Disclaimer: Nothing resembling the characters of the Magnificent Seven
belong to me. NO money was made by this production. It was done purely for
entertainment and the author's sanity.
Rating: PG 13
Author's Notes:  First, I started this AU several months ago and only
decided to post it after all the other posts from the wonderful ATF AU .
This story is probably a one shot deal, but I am currently working on a
sci-fi universe, which may prove to be interesting.

Also, I have borrowed several characters besides the Magnificent ones, that
may be familiar. I have gained permission from the owners of such
characters, and would like to thank all of them for their generosity.

I hope you all enjoy, and I would love to hear any feedback. I'm a big fan
of many of the writers here.bg.

Warnings: None really, I am a big Chris and Vin fan and Buck and JD ,
however, and tend to be somewhat big on h/c and smarm, to a point. I hope
that's alright.;-)

********************************************************
Title: Family Secrets
Author: Tonya
Series: AU
 
 
 

‘Yeah, tho I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I shall fear
no evil’.

Buck Wilmington listened to the haunting ring of the words as they seemed
to echo on the soft wind that had picked up.

‘For thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.’

He pulled his dark duster coat around him tighter and tugged his black
cowboy hat down to sheild the rain from his face.

‘Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of my enemies; thou
annointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.’

As his dark gaze scanned the solemn, tearful, eyes of the large crowd
around him, Buck had to admit that Reese Wilmington had been smiled on by
good fortune, in more ways than one.

‘Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I
will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.’

Finally, Wilmington watched the preacher close his bible and felt the soft
movement beside him. He was sure his heart would cease to beat as he
watched his younger brother step forward to lay a single yellow rose on the
casket; a final farewell to their father.
It was the same tribute Reese had given to their mother only four short
years before.

God.

J.D. had only been thirteen then.

So young to lose someone you love.

And now this.

Buck sighed, and removed his hat, as he stepped forward to join J.D. at the
ivory tomb which was being slowly lowered into the ground. “God’s speed,
ol’ man.”

Glistening, hazel eyes looked up at Wilmington’s whispered words and it
took what restraint Buck had left not to pull the younger man to him and
hold on for dear life. The kid hated being coddled, and had expressed ,in
no uncertain terms, that he was a man and should be treated as such.
Especially, by his older, over-protective brother.

Maybe that’s why it surprised Buck so much when J.D.leaned into him and
didn’t move away when the older man threw an arm around his shoulders.
Maybe the kid knew how much his big brother needed to be needed at that
moment.

 No matter why he did it, by giving Buck something to hold onto, J.D. made
it bearable for him to let their father go. “Let’s go home, kid,”
Wilmington whispered, not releasing his grip on the boy, as he turned and
headed down the hill of the small family cemetary.

Although, the main house wasn’t far from the site,  Buck had instructed the
stable hands to prepare covered wagons for the ladies and older folk. It
was a good move considering how Mother Nature had decided to show her
unpleasant side and besides his father would have assuredly gotten a kick
out of the whole idea of a wagon-train procession. After all , what could
have been more suiting for a burial on the ranch the old man loved so much.
Reese always did want to live in the 1800's. Maybe that's why the Rose
still held a touch of that sentiment even in the year of 1999.

“I am truly sorry for the trajic and untimely loss of your father.” The
familiar Southern drawl caused Buck’s steps to faulter and he was quickly
drawn from his musings to find Reese’s lawyer standing near his and J.D.’s
horses. Ezra and Buck had known each other for several years, their
families had been friends, and it only seemed natural when Reese had hired
Ezra straight out of law school, especially considering his relationship
with the attorney’s mother. That still didn’t mean that Buck trusted him.

“Thank you, Standish.” Wilmington nodded and moved to step around the
impeccably dressed man, but the agile form impeded his attempt.

“However, there is an important matter that requires your immediate
attention, I’m afraid.”

Buck shook his head. “You want to talk business, now, Ezra?”

