Heath and Nick rose at cockcrow to ready themselves for their monthly visit to the Stanleys. This month’s was slightly different for it was Joey’s seventh birthday and his foster uncles had planned a special celebration. While the brothers were on their way to get Joey, Audra, Victoria and Silas tended to the preparations at home; decorations, dinner, cake, gifts, everything had to be ready for this afternoon. Silas busied himself in the kitchen while mother and daughter oversaw the details in the livingroom.
« Won’t Joey be surprised when he sees what Heath and Nick got him for his birthday, » Audra exulted while she handed Victoria a paper streamer.
« No doubt he will be thrilled. I recalled the pain etched on that little boy’s face when they had to put his horse out of his misery. »
« I remember too and how Heath almost threw his back trying to break Firestorm. But his efforts won’t be worthless if the horse can bring a smile back on Joey’s face. I can’t wait to see him again. »
Victoria smiled and beckoned Audra to hand her another streamer.
Meanwhile, the brothers were nearing the Stanleys’ place when Nick noted Heath’s distant stare, his body swaying in rhythm with his horse’s motion. « Penny for your thoughts, Little Brother. »
« I was just thinking of Firestorm. I hope Joey likes him. »
« Why wouldn’t he? »
« His old horse Windracer, well he had him since he was four. He got mighty attached to him, just like ya and Cocoa and me with Charger. »
« So? »
« I guess what I’m saying is how’d ya feel if ya were to shoot Cocao down and I’d come up and give ya a new horse to replace him? I mean how long are ya supposed to mourn his lost before ya allow yourself to love another? »
« Tough question. »
« It’s been dangling on my mind ever since we decided to give Firestorm as a birthday gift. Will the kid be angry that we’re trying to make him forget about his dead horse, ya think? »
Nick pondered over Heath’s question and reined back his horse. He sighed and stared down at his saddlehorn. Heath brought Charger to a halt alongside Nick and waited for an answer. Heavy-hearted, Nick heaved a long-drawn sigh and looked at Heath. « Guess we’re behind the eighth ball. What d’you want to do? »
« That ain’t the answer I was hoping for, Nick. »
« I blame you! » Nick bellowed. « Here I was in dog heaven before you started pushing my panic buttons and got me all goosy and mushy. »
« We must consider the boy’s feelings above our own. »
« I know! » Nick barked, flinging his arm in the air. « Why d’you have to be right? »
Heath grinned.
« Oh, wiped that smirk off your face! »
« Just to hear ya say that I’m right makes me puff up like a turkey gobbler. »
« Yeah, well, don’t go pump up too much air in that ego of yours ‘cause it ain’t gonna happen often, » Nick stressed, repeatingly jabbing his finger into Heath’s shoulder to emphasize his point.
« If ya say so, Nick, » Heath bantered with a wicked smile.
« Come on, let’s get a move on. Day’s wastin’. »
They ambled the last mile to the farm. They both found it peculiar that the gate to the horse paddock should be wide open. All the animals were gone. The stillness made Heath break out in a gooseflesh as he slowly dismounted Charger.
« What d’you reckon happened? » Heath asked Nick as he tethered both horses to the hitching post.
« I don't know, » Nick answered grimly, making a quick sweep of the surroundings. « Maybe Burt accidently left the gate open. »
« He would have heard the herd stampeding away. »
« Maybe he ain’t home. »
« He knew we were coming. »
« I don’t like this, Heath. »
As Heath and Nick made their way to the main house, they noticed the body of a man sprawled in the dirt. They quickened the pace toward him and rolled him onto his back. Both were shocked to discover that it was Burt Stanley, Joey’s adoptive father. Nick and Heath glanced at each other, their eyes speaking their thoughts. They unsheathed their guns in unison and proceeded with caution toward the front door.
They positioned themselves on either side of the door, their backs neatly pressed against the wall. Their armed guns were held in tightly-clenched fists with fingers on the trigger, ready to burst in. Nick gave a slight nod of the head and Heath sprung in first.
The young frightened Joey was huddled in a corner, holding a gun in his quivering hands. He closed his eyes and fired a shot at random. Little did he know that his bullet had hit one of the moving target.
