The party was going on for a while. Marcus was there having fun when Debra's phone vibrated. She pulled it out and checked the text saying Edith and Jason were there. She walked around the house and to the driveway. Jason pulled up and shut off the car. They got out.
"I'm glad you made it."
"We didn't know if we should."
"Like I said, I want to give you a second chance. That's the whole meaning of this place." Debra said. "The party is going on in the back."
"Debra, about yesterday." Jason started.
"I overreacted. I apologize."
"What's done is done."
"Good." Debra said. "Let's get to the party before they send someone looking for me." Debra said then led them to the back yard.
Lunch was served and everybody was having a good time. Jason and Edith avoided Marcus and he did the same. Debra and Edward danced. Edward played and sang with the band. The picnic went without a problem. After a while, Debra went to the house to use the bathroom and heard arguing coming from the office. She walked slowly to the office and saw Jason and Marcus in the office."
"What's going on in here?"
"I came in to use the restroom and found Jason going through the filing cabinet." Marcus said.
"Do you know most of the employees here have records?" Jason asked.
"Yes. Why are you going through my files?"
"I'm just trying to keep you safe." Jason said.
"I am safe here. Get out of my office." Debra said then pointed to the door.
Jason closed the filing cabinet. "Debra, you're here with potential threats." He said looking at Marcus. "And he's one of them."
"I can handle myself. Go back to the party or leave." Debra said.
Marcus walked towards the door. "I'm sorry, Debra. I didn't mean to argue with him." He said then walked out.
Jason walked over to her. "You could be putting your children in danger, Debra." He walked out the office.
"These people here are my family. More than you have been to me." Debra said then closed the office door. "Go back to the party, Jason or leave. This is my home and family." She said. Jason walked away. Debra took a deep breath then went out the front door.
Edward looked around for Debra but didn't find her anywhere. He walked over to Marcus. "Have you seen Debra?"
"I saw her in the house a while ago when she chased Jason and myself out of the office."
"Why?"
"I caught Jason going the through the filing cabinet. She caught us arguing."
"Was she upset?"
"She just told us to go back to the party. Jason was still with her when I left." Marcus said. "He found out your employees were in ex-cons."
Edward pulled out his phone and called Debra. He waited then her voicemail picked up. "Hey, darling. Call me to let me know you're all right." He said the hung up.
"I'm sure she's fine, Edward."
"Yeah, I know." Edward said. "I'm going to look in the barn. She likes to visit Misty." Edward said. He walked away from Marcus.
On the way to the barn, he approached Jason. "Have you seen Debra?"
"I left her in the house a while ago."
"Yes. I heard you were going through the filing cabinet." Edward said.
"Why do most of your employees have records?"
"Because I hire them. That's the meaning of this ranch. To give people and animals a second chance."
"That could be dangerous to Debra and her children."
"I trust the people who work here and so does Debra. More than we trust you." Edward said then walked away. He walked around the house and towards the barn when he noticed the garage door open and the quad gone. He turned around and went back to the party. He tried to call Debra again, but she didn't answer. He talked to a few people before he made over to Pete. "Hey, Pete, can you do me a favor?"
"Sure, boss. What do you need?"
"Can you find out where Debra is?" Edward asked. "She took the quad out."
"Sure, no problem."
"You can use the house computer." Edward said then started to follow Pete to the house.
Marcus met up with him. "Did you find her?"
"No. She took the quad out." Edward said. "We're going to check the cameras."
"Can I come with you?"
"Sure." Edward said then continued to the house. They went into the office where Pete was already at the computer. Edward walked around the desk behind Pete. He watched as Pete moved through the cameras. "There she is leaving. That was forty minutes ago."
"Yes, and she went east. We don't have cameras out that way. Only sensors except at the gates, but nothing has been tripped."
"Ok, thanks, Pete. You can go back to the party."
"Are you sure, boss?" Pete asked.
"Yes. She's probably just calming down." Edward said. "Thanks, I didn't know how to access the cameras from in here myself."
"Debra set it up."
