Chapter 5 – Promises

Part 1

One more depending on a prayer
And we all look away
People pretending everywhere
It's just another day

Audra sat on the fence timing Heath as he roped a calf. She stopped the watch and told her brother, "Well, 26 seconds. You're almost as good."

Heath waved at a ranch hand to grab the calf while he turned to his sister, "What do you mean almost?"

Audra smirked at him, "Nick would have had you by 3 seconds."

Heath slowly approached her, "You think so?"

Audra replied trying to sound serious, "Yes I do."

"You sure?"

"Yeah."

She started laughing as Heath continued his approach and playfully grabbed her. The brother and sister were interrupted by a wagon pulling up. Heath pulled away from Audra and climbed over the fence to sit beside his sister on the fence. The wagon held a man and a boy.

"Morning." The man said.

""Howdy," Heath replied.

"Well, I can tell I'm on Barkley range, you both have Tom Barkley's mark." The man said.

Audra glanced at Heath, hoping he was okay with the comparison to their father. She knew he was still coming to grips with everything. Heath just met her glace with a smile and she answered with a big grin. Audra's grin faded as the man asked where her father was.

"My Father's dead," She told him.

The news obviously hit the man hard, "Tom's dead?"

"Six years," Audra said.

"Who are you?" Heath asked. He jumped down from the fence and approached the wagon. Audra jumped down too and walked beside her brother. Heath asked again who the man was.

The man only said, "Your ma, she ain't dead too?"

Audra told him, "She's at the house."

The man was still in shock over hearing about their father so the boy spoke up. "I'm Chad. He's Jubal Tanner, my gramps. And we've come a long way." He proceeded to tell them that his grandfather was injured.

"We'll take you up to the house," Audra told them and she led the way to house with Heath following along.

There's bullets flying through the air
And they still carry on
We watch it happen over there
And then just turn it off

Audra poured some water in a basin to tend to Jubal's arm. Jubal reluctantly let her clean it, "all this fuss over a scratch." He stated.

"Jubal!" Everyone heard Victoria Barkley call out before she was even down the stairs. Everyone turned and looked at the door. "Jubal!" Victoria called again as she burst through the door. She stopped and stared when she laid eyes on him.

"Victoria!" Jubal said with a big smile. He crossed the room and Victoria met him half way embracing him. They talked for a few minutes forgetting anyone else was in the room.

Chad stepped forward with a big grin. Victoria turned and nodded at him her arms still resting on Jubal's. "This is Ann and Richard's boy, Chad." Jubal told her, "They died when Chad was a baby."

Victoria smiled, "Chad. I think Chad could do with some hot food. Am I right?"

Chad looked to his grandfather who told him that he was with the closest thing to family they had. "If you're hungry say it."

Chad grinned and said, "I'm hungry!"

Heath clapped Chad on the shoulder, "Well, you'll get a bath first, come on." He led Chad out of the room. Audra followed behind telling her mother that Jubal's arm needed to be bandaged. She left as Victoria began to fuss over Jubal's arm.

Hey, yeah, yeah, hey, yeah
We must stand together
Hey, yeah, yeah, hey, yeah
There's no giving in

Hey, yeah, yeah, hey, yeah
A hand in hand forever
Hey, yeah, yeah, hey, yeah
That's when we all win

Hey, yeah, yeah, hey, yeah
That's, that's, that's when we all win
That's, that's, that's when we all win

Heather had been sent to town by Nettie to pick up something when she saw a big crowd over by the Hotel. She walked a bit closer curious when she saw Nick at the center. He was talking about the dam that people had been wanting to build in the valley for the last several years.

"Oak Meadows!" Nick told the crowd. "That's what Jarrod said we would make available for the dam!" He continued to talk about the site and how suitable it was. He also said they would make the metals available.

Heather smothered a grin, her brother sure did know how to spin a tale to keep people interested. The crowd was eating out of his hand all excited and cheering. Nick told them they should hear the good word any day not and then started to make his way through the crowd. Heather moved to leave before Nick saw her but she wasn't fast enough.

Nick maneuvered his way through the crowd and grabbed her arm, leading her away from the crowd in such a way no one thought anything about it. Heather suppressed a sign as she allowed Nick to guide her. Ever since Jarrod had made Nick help take the things out to the Sample's place Nick had changed how he treated her. Now Nick just confused her, he was still stand offish but he seemed almost protective at the same time.

"What are you doing in town?' Nick demanded.

"Nettie sent me in town to pick some things up." Heather told him confused as Nick pulled her along.

"The General Store?"

"The Mercantile."

"Did you walk in?" Nick demanded as he led her towards the Mercantile.

"Yes." She said.

Nick rolled his eyes, "Take the horse next time."

"I'm fine walking," Heather told him.

"Take the horse," Nick growled at her.

"Okay, Nick." Heather said softly. "I'll take the horse next time."

"Good," Nick grunted as they arrived at the Mercantile. "You already drop it off?"

"I did."

"You have Heather's order ready?" Nick bellowed as he barged through the doors with Heather in tow.

To the clerk's credit he didn't even blink as he answered in the affirmative. Everyone was used to Nick being a bit loud, seeing him with Heather was a bit odd, but no one was going to question him at the moment. It wasn't his business anyway.

Nick grabbed the few items Heather had come in to get and turned to leave. Heather dropped some money on the counter before following Nick out the door calling a thank you behind her.

"Did you see her?" Nick asked harshly as he loaded the items on his horse.

Heather started, she didn't have to ask who he was referring to. For some reason Nick had decided to meddle in her affairs and stop her from seeing Maybelle. She wasn't sure if this was a good thing or a bad thing. She shook her head no and Nick nodded in satisfaction before he walked off leading his horse and Heather out of town.

They tell us everything's alright
And we just go along
How can we fall asleep at night
When something's clearly wrong?

Nick left Heather at the Sample's place riding off without a so much of a goodbye. Now long after Audra came riding up wanting to go for a ride. Heather agreed and they were off. Audra told her about her day. Heather listened wistfully as Audra talked about Heath and watching him rope calves. Then Audra ever in search of an exciting story despite her brush with a broken heart the month before started to tell her about Jubal Tanner and his nephew Chad.

Heather listened to her talk about them show up, Jubal's friendship with Victoria and Tom Barkley. Then Audra told her about how Jubal had bought Oak Meadows from the Barkley's. "Mother said it was always his land. Father promised it to him years ago, but Mr. Tanner was adamant that he pay cash for it."

Heather felt her heart drop. She interrupted her sister, "Did you say Oak Meadows?"

Audra nodded, "Yes, why?"

Heather swallowed a lump in her throat, "I was in town earlier and heard Nick talk about the dam everyone wants to build. Jarrod is working on a deal for it to be built in Oak Meadows."

"O-o-h," Audra said quietly.

"Yeah."

"Nick won't be happy." Audra said.

Heather replied solemnly, "He won't be the only one."