“It is not a matter of ‘want’, Mr. Wilmington, but a situation born of
necessity.”

“The only ‘necessity’ I have at this moment, is getting myself and my
brother out of this God-forsaken rain.” Buck pushed past the man to grab
the reigns of his mare. “I’d advise you do the same before you ruin that
fancy coat and those shoes of yours.”

“It concerns the status of the Yellow Rose,” Standish tilted his head
towards J.D., “and other legal issues, I’m afraid.”

The words halted both of Reese’s sons and J.D. was the first to speak.

“What about the Rose, Ez?”

“J.D.,” Buck held up his hand to Standish. “I think it’s best you head on
to the house and see if Miss Nettie needs any help with the guests.”

“You know she doesn’t allow me near the kitchen when she’s cooking, Buck.”
The kid was quick to remind his brother about their housekeeper’s little
idiosyncracies. “Besides, she’s got Casey and the rest of the staff to help
her.”

“J.D.,” Wilmington turned to face the younger man,  “Just do as I say.
Please.”

The teen gave his brother and Standish a deadly glare,  but did as Buck said.

“I did not mean to make this day more difficult for him,”the lawyer stated,
once J.D. had ridden out of ear-shot. “That’s the last thing that I’d want.”

“Just cut to the chase, Standish. I don’t have time to listen to your fake
pleasantries. If you haven’t noticed, I have people waiting on me.”

“As do I.” Ezra let his green eyes meet the other man’s hard gaze. “Dwight
Porter for one.”

“F**k, Porter.” Buck’s face instantly clouded over with anger. “You tell
that little weasel that he’ll get his money when I’m good and ready to give
it to him.”

“And when might that be, my friend?” Standish’s voice remained passive.
“The mortgage on the the ranch was due last month.”

Wilmington threw a hand up in the air. “I don’t know. When the insurance
settles, I guess.”

Ezra looked down at the ground and then cleared his throat. “The insurance
may not pay.”

“What do you mean, they may not pay? Why the hell not. I know Reese had a
five million dollar life insurance policy. It was one bill he was sure he
was never late on.”

“I’m quite aware of that, Mr. Wilmington. I was, after all,  the one who
insisted your father accrue that little investment, after your mother’s
sudden passing.”

Buck bit his lip and tried to will himself to remain calm. “Then why
wouldn’t it pay off.”

Ezra didn’t know quite how to soften his next words. It was unlikely that
Wilmington had been privy to the rumors. “The Life Insurance policy had
specific regulation about suicide.”

“Suicide!?” Buck boomed. “Are you insinuating that Reese Wilmington took
his own life?”

“I’m not suggesting any such thing, sir.” Ezra took an unconscious step
back from the livid man. “ As far as I am concerned, your father was one of
the few decent men left. I am only recounting the statement issued to me by
the Insurance Company.  They sent word to my office that an investigation
of the mysterious circumstances surrounding  your father’s death was
currently underway, and until such investigation was concluded, they would
not be obliged to pay us one red cent.”

“Damn it!” Buck swore, tearing off his hat and throwing it to the ground.
“We need that money to keep the Rose afloat.”

“I’m afraid that may only be the beginning of your troubles, my friend.”

“What else could possibly be worse than losing everything my parents worked
most of their lives to build.”

Ezra held the other man’s gaze. “Losing your brother.”

Buck had his hands twisted in the lapels of the man’s jacket before he
realized what he was doing. “What the hell are you talking about,
Standish?!” Wilmington slammed the smaller man up against the large tree
behind them.

“I am referring to your unstable reputation, sir. However unfounded it may
be, there could be a problem with the custody issue, especially if you lose
the Rose.”

“What custody issue?” Buck released Ezra , and tossed his hands in the air.
“I’m the only family the kid’s got. Where else would he...” Wilmington
stopped in mid-sentence. “Oh hell no!”

Standish flinched at the furious outburst, but kept his best poker face
intact. “He is the boy’s uncle.”