"She'll have to show me some time."
"Ok." Pete and then got up and walked around the desk. "Let me know if you need anything else."
"I will, thanks." Edward said. He sat down at the desk. Pete walked out.
"Jason upset her, didn't he?"
"She was crying when she left, and she took off fast. I should have been with her."
"Don't blame yourself, Edward." Marcus said.
"What do you want to do?"
"She said she would check in if she took off. So, I guess I'll wait. She must have lost track of time."
"Maybe or maybe she is hurt and can't answer her phone." Marcus said.
Edward pulled out her phone and dialed Debra. It went straight to voicemail. "Now it goes straight to voicemail." Edward said then pressed several things on his phone.
"She tracked my phone with this app, but I guess it only works when the phone is on."
"Edward, if her phone isn't on, then something is wrong."
"No, she might have turned it off." Edward said. "There's no need to worry yet. Debra can take care of herself." He said as he got up. "I think I'll take a ride to see if I can find her."
"I'll go with you if you don't mind."
"OK. I need to tell my brothers." Edward walked around the desk. I'll meet you in the barn."
"Ok."
Edward hurried out of the house and over to Jared and Ace. "Debra took off. She's not answering her phone."
"Do you want us to get a search crew together?"
"No not yet. Stay here and keep an eye on things."
"Why did she take off?" Jared asked.
"Jason found out that most of the guys here have records. He confronted her, I guess. She was crying when she left. Keep an eye on them, please?"
"Call if you need us." Ace said.
"I will. Marcus is going with me."
Edward walked around the house fast then ran out to the barn. Marcus was waiting by the door. They went inside and started down the aisle. Misty snorted in her stall. Edward stopped at her door. "Easy girl. It's all right." Edward said. Misty came to the door. "Don't worry, she will be fine. I'll find her. You stay here, ok?"
"Does she understand you?"
"Misty and Debra have a special connection." Edward said. "You rest. I'll bring her home safe." He walked down to Majesty. "You can ride Blackjack there." Edward said as he pointed to a stall. He opened Majesty's stall. Marcus opened Blackjacks. They led the horses to the tack area. "When Debra came here, she formed a special bond with Misty. When Debra got caught in a mud slide, Misty knocked down the fence and found her." They started to saddle their horses.
"That's cool."
"Yeah." Edward said. "They are both pregnant with twins and due about the same time."
"That's dangerous, isn't it?"
"For Misty, yes, but it was too late to abort one without killing both. Our vet thinks she is young and strong enough to handle it."
"Or it can kill all three."
"That's the chance we take." Edward said as he finished tacking Majesty. "You ready?"
They led the horses out the door, mounted and rode off. After a while, Edward's phone rang. He stopped and pulled it out then answered it. "Debra, are you all right?"
"Yes, I'm fine. The quad flipped though. I can't get back upright. Can you come and help?"
"Where are you?"
"I'm east of the house, down in a valley. I had to climb up to get reception."
"Marcus and I are on our way. Stay where you are. I'll track your phone."
"Ok. I'm sorry."
"Darling, there's nothing to be sorry for. Stay where you are. We'll be there shortly." Edward said.
"I will." Debra said then hung up.
"Was that her? Is she all right?"
"Yes. She's fine, but she needs help." He said as he pushed things on his phone. "I'm trying to locate her now."
"What happened?"
"She flipped the quad." Edward said and got her location. "Let's go." Edward said then hurried off.
Marcus rode fast and caught up to him. They rode fast to the edge of the field. Edward stopped and checked the phone. "Ok, this way." He said then led the way up the side of a hill. They rode up and over the other side. They rode down until they spotted her in the distance.
Edward hurried Majesty along, then jumped off him and hugged Debra. "I'm so glad you're all right."
"I sorry to worry you. I tried to stay calm, but I had to get away." Edward stepped back and looked at her. He ran his hands over her belly. "Are they all right?"
"Yes." She said then one kicked Edward's hand. "Yes, their fine."
Marcus dismounted next to them. "Are you all right, Debra?"
