At Howard’s request, Nick repositioned himself behind Heath, gently lifting his brother’s chest to once again become his pillow. Heath moaned in protest at the change in position, but his discomfort was short-lived, as he instantly felt the ability to breathe easier. The blond felt the watery tide that had been hovering close by recede as the tightening in his chest loosened. Without opening his eyes, he managed a soft, “Thanks, Nick.”

Nick rubbed his brother’s shoulders, leaned down and responded. “My privilege Heath.”

The dark-haired rancher turned toward Dr. Merar. “Did Jarrod fill you in on all the details, Doc? Little brother here isn’t feelin’ too good.”

Dr. Merar nodded and gave a small smile of understanding. He placed his hand on Heath’s forehead, registering the elevated temperature. “I see that, Nick.” He paused as his hands moved to Heath’s head, and quickly checked for any injuries. “Yes, Jarrod told me what happened. Let me check him over. I’ll tell you my plan as soon as I make my diagnosis.”

Dr. Merar leaned over the blond cowboy and talked to him as he pulled out his instruments. “Heath, can you hear me? It’s Dr. Merar. I’m going to examine you, so please stay as still as you can.”

The reclining man recognized the doctor’s voice. He wanted to respond, but he never felt so tired. Heath mumbled what he thought was a reply, but what came out instead was an incoherent moan.

“Take it easy, son. We’ll have you fixed up in no time.”

As Dr. Merar started examining Heath, Jarrod and Victoria anxiously waited on the side, giving the doctor room to work.

“Jarrod, you look exhausted, and you’re probably hungry. Let me fix you something to eat.”

“Later, Mother. First, I want to see what our good physician has to say.”

“I haven’t told you yet how proud I am of you.”

Jarrod’s smile was small, but his eyes twinkled with the compliment. “Thank you, Mother. I wish it didn’t have to end that way.”

“And I too, sweetheart. They didn’t give you or Nick too many choices.”

“The only choice provided to me, Mother, was to protect our family. I would make the same decision again.”

“I know. And that’s why I’m so proud of you. Of Nick, too.”

Victoria leaned into the strong arms of her eldest son and felt some of her anguish and exhaustion dissipate. No matter what happened, that was their victory; the love they held as a family would see them through any crisis, and make them the better for it.

Dr. Merar held his emotions as he started to examine the seriously injured cowboy. So far, the newest member of the Barkley family had needed his services far too many times since coming to the Valley. The physician had grown fond of Heath, and was deeply affected to see him in such a sorry state.

The doctor started his examination at the top and descended downward. He checked Heath’s eyes, ears, and throat. As he listened to Heath’s chest, he asked the blond to breathe deeply; but all Heath could produce was a few raspy coughs. The doctor then slowly probed the cowboy’s ribs, which drew a groan from the injured man.

As the physician’s healing hands found their way to the dislocated hip, Heath’s body instantly awoke, the pain overwhelming him. His crystal blue eyes flew open wide; he screamed out while his body jerked away from the doctor’s hurtful touch. Heath’s breathing became shorter and more pronounced. His eyes started tearing; his body trembled. Nick’s strong arms had to strain to keep him down as Heath continued his private battle to move away from the doctor’s healing hands.

“Whoa, little brother, I’ve got you!”

“Heath, son, relax! I’ll try not to press so hard!” Dr. Merar tried to soothe his agitated patient.

“Stop, Nick! Stop!! Hurts!” Nick’s strength was tested as he struggled to hold Heath still. Heath twisted and pulled so much that his digging fingers left deep marks on Nick’s front forearms. Nick grimaced in pain, but inwardly smiled. Even sick and injured, his brother’s strength was remarkable.

Jarrod rushed over, his body visibly tensed upon hearing his brother’s cries. “Can I help?” Victoria stood behind and leaned on her son for support.

“No, I’m alright. Heath and I are doing fine!” Nick answered through clenched teeth.

Howard turned back to Heath and spoke in a reassuring and soothing voice. “Relax, young man, just relax.” Heath looked up; his sapphire eyes clouded, his breathing labored. When he saw that Dr. Merar was finished, he allowed his tired body to fall back against Nick. “I need to speak with your mother and Jarrod. I’ll be just a minute.”

Nick spoke softly into Heath’s ear, calming him, reassuring him. “You’re gonna be okay, little brother. Doc here is goin’ to fix you up. I’m here…just stay calm.” Little by little, Heath’s labored breathing became steady. He knew Nick was at his side….he would take care of everything. The pain receded as Heath once again leaned back against his brother and closed his eyes.

Dr. Merar stood up and gestured for Victoria and Jarrod to come closer. Two sets of worried eyes met the physician’s stead fast gaze.