Nick quickly trained his gun on Heath’s assailant, ready to shoot when he suddenly realized it was Joey. « Joey! » he shouted, holding injured Heath with one hand and securing the notch on his gun with the other.
Nick’s booming gruff voice resounding in the boy’s adled mind. He opened his eyes and began to tremble like a leaf. He watched in numbed horror Nick carrying Heath to the couch. His shirt was already drenched in the blood oozing from the bullet wound he had blindly inflicted him. Joey dropped the gun onto the floor and crept out of his corner. He silently made his way to Nick who was already tending to his brother’s injury.
« I didn’t mean it, Uncle Heath. Please forgive me, » Joey sobbed. « I thought you were them. »
« Who? » Nick asked in a raspy tone as he desperately attempted to stem the blood flow with his bandana.
« The two men who killed papa and mama. »
« Your…your mother’s dead? » Heath breathed out.
Joey’s face crumpled as the memories of the slaughter came flooding back. He knelt down beside Heath and held his hand. « Please don’t die, Uncle Heath, » he begged with a voice cracking with sobs.
« He’s not gonna die, Joey. Heath’s got a stubborn streak a mile wide. He’s been through worse before and survived, » Nick reassured with a pat on Joey’s back. « Joey see if you can fetch me some towels, will you? »
Joey wiped his wet cheeks and hurried to the kitchen. Nick turned to Heath with a woeful expression.
« It’s bad, ain’t it? »
« You’re bound to run into some rough crossings but you’ll live. »
Joey returned with a few washcloths and a hand towel. « Here, Uncle Nick. I’ll go get some water. »
« No! » Nick bellowed, grabbing the frightened boy’s arm. « Don’t leave the house. I’ll go fetch the water. Here, » Nick motioned Joey to kneel beside Heath, « you hold that neck cloth against the wound and don’t let go, » Nick instructed as he gently placed Joey’s trembling hand on top of the balled up bandana.
« I won’t. »
Nick got up and cautiously proceeded outside, gun drawn. He glanced around, looked both ways before he turned a corner to get to the water pump in the back of the house. As he neared the fountain, he gagged in horror at Joey’s mom’s bloody corpse.
Inside the house, Heath was striving to keep alert, refusing to pass out in front of the boy who was at the end of his emotional tether. « Joey, can…can ya tell me wh…what happenned? » Heath asked in a strained voice slightly above a whisper.
« I was outside when I saw those two men ride up to the house. »
« Did ya know them? »
« No. That’s why I wanted to get into the house to find out when I heard my parents arguing with them. I stayed by the window and listened. When they walked outside, I hid in the barn. Then I saw one man smack my papa in the face. He pulled out his gun and, « Joey’s voice quavered as tears flooded his eyes, « he shot him. My mama ran and they shot her too. I wanted to help her but I was frozen. I couldn’t move. »
« It’s…it’s better you didn’t, or..or they might have hurt you, » Heath heaved out with difficulty. He inhaled deeply to ask the next question, « Do..d’ya know what th…these men wanted? »
« Something about money that papa wouldn’t give them. Uncle Heath, what’s going to happen now? »
« Well first, your Uncle Nick and I are gonna br..bring ya back to the ranch with us. »
Nick returned with a bucket of water. « How you’re holding up, Heath? »
« So far so good. » he whispered with heavy dangling eyelids.
Nick handed the pail to Joey. « See if you can pour some into a bowl. »
While Joey was busy in the kitchen, Nick squatted down beside Heath and grimaced at the sight of the blood-soaked bandana. « Found Joey’s mom out back. God Heath, whoever did this meant business. I’m surprised they left a witness. » Nick threw the bloody bandana on the floor and applied a clean rag onto the wound.
« They apparently didn’t see Joey. He told m…me he was hiding in the barn when they…they killed his folks. He’s frightened out of his wits, Nick. I t…told him we’d bring him back to..to th…the ranch, » Heath heaved out, barely able to finish his sentence.