"Yes, a little dirty, but I'm fine. The quad is down there." Debra pointed down the slope.
"Stay here with the horses. We will get it." Edward said.
"I'm done with them, Edward. There won't be any more chances."
"If that's what you want, darling. Do you want them gone before we get back?"
"No. I already told Ace to keep them there until I get back so I can personally kick them out once again."
"Really?"
"Yes. I want my whole family behind me when I do this. That includes you, Marcus." Debra said. "Then Sheriff Stone and Marshal Philips are going to escort them to the hotel to pack up and leave."
"Did you already call them?"
"Yes. They are coming out to the house." Debra said. "I'm sorry for putting you through this again, but it won't happen again."
"Do you mean the running away or about your parents?"
"My parents, dear. I can't promise that this won't happen again." Debra smiled.
"Why did you come all the way out here?"
"I was crying and just rode then I couldn't remember how to get back. I looked at my phone and couldn't get a signal then the quad rolled and flipped."
"Stay here. We'll get it."
"Ok." Debra said. Edward and Marcus walked down to the quad. Debra walked over to the horses and pet them. She held onto the horses then she heard the quad start up. She waited for a few minutes until the men came back up.
Edward shut off the quad and walked over to her. "Are you all right to ride back?"
"Yes, we're fine."
"I can drive you."
"No, just lead the way. I'll be fine."
"We should probably get going. The clouds are getting dark." Marcus said.
"Yes, we should." Edward said. He took Majesty's lead and mounted. Debra got on the quad, started it and followed Edward. Marcus followed Debra. They rode back to the house. Debra drove the quad into the garage and shut it off. She sat there for a while until Edward and Marcus come in. Edward walked over to her. "Are you up for this?"
"Yes. I'm ready." She said as she got off the quad.
"The sheriff and marshal are here." Edward said then put his arm around her.
"I love you, Edward."
"I love you, Debra. You can change your mind if that's what you want."
"No, I'm doing this. I have to do this for my piece of mind." She said. They walked around the house and to the back. The band was playing so, Debra waited until they finished the song before she left Edward's side and walked up on the stage. Josh handed her the microphone. "Hey, everyone. I will keep this short. I just wanted to thank everyone for being my family. At least most of you." She said then looked directly at Jason and Edith. "I invited my foster parents here today so that they could get to know my family. I thought if they got to know everyone, then they could see that not everyone is bad, but they only see the wrong in people and what they put did in the past. Be glad I am nothing like them and see good in everyone. Jason, Edith thank you for what you did for me growing up, but since you can't see good in my family and their pasts, then there is no future for us. I want you to leave this place and I don't ever want to see or hear from you again. I can take care of myself with help from my family here." Debra said. "This here is my family now, for better or worse. We may have flaws, but we will always be here for each other no matter what life throws at us." Debra said. She put the microphone on the stand and stepped down off the stage. She walked over to Edith and Jason. "Sheriff Stone and Marshal Philips will escort you to the hotel and to the airport."
"Debra, I think you are making a mistake." Jason said.
"No, you made the mistake by training me the way you did. I am nothing like you or think the way you do. Good luck in your future. If you have one after your supervisor reads the letter that I sent him. Go before I have you arrested for trespassing." Debra said as she stood tall in front of Jason and Edith. Edward and the rest of the family stood behind her.
Jason looked around then turned and walked with Edith around the house. Sheriff Stone and Marshal Philips followed them.
Debra let out a deep breath then her legs gave way. Edward caught her before she hit the ground. "Let's get you a seat and something to drink." Edward said then picked her up and carried her over to a chair. Marcus brought her a bottle of water.
"Thank you. I'm fine. Really."
"That was very brave of you to stand up to them."
"Like I said, don't mess with my family." Debra said.
"And nobody messes with our boss." Josh said.
"Thank you all for being behind me. It means so much to me."
" Anything for you, boss."
"Then let's keep this party going. This is a celebration."
"You got it." Josh said then went back up on the stage. He started up the band and started singing. The party went on.