“Well, Heath’s hip is dislocated as everyone had surmised. The good news is that his pelvic bone is not broken. The bone can be relocated back into its socket, I believe, with minimal damage.”

Both Victoria and Jarrod sighed in relief and gave each other a soft hug.

Dr. Merar continued. “His ankle is a simple break, which I can splint now, and cast later. Heath’s ribs are cracked, but not broken. And…he has quite a bit of deep bruising, which may end up being the cause of most of his discomfort.”

“Any bad news, Howard?” Victoria tentatively questioned. “Anything else we should know?”

“Well, one bit of bad news is that both limb injuries are on the right leg. This is going to make his recovery a little more difficult. But this isn’t something we can’t overcome.”

Dr. Merar took a breath as his gentle voice turned harsh. “What I’m really concerned about is the boy’s chest. Another infection! Victoria, he can’t keep getting lung infections given his medical history!”

Victoria’s face reddened at the doctor’s unspoken accusation.

“I’m not blaming you, Victoria, believe me. I’m just voicing my frustration. I care about Heath, too.” He gave her a pat on the arm to convey his support. Victoria didn’t respond as her eyes sought out her injured son.

The physician continued his observations. “With everything that’s happened, I’d say we’re looking at a minimum of two months recovery time. But from what I see of the wagon, this could have been much worse.”

Victoria nodded in agreement. She hesitated to ask again, but pressed on. “Anything else, Howard?”

“His insides had quite a bit of pressure on them during the time of his accident. Heath will probably have trouble eating for awhile, so be prepared for a change in diet….much smaller meals every few hours. I’ll work with you and Silas on how best to prepare his food.” The doctor allowed himself a wistful smile. “I don’t think he’s going to be happy with the menu I’m going to prescribe.”

“What do we do now, Howard?” asked Jarrod. The lawyer knelt beside his two siblings. He addressed the physician as he held onto his younger brother’s hand.

“The first thing to we need to do is to relocate his hip. We’ll bind his hips just like we would for his ribs. I’ll need your help with this process,” as his eyes solicited Nick and Jarrod for assistance. “After that’s done, his ribs will need to be bound for the ride home.” Dr. Merar spoke as he gathered his materials for the forthcoming procedures. “We’ll monitor his chest infection and determine if the ribs will stay bound or not, once he arrives home.”

The next hour proved to be the hardest for everyone, as Heath’s femur was located back into his pelvis. Although a simple procedure, a hip relocation is a very painful process. Under normal circumstances, Dr. Merar would have anesthetized his patient. But the doctor didn’t want to anesthetize the blonde due to his inability to inhale deep and steady breaths. So, Dr. Merar made the difficult decision to proceed with Heath being conscious during the procedure.

Victoria, off the side once again, paced nervously as she waited for the procedure to be over so she could be with her son. She ached to comfort and hold the sweet soul she had taken into her heart without reservation.

Dr. Merar carefully probed Heath’s hip for the proper angle to slide his bone back into the pelvic socket. Nick held Heath’s upper body still, while Jarrod laid across his legs, careful of the injured ankle. Despite the doctor’s gentle and careful approach, Heath’s fractured body resounded in pain. He tried hard not to cry out as the doctor deftly pushed down on his pelvic bone and slid his femur back into place. The pain to the blond immediately receded, evident by Heath’s hands falling away from where they had clutched the back of Nick’s shirt.

Nick pushed himself off Heath and looked down into his younger sibling’s face. He felt as exhausted as his injured brother. Listening to Heath’s cries of pain were taking a toll on him.

“How ya doin’ little brother?” Heath nodded and mouthed, ‘okay,’ but it was obvious he was drained. His skin was white, and he had a fine sheen of sweat across his face. In trying hard not to cry out during the procedure, he bit his lip.

“Jarrod, hand me a cloth. Heath’s lip is bleeding.”

Instead of handing the cloth to Nick, Jarrod used it to gently wipe the blood away. “We’re almost done, Heath. Take it easy.” Jarrod looked into the sapphire eyes of his younger sibling and saw a single tear roll down the side of his face. “Oh, Heath, it’s okay. We’re here for you.”

Dr. Merar was getting the material ready to bind Heath’s hips. “One more time, boys, I need your help. We’re going to wrap his hips real tight. The binding needs to be low enough not to press on his kidneys, yet high enough to hold the bones in place. Let’s go around a few times and then we’ll tie it off.”

Dr. Merar looked at Heath and gave a supportive smile. “Still with me, young man?”

Heath nodded and once again just mouthed his answer, ‘yes.’ Jarrod squeezed his brother’s hand in silent support.

Nick worked with Heath’s upper body, but this time he lifted him, instead of holding him down. While Jarrod carefully lifted his legs, Dr. Merar was able to wrap the binding around the blond’s hips. No moans this time; Heath was all but passed out.

