Something Borrowed

Chapter 35

Josh

"Where are the extra men sleeping?"

"We're just about complete with the new bunkhouse, sir. We'll head there next. For now, the new hires are bedding down on cots in stable five. It's not ideal but I haven't had any complaints."

"Is that wise, putting all the newcomers together? Seems to me like a recipe for misconduct, Joshua, or have you forgotten these are young men?"

"Paul assigned Rory to live in the stable with them, sir. We figured someone in a supervisory position would keep things calm." 

"Rory agreed to this? He's worked at this ranch for decades. He deserves better than a cot in the stables." 

Rory had been around for a little over seven years, but Josh didn't bother to correct him. Time moved funny when a man was drunk from dawn to dusk, and his father had a penchant for hyperbole besides.

"He's seeing a pay bump to compensate for the living conditions. And he volunteered, besides." 

His father stopped his horse with a sudden jerk on the reins that made the animal snort in protest. They were riding the perimeter of the ranch complex, part of their routine semi-annual "inspection." Once every fall and once every spring Owen Tucker toured the complex, the wells, and any stretches of the fenceline that had been cut or broken down throughout the past six months. The old man seemed to love it. Josh would have rather been mauled by a grizzly.

"You never told me about any pay raise," the old man said. "It's not reflected in the books. Do I need to remind you that I have a ranch to run? This isn't a charity organization, Joshua, and I can't keep us profitable if you're sloppy about communicating our expenditures." His fierce scowl felt like fire against Josh's face, even though the early fall air was crisp and cool.

"There was no reason to put it on the books," he explained with a shrug. "I took it out of my pay."

"Oh and I suppose you're expecting me to make up the difference?"

"No, sir. Never even would've told you if you hadn't brought it up." Three years married to Amelia had taken some of the sting out of his father's attitude. The old man was still bitter and cruel, but Josh didn't much mind anymore. Amelia had helped him see that, for all the old man's venom, Josh's position at the ranch, and in the family, was secure. He was allowed to take a day off. Allowed to speak his mind, so long as he did so respectfully. And there was no reason, in moments like this, to be cowed or to apologize. He had, after all, done nothing wrong.

"So you're robbing your wife and your brother's child just to avoid a conversation with me?" his father scoffed. "Does Amelia know about that yellow streak or do you hide it from her like you hide my own ranch from me?"

Josh tipped his hat low to cast a shadow on the smile that tugged at his lips. "Oh, it was actually her idea, sir. We were talking it over and she said it might save us all some trouble if I just kept it off your desk. She knows the way you fight me every which way and she's got it in her head the less opportunity I give you to antagonize, the more time I'll spend at home with her and our daughter."

Amelia had also taught him that if he wanted the situation to change he had to stop pretending the old man was right. Apologizing for things he hadn't done wrong only made things worse. Letting him think his constant hostility wasn't immature, unreasonable, and glaringly obvious to everyone only gave him more reign. It was a constant struggle to call him out without making him fly off the handle, but Josh was finally seeing the rewards. He asked fewer questions lately, and two nights ago at Sunday dinner had offhandedly mentioned potentially changing the will. Not to give his eldest an inheritance, of course, but to at least ensure his continued employment. That was something.