more. We are engaging Mrs Blackwell on a fees basis so it will cost less if we settle out of Court. Roger says she's an expert at screwing."

"That sounds like an extraordinary admission for one's attorney to make?"

"I really don't think... oh I see, a joke," Ally laughed. " God you do have a filthy mind."

CHAPTER 3

The boys were invited to dinner the evening Dodge moved his things back into the ranch house. Traditionally they were invited to over on special occasions such as 4th of July and Christmas Day and they were pleased Miss Ally regarded this as a special occasion.

Ralph and Larry gawked when they arrived, dressed in the nearest to best clothes they possessed, and saw Miss Ally with her hair up and dressed in a long blue satin gown and high heels and she was wearing jewelry and smelt of fancy perfume. They'd already teased Dodge when he met them at the door in jeans and his best shirt but for the first time they saw him wearing a tie.

Dodge had arrived at the ranch house only half an hour before the boys and he attempted to move into his old room but Ally said no way and practically pushed him into her room.

He looked at the bed a little apprehensively and she said softly, "I've moved to sleep on the side Sloan used to sleep on."

"Phew, thanks."

She was in her underwear and saw him looking at her breasts and pulled one out and said, "Here's what they look like uncovered. Kiss it."

"Should I?" he said nervously.

"Yes. I've waited a long time for this."

He kissed gently and she sighed.

He was pulling away when she told him to suck the nipple and she pushed his head back.

He sucked and she cried, "Oh god."

They pulled away and she looked at him, pink-faced and panting, and said, "I've just come. Do you know what that means?"

He nodded and then said something that really endeared him to her.

"Did it feel good?"

"Very good and later tonight you'll make me really come won't you?"

He nodded looking a little pink-faced himself.

"Let's leave the dishes," Ally said, after the boys had left, carrying a half bottle of uncorked wine Ally gave them.

In the bedroom she and Dodge kissed and when her tongue touched his lips this time he unclenched his teeth.

Their tongues touched and they were away.

Ally undid Dodge's tie and shirt-buttons and she told him to undress her.

"Just some things or everything?"

"Everything. You have had experience I would think?"

"Yeah in recent times Sue Maitland and Margarita Boone."

"God Dodge, they are married women, my friends."

"Well I don't get to meet a lot of women and I stay away from hookers."

She murmured good boy and pulled his right hand down on to her vulva and said, "So you know what to do with this?"

He answered by licking his lips and she giggled.

Dodge stripped Ally down to her bra and pantyhose.

"I don't really like pantyhose."

She said in future when dressing formerly she'd wear stockings.

"Oh don't bother doing that for me."

"I want to bother. Mostly I don't wear pantyhose but do so where wearing jeans. At all other times I'll wear nothing or stockings. My thinking is I'll probably get more sex from you if I wear stockings. Might we get on with it?"

When Dodge dropped his jeans and briefs Ally grabbed his erection in both hands and cooed, "Oooh this is almost pretty and really is my size."

Dodge had no idea how she knew it was her size. That suggested she'd had a variety of men. Well perhaps she had, but so what?

They messed around on the bed for a time until the big moment came when Ally said huskily she'd like to fuck.

The athletic Dodge was between her legs in a flash, checked that she was wet and began pushing in.

"This is really good Ally. I can feel you all around me like a glove.