The next morning, Tom woke up quite refreshed. He remained in bed pondering on what he would say to Victoria when she would arrive, in his mind he had tried several speeches, but so far he didn't find yet the right words.

He went to Heath's room and found it empty, the bed was neatly done but this time he knew where he could find his blond son; as he entered in the kitchen he found Heath sitting on the table while Silas was preparing breakfast.

"Mr Barkley, Mr. Silas told me that today he will prepare some ice-cream and he told me that I can help him!"

"Ice-cream...sounds good, Heath what I told you yesterday about how you should call me?"

"You mean I can call you papa also in front of other people?"

"I'm your papa, forever and ever, and yes you have to call me papa, I'm not ashamed of you remember.Let's go to have some breakfast, I'm starving."

Heath followed his father silently into the dining room, 'so I will call him papa...I hope his children will like me when I will call him so,' he thought.

After breakfast, Tom led Heath to the nursery where he showed him his children's toys.

"Heath, I'm sorry I can't spend the day with you, but this is a working ranch and this morning I need to check the fences."

"Can I go with you?" he asked hopefully.

"I'm sorry but you can't, you are too young, but I will be back for lunch, you can play with these toys or you can read some books and when Silas starts to prepare the ice-cream I sure you will want to help him."

Heath was a little sad when his papa left the room, but soon his curiosity prevailed and he started to explore the room; it was filled with toys; there were several dolls that he barely looked at, an old rocking horse, some wooden rifles but what peaked up his interest, was a wooden fort complete with several lead soldiers, Indians and even horses. At first he simply looked at them but then he reasoned, since he had his father's permission he started to play with them, there were a big change from his two lonely wooden soldiers.

Time flew and he was so engrossed in his playing, that he didn't noticed that Silas was watching him from the threshold, it melted the black servant's heart, observing the little boy playing and making up stories as a normal eight-year old.

"So who's winning?" He asked.

Heath was startled by the question, but he recomposed himself immediately.

"I's sorry, I put everything in order, I touched only the soldiers..."

"Heath, don't worry, you can continue play," soothed Silas opting to drop the mister for the occasion, "these are your toys as well your brothers and you have all the rights to play with them, I came up only to ask you to come downstairs for a little snack." Heath followed Silas in the kitchen only after he put every single toy in the exact position he had found them in.

"Mr. Heath, do you really want to help me doing some ice-cream rather than playing?" asked Silas after Heath had eaten his snack.

"Sure, we are going to eat ice-cream for lunch?"

"No it takes some time, it will be ready for supper, I will serve it with a blackberry pie."

The two set to work and by noon the ice-cream was placed in the icebox.

"Since you were so helpful, if you want, you can help me baking some chocolate chip cookies, this afternoon, what do you think?"

"I will be happy to help you."

Heath helped Silas setting the table and when Tom arrived they ate dinner together.

"Did you like the toys?"

"Yes papa, I've never seen so many toys together, I played with the soldiers but I put everything in order after that."

"That's good.. Soon Howard will come to check your arm so I will stay, maybe we can do something together."

"Dunno, I's sure you have more important things than spending time with me."

"Heath, I want to spend time with you, maybe we can go outside and play with hoop, we can see who manage to roll it longer." He said hoping to make Heath laugh or at lest smile with the image of a grown up playing with a hoop.

"Hoop?" Asked Heath puzzled.

Tom's shoulders slumped down, another piece of his terrible childhood had come to light and he was sure it was only the tip of the iceberg, it pained his heart that Heath didn't know such a common childhood game.

"It's a pretty easy game, I will show you how to play, I'm a little rusty, but when I was your age I was pretty good playing with it."

He took Heath's hand and went upstairs to the nursery to take Gene's hoop.

"So you played with the soldiers, who won?"

"The soldiers of course, the Injun attacked the fort but the soldiers were pretty brave and smart, and won the battle."

While Heath recounted the battle Tom took a breath of relief, Heath sill had the gift of make believe that every child should have.

"Here's Gene's hoop and stick," said Tom after Heath finished telling his tale, "shall we go?"

"But papa I don't know how to play..."

"It doesn't matter, as I told you before I will show you...see the stick? Your brother Gene painted red, white and blue because I gave it on the fourth of July and he painted the same way the hoop, I reckon it's the most patriotic hoop in the country, follow what I'm doing and I think you will be a champion in no time."

After checking if no one was around he started to guide the hoop with the stick, at first he was a little bit rusty, but after a couple of tries he was able to jog a little bit with the hoop. At first Heath observed his father with attention trying to understand how to play, then after awhile he watched him longing to play as it seemed a very interesting game.

Both of them were son engrossed that neither of them noticed a lone rider approaching the house.

