by soho178
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.
James Barkley wasn’t one to run from a challenge, so why
was he dreading tonight so thoroughly?
This would be a Christmas Eve to remember as long as he lived. Of
course, knowing what he had planned, that might just be a very short time.
“Mother, are you and Audra ready to leave yet?” Nick was
impatient to set out for the Christmas Eve service. As wealthy benefactors, Jim
and Helen Barkley had a reserved pew at the Denver Congregational Church, but
still, he didn’t want to be rushed.
“In a minute dear.” Victoria descended the staircase of
her brother’s townhouse and made one last check in the hallway mirror. “Your
sister will be down in a minute.”
“Audra’s minute means an hour. Don’t know what she’s so
worried about, it’s only church.” Nick’s good-natured grumbling caused his
mother to smile.
“I do wish that Helen and Jim were coming with us.”
“I know Mother, but Jim said that Helen has another of her
headaches and he’s staying home with her. Knowing Helen, I think she just
doesn’t want to spend another hour in the presence of Mrs. Witherton. That
woman could bore a fence post to death!”
“Nick!” Audra materialized at her brother’s side, barely
suppressing a laugh, and the three of them donned winter coats and cloaks for
the carriage ride to church.
Slipping into the Barkley pew, Victoria momentarily felt
an overwhelming sadness that drained all the color and joy out of the season.
How had she come to this? She hated Christmas here, but couldn’t bear the
thought of spending the holiday at home, in that big house, with only Audra and
Nick. At that thought, a picture of Alexandra Kendall Barkley formed in her
mind and she had to fight the rush of anger toward the woman who had driven
Heath and Jarrod from the family.
“Mother, Audra, will you excuse me for a moment?” Nick
inclined his head towards the back of the church, where the two women saw a
tall, striking brunette just entering.”
“Of course dear. Give Jessica our regards.” The
distraction of her son’s amorous pursuits helped to lighten her mood. She
smiled indulgently and sent him on his way.
Jessica Lindfor caught Nick’s eye and nodded slightly. She
knew he had other plans for the moment. She was part of them. She waited until
he disappeared out the door, then sought out Victoria and Audra to chat.
* * * * * * * *
Entering the lobby of the Palladian Hotel, Jim Barkley
hoped that the Lord and his sister-in-law would both forgive lying in a good
cause. If pushed to admit it, he was more afraid of Victoria’s wrath than of
any divine retribution. Once the threesome had left the house, he and Helen had
rushed to dress and taken off on their respective errands.
Jim met his nephew in the lobby. “Heath, boy! I’m so glad
to see you!”
The lopsided grin that was so unique to him made its
appearance. “It’s been too long Jim.”
“And whose fault is that, my boy?” His mock ire took the
bite out the words.
“All mine. I’m sorry.” The words could barely be heard.
“You’re here now and that’s all that matters. We’ll meet
Helen at church. She’s just about bursting at the seams to see you!”
His nephew was thinner, with a sad air about him that
spoke of loneliness. It was clear that the last three years had been hard.
Losing the family he’d only known for a few years had taken its toll. Jim had
tracked Heath down and kept tabs on him, waiting for him to come around in his
own time. It was only in the last six
months that Heath had been made contact again, and then only with his Aunt and
Uncle. Jim considered it nothing short of a miracle that he’d gotten him here
for Christmas.
No one had asked Heath to leave the ranch, but after
Alex’s duplicity had been revealed, neither brother felt comfortable staying in
town. Jarrod packed up his wife, closed his law practice in Stockton and left
his partner in charge of the San Francisco office.
Heath had simply ridden out one day, leaving only a
request that the family not attempt to follow him. He wouldn’t ask the family to choose between them, so he’d left.
When all was said and done, Jarrod was Victoria’s birth child, Audra and Nick’s
brother. Heath was a Barkley by halves only, and as much as he’d let himself
believe that it didn’t matter, Alexandra had put paid to that illusion. Living
alone, without attachments and obligations would be hard after 5 years as a
part of the tight-knit Barkley clan, but at least there would still be a clan
there for the rest of them.
In Jim’s mind, the prospect of erasing that look of loss,
the same one they all seemed to carry with them, made tonight’s risk
worthwhile.