Next, the makeshift medical team bound Heath’s ribs, splinted his ankle, and applied liniment to almost his entire lower body. The deep bruising had started to take on the familiar hues of black and blue. Covering him with several blankets, they propped up the injured man’s chest and his ankle, mindful of the relocated bone. Nick helped Heath drink some water laced with laudanum, and their much-loved brother was finally resting in a fevered sleep.

The three healers, whether by training or love, stood up and stretched their tired muscles.

As he stretched his arms above his head, Nick closed his eyes and willed the long held tension in his tired body to leave. When he opened his eyes to gaze at the star studded sky, he wondered what time it was. By the placement of the descending moon, he concluded it must be well into the early morning hours.

Seeing that they were done, Victoria strode over and sat next to Heath. The ragged breathing and body twitches from the fever dreams were unsettling.* She reached over to the bowl of water she placed there earlier, wrung out a cloth, and lovingly wiped his face.

Nick looked down at his younger brother. Was it just this morning, or rather yesterday morning, that the family left home with the hope of a fun vacation? Time seemed to have stopped. He was so tired. He yawned and stretched yet again. Thank God that today was another day.

As everyone settled down for the remainder of the night, Nick decided he would sleep on one side of his brother, while his mother took residence on his other side. Jarrod and the doctor also placed their bedrolls close by, everyone near both the fire and their beloved patient.

Just before Nick and Jarrod lay down, they exchanged a silent communiqué. The two brothers had each other to rely on now; they could both sleep knowing they had each other’s back.

The doctor determined that Heath’s coughing could be put on hold so that he could get some much needed rest. Nick was pleased that the doctor felt that way; this meant that the danger of the lung infection had been lessened and was not a priority; at least for now.

The campsite became quiet as everyone fell asleep. A natural lullaby lilted through the forest, as the sounds of the crickets and the forest insects mixed well with the crackling fire. Nick had just dozed off when he distantly heard Heath calling for him.

“Nnn-ick?” Heath whispered; his eyes remained closed; his breaths still short.

The voice startled Nick awake. He thought Heath was sleeping. “I’m right here, little brother. On your right side. Here,” Nick said as he grasped Heath’s aimlessly probing hand.

“Don’t leave.” Heath’s voice was very low.

“I’m not goin’ anywhere, you can count on that. Want some water?”

“’kay.”

Nick reached over and helped lift Heath’s head so that he could take a drink. “Slowly, slowly, Heath. I don’t want to have to change any blankets tonight.”

Heath took a few sips and indicated he was done. The water tasted good on his parched throat. “Thanks, Nick.”

The silence was broken when Heath reached out for Nick’s hand again. “Nick?”

“Yeah?”

“Next time….I paint a wagon, check it…for….me, ‘kay?”

“Anything for you, little brother. Anything.”

*Line borrowed from “Catch A Falling Star,” by Deirdre.

Back to the Ranch

Everyone awoke to sunlight streaking through the sky in brilliant yellow and orange bursts. The trees swayed slightly from a soft, caressing breeze. The sunlight streamed across the campsite, transforming night into day. It was a day the family was grateful for; a day that would forever be remembered.

To transport Heath back the ranch the safest way possible, Victoria and Audra assembled an extremely well cushioned bed in the wagon. Under both Dr. Merar’s and Victoria’s scrutiny, each brother positioned himself on either side of their injured brother as they gently transported him to the makeshift bed.

“You doin’ okay, little brother?” Nick asked. Heath was breathing hard by the time he was settled in.

“’kay,” Heath mumbled. As he tried to find a comfortable position on his tower of blankets, he groaned at the pain slicing through his leg. Through his short breaths, he steadfastly refused the offered pain medication from Jarrod.

“Don’t need…..it, Jarrod. I’m fine,” Heath tried his best to sound convincing through clenched teeth. Jarrod nodded his head, and waved the family doctor over.

“Howard, your patient is in pain and won’t take any medicine.”

“Enough said, Jarrod. Thank you.” Dr. Merar checked Heath’s bandages and leg position. After a brief but stern scolding by the healer, Heath reluctantly swallowed a cup of water-laced laudanum. “You’re going to need it, son. Even though you are lying on a bed fit for a king, the ride is going to be bumpy. Let the medicine work and relax.” Dr. Merar gently patted Heath’s shoulder.

“A bed fit for a king, huh?” Nick teased his younger brother that his newly made bed was so well padded that he wouldn’t even feel a pea placed underneath the tower of blankets. Heath’s icy blue glare only made Nick snicker even harder.

“Yup, that’s what you are, little brother…The Prince and the Pea.” Nick lilted his voice upward as he teased.

