Chapter Ten

Previously:

"Mr. Alder died of a heart attack shortly after our father was killed by the railroad." Jarrod answered, feeling as if he was still in shock. "Mrs. Alders moved to Modesto to live with her daughter and son-in-law." He then leaned forward, his eyes turning slightly hard as he then said, "Keep talking."

~oOo~

Jarrod, Heath and Steve all stood, or sat, in the Billiard room. Victoria and Audra, who had been upstairs in the attic, now sat on the sofa together; Lily was sitting on a chair near the window. Steve, who had been repeating his story for a second time, finished and looked at Victoria. He was, as were Jarrod and Heath, confused. He had expected the same shocked expression to appear on Victoria's face as had appeared on Heath's and Jarrod's; it had on Audra's face. However, Victoria had more of a look of sadness and resignation upon hers. He, and everyone else in the room, was shocked when Victoria said, "I really owe you an apology."

"An apology?" Steve looked at Heath and Jarrod to see if they knew what she was talking about; all they could do was shrug their shoulders as the looks of confusion remained.

Victoria nodded slowly and let out a sigh. "I've known for quite some time who you were, would have known from the beginning if it hadn't for all that hair. You…" she sighed, stood up and walked to the French doors before turning around. "You resemble your father very much. That is, if you cut your hair and shave all that facial hair. But I didn't say anything." She looked apologetically at Steve. "I was angry, angry that it was Tommy Alders that had ridden back into Stockton and onto this ranch instead of Nick Barkley, my son." Her voice broke as she fought to keep any tears from escaping. "I still should have approached you and talked with you. After all, I could pretty well guess you didn't know who you really were. I mean, if you did, you would have asked about your family." She paused as her words sunk into her family's hearts. She then quietly, but firmly, "Why wasn't Nick with you? What happened to him? And where did you find that book; where had Mr. Brighton hidden it?" She had to have those answers; she just had to.

Jarrod and Heath looked at Steve as if to say, "You better answer her and then start talking again; we hope you're right."

Steve, who was reeling from the revelation Mrs. Barkley had just handed him, took a deep breath and said, "As I told your sons," he nodded towards Jarrod and Heath, "I found the book in a chest, up in the corner of our barn loft, or the closest thing we had to a barn. The chest was covered up by so much junk, just which I still can't believe Adam had. When it comes to your missing son, I honestly don't know what happened to separate Nick and me. I have only begun to remember I even had someone else with me for awhile. However," he took off his hat and began twirling it around in his hands, a habit he had when he was feeling extremely unsure of things, "I think he's living in Nevada. That is, if I'm right about who I think he is."

Victoria was now the one who was confused. "What makes you say that?"

Steve again looked at Jarrod and Heath, who simply nodded at him as if to say 'even if you're wrong, tell her what you told us.' "When I was twenty-one I left the Sierra mountains for a spell. I wound up outside Carson City, working on a small ranch that was owned by a family by the last name of Davies. The owner, one Samuel Davies, and his wife had five children of their own, two sons and three daughters. However, there was a man there-near my age-who they called son, but freely admitted they'd never legally adopted. He goes by the name of John Summers." He wasn't surprised when Victoria's eyes widened, as did Audra's. In that moment, Steve began praying harder than he ever had that he was not mistaken in what he was going to say next. He did not want to see what it would do to this family if he was wrong.

Victoria knew that the difference between a child's appearance and an adult's was very drastic. Still, there were some features a person was born with that could stay with them throughout their life. This being the case, she just had to ask some questions. "What color of hair does this Mr. Summer have? His eyes, is there anything about his face that stands out? Also, what makes you think he might be my missing son?" Victoria, who had to swallow hard before speaking, asked.

"His hair is brown; the same as mine. However, where my eyes are brown, his are hazel." he paused thinking about John's facial features. "I would say the thing that sticks out the most is his dimples, they really show when he smiles."

Victoria had to steady herself. Nick had had hazel eyes, brown hair and dimples. Once again bracing herself, Victoria asked, "And what makes you think he's my son? I mean, besides the fact that this Davies family says he isn't their biological son."

Steve shrugged his shoulders and answered, "From the moment we met at the ranch John and I hit it off; I mean, we formed a fast and firm friendship quicker than I thought possible. Both of us felt strongly we had met somewhere before, but we couldn't remember where. Later, he told me some Indians had taken him in when he was a child, found him wandering around in the same mountains I was raised in. They're the ones who gave him the last name of Summers. John said when he was about nine Mr. Davies made friends with the Indian chief. At that time Mr. Davies had three sons, but the eldest died saving the chief's life shortly after the friendship was formed. Later, when John was almost eleven, his Indian parents died of sickness. The chief traveled with John to the Davies home and asked them if they would take the boy in." He paused as he saw the roller coaster of emotions that existed in Victoria's eyes. "Since he estimates his age to be around mine, I would have said something to him back then only how could I? I was still under the impression that Adam was my biological father, and that I had never had cause to roam the mountains with anyone but him." He finished speaking. No one spoke for a solid four or five minutes.

"What's this John Summers like now?" If this 'John' was Nick, Victoria wanted to know what kind of man he had become.

Steve shrugged his shoulders. "Well, seven years ago he had a loud voice, said he'd tried to be quieter while he was growing up but finally gave up after telling himself that one was a lost cause. He does is best to be patient only he admits it's a struggle which he loses most of the time. John told me a few of the Indian boys he lived near pushed him around quite a it. He said, 'I got tired of it and started fighting back. Personally, I think that's why the chief took me to the Davies after my Indian parents passed on; he got tired up breaking up the fights those boys and I would get into. The Davies have tried to get me to work on my temper and, to a very small degree, they've succeeded. I used to hit and then ask questions ten times out of ten; I'm down to eight times now'." Steve couldn't help but chuckle. "At least he's honest about it."

Again silence prevailed in the room; that is, until Jarrod spoke up. "Would you be willing to travel with me to Nevada? I want to meet this John Summers of whom you speak of, but I think it would be best if you went with me." Jarrod looked at his mother as he spoke; she simply nodded as she could not seem to find her voice.

"May we go to Modesto first? I would like to at least meet the woman who should have been able to raise me; she has the right to know I'm alive."

Jarrod couldn't agree more. "That will be no problem." He then looked at Heath. "Do you want to come with us?"

Heath wanted to but there was a cattle drive coming up and they were already shorthanded. He shook his head, "I wish I could; however, I think it's best if I stay here." He answered as he explained his reasoning.

Jarrod chastised himself for forgetting the round up. If the trip to Nevada was for anything else, he would have postponed it. As it was, he excused himself saying he had to pack.

"May I ask if Lilly can stay in this house with you while we're gone?" He looked at Victoria. "I know she's very capable of taking care of herself." He said when Lily gave him a soft glare. "I just don't want her alone."

For the first time since Steve had started his story, the Barkley matriarch smiled. "Of course, she can. I'll go get the guest room ready." She stood up and left the room, asking Audra to go with her. Heath also excused himself, leaving Steve alone with Lily.