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"Isaac. Son Cody's here." Walker announced as she buzzed the gate box, letting him know she was here even though she had Isaac's car and a gate remote. "She brought company, Jessy and must be her family, four boys you said right. Zac, son Jessy is here." Walker added as Cody parked out front and they headed to the house. "Morning babe, Jessy, Momma, guys." Isaac greeted taking Cody in his arms, kissing her tenderly. "Morning hun." Cody whispered kissing him back, slipping her hand in his as they made their way inside and Jessy introduced her family to Zac's. "Everybody ready?" Cody asked as Zoe and Diana came down the stairs. "Ody me cowgurl." Zoe squealed in her jeans and plaid shirt. "Hey my Zoe. Wow you look ready to ride. Let's load up, breakfast is waiting on us. Hope you're all hungry Louisa is a great cook." Cody shared as they all headed out and were at the ranch within a half hour. "Wow this is great Cody, like a step back in time." Barbara, Jessy's Mom, said as they made their way inside and Cody introduced everyone to Louisa and her husband Dave, the caretakers. Cody and Barbara excused themselves and walked the ranch house, bunkhouse, barns, where Cody finished dressing, putting on chaps and a hat, handing Barbara hats for the Hansons as she climbed on the fence and whistled. On the second whistle, she saw the dust flying in the distance and headed to the barn bringing out the tack. "Hey Smokey. How you been big fellow." Cody greeted the speckled Apaloosa, putting on his bridle and saddle, mounting him and heading out after the other horses. "Man she rides." Jessy said grabbing her mother's arm, pointing out the window. "She definitely knows what she's talking about, I'm sold without seeing the rest of the operation." Barbara said, adding, "Finish up boys, we have cattle to round up she said." Cody soon returned, running the horses into the corral, met by Jessy and her brothers. Cody instructed which horses for who and the six of them saddled all the horses. Cody and Jessy demonstrated the how tos of horse riding and then Cody instructed Zoe and Jessy helped Mackie, both whose saddles were fitted with kiddy seatbelts. "Time to see what your kids are made of, do you mind?" Cody asked. "Go ahead boys, give her a run for her money." Barbara said as they raced off and soon Cody had them all headed in different directions, surrounding the herd. "Turn them for home boys." Cody hollered and the six had them turned and headed in as Cody raced around the outside of the herd heading for Barbara and the Hansons, "They're coming, I need all of you over here near the tree line. Barbara anything goes wrong, through the trees there's a gate in the fence row, that path right there. Take the family out, the lane leads to the barn." Cody explained, adding, "Your kids are good, nothing should go wrong. Just fall in behind us after the herd passes." Cody headed back to the herd and the six moved them towards the barn with no problems running them in the larger pen. "No you don't. Cody cut him off." Jessy hollered as one of the bulls turned. "Come on Smoke let's book." Cody hollered and they were on a dead run catching up with then passing it as she reached down for her bullwhip and gave it big crack and the bull stopped. "Momma heads up." Jessy hollered swinging around the outside of the bull, reaching for her bullwhip and giving it a bigger snap, cracking it louder than Cody's, "I'm going to rush him now Cody, back me up." Jessy called out as she swung her whip and cracked it even louder, "All right you awnry cuss, you've got one chance to do it on your own or I'm coming after you. 1,2." Jessy said and she and Cody snapped their whips together in perfect unison creating such a crack the bull turned and headed for the herd. "Hey chicken wait for me." Cody hollered, racing after him and Jessy joined her whooping and hollering as they chased him in. Cody, Nick and Ben were cutting cattle, sorting them out as Jessy counted and catalogued, and Josh and Sam manned the gates. "Man you guys are great." Cody declared high fiving and they headed up to the ranch house for lunch. After lunch they roped and vaccinated calves before going on a trail ride. "So you guys interested in running the ranch. When you guys graduate, if you want I'll put you up in a ranch of your own to run." Cody suggested and the five surrounded their mother pleading she take the job. "I need you now, I'll buy your other farm if you accept the job." Cody offered. "Deal, when do we start?" Barbara asked. "You just did, let's head up and I'll show you the books and you can take over as of the round up this morning to calculate your bonus payments." Cody explained and Barbara joined her at the house while the others headed out for another ride. Everyone was having so much fun they stayed for a cookout and bon fire before loading up and heading home. "Babe I'll take Jessy and her family home for you, if you want." Isaac offered, finishing, "You go home with Mom and Dad." "But I'm all dirty." Cody complained. "Yeah that's why Louisa packed you clean clothes, so you can get cleaned up then take a nap in my bed." Isaac suggested. "I'll ride with him Cody and keep him company." Zac offered. "Man what a great brother." Cody teased hugging Zac around the waist and he walked her to the van. "Wait that's my woman." Isaac called out. "Oh she's pretty and blonde, it's not Jessy." Zac answered. "No, that one is older than you not younger than you." Isaac shared. "Pretty and blonde, what's the difference." Zac replied. "Hey, that's my man." Jessy teased. "He's a Hanson. He's not mine?" Cody teased