Post by pattiheathen on Jul 9, 2008 11:24:19 GMT -4
The drive continues and Gene is wrestling with his conscience... HUGS! Patti 
Ornery Horses n’ Stubborn Brothers
Chapter 5
Gene wearily lowered himself in front of a wheel on the supply wagon and settled in near the campfire. The smell of Nick’s beef stew drifted from a pot hanging over the center of the flames and he decided to give his aching muscles a moment’s rest before seeking out a plate and sampling his older brother’s cooking. With a quiet sigh, he closed his eyes and let the warm glow soothe the tired lines in his face as he considered the progress they’d made over the past few days on the cattle drive. Despite the fact that the challenge at the river had left him physically and mentally drained, he knew he had completed a hard day’s work and a feeling of utter satisfaction settled in his soul. A loud rumble echoing in his stomach forced him to reluctantly open his eyes so he could grab a plateful of stew and satisfy his growing hunger. When he reached forward toward the spoon dangling on the side of the cook pot, his back cringed in protest and he chuckled at how ill fitted for ranch work his classroom-oriented body had become. With a stiff groan, he placed a heaping portion of Nick’s meal on his plate and hunched back against the wagon.
“Hand me a plate, will ya, Kid?”
Nick’s normally booming voice was slightly subdued as he approached the campfire and dropped raggedly to the ground. Gene could tell by the sluggish way his older brother was moving that he, too, was feeling the effects of spending several hours in the saddle.
Nick groaned and rubbed the back of his neck. “It’s been a long day…”
With a smile, Gene tossed a plate toward him and waited as his brother spooned out his dinner and collapsed against a large boulder in front of the fire. While watching the rancher greedily eat his stew, Gene thought back on the insecurities that had weighed heavily on his mind the morning they had left on the cattle drive. For days he’d wanted to tell his brother how he felt… he had wanted to unburden himself of the guilt collected inside his heart over the fact that he was unable share Nick’s passion for the ranch nor had the desire to remain behind and help his brother run the Barkley holdings. Each time he had gathered the courage to speak to Nick, something had snapped inside him and he had buried his feelings deep within. Anxiously, he used his fork to poke at the bits of beef lying on his plate and decided his conversation with his older brother was long overdue.
“Seems like we’re making good time, Nick,” he declared, desperately trying to ease into the subject that seemed to weigh so heavy on his shoulders.
“Uh, huh…” Nick poured himself a cup of coffee and took a long swallow from his mug. “Should make Sacramento well on time.”
Gene moved his stew around his plate again. “I was worried for Heath a while there,” he mumbled as he began to wonder if he’d ever be able to say what was on his mind. “Didn’t think he was gonna get Rogue across.”
Nick swallowed a mouthful and grinned. “That horse is a lot more trouble than I thought,” he admitted. “But Heath had ‘im, Gene… don’t give it a thought. When it comes to bein’ stubborn, our brother can out match an ornery horse any day of the week!”
Gene laughed at Nick’s description of Heath and for a moment he waited for Nick to continue a conversation that never came. A long stretch of silence suddenly engulfed the brothers and Gene scraped his plate with his fork, carefully considering his words, unsure of what to say next, and wondering whether he should just let the matter stay buried altogether. Somehow he felt the need to apologize to his brother – to let him know how sorry he was for letting him down, for abandoning him and running off to school…
“Nick…?” his voice tumbled out of his mouth without warning, without intention.
Nick paused mid-bite and eyed his younger brother. “Ya got somethin’ on your mind, Kid, then go on, spill it…”
Gene gripped the sides of his plate and shifted uncomfortably on the ground. “What makes you think there’s something on my mind?”
“The way you’ve been pushing around that stew, Gene,” he grinned, wagging his fork at his younger brother with amusement. “Don’t think I’ve seen ya take a bite yet… ya just keep moving your dinner from one side of your plate to the other.”
Gene cleared his throat in embarrassment, suddenly feeling out of place and desperately wanting to move his thoughts away from where they were headed. Nick noticed the look of apprehension settling on his brother’s face and quietly lowered his plate to the ground. Swallowing a mouthful, he picked up his coffee mug and looked with concern at the young man who was clearly wrestling with something he needed to get off his chest.
