Eugene’s Homecoming
by Sandi H
Disclaimer: The characters and situations of the TV program
"Big Valley" are the creations of Four Star/Republic Pictures and
have been used without permission. No
copyright infringement is intended by the author. The ideas expressed in this story are copyrighted to the author.
“Hello? Anybody
home? Ma? Jarrod? Nick? Where is everybody?”
Eugene Barkley closed the massive oak door behind him as
he stepped into the foyer of his boyhood home.
“Well, isn’t this a fine thing,” he grumbled to
himself. “Nobody bothered to meet me at
the depot and now nobody’s here to say, ‘Glad you’re home, Gene. Did you have a pleasant trip, Gene?’ A fine how do you do. Makes me think that this family has plumb
forgotten all about me. Just because
I’ve been away at college for what now, ten years or has it been eleven? That’s
no excuse for them to wipe me from their memories. After all, I’m a Barkley son too.”
Setting his traveling valise down by the curving grand
staircase, Gene set off to find his missing family. Maybe someone’s in the kitchen.
At least I’ll see my old friend Silas, he thought to himself. Eugene poked his head into the entrance of
the kitchen, calling the old servant’s name.
“Silas! Are you in
here? It’s me, Eugene. I’ve come home from college.”
The sound of the familiar humming that he knew as a boy
ceased as the older than he remembered and cherished servant stepped into the
doorway of the kitchen. He stood there
wiping his floured hands on his apron as he looked quizzically at the rather
short, well-dressed brown-haired man in front of him.
“Yes sir. Whats
can I do for you, sir?” Silas didn’t
have the foggiest idea who this stranger was that had just barged into his
employer’s large home, but quickly ascertained that he’d better treat the man
kindly so as not to invite further trouble or cause the man to become unduly
agitated, perhaps causing him to do something rash.
“Silas! It’s me,
Gene. Remember?” Gene knew that old Silas was ten, or was it
eleven years older than when he’d left, but surely the old man couldn’t have
gone senile while he was gone, or could he?
“Gene?” Silas was
completely at a loss. “Gene who?”
“Why, Gene! Eugene
Barkley! Tom Barkley’s youngest
son. Dontcha remember me?”
Hoping to keep the situation under control, Silas did some
quick thinking.
“If’ns ya says so, Mr., uh, Barkley. Why don’t you, uh, make yourself comfortable
in the front room. I’ll get the Missus,
er, I mean your mama.” Silas quickly
backed away from the dapper young man, wondering to himself if this fellow was
rabid and if these were the indications.
He quickly moved up the grand staircase. He would find Miz Barkley and get this all straightened out
before it got out of hand. He was halfway
up the stairs when Nick’s door slammed and the dark-haired, leather-clad cowboy
with spurs a jangling, started down the same staircase.
“Mr. Nick! Mr.
Nick! Wait! Oh my, I is glad to see you, I shorely is.”
“Silas, what’s the matter? I thought I heard voices down here. D’we have company?”
“That’s what I’z wanted to talk to ya about. A young gentleman just came in the
door. He didn’t knock or anything. He’s actin’ real funny too. He claims he’s a Barkley son.”
Nick’s right palm shot up and smacked his own forehead in
pure annoyance. “Oh no! Not another one!”
“Sir?”
“Never mind Silas.
I was just thinking that we went through that mess about 10 years ago
with Heath. Surely Father couldn’t have
dropped another wandering seed, could he?”
“I’z don’t think so, Mr. Nick. This, er, gentleman claims to KNOW all of youze and he even
knowed my name. Funny fellow. Maybe you oughta come and have a look see at
him. He’s in the front room.”
“I’ll take care of this once and for all. I tell ya there aren’t any more of us hidin’
out there and that’s a fact! I’ll just
tell this hooligan where he can get off.
Excuse me, Silas.”
“Yes sir, Mr. Nick.
Is your mama up stairs?”
Nick waved his hand towards the second floor. “Yeah, she’s up there in Heath’s room. I think he fell off of a bronc and bruised
something. She’s got him pinned down
with the liniment bottle.”
Nick pushed by Silas and headed like a thundercloud to the
front room where Eugene was looking at a framed picture of the family. He was
wondering to himself who the blond fella was standing next to his Ma. “Don’t remember seeing him around here,” he
mumbled. “How’d he get in the family
picture and I didn’t?” He quickly
turned around when he heard Nick come in.
Eugene’s eyes lit up when he saw Nick approaching. That was Nick all right. The same scowl and
everything. “Nick!” Gene raised his hands in a gesture of
greeting. Nick stopped just beyond his reach.
Eugene started to feel a bit uneasy.
This was more than a typical Nick scowl. His brother looked like he was ready to smash something. Eugene was more than a little taken aback
with the dark-haired man’s next words.