« Of course. I’ll hitch the wagon. Can’t have ya ride in the saddle in your condition. »
« Just one thing, Nick, » Heath said, reaching for his brother’s arm. He wetted his lips and and took in a lungful of air to continue, « Don…don’t let me black out in front of the boy. He can’t handle it right now. »
« Can’t promise ya that, Brother. You’ve lost too much blood already. »
Joey returned to Nick with a bowl full of water. « Here you go, Uncle Nick. »
« Thanks kid. » Nick dipped one washcloth into the water and started cleaning the wound. Heath summoned all of his strength to remain stone-faced in front of Joey, despite the searing pain.
Nick finished cleaning the wound and asked Joey to keep the pressure while he went outside to hitch Cocoa and Charger to a buckboard. He dragged both corpses to the barn where he laid them in the hay and threw a blanket over them. He grabbed a few more saddle blankets and walked to the wagon where he spread them in the back before he returned to the house to get Heath. He lifted his feeble brother in his arms and carried him to the rig. With Joey’s help, he bundled him up in the blankets and gave him a few sips of water before he flicked the horses at an amble.
Nick reined in the horses at a lighter pace when the road became bumpier, causing Heath to moan his discomfort. Joey’s little hand was numb from the pressure he’d kept on the wound since leaving twenty minutes ago. He was scared to let go, even for a mere second to switch hands, fearing that his friend might bleed to death. Heath’s body was weakening. He wanted to surrender to the cajoling darkness.
« Heath, please don’t close your eyes, » Joey whimpered.
Heath forced open his eyes and smiled at the frightened boy. « I was just resting ‘em a minute. »
« Joey, let him sleep. He’s tired, » Nick intervened on his brother’s behalf, aware that Heath was fighting a losing battle.
« But he won’t wake up, » the boy wailed.
« Sure he will! Right now he just needs to rest a bit. »
Joey stared at Heath’s eyes slowly rolling back into their sockets. He carefully tucked the edge of the blanket underneath his shoulders when the shudders grew in intensity, mindful not to lessen the pressure on the wound.
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Audra was standing on the balcony, keeping her eyes peeled for any sign of her brothers. When the buckboard came into view, she rushed back into the house. « They’re here, Mother! » she informed with her usual ebullience.
A frenzied Victoria did a quick inspection of the place before she, Audra and Jarrod hurried to the front door to greet Joey and her parents. As they stepped outside, their ecstasy was soon washed over by confusion of seeing Nick driving the team.
« Where’s Joey? » Audra asked.
Nick halted the horses and took a moment to steel himself before he motioned to the back of the rig.
« Heath! Nick what happened? » Victoria queried.
« I shot him, Mrs. Barkley, » Joey simpered.
« What? »
Nick jumped down the wagon and placed a hand on his mother’s shoulder. « It was an accident. I’ll tell ya all about it later. Right now, we’ve got to carry Heath up to his room and fetch the doctor. »
« Audra, will you ask Ciego to ride for Dr. Merar? »
« Right away, Mother. »
Audra dashed off to the bunkhouse while Jarrod and Nick gently slid Heath off the back of the wagon and carried him into the house and up the stairs to his bedroom, with Victoria leading the way. She turned down the bed for Nick and Jarrod to lay her injured son. She sat on the edge and brushed her hand across Heath’s forehead and cheeks. « He’s burning up. » She gently removed his shirt with Nick’s assistance. « Jarrod, will you bring me some cold water and a few towels? »
« Sure. »
« Joey, you go with Uncle Jarrod, see if he needs any help. » Nick suggested to the guilt-ridden boy as a pretext for getting him out of the room.
Victoria’s heart quailed at the sight of the blood-soaked washcloth. When she started to peel it off, she met with resistance that urged her to leave it be, pending Dr. Merar’s arrival.
« Nicholas, what happened? Why does Joey think he shot Heath? »
« That’s because he really did shoot him. »
« I don’t believe that. »
Nick pulled up a chair and slid it next toVictoria where he sat and clasped her hand. He let out a long heavy sigh and took a few seconds to muster up the courage to expose the gruesome situation. « Joey’s parents are dead. »
Victoria tightened her grip on Nick’s hand as her eyes widened in alarm.
