Post by catgirl63 on Dec 4, 2010 0:11:29 GMT -4
Thanks for reading and your support!!! We are nearing the end of this journey -- enjoy and have a great weekend!!!
Chapter 102
The Sunday morning had departed quickly as the prominent family joined with the small group of the town’s last inhabitants in their weekly ritual. Those in the hotel and the livery owner had grown by three more when the grizzled miners appeared seemingly from nowhere. The men had been seeking their fortunes in the long shut down mines scattered throughout the outskirts of the town. With the words from the bible ringing in their ears and a full Sunday dinner in their bellies, they left as quickly as they came…back to the holes beckoning and teasing of wealth. The endless quest for the glittering rock was the only thing which could quench their thirst.
The sun had risen to its highest point in the sky as it peered down upon the gathering in front of the withered hotel. The rays of the noon sun sparkled the blonde strands of Audra’s hair before she covered it with her hat, adjusting the string to hold it in place. Looking up at the boardwalk she offered a trembling smile as her eyes blinked against the sudden rush of tears. She felt as if she were leaving part of herself behind in this desolate town. Lowering her head she brushed her fingertips over her eyes and took a breath in to regain a small semblance of composure. Walking up the steps, she placed a kiss on Joy’s cheek, tweaking her nose before turning her full attention to the girl’s father. The steady blue eyes met hers before she pushed up on her tip toes and honored him with a quick peck of affection.
“Thank you, big brother,” whispered Audra, squeezing his forearm. “Don’t forget you’re always welcome with us.”
“Audra….” Sighed Heath, knowing what she wanted but he couldn’t give it.
“I know but it doesn’t hurt to keep reminding you how we feel,” said Audra giving a final squeeze to his arm before pivoting on her heel and descending the stairs where Jarrod helped her into the saddle.
Handing Audra the reins, Jarrod patted her leg before climbing the stairs and shook hands with the elderly hotel owner. “Thank you for your hospitality, Mr. Simmons.”
“Twas my pleasure,” assured the proprietor before the prominent attorney moved on to the ladies standing beside him and graciously thanked them also. Stopping before the father and daughter, Jarrod bent a little to be eye level with his niece, “Say Uncle Jarrod, Joy….Uncle Jarrod.”
“No,” stated the petite girl with a firm shake of her head.
Taking in a breath, Jarrod smiled as he ran a finger down her cheek as his eyes took in every detail of the angelic face. He didn’t know when they were to see her next or the man holding her and he wanted to commit them to the vast space in his heart. Studying the bruised face of Heath, he extended his hand and offered a small smile as it was taken. “Brother Heath…I hope we see you soon…very soon.”
“Jarrod,” said Heath with a nod to show his acknowledgement of the older man’s departing words before the attorney turned and walked to stand beside his horse.
Walking his mother up the stairs, Nick stood back as she extended her appreciation to the owner of the inn and the ladies. Stopping before Heath, she held out her hands and Joy leaned over, happy to be encased in the petite lady’s arms. Victoria hugged the small girl, placing a kiss on her cheek and nose, her gray eyes filling with tears.
“You be a good girl for your papa now, Joy,” instructed Victoria before whispering in her ear. “Grandma loves you. Bye now.”
“Bye…bye.” Repeated Joy, finding herself handed back to her father.
Taking a deep breath as she brushed an errant tear off her cheek, Victoria lay her hand on his forearm and said, “Remember Heath…whatever you decide, please let me know.”
“Yes, ma’am,” assured the blond, his eyes studying hers before he added, “I promise you’ll be hearing from me.”
“Thank you and take care, Heath.” Stated the matriarch before turning.
“I will, Victoria,” replied the blond in a low voice, offering a slight lop-sided grin to the woman who stopped and looked back over her shoulder before continuing onto her horse where Jarrod was waiting to help her into the saddle.
“Uncle Nick!” cried Joy, holding her hands out in welcome. Joy giggled and beamed as the dark haired man held her high in the air for a few minutes. “Uncle Nick.”
“Uncle Nick,” muttered Jarrod with a shake of his head in disbelief as his mother offered a consolatory pat on his shoulder. “How come he’s uncle and I’m not…”
“Whose my favorite girl?” asked Nick after he brought Joy down to his chest and she played with the end of his bandana. “Is it you?”