Jarrod had chosen to stand by his wife. The family
understood, he hadn’t much choice, but it still hurt that his loyalty was to a
woman who had tried to drag Heath’s parentage into doubt, all in the interest
of getting her husband elected Governor. How had such an astute lawyer ever
fallen in love with as conniving and vicious a woman as Alexandra Willis? True,
she had been a consummate actress, fooling all of them until after the wedding,
but somehow shouldn’t Jarrod have been able to see that she didn’t care who she
hurt in her bid to become the wife of a powerful man?
Aunt Helen had joined Jarrod for dinner at his hotel,
explaining that her husband was helping the Minister with preparations for the
service and would meet them at the church. Seeing him in the flesh dispelled
the months of anguish when no one had heard a word from him. If she’d been
privy to her husband’s thoughts upon seeing Heath, she would have found them
almost identical to her own musings about Jarrod. Clearly these last three
years had been Hell for him… the split with the family, losing the election,
closing down his law practice. Afterwards he’d taken Alex East for a few weeks,
then to Europe.
Jim and Helen had been pleasantly surprised when Jarrod
had wired in September to say he would be moving back to the Bay Area and would
like to stop and see them en route. He would be there over Christmas, alone,
but would understand if they would prefer not to spend time with him. Finally,
as dinner ended, Helen worked up the courage to broach the subject of Alex.
“Jarrod, will Alexandra be joining you in San Francisco?”
The question had been inevitable “No, no she won’t.” The
brevity of the answer didn’t invite any more questions.
* * * * * * * *
Entering the church now, through the wide front doors,
Helen was gratified to see that Jessica blocked their pew from view.
God-willing, at least this part of the plan was working. As she made to guide
Jarrod down the main aisle, Jessica’s tall figure provided the needed cover.
As if on cue, Jim and Heath entered the church through the
side door. Jim gestured down the side aisle “Our seats just over there. I’m
sure Helen is probably ready to explode by now. As they made their way towards
the front a dark haired man rose to follow.
“Here we are.” Jim gestured to his left. His companion
turned and was struck motionless.
“Here we are” Helen placed a hand on Jarrod’s arm as
Jessica moved aside.
Eyes met across the length of the pew, bodies stiffened.
In his ear, Heath heard Nick’s familiar baritone tell him to sit down and not
make a scene. Jarrod made to turn and leave but couldn’t without pushing over
the two women. Finally, a small hand reached up to grasp his arm. Seeing
Victoria’s tears, he surrendered and sat down.
The service passed in a blur for the occupants of the
third pew on the right. Not one could have told you anything that was said
until the Rev. Andrew Mayhew started his Christmas Eve Sermon.
“My friends, honored and blessed guests. Tonight I would
like to depart from tradition. For as many years as I have been the pastor of
this congregation, I have used this night to speak of the wonder of our
Savior’s birth; of the promise that was made to mankind on that blessed night almost
2000 years ago; of the gift that was made to us by Our Loving Father. That
night presented the world with hope renewed and a promise of eternal peace.
This year, I would like to talk about something else
besides the promise that was made that night in Bethlehem. With the birth of
the infant Savior something precious and invaluable was created in the most
humble of surroundings. A family was formed. In the bigger picture of Christ’s
coming, we often overlook that God sent His Son to earth to be part of a
family. I don’t doubt but that it was a family with all of the same joys and
sorrows that yours and mine experience; that Mary and Joseph had many of the
same concerns about their growing son that you and I have about our children. I
don’t doubt that the child Jesus had many of the same frustrations with his
parents that you young ones have with your parents. I can imagine that as a
family they were no more perfect than yours or mine. How God must value the
love and bonds of family to have wanted that, good and bad, joy and pain, for
his only Son!
Through everything that was to follow, this family
endured. Through the mundane and the unexpected, even through the ultimate, the
unthinkable sacrifice, the bonds of family endured.
I would urge all of you, tonight and tomorrow, to take a
moment and reflect on what surrounds you. If you are blessed to have family
with you on this holiest of days, then take a moment to thank the Lord for this
most precious of gifts. Understand that
He has given to you, by virtue of those you call mother, father, brother,
sister, son or daughter, the same gift that he thought so important for his own
Son.
If, somehow, you have lost that connection, then let these
words of a man much more eloquent than I remind you of what is within your
grasp to reclaim.
‘Time was with most of us, when
Christmas Day, encircling all our limited world like a magic ring, left nothing
out for us to miss or seek; bound together all our home enjoyments, affections,
and hopes; grouped everything and everyone round the Christmas fire, and made
the little picture shining in our bright young eyes, complete.’
Thank you, and a holiest of
Christmases to you and yours.”