Heath paused a moment as his thoughts changed direction. “I would make….a fine Prince,” Heath rasped. His sleepy eyes twinkled at his older brother. He knew Nick’s teasing was meant to make him feel better…and it worked.

“Some Prince. You don’t even have any pants.”

Heath leaned back into the mound of clothes that served as his pillow, and yawned. “As my servant…..”

“Don’t go there!”

“….you have to do my bidding...”

“Yeah, I’ll do your bidding…” Nick joked back.

“…and get me my pants…” Heath sneezed and coughed, then moaned due to the resulting pain in his ribs.

“See what happens when you try to be funny?” Nick gave his younger sibling a soft squeeze on his neck. “Enjoy your carriage ride, Your Highness.” Nick’s hair flopped back into his face as he demonstrated a mocked bow.

Heath’s eyelids drooped as he smiled at his brother’s attention. “Thanks, Nick,” he whispered; he was already dozing.

Nick settled down next to his blond sibling and felt his forehead. Still warm, but not hot. Good. He pulled Heath’s blanket up higher against his chest, gently tucking in the edges. Victoria smiled, recognizing her son’s tenderness.

“C’mon, Pappy, let’s get our little brother home.”

“Is everyone ready?” Jarrod called out.

Sounds of agreement abounded, and the ride home began.

Jarrod and Dr. Merar occupied the driver’s seat, while Victoria sat opposite Nick, with Heath in between them. Having been forced to take the analgesic, Heath slept during most of the trip, awakening only by his sneezes and coughs. Victoria continued to wipe his face with cool cloths to keep the fever down. His breathing hadn’t worsened, and thus Dr. Merar was clearly delighted as he announced that his young patient was fortunate to have dodged a bad chest infection.

“Nick, it’s largely due to your ministrations that Heath has to thank for that,” Dr. Merar complimented the tall rancher.

“He’ll feel the same way until he gets my bill!” Nick took a deep breath and sighed contentedly. His brother was going to be okay!

“He still has an infection, but one that he’ll overcome shortly.” Dr. Merar sat up in the driver’s seat with Jarrod. He turned back to Victoria. “I’ll go over his care with you after he’s settled.”

“Thanks, Howard. We’re very grateful that you came out to the trail to help us…to help Heath.”

“As long as he gets well, it’s all worth it.” Dr. Merar turned once again to the back of the wagon. “And he had better follow my directions for recovery!….Right Nick?!” Dr. Merar directed his last comment at the rancher.

“What? What did I do?”

“It’s not what you did, it’s what you plan to do with our young patient here.” Dr. Merar gave Nick a stern look.

Victoria smiled. Her family was such a delight. “Heath will follow your instructions to the letter, Howard. Isn’t that correct, son?”

“Oh yeah…right.” But Nick already had plans for himself and Heath…..he tried to hide his smile. What they didn’t know wouldn’t hurt them.

Victoria caught that secret smile on her middle son’s face. Hmmm….what did he have up his sleeve?

Audra could have been voted the happiest sister in the Valley, as she watched the wagon come through the front gate. Audra practically leapt into the wagon bed to welcome Heath home as Jarrod expertly maneuvered the wagon to the front steps.

“Silas, Silas! They’re here!” Audra called to the faithful houseman.

Audra reached out to caress her brother’s cheek. “Heath! Hey there, my favorite brother! How are you feeling?” Audra spoke softly and tentatively. She didn’t want to wake Heath as he was sleeping.

Through his drug-induced fog, Heath heard his sister’s sweet voice, and struggled to reach the outer edges of consciousness. His eyelids fluttered, as he felt Nick’s laughter through a mocked angry retort.

“Favorite brother, huh? Well missy, I’ll remember that! It will haunt you some day!”

“Well, I mean my favorite blond brother!” Audra crooned.

“And who is your favorite dark-haired brother?” Nick challenged.

Jarrod jumped off the driver’s seat and came around to give his sister a hug.

“Aren’t I you’re favorite, honey?”

“If I were you, Audra,” Victoria cautioned, “I would word your next statement very carefully.”

“Just say….I’m your fav’rite….’cause I’m the best…lookin’,” Heath’s weak voice cut through the overlapping laughter.

“Heath! You’re awake, boy! Sorry to see that your modesty has interfered with your brain!” as Nick tousled his blond hair.

“Well, well, Mr. Heath, so nice to see you! Your room is all ready for you! You’re gonna be just fine, if ol’ Silas has his way, you surely will!” Heath’s faithful morning companion reached over the wagon’s side to give the blond cowboy a loving pat on his arm. Heath grabbed his hand and squeezed it in gratitude.

“Thanks, Silas….glad to be home.”

“Now about this ‘best lookin’’ thing…” Nick started.

