Jarrod sat on the settee sipping his scotch while listening to Nick rant about Tom's birthday present.

Nick was pacing angrily in the library, "Jarrod how could you give that to Tom? He's not old enough or responsible enough for a slingshot."

Jarrod smirked as he sipped his scotch and replied, "As I recall you gave JT one for his birthday last year."

Heath and Eugene chuckled at the brother's exchange. The ladies were in the kitchen trading recipes and the men suspected gossiping. Carl was upstairs with Audra helping her get Torie settled for the night; as the couple decided to stay the night.

Nick glared at Jarrod and said, "And as I recall you nearly had a heart attack when he opened it."

Jarrod stood up to put his glass down and said, "You're correct and since then I've had to replace ten windows at both my homes and that doesn't include the three windows I've replaced here."

Heath said, "Sounds like turn about is fair play Nick."

Nick glared at Heath, "Hmph."

Jarrod picked up a pool stick and asked to no one in general, "Anyone for a quick game before I take my brood home?"

"No, I need to save my money as I'm sure I'll be replacing windows before long; no thanks to you," Nick pointed at Jarrod who merely smiled at him.

"I'll play ya' big brother," Eugene walked to the billiard's table and picked up a pool stick.

"I'll play the winner," Heath said.

The brothers played pool for the next hour laughing at Nick and his anger towards Jarrod for giving Tom a slingshot for his birthday.

Eugene laughed, "You sure you want kids Heath?"

Heath gave his brother his best lop-sided grin, "My wife is."

"If you're not sure, keep Jarrod's boys for the night, they'll change your mind quickly," Eugene laughed again.

"If that's so why is he having another baby?" Heath asked as he motioned towards Jarrod who merely grinned wickedly.

"He's a glutton for punishment," Nick answered.

Jarrod smirked as he answered, "Do I have to explain everything to you boys?" Jarrod's expression told his brothers all they needed to know.

The ladies appeared and Jarrod's wife asked, "What do you have to explain to your brother's?" Melanie asked as she stood next to her handsome husband.

Eugene laughed as Jarrod blushed, "He was going to give us a crash course on the facts of life."

Victoria answered, "Well if you boys haven't figured it out yet then there's no sense in explaining it to them now." The ladies laughed as the brothers blushed.

Melanie addressed her husband, "The boys are sound asleep so we can either wake them up and go home or..."

Jarrod interrupted laughing, "Or leave them here and pick them up in the morning."

Victoria raised her hand immediately, "Oh no that will not work. I love my grandsons but it's time for them to go home or you two will stay here tonight."

Jarrod and Melanie laughed as Nick said, "We're staying so we don't have to wake up Tom or Maddie."

Jarrod wasn't too sure about staying at the Ranch tonight given what had happened in the last twenty four hours but he knew if they woke up the boys it would take them all night to go back to sleep. He looked at Melanie and knew she wasn't up to the task so he asked, "Are you sure you can handle my brood one more night mother?"

"As long as you stay with them, yes."

The entire family laughed. It wasn't that Jarrod's son's were bad they were just well busy all the time.

Melanie asked, "Are you saying the boys are bad mother?" She couldn't help the giggle that escaped.

Victoria smiled as she responded, "No they're not bad." Victoria paused and said, "Now these two were bad," Victoria motioned to Nick and Jarrod.

"What? We weren't bad mother," Nick protested.

Jarrod crinkled his forehead at his mother, "We were busy," Jarrod smirked.

Silas brought in some tea for the ladies. Victoria asked Silas, "Silas do you remember Jarrod and Nick's behavior when they were little?"

Silas started laughing as he shook his head, "Oh lordy Ms. Barkley them two boys was into everything. And iffin' it was quiet that meant these was up to no good." All the ladies laughed while Jarrod and Nick frowned.

"Silas I thought I was your friend," Jarrod asked.

Silas grinned at Jarrod and said, "You is Mr. Jarrod but you and your brother were a hand full. Always into something."

Melanie asked, "Tell us about it Silas, please."

Silas looked at Victoria who smiled and nodded her head yes. The Barkley's had always treated Silas as a member of the family with both Jarrod and Nick's children calling him Uncle Si.

Maggie asked, "Oh please Silas, the children are asleep so it's not like they will hear what their father's did as children."

Victoria patted the settee next to her and said, "Where should we being Silas?"

Silas sat down and shook his head. "There are so many stories to tell I don't know where to a start."

Carl and Audra entered the room with Carl asking, "What stories?"

Maggie laughed as she answered, "Silas is going to fill us in on some of Jarrod and Nick's adventures when they were children."

Audra smiled as she sat and said, "Oh I can't wait."

Jarrod protested, "Now wait just a minute, Nick and I were not the only ones getting into something as I recall those three were not the innocent children they want you to believe," Jarrod motioned to Heath, Eugene and Audra.

Eugene responded, "If we did something it was because you or Nick told us." Heath and Audra nodded their heads in agreement.

Jarrod frowned and said, "I will admit that every once in awhile we did in fact get those three into some sort of trouble but it was only after they drove us completely nuts following us around all day long whining and complaining."

Nick added, "And you three were aggravating us all the time." Jarrod nodded his head in agreement as Melanie and Maggie laughed at their husbands.

Victoria spoke, "One story per child. How does that sound?"

Jarrod didn't like that as he was sure either him or Nick would be the villains. "I am not sure I like that."

Melanie laughed and said, "Why? I thought you were such a nice boy."

Jarrod rolled his eyes at his wife and said, "I was but my siblings made it next to impossible to be good all the time."

Maggie asked, "If you were tormenting your siblings all the time how in the world did they come up with the name Pappy?"

Nick answered, "I'm the one who came up with that name cause he was always getting me out of trouble or lecturing me."

Maggie asked another question, "So he lectured you for something you both did?"

Jarrod shifted nervously next to his wife and said, "I eventually stopped with the mischief but Nick continued."

Silas laughed as he said, "Mischief Mr. Jarrod? Is that what you're calling it now? Some of the things you came up with just..."Silas shook his head at some of the antics the boys had thought up.

Melanie put her arm around Jarrod's arm and said, "Well fill us in please."

Silas looked to Victoria once again and they exchanged a look. Where in the world to start? Nick 'falling' off the roof and breaking his arm while he was trying to fly like an eagle, coloring Heath and Gene's hair, Jarrod breaking his arm while showing off for a little girl,or when the siblings decided to surprise their parents by cleaning the house while Silas had been sick and they had been out of town.