“Yep!” replied Joy, wrapping an arm around his neck before turning to look at her father who stood watching with a small smile on his face. “Papa?”
“Com’n Joy…you say goodbye and go with Rachel and Hannah now,” said Heath taking Joy from Nick after he placed a quick kiss on her golden locks. Handing his daughter off to Rachel, he watched as his uncle and aunts entered the hotel.
Holding out his hand, Heath was taken off guard when the larger man grasped his hand and pulled him in to a quick one armed hug, clapping his back once before turning and striding down the stairs to his horse. Pulling himself into the saddle, Nick watched as Jarrod climbed on Jingo before looking back at the man they were leaving behind.
“Take care of yourself, Heath,” stated the rancher before starting his horse forward as the others followed his lead. Stopping after the others passed him and Coco, Nick wheeled his horse back and stopped before the boardwalk to look down at the blond watching him with puzzled eyes.
“Boy, I’m only gonna say this once….you’re a Thomson and a Barkley. You had twenty four years of being a Thomson…it’s time you gave being a Barkley a shot. We had a vote…not a family vote cause you weren’t there…just a vote and….well…here….”
Heath watched as Nick took something from behind his black vest and looked up in confusion at the envelope thrust in his hands. “What’s this?”
“Your future Heath…if you want it to be.” Replied Nick, his voice soft and tender as he added, “Its up to you….yes or no….I’ll be praying its yes.”
Heath didn’t have a chance to reply before the chocolate covered horse turned and was urged to catch up with the others watching from where they waited down the street. Looking at the four riders, he held up a hand at their waves before they turned and cantered out of sight. Leaning his left forearm against the post, he looked down at the faded wood of the boardwalk shaken by the sense of loss overcoming him when he could no longer see them.
He looked up at the hand squeezing his shoulder and nodded at the low voice in his ear, “Its hard to watch them leave, ain’t it?”
“Its for the best anyway…” stated Heath ineffectively before glancing at the forgotten envelope in his hand, turning it over and lifting the flap to pull out the paper inside.
“What is it?” queried Matt after his nephew turned and leaned his back against the post, shaking his head in disbelief, his arms falling to his side as he lay his head back as if to look into the sky through the wooden overhang of the boardwalk.
“It looks to be lawyer speak for my fair share….”
Chapter 102
The Sunday morning had departed quickly as the prominent family joined with the small group of the town’s last inhabitants in their weekly ritual. Those in the hotel and the livery owner had grown by three more when the grizzled miners appeared seemingly from nowhere. The men had been seeking their fortunes in the long shut down mines scattered throughout the outskirts of the town. With the words from the bible ringing in their ears and a full Sunday dinner in their bellies, they left as quickly as they came…back to the holes beckoning and teasing of wealth. The endless quest for the glittering rock was the only thing which could quench their thirst.
The sun had risen to its highest point in the sky as it peered down upon the gathering in front of the withered hotel. The rays of the noon sun sparkled the blonde strands of Audra’s hair before she covered it with her hat, adjusting the string to hold it in place. Looking up at the boardwalk she offered a trembling smile as her eyes blinked against the sudden rush of tears. She felt as if she were leaving part of herself behind in this desolate town. Lowering her head she brushed her fingertips over her eyes and took a breath in to regain a small semblance of composure. Walking up the steps, she placed a kiss on Joy’s cheek, tweaking her nose before turning her full attention to the girl’s father. The steady blue eyes met hers before she pushed up on her tip toes and honored him with a quick peck of affection.
“Thank you, big brother,” whispered Audra, squeezing his forearm. “Don’t forget you’re always welcome with us.”
“Audra….” Sighed Heath, knowing what she wanted but he couldn’t give it.
“I know but it doesn’t hurt to keep reminding you how we feel,” said Audra giving a final squeeze to his arm before pivoting on her heel and descending the stairs where Jarrod helped her into the saddle.
Handing Audra the reins, Jarrod patted her leg before climbing the stairs and shook hands with the elderly hotel owner. “Thank you for your hospitality, Mr. Simmons.”
“Twas my pleasure,” assured the proprietor before the prominent attorney moved on to the ladies standing beside him and graciously thanked them also. Stopping before the father and daughter, Jarrod bent a little to be eye level with his niece, “Say Uncle Jarrod, Joy….Uncle Jarrod.”
