For Us, It Will Be

Chapter Three - I Hate Fighting With You

"Hurt your feelings?" Erin seemed surprised. "That doesn't sound like my daughter."

"What do you mean?" Oakley asked.

"I was expecting a fight," Erin said. "You kicking Kayce out or you having luggage with you or something...not that your feelings were hurt."

" I have four kids, you know how long it takes me to pack things for them?" Oakley joked.

"Oakley," Erin chuckled.

"It's fine," Oakley said. "We'll work it out. We always do."

"Was it about John?" Erin asked.

"Yeah," Oakley nodded. "With everything that's happened this year, I decided that distance from John would be best for me and the kids. I'm scared of him...I'm scared of what he can do and how he can manipulate his children, particularly Kayce."

Oakley took a pause. 

"I never told Kayce he couldn't speak to his father," Oakley breathed in and out. "But, Kayce's talked to him over the past few months when I thought, and Kayce told me, that he hadn't been."

"Talking to John in what way?" Erin asked.

"I don't know...about the campaign and Kayce's office," Oakley said. "He also called him when Elsa was born."

"Kayce also called me when Elsa was born," Erin smiled. "That might...and I'm not trying to be on anyone's side here...but that might have been a grandparent thing." 

Oakley wanted to say that Erin hadn't gotten anyone almost killed, nor did Erin use Kayce to play games...but she decided against it.

"It's complicated with John," Oakley mumbled. "It's always a game...and someone always ends up hurt." 

They were quiet for a moment. The only sound was the little gurgles from Elsa in Erin's arms. 

"Did he do it?" Erin asked softly.

Oakley looked at her mother. Oakley and her mom hadn't talked much about Kayce dropping out, Lawrence being killed, or John running again until now. But that didn't mean her mother didn't watch the news or hear things around town. 

"I don't know," Oakley said.

"That's not a no," Erin pointed out.

"Did he physically do it?" Oakley asked. "No, obviously not."

"But you think he was involved?" Erin looked at her daughter.

"He's always involved," Oakley said. "Ever since I meant John Dutton, he's been involved in everything."

"I think that's his price to pay with how and where he was raised," Erin said. "Growing up a Dutton is...not an easy life and none of them chose that life." 

Oakley felt her eyes water. 

"What is it, honey?" Erin asked. 

"Sometimes I fear that. same fate might be Kayce's," Oakley whispered. 

Erin tilted her head, giving her daughter a warm smile. 

"It might have been," She nodded. "But that was before you came back into his life." 

"I didn't change him," Oakley said. 

"Yes you did, Oakley," Erin nodded. "And he changed you...you can't. marry someone, build a life with someone, and have. them not change you." 

Oakley sighed, rubbing her hands over her face. 

"The Duttons own the largest ranch in Montana," Erin said. "They were bound to. always have enemies from every angle...but out of all of them, I think you might have found the only one with a moral center."