21 chapters, who'd have thought? When I started this story I envisaged it to only be a few chapters long, just a little short story but it would appear Heath, Esmeralda, Tommy, Leah and the Barkley's had other ideas. I can honestly say this story went in directions I hadn't planned. What I did plan however was this epilogue so I hope it will not disappoint all those who were wanting to hear conversations between Heath and his siblings. To be honest there are already many such stories and we can only rewrite those conversations so many times and I know I am responsible for a number of those conversations myself. So to that end I have reworked those conversations a little differently this time. Although I must admit it has been one of the hardest epilogues I have ever written and yes I did lose interest in writing it for a while. Thank you for all the comments and encouragement that this story garnered. They are all greatly appreciated.

Repost of the end of chapter 20

Heath stood on the verandah steps, his arm around Esmeralda; their two children standing beside Audra and Gene who gripped one small hand in each of theirs as they watched the solemn procession of Barkley hands, led by Jarrod and Frank carry the two coffins to the waiting hearse. Out in the yard the remaining hands and Duke held the reins of the men's horses. Heath shook his head in wonder. The entire ranch crew had requested permission to attend the funeral and pay their respects the Gyorgy and Rosetta. In some small way they had all played a part in the events of the preceding days and none of them had wanted the young family to grieve alone.

With the coffins safely placed in the hearse the hands returned to their horses and Jarrod and Frank made their way to the family standing on the verandah. Eugene climbed into the driving seat of the carriage as Frank helped Esmeralda into the carriage and then lifted Tommy and Leah up to sit beside her. He turned back to Heath and squeezed the blond's uninjured shoulder before helping him into the carriage with his family. He had expected an argument that morning when the boy was informed that he would not be riding his horse but would instead be riding in the carriage with his family to the funeral and then they would be returning to the Barkley ranch for another week. But none was forthcoming, which only confirmed in Frank's mind the toll the last week had taken on his friend. He raised an eyebrow in silent query to Heath who only nodded in reply to let him know that he and the family we were fine. Closing the carriage door, Frank moved to gather the reins of his horse.

With the children safely in the carriage, Jarrod escorted Victoria and Audra to the waiting buggy. After settling the two women comfortably he gathered the lines from Ciego and climbed up onto the seat.

Nick strode through the front door of the house and stopped at the verandah steps surveying the groups waiting in the yard for the hearse to begin its slow trip to the Thomson's new property. He caught his mother's eye and gave her a small half smile and nod in reply. Striding down the steps he moved to the front of the carriage and eyed Gene who was looking at him questionably. "Take my horse Gene; I'll be driving my brother and his family to the funeral."

Chapter 21 – Epilogue

Jarrod relaxed back in the wicker rocker placed on the porch in the shade of the old oak tree that graced one side of the Thomson-Barkley ranch house and stretched out his legs, taking a sip of scotch from his glass. A small table had been set up with a bottles of scotch and whisky and several glasses. He patted his shirt pocket, ensuring the four Havana cigars he had brought for their celebratory toast on the safe arrival of their new niece or nephew were still there. Jarrod allowed his amused blue eyes to follow the agitated pacing of his younger brother in front of the closed front door. In the four months since Heath Thomson-Barkley had arrived in his office in Stockton he could not ever remember the blond being so impatient to need to pace animatedly. That was usually the domain of their brother Nick and he wondered idly if that would be his own response to pending fatherhood. Heath made another lap of the small porch, stepping over Jarrod's legs and bumping into Nick who was leaning on the porch railing watching Gene entertain Tommy on the swing he had made for the children and sipping a make believe cup of tea given to him by Leah.

"Watch it boy," Nick grumbled good naturedly as Heath continued his pacing. "You know if you wear out those floorboards you'll be the one replacing them this time, I've already done my share of the work around here."

Heath stopped his pacing with a heavy sigh and joined Nick leaning on the porch railing. "I can't remember being this nervous when the twins were born."

"Essie will be just fine little brother," Nick consoled by throwing an arm over Heath's shoulder, "besides she has Mother and Audra with her; the two finest nurses in the valley. I've lost count of the number of babies Mother has helped deliver over the years. Jarrod you got any idea?"

