Ages: Jarrod 15, Nick 10, Heath and Eugene 5, Audra 3….Reginald 8

Chapter Two: Cousin's Protector

Hannah sang hymns as she finished up the laundry for the day. Martha Simmons had insisted that Heath stay at the hotel now that he was making his own way to use the outhouse. He had turned five without celebration a little over a month before. He had stayed nights with Hannah from age 2 ½ until two months before his fourth birthday. After that, Martha wanted Heath around to give her a break from Reginald as well as help strip the beds of soiled linens. She had also put Heath to work at the saloon in errand running. Heath's bedroom now was a cot in the back of the storage pantry. He didn't complain. He had a bed and kept the fire by himself. He was glad his uncle Matt put more than enough wood by the old cook stove. At five, the young lad was a resourceful boy. Highly intelligent and highly spirited was Heath's makeup. In Martha's envious eyes, he was too high strung and far too inquisitive for her liking.

Hannah had fed Heath the best she could. But Jessup had refused to give the boy too much of his own food. Jessup felt it was fine for Hannah to give the boy left overs. But he had bought, caught, or grew the food himself. Heath wasn't his responsibility. Matt Simmons had plenty money to feed the boy. Due to this and Heath's active body, Heath's once chubby frame became leaner. Yet, he was still healthy looking.

Martha didn't mind the little runt around as long as he didn't speak much or make too much noise. He was good company for Reginald. Heath was patient for his age. He allowed his cousin the time to handle the little wooden soldiers with slow motions.

"Heath, hand me the General." Reginald asked in a weak voice. "I want to be the General."

Heath knew what soldier was what. Reginald had taught him all their names and ranks. Heath quietly handed the wooden toy to his cousin.

"Boy howdy, Reggie." Heath grinned. Martha frowned at hearing Heath call her son the nickname. Reginald was a proud name of a gentlemen. Reggie seemed classless to her. However, Reginald seemed to enjoy Heath's name for him. Heath continued to speak. "I bet you will be a General when you grow up."

Reginald looked up at his cousin. "Not with these legs."

Martha's face flared red at the statement. Why didn't the bastard keep his mouth shut? She started towards Heath but stopped when she heard his next words.

Heath rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "Boy howdy. The way I figure it. Don't rightly take legs to be a General. You're the smartest person I know. I think it takes more of those type smarts than legs that can run."

"You think?" Reginald smiled broadly. "What will you be, Heath? I don't want to go anywhere without my cousin."

"I'll be your assistant. I can run messages to the soldiers and all stuff like that. You'll be the smarts and I'll be the legs." Heath crossed his arms over his chest satisfied with their future plans.

Matt Simmons had walked in to witness the children's play. Leah's boy was very intelligent for a five year old. Reginald was three years Heath's senior. However, the boys enjoyed one another's company in an ease much like brothers. Matt only wished Martha could see how important Heath was to Reginald. His wife had refused to face reality. The doctor had warned her that Reginald wouldn't make it to adulthood. It could be months or a few years. Their boy was destined to die as a child. Heath added brightness to the ailing child.

Matt glanced briefly at Martha. For a few seconds, he saw a smile grace her face. It was the smile of the woman he had fell in love with.

Matt walked up and wrapped his arms around his wife's waist. "Why don't you take a nap, Martha? I'll take the boys out for a little air. Hannah can sit with them."

"Are you sure?" Martha wrapped her arms around Matt's neck. "I could use a little nap."

"Go on, Beautiful." Matt winked at his wife. "Maybe I'll even sneak in to join you."

Martha slapped Matt's shoulder teasingly. "Maybe I'll let you."

With that, Martha took Matt up on the nap. Hannah watched as Heath insisted on pushing his cousin in his wheelchair to the front of the hotel. The porch was big enough for the boys to enjoy play without getting into the busy streets of Strawberry.

Matt watched from the doorway as the boys played. Heath claimed Reginald was in a chariot of fire. This caused the ill boy to dive into his own imagination. Hannah busied herself sweeping the porch. Neither adult expected what happened next.

Three boys around Reginald's age made their way over from the general store.

"Why ain't you in school?" A chunky boy with fiery red hair asked. He was three times the size of Heath or Reginald.

The other two boys, both with sandy blonde hair and snaggled teeth, followed the leader as they placed their hands on their hips. "Yeah. Why?"

"I'm five." Heath placed his own hands on his hips daring the boys to approach Reginald. "Don't take boys as young as me. I'll be startin' next year."

"We wasn't talking to you, Squirt." The leader stated with a mischievous smile. "We was talking to shriveled limbs."

Matt stepped up to the door to run the three children away. Hannah glanced at him worriedly. Both were shocked what came next.

Heath's little body sprung forward with fists flying. He had knocked the older boy down due to his surprise attack.

Reginald was egging his cousin on. "Hit him, Heath! Hit him again!"