“C’mon, Gene,” he said quietly. “I can tell somethin’s botherin’ ya. I ain’t gonna bite, ya know.”
Gene chuckled awkwardly and grabbed his coffee mug, gripping the handle for security.
“I’ve been trying to find the right words, Nick,” he stammered, his voice as thick as mud in his throat. “…to apologize…”
“For what?” Nick was confused. “What could ya have done to apologize for?”
“I’m just…” his voice faltered and his stomach lurched. “…I just wanted you to know… I’m sorry I couldn’t be the man you wanted me to be, Nick…” Gene hung his head – he’d said it, and a flood of relief washed over him.
Nick straightened upright and eyed his brother with utter bewilderment. “What the devil are ya talkin’ about, Eugene?”
Gene sighed and flicked a pebble toward the dancing flames of the campfire.
“I know how much you wanted me to work the ranch with you, especially after Father was killed.” He didn’t dare look at his brother, and continued to watch the glowing embers near his feet. “And I wanted to… I was willing to try, Nick, really… But the life you live on the range… it’s just not for me… and I’m sorry…”
“And ya think I’m upset with ya over that?” Nick’s heart filled with remorse as he wondered what he had said or done to make his brother believe he had to apologize for living his own life – for following his own dreams. “That because ya don’t want to spend your days in a saddle workin’ the ranch, I somehow think you’re not the man ya should be?”
Gene nodded shamefully and threw another pebble into the fire – another moment of distraction to keep him from saying anything further.
“You talked about it so much when I was younger, Nick,” he whispered. “’Bout how you couldn’t wait to show me the ropes and get me out on the range by your side. It seemed like it was pre-ordained for me to be a part of that for you… I never wanted to let you down.”
Nick clenched the handle of his mug tight in his hand and fought hard against the emotions gripping his chest. In his heart he knew part of what Gene was saying was right. He had hoped his brother would one day work the ranch with him… brother by brother, side by side, toiling and sweating to build upon the heritage that had been entrusted to them by their Father. To deny that he secretly hadn’t wished Gene would help him carry that torch would have meant denying the passion that drove him. Yet as much as he had wanted Gene to share his dreams, he knew it wasn’t meant to be. His youngest brother had his own destiny to fulfill – a destiny as important and worthy of a Barkley son’s devotion as any other – and he had no right to hold him from it. No matter how difficult it had been to do, he knew he had to accept that Gene was meant to travel down another road, and no Father, Mother OR brother had the right to keep him from following it.
“Gene…” Nick’s voice was calm and strong. “If I ever led ya to believe I was somehow disappointed in ya… I’m sorry…”
Nick balled his fist against his leg and choked on his words. “You ARE the man I expected ya to be, Gene… in every way… You’re a man of strong convictions and morals… a man who lives his life with a purpose and doesn’t back down on his beliefs ‘cause someone says he should fight another fight, or dream another dream…”
Nick looked at Gene with sincere devotion as he lay his heart on his sleeve for the entire world to see.
“I would be lyin’ if I said I wouldn’t be proud to have ya by my side runnin’ this ranch, Gene… but I would also be a fool if I held ya to it, unless it was what was meant for ya. We all gotta live our own lives – and if it means bein’ a lawyer, or rancher, or doctor, then ya live it! Just make sure ya do it with the passion and conviction of a Barkley, and that’s all I can expect of ya!”
Gene searched Nick’s face and saw his Father’s soul gazing back at him through eyes full of love and admiration.
“You hold your head up high, Boy, and be proud… ‘Cause you’re every bit the man Father would have wanted ya to be… and twice the man I could ever wish for in a brother.”
As a warm wetness began to form in the corner of his eye, Nick lowered his head and stared into the bottom of his coffee mug in an effort to hide the emotion he was always so careful to control.
“I respect ya, Gene…” he murmured. “…and I’m damn proud of ya…”
Gene drew in a deep sigh and smiled at his brother’s words, knowing they had been said with truth and sincerity. At that moment, there was nowhere in the world he would have rather been than sitting beside his older brother near a campfire under the stars. Nick’s heartfelt declaration would rest in his soul for as long as he lived and would be the courage that would sustain wherever he chose to call home.