“The hell he is!” Buck’s dark eyes danced with fire. “He may have been my
mother’s brother, but he has never been a part of our family. Ayden Cross
will get his hands on J.D. over my dead body.”

“I’m afraid that he and his wife have petitioned the court to review the
stability of a home ,one such as yourself, may provide. They’ve asked Judge
Travis to grant them temporary guardianship, until the court can look into
the matter.”

“Wife!?” Buck snorted. “That’s the first I heard of the old bastard being
married.”

Ezra knew Wilmington wasn’t going to like what he was about to say. “It
seems that , Mr. Cross, took a young bride.”

“How young?”

“ Young enough to be Dwight Porter’s niece.”

Buck released his hold on the younger man , ran a hand over his eyes and
tried to control the pounding of his heart. “Wonderful. What kind of
chances do they have?”

Ezra looked sympathetically at the tall, rugged, figure in front of him. “A
rather good one. Magdeline Saint comes from a wealthy family and together
with Cross and his semi-prosperous business ventures, they could make
worthy adversaries. Or at the least,they could hire the best law team money
can buy.”

“Well hell, Ezra. You’re always telling everybody you’re the best money can
buy,” Wilmington said sarcastically. “You ain’t planning on trading camps
are you?”

“I’ll ignore that derogatory implication, sir, seeing as how you are under
a great deal of stress.”

Buck run a hand through his dark hair and sighed. “I’m sorry, Ezra. This
whole day is turning out to be my worse nightmare.”

Standish straightened his tie and sighed. “I do understand, Buck. Whether
you believe it or not, I cared for your father; as I do JD.” The southerner
shifted nervously under the scrutiny of Wilmington’s dark gaze, afraid he
had said more than he wanted. Now was not the time to spring more surprises
on the man in front of him.  “That’s why I’ve been doing a little digging
on my own.”

A hint of the usual michevious grin played at the corner of Buck’s mouth.
“And what have you found?”

“Did you know that your father had a half brother?”

Wilmington shook his head, his grin fading. “Hell no.”

Ezra ran a hand through his hair thinking how strange that history so often
repeated itself. “Well, he does. They had the same mother. Reese’s father
took him when he and Catherine Chamberlain divorced. She later married
another man, and had a son by him.

 Reece’s father, your grandfather, moved to Mexico where he met your
grandmother when Reese was only four.”

“Maria wasn’t Reece’s real mama?” Buck looked more than a little doubtful.
“Are you sure about this?”

“I’m positive,” Ezra replied. “Reese left very detailed records,” Standish
took a deep breath, trying to keep his heart from racing, “on all his family.”

Buck shook his head. “ I know the old man loved to keep secrets, Ez. Hell,
I’d hate to imagine the skeletons rattling around in his closet. But what
has all this got to do with what’s going on now with Porter and Cross. I’m
more worried about keeping my little brother
safe, than I am finding out about my father’s long lost sibling.”

“But finding him may just be the key that allows us to keep JD out of
Ayden’s grasp,” Ezra had grabbed hold of Buck’s jacket now, a look of
frustration crossing his usually impassive features.

Wilmington looked down at the well manicured hand rapped in the lapels of
his sport’s coat and then into the fiery green gaze aimed at him. “Care to
explain to me how that’s going to work, tough guy?”

Standish took another deep breath, trying to remember every little nuance
Maude had drilled into his head about suppressing his emotions, and
relinquished his grip on Buck. “If we find your father’s brother, your
uncle, then we have someone to offer up
 as an alternative to Cross, when JD’s custody comes up for trial.”

The mustached man’s face flushed with anger again. “So instead of letting
my brother be taken away by some derranged uncle, who could care less about
what happens to him,  I let him be dumped with an uncle I don’t even know?”

“I’m not saying that, Buck. What I am saying is that we at least find this
man and see what he has to offer us, if he is willing to help us, that is.
Apparently he and Reese have never seen things eye to eye.”