“Nick, let it go! You’ll only get yourself into trouble,” Jarrod warned. His eyes sparkled and his smile reflected the joy he felt because of his family’s obvious healing.

Audra leaned over and gave her brother a quick kiss on his cheek. “Welcome home, handsome,” she whispered. Her blue/brown eyes connected with her brother’s sapphire orbs, and shared a special moment.

“Nick, Jarrod, let’s get your brother up to his room. Silas, thank you for getting everything ready.”

“Yessum, Miz Barkley. Anythin’ to help Mr. Heath. Yes, yes, we hafta help our boy, we surelies do.” Silas beamed. He loved this family, and he felt proud to be a part of it all, both the good and the bad. “Everthin’ is ready for you. The room looks real nice.”

Dr. Merar, who had been silent during this entire exchange, shook his head and laughed. “How ever do you put up with this clan, Silas?”

The seasoned houseman shook his head and laughed. “It’s my pleasure Doctah Merar, my pleasure!”

Heath was carefully lifted by his two brothers and brought upstairs to his inviting room. Then, shooing out their mother and sister, Nick and Jarrod cleaned the remaining dirt from Heath, dressed him in a nightshirt, then much to their little brother’s chagrin, denied him any pants.

“A man should always have his pants,” Heath complained softly, then gently fell sleep.

As Heath slept soundly…his breathing more even and steady than in the last day, Dr. Merar attempted to give his patient one more examination before he returned to Stockton. Unfortunately, Heath instantly awoke as the kind physician gently probed his hip.

“Hurts! Doc? Nick?” Heath called out. The multitude of injuries was felt once again, as sleep slowly started to drift away.

Nick, already at Heath’s side, took his brother’s hand to lend support. “I’m here, little brother. Take it easy, the doc is just lookin’ you over. He’ll be done in a minute.”

“Easy, there, Heath. I’m just checking on you again.” Dr. Merar finished checking Heath’s battered body, and gently replaced the bed coverings.

“I’m going to tell you this, and you had better listen. This recovery of yours is going to take a full two months, if not more. Certainly more, if you don’t listen to me. Understood?” Dr. Merar had adopted a no-nonsense tone.

Heath looked to his older brothers for help. His voice was weak, and reverberated with pain, but he remained hopeful with his plea. “Nick, Jarrod….what about our fishing bet?”

Nick threw up his hands. “Little brother, we have all the time in the world for fishing. Besides, it wouldn’t have mattered anyway. I would have won.”

“Oh, no, I beg to differ, oh confident one,” Jarrod laughed. “Let’s just say we still have a fishing date when Heath is back on his feet.”

“I have…to be in bed for…two months?” Heath asked in between breaths. At this question, Victoria and Audra came into the room.

“Two months, Howard?”

“No, no, you misunderstood. Two months as a basis for Heath’s recovery. Full recovery will probably take a little longer. But we can get this young man up and moving within the week.”

Dr. Merar then turned towards Nick. The physician’s eyes squinted as he drew his mouth into a tight line, and wagged his finger at the dark-haired rancher; his voice was stern. “And no shenanigans, my friend. He needs to heal from this. A hip dislocation could cripple him if those tendons and bones aren’t allowed to knit properly. Promise me Nick.”

“Okay, Doc, okay. You can count on me.” Nick smiled. He turned his back to the room, and privately winked at his best friend. Heath warmed, and smiled back. He would wait until Heath was much better before he tried anything. Shenanigans are fun!

The first few weeks of Heath’s recovery had the entire household on a “Heath” schedule. The family took turns sitting with him and helping him through the last of the chest infection, until it faded entirely. The frequent meals were confronted by a consistently grouchy cowboy mumbling unhappy thoughts as he reluctantly ate the specially prepared food that Dr. Merar had prescribed.

Heath looked forward to the times when Nick would sneak in late-night treats, and then talk and laugh over poker into the early morning hours.

In the beginning, in order to get around, Heath needed to use crutches, even though he was constrained to the 2nd floor. First floor dining and visits were still weeks away. One of Jarrod’s fondest memories of the entire “wagon ordeal,” as it was come to be known, was the day that Heath tried his crutches for the first time, assisted by his older, more clumsier brother.

One evening, the two ranchers managed to fumble their way into Jarrod’s room, barging in while the lawyer sat at his bedroom desk completing briefs needed for his next day in court.

“Heath, you have to lean into them this way….” Nick tried to show his brother how to use them.

“Nick, have you ever used crutches before?”

“Yes, as a matter of fact, I have.”

“And when was this?”

“When I was six. I broke my leg fighting a bear and had a cast on my leg the size of Texas.”

“A bear?! When you were six?”