"Too bad there's no way I can't take any proof of the mighty Tom Barkley playing with a hoop, I could be rich blackmailing you!."

"Very funny Howard." Said Tom laughing with the stick still in hand after the hoop had fallen on the ground.

Heath stared at the exchange open-mouthed, the doctor had teased his papa but he wasn't angry, he even laughed, it was pretty strange.

"Hello Heath, how are you doing?"

"Fine doctor, Mr...I mean papa was showing me how to play hoop." He said correcting himself after a look from his father.

"And I bet he forgot you were meant to play?"

At Howard's words, Tom blushed and handed Heath the stick. "Sorry Heath...I forgot."

"Don't worry papa, you can play, if you want."

At these innocent words Howard burst out laughing, Heath looked puzzled at Howard, and shrugged, 'sometimes grown ups are strange,' he thought. With his prized possession in hand he started to guide the hoop, at first it was a little difficult to maintain the hoop standing but after a while he was able to run a little bit and his eyes were sparkling with joy.

"Howard, it's one of the most wonderful sight, seeing Heath acting like a normal kid, but sadly I think it will take a lot of time to unlearn all the bullshit his uncle had drilled in his head."

"You are in the right direction, it's amazing how he's changed in only two days. I'm sorry to interrupt him but I need to check his arm."

Tom called for Heath and he promptly ran to his father.

"Sorry to interrupt you but Howard need to check you up."

"It will take only a little bit, after you can resume playing."

The check up was pretty quick and Howard was happy that the arm was healing nicely and Heath was eating more. He left the Barkley ranch with the image of little blond boy chasing a hoop.

"Mother, why didn't you wire father that we would arrive today?"

"I didn't find it necessary, since he told me to come home as soon as possible."

"Do you think there's some kind of problem?"

"I don't think so Jarrod."

"At least we left, it was pretty boring staying with uncle."

"Nicholas! You spent the time sulking and moping around that there was nothing to do!"

"But Mother, I didn't want to come, Aunt Beth speaks funny and cousin Brett is a brat who likes only to read, he speaks funny and they didn't have even have a proper saddle!"

"I thought I taught you better, your cousin is a well-mannered boy, and I don't see anything wrong in reading. Your Aunt Beth doesn't speak funny, she speaks English better than you."

"But she has a funny accent, sometimes it's difficult to understand her."

"Only because she came from England and had lived there since last year with your uncle."

Nick was going to reply, when he spotted Howard on the road.

"Uncle Howard!" He yelled.

'Oops, Tom doesn't know that Victoria would arrive so early.' He thought

"Howard, is Tom all right?" asked a preoccupied Victoria.

"Yes, Victoria, I went only to have a little chat."

"Are you all right? You seem a little pale?"

"Yes...sorry to be brusque, but I really need to go."

Victoria was a little puzzled by Howard's behavior, something was amiss and she had a gut feeling that the cause was to be found at the ranch.

Tom looked at his son playing outside from the study window and after awhile he started to wade trough the pile of paperwork that was piling on his desk.

The surrey arrived at the front porch and the five occupants noticed a small boy playing with a hoop.

"Nick, that boy is playing with my hoop," whined Gene, "he will ruin it!"

"Don't worry I will take care of him." Said Nick while he jumped out the moving carriage.

"Nick, how many times I told you not to jump from a moving carriage." Said Victoria.

"Squirt, that hoop isn't yours, give it to me!" He said while he pushed Heath to the ground.

"But papa said I could play with..." he tried to say in his defense.

"Your 'papa' is a liar, that hoop is my brother's, come with me, I think my father will have a say about a liar and a thief."

"But I ain't a thief." Protested Heath.

"That toy ain't yours, so in my book you are a thief."

Nick grabbed Heath by his left arm and dragged him inside the house.

Victoria stopped the surrey when he saw Nick pushing the blond boy on the ground. 'Nick must learn to think before acting, I'm sure there's a reason that boy was playing with Gene's hoop.'

"Jarrod, please unhitch the surrey and take the twins inside, I better stop Nick before he does something stupid." She said after she stepped down, then she ran in the direction of the house.

"Father! I found a thief!" Yelled Nick as soon as he entered.

Tom was in the study when he heard Nick yelling. 'They arrived early,' he somberly thought. He stepped in the hall and faced Nick who held Heath's arm in a tight grip.

"Father this brat was playing with Gene's hoop."

"I's sorry...papa but you told me I can play with it!" Said Heath with eyes brimming with tears.

"Why did you call him papa, he ain't your father, he's mine!"

"Papa, I's sorry."

"Don't worry Heath, everything is gonna be alright."

"Father I'm not that stupid, why is he calling you papa?"

"Yes, Tom why he's calling you papa?" Asked Victoria, from the threshold, with an icy voice.