“Great,” Wilmington raked a hand through his dark hair, “this just keeps
gettin’ better. What the hell am I goin’ do?”

Standish felt a sudden pang of guilt and longing, two things he wasn’t use
to feeling. Buck looked tired and much older than his thirty years, and
something about seeing him suffering provoked another emotion in Ezra,
anger. “We will do what we have to , Buck. If this mysterious brother of
Reese’s doesn’t work out, there may be another we can consider.”

Buck raised an eyebrow at the younger man. “So what’s the plan?"

“We go to Houston, my friend. We go to Houston, and we find Mr. Jon Larabee.”

********************************************************

Jon Larabee took a deep breath of the morning breeze off the water, and
smiled to himself. Sea gulls called from the dock, and the early sun warmed
the last of the autumn chill from his bones. Life was good.  With one last
look to the rising orb along the horizon, his thoughts turned to the two
most important reason all was right in his world, and entered the berth of
the Bounty, the houseboat belonging to his sons.

Tanner barked his usual greeting as he performed a happy dance at the man’s
feet. The black Lab yelped and went to fetch his favorite toy for Jon to
throw for him.

“Anybody home?”Jon called,ducking to avoid the swinging lamp above him.

“No,” came the muffled reply from the couch across the room. “We’ve left
for the mainland.”

A slight smile crossed Larabee’s features as he caught sight of his oldest
boy, stretched out on the sofa, mud-caked jeans and boots still on, not to
mention a rather large t-bone steak lying across his face.

“Either you’re teaching Tanner here a new trick, or I’d say you ended up on
the wrong end of a skip again.” Jon lifted the piece of meat from the
blond’s face and winced at the swollen black eye that greeted him.
Sometimes he hated the line of work his children had chosen. “I hope the
other guy looks a lot worse.”

“Much,” another voice answered, and Jon looked up in time to catch a wink
from his other offspring, who had apparently just made it out of the
shower. Vin’s long brown hair was still wet and he was wearing only a white
towel around his waist and a huge grin on his handsome face. “You should
have seen it, dad. Chris distracted the guy just long enough for me to get
the drop on him.”

“I see.” Jon pushed Chris’s feet off the end of the couch and sat down.
“Why is it that Christopher does the distracting when you have the black
belt in karate?”

Vin grabbed a glass of orange juice and took the chair across from his
father. “He’s the oldest.” A lop-sided grin crossed the young man’s face.
“Besides, he’s too stubborn to let me ever go in first.”

Chris finally pushed himself up to a half-sitting position and tossed the
raw meat on the floor where Tanner was patiently waiting. The pup was use
to getting a treat this way at least once a week. “Does the phrase, ‘go
‘head, cowboy, I’ll watch your back’, ring a bell with you?”

Vin shrugged. “I was just saving you the trouble of persuading me to stay
behind you. I’m really tired of that ‘I was a cop’ speech.”

The older Larabee raked a hand through his short blond hair and focused his
intense green gaze on his father. “Is there a purpose for this little
visit, or did Josiah just send you over here to check up on us?”

“Can’t a man come visit his only children without getting the third degree?”

“Of course, Jon, but you’re not exactly Ward Cleaver.” Vin tossed a pillow
at the grey-haired man. “Your visits usually have a purpose.”

Jon smiled. “True, but today, I have nothing on my agenda but a little
fishing.”

“No cases that the Houston PD can’t handle?” Vin asked, in mock surprise.

“No favors or freebies for one of Josiah’s lost souls?”Chris added, with
feigned disbelief.

“Nope.” Jon leaned back on the sofa cushions and crossed his arms behind
his head. “I’m not here as Chief Larabee, or Josiah’s missionary, I’m
simply here as your dad.”

Chris and Vin exchanged glances, the smile fading from their faces. “You’re
not sick are you?” Vin asked, his blue gaze searching his father’s features.