A snicker came from the desk. A pair of hazel eyes warned his older brother not to speak, but Jarrod spoke up anyway. “What important detail Nick is leaving out is that the puppy he tripped over in the barn was named ‘Bear.’” Jarrod sat with his legs crossed, nursing a drink, greatly enjoying another Nick and Heath show.

“It was a big puppy, Jarrod! And nasty, too! And I was only six!”

Heath smiled. He loved little Nick stories. “Yeah, how did he trip?”

“JARROD!!!”

Jarrod started to chuckle as he recounted the ‘Bear’ story. Laughter and brotherhood filled the room. By the end of the tale, the three brothers were laughing so hard they each needed the crutches to return to Heath’s room.

Heath’s recovery had been slow and steady; steady because Nick refused to leave his brother’s side. Taking these first few steps for Heath was difficult, especially since his ankle was still in a cast. The deep bruising took weeks to heal and caused the cowboy the most discomfort. Heath leaned heavily on his big brother, looking for support in his every move.

Heath’s family continued their loving support of his recuperation. In order to remain close to the ranch and his little brother, Nick would rely on Duke to handle all of ranch’s remote activities. Jarrod stayed at the house as much as possible, and would venture into Stockton only when necessary. He called upon his friend, Nat Springer, to help with cases at the San Francisco office. Of course the Barkley ladies doted on Heath, keeping him company when Nick or Jarrod were otherwise occupied.

Heath’s nightmares were the most unsettling. Nick would hold and comfort him through the worst of them, sometimes spending all night in Heath’s room. Nick didn’t tell the family the extent of Heath’s nightmares, although everyone knew he was having trouble sleeping. Nick didn’t even tell Heath that he, too, suffered the same horrific dreams.

As the weeks rolled by, Heath graduated from crutches to cane, but continued to have trouble walking even short distances without getting fatigued. He hadn’t yet received the go-ahead to to sit a horse, and he was not yet allowed to do even light work.

But he was healing. At each milestone of Heath’s recovery, Nick planned a victory outing for his little brother. As expected, the shenanigans began small and slowly grew bigger. There were many times that the two brothers were caught sneaking out of the house even though Heath still hadn’t been given permission. Nick was undaunted as he continued to follow his old philosophy: Shenanigans are fun!!

Two Months Later
At the Lodge

At the end of Heath’s recuperation, the family decided that everyone deserved their long awaited vacation…..so….up to the lodge they went. The whole family traveled this time, with Heath and Nick driving the first wagon, and Victoria and Audra driving the second. Jarrod rode Jingo, leading the way. Eugene completed the family unit for this special outing, and riding a palomino, aptly named Blondie, brought up the rear.

Just for Heath, Nick checked the wheels and axels on both wagons several times.

Flashback
Shenanigan #1
Four Weeks Prior

Riding in one of the new ranch wagons was a joy for Heath. The sun shone brightly; the wind kissed his face. Nick drove the vehicle slowly so they could savor the feeling of freedom; the feeling of not being constrained to the house’s four walls.

“C’mon, Nick, whatcha waitin’ for? …drivin’ like a little old lady….” Heath drawled as he pulled his hat down more snugly on his head.

“A little old lady, huh? I suppose you wish to drive this team, then?”

“Well, why thank you big brother!” Heath reached for the reins, only to have his hand slapped by a black glove.

“I don’t think so, little brother! If anything happens, it’ll be my hide that Mother will wallop with her spoon, not yours!”

“Nothin’ is gonna happen, Nick. Trust me!” Nick made the mistake of glancing at Heath’s blue eyes. Those blue eyes that bore into his soul! Nick felt himself caving in.

“I should have my head examined….” Nick reluctantly handed the reins over to Heath, who immediately signaled for the team to move from a slow walk to a fast trot.

“Nick, relax. It’s a beautiful day. The sky is clear, the sun is bright an’ warm. What could happen?”

One mile from their destination, a snake slithered across the trail, spooking the horses and sending the team into a frenzied run. The horses bolted towards an open field that eventually dropped off into a sharp ravine.

“NOTHING IS GONNA HAPPEN, RIGHT?!!” Nick yelled, as he jumped from the driver’s seat onto one of the horse’s backs in order to get control of the frightened animals.

Nick fought to slow the runaway ponies as he watched in horror as the ravine careened closer. He changed his mind about stopping the horses and instead, worked to turn their progress away from the canyon’s edge.

The horses sensed the danger ahead as well, and allowed the leather-clad rancher to steer them off the side.

As Nick and Heath furiously worked to slow and turn the horses, the wagon hit a bump that sent the blond flying through the air. Heath landed in a billowed cloud of dust, grunting as he hit the ground hard.

“HEATH!!!” Nick looked back to see his brother lying on the ground, unmoving.

