Chapter 13
Jack Jr. helped his mother get ready for the move. He saw to it that Randy packed some clothes for both of them while he helped his mother get some things together. There were items other than clothes she wanted to take along too, since she didn't know how long they would be with the Barkleys. Jack Jr. packed things like a treasured carafe that had been given to Jack and Frances as a wedding gift, and a photo of his parents on their wedding day. Things that Frances wanted to have with her.
Frances was nervous about the move. She was nervous about seeing her husband again, nervous about how she'd react to his disability, nervous about how he'd react to her loss of the baby and the end of her relationship with Bill Bridger. There was quite a lot to be nervous about. Having things that meant something to her – and to Jack – she thought that might help.
But she wasn't any calmer by the time Jarrod got there. He arrived in a buggy, and with him was his brother Nick in a surrey. "I expect you'll be filling this buggy up with things, not to mention your boys," Nick said to Frances, and he smiled, trying to be sympathetic.
Jarrod said, "We figured you'd be more comfortable in the buggy. Nick and I and the boys will get your things into the surrey and get them out again when we get to the ranch."
"Will I be able to ride a horse at the ranch?" Randy asked first thing.
"Randy, we have a lot of important things to do before you think about riding a horse," Frances said.
"Besides, you've never ridden a horse," Jack Jr. said.
"Let's just get you all moved in first," Jarrod said.
"And then I'll see about teaching you to ride a horse," Nick said with a grin.
"BUT!" Frances said right away. "You still have to come into town to go to school and you still have to do your schoolwork. This is just a change in where we live our life, not how we live it."
"Don't worry, I'll get you to school and back, or my sister Audra will," Jarrod said. "You know Audra. Sometimes she's the substitute teacher."
"Come on, now," Nick said. "Let's get you all loaded up. You boys are gonna ride with me."
"Can you teach me how to drive the wagon?" Randy asked.
"Later!" Frances said.
Nick and Jarrod helped Jack Jr. and Randy get things into the surrey – or maybe it was more like Jack Jr. and Randy helped Nick and Jarrod. In any event, in a few minutes, the surrey was loaded up and Jack Jr. and Randy were scurrying into the front seat with Nick. Jarrod helped Frances into the buggy and climbed in beside her.
He could almost feel her apprehension. "Don't worry," he said. "I know this is difficult, but I also know that this will help Jack to get well quicker and help you to get your life, and your family's lives, back together."
"What if it doesn't work?" Frances asked quietly. "Jack and I never were the best married couple around."
"Well, whether it works or not is up to you and Jack. You've had a major shake-up to your life together. Maybe it was what you needed to understand that you do need each other, and want each other. Make sure you give it a good chance, anyway. For those boys, and for you and Jack."
Frances gave a sigh, and Jarrod gave the horse a slap of the reins. Behind them in the surrey, Nick said cheerfully, "Here we go!"
The boys held on, and Nick followed Jarrod out of town. He started singing before long, to keep the boys occupied and happy. Jarrod and Frances didn't talk much, but Jarrod smiled her way often. In about forty-five minutes, they pulled into the stable yard of the ranch and up to the small house on the property. Jarrod pulled up right in front, Nick right behind him. Smiling broadly, Jarrod said, "Here we are."
And Frances immediately understood why the smile. Up on the porch of the little house, Jack was sitting in a chair, Heath next to him. When the buggy pulled up, Jack stood up. Heath stood to help steady him, but he didn't really need it.
"Pa!" Randy yelled.
Nick held him back. "Give your mother and father a moment, boys," he said.
The boys waited as Jarrod got out of the buggy and helped Frances out. Jack waited on the porch, Heath beside him, while Frances kept her gaze on him as she climbed the stairs and came up to him.
"Did you climb up these stairs yourself?" she asked.
Jack nodded. "And - down that - big staircase - inside the big house," Jack said. It was not smooth. It was choppy and garbled.
Frances cringed a little and then started to tear up. "I did this to you – "
"No, no, no," Jack said and took her into his arms. "Ask – doctor. Not – your- fault. Nobody's."
Heath moved away from them and joined Jarrod at the foot of the stairs. "I suspect we oughtta get all this stuff inside as fast as we can and leave these people to themselves."
Nick helped the boys out of the surrey, saying, "Come on, guys. Let's get unloaded before you overwhelm your pa."
Jack kept his arm around his wife, and they supported each other going into the house, moving to the sofa in the parlor, and sitting down in each other's arms. Behind them they could hear the Barkley men and the boys bringing things in and carrying them through to the bedrooms or putting them down near the kitchen, but Jack and Frances stayed quietly together, each weak person supporting the other, in their own world for the moment.
For the first time in a very long time – together.
XXXXXXX
Three Months Later
"Hello, Jarrod!" Jack said, smoothly, clearly. He stood up behind his desk at the bank and came around it, his hand extended.
He was still using a cane to assist his balance and walking, and his speech was still sometimes a little slurred, but he had come back to work full time two weeks earlier. To Jarrod, he looked pretty darned good. Jarrod took his hand, "Good to see you, Jack. How does it feel to be back to work?"
"Better than I've felt in a long time," Jack said, slowly but not choppy in any way. "What brings you in?"
"Not a social call," Jarrod said. "I have a new client, new man in town who's executor of Emily Latcher's estate. I'm opening an account for it and thought I'd stop into your office and say hello. How are things going?"
Jack motioned Jarrod to a chair and sat back down behind his desk. Raising the cane, he said, "I'll probably be on this – for quite a while – but my speech is pretty clear now. I'm doing better."
"I can hear that," Jarrod said. "How's the family?"
"So far, so good," Jack said. "Frances has recovered from her loss. I've worked through it too. You know, Jarrod – I don't care – if her baby was mine or – Bill Bridger's. There's still grief for me too."
"I can understand that," Jarrod said.
"But – we are – getting along," Jack said. "We are – working on things."
"How are the boys?"
Jack laughed. "Randy – wants to ride horses – all the time now, thanks to Nick – teaching – him."
Jarrod laughed too. "Send him on out whenever you want. Audra will be happy to take him around, if Nick doesn't put him to work yet. How about Jack Jr.?"
"You – started something – when you showed him – those law books."
"Come on, now, there's no way he could have understood any of those."
"I – not sure – what it was," Jack said, "but he – likes to read – more now."
"And you?" Jarrod asked. "How do you feel about things these days?"
Jack looked thoughtful, and smiled and nodded. "Glad to be – back to work. Glad – to be married – to Frances. No divorce."
"I'm really happy for you, Jack," Jarrod said. "It's been a long fight for you."
"Yes," Jack said. "A good marriage – is worth it."
Jarrod stood up and reached a hand across the desk. Jack took it, strong, and stood up. "You're a lucky man. I hope the luck stays with you and yours for good."
"Thank you, Jarrod, for everything," Jack said. "I'm hopeful – too."
Jarrod finished his business with the bank and went outside. It was a lovely day outside, sun shining, people moving around smiling and greeting each