"I've never thought to keep track Nick but I would estimate it to be around twenty, maybe more."

"There you see Heath, nothing to worry about."

A shriek of laughter from across the yard interrupted the brother's conversation. "Higher Uncle Gene," Tommy shouted as Gene pushed the swing.

"My turn, my turn Uncle Gene," Leah called in a voice nearly as loud as her brother's as she pulled on Gene's pant leg.

"I'm not finished Leah," Tommy shouted, "Go and play with your silly dolls in the wagon."

"Will not," Leah pouted in response. "I want a swing with Uncle Gene. You always get to play with him."

"That's cause we're men, isn't that right Uncle Gene? And us men have to stick together. Uncle Nick said so."

Jarrod sniggered from his chair at Tommy's declaration, as Heath sighed and made a move to step off the porch to go speak with his twins but Nick snagged his arm. "Let's see how well Uncle Gene handles them. Besides it will be good practice for him, you know, dealing with kids when he becomes a doctor." Nick said with a grin.

Heath settled back against the railing and glared at Nick, "Just what have you been telling my son Nick?"

"Me, you can't blame me for everything that Tommy says."

"Can't I?"

Nick ran his hand through his hair, "I mean I might have said in one of our conversations on the way home from school that sometimes when the girls are, you know, been annoying, wanting to play with dolls and things that, um, well you know we should, um, stick together and tell them no, we got, um, boy, well men things to do."

"You did huh?"

"I didn't think he'd remember it," Nick replied sheepishly.

"Well for your sake Nick, let's hope he forgets it real soon because if he says that to Essie I know which of you is going to be in more trouble."

BV

Gene slowed the swing and brought it to a stop then moved around to stand in front of Tommy with a disapproving look on his face. Tommy swallowed and looked down at his feet dangling below the seat of the swing. When Gene didn't saying anything, Tommy lifted his head and peered through the blond bangs hanging over his face at his uncle. "I guess I'm in trouble Uncle Gene?"

Gene raised an eyebrow at his nephew's question, "Was that a nice way to speak to your sister, Tommy?"

Tommy sighed, "I guess not Uncle Gene, but girls can be so annoying at times and anyway Leah doesn't like to swing high and I don't get to see you very often and Uncle Nick and Uncle Jarrod and Papa never have time to swing me like you do."

Gene squatted down in front of Tommy. "Well your Papa and Uncle Nick have a big ranch to run and they work hard from sunup to sundown, and sometimes they are just too tired to play but I happen to know both your Papa and Uncle make time to take you fishing every Sunday and I also know that your Papa and Uncle Nick make time to play house with Leah in the cubby wagon after they come back from fishing. And Uncle Jarrod is a very important lawyer but doesn't he always make time for you and Leah when you visit him in town and doesn't he always take you both out for lunch on those visits?"

Tommy twisted around on the seat of the swing and looked across to where Leah was now sitting on the steps of the brightly coloured covered wagon that had belonged to their Grandparents, a sad expression on her face. His parents, with the help of his uncles and aunt and new Grandma had converted it into a play house for him and his sister and had presented it to them for their sixth birthdays two months ago. Inside the wagon there were cupboards and chests for each of them to put the trinkets they found and their toys as well as a cot for Leah's dolls and a small table and chairs for them to sit and eat at. Tommy giggled as he thought of his Papa and Uncle Nick squeezing into the tiny chairs to have make-believe afternoon tea with him and Leah. Tommy sighed, Uncle Gene was right, Uncle Jarrod always took just him and Leah out for lunch when they were in town, unless Grandma was with them, then she came too, but Papa and Mama always managed to find things to do when they were in town, so it was just them and Uncle Jarrod. "I'm sorry Uncle Gene."

"It's not me you have to apologise to Tommy, it's your sister. Do you know why I spend so much time playing with you and Leah on my visits?"

"Because everybody else is too busy?"

"No Tommy, well not really. You see when I come home from school I don't really have a job here to do. I help out on the ranch sometimes but I don't get to see and spend as much time with you and Leah as your other uncles and Aunt Audra do and I like spending time with you both, doing the things that you both like to do; like swinging you high and playing Cowboys and Indians or swinging Leah low and having pretend afternoon teas. But to do all those things you both have to share me equally."