The horses finally calmed down, and Nick was able to turn the rig back to where Heath had landed. His heart was beating fast from both the excitement of the ride and the terror that something had happened to his brother. He felt his stomach clench as he drove the team closer and saw that Heath hadn’t moved.

“Heath! Heath! Answer me!” Nick jumped down and ran over to his brother. He quickly pulled his gloves off, throwing them to the side, gently turning Heath onto his back. “C’mon, little brother, look at me!” Nick’s heart was constricted so tight he could hardly breathe.

Blue eyes squinted up and saw the white ashen face of his older brother. “Boy Howdy, Nick, didn’t anybody ever teach you how to drive a team?”

Nick mimicked his brother’s drawl. “Nick, relax…what could happen?”

“If you had let me jump on the horses, I would’ve had ‘em stopped a lot sooner.”

Nick sat back on his heels, and wiped his sleeve across his face. “Let you jump,” he laughed softly. “Let you jump….do you know what Mother is going to do to us when I bring you home lookin’ like this?”

“How do I look?”

“Like you did something you weren’t supposed to!”

“Well, I reckon that’s true. But it was your idea, Nick.”

“Oh, no, you’re not gonna have me goin’ to the gallows alone, little brother!”

“Mother would never believe that I wanted to go up to Hunter’s Point to see the newest set of eagles with my hurt hip ‘n all.”

“Don’t go there, Heath!”

Heath grinned and struggled to sit up. Nick assisted him as he brushed the dirt and grass from his brother’s clothes. “Mother’s gonna kill me.”

“Or at least tan your hide with that wooden spoon!”

Nick’s voice changed to concern. “Are you really okay? Anything broke?”

“I’m okay, Nick. Just a little sore.” Nick stood and reached down to help his younger brother up to a standing position.

Heath staggered as his hip shot an angry white line of pain through his leg and back. He gasped as a wave of dizziness clouded his blue eyes. Heath’s hands grabbed his big brother for support, just as Nick’s hands reached out at the same time to steady the swaying man. Heath closed his eyes to control the vertigo that rolled through his body.

“Take it easy, Heath. I’m right here. I won’t let go.” The tender voice reached his younger brother and provided the needed comfort.

The blond head nodded. “I’m okay, Nick. Really. Just a little dizzy.”

After a few minutes, Heath was able to stand himself while Nick retrieved the wagon. The ride home was quiet; Heath nursing a few new bruises, and Nick contemplating how to explain those new contusions to the gray haired dynamo.

As they entered the ranch through the front gate, Nick could see their mother on the front steps. She stood tall, feet apart, hitting the infamous wooden spoon against the palm of her hand.

“Your fault, Nick.”

“Is not!”

Flashback
Shenanigan #2
Three Weeks Prior

Since the ride out to Hunter’s Point didn’t turn out as planned, Nick decided that a safer place to steal his little brother to was the attic. He reasoned that they would still be in the house, and under the watchful eye of Silas. Victoria and Audra were out of the house for most of the day at a party welcoming the new minister.

“Mr. Nick, I dunna think Miz Barkley would want you boys meanderin’ around that ole’ attic. Mr. Heath could…”

Nick cut Silas off with a wave of his hand. “I’m just going to show Heath some old photographs and such, Silas. What could happen?” He gave the houseman a large smile and clamped him on his back. “No worries, alright?”

“Well, I promised Miz Barkley that I would get some supplies in town. You sure you and Mr. Heath is gonna be okay?” Silas was worried. He didn’t want to disappoint Victoria, but he also felt compelled to stick close to the house in case he was needed.

“We’re going to be just fine, Silas! Now, go on, git! Have fun in town.” Nick waved him off and climbed the foyer stairs two at a time.

The gray-haired man turned back to the kitchen, shaking his head and mumbling to himself. He would return from town as quickly as possible….just in case….

Nick bounded up the stairs and with a few large strides, stood in front of his brother’s room. “Heath, are ya ready?”

“Ready, Nick!” Heath finished buttoning his shirt and tucked it into his pants. “What are we gonna do up there again?”

“Oh, just look at some old photographs, and some other things. C’mon, Jarrod and I used to do this all the time as kids.”

Heath limped behind Nick, through the hallway, and up the back stairwell to the attic. Silas kept the narrow staircase clean of dust and cobwebs, thus entering the attic was akin to entering any other room in the mansion.

“Have you ever been up here?”

“Once, last Christmas. I helped Audra bring down Christmas decorations.”

“That’s right. I forgot.” He looked around as he walked a few paces, and grinning with anticipation, found the object that he was looking for. “Over here, Heath! Here it is!”

“What is it?” Heath limped over and rubbed his hip.

“Sit down before you fall down, boy.” Nick helped his brother to sit down on a small stool he found in the corner.

