scene 28

scene 27

EXT. AIRSTREAM TRADE WIND TRAVEL TRAILER IN CLEARING IN WOODS - DAY

SESS and CLAIRE, 50ish cowgirls from boots to hats, belt buckles and bandanas in-between, sit on a log bench outside the door, facing forest and the dirt driveway that emerges from it to end at adjacent carport. 

Older Ford F-450 pickup with New Mexico plates shares the port with a Jeep CJ-7 with Oklahoma plates and old Husqvarna motorcycle.

Six-horse trailer with New Mexico plates stationed near a barn, corral and hitching post behind the Airstream, eight tents farther back among ponderosa pines.  

EIGHT TEENAGERS OF MIXED GENDER tend to SIX SADDLED HORSES tied to the hitching post.

CLAIRE: How'd they meet

SESS: Sat next to each other on a flight from Denver to A-B-Q. 

CLAIRE: What does Hunter do?

SESS: He's a writer.

CLAIRE: Of?

SESS: Fiction.

CLAIRE: A title I might recognize?

SESS:  Foglost is his latest.

Claire, shocked, turns to Sess two beat before we HEAR THE ROVER'S ENGINE, moments before it comes into view out of the woods. They stand and watch Hunter drive to the carport as Jackie waves out the window.  They wave back, walk to the Rover as Hunter, Chloe, Tom and Jackie walk to them.  

CLAIRE: My dad's gonna shit when I tell him.

SESS: Send him a selfie.

CLAIRE: Do you think he'd be cool with it? 

SESS: I asked. Jack says yes. 

CLAIRE: Who's the cowboy to Hunter?

SESS: Surprise visitor's all I know. 

Sess and Jackie open their arms to each other.

SESS/JACKIE: Cuz!

They embrace.

SESS: You made it.

JACKIE: Small fire delay at Sherwood.

SESS: Heard it on the radio. 

CLAIRE: And saw it on the way in.

JACKIE: What a wonderful surprise.

They speak into each other's ear.

CLAIRE: Your friend is gonna be a helluva surprise to my dad.

JACKIE: How's he doing?

CLAIRE: Better. More later.

JACKIE: K.

CLAIRE: You're glowing.

JACKIE: It's the mountain light.

CLAIRE: Right.

Theyh break embrace.

JACKIE/SESS: So.

Sess nods to Jackie.

JACKIE (CONT.) Intro ductions. Cecilia, Claire, it is my pleasure to introduce you to Hunter, Chloe and Tom. Tom, Chloe and Hunter, meet Claire and my cousin Cecilia.

Exchange of variations of hellos and good to meet yous. 

SESS: And it's Sess henceforth. So, Jacqueline told you what we have here with the horses and kids.

Hunter, Chloe and Tom nod.

TOM: It's a wonderful thing y'all are doin'.

SESS: Early into it and learning on the run but so far so good. So Tom, I'm gonna take a wild guess that this is not your first rodeo. 

TOM: I been to a couple.

SESS: I'd bet maybe more like a few.

TOM: Probly a little closer to accurate.

CHLOE: Tom's a retired cattle ranch foreman.

SESS: More like a few I reckon. 

TOM: Yes ma'am.

SESS: How 'bout we meet the ponies and youngsters and saddle up?

JACKIE: Let's. 

Jackie, Sess and Claire lead Hunter, Tom and Chloe.

CHLOE: Did you ever do any real rodeo, Tom?

TOM: Little bit, when I was a kid. Whatcha might call junior rodeo. 

CHLOE: Like baseball little league?

TOM: Somethin' like that.

CHLOE: What event or events did you do?

TOM: Well, started out barrel racin', if ya know what that is.

CHLOE: I do. Seems like the barrels never win.

All smile.

TOM: Well more'n a couple few got me along the way before I moved into tie-down ropin'.

CHLOE: That's the one the calves love so much.

TOM: I reckon it ain't their favorite thing.

CHLOE: No, I reckon that would be being branded.    

All smile bigger.

TOM: My experience suggests otherwise.

CHLOE: Maybe it was for their own good?

TOM: Well, that's when we'd give 'em their vaccinations.

CHLOE: Maybe someday you can tell me more about cowboying.

TOM: Be happy to and try to not bore ya too much.

CHLOE: I don't see that happening, Tom.  

HUNTER: I want in on this campfire.

JACKIE: Maybe a story on the way home?

TOM: Sure.

SESS: And at lunch?

TOM: If you'll gimme a category somethin' might come to mind.

CHLOE: The best and worst of it.

TOM: I'll give it some thought.

CHLOE: One more thing.

TOM: Yes ma'am.

CHLOE: For now anyway.

TOM: Alright. 

CHLOE: Sess, might be there be a rope around that Tom could use to show me how to tie a honda knot?

SESS: I know right where it's coiled and waiting.

CHLOE: Tom?

TOM: Well, it's been awhile but I think it might come back to me. 

CHLOE: Yay.

As they near the horses and teens, the palomino in the group swishes its tail and seems to fix its gaze on Tom. Sess and Claire shoot each other a look.

SESS: Tom, you'll be on Butter, he's the palomino.

TOM: Yes ma'am. 

Butter keeps its gaze on Tom looking back at him and swishes his tail.