Tom Barkley slowly turned around and faced his wife.
"Tom, you know how I hate repeating myself, why this boy is calling you papa?"
One quick look at his right and he saw Heath sitting on the floor with his knees drawn up near his chest on the verge of crying.
"Because he's my son." After stating the truth he could hear the cries of, "what!" coming from his wife and Nick.
"I think it's better that you and I have a little talk in the study," said icily Victoria.
Tom shut the door behind him and waited for Victoria's outburst.
"How dare you! Why? You disappoint me! Tell me only why and please don't say I'm sorry."
"Victoria I'm...I really don't know where to start."
"Where she is? Did you have the audacity to her in our home?"
"No, she's dead." He said somberly.
"Why did you betray me? Do you still love me?"
"You are the most important thing in my life, I would be lost without you."
"Was she the only one or you have a mistresses around the valley?"
Tom cringed, he had never seen Victoria so enraged. "Victoria, I swear she was the only..."
"Why should I believe you since you lied to me by breaking our marriage wows, why did it happen, she was some kind of saloon girl that lured you?"
"No." He said sternly. "She wasn't a saloon girl. Do you remember when I went to Strawberry? I was robbed and a blow to my head made me lose my memory, I didn't know who I was and she saved my life...I fell in love with her and...it happened, when my memory came back I told her I was married and then I wrote her a letter and mailed it with my clock."
"Tom this is the weakest excuse..." She shouted.
"But it's true, I swear." He said on the verge of crying.
"Tom, I remember clearly that you went to Strawberry about nine years ago and that boy outside doesn't look older than seven."
"He's eight," he said softly, "and he's my son."
"Yes, I know he's your son, he's the spitting image of Nicky, but one thing remains; you betrayed me. Let's say that you had amnesia but why when you returned you didn't tell me anything about her?"
"Maybe because I feared that I could lose you, I was such a coward."
For several minutes, Victoria stared outside the window, she was torn; part of her wanted to slap he husband and then leave him, going to her brother; but another part of her wanted to stay here with him.
She broke the silence only when she had reached her decision. "And now what are you going to do with your son?"
"He will stay here with me." He stated.
"You have already decided, haven't you? My decision doesn't count anything!" She yelled crying. "For sure he has some relatives, why couldn't he live with them! If I would you make decide between him and your family what would you chose?"
"Victoria! I know I made a mistake when I didn't tell you about my affair but I would never thought that you would be so narrow-minded, he's my son and he has the same rights of my other children to stay here with me. You asked me about relatives, yes he has: a drunken good for nothing uncle who, since his mother's death, has beaten him."
Victoria was shocked by Tom's last words. "Tom, mine was only an hypothetical question, but keep in mind that for me it will be difficult to live with the living proof of your betrayal, I will try lo love him but it won't be easy."
"Thank you, Victoria."
"Don't thank me, Right now I can't forgive you yet, the road ahead for forgiveness will be long and difficult; you can start by telling our children how why they gained a brother so suddenly and I don't need to remind you that for the next several nights you won't be welcomed in our room."
She stormed out of the study crying, in the hall she saw Nick and Tom's son, she was a little bit ashamed that she didn't even know his name, she looked at them and then she ran upstairs to the master bedroom slamming the door behind her.
When Jarrod and the twins arrived they heard a door slamming.
"What's happened Nick, who's this kid?"
"He's father's bastard son, and it's his fault that father and mother had a fight. I could hear their voices coming from the study." He said angrily, "It's your fault, I hope Mother will throw out of our house, I hate you stupid bastard!" He barked out just before storming upstairs and slamming the door of his room behind him.
Jarrod looked at the little boy, he was sitting with his back to the wall, knees drawn up to his chest and his chin was on his knees.
"I's sorry, I's sorry." He kept on saying while he was crying.
Jarrod didn't know what to do, from what Nick had told him this boy was his brother but also the cause of his parents fight, he chose the easy way he left Heath alone and headed for the kitchen with the twins in tow, even though his conscience had told him to stay with his new brother.
Silas had heard two doors slamming, after some commotion and was prepared for whoever who would enter in the kitchen with questions.
