Chapter 3

When Jarrod got back home, the family had finished dinner but Victoria and Nick were still at the table, talking. Heath and Audra were nowhere to be seen, but Jarrod had no trouble deciding where they were. "Audra and Heath are with Jack, I take it," he said, entering the dining room and sitting down without even a greeting.

Silas was there within moments, bringing him a plate of food as Nick poured him some wine. Victoria said, "They're seeing if they can get him to eat some broth. How did it go in town?"

"Not very well," Jarrod said. "Jordan and I exchanged information and he'll talk to Frances. That's about all I can tell you."

"You know," Nick said flat out, eyeing his mother first then his brother, and deciding to go ahead and say it in front of Victoria, "there are rumors running around town about the Mains. And the baby."

"I know," Jarrod said. He took a sip of wine and took his knife and fork to the steak on his plate. "They remain rumors as far as I'm concerned."

"Well," Victoria said, "I suppose that trying to read the future is a pointless exercise right now. Until Jack is able to communicate better, you won't be doing much of anything on his case."

"Unless Frances files for divorce," Jarrod said.

"What do you think the chances of that are?" Nick asked.

"So far she's said she doesn't want a divorce," Jarrod said. "Heaven alone knows what tomorrow will bring once she finds out Jack is incapacitated."

"Those boys and that new baby are going to get knocked around like billiard balls," Victoria said. "Jack and Frances are each going to want the boys, and the possibility is that no one wants the baby."

Jarrod looked hard at his mother. She always knew the score and had no trouble talking about it. "I don't know where it's going, Mother. I'd like to think that at least a baby's mother would want him."

"So would I," Victoria said, "but what we might think doesn't matter one bit, does it?"

"No," Jarrod said.

Jarrod finished his meal and hurried upstairs, to find Audra and Heath coming out of Jack's room and closing the door. "He's asleep," Audra said. "Please don't wake him. He's had a terrible day."

Jarrod nodded. "Did he eat anything?"

"A little," Audra said.

"I'll be here all day tomorrow to help with him, Jarrod," Heath said. "Did you have any luck in town?"

"I saw Jordan Williams and told him what happened," Jarrod said. "He was going to go see Frances. I guess I'll find out what her reaction was tomorrow."

"Tomorrow's Sunday," Audra said.

"I usually see Jordan in church," Jarrod said. "If he's not there, I'll track him down after church."

Audra went on alone, carrying the tray downstairs, but Heath lingered with Jarrod and said, quietly, "Did Nick tell you about the rumors around town about the baby?"

Jarrod nodded. "I can't comment on that, Heath, except to say that whatever rumors are probably won't figure in much to what happens between Jack and Frances. What will matter now is how he does over the next few days and weeks, and how Frances reacts to things."

"He's still not interested in seeing her," Heath said. "I told him you went into town to see her lawyer and asked if he changed his mind about seeing her or the boys, and he raised that hand once at the wrist."

"I suppose we ought to sit with him tonight. I'll go on in and take the first watch. You talk to Nick about who's gonna relieve me at one and who's gonna relieve at four."

"Wake me up if you need anything, all right?"

Jarrod nodded. "Thanks, Heath," he said and went quietly into Jack's room.

Jack was snoring away. Jarrod decided to take that as a hopeful sign that some normalcy was returning, but he knew he was reaching. There were a few books on the desk in the room. Jarrod took one and sat down on the chair by the side of the bed. He was beginning to get a headache of his own now so he shut his eyes for a moment before he opened the book and began to read, hoping he wouldn't fall asleep.

Jack kept snoring.

The next day found all the Barkleys but Heath in church together. Jarrod spotted Jordan Williams in his pew right away, and the service was scarcely over before Williams came over to him. "Can we talk?"

"Here?" Jarrod asked.

"Outside somewhere quiet," Williams said and motioned Jarrod toward the side door.

"Go on home without me," Jarrod said to his mother. He had ridden in on horseback because he expected to be staying longer than Victoria, Nick and Audra would.

Jarrod followed Williams out the side door, to the little garden beside the church. Other people were around though, some of them watching. Williams kept walking and Jarrod kept following until they were a block away, in front of the closed bank where Jack worked. Williams stopped there and turned.

"Frances doesn't want to see Jack either, and she doesn't want the boys to see him," Williams said right away. "She asked if you'd be pursuing the divorce and I said not until Jack's able."

"What did she say to that?" Jarrod asked.

"She said she wasn't sure what she wanted to do."

"Have you seen her today?"

"No, and I wasn't planning to. I figure she needs a couple days and I'll talk to her tomorrow. How's Jack?"

"He slept all night," Jarrod said. "He understands and can communicate by hand gestures, but he can't get up and he can't speak."

"He's gonna stay out with you for a while?"

"For a while," Jarrod said. "What about Bill Bridger? Is he still in this picture?"

"I don't know," Williams said. "I couldn't discuss that if I did."

"I didn't think you would," Jarrod said, "but everyone in town seems to know he is. You know, Bridger could do anything, knowing about this. He could keep seeing Frances on the sly, or he could get her to pursue the divorce and marry her. Or he could just up and leave her. He never struck me as the kind who wanted an instant family."

"Me neither, but I have no idea what he's gonna do," Williams said. "Or when we'll know about it."

"Well," Jarrod said with a sigh, "why don't I touch base with you in your office tomorrow and we can see where everything is then? In the meantime, have a nice Sunday afternoon."

"You too, Jarrod," Williams said. "If anything changes drastically today, let me know, huh? I'll be home."

Williams wasn't married, and Jarrod had no idea what he did with his spare time, and didn't really care. Jarrod said, "I'll be at my place too, unless Nick force marches me out to herd cattle. Heath will be at the house regardless, so if you need me and I'm not there, he'll send somebody for me."

"Here's hoping it stays quiet today," Williams said. "I have a feeling we're all going to have to rest up for what's coming this week."

"I have that feeling too," Jarrod admitted.