Jon’s chest tightened slightly at the look of genuine concern in his
youngest’s eyes. Vin had lost enough people in his twenty-six years on this
planet to frighten easily at the prospect of losing one of the few still
close to him.  “Of course not, son. I’m healthy as a horse.”

“And stubborn as an old mule,” Chris added, an uncharacteristic laugh
escaping him.

“Well, just so you know that this old ass can still turn you over his knee
if that’s what needs to be done. Thirty-three or not, I’m still your father.”

“I’d pay to see that.” Vin stood and clapped his father on the back.

“With what,” Chris glared at his younger brother. “Our last two cases have
been on the ‘house’, or did you forget. Plus, the bounty from last night’s
job is already spent.”

The younger Larabee shrugged. “I could work it off at the ranch.”

“Speaking of which,” Jon raised an eyebrow, “someone was suppose to come
and help me repair the fence on the corral yesterday.”

“I knew you came here with a motive,” Chris growled, pushing himself up
from the couch. “Nothing is ever black and white. Jon Larabee’s first rule
of survival.”

The police chief laughed heartily. “So you did listen to some of my advice.”

“Listened,yeah,” Vin punched his brother on the arm , as he passed him on
his way to the kitchen, “heeded to, no.”

Before Chris could reply footsteps sounded from above and Tanner dashed up
the stairs to the deck. “Ahoy down there,” Josiah Sanchez’s deep voice
wafted from above.

“Reinforcements?” Vin raised an eyebrow at his father.

“I told you that I came to fish, boy. I don’t need back-up for that.”

Josiah Sanchez had been Jon Larabee’s partner on the police force for
almost twenty years. Jon had taken Josiah under his wing as a green rookie
and taken the younger man through the ranks right along with him.  When Jon
took the job of Chief, Josiah opted to open a half-way house for parolees
instead of taking on the duty of a Captain.  Since then he had also opened
a shelter for runaways and the homeless.  Jon often joked that his old
partner would have made a better minister than cop, because he wanted to
save everyone instead of sending them away.

“Hey, preacher.” Jon smiled as their friend entered the cabin. “You decide
to take the day off and join us for some leisure time.”

“I’m afraid not.” Josiah’s countenance was more pensive than usual, and his
frown relayed his grim mood.  “I recieved a phone call this morning.”

“I take it Ed McMann wasn’t on the other line.”The police chief quipped,
tossing his friend a half-hearted grin. As a cop, he’d seen the same look
that was now on Sanchez’s face far too many times. It never meant good news.

Josiah looked at Chris and Vin, who were now watchingt him with intense
curiosity.  He almost smiled when he noticed that they had placed
themselves between him and their father, as if they could sense that what
Josiah was carrying could somehow cause Jonathan pain.  He never took for
granted the depth of the Larabee loyalty.  Even if he was the closest thing
to family that the men had, except for one another, there was still a line
he’d never be able to cross.  “Maybe we should talk up top, Jon.”

“What’s going on, Josiah?” Chris asked, shifting his gaze from Sanchez to Jon.

“You know you can saw what you need to, preacher.  We’re all family here.”
Jon pushed himself from the couch and stood. “Spit it out.”

Josiah sighed, and raked a hand through his short hair. Damn, this wasn’t
going to be easy.  “Maude Standish phoned me.  She was looking for you.”

A faint smile touched Jon’s face as memories of the spit-fire blond
she-devil danced through his mind. “Damn, Josiah, I know Maude broke your
heart when you were just a boy, but I’d thought you’d be glad to hear her
sweet voice.”

Sanchez didn’t return the grin. “She was calling about Reese, Jon. He’s dead.”

Jon Larabee felt as if someone had punched him in the gut.  All the blood
in his body seemed to rush to his head and then plunge to his feet in the
breath of second, and he numbly sat back down on the sofa. “No. That can’t
be.”

“Who’s Reese?” Chris asked, as Vin kneeled beside their father.