« They were killed by two men who, according to Joey, browbeated them into giving them money. They riddled Burt with bullets and…well ya don’t really want to know what they did to Sara. »
Victoria raised her hand to her mouth and closed her teary eyes in disgust.
« When we saw Burt’s corpse, Heath and me burst into the house, thinking the killers might still be there. Instead we found Joey, scared out of his wits and cringing in a corner. He just blindly pulled the trigger on Heath, thinking it was the men returning for him. »
« Poor boy. »
Their conversation was interrupted by a stifled moan. Heath’s eyelids began to flutter as the moans grew into groans. « Heath, can you open your eyes? » Victoria coaxed while she stroked his clammy cheeks.
« Mother? »
« Yes, Lie still, son. The doctor is on his way. »
Heath’s eyes roved around the room to make out his surroundings before they dwelled on Nick. « Nick, d…di ya tell her it..it w…was an ac..accident, » he asked exhaustedly.
« Yes I did. »
« J…Joey’s parents…. » Heath’s voice broke as he ran out of breath to continue.
« I told Mother everything, Heath. Take it easy. Save your strength. » Nick placed a soothing hand on his brother’s shoulder. Heath moistened his lips and nodded before dozing off just as Audra came in.
« Ciego’s on his way to get the doctor, » she informed as she neared the bed with a doleful expression. « How is he? »
Nick stood from his chair and walked up to Audra to wrap a comforting arm around her shoulders. « He’s hanging in there. Now we’re going to need ya to work your magic on Joey. The boy is racked with guilt over what happened. You have to make understand that it wasn’t his fault. »
« I don’t know what happened aside from Joey saying that he shot Heath. »
Nick ushered his sister out the door. « Come downstairs and I’ll tell ya all about it. »
They crossed path with Jarrod and Joey returning with the water and towels. « Joey will ya come with us? » Nick asked.
« But I want to stay with Heath. »
« He’s alright. Better not disturb him. »
« Okay, » Joey said submissively.
« Jarrod when you’re through here, come down to the parlor. I need to talk to ya. »
« Alright, Nick. » Jarrod placed the items on the nightstand and glanced at his unconscious brother. « How is he, Mother? »
« He’s burning up with fever. That’s not a good sign. »
« Judging by the entry wound, my guess is the bullet entered the spleen, and you and I both know that if it’s not removed quickly… »
« Please Jarrod, » she clasped his hand without lifting her eyes from Heath, « I refuse to anticipate the worse. »
« I’m sorry, Mother. » He kissed her hand. « You’re right. »
« You go downstairs and join the others. I’ll stay here until Howard arrives, » she said as she gave Jarrod’s hand a gentle squeeze.
« Are you sure you’ll be alright? »
« I’m sure. You go. »
Jarrod smiled and gave Heath one last glimpse before heading downstairs to the parlor where Audra and Joey were quietly sitting on the settee, watching Nick pace the floor.
« Well I’m here. I assume you want to relate what happened at the Stanleys? »
« Burt and Sara are dead » Nick paused to allow Jarrod to digest the blow before continuing, « and Joey saw the men who killed them. »
Still reeling from the shock, Jarrod walked over to Joey, cuddled up to Audra, and hunched down before him. « Joey would you recognize the men? »
Joey’s small legs shifted nervously as he pondered Jarrod’s question before answering. « I think so. »
« Alright. First thing in the morning we’ll go to the sheriff’s office to see if he has anoy wanted posters on them. » He waited for Joey to nod his approval before turning to Nick. « What about…? » Jarrod’s eyes finished the sentence.
« I left them back there in the barn. I’ll get them as soon as the doctor gets here. »
« We’ll have to arrange for a funeral. »
« That goes without saying. »
Nick and Jarrod turned to the woeful expression on Joey’s face who nuzzled up to Audra as she tightened her arm around his shoulders. The brothers shared a deep concern for the boy’s welfare. He was not only traumatized by his parents’ murder but also by the grievous injury he had caused Heath to suffer.