There, surrounded by the music
of the final hymn, standing awkwardly side-by-side, a feeling began. Slowly,
almost imperceptibly, a small warmth stole over them, as though some tiny ember
flickering dully, about to die, had breathed new life and caught hold. Given
the smallest kindling, it fought to spread, seeking sustenance. As it grew, feeding
on hope and goodness and love, it sought out each heart in turn. In its wake a
son drew his mother to him, and she leaned into his embrace. One brother placed
an arm around the other. A sister clasped the hands on either side of her and
made the connection complete.
On the last dying notes of the
hymn, they had filed out, at a loss for what to say or do in the awkward
aftermath of this reunion. Jim and Helen seized the moment, insisting that they
return to their house. Under watchful eyes, the family started the long slow
process of becoming one again.
* * * * * * * *
“Jarrod, Heath, I’ve sent for your bags. They should be here
soon.” Jim had taken it upon himself to ensure that all of his family spent at
least this night under one roof.
“Jim, that isn’t possible. I’m
sorry, I can’t stay here with you.”
”Oh Jarrod!” Victoria’s voice
was laced with disappointment.
“Mother , it isn’t that I don’t
want to, it’s just that I’m not alone at the hotel.”
“Oh.”
“Jarrod, I thought you said that
Alex wasn’t with you.” Helen’s confusion was apparent.
“She isn’t.” He got up to stand
by the fire, leaning against the mantle the way they’d all seen him do a
thousand times before. “Alexandra is dead. Our daughter Heather is with me.
Alex died in child birth a little over two years ago.”
“Oh Jarrod, I’m so sorry…”
He shook his head to cut off
Audra’s comment. “She’ll be asleep already, and I don’t want to move her.”
He looked at his mother
sheepishly and said “If promise to come back in the morning and bring your
granddaughter, will you trust me to go back to the hotel?”
For the first time, in a very
long time, Victoria Barkley’s face was graced with a smile of pure delight. She
turned to Heath with a questioning look. “Yes mother, I’ll stay here tonight. I
promise not to run away again. And if Jarrod tries, I’ll even help Nick track
him down.” Unseen by his younger, Nick visibly relaxed, letting some of the
tension drain from his body. Victoria watched as he blinked back tears.
Jarrod made to leave and Heath
followed him to the front door, grabbing his coat as they went. Victoria put a
restraining hand on Nick’s sleeve as he started after them. “Let them have some
time alone.”
In the cold night air, two sets
of blue eyes glanced anywhere but at each other.
“I’m sorry for your loss
Jarrod.” They were hard words to say, but he knew that Jarrod had loved his
wife despite her flaws. He shook his head in wonderment, first Beth then Alex.
How much disappointment could one man take?
The lawyer in Jarrod weighed his
younger brother’s words, looking for hidden meaning but finding none. “Thank
you. I wish I knew how to begin apologizing to you.”
Puzzled blue eyes met sad ones.
“I don’t understand…”
“Heath, I never meant for you to
leave the Valley. I took Alex away because I knew she could never be a part of
the family again, she’d done so much damage, and I…You weren’t sup…” his voice
faltered. Hand over his mouth, eyes closed, he fought for control. “Why did you
leave?”
“It just seemed best. If I’d
have stayed, the family would always feel they’d had to choose between us. If I
was there you never could have come home. I couldn’t do that to Mother…to any
of you. I’d been on my own before, I knew I could live that way again.”
Jarrod shook is head in wonder
at the level of selflessness that choice had required. “Of all the things Alex
did, you know what I regret the most, Heath?”
“What?”
“That she took your family away
from you.”
It was Heath’s turn to choke
back the tears. With everything that had happened, everything that he’d
lost…career, family, wife…Jarrod could still put his brother’s hurt ahead of
his own.
They stood in the darkness, each
lost in their own thoughts. Eventually Heath broke the silence.
“You named her Heather.”
“Heather Victoria.”
“Thank you Brother Jarrod.”
Christmas morning dawned cold
and clear. As Victoria sat with her granddaughter in her lap, she reflected on
the Christmas miracle that had come to their family. She watched her children
slowly piece together the fabric of their relationships, still amazed that twelve
hours ago this was the last thing she would have believed Christmas morning
would bring.
“What’s the smile for Mother?”
Nick had come to sit beside her and get to know his niece.
“You, us, this.” She gestured at
the scene before her. “It’s our own small piece of Christmas magic.”
THE END