“Dad, are you okay?” The youngest Larabee had never seen the man before him
look so shaken, except for when his and Chris’s mother had died, and when
Chris had been shot while on the police force.

“How?” Jon turned his pale blue gaze on Josiah. “When?”

“Three days ago.  There was some kind of car accident.  Maude said she
would have notified you earlier, but she just found out herself. She’s been
out of the country.”

For a moment Jon didn’t say anything, he just stared at the floor, ignoring
Vin’s touch and his oldest son’s demands.

“Who’s Maude, and who the hell is this Reese?” Chris asked again, his
temper starting to flare.  He wasn’t one to sit back while someone he loved
was in pain.

“The boys?” Jon looked up once more, searching his ex-partner’s drawn
features.

“I don’t know.”

“Damn,” Larabee cussed, rubbing a hand across his eyes. “Just like the old
fool to get himself killed before that youngest was grown. My God, what is
he fifteen....sixteen?”

“Seventeen, I think.” Sanchez replied softly.

“Who?” Chris growled. “Who’s seventeen?”

“At least he’s got the other two to look after him.” Larabee stood. “I need
some air.”

Vin caught his father’s arm as he attempted to pass by him. “Is there
anything we can do, dad? Let us help you.”

Jon forced a shadow of his usual lop-sided grin, and covered his son’s hand
with his own. “I just need some time, boy. Everything’s going to be alright.”

“Where are you going?” Chris asked as the oldest Larabee pulled from Vin’s
grasp and started for the stair case.

Jon stopped and faced his oldest. Looking into the green eyes so much like
those of Reese Wilmington’s , he fought back a shudder.  “For once in my
life, son, I have no clue.”

Chris’s face softened, and a part of him screamed to reach out and grab the
man before him and hold on for dear life. But another part, the part that
echoed from his soul, knew he had to let his father go.  A touch from his
brother, a shared glance with the lanky younger man, and Chris found the
strength to do just that.  “Call when you need us.”

Jon nodded and moved past Josiah to take the stairs two at a time.  Even
Tanner whined, but remained below deck.

Josiah watched his mentor go, and felt the twin gazes burning a hole
through his back even before he turned around to face them.  “I guess you
boys want some answers.”

Chris and Vin remained silent, their faces speaking volumes as they stared
at the older man that had become part brother, part second father to them.

Josiah took a deep breath and sighed. “I hope you at least have some beer.
This is going to be one hell of a story to tell.”

********************************************************************

Buck Wilmington had never felt so old in his entire life.  Including the
time he’d once pulled a three night drunk with the Menasto twins during
Marti Gras.

It had taken hours before all the mourners had left, and even then he and
JD had insisted on helping Nettie and the rest of the staff clean up.
After all , they had experienced a loss also.  It wasn’t fair that they
should shoulder all the work, as if were merely a part of their job.

Reese had been a good man to work for.  The loyalty of the people he
employed was a testament to that.  Hell, Nettie had been helping run the
house and the ranch since Buck was a lot younger than JD.  In fact, his
father had hired the spirited woman to help around the Rose when their mama
had been pregnant with the boy.  Isabella Wilmington hadn’t been too happy
about it at first, but Reese’s wife had been the one to insist that Nettie
stay on, even after she was back on her feet again.

Most of the other hands were veterans also.  They’d been there through the
lean times, and stayed for the glory days when the Rose flourished into the
best cattle and horse ranch west of the Mississippi.  Most importantly,
they’d hung on the last few years, after Isabella’s death, at a time when
things were at their bleakest, and during weeks when Reese wasn’t even able
to pay them.  That was loyalty, and that was one thing the Wilmington
family respected.

Reese had instilled in his sons that family came first over anything else
in the world, no matter if it was women, whiskey, or work.  The bond of
friendship nor blood was ever to be broken.  Buck ran a hand through his
dark hair and sighed. He only hoped that he was able to keep that code
intact.  He could only imagine the upcoming trial he was about to face, the
least of which would be the actual court battle. After all, he still had to
tell JD what was going on.

