Nothing Is Ever Quite What It Seems

With Kevin finally home, Nika actually found it far more relaxing to be on the ranch. Strange how it works like that sometimes, she mused to herself.

"Nika?"

The sound of her sister's voice brought Nika's gaze from the horse she was grooming to the door, and she grinned at her sister, who moved to rest one elbow on the top of the stall door. "Hey there. Kevin doing all right?"

"He's napping. I finally feel like the boulder that's been on my shoulders for months is gone, so I figured I'd poke my head out and see how you're doing," Nala commented, leaning her chin on her hand. "Saddlesore?"

Nika shrugged. "It's a good kind of sore. Besides... got my own personal doc to keep my backside muscles limber," she said with a wicked grin as she brushed the horse's flanks.

"Geez," Nala smirked. "You're getting right raunchy in your old age, sis." There was a faint blush across her cheeks even as she laughed. Perching her chin on her hands where they rested on top of the stall door, she asked her sister, "So.... you and the doc, huh? What about you and Brian Connelly?"

Glancing over her shoulder at her sister once more, Nika sighed heavily. "Oh Lord... if we're having this conversation, you better have brought the good stuff."

Nala laughed and held up her other hand, which contained a bottle of amber-colored liquid and two glasses.

Patting the horse's withers, Nika let herself out of the stall. "You either know me too well or you're desperate to tell me everything I never wanted to know about Larry Johannsen," she chuckled.