Thank You Will Do

*Isabella*

I lay on my back near the campfire, looking up at a thousand stars above my head. Behind me, I hear the lap of the river as it creeps up the shore and then retreats. I should be sleepin’; we have an early start again tomorrow, trying to get across this river before the sun climbs above us and turns uncomfortable to unbearable, but I can’t. My mind’s runnin’ wilder than a pack of stallions out on the range, and I can’t seem to rein my jumbled thoughts in.

After Pa killed the rogues, we all rushed back to the cattle. Joseph and Andy had managed to keep them together, and we finished runnin’ ‘em to the river without any problem. I waited for Billy to come over to me to rub it in that he’d had to help me, but he hadn’t. I hadn’t said nothin’ to him either, even at dinner time w……