THE GILTER

CHAPTER SEVEN

‘What’s going on, honey?’ Russell asked Cathie. It was a hot afternoon, they were sitting at the porch. Russell took a noisy sip from his juice.

‘What?’ Cathie asked puzzled.

Her father looked at her and scoffed ‘Between you and Herrick, am not blind.’

‘Oh!’ she exclaimed, embarrassed she fanned herself with her hand.

‘You are always together, you looked at each other throughout meals.’ Russell said’ are you in a relationship? The two of you together?’

She nodded her head ‘Yes, Papa.’ She whispered

Russell raised his brows, it’s the first time for her, in fact he had begin to get worried she is going to die a spinster. Somehow he felt relief. Herrick is a good man.

‘So, you like him?’

‘Yes.’ Cathie smiled ‘So much.’

‘I see,’ Russell murmured ‘hope he feels the same way about you?’

Cathie nodded

She and Herrick had grown so close, though they are not hiding their relationship but they are not telling anyone either, they steal their own moment in the cave away from the ranch.

***

Week flew by, the ranch was indeed prosperous, they were categorized as one of the richest rancher in the vicinity. Cathie and Sarah sat at the porch, chatting, the sun had went down, the rest of them had rode out to gather the herds, her father had insisted she stayed behind.

‘’Herrick would make a fine husband? Sarah said ‘’And you will get to live on the ranch, exactly what you have always wanted? Cathie laughed ‘’He loved the ranch too, I couldn’t pray for more?

They heard the cliff cloff of horses before they saw them, Christopher was galloping toward the horse, his father was flung behind him, Josh and Herrick followed suit..

Cathie and Sarah stood up as they halted feet’s away.

‘’What happened? Cathie raced toward them, panicked ‘’what happened to papa? Christopher jumped down, carried Russell to the porch.

‘What happened?’ she asked Herrick and Josh, they didn’t answer; their eyes looked panicked and sad. Herrick held her hand. She jerked her hand away and looked toward the porch, she saw Sarah kneeling beside he father and crying, she walked there and touched her father’s hand. It was cold.

‘No!’ she screamed ‘Papa, don’t do this!’

‘He had an accident,’ Christopher said from where he was standing ‘the horse kicked him on his chest.’

‘how did that happen?’ Cathie cried

‘He fell off the horse’ s back.’ Josh said ‘He died immediately.’

She shook her father, ’Papa, please!’

Herrick pulled her against him and hugged her as she wept. ‘I am so sorry.’ He whispered.

Russell was buried the next day, a funeral was held on his behalf, people from town came and people from the neighboring ranch.

Few months later, Sarah fell sick, they all thought she was going to get better but, she never did. She died the third day of her sickness.

Everyone felt the loss, especially Cathie, Sarah was the mother she never had. She had lost the two family she had in the same year.