“Thanks, Nick…” Gene said gratefully. “It means a lot coming from you.”
Nick rubbed his eyes with his fingers and poured himself another cup of coffee.
“I meant it,” he replied quickly, hoping he’d freed his brother of his worries and laid them to rest once and for all. “Now eat up! Ya got a busy day tomorrow!”
Gene gave Nick a light-hearted, mocking salute and picked up his plate, shoveling the stew into his mouth as fast as he could swallow. He had forgotten how hungry he’d been, and at that moment, after his brother had freed him of the guilt that had burdened him, the rancher’s cooking never tasted so good. Nick grinned and marveled at how quickly Gene’s plate was being emptied.
“Easy, Kid!” he warned, wide-eyed with amusement. “Food ain’t goin’ no where!”
“Better be some saved for me!” a weary voice declared.
Heath suddenly appeared out of the shadows and rubbed his shoulder as he slowly limped closer to the campfire. He pulled off his hat and slapped it against his shin, sending a cloud of dust into the air – the same trail dirt that covered him from head to toe. With a soft groan, he carefully lowered himself to the ground and bent his legs so his forearms could rest on his knees.
“Boy Howdy!” he moaned, hanging his head slightly. “That is one stubborn piece of horse flesh… Don’t think I’ve ever had to work so dang hard to keep an animal payin’ attention to a job.”
Nick dished out a plate of stew and handed it to his haggard brother.
“Looked like you were handlin’ ‘im all right, Heath,” he declared, noticing the drained look in his brother’s face.
Heath worked harder than anyone on the ranch, sometimes doing the work of two men, but Nick hadn’t seen him look so dog-tired in a long while. He felt a twinge of concern and watched the bedraggled blonde drag a forkful of food toward his mouth as if the weight of the utensil was too much for his hand to manage.
“I’m workin’ ‘im, Nick,” Heath sighed, forcing himself to satisfy the loud growling coming from his stomach with another bite of food. “An’ I’ll get ‘im… just might take a bit more time than I thought is all.”
Gene grinned and thought on the submissive behavior Heath’s horse had suddenly shown after crossing the river earlier that day.
“Rogue sure looked like he learned a lesson after that dunkin’ you both took.”
Heath frowned and took a swallow from his coffee mug.
“Reckon so, Gene… problem is, this one don’t seem to remember his lessons very well,” he gave his brother a playful wink. “Maybe I should send ‘im back to school with ya!”
Gene shook his head and laughed. “He might fit in just fine, Heath! Right in there with the other jack-asses and mules I have in some of my classes!”
Heath mustered a faint laugh and pushed his plate onto the stones near the fire before struggling painfully to his feet. Both Nick and Gene couldn’t help but notice their brother had left half his meal behind and could barely keep his eyes open.
“Ya’ll right there, Heath?” Nick asked, the concern in his voice evident.
Heath nodded and offered them a weak grin. “Just feel all played out, is all… got a spot on a blanket callin’ my name.” He waved his hand and sluggishly moved toward his bedroll. “See ya in the mornin’…”
As Gene watched Heath hobble out of sight, he suddenly feared for his safety. “Should one of us go with him?” he wondered. “He didn’t look too good.”
“He’s just tired,” Nick insisted, wondering who he was trying to convince more, himself or his brother. “It’s just part of bein’ on the drive. We all get that way at some point or another on the trail. It ain’t nothin’ a little sleep won’t cure.”
Gene frowned. “All right, I’ll buy it, Nick… but I hope Rogue gives him a break tomorrow…”
Nick poured the remains of his coffee into the fire. “Well if he don’t, it’ll be one more step closer to the glue pot for that fool horse when we get home!”
Nick stared into the fading embers of the campfire and chewed on Gene’s words, suddenly regretting the decision to let Heath use the cattle drive as an arena for teaching the stubborn horse how to work the range. They were more than half way from their destination and he could already see the strain beginning to wear on the blonde’s face. Although he had a steadfast confidence in Heath’s abilities and knew he would eventually train Rogue to be a good trail horse, Nick began to wonder if it would be worth it in the end. As the smoke of the dying fire began to drift off into the star lit sky, he secretly wished it was Charger his brother would be riding in the morning and not the ornery green broke horse with a mind of his own.
