Conversations with Kate: Nick
A Ficlet…
by
ShiningStar
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.
“You look lovely in that blue dress, Kate darling. Your
brother Nick likes the color blue. It reminds him of the sky, I think. He’s
more at home under the sky than under his own roof! He grew up outside, you see. Tom
Barkley put him on a horse before he could walk!”
Victoria opened the parlor drapes. “There—some sun! Nick was my sunshine child.
He’d stand by the window and cry whenever it rained! Once—he was about five—it
rained for two weeks. I actually thought he would be sick. He stopped eating
and hid under his bed. Even his father couldn’t get him to come out!”
She shook her head. “Stubborn, that’s what he was.
Stubborn as the old mule that plowed up our first vegetable garden. One day she
decided she’d done enough work and never did another lick. Tom would’ve shot
her, but when Nick found out, he hollered so loud—even took to sneaking out and
sleeping in the barn practically under her lazy feet!”
Victoria put a hand to her brow. “Oh, how that boy could
holler—and still does! Why, sometimes I think he’s going to shatter the
chandeliers when he comes storming through the door shouting for me—or
Audra—even Silas—who just ignores him!”
“But he loves the land, Kate—loves it like it’s his
family, and maybe it is. He’s his father’s son. You can depend on a man like
that—trust him with your life. And if the time ever comes, darling girl, when
you need someone to depend on—if, God forbid, your father and I aren’t here—your
brother Nick’s the one.”
In her willow basket, Kate yawned.
“I see you
understand completely,” her mother murmured. “Well, in time you will. You
will.”