Thanks for the kind reviews. Nice to know that there are folks out there that love horse operas as much as I do.
Disclaimer: All things Barkley belong to the PTBs and I am not making one red cent on any of it.
Summary: Nick can handle any trouble square on. But what happens when the avenging brother of a dead bank robber goes after his own brand of revenge: An Eye for an Eye.
Eye For An Eye by Chianna
Chapter 4"THAT BOY SHOULD HAVE BEEN BACK BY DINNER TODAY! DOES HE THINK THAT THIS RANCH RUNS ITSELF? NO, BY GOD! IT'S RUN WITH THE BLOOD AND SWEAT OF THE PEOPLE THAT TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE AROUND HERE!"
Nick punctuated the last statement by slamming the tumbler of whiskey on the edge of the pool table. Jarrod peered at his own glass of amber intoxication. Poor Silas. Even with his diligent care, the pool table was covered with dents and other imperfections that resulted from his younger brother's over abundance of enthusiastic expressiveness. He smiled slyly into his glass as he took a sip and felt it burn a pleasant warm down his throat. Two years ago Nick peppered his communication with his younger brother with the word "boy" as a way to keep the younger man in his place.
Now it had a meaning so unlike its original intent. When Nick referred to Heath as a "boy" now, it held a world of meaning that summed up his love and responsibility to their often enigmatic and somewhat disaster-prone younger sibling. It was to Jarrod's perpetual amusement and gratitude that somehow, the brother that was most resistant to accepting the newest member of the family had become Heath's stalwart companion and staunchest defender.
"Come on, brother Nick. You know that it's a two-day ride to Sonora. Heath's been gone for four days. If there were no complications in picking up Mother's gift he should be back here within the next day."
Jarrod could swear that Nick grumbled something about "why…always so damned reasonable…Jarrod…takes… all fun..." But he couldn't be sure.
The lawyer hid the smirk on his face by leaning over the table to line up his next shot. Once completed, Jarrod added, "you know how worried Heath was that his gift would be just right. It wouldn't hurt if you cut him a little slack. He was as agitated than a penny bag of Mexican jumping beans sitting in the sun. This gift to mother means a lot to him."
"You don't have to tell me that, pappy. Hell, I was almost kinda worried that it seems to mean so much too him. He's got nothing to prove to any of us. Mother loves him like she loves us." Nick crossed his arms in smug satisfaction. "It's obvious to anyone with half a brain."
Nick looked a little less smug as Jarrod called his pocket and knocked the only ball between him and victory into that very pocket with an understated flourish.
"It's not that simple and you know it, Nick. No one appreciates what he or she has half so much as if they lost it or had to do without. You know that our little brother has experienced both in his short life. We can only hope that in time Heath comes to feel that he deserves all the love this family has to give."
"Harrumph! If Heath could only see how mother reacts when he occasionally graces us with a genuine, enthusiastic smile or laugh, he'd never doubt how much she loves him. Heck Audra's just as bad, if you ask me."
Having enough of playing pool, Jarrod moved back over to the bar and poured himself a couple of fingers of whiskey. "I'm not sure of this Nick, but I don't think he doubts that we care about him. It may be more to the point that he may be afraid that he might loose that love. Or worse, that he might do something to not deserve it."
Never concerned about the upkeep of the furniture, Nick dropped himself into one of the leather arm chairs with one leg hooked over the armrest.
"Well that's just great. How do we explain to him that everything we've shared with him comes with no strings. You'd think the boy believed that we were Indian givers or something."
"Would you be referring to your patented brand of explanation that involves increasing your volume until either your opponent agrees or goes deaf?" Jarrod saw Nick rise as if to get up as storm clouds raged across his brother's face and decided that he should add something just a touch more conciliatory. "It's not what we say, Nick. It's what we do. Eventually he'll come to accept it, and lucky for us, he's one person that will never take what we offer him for granted."
Jarrod could tell that this was not a satisfactory resolution for his brother, simply from the look on his face. Nick tackled his problems, wrestled them to the ground and walked away. Messy people problems were never his forté. Which may be why he was so attached to Heath. He'd never had the problem walk away from him unresolved. The conundrum that was Heath could do just that at the most aggravating of times for his brother Nick.
"Well all I know is that if that boy is not here by tomorrow afternoon, I'm going after him if I have to drag him by the boots all the way back home."
Jarrod wondered if Heath appreciated Nick's style of affection. Something told him that Heath did indeed.
TBC…