Slowly, Nick rose to his feet. “I’m gonna turn in, too, Gene,” he decided, attempting to stretch the kinks out of his back. “Another long day tomorrow – ya might wanna consider callin’ it a night soon.”
“I will, Nick,” Gene promised, draining the last of his coffee. “G’nite.”
“Nite, Kid…”
Quietly, Nick made his way to a group of trees in the corner of the camp where he’d set up his bedroll for the night. He wasn’t quite ready to give in to sleep, but Heath’s ragged appearance at dinner still gnawed at him and he knew he wouldn’t be free of his growing concern until he made sure his brother was all right. As he approached the blanketed form huddled against a saddle at the base of a tree, he could hear the soft snores of someone deep in sleep drifting into the darkness. A sliver of moonlight settled on his brother’s face and although the signs of a hard day were shadowed in the hollows beneath his eyes, Heath seemed relaxed and peaceful in his slumber.
Carefully, Nick reached down and pulled the edge of Heath’s blanket higher over his brother’s shoulders before placing a light hand on his forehead. Satisfied that the man’s skin was cool to the touch and that it was fatigue plaguing him and not some unwelcome illness, Nick squatted on his own blanket and leaned against his saddle. He continued to watch the steady rhythm of Heath’s breathing for a moment longer, silently praying his brother’s sleep would be uninterrupted until dawn. He sighed and considered how hard the man worked. In Heath he had found a partner he could count on when there was a job to be done – always dependable and reliable, often taking on far more than he should without hesitation or complaint.
“Dang fool, stubborn brother,” he muttered to himself. “Gonna work yourself into the ground one of these days.”
Nick pulled his blanket over his legs and folded his arms across his chest as he gave one last look toward the sleeping cowboy. He couldn’t imagine what his life would be like if Heath wasn’t always there to ride beside him… and he knew for a fact, he never wanted to know.
Ornery Horses n’ Stubborn Brothers
Chapter 5
Gene wearily lowered himself in front of a wheel on the supply wagon and settled in near the campfire. The smell of Nick’s beef stew drifted from a pot hanging over the center of the flames and he decided to give his aching muscles a moment’s rest before seeking out a plate and sampling his older brother’s cooking. With a quiet sigh, he closed his eyes and let the warm glow soothe the tired lines in his face as he considered the progress they’d made over the past few days on the cattle drive. Despite the fact that the challenge at the river had left him physically and mentally drained, he knew he had completed a hard day’s work and a feeling of utter satisfaction settled in his soul. A loud rumble echoing in his stomach forced him to reluctantly open his eyes so he could grab a plateful of stew and satisfy his growing hunger. When he reached forward toward the spoon dangling on the side of the cook pot, his back cringed in protest and he chuckled at how ill fitted for ranch work his classroom-oriented body had become. With a stiff groan, he placed a heaping portion of Nick’s meal on his plate and hunched back against the wagon.
“Hand me a plate, will ya, Kid?”
Nick’s normally booming voice was slightly subdued as he approached the campfire and dropped raggedly to the ground. Gene could tell by the sluggish way his older brother was moving that he, too, was feeling the effects of spending several hours in the saddle.
Nick groaned and rubbed the back of his neck. “It’s been a long day…”
With a smile, Gene tossed a plate toward him and waited as his brother spooned out his dinner and collapsed against a large boulder in front of the fire. While watching the rancher greedily eat his stew, Gene thought back on the insecurities that had weighed heavily on his mind the morning they had left on the cattle drive. For days he’d wanted to tell his brother how he felt… he had wanted to unburden himself of the guilt collected inside his heart over the fact that he was unable share Nick’s passion for the ranch nor had the desire to remain behind and help his brother run the Barkley holdings. Each time he had gathered the courage to speak to Nick, something had snapped inside him and he had buried his feelings deep within. Anxiously, he used his fork to poke at the bits of beef lying on his plate and decided his conversation with his older brother was long overdue.