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Audra’s magic touch once again worked its charm. She succeeded in lulling Joey to sleep just as Dr. Merar arrived. Nick and Jarrod filled the doctor in on their brother’s condition as they showed him up to his room, where Victoria was tending to her son’s fever by placing damp towels on his upper body.
« Victoria? »
« Howard! » she exhaled with relief as she reached for his hand, and vacated the space he required to examine his patient. He started checking his pulse and the eyes reflex before running his hand across his forehead. He took out his stethoscope and listened to the heart beat. « How long ago was he shot? »
« Close to three hours. »
Merar shook his head despondedly as he removed his stethoscope from his ears. He pulled the bed sheet down to Heath’s midriff and began to pull at the blood-soaked cloth, which had adhered to the wound. Its removal caused the blood to seep out. He poked and prodded the area around the trauma to observe Heath’s painful reaction. « It’s the spleen. »
« Oh, my God, » Victoria muttered underneath her breath, putting a hand over her mouth. She had nurtured high hopes that her fear would be unfounded. When tears began stinging her eyes, she inhaled deeply to retain her composure.
Jarrod wrapped his arm around her shoulders and began rubbing his hand up and down her arm to appease her shivers.
« I’m going to have to remove it quick before it’s too late to stop the spread of infection. He’s awfully weak but I can’t wait any longer. »
« What do you need, Doc? » Nick asked.
« Plenty of hot water, lamps, towels and an assistant.
« I’ll do it, » Nick offered without hesitation.
« Actually I’d rather prefer having Jarrod as my assistant. Nick I may need you to stand by in case I require to do an emergency blood transfusion. »
« Alright. Hey Doc, you’ve seen this before? What are his chances? »
« I don’t know, Nick. It could go either way. »
« Sorry I asked. »
« I’ll go boil some water. Jarrod, would you bring Howard what he needs? »
« Sure, Mother. »
Downstairs, Audra gingerly settled Joey into a recline position on the settee and spread a blanket over him. She kissed him on the forehead before she met with her mother in the foyer just as she was coming down the stairs. « Mother, what did the doctor say? »
« Dr. Merar needs to operate to remove the spleen. »
« It’s serious, isn’t it? »
Victoria clasped her daughter’s hand. « Very, » she answered dolefully. « Jarrod and Nick are going to assist the doctor. In the meantime, would you help me in the kitchen? »
« Of course. »
Upstairs, Nick refreshed the moist towels with cold water and applied them on his brother’s neck, forehead and upper chest. « He’s on fire. »
« I know. The punctured spleen is releasing toxins in his system, hence the urgency to act fast. »
Jarrod hurried back into the room with two oil lamps and towels underneath his arms. « I brought two lamps. Will that be enough? »
« Yes. Set one on the nightstand and I’ll need you to hold the other close to my hands during surgery. »
« Okay. Anything else? »
« Yes. Reach into my medical bag for a bottle of alcohol and pour the content into a washbowl. »
As Jarrod proceeded with Dr. Merar’s instructions, Victoria entered holding a basin full of steaming hot water that she placed on the nightstand, next to the lamps. Howard took out his surgical instruments and dunked them into the water. He preapred a cotton mask to embue with chloroform in case Heath should regain consciousness during surgery. When everything was to his satisfaction, Merar proposed to the aggrieved mother to wait downstairs with Audra while he and her sons proceeded with the task at hand.
Merar instructed Nick to stand ready to dole out drops of chloroform onto the cotton mask and hold it over Heath’s mouth and nose to anesthesize the patient during the delicate procedure that required complete stillness. Jarrod steadied both hands on the lamp and hovered it over the entry wound that Merar was busy desinfecting before applying the first cut.
Downstairs, Joey awoke to Audra’s charming smile. «I fell asleep? » he ask with a yawn as he slowly hauled himself to a sitting position.
« You were exhausted. »
« How’s Uncle Heath? »
« The doctor is with him now, » Victoria informed with a strained smile to mask her anguish. « I’m sorry about the birthday celebration. I promise we’ll make it up to you. »
« I don’t care about my birthday Mrs. Barkley. I just want Uncle Heath to be okay. »
« He will be, Joey, » Audra assured by wrapping her arm around his shoulder
The three weary men walked down the stairs and entered the parlor. Victoria, Audra and Joey just stood, staring at them.