The click of the den door behind him alerted Buck that he was no longer
alone, and as he turned he caught sight of the object of his concern.

JD was standing quietly near the mantle of the fireplace, his back facing
his brother.

“Hey, kid. Where you been?”

The teen remained stationed at the hearth, his eyes transfixed to the many
pictures and trophies adorning its stone shelf. “I was at the stables.  I
wanted to check on Bailey.”

“Won’t be long until she foals,” Buck said, standing and joining the
younger man across the room.

“Dad said it’d probably be near the end of this month. During the full moon.”

“I know how excited you are about that, this being Bailey’s first colt and
all.  You’ll practically be a grand pa.”

The teen simply shrugged at Buck’s attempt to draw him into a conversation
and continued to look longingly at the memories on display.

“Did Casey leave already?” Buck asked.  He thought that maybe asking about
Nettie’s pretty niece might spark some life in the boy.  The two went to
highschool together and although JD denied having anything but feelings of
friendship for the younger girl, Buck had suspicions otherwise.

“About an hour ago,” JD replied, still not looking at his brother. “She
said to give you her condolences.” The last word came out as almost a
scoff.  “What the heck does that mean anyway?”

“Just people’s way of saying their sorry, kid.  Words don’t always come
easy at a time like this.”

“Nothing comes easy at a time like this.”

Buck sighed. “Well, that’s true too.  I wish..”

“You know what the last thing he said to me was? ” JD interrupted. His gaze
finally leaving the mantle to rest on Buck.

The mustached man swallowed the lump in his throat as he looked into the
tear-filled eyes of the person most important in his life. A person very
much in pain. “What was that?”

“Don’t forget your lunch, son.” JD laughed bitterly, swiping the back of
his arm quickly across his eyes. “Like I was some kind of little kid, Buck.
 Hell, he even chased out to the driveway.”

Buck smiled through tears of his own.  “He knows how bad the food at the
public schools are, kid.  They don’t buy their beef from us, remember?”

JD shook his head at his brother's attempt at humor, and took a ragged
breath. “He packed my lunch every single day, Buck. ‘Every single day’. I’m
seventeen for Pete’s sake, my father just died, and all I can think about
is how much I’m going to miss that stupid peanut butter and jelly sandwich.
 What the hell is wrong with me?”

Buck reached a hand out and laid it on the back of the teen’s neck pulling
him to his chest. “Ain’t nothin’ wrong with you kid,” he whispered,
wrapping his arms around the boy.

JD shook his head no, but clung fiercely to his older brother. “There’s a
thousand other things I should be thinkin’ about,”he choked. “Like the
camping and fishing trips we’d all take, or the horse shows, or my
graduation next year; or just the fact that he’s gone...he’s really
gone...” JD pulled back and met Buck’s dark gaze again, “but all I keep
hearing and seeing when I close my eyes is him running out the door with
that damn paper bag in his hands.”

“JD, do you remember when Reese started fixing your lunch?”

“Not really.”

Buck lifted his hand and pushed the ever present locks of hair out of the
teen’s eyes. “ I do. The first day he did it, was the day after mom got too
sick to make it out of bed.  We were all down in the kitchen and he come in
looking like he hadn’t slept in a month of Sundays.  Nettie offered to fix
your lunch and see you off to school , but the old man just shook his head,
and told her he wanted to do it himself. He wanted to do it for mama. The
little things are what we remember, kid. They become the biggest part of
what we know.”

“God, Buck,” JD’s lower lip trembled, and this time he didn’t bother to
hide the tears that had started a steady flow down his face, “what are we
going to do without him? We’ve lost everyone.”

Buck pulled the teen back into his embrace once again. “That’s where you’re
wrong, kid.” He said, as he hung onto his brother with a fierceness born of
fear and determination. “We’ve still got each other.”

************************************************************

to be continued....