“Seems like we’re making good time, Nick,” he declared, desperately trying to ease into the subject that seemed to weigh so heavy on his shoulders.
“Uh, huh…” Nick poured himself a cup of coffee and took a long swallow from his mug. “Should make Sacramento well on time.”
Gene moved his stew around his plate again. “I was worried for Heath a while there,” he mumbled as he began to wonder if he’d ever be able to say what was on his mind. “Didn’t think he was gonna get Rogue across.”
Nick swallowed a mouthful and grinned. “That horse is a lot more trouble than I thought,” he admitted. “But Heath had ‘im, Gene… don’t give it a thought. When it comes to bein’ stubborn, our brother can out match an ornery horse any day of the week!”
Gene laughed at Nick’s description of Heath and for a moment he waited for Nick to continue a conversation that never came. A long stretch of silence suddenly engulfed the brothers and Gene scraped his plate with his fork, carefully considering his words, unsure of what to say next, and wondering whether he should just let the matter stay buried altogether. Somehow he felt the need to apologize to his brother – to let him know how sorry he was for letting him down, for abandoning him and running off to school…
“Nick…?” his voice tumbled out of his mouth without warning, without intention.
Nick paused mid-bite and eyed his younger brother. “Ya got somethin’ on your mind, Kid, then go on, spill it…”
Gene gripped the sides of his plate and shifted uncomfortably on the ground. “What makes you think there’s something on my mind?”
“The way you’ve been pushing around that stew, Gene,” he grinned, wagging his fork at his younger brother with amusement. “Don’t think I’ve seen ya take a bite yet… ya just keep moving your dinner from one side of your plate to the other.”
Gene cleared his throat in embarrassment, suddenly feeling out of place and desperately wanting to move his thoughts away from where they were headed. Nick noticed the look of apprehension settling on his brother’s face and quietly lowered his plate to the ground. Swallowing a mouthful, he picked up his coffee mug and looked with concern at the young man who was clearly wrestling with something he needed to get off his chest.
“C’mon, Gene,” he said quietly. “I can tell somethin’s botherin’ ya. I ain’t gonna bite, ya know.”
Gene chuckled awkwardly and grabbed his coffee mug, gripping the handle for security.
“I’ve been trying to find the right words, Nick,” he stammered, his voice as thick as mud in his throat. “…to apologize…”
“For what?” Nick was confused. “What could ya have done to apologize for?”
“I’m just…” his voice faltered and his stomach lurched. “…I just wanted you to know… I’m sorry I couldn’t be the man you wanted me to be, Nick…” Gene hung his head – he’d said it, and a flood of relief washed over him.
Nick straightened upright and eyed his brother with utter bewilderment. “What the devil are ya talkin’ about, Eugene?”
Gene sighed and flicked a pebble toward the dancing flames of the campfire.
“I know how much you wanted me to work the ranch with you, especially after Father was killed.” He didn’t dare look at his brother, and continued to watch the glowing embers near his feet. “And I wanted to… I was willing to try, Nick, really… But the life you live on the range… it’s just not for me… and I’m sorry…”
“And ya think I’m upset with ya over that?” Nick’s heart filled with remorse as he wondered what he had said or done to make his brother believe he had to apologize for living his own life – for following his own dreams. “That because ya don’t want to spend your days in a saddle workin’ the ranch, I somehow think you’re not the man ya should be?”
Gene nodded shamefully and threw another pebble into the fire – another moment of distraction to keep him from saying anything further.
“You talked about it so much when I was younger, Nick,” he whispered. “’Bout how you couldn’t wait to show me the ropes and get me out on the range by your side. It seemed like it was pre-ordained for me to be a part of that for you… I never wanted to let you down.”
