Vinia folded her arms. "That's what I said."
"And you," Colton pointed at his mother, "need to quit harping on her. This whole damned situation is screwed up, but we can't all be handling it different ways. Either you want me to do it, or you do it. But not both."
"You're not our father, Cole. You shouldn't even be involved."
Tyson's eyes flew to his sister. He'd never heard her say something so cold. He saw the immediate effect it had on Colton, who seemed to have his sails deflated almost instantly.
"I know I'm not your father, Sarah, and I've never tried to be. But someone has to be in charge, and unfortunately, that responsibility was left to me."
Tyson turned and stormed out. Valerie, carrying Londyn, followed. "Where are you going?"
"For a ride." He turned. "You two want to go with me?"
"Absolutely," Valerie responded as she put Londyn on the ground. "I don't know that she's ready for her own horse yet though."
Londyn ended up riding in front of Tyson on his horse as they headed up the mountain. "I feel safer with you because I don't think Mommy knows how to ride yet." He knew from their old life that Valerie was an excellent rider, but he didn't mind letting her ride with him.
"Hey, I heard that," Valerie retorted. "I'm an excellent rider." She bounced along and finally pulled close to Legacy. "It's just been a while since I did this. so I'm going to be sore tomorrow."
"Is your mom going to be okay?" Valerie asked him as they rode along.
"They fight all the time. But that comment that Sarah made to Cole was outside the lines. She only dares go there when she's trying to deflect."
"It's got to be hard on all of you, what happened to your dad and all."
"Someday I'll find out who has that damned idol, and I'll kill them for what they did and allowed to happen to my dad. It's only a matter of time."
As they made their way toward the ridge where Tyson had been a couple days before, memories poured over him. He kept glancing at Valerie as they rode along, and he could tell that he wasn't the only one being affected by the past.
He glanced down at Londyn. "So tell me about this elephant infatuation of yours. What made you such a fan?"
"When I watched Dumbo." She smiled up at him. "I'm just like him."
Valerie frowned. "What do you mean?"
"Well, you take care of me the most. I just kind of get in the way all the time. And Daddy is mean to you because of me and doesn't want me around."
Tyson watched Valerie, who paled and had a blank look. Obviously she had never heard the comparison before.
"Are you serious, Londyn? That's why you love elephants?"
Tyson tried to lighten the moment. "I think it's okay for you to be like Dumbo. He gets a happy ending, and his mom is just fine once the mean people are gone. "
Londyn beamed at him, and Valerie didn't say anything else about it. When they got to the ridge, Londyn ran off to pick flowers. Tyson hugged Valerie. "Don't be getting upset because she compared herself to an elephant."
"How horrible of a mother am I that I never knew that?"
"She's a great kid, Val. It doesn't matter. All's well that ends well, so let's just make sure that she has the happiest of endings."
She let out a long sigh. "You're right. I can't do anything else anyhow."
Tyson walked over and showed Londyn where to stand to get the best echo in the valley. They all took turns whooping and hollering and then listening to themselves off in the distance. Londyn tucked flowers behind her own ears and her mother's ears, and then fed her apple to Legacy and Lady, the horse Valerie rode.
"That was supposed to be for you," Valerie called out to her.
"It's okay, they love it."
"I think she missed my point," Valerie mused as Tyson laughed.