"Jarrod, what is a bastard?" Innocently asked Audra while entering in the kitchen.
"It's a bad word that Nick shouldn't use, if mother and father would hear it, for sure, they would wash his mouth with soap." Said Jarrod . "Silas, do you know what…?"
"Yes, Mr. Jarrod but I think it's not my place to explain to you..."
"How can father..."
"Jarrod, I think it's not you place to judge your father."
"But why is that boy is here, why did Father took him in our house."
"I will answer to this question but I think the little ones shouldn't hear."
"Audra, Gene go upstairs to your room."
"But Jarrod..." They whined together.
"No buts, go." He said sternly.
Only after the twins were upstairs Silas started to talk. "Jarrod, I can't and won't tell you everything, that it's your father's duty. I will tell only this; that boy, his name is Heath, had suffered greatly in his short life, and all he have is Mr. Barkley, his father. He's part of your family and the innocent part in all this mess, he didn't do anything wrong. You are the oldest and you are pretty intelligent, why don't you try to make him feel welcomed in the family?"
As Silas left, Jarrod pondered at the wise words he had just heard and after a few moments he moved in the direction of the kitchen door.
Heath knew it was his fault, the dark-haired boy has said so. He knew that he couldn't stay here anymore, it was good as long as it lasted, but he knew his place and it wasn't here. He slowly got up and headed toward his room, when he arrived, he took his sack and went downstairs to bid farewell to his papa. He gently knocked the study door and entered leaving the door open, his father was facing the window and when he turned around Heath noticed that he had been crying.
Jarrod noticed Heath entering the study and decided to follow him but he stayed at the threshold, he knew it was wrong to eavesdrop, but he was curious to hear what he would say to his father.
"Sorry sir...I don't want to disturb you, but I'm ready to go." He said with a small voice.
"Ready to go where?"
"It's all my fault that your family is angry with you, so I reckon it's better that I leave."
"So you reckon...and where will you stay?"
"I can go to work for Mr. Silvers, he will be in Stockton in about two weeks."
"And where will you stay in those two weeks?" He gently asked.
"Here and there, when I was waiting for your return, I found a nice spot in an alley and I already know where I can find food."
Tom was flabbergasted, it was as if someone had slapped him, his boy had lived on the streets scrounging food in the garbage, and the worst part of it was that he was saying as it was a matter of fact, he could see on Jarrod's face the same emotions.
"Heath, you don't need to seek for food in the garbage." He reasoned.
"It's no big deal, I reckon I prefer warm food but when you are hungry you can't be picky; I'm used to it, when I was in Strawberry, Uncle Matt didn't leave leftovers everyday so I looked for food in the garbage, I'm used to it."
"Heath, you don't understand, you don't need to leave." He remarked.
"But if I'm gone, everything will be all right for you..."
"No Heath, a piece of me will be missing..."
"But your family…?"
"Heath, how can I make understand...see this glass?" as he showed it he threw it on the floor where it smashed. "If I hide the pieces this glass would be still broken, and if I could glue the pieces together withholding a piece, the glass wouldn't be whole anymore. Do you understand what I mean?"
"I think so, but your kids hate me."
"It's not true, I don't hate you." said Jarrod coming closer to Heath, his eyes were bright with unshed tears 'Oh my God, this is my little brother, it's unfair that he had to suffer, while I had everything I wished for and I fear there's more,' he thought. "My name is Jarrod and I'm your big brother," he said extending his hand, "and I'm very pleased to meet you."
He hesitantly took his hand and shook it. "Really? You don't hate me?" At Jarrod's nod he continued. "My name is Heath and I'm happy to meet you too. Pap…I mean...he told me a lot of thing about you."
"You can call him papa, it's your father after all, as well as mine." He said then he looked in the direction of his father who silently mouthed thank you.
"Jarrod, later I need to talk you: Heath you can show him where is your room is and leave your bag there, then you can both go to the kitchen and have some milk and pie so you can know each other."
Heath and Jarrod walked out together from the study, and on the way to the staircase Heath took Jarrod proffered hand and walked hand in hand till they reached Heath's room.