Merar placed a hand on Victoria’s shoulder and contrived a weak smile. « It’s out of my hands. It’s up to him and God, now. All we can do is wait and hope his body’s strong enough to fight off the toxins. »
« I want to see him, » Joey beseeched.
Merar squatted down and looked up into the little boy’s fretful eyes. « He needs to rest. »
« Please, I just want to see that’s he’s alright, » Joey entreated with a sob in his voice.
« Just for a minute, Doc, » Nick chimed in. « I’ll go with him. »
Merar stood and stared at Nick with a disapproval look. « Make sure you do not disturb him. »
« We won’t. Come on Joey. » Nick took the boy’s hand who wiped his tears with the other and both headed up the stairs to Heath’s dimlit room.
« There you see, he’s sleeping soundly, » Nick whispered to Joey who wanted to get closer to the bed.
« He looks so pale. »
« That’s normal after what he’s been through. But don’t ya worry. He’ll be up on his feet in no time flat. He’s got my blood. »
« Does that mean he’s going to wake up yelling, » Joey chaffed.
« What? » Nick bellowed.
Joey shushed him.
« What do you mean yell? » Nick asked in a hushed voice. « I just have a loud voice, that’s all. »
« If you say so, Uncle Nick »
« I swear you’re getting to be more like my brother everyday. » Nick squinched his eyes at the little wise guy who wore a Cheshire-cat grin on his face, «and I ain’t sure this is a good thing. »
« I just want to be like Uncle Heath. »
« Yeah, well, you’ll grow out of it, kid. » He added underneath his breath, « hopefully. »
« Uncle Nick, can I please stay with him. »
« You heard what the doctor said? »
« But suppose he wakes up and needs something? »
« He won’t, not for a spell anyway. We’ll come back this evening, » Nick assured in a tug at Joey’s shoulders to steer him out of the room.
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Victoria took the second quarter of the night shift to keep a vigil on Heath. He was still at the grip of a scalding fever, which was accompanied by occasional spasms. The overwrought mother channelled her energy at keeping the damp towels on Heath’s body as cold as possible. She focused her attention primarily on his breathing as well as any sign that he was regaining his senses.
As she sat on the edge of the bed, holding a cold towel around Heath’s neck, her mind wandered to the first day he came to the house. A faint smile flickered on her lips as she recalled this angry young man forcefully claiming his birthright, when what he was desperately longing for was a stable home and a family. It was over ten years ago and Heath has long since grown into their hearts. Although he had often glimpsed death in the past and always refused to take the coward way out, she worried that he might have chosen this particular battle as his last. She felt him slipping away.
Her stream of consciousness was disturbed by a faint whimper. She stared at Heath and listened intently at him breathe. The sound was distinctly coming from the hallway. She got up and followed the muffled wails up to Joey’s room. The boy was tossing and turning in his sleep, lamenting and crying out to his parents.
Victoria hurried to the bed and gently shook the frantic boy out of his delirium. His glassy eyes shot open in a complete panic and tried to make out Victoria’s shady features. « Mama? »
Victoria leaned closer and began stroking his cheeks. « It’s Mrs. Barkley, Joey. »
Joey’s tear-glistened face crumpled as it suddenly dawned on him that his parents’ deaths were no figment of his imagination. He held out his arms to Victoria who clenched him in her arms, where he dissolved into tears. « I miss them so much. »
She held him in a rocking motion, her heart quailing at every sob that rached his tiny shivering body. To some extend she felt relieved for the aggrieved boy who was finally cleansing his soul by releasing all the hurt and pain he had bottled up inside. She kept holding him tight until she felt him pulling away. She dried the tears pearling down his rosy pink cheeks and cupped his chin in her hand. With an endearing smile, she proposed, « Do you wish to stay with me in Heath’s room? »
He sniffed back his tears and nodded shyly before slipping out of bed and clasping her hand. When they entered Heath’s bedroom, Joey quickly crawled into bed next to Heath and wrapped his arms around his before Victoria could object. Her maternal instinct advised her against removing Joey’s grip on Heath, assuring her that their closeness would bring Joey comfort and Heath a reason to live.