“What are you doing in this house?”
Gene’s mouth gaped open.
“I’m talking to you boy.
What is the meaning of breaking into our home?”
“Nick, it’s me.
Eugene.”
“Eugene who?” Nick
moved closer the shrinking young man.
“Your…your brother,” Gene stammered. “I know it’s been a few years but surely you
remember me. Dontcha remember that I
couldn’t do ranch work to save my life and that you always said that I’d never
amount to a hill of beans?”
“Boy, I’ve never laid eyes on you in my life. Now I’m gonna tell you again, get out of
this house and out of this valley. You
don’t belong here.” Nick looked menacing
indeed.
“Wait! You have a
sister too. Or we have a sister. Uh, Audra, yeah that’s her name. She’ll remember me.”
“Audra’s not here.
And now if you will kindly exit, the door is that way.” Nick picked up the valise left by the stairs
and handed it to the befuddled young man and pointed to the large front
door. “GO!”
Just then Victoria voice could be heard as she descended
the stairs. Heath, though he was
walking gingerly, was right behind her.
“Nick? Kindly
introduce your visitor.”
“He, uh, mother, he was just leavin’, weren’t you, kid?”
Gene upon seeing Victoria managed to scramble past Nick
and reach out towards the grand lady of the house. Heath quickly reacted and sashayed to put himself in front of his
mother. The quick movement caused him
to grimace and cry out. “Ouch! Dang ornery horse,” His hand gently massaged
his tender hip.
“Ma, it’s me!
Eugene!” Eugene cried out,
trying to catch his mother’s eye but had to keep looking around Heath. “Dontcha know me Ma? I’m you’re youngest son.”
“Hold on just one minute.” This from Heath who was trying to get a good look at this
youngster while still willing the hurt away from his bruised body. “I thought I was the youngest son.”
Gene looked shocked, as he seemed to notice the blond
man’s presence for the first time. “Who are you?”
“I’m Heath,” he answered simply. “His,” pointing to Nick, “father’s bastard son.”
“Oh now that’s enough out of you boy.” Nick’s stern glare fixed on Heath.
“Well, I am!”
Heath said readily.
“I know you are,” Nick agreed, “but I thought we’d had it
out about that years ago. You’re a
Barkley now. You’re in the family,
boy. Let’s not rehash old news.”
“Alright Nick. But
what about him?” All eyes riveted to
Eugene, who looked like he was about to burst into tears.
“Doesn’t anyone remember me?” He wailed.
“No we don’t,” stated Victoria with finality. “So, what did you say your name was again,
Eugene?” She shuddered. “What a perfectly ghastly name. Now if you will kindly leave this house and
please do not come back again or my sons just might have to shoot you for
trespassing. Do I make myself clear?”
Eugene suddenly drew himself up to his full 5 foot, 7
inches. “I knew I never should have
come back here. I can see that I don’t
belong.”
“That’s the first intelligent thing that kid’s said since
he got here,” Nick muttered to himself.
“Fine! I’m
leaving. I’m going back to
college. At least they know me
there. They should anyway. I’ve been there for the past ten
years.” Eugene scratched his head in
deep thought. “Or has it been
eleven?” Still looking deep in thought,
he moved out the huge front door towards to where his horse was tied. So deep in thought that he very nearly ran
smack into Jarrod as the lawyer dodged just in time to prevent his lily-white
hands from getting battered.
“Whoa there, young man.
You better be careful and watch where you’re going.”
“Oh a lot you care, buster. You probably don’t even remember me either.”
“Should I,” Jarrod asked gamely
“Never mind! All
you people are hopeless! Hopeless! Why anyone would think that you’re such a
great family and talk about you and write about you is beyond me. I should be insulted when these whackos, who
call themselves Valley Dwellers, write about you all and then have the gall to
say ‘Eugene does not exist’. I should
be, but I’m not! I want nothing to do
with those crazies who spend hours upon hours on that new fangled thing called
the computer, reading and writing about you and you and you and even you.” Eugene pointed to each present with a stern
finger, ending his point fest at a poor befuddled Silas. “I’m leaving this house and never coming
back. I’ll make it on my own. I always have.”
“Well, quit your yammerin’ then and start ridin’, Nick
bellowed. “How can we miss you if you
won’t go away? Of course we all know
it’s out of sight, out of mind.”
Eugene positioned his valise upon his pony and climbed up
into the saddle. Kicking its sides to
make it go, the horse started out at a trot and then sped to a full
gallop. Soon he was gone, headed back
to Berkeley where he continued taking every course offered and ended up staying
there for the rest of his life. The
university even gave him a special commendation award for the longest
enrollment. One that has yet to be
matched down to this day.