One of the other boys grabbed Heath up landing a shot to the little boys jawel. Heath shook off the punch and jumped right back in on the fight. Matt and Hannah stood flabbergasted by the five year old's tenacity in the fight for his cousin. The five year old had became his cousin's protector.

"GET THE BASTARD!" The other boy yelled as he started to pull Heath off of the larger boy, who was curled up in a fetal position trying to keep at bay the small boy's fists.

Matt finally came to his senses and ran out the door. "That's enough, boys. Get out of here!"

The boys ran quickly from the scene towards their home. Matt picked up the battered Heath in his arms. He placed the boy under his arms with Heath's arms still flailing as he screamed.

"Let me at 'em! Let me at 'em!" The towheaded boy yelled with clenched fists.

Hannah pushed Reginald into the kitchen following Matt and Heath. Matt plopped Heath on the counter.

"Calm down, Heath." Matt chuckled at the boy's anger. "You got 'em good. Bet at least two of them will be sporting black eyes tomorrow."

Martha had heard the commotion from her room. She ran downstairs to the kitchen. She glanced at Reginald, who wore a huge grin on his face. She glanced at Heath's face which displayed a bruise on his cheek and a bloody lip. Hannah was tending to Heath's wounds as Matt stood back laughing at the boy. Martha could see pride in her husband's face for Heath. Her son would never see pride as such. All she saw from Matt was pity for their own son.

"What went on here?" Martha pushed Hannah out of the way so she was standing in front of Heath. "Well?"

Heath glanced at Reginald. He noticed his face suddenly went sullen. Heath squared back his shoulders. "I got into a fight."

"Why!" Martha angrily fumed. "Answer me. NOW!"

"They called me a bastard." Heath lied to protect his cousin and his aunt from the truth. "I don't know what it means. But is sure don't sound nice."

Martha's face grew into a tight scowl. "Take Reginald out of here." She ordered Hannah.

Hannah pushed the boy to the lobby of the hotel before heading back to check on Heath. She heard Martha's yell as she came towards the kitchen door.

"You are a bastard! They told the truth."

"Martha.." Matt tried to stop her but before he could, it got worse.

"I didn't mean to upset you, Mama." Heath stated with a pleading voice.

Martha's eyes grew wide. She backhanded the boy splitting his lip wider. "I'm not your mama. Don't you ever call me that!"

Martha stormed out. She stopped to warn Matt. "Don't you dare pet that child for his actions. So help you, Matt Simmons. You keep that sinful devil away from my boy!"

Hannah made her way to Heath. Matt swallowed as he looked at the little boy. "Thanks for protecting Reginald." He looked to Hannah. "You take that boy home with you tonight."

He rustled Heath's hair before leaving Hannah to take care of the boy. Hannah glanced at Heath as she wet a rag with cold water and dabbed his bloody lip.

"Miss Hannah. What does bastard mean?" Heath asked as his lip quivered with due to unshed tears. Even though he was defending Reginald, he still heard the words of one of the boys.

"It means you have no papa." Hannah answered honestly. "No man claims you as their child."

"What does it make me when I don't have no mama or papa?" Heath's blue eyes met Hannah's brown eyes. "Phillip McCorkle says I ain't worthy to be called an orphan either because my ma and pa just don't want the likes of me while some orphans' folks died."

Hannah wrapped Heath in her arms as tight as she could. Loving this child may come to hurt her some day. But she already thought of Heath as her own. Now, she wanted him to feel that love.

Hannah squeezed Heath tighter to her. "That means you is my boy now, Heath. That's what it means."

Heath smiled up at Hannah before nuzzling his head into her shoulder. "Does that make you my mama?"

"Sure does. You are my boy." Hannah picked Heath up balancing him on her hip. " Folks won't like it. But I am your mama now."

At the Barkley home, Eugene blew out the candles on his cake. Everyone clapped for him as he smiled back at them. Audra, who was now three years of age, yelled for him to open his many presents. Her language skills were hard to decipher with her own unique toddler babbling. However, the family knew what the small blonde haired sister wanted.

Jarrod and Nick rustled Eugene's hair. Nick bent down to speak to his little brother. "Happy Birthday. I bet you in all those presents, you'll find a toy horse."

Eugene smiled but looked to Jarrod. "Do you think I might find some building blocks too? Or maybe a picture book?"

Nick grunted as he shook his head. He walked up to his father. "He likes stupid stuff just like Jarrod."

"Now, Nick." Tom patted his middle boy on his shoulder. "Eugene has his own mind. Let him have some fun on his birthday. Don't give your little brother a hard time."

"Yes, sir." Nick sighed. "But I'd sure like the boy to want to come to the corral once in awhile."

"We'll keep the horses busy." Tom nodded to the table. "Now get over there and get you some cake before Eugene starts opening his gifts. By the looks of that gift table, he'll be a while."