Chapter 19

Heath collapsed on the tiny grave exhausted. His whole body was wracked with pain as he allowed his sobs to echo into the night. Heath didn't know how long he lay on the cold ground of the grave crying. He didn't know if he could even get up no less walk away from his pain. Heath felt hands picking his body up. He stared up at the familiar face. He collapsed into the man, who cared him from the grave.

Heath whimpered out weakly. "I'm sorry I lived, Uncle Matt. I'm sorry I lived."

Heath didn't figure he'd have to worry about living much longer considering he was being carried towards the hotel by his Uncle Matt.

Chapter 20: Redemption

Heath felt his body being placed on a soft mattress in his Uncle Matt's hotel. He kept his eyes shut waiting for the beating he knew would soon come. Heath only allowed his eyes to open when he heard his uncle's footsteps lead him from the room and to the hall. He heard murmuring but couldn't quite make out the voices coming from the outside the closed door. Heath glanced around the room. He was surprised how clean and fresh everything looked. Hannah had always kept the place rather clean but Heath usually had the run down room with dirty sheets and faded curtains. Heath glanced at the side of his bed to notice a vase full of fresh flowers. His brow furrowed in puzzlement at his surroundings. Something wasn't right. Martha Simmons never allowed Hannah take extra time to spruce up a room. Besides that, he knew Hannah didn't work for his uncle for a few years now.

The door opened causing Heath to hold his breath. He snapped his eyes back shut trying to shut out the inevitable. As he squinted opened his eyes, he was shocked to see Rachel Caulfield standing by the bed. His uncle stood behind her with his hands resting on the back of an old wooden chair. Heath shut his eyes again hoping this was a nightmare to wake up from.

"Is he hurt anywhere?" Rachel asked as she took a rag over Heath's dirty face.

"Not that I could see." Matt rubbed his hand over the back of his neck. "Got some scarring on his back. Suppose from the war. Looks like it has been cut recently too."

"Hannah's doing." Rachel stated. "To let him grow. She told me stories about that such thing in her slave days."

"I can turn him if ya want me to." Matt breathed out. "Don't look infected or anything but the boy is plum tuckered out. His horse was all lathered too."

"My horse." Heath sat up not caring what happened to him at the moment. He wanted his horse taken care.

"She's alright, boy." Matt swallowed. "I put her in the livery and paid to have her took real good care of."

"Are ya gonna kill me, Uncle Matt?" Heath asked innocently. "I reckon I should die seeing how your boy deserved to live and all."

Rachel felt her eyes burn with tears but she moved from the side of the bed to let Matt Simmons explain. Matt took her place beside Heath.

"No. I'm done hurtin' you, boy. I was wrong the time I beat ya and almost killed you. I was angry because I knew the truth." Matt took Heath's hand in his as he watched the boy flinch at his touch. "I wanted it to be a lie. I didn't want to think what Martha was doing to you. It seemed almost impossible to think of the woman I married as being the woman she became."

Heath glanced down at his hand in his uncle Matt's. "Is she gonna ...I don't wanna stay here. I never wanted her to.." Heath's throat tightened. "To touch me."

"She's dead, Heath." Matt assured. "She hung herself when I went to get you from that army hospital. She couldn't take the guilt. I told her you weren't going to be harmed no more by us. That I had a chance to make things right now and I was going to. She admitted to everything. It made my skin crawl at what she put you through. I thought I was never going to quit throwing up thinking about it. I told her to leave and never come back. Never thought the Barkleys would come to claim you like they did. Was sure happy for you though."

"He found her dead when he returned. She was in the room where she…." Rachel patted Heath's arm. "It is over, Heath. You're safe here."

"Found this clutched in her hand." Matt pulled a small wooden carving from his pocket. "I think it is supposed to be a boy in a wheelchair."

Heath took the wooden figure in the palm of his hand. He wrapped his fist tightly around the object."I wasn't very old when I tried to carve it with Jessup's knife. I was making it for Reggie. It was supposed to be a general for his toy soldiers."

"I reckon that's what Martha figured too. She faced her evil. She had a sick mind, Heath. The worst part is I loved her so much that I couldn't see her cruelty. I'm sorry. I owed you more." Matt felt Rachel's hand go to his shoulder.