"So Uncle Nick was wrong, us men shouldn't stick together?" Tommy asked earnestly.

Gene shook his head wondering what Nick had been thinking when he uttered those words. "Not completely Tommy, sometimes, especially in times of danger, when we need to protect you and Leah or Grandma and Aunt Audra or even your friends, whether they are girls or boys, we men do have to stick together, even to protect ourselves but at other times when there is no threat it's alright to be an individual."

What's an indivual?"

"Individual. It means to be your own person, be different from everyone else." Gene held out his hand to Tommy, "come on let's go and see what Leah has cooked for us."

BV

Nick harrumphed as they watched a subdued Tommy and Gene walk over to Leah and then head up the steps of the cubby. "I wonder what he said to him?"

"After some fatherly advice are you Nick?" Jarrod asked with a laugh.

"Funny councillor."

Heath sighed as a cry of pain from his wife came from their bedroom.

Jarrod poured a glass of whisky and nudged Nick's leg with the toe of his boot. Nick turned to complain but seeing the glass in Jarrod's hand and the nod towards Heath he closed his mouth and accepted the glass instead. He turned back and nudged Heath in the ribs, handing the blond the glass when he turned to look at him.

Heath took the glass without a word and downed the contents in one swallow then lent against the porch post beside him, twirling the empty glass in his hands. He looked at these two men who were his brothers and shook his head, still not believing that everything he now had was in part because of them. They had had his back all those months ago when Essie and Leah had been kidnapped, even before they knew who he was. They had accepted him after Mother told them the truth of his birth.

Mother…Heath stared across the yard to the new barn that Nick and the hands had raised that first week he was laid up. He had never thought that he would ever call another woman Mother, not after his Mama but Victoria Barkley was one very persuasive lady. He couldn't help the small smile that lifted one corner of his mouth.

It was not long after they had moved from the Barkley ranch to their new home and Victoria had come for a visit with her grandchildren that she confronted him as he rested in the rocker that Jarrod now occupied. She had stood in front of him, hands firmly planted on her hips, flashing grey eyes boring into his as she demanded they talk. Despite her diminutive size, he remembered how small he had felt as he gazed up at her wondering what he had done wrong to earn her err. He remembered gamely trying to rise from the rocker not wishing to have to stare up at the Barkley matriarch, only to be pushed back down with a not so delicate hand to his un-injured shoulder.

Heath swallowed hard, before staring at the formidable woman before him from under half mast lids. "What do you want to talk about Misses Barkley?"

"That is exactly what I want to speak to you about, young man." Victoria replied sternly.

"I don't…"

"Of course you don't Heath." Victoria sighed at the nonplussed look on the blonds face. She pulled over the small table beside the rocker and sat on its edge, hands resting amongst the folds of her skirt. "I know that the last few weeks have been difficult for you, for all of you, with the deaths of Rosetta and Gyorgy; Esmeralda and Leah's kidnapping; meeting and getting to know your siblings; moving onto your own ranch and having to watch your siblings doing all the work that I am sure, you, yourself are more than capable of doing alone."

Heath nodded, "I've never been one to just sit around and watch others when there's work to be done but I can't tell you how grateful I am for the help from my brothers getting this place up and running while I'm laid up and I know Essie really appreciates the help sis and you are giving her with the house and the twins, Misses Barkley. Tommy and Leah love having their grandmother and aunt over for visits."

Victoria pursed her lips and sighed. "You still don't see the problem do you Heath Thomson-Barkley?"

Heath gulped at the use of his full name. "No Misses Barkley, but I'm sure you are going to enlighten me real soon," he replied with a small lopsided smile, hoping to appease her displeasure at his flippant words.

Victoria raised an eyebrow and shook her head before a small smile graced her fine features. "Heath, you refer to Jarrod, Nick and Eugene as your brothers and Audra as your sister. You allow and insist that Tommy and Leah call them uncle and aunt. You have allowed me the honour of claiming them as my grandchildren and them in turn to call me Grandmother."