back. "No yours is older, the young one's mine." Jessy said slipping in between Zac and Cody and hugging him tight. "Man this is great." Zac exclaimed grinning from ear to ear. "And what are you smiling about?" Jessy asked. "A pair of pretty blondes hugging on me, my lifelong dream." Zac shared. "No more dreaming, you only get one from now on." Jessy insisted. "If I get only one, I want you." Zac replied pushing Cody at Taylor. "An older Hanson, this must be mine." Cody said wrappig her arms around Taylor, adding, "Ewww you smell like horses, or is that me." "We both stink sis." Taylor answered. "Well excuse me, I need a bath." Cody insisted. "I think everyone could use a bath." Diana said pointing at Zoe who had a big smile on her face. "Oh gross. That's not horse smell." Walker shared. "Yucky poo poo." Mackie said climbing from his seat next to Zoe. "Oh gross. I'm going to be sick, let me out." Jessie insisted and Avie followed her lead. and soon Zoe was the only one in the van. "I've handled worse than this. But just in case, Isaac I love you, remember that always, I'm gong in." Cody teased climbing in the van and grabbing the diaper bag, then getting Zoe from her car seat. "Hey stinky girl, did you have fun today?" Cody asked choking a little, looking back at the others with tears in her eyes, taking a deep breath before turning back to the job at hand, quickly bagging the offendng diaper. "Here someone run this to the garbage can." Cody asked and everyone stepped back. "Come on chickens, Isaac?" she called out. "Yeah babe?" Isaac answered, adding, "Cody no. Don't ask me, please?" "So you're not going to help me? Hmmm." Cody replied looking disappointed. "Don't look that way, I'll do it honest babe. I'll do whatever you need just don't look that way." Isaac pleaded. "No don't do me any favors now. You asked me not to ask and I won't, ever." Cody said finishing up Zoe and then grabbing the diaper and racing to the garbage with Isaac on her heels. "Cody stop, let me help you." he pleaded, adding, "I can feel you turning away from me, please don't, talk to me, yell at me, just don't shut me out." "Was it too much to ask? Isaac all I think about is marrying you and having your baby, our baby and it scares me that you may not help me?" Cody shared, finishing, "There don't you wish I'd kept my mouth shut." "Never. Cody I love you and I know you love m, but we haven't got a chance if you're going to keep eveything to yourself when you're upset. I deserve your disappointment. It wasn't too much to ask. I'm sorry I made you feel like it was." Isaac apologized wrapping her in his arms, kissing her forehead, her cheeks, her nose before kissing her deeply, holding her closer. "Oh Isaac I'm sorry too. I don't know why I made such a big stink out of it." Cody said and they both started laughing. "Because it was a big stink. How that came out of such a cute little thing I'll never understand." Isaac teased and they laughed harder before he walked her back to the van. "Take care of her for me, okay?" Isaac asked Taylor as he kissed Cody tenderly, "I'll see you after I take them home. Promise you'll try and rest." he asked. "I promise. It'll be easy to keep, I'm pooped." Cody answered as Taylor helped her into the van and they all headed out. A few mile later, Cody was leaning against Taylor's shoulder as she fought falling asleep. "Just rest sis, I promised him I'd take care of you and I will." Taylor whispered wrapping his arm around her as she fell asleep. Once home Taylor woke Cody and the two then helped wake Jessie and Avie and carried Zoe and Mackie into the house. "Hey cowgirl, you going to wake up and take a bath?" Diana asked lifting her from Cody. "No Mummee, me Ody." Zoe said wrapping her arms around Cody's neck. "I don't mind, we can take a shower together. Save some water, huh my Zoe?" Cody said following Diana upstairs to her room. "At least it's a larger tub. You girls get cleaned up and changed and then it's my turn to not smell like a horse." Diana teased. "Mummee horsey?" Zoe asked. "Mommy smell like horsey but is Mommy." Cody repled. "Mummee PU?" Zoe asked. "We all PU, even you." Cody teased, adding, "Mom make sure noone puts their horse clothes in the hamper. I usually strip in the laundry room after being at the ranch and wash my clothes right away. There is nothing worse than day after horse clothes." "I never would have thought of that. I better go collect horse clotes now, starting with you two's." Diana said wait for the girls to undress and headed out with their jeans and shirts. Cody helped Zoe wash her hair and get clean then did her own as Zoe danced in the water. "Come on lil sis, Mommy needs a shower too." Cody said shutting off the water and grabbing towels. She dried Zoe's hair before her own while Diana took her shower. Cody was dressng in their bedroom while Zoe bounced on the bed, "Cody are you going to marry my son?" Diana asked from the shower. "So you heard huh?" Cody replied. "Heard what dear?" Diana asked. "Umm. Guess you hadn't. Should have kept my mouth shut." Cody shared."I'd rather you not. Cody I think the world of you and I pray you love him as much as he seems to love you." Diana said as she turned off the shower and wrapped herself in a towel heading to the girls, adding, "Cody I hope we can be friends." "I'd like that, but you know I'd like you to be my Mom even more. I really miss having one at times. Like now." Cody said as Diana made her way to her giving her a hug, then taking her hands. "That's even better. I just didn't want to push it though." she said smiling. "I've never felt this way like I feel about Isaac. He's everything to me and I'm so