On his birthday, Dante was fortunate enough to avoid being assigned a shift to watch over the cows, allowing him a peaceful night of uninterrupted sleep.
However, early the next morning, he was intercepted by his older brother, Lee.
At thirty-eight, Lee looked even older than his years. His neatly trimmed dark brown hair was always kept at just the right length, never following trends. His face bore a striking resemblance to their father's, but it lacked some softness, maintaining a perpetually distant and stern expression.
His straight, slightly thick eyebrows gave him an air of seriousness. He preferred traditional attire—plain jeans and a dark plaid shirt year-round. On rainy days, he wore the same black jacket he'd purchased years ago, stubbornly refusing to replace it.
The morning's trouble stemmed from an issue with one of the trucks.
"Yeah, it looks like it needs a new head gasket," Dante said, wiping oil off the wrench as he explained the problem with the old truck that had broken down on the road.
As it turned out, the truck didn't even belong to the ranch. One of the cowboys had won it in a card game. When they brought it to the ranch, it broke down before even reaching its destination.
Before towing it, Lee had asked Dante to take a look at it. Lee had heard that Dante knew Susie, a mechanic, from an old story about repairing a vehicle, though Dante hadn't actually met Susie that way. It was just another fabricated tale to conceal his true business dealings.
"No matter. I'll order the part online."
Lee waved him off. "No, let's go to the repair shop and buy one."
Lee was the most traditionally rugged of the brothers—close with his family but strict with the workers. He had a particular understanding of the cowboys, who performed some of the ranch's most critical tasks and were treated like extended family.
"If they don't have it, we'll find it elsewhere," Lee insisted.
"There's no need for that. You can just order it on Amazon. Haven't you ever done that?" Dante spread his hands, confused. He had other priorities today and didn't want to waste time going to town for something that could arrive later.
Lee, however, was as stubborn as ever. "See? That's the problem with your generation. You think everything comes easy. You need to rely on what's around you. I thought living on the ranch would've taught you that, but clearly, there's still room for improvement."
"Alright, let's hear your lecture. I'm curious about the disadvantages of using the tools invented by your generation," Dante retorted, pointing to Lee's state-of-the-art truck, helicopter, and other vehicles. "Is it wrong to focus on more pressing matters and let this resolve itself when the time comes?"
From a distance, James appeared, holding a cup of coffee. "Our younger brother has a point. Maybe you should trust the tools we have online."
"See? Even James gets it. Why don't you?" Dante teased, smirking at Lee, who now looked embarrassed.
Lee frowned, putting down the wrench and glaring at Dante.
"Hmm, maybe we should eat," Dante said, brushing off his brother's irritation. Lee, despite being only in his mid-thirties, often acted like he was twice his age.
"It's not mealtime," Lee snapped.
Dante, annoyed at being caught in yet another family squabble, sighed.
"You're all lazy and unwilling to take even half a step forward," Lee scolded, shaking his head at his brothers. "Yesterday, you both stayed home until noon."
"It was my day off," James replied nonchalantly.
Dante thought back to his activities the previous day. Realizing he had been handling financial matters, he said, "I was working on new ranch business, which you of all people should know, since you've been helping me."
Lee wanted to argue further but stayed silent, recognizing his misstep and feeling a bit embarrassed.
Dante had brought numerous new ventures to the family, easily covering the salaries of all the ranch workers. The family no longer depended solely on cattle ranching, making use of the land they had previously neglected.
Looking at Lee's quiet, reflective face, Dante said, "Looks like someone's taking their frustration out on us."
"Well, let's say I didn't sleep well," Lee admitted grudgingly, knowing Dante wouldn't let it go otherwise.
"Then you should be happy your brother is here to help. Let's hire more workers and let you become what Dad always wanted—a ranch owner, not just the boss of the cowboys," Dante said, referring to their father's vision for Lee to lead the ranch with authority.
"We still have a lot of work to do, so I don't want to hear anything else right now. I just want peace and quiet," Lee replied, turning back to his tasks.
James walked over to Dante, saying, "He always gets like this during calving season. It really stresses him out."
Dante chuckled as he looked at his brother, who was the only one dressed differently. Smiling, he clapped James on the shoulder and said, "Then help me clean the pen."
"No thanks. Even the cowboys hate that job." James laughed.
Cleaning the pen was one of the dirtiest and most exhausting jobs. It was often reserved as punishment for those who broke the rules or lost a bet.
After heading back to the house to grab his worn leather jacket, Dante picked up the shotgun hanging on the wall near the refrigerator, slung it over his shoulder, and set out toward the pen.
The shotgun wasn't for hunting but for precaution. Dante always liked to be prepared.
The morning grass was covered in a layer of dew, glistening under the soft daylight. A pale yellow sunlight pierced through the low clouds, bathing the ranch in a serene glow.
As Dante strolled with the breeze, his sharp eyes scanned his surroundings for any subtle details.
"Going hunting?" Lloyd asked, passing by while moving some horses for training.
"Just practicing my aim. How's the morning treating you?" Dante responded casually.
"Much better than I expected." Lloyd replied, smiling.