Heath shrugged, "That's because they and you are Tommy and Leah's uncles, aunt and grandmother, but if that's not appropriate I'll tell them to call you Misses, Miss and Mister Barkley but I can see the last one getting a bit confusing."

"Oh, for the love of…" Victoria threw her hands up in the air in despair. "That is not what I am asking Heath. You have accepted my children, your father's children as your siblings, your family and yet you still call me Misses Barkley."

"But…"

"Don't but me, young man, even your children have noticed how you refer to me and they are confused. They just now asked me why you call me Misses Barkley and they call me Grandmother."

Heath opened and closed his mouth but no words came out. He cleared his throat and looked pensively at the woman sitting in front of him. "What do you want me to call you then, if not Misses Barkley?"

Victoria blew out a soft breath, "well you could call me what all your siblings call me…"

Heath's head shot up and he stared wide-eyed at Victoria, "You're not…I'm not your son…Tom Barkley might have been my father, but…"

"Exactly Heath," Victoria agreed. "Tom Barkley was your father, he was the father of your siblings, he was your children's grandfather and he was my husband. That makes us all connected, it makes us all family." Victoria reached out and cupped Heath's free hand in her small ones. "Heath I am not trying to replace your Mama. Nobody ever will but Leah sent you here for a reason. To find your family, to become a part of that family and all it entails. You are a fine man, a fine father and brother to your siblings. Just as they are all proud to call you their brother, I am also proud to call you my son." Victoria held up a hand to stop Heath's objection. "As I told you back at the ranch, what was your father's is now mine and that includes you, Essie, Tommy and Leah. I would be proud if you would call me Mother," Victoria paused and then smirked. "And if you choose not to, then you can explain it to Tommy and Leah and your siblings."

Heath chewed his bottom lip, studiously studying the small delicate hands that were somehow now entwined with his work calloused one. Heath lifted his head and looked intently at Victoria, searching her clear grey eyes for any sign that the words he was hearing were not her true feelings. Reading nothing but hope, love and acceptance of him in their grey depths, he nodded minutely. "If that's what you really want, then I guess I can call you Mother, Mother." Heath grinned, "Besides it will be a lot easier than trying to explain anything to Tommy and Leah…all those questions."

"Earth to Heath," Nick gave his brother a gentle shove. "Where's that head of yours boy?"

Heath took a deep breath, staring across the yard to where his children and Eugene were just emerging from the wagon. "Just thinking about when Mother decided it was time for me to stop calling her Misses Barkley and call her Mother instead."

"You made her very happy when you agreed Heath," Jarrod replied.

Nick snorted, "She told us about THAT conversation and how exasperated with you she was when she came home that evening."

"Yeah, well I guess I hadn't really thought things through enough when I decided to buy this place and meet you all."

"Are you sorry you did Heath?" Jarrod asked from the rocker.

Heath shook his head, placing his empty glass on the porch railing. "Not one single day Jarrod. I reckon the day I had that fight with Nick was the day I found what I didn't even know I was missing." Heath turned to look at his two brothers keeping him company on the porch. "You know, I don't think I ever truly thanked both of you for what you did those first days, saving Tommy and me; searching for Essie and Leah…helping with the arrangements for the funeral for Rosetta and Gyorgy…" Heath darted a glance to the small knoll that overlooked the creek and the white picket fence that surround the old oak tree with its gnarled branches that offered shade to the two headstones sitting at its base. Sighing at the still raw emotions that Rosetta and Gyorgy would never know their latest grandchild, Heath turned back to his brothers and waved a hand to encompass all that was around them… "The new barns and yards, fences and general repairs you've both helped with over the last four months. I couldn't have done it without you and I will always be eternally grateful to you both."

"No thanks are necessary Heath," Jarrod replied. "We are a family, all of us and that's what a family does, whether they are new or old family members. We help and support one another in times of need or …"

A loud wail coming from the house interrupted the brother's conversation as three sets of eyes looked expectantly at the closed door. Heath pushed himself away from the porch post and stood nervously in front of the door, his hand tightly gripping the door handle. Another loud wail broke the spell and Heath turned to look at his grinning brothers.

