Date: 07/13/2021.
Location: right outside the town of Broken Bow, Oklahoma.
Time:7:09 pm.

Travis speaking=0042a9
Mel speaking=b51a00
Lynn speaking=982abc
Dakota speaking=c4bc00

Stepping out onto the gravel of the driveway, Dakota takes in a deep breath of the area around her. It had been so long since she last stepped foot on these grounds, she had been six years old, it had also been the last time she saw her fathers side in person. Travis, who had been the one driving a rented car, had been the second one to step out, carrying the trash of drinks they had accumulated. Mel and Lynn were the next two, hurriedly walking to the back of the car to open the trunk and collect their bags.

The sound of a door opening caught Dakotas attention before the clinking of metal reached her ears. Turning her head, Dakota watched as a three month old chocolate lab came pounding down the brick stairs that lead to the front door and ran straight for Dakota. She was nearly barreled over into the car, letting out a light “Chip, no!” she was not entirely happy with the fact that the puppy was trying to jump up on her, so she swayed lightly at him.

After, Chip set his sights on Lynn who was carrying her bag up to the front door where their grandmother waited. Hurriedly, Dakota went to collect her own few bags, laughing lightly when she heard “Chiiip!!” from her younger sister. Picking up her suitcase and slinging her backpack over her shoulder, Dakota had collected the few bags she brought. Hurrying up along the path, Lynn had already made her way inside, so Dakota quickly followed her in. Travis and Mel weren’t too far behind their sisters with bags and devices of their own.

The smell of chicken’n’rice hit Dakotas nose the moment she entered, causing excitement to stir in her belly. Dropping her things off in the living room, Dakota rushed into the kitchen where her grandma was cooking “momma!” wrapping her arms tightly around the woman, the older woman turned to look down towards her granddaughter with a light laugh. Having always been close to her fathers mother, the comforting feel her hugging Dakota tightly, though the warm embrace was interrupted quite quickly when Dakota heard footsteps leading up to the back door.

Excitement shot through her as she watched two boys enter, a sixteen year old with burnt brown hair and hazel eyes and a nineteen year old with lighter brown hair and brown eyes. They were Dakotas cousins, two she was very familiar with, dashing forward, they were both wrapped up in a tight hug. The thoughts of what the three could do together while here swirled in her mind, they use to climb trees and even once went out into the woods with a older friend of the boys. Which, that reminded her “does Josh still live near here?” her cousins best friend, Josh. She had known him since she was little and once even escaped to his house as a toddler before Silas, the nineteen year old, found her there eating milk and cookies. Silas shot his brother, Damien, a look before smiling down at Dakota with a nod. Now she knew what she’d do, she’d have them take her to see Josh, but not tonight, everyone was tired and the time for supper was drawing close.

Time:7:43 pm
Date: 07/13/2021.
Location: right outside the town of Broken Bow, Oklahoma.

Travis speaking=0042a9
Mel speaking=b51a00
Lynn speaking=982abc
Dakota speaking=c4bc00

Dakota had moved her things into a corner of the living room before having dragged out the air mattress to fill up after dinner. Her enthusiasm was showing already and it was very clear, especially when her papa came home. When Dakota had heard the back door open her head shot up and her blue gaze went to the hallway that lead into the dining room and kitchen. Sure enough, in walked a white haired, white bearded man with brown eyes that had a gleam to them. Seeing Dakota, his first reaction had been “who said you could stay here?” in a joking manner. That was completely normal for him, so, Dakota just laughed it off and hugged her grandfather before he went to get ready to shower.

The smell of chicken and sausage made Dakotas mouth water. It wasn’t something she experienced often, but her grandmother made country style dishes and they were delicious. Hearing the beckon of the older woman, Dakota shot forward and into the kitchen from out of the recliner she had been sitting in. It was her grandpa’s recliner, he probably wouldn’t be too happy with the young girl for sitting in his seat but what could he really do?

After dinner was quickly eaten and cleaned up, Dakota had slipped outside to head out towards the field. The one right beside the house had crops in the first few rows but Dakota pushed past those, stepping gingerly to avoid the ant hill she had taken such careful bit of as a child, and slinked her way a bit down the field. Her heart thumped as she finally settled down on her knees maybe a fourth into the field. Placing her hands together and in her lap Dakotas gaze searched the area ahead of her.

Firstly, it landed on the pasture that was still a ways away from her. It held the cattle and one bull who was actually quite a sweet old man basically, in it. Normally they’d either be placed in the field in front of the home or in the enclosed area behind the barn. Of course next she had to peer at the red and white barn she roundly remembered. Chickens would be nestling down for bed in there, protecting eggs for her papa to collect in the morning. Any chicks would’ve been moved to the incubator to keep them safe.

Having been lost in thought, she hadn’t heard the light footsteps in the dirt. When she did notice the person coming up on her they had already sat down beside her. Of course, it was Lynn, her sister who Dakota was not so close with. The black haired girl sat down beside Dakota with a soft huff of air, swaying softly as exhaustion seemed to stir in Lynn’s mind. Dakota had wanted to point her sister back inside, to tell her to go to bed, now. But when Lynn plopped her head down onto Dakotas shoulder all Dakota could do was let out a soft sigh as a small smile etched her lips.