sincerely mean that.”
Seated at the Wyse dinner table, the four men ate the meal of steak and potatoes with considerable enthusiasm, pausing only briefly to thank Dublin for preparing it. Within twenty minutes, all of the meal was gone, as was the beer Cooper had brought in. Bear was the first to make his way to a bedroom for sleep, followed soon after by Reese and Dublin, and then Cooper Wyse.
Mac stayed back in the main room, seated next to a window looking out into the clear night sky. His cough returned momentarily, breaking the silence within the near complete darkness of the home’s interior. Mac heard Brando approaching in that darkness, the Doberman’s long snout finally coming to rest on his thigh. Looking down, Mac could see the dog peering back up at him as if to ask if he was going to be ok.
“You think I’m a used up old man too, don’t you? Maybe you’re right. Hell…probably are. I think I got another round left in me yet though, Brando. Just one more mission to see if I still got a little bite left in this old bark.”
VI.
Mac, who had slept on the largest of the leather couches in Cooper’s living room area, woke early, as was his long standing habit. To his surprise, he spotted Cooper already outside saddling the horses as Brando sat watching near the barn’s entrance.
Taking a moment to stretch his muscles, Mac walked out of the home and made his way toward the barn and Cooper Wyse, who gave Mac a greeting with the tip of his cowboy hat.
“Morning, Coop – surprised you were able to get out here without waking me up. I’m normally a very light sleeper.”
Cooper gave a slight shrug and continued to check the saddle straps, the supply bags, and the overall condition of the horses.
Mac had not been so close to a horse in many years, and found their size to be somewhat intimidating, though he had no intention of letting Cooper know that.
“Which one will I be riding?”
Cooper stepped over to one a horse that was a mixture of white and black colors , with a long slender neck and head.
“I broke every one of these, all a mix of this and that. Yours is a good old girl named Chess. She’s got quite a bit of Thoroughbred in her. Used to be very spirited, but she’s a real easy going lady now, but can get you somewhere in a hurry if you need to.”
Mac moved slowly alongside Chess and ran his hand along her neck.
“Well hello there, Chess. I’m Mac. Just don’t throw me off and you and me will get along just fine.”
Brando had moved over to Mac’s left, and was nuzzling his other hand.
“Well hello there, Brando! I see you’re up and ready to go as well!”
Cooper Wyse tilted his head slightly as he noted Brando’s attention to Mac.
“Never seen that dog go out of his way to be nice like he’s done for you, Mac.”
Mac leaned down and placed both of his hands around Brando’s head and scratched behind the Doberman’s ears, to which the dog responded by nuzzling Mac’s neck. Cooper shook his head and smiled.
“Hope you ain’t turning my dog soft, Mac. He’s supposed to be a touch more intimidating than that.”
Mac stood up, coughing slightly as he attempted to clear his throat.
“Oh hell, I’m pretty sure old Brando there would prove himself as mean as he needed to be. Those are some serious chompers he’s got inside that mouth of his.”
Seemingly understanding what Mac just said, Brando pulled back his lips to reveal his teeth in a both frightening and amusing snarling smile.
Mac pointed to the dog and then looked over at Cooper, his eyes widening in shock.
“Did your dog just smile at me?”
Cooper Wyse waved a dismissive hand toward Brando as he continued to check over the horses.
“He’s done that for years. It’s a common thing Dobermans do. Means he’s happy.”
Mac looked back
Seated at the Wyse dinner table, the four men ate the meal of steak and potatoes with considerable enthusiasm, pausing only briefly to thank Dublin for preparing it. Within twenty minutes, all of the meal was gone, as was the beer Cooper had brought in. Bear was the first to make his way to a bedroom for sleep, followed soon after by Reese and Dublin, and then Cooper Wyse.
Mac stayed back in the main room, seated next to a window looking out into the clear night sky. His cough returned momentarily, breaking the silence within the near complete darkness of the home’s interior. Mac heard Brando approaching in that darkness, the Doberman’s long snout finally coming to rest on his thigh. Looking down, Mac could see the dog peering back up at him as if to ask if he was going to be ok.
“You think I’m a used up old man too, don’t you? Maybe you’re right. Hell…probably are. I think I got another round left in me yet though, Brando. Just one more mission to see if I still got a little bite left in this old bark.”
VI.
Mac, who had slept on the largest of the leather couches in Cooper’s living room area, woke early, as was his long standing habit. To his surprise, he spotted Cooper already outside saddling the horses as Brando sat watching near the barn’s entrance.
Taking a moment to stretch his muscles, Mac walked out of the home and made his way toward the barn and Cooper Wyse, who gave Mac a greeting with the tip of his cowboy hat.
“Morning, Coop – surprised you were able to get out here without waking me up. I’m normally a very light sleeper.”
Cooper gave a slight shrug and continued to check the saddle straps, the supply bags, and the overall condition of the horses.
Mac had not been so close to a horse in many years, and found their size to be somewhat intimidating, though he had no intention of letting Cooper know that.
“Which one will I be riding?”
Cooper stepped over to one a horse that was a mixture of white and black colors , with a long slender neck and head.
“I broke every one of these, all a mix of this and that. Yours is a good old girl named Chess. She’s got quite a bit of Thoroughbred in her. Used to be very spirited, but she’s a real easy going lady now, but can get you somewhere in a hurry if you need to.”
Mac moved slowly alongside Chess and ran his hand along her neck.
“Well hello there, Chess. I’m Mac. Just don’t throw me off and you and me will get along just fine.”
Brando had moved over to Mac’s left, and was nuzzling his other hand.
“Well hello there, Brando! I see you’re up and ready to go as well!”
Cooper Wyse tilted his head slightly as he noted Brando’s attention to Mac.
“Never seen that dog go out of his way to be nice like he’s done for you, Mac.”
Mac leaned down and placed both of his hands around Brando’s head and scratched behind the Doberman’s ears, to which the dog responded by nuzzling Mac’s neck. Cooper shook his head and smiled.
“Hope you ain’t turning my dog soft, Mac. He’s supposed to be a touch more intimidating than that.”
Mac stood up, coughing slightly as he attempted to clear his throat.
“Oh hell, I’m pretty sure old Brando there would prove himself as mean as he needed to be. Those are some serious chompers he’s got inside that mouth of his.”
Seemingly understanding what Mac just said, Brando pulled back his lips to reveal his teeth in a both frightening and amusing snarling smile.
Mac pointed to the dog and then looked over at Cooper, his eyes widening in shock.
“Did your dog just smile at me?”
Cooper Wyse waved a dismissive hand toward Brando as he continued to check over the horses.
“He’s done that for years. It’s a common thing Dobermans do. Means he’s happy.”
Mac looked back
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