Summer Rain

1: My Brother is Home.

I sat in my room trying to keep cool in the heat. The best thing about my room is that it faces the east. The sun comes in, in the morning and it's shady in the afternoon. The whole front of the ranch faces east. Then the sun sets behind the tree line every night.

I was reading on my kindle watching for my brother. He was supposed to take a week long break from rodeoing to help out with branding the calves. All Grandpa has to say is I need your help and bring recruits to get my brother home with maybe five to ten cowboys to help out. They get paid too. When I saw that infamous truck and four horse trailer I disappeared from my window closing the drapes over the window seat.

I went downstairs to the kitchen to swipe a drink and some food before making myself scarce. The grandparents modified my room so I have an ensuite bathroom and little bit bigger closet. They did take from my brother's room. He didn't care since he's on the road for eight months and home for four.

I put the food on my nightstand after closing the door and put my music on. Pounding on the stairs was the cue for my brother to enter in three. Hid my plate in the closet. Two. Set my drink next to it and closed the door. One. "Hey little sis. Miss me?" He asked plopping down onto my bed propping his dirty feet up onto the bed.

I glared at him knowing it did no good. "What do you want?" I asked him. "Same as always. To use your bathroom while my buddies are over." He said. "No." I told him. "Yup. It took out part of my room so it's partly mine." He said. "Nope. Good luck getting in. Because that door has a key lock on it and there's only one key." I told him.

"Whatever. They're not going to use that bathroom since there's seven of them." He said as he got up. "Ok. Your guests, your problem." I said as I closed and locked the door behind him. I made sure I still had the key tucked away before going to get my food out of it's hiding place.

Luckily his boots were the only dirty thing. I got a washcloth from the bathroom and cleaned the comforter off before deciding on a shower myself. I ate in a tank top and shorts before hearing crazy laughing. I peaked out seeing three from last year and four new ones. Two were twins. Great. New people every year.

I worked around my room until dark. Then turned on my lamp curling up in my window seat once more. The front door banged open then slammed shut. Loud male voices flooded the entire house. I hoped no one brought up that I'm here. Around ten they told they had to go to bed to get up bright and early the next day.

Great! I went to bed quickly with an alarm set for an hour and thirty minutes before everyone else's.

The alarm went off quicker than anticipated. I shut it off quickly before getting dressed and eating whatever was left from my supper last night before I snuck out of my room locking it behind me, boots in hand and hat on my head. I snuck down to the kitchen grabbing my lunch that grandma packed last night and went out the back door.

The dogs were quiet as I pulled my boots on. They followed me to the barn. I grabbed my saddlebag and went to the office putting plenty of water in it with my lunch. I slung it over my shoulder before going to get my tack. After finding out how a bit alters the horse's performance I'm never using one on my horses again.

Using my hackamore for my appendix quarter horse he works faster and easier. I set the saddle on the mount next to his stall and put my saddle bag on it before leading my horse out with the hackamore. I brushed him down and tacked him up. I then went back to the tack room getting my lariat and sweat rag knowing I'll use my shirt later.

I grabbed a radio and turned it on. Then set the channel. I went back to my horse, led him out and mounted up. I rode him out to the herd we were going to be gathering up today. We circled a few times before heading them up heading for the chutes. I bet they're just getting out of the house. It's going to take most of the morning to move them if it's just me.

Hopefully some of the ranch hands get out here to help cut time. I rode on the whole left flank knowing the younger cows were on this side. Something usually spooks them while it's just me. I spotted two hands riding over. One took up the whole right and the other let me take the front left. One jumped at something send the whole group into a frenzy.

I was able to catch my side from spooking off. They were moving faster than my own liking. I rode to the front making them slow down. I rode front the entire way back. Four were horseback along with three other hands. The three rode out to bring up the rear of the procession. I moved back to the side knowing a specific cow that will fight.

I made. A loop in my lariat ready for when she bolts. We were almost there when she balked, faked then took off. I ran after her keeping pace right along side her before looping her head cutting her off and tying her fast to my saddle. I stopped my horse starting to drag her back. She fought me hard. I finally was able to grab her tail and make her come. She yanked it from me.

I yelled out for one of the hands to hook her heels. Someone did. I pulled her out along with whoever was helping. She gave up flopping onto her side. As I moved closer to her I kept tightening it up. Once right next to her I pulled a pigging string out tying her heels fast. "Dang no good cow." I muttered before getting back onto my horse.

The guy and I dragged her up to the chutes.