"Jessup is dead, Heath. He died while you and Hannah were away. Matt and I...well…" Rachel smiled at Matt. "I guess I'm your real aunt now. I married Matt about a month ago."

"Rachel got me off the bottle and into church." Matt squeezed Rachel's hand. "I owe her my life for taking a chance on me. I owe God much more for his salvation and redemption."

Heath sat up slowly leaning on the headboard of the bed. "Then I'm not gonna die?"

"Not by my hands." Matt reached up and ruffled Heath's hair. "Forgive me boy. Please give me another chance."

Heath felt his eyes wet with tears. The boy rambled a few sentences. "I guess at least you want me. The only blood relation that does. Well, except Audra. Guess Nick and Jarrod don't know. Eugene...never even met him."

"What do you mean, Heath?" Rachel poured a glass of water for the fifteen year old boy. She could see he was trying to hold his emotions together. "Here. Drink this."

Heath swallowed the cool liquid aiding his dry throat and helping him to tell his story. Heath sobbed as he told Rachel and Matt about what he heard in the Barkley's barn. Rachel held him as Matt rubbed his back. Matt knew he wasn't worthy of this young teen's love. However, he hoped God would grace him with a chance to make things right by his nephew.

"You rest, Heath." Rachel help ease Heath back against the pillows. "Does Hannah know where you are?"

Heath started to sit up when he realized he left without telling his Mama Hannah. "No. I was so upset!"

"Relax, son. I'll send a telegram letting her know you're safe and in Strawberry." Matt patted Heath's thigh before he turned to go.

"Uncle Matt, make it to Nick Barkley. Don't trust Mr. Barkley and Jarrod's wife would hide it from Jarrod." Heath bit his lip nervously. "Make it from Aunt Rachel. I don't want Mama worrying about me being with you. She don't know you won't hurt me none."

Matt nodded his head as he left Rachel to care for his nephew. As he made his way down the hall, he stopped to stare at the boarded up room where Heath had been abused. It was also the room that Martha had taken her own life due to that abuse.

Matt Simmons bowed his head as he whispered. "Thanks for giving me another chance with the boy, God. I'll do my best to not let him down this time. Just let him see that life ain't always full of pain. Let that boy feel some good come his way. I beg you."

**************B**********

Tom Barkley stood by his daughter's bedroom door. He slowly ran his hand down the oak wood as he readied himself to go to her. His hand balled into a fist as he tried to gain his composure. After taking a calming breath, he knocked lightly on the door.

"Audra, Princess, can I come in?"

"Yes. Papa." Audra sniffed as she spoke.

Tom opened the door slowly. He shut the door softly before making his way over to sit on the side of Audra's bed. He ran his large fingers through her golden tendrils of hair.

"Princess, did Heath touch you?" Tom's voice came stiff and worried.

Audra pulled her knees up to chin. She wrapped her thin arms around her gangly limbs. "Oh, Papa. Don't you see? Heath is so good. He is my best friend. He'd never hurt me." Her tear filled blue eyes stared up at her father. "I know what you mean, Papa. Heath told me he'd kill any boy that touched me in that way."

Tom frowned as he stared at his little girl. "He didn't explain what touching meant, did he?"

Audra nodded her head no. "I'm not sure what it means out right or why he'd say it. But I know Heath would never let harm come to me. I'm his little sister, Papa. I was before we knew we shared a daddy. Because Heath wanted family so bad, Papa."

"Audra...Sweetie, it is complicated." Tom pulled his daughter to his lap. "My whole family could get hurt if things you heard are told."

Audra leaned her head against her father's chest. She wept as her arms embraced Tom's neck.

Her voice came out in a shattered whisper. "What about Heath getting hurt, Papa? He's family too. How can you be such a good Papa to all of us but not even care about Heath hurting? Why aren't you a good Papa to him too?"

Tom felt his heart break. He closed his eyes as tears streamed down his cheeks. His little girl had lost faith in him as a father. He lost faith in himself as a man. Somehow there had to be a way for redemption in this. He didn't want to hurt his family. However, how could he choose to hurt the son as much his as the others?