“No,” stated the petite girl with a firm shake of her head.
Taking in a breath, Jarrod smiled as he ran a finger down her cheek as his eyes took in every detail of the angelic face. He didn’t know when they were to see her next or the man holding her and he wanted to commit them to the vast space in his heart. Studying the bruised face of Heath, he extended his hand and offered a small smile as it was taken. “Brother Heath…I hope we see you soon…very soon.”
“Jarrod,” said Heath with a nod to show his acknowledgement of the older man’s departing words before the attorney turned and walked to stand beside his horse.
Walking his mother up the stairs, Nick stood back as she extended her appreciation to the owner of the inn and the ladies. Stopping before Heath, she held out her hands and Joy leaned over, happy to be encased in the petite lady’s arms. Victoria hugged the small girl, placing a kiss on her cheek and nose, her gray eyes filling with tears.
“You be a good girl for your papa now, Joy,” instructed Victoria before whispering in her ear. “Grandma loves you. Bye now.”
“Bye…bye.” Repeated Joy, finding herself handed back to her father.
Taking a deep breath as she brushed an errant tear off her cheek, Victoria lay her hand on his forearm and said, “Remember Heath…whatever you decide, please let me know.”
“Yes, ma’am,” assured the blond, his eyes studying hers before he added, “I promise you’ll be hearing from me.”
“Thank you and take care, Heath.” Stated the matriarch before turning.
“I will, Victoria,” replied the blond in a low voice, offering a slight lop-sided grin to the woman who stopped and looked back over her shoulder before continuing onto her horse where Jarrod was waiting to help her into the saddle.
“Uncle Nick!” cried Joy, holding her hands out in welcome. Joy giggled and beamed as the dark haired man held her high in the air for a few minutes. “Uncle Nick.”
“Uncle Nick,” muttered Jarrod with a shake of his head in disbelief as his mother offered a consolatory pat on his shoulder. “How come he’s uncle and I’m not…”
“Whose my favorite girl?” asked Nick after he brought Joy down to his chest and she played with the end of his bandana. “Is it you?”
“Yep!” replied Joy, wrapping an arm around his neck before turning to look at her father who stood watching with a small smile on his face. “Papa?”
“Com’n Joy…you say goodbye and go with Rachel and Hannah now,” said Heath taking Joy from Nick after he placed a quick kiss on her golden locks. Handing his daughter off to Rachel, he watched as his uncle and aunts entered the hotel.
Holding out his hand, Heath was taken off guard when the larger man grasped his hand and pulled him in to a quick one armed hug, clapping his back once before turning and striding down the stairs to his horse. Pulling himself into the saddle, Nick watched as Jarrod climbed on Jingo before looking back at the man they were leaving behind.
“Take care of yourself, Heath,” stated the rancher before starting his horse forward as the others followed his lead. Stopping after the others passed him and Coco, Nick wheeled his horse back and stopped before the boardwalk to look down at the blond watching him with puzzled eyes.
“Boy, I’m only gonna say this once….you’re a Thomson and a Barkley. You had twenty four years of being a Thomson…it’s time you gave being a Barkley a shot. We had a vote…not a family vote cause you weren’t there…just a vote and….well…here….”
Heath watched as Nick took something from behind his black vest and looked up in confusion at the envelope thrust in his hands. “What’s this?”
“Your future Heath…if you want it to be.” Replied Nick, his voice soft and tender as he added, “Its up to you….yes or no….I’ll be praying its yes.”
Heath didn’t have a chance to reply before the chocolate covered horse turned and was urged to catch up with the others watching from where they waited down the street. Looking at the four riders, he held up a hand at their waves before they turned and cantered out of sight. Leaning his left forearm against the post, he looked down at the faded wood of the boardwalk shaken by the sense of loss overcoming him when he could no longer see them.
He looked up at the hand squeezing his shoulder and nodded at the low voice in his ear, “Its hard to watch them leave, ain’t it?”
“Its for the best anyway…” stated Heath ineffectively before glancing at the forgotten envelope in his hand, turning it over and lifting the flap to pull out the paper inside.
“What is it?” queried Matt after his nephew turned and leaned his back against the post, shaking his head in disbelief, his arms falling to his side as he lay his head back as if to look into the sky through the wooden overhang of the boardwalk.
“It looks to be lawyer speak for my fair share….”