afraid of asking too much of him and losing him." Cody said fighting the sobs. "Losing him. Come on Cody, anyone who looks at him can tell he's madly in love with you. Cody I can't see you losing him. Sweetie don't be so hard on yourself." Diana insisted heading to the closet dressing. "You wouldn't say that if you knew I tried to get him to make love to me last night." Cody shared expecting a lecture. "Poor Walker, I did the same thing to him. Boy did I test what he was made of." Diana shared, adding, "So did my son pass your test?" "I guess in a way he did. He insisted that we wait until we're married, that it will be more special if we do." Cody answered, adding, "I still wonder that I would have been happier if you hadn't raised him so morally correct." Diana first chuckled, "Sweetie I'm not laughing at you. I was just marvelling at a time when everything was so simple. It seems like forever since Walker and I have been that in tune with each other. There is always something that needs our attention." Diana explaned with a far off look. "Hey lil sis, how about raiding the fridge. I'm kinda hungry, how about you?" Cody asked leaving Diana to her memories. "Ody me hunry." Zoe answered as Cody whisked her into her arms and headed down stairs. "Mmm you smell better." Cody teased Walker as he came down the hall, hair still wet. "You'll catch a cold that way. Let me dry it for you." Cody said racing to the bathroom and grabbing the dryer before Taylor took his shower. "Sit down and I'll dry your hair." Cody said as she finished making sandwiches for Zoe Mackie, Avie, Jessie and Walker. "Daddy how long has it been since you took your wife out, just the two of you?" Cody asked about halfway through drying his hair. "My that's a hard one to answer. I guess too long. Why you asking sweetie?" Walker asked. "It's just Mom and I were talking about Isaac and I and all of a sudden she tells me how long it's been since things were simple you love her and she loves you and nothing else matters. Daddy if I watch the kids and get them ready for bed, would you consider taking Mom out someplace special just the two of you?" Cody asked. "Sweetie you're suppose to take a nap though." Walker reminded. "How can I rest knowing that you and Mom need time together. I'm sure Tay will help me until Isaac is back." Cody insisted. "I'm not going to argue with you. Besides you're right sweetie, there is nothing more important than Diana and I." Walker declared as they heard Diana gasp. "Dear you have no idea how sorry I am that I haven't made time for us. We're important too and I guess I lost sight of that. Would you do me he honor of joining me for some us time?" Walker asked making his way to her. "I love you Walker Hanson. Always have and always will." Diana answered as Cody sighed. "Thanks sweetie. I love you for this," Diana said gazing at Cody. "No problem Mom. Thanks for being my Mom." Cody replied as Walker and Diana headed out for the evening. Cody cleaned up after their soup and sandwiches, leaving a plate for Taylor, and then played board games with the kids until Zoe started to nod off. "Timeout. I have to get Zoe in her jammies. How about you my little man. You ready for jammies yet or not?" Cody asked. "Only if you put on yours." Mackie insisted. "That's doable, let's go get our jammies on." Cody said and they all raced upstairs putting n their pajamas. "Hey those are Isaac's." Mackie said looking at Cody in a pair of Isaac's boxers and a tee shirt. "So. He won't mind." Cody insisted as Taylor made his way up the stairs. "Looks better on you than on Isaac." Taylor teased. "Be careful what you say. There soup and sandwich for you in the microwave." Cody shared. "Not anymore." Taylor insisted, adding, "Great sandwich Sis." "I sent the folks out on a date and we're playing board games if you care to join us." Cody explained as they headed down the stairs and began playing again, soon joined by Taylor. "We're back." Isaac announced as he entered the house. "Eeewwie! Someone smells like a horse." Cody shared as everyone else made horses sounds while holding their noses."No you don't. You aren't kissing me until you shower." Cody insisted wiggling away. "Awww babe, just one kiss?" Isaac pouted. "Just a little one then you take a shower." Cody insisted kissing him sweetly as Isaac wrapped her in his arms drawing her closer. "Oh yuck. Isaac I love you dear but you smell like the southend of a horse headed north hun." Cody said plugging her nose and everyone else followed her lead as Zac and Isaac finally got the hint and hit the showers. Cody fixed them something to eat as Taylor carried a sleeping Zoe up to her bed. By the time Zac and Isaac were showered and changed, Mackie had fallen asleep. The three girls played a few more games while the guys watched a movie. "Man all that fresh air an riding, I'm tired. I think I'll go call Jessy and see what time her sister comes into town. Night all." Zac said heading up the stairs soon followed by Taylor. Isaac and Cody were cuddled together on the couch as his folks returned. "Cody we had a wonderful time sweetie, thanks for reminding us we're important too." Walker said kissing her cheek and the also headed to bed. "All alone. Cody you're such a good person sending Mom and Dad out together. It has been awhile. Promise we'll always make time for each other?" Isaac asked. "It's a date, every night like this, just us arm in arm, talking anything, or nothing, just us alone." Cody insisted as she kissed him deeply. Isaac led her to the spare room, laid down with her until she fell asleep, then headed to his own bed.
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