Victoria settled in the wingback chair and gazed at her two boys. Joey was fast asleep the minute his head hit the pillow, owing to Heath’s presence that provided him with a sense of protection.
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At dawn’s early light, Nick roused and went straight to Heath’s room to relieve his mother for the morning shift. He wafted into the room, squatted down beside her and plucked at her arm resting on the arm of the chair. « Mother, wake up, » he whispered.
She blinked open her eyes without so much of a moan « Nicholas? » She glanced at the window to realize that dawn had broken. « Is it morning already? » she asked in a low voice broken by an involuntary yawn.
He stood upright. « Just about. » His brows knitted at the endearing sleeping form lying next to Heath. « What’s he doing here? »
« He had an awful dream about his parents last night, so I suggested that he sleep here. He dozed off immediately after snuggling up to Heath.
« Cute little guy. » Nick extended his arm over Joey to reach Heath’s forehead, and turned to Victoria with a dismal expression.
« He still has a fever? »
Nick nodded. « But he’s not nearly as warm as he was last night. »
« He’s fighting. » She inhaled deeply and rose from her chair. « Do you want some breakfast? »
« Thanks but not right now. You go on to bed. Get some sleep. I’ll ask Silas to bring me sump’thin’ up later. »
She smiled and kissed him on the cheek before she walked out of the room, trying not to shuffle her leaden feet against the floor.
Nick pulled up a chair on the other side of the bed and sat next to his slumbering brother. He leaned in closer to listen to his breathing before he appealed to his inner soul. « Hey Heath! You’ve got to fight, ya hear me? I told this little guy here that you’d be alright. You wouldn’t wanna brand me a liar now would ya? » He allowed a short beat to place his hand on his brother’s shoulder. « Come on, don’t give up. I need ya, Brother. Joey needs ya, this family needs ya. You’ve never taken the coward way out before so don’t ya start now. » He tapped Heath’s shoulder lightly before leaning against the back of the chair.
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Three hours had elapsed when Silas crept into the room carrying a breakfast tray. « I brought you breakfast, Mister Nick, » he whispered while setting the tray on the nightstand.
« Thanks Silas, » Nick answered on the same inflection.
« How’s Mister Heath this morning? »
« The only big improvement is that the fever’s down a bit. »
« That is good news. »
« Is my mother still asleep? »
« Yes she is. »
« Good. »
« Will there be anything else? »
« Not right now. Thank you. »
Seconds after Silas exited the room, Joey started to stir. With his eyes pasted shut, he slowly stretched out his legs and rolled over onto his back with one arm still entwined with Heath’s. His little nose wiggled at the aroma permeating the air. His eyes squinted at the light beaming through the window. «Uncle Nick?» he murmured groggily.
« Ah, I was sure the smell of bacon would tickle your nose. Want some? »
« Unh unh, » he exhaled with a stretch and a yawn. He carefully slid out of bed, mindful not to wake Heath, and walked over to Nick. « Uncle Heath’s still asleep, » he remarked grimly before taking the slice of bacon Nick was handing him.
« His body still got some fighting to do. But his fever’s down. That’s a sign that he’s winning the battle. »
« So he’s going to be alright? » Joey asked with a lingering glint of concern.
« Of course he’s gonna be alright! Don’t ya worry your pretty little head none. Hey, you’d better get some nourrishment in ya. You, me and Jarrod got to ride into town to see the sheriff this morning. »
Joey took another slice of bacon off the plate and began nibling at it. « Uncle Nick, I’m not really sure I can recognize the men who shot my mama and papa. »
« I thought you said ya saw them? »
« I did but I’m afraid to accuse some other men that look like them. »
« I strongly doubt that. » When Joey’s face didn’t register the anticipated optimism, Nick lifted his chin at eye level. « Hey, don’t worry. Uncle Jarrod and me will be right there with ya. »
Joey flashed a faint smile at Nick’s reassurance.