“This, dear brother, is my trunk. And this one,” he slapped his hand on the top of an adjacent trunk, “is Jarrod’s.”

“What’s in it?”

“Lots of things; baby clothes, books, old toys, stuff like that.”

“Doesn’t sound too excitin’, Nick.”

“Well, mine may not, but Jarrod’s certainly is.”

“You go into Jarrod’s private stuff?”

“If it isn’t locked, it’s fair game.” Nick winked at Heath with this last bold statement.

“Sometimes, this brother thing is hard to figure,” Heath snickered. “Uh, is it locked?”

“No. Jarrod never learns. He still puts things in here thinking he’s hiding them.”

Nick pulled his older brother’s large treasure box to sit in between himself and Heath. The lock had long been broken; it dangled from the trunk’s front clasp, openly inviting anyone to enter.

Heath suddenly caught his hip and groaned at the sharp pain that fired through his joint.

Nick was up in an instant, gathering pillows from around the attic. “Little brother, sit here instead.” He helped Heath move from the hard stool to the soft pile of pillows.

“Thanks, Nick.” Heath took a deep breath and felt the hip’s pain ease away as he relaxed against the impromptu bed.

“Feelin’ better?”

“Yeah.”

“Take it easy, will ya?” Nick’s voice betrayed his concern.

“Nick, how many times have you been through the lawyer’s trunk?” Heath smoothly changed the subject, but felt warmed by his brother’s attention. He always did.

“Oh, too many times to count. Let me read to you some poetry that a 14 year old Jarrod wrote to Miss Michele Stewart. There’s one here that’s my favorite.” Nick rummaged around until he found a stack of letters held together with a string. He pulled one out that had a heart drawn on the envelope. “Starts off, ‘Roses are Red,’ I think.”

After a few good laughs over their older brother’s attempt at poetry during his puberty years, Nick pulled from the trunk what he really wanted to share with Heath – a bottle of 12 year old Scotch.

“Jarrod and I put a whole case of this Scotch up here about ten years ago. We wanted to save these bottles for special occasions.”

“And this is a special occasion, Nick?”

“You bet! Actually, any occasion will do, and your impending recovery is an apt one,” Nick teased.

“That’s mighty nice of you, big brother!”

“Anything for you, Heath. I always tell you that.”

Minutes turned into hours as the two brothers indulged in the sweet intoxicating fermentation. They laughed, talked, and generally just enjoyed each other’s company.

It was dinner time when Victoria and Audra returned home. As they entered the house, they quickly noticed the lack of action. They stepped into the foyer and heard….silence. “Silas?”

“I’s here Miz Barkley. In the kitchen.” Silas was busily preparing dinner, softly singing old hymns as he kneaded dough to make his employer’s favorite bread.

Victoria and Audra put their hats and purses down on the center table, and walked down the hall to the kitchen, where the wonderful aroma of an apple pie permeated the house.

“Silas, has Jarrod arrived home yet?”

“No, no, he still in town s’far as I know.”

“Hmm. Where are the boys?”

“The boys, Miz Barkely?”

“Yes, you know. A tall dark-haired one,” Victoria began.

“Who is usually very loud,” Audra interjected.

“And a slightly shorter blond-haired one,” she finished.

Audra giggled. “Who is usually very quiet.”

“Oh, them boys, Miz Barkley! Yessum, I do believe they’s in the house.” Silas kept working, hoping the matriarch would get the hint and leave him alone.

Victoria paused. Silas knew something. “Do you know where they are specifically?”

“I don’t knows that, Miz Barkley. But iffen you see a light, I guess that’s where they be.” Silas turned back to his bread, humming a gospel song.

Victoria smiled as she recognized the subtle hint from her faithful houseman. “Audra, why don’t you get ready for dinner. I’ll meet you downstairs in half an hour.”

“Mother? Aren’t you going to look for them?”

“Oh, I know where they are. I’ll let them know that dinner will be ready very soon. Now go on.” Victoria delicately maneuvered her daughter up the back staircase to the second floor.

Victoria looked up at the ceiling as if she could see straight through to the attic. Her face was pinched. She knew where they were. Nick! He promised he would leave Jarrod’s trunk alone! She retrieved her wooden spoon and headed for the house’s top most floor.

As he stepped into the darkened room, lit only by a single lamp, she thought she would have heard her sons laughing in the far corner. Instead, she heard snoring. Snoring??

“Nick? Heath? Are you two up here?” she called softly. The mother of five really didn’t expect an answer.

She tiptoed in between the attic’s contents, holding her skirts and her wooden spoon, and came across a sight that she would always remember; two young men, sleeping head to head, both snoring softly.

She smiled and looked down at her wooden spoon. She wouldn’t need that tonight, even in jest.

...Continued