"…to celebrate a happy event." Jarrod finished raising his half empty glass of scotch in salute.

"Well what are you waiting for boy? Go see that little lady of yours and your new born."

Heath needed no further encouragement has he pulled open the front door and rushed into the house.

"Was that the baby, Uncle Nick" Tommy asked as he jumped up on to the porch and tried to follow Heath into the house only to be thwarted by Nick's strong arms around his waist.

"Now hold up a minute Mister, let your Mama and Papa have a few minutes alone first, then we'll all go in and meet your new brother or sister."

Jarrod reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out four cigars. Handing Nick and Eugene one each he laid the other two on the table beside him in anticipation of the coming celebration.

Leah tugged lightly on Eugene's hand. "Do you think it's a girl, Uncle Gene?"

"Course it's not Leah," Tommy interjected, "Girls don't make that much noise. It's gotta be a boy, right Uncle Gene? I've got a baby brother."

"Girls can too," Leah stamped her foot. She hoped it wasn't another boy. She was looking forward to playing house and having tea parties with her baby sister.

The front door opened and Audra stepped onto the porch, blue eyes alight and a happy smile on her face. "You can come in now, but be quiet."

Tommy and Leah lead their Aunt and Uncle's into the house and up the stairs to their parent's room, pausing in the doorway when their Grandmother held up a hand to slow their rush to the bed. Taking a small hand in each of hers, Victoria lead the twins over to the bed where Heath was leaning back against the bedhead with Essie resting against his chest and the baby swaddled in a cream blanket in her arms.

Esmeralda smiled at the twins as they carefully climbed up onto the bed before looking up at Heath's three brothers and Audra who had come to stand at the foot of the bed. Victoria returned to her seat in the rocker that Heath had had re-upholstered in one of Rosetta's brightly patterned gypsy blankets as a gift for Esmeralda's birthday the previous month.

Heath bent down and kissed the top of Essie's head and whispered just loud enough for everybody to hear. "You might as well finish what you started Misses Thomson-Barkley."

Esmeralda lightly smacked Heath's arm resting across her belly. "Oh no Mister Thomson-Barkley, you don't get out of it that easily." Looking up at the family watching them with knowing grins Essie lifted the sleeping baby in her arms. Before speaking Essie turned to look at Victoria. "Heath and I would like you all to meet Victoria Rose Thomson-Barkley."

Leah squealed in delight, "It's a girl. Now I can have real tea parties."

"Oh Mother, they have named the baby after you. How wonderful," Audra smiled.

Victoria wiped a tear from her cheek and smiled lovingly at the young couple and their new daughter snuggled in the bed. "I am honoured to have my new granddaughter named after me and I thank you both very much but I feel the honour of the name should go to your mother Rosetta, Esmeralda. Why don't you reverse the names to Rose Victoria?"

Essie looked up to Heath for guidance, "Heath what do you think?"

Heath looked to his siblings standing at the foot of the bed, trying to gauge their reaction to their mother's announcement.

"Don't look at us Brother Heath," Jarrod answered the unasked question, "the decision is entirely up to you and Esmeralda, but let me remind you that Mother has spoken and we all usually acquiesce to her words of wisdom."

Heath turned from the knowing grins of his siblings to look lovingly at his wife and new daughter. "It's fine with me Essie love if that's what you want."

Esmeralda returned her gaze to Victoria. "If you're sure Victoria, Rose Victoria it is."

"Well, now that that's settled," Nick stated, "When do I get to hold my new niece?"

"When you've washed up Nicholas and not a moment sooner." Victoria replied.

"Tommy love, what are you looking for?" Esmeralda had been watching her son as he tried not to squirm on the bed while looking around the room.

"For my brother." Tommy replied hopefully.

"Oh sweetheart, you have a baby sister this time." Esmeralda replied.

"But why? There's one each of me and Leah so why isn't there one each of them?" Tommy asked, pointing at the baby.

Esmeralda looked helplessly at Heath as the rest of the family tried not to laugh at Tommy's question.

Nick slapped Eugene hard on the back, almost toppling his brother over the foot of the bed. "Well Doctor Barkley, I can't wait to hear your answer to this one."

The End