Nick clenched the handle of his mug tight in his hand and fought hard against the emotions gripping his chest. In his heart he knew part of what Gene was saying was right. He had hoped his brother would one day work the ranch with him… brother by brother, side by side, toiling and sweating to build upon the heritage that had been entrusted to them by their Father. To deny that he secretly hadn’t wished Gene would help him carry that torch would have meant denying the passion that drove him. Yet as much as he had wanted Gene to share his dreams, he knew it wasn’t meant to be. His youngest brother had his own destiny to fulfill – a destiny as important and worthy of a Barkley son’s devotion as any other – and he had no right to hold him from it. No matter how difficult it had been to do, he knew he had to accept that Gene was meant to travel down another road, and no Father, Mother OR brother had the right to keep him from following it.
“Gene…” Nick’s voice was calm and strong. “If I ever led ya to believe I was somehow disappointed in ya… I’m sorry…”
Nick balled his fist against his leg and choked on his words. “You ARE the man I expected ya to be, Gene… in every way… You’re a man of strong convictions and morals… a man who lives his life with a purpose and doesn’t back down on his beliefs ‘cause someone says he should fight another fight, or dream another dream…”
Nick looked at Gene with sincere devotion as he lay his heart on his sleeve for the entire world to see.
“I would be lyin’ if I said I wouldn’t be proud to have ya by my side runnin’ this ranch, Gene… but I would also be a fool if I held ya to it, unless it was what was meant for ya. We all gotta live our own lives – and if it means bein’ a lawyer, or rancher, or doctor, then ya live it! Just make sure ya do it with the passion and conviction of a Barkley, and that’s all I can expect of ya!”
Gene searched Nick’s face and saw his Father’s soul gazing back at him through eyes full of love and admiration.
“You hold your head up high, Boy, and be proud… ‘Cause you’re every bit the man Father would have wanted ya to be… and twice the man I could ever wish for in a brother.”
As a warm wetness began to form in the corner of his eye, Nick lowered his head and stared into the bottom of his coffee mug in an effort to hide the emotion he was always so careful to control.
“I respect ya, Gene…” he murmured. “…and I’m damn proud of ya…”
Gene drew in a deep sigh and smiled at his brother’s words, knowing they had been said with truth and sincerity. At that moment, there was nowhere in the world he would have rather been than sitting beside his older brother near a campfire under the stars. Nick’s heartfelt declaration would rest in his soul for as long as he lived and would be the courage that would sustain wherever he chose to call home.
“Thanks, Nick…” Gene said gratefully. “It means a lot coming from you.”
Nick rubbed his eyes with his fingers and poured himself another cup of coffee.
“I meant it,” he replied quickly, hoping he’d freed his brother of his worries and laid them to rest once and for all. “Now eat up! Ya got a busy day tomorrow!”
Gene gave Nick a light-hearted, mocking salute and picked up his plate, shoveling the stew into his mouth as fast as he could swallow. He had forgotten how hungry he’d been, and at that moment, after his brother had freed him of the guilt that had burdened him, the rancher’s cooking never tasted so good. Nick grinned and marveled at how quickly Gene’s plate was being emptied.
“Easy, Kid!” he warned, wide-eyed with amusement. “Food ain’t goin’ no where!”
“Better be some saved for me!” a weary voice declared.
Heath suddenly appeared out of the shadows and rubbed his shoulder as he slowly limped closer to the campfire. He pulled off his hat and slapped it against his shin, sending a cloud of dust into the air – the same trail dirt that covered him from head to toe. With a soft groan, he carefully lowered himself to the ground and bent his legs so his forearms could rest on his knees.
“Boy Howdy!” he moaned, hanging his head slightly. “That is one stubborn piece of horse flesh… Don’t think I’ve ever had to work so dang hard to keep an animal payin’ attention to a job.”
Nick dished out a plate of stew and handed it to his haggard brother.
“Looked like you were handlin’ ‘im all right, Heath,” he declared, noticing the drained look in his brother’s face.
Heath worked harder than anyone on the ranch, sometimes doing the work of two men, but Nick hadn’t seen him look so dog-tired in a long while. He felt a twinge of concern and watched the bedraggled blonde drag a forkful of food toward his mouth as if the weight of the utensil was too much for his hand to manage.
“I’m workin’ ‘im, Nick,” Heath sighed, forcing himself to satisfy the loud growling coming from his stomach with another bite of food. “An’ I’ll get ‘im… just might take a bit more time than I thought is all.”
Gene grinned and thought on the submissive behavior Heath’s horse had suddenly shown after crossing the river earlier that day.
“Rogue sure looked like he learned a lesson after that dunkin’ you both took.”
Heath frowned and took a swallow from his coffee mug.
“Reckon so, Gene… problem is, this one don’t seem to remember his lessons very well,” he gave his brother a playful wink. “Maybe I should send ‘im back to school with ya!”
Gene shook his head and laughed. “He might fit in just fine, Heath! Right in there with the other jack-asses and mules I have in some of my classes!”
Heath mustered a faint laugh and pushed his plate onto the stones near the fire before struggling painfully to his feet. Both Nick and Gene couldn’t help but notice their brother had left half his meal behind and could barely keep his eyes open.
“Ya’ll right there, Heath?” Nick asked, the concern in his voice evident.
Heath nodded and offered them a weak grin. “Just feel all played out, is all… got a spot on a blanket callin’ my name.” He waved his hand and sluggishly moved toward his bedroll. “See ya in the mornin’…”
As Gene watched Heath hobble out of sight, he suddenly feared for his safety. “Should one of us go with him?” he wondered. “He didn’t look too good.”
“He’s just tired,” Nick insisted, wondering who he was trying to convince more, himself or his brother. “It’s just part of bein’ on the drive. We all get that way at some point or another on the trail. It ain’t nothin’ a little sleep won’t cure.”
Gene frowned. “All right, I’ll buy it, Nick… but I hope Rogue gives him a break tomorrow…”
Nick poured the remains of his coffee into the fire. “Well if he don’t, it’ll be one more step closer to the glue pot for that fool horse when we get home!”
Nick stared into the fading embers of the campfire and chewed on Gene’s words, suddenly regretting the decision to let Heath use the cattle drive as an arena for teaching the stubborn horse how to work the range. They were more than half way from their destination and he could already see the strain beginning to wear on the blonde’s face. Although he had a steadfast confidence in Heath’s abilities and knew he would eventually train Rogue to be a good trail horse, Nick began to wonder if it would be worth it in the end. As the smoke of the dying fire began to drift off into the star lit sky, he secretly wished it was Charger his brother would be riding in the morning and not the ornery green broke horse with a mind of his own.
Slowly, Nick rose to his feet. “I’m gonna turn in, too, Gene,” he decided, attempting to stretch the kinks out of his back. “Another long day tomorrow – ya might wanna consider callin’ it a night soon.”
“I will, Nick,” Gene promised, draining the last of his coffee. “G’nite.”
“Nite, Kid…”
Quietly, Nick made his way to a group of trees in the corner of the camp where he’d set up his bedroll for the night. He wasn’t quite ready to give in to sleep, but Heath’s ragged appearance at dinner still gnawed at him and he knew he wouldn’t be free of his growing concern until he made sure his brother was all right. As he approached the blanketed form huddled against a saddle at the base of a tree, he could hear the soft snores of someone deep in sleep drifting into the darkness. A sliver of moonlight settled on his brother’s face and although the signs of a hard day were shadowed in the hollows beneath his eyes, Heath seemed relaxed and peaceful in his slumber.
Carefully, Nick reached down and pulled the edge of Heath’s blanket higher over his brother’s shoulders before placing a light hand on his forehead. Satisfied that the man’s skin was cool to the touch and that it was fatigue plaguing him and not some unwelcome illness, Nick squatted on his own blanket and leaned against his saddle. He continued to watch the steady rhythm of Heath’s breathing for a moment longer, silently praying his brother’s sleep would be uninterrupted until dawn. He sighed and considered how hard the man worked. In Heath he had found a partner he could count on when there was a job to be done – always dependable and reliable, often taking on far more than he should without hesitation or complaint.
“Dang fool, stubborn brother,” he muttered to himself. “Gonna work yourself into the ground one of these days.”
Nick pulled his blanket over his legs and folded his arms across his chest as he gave one last look toward the sleeping cowboy. He couldn’t imagine what his life would be like if Heath wasn’t always there to ride beside him… and he knew for a fact, he never wanted to know.