« There’s that lopsided smile again, just like your Uncle Heath’s, » Nick pointed out with a smile that warmed Joey’s heart.
When Audra came to relieve Nick at the patient’s bedside, she found him sitting in the wingback chair, his arm around Joey’s waist who was sitting on his laps with his head leaning against his uncle’s shoulder. Nick was narrating the story of Heath’s arrival to the ranch, Joey’s second favorite account next to the one of how he came to be adopted by the Stanleys. The sight of the endearing twosome set her heart aflutter. She stood by the door, waiting for Nick to finish his engaging story before she walked over the them.
« That’s story gets better everytime you tell it, » she chaffed, knowing how Nick had grown to love and respect Heath over the years, ergo the reason why the wayward young drifter, whom Nick once resented with every fiber of his being, was now depicted as a lost sheep seeking his way back to the flock.
« I keep embellishing it, don’t I? » he admitted facetiously.
« But every new version is better than the last. » Her joy turned to sorrow as she looked at Heath. « Any change? »
« No, not even a moan. » Nick put Joey down on the floor and approached the bed to check for a rise in Heath’s fever. « He’s hanging tough. »
« Jarrod is waiting for you downstairs. »
« Is the wagon ready? »
« Yes. »
« Alright little guy, it’s Aunt Audra’s turn to fuss over your Uncle Heath. »
Joey climbed on the bed and gave Heath a peck on the cheek. « We’ll be back, Heath. »
Nick slipped his hands underneath Joey’s arms and lifted him onto his shoulders. He ducked his little blond head as they crossed the doorway. Audra marvelled at Joey’s influence on her exuberant brother who was exerting a mellowing effect on the roaring bear. He would make an excellent father she thought to herself, if only he would stop straddling the fence and ask his lady love Andrea for her hand in marriage. He two had been an item for three months but somehow Nick was still wavering.
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As morning wore into early afternoon, Nick, Jarrod and Joey arrived in town. Nick
halted the team in front of the general store and went to the back to haul Joey off.
Flanked by his two uncles, Joey took a firm grip on their hands as they headed down to the sheriff’s office. As they drew closer, his heart started pounding at his throat. He swallowed his angst, refusing to exhibit his growing fear of having to identify the brutes who slaughtered his parents. He wished to forget, bury the wanton act in the deep recesses of his mind, but understood the importance of his testimony to put an end to the killing spree.
Nick ushered Joey inside the office where Fred was sitting behind his desk, poring over some documents. « Nick, Jarrod, I’m glad to see boys. »
« You remember Joey Stanley? »
« Of course. I’m sorry about your parents, lad. »
Joey lowered his eyes and acknowledged Fred’s condolences with a slight nod of the head.
« Nick and I are here with Joey to look over your wanted posters. Joey says he saw the men who killed his parents and is prepared to identify them. »
Fred hunched down in front of Joey and cocked his head in angle with the boy’s downcast eyes. « You know who they are? »
Joey shook his head without looking up.
« He did get a good look at them, though, » Nick specified.
Fred stood up and went to his desk. He opened the top drawer and shuffled through some papers before retrieving a folder containing sketchy drawings of wanted criminals. « Okay Joey. I will show you only five men, the ones we narrowed down as likely suspects. You tell us if any of them look familiar. » Fred spread out the sheets neatly on the desk for Joey to have a clear view.
Nick and Jarrod steered Joey to the desk and stood close by as the boy’s eyes darted from one poster to the other, scrutinizing the facial features of each gunman. His eyes took on a hunted look when they rested upon the pictures of the two men he recognized as his parents’ assailants. « That’s them! » he said, gulping down the lump stuck in his throat.
« Are you positive, son? » Fred probed.
« Yes, I’m sure! » Joey clawed at Nick’s shirt, burying his face in it away from the monsters who made him an orphan.
Nick patted the anguish boy’s back. « You did a mighty big job here, little guy. We’re proud of ya. »
« Well that confirms it. »
« What are you talking about, Fred? » Jarrod queried, disturbed by the ruefulness of Fred’s voice.
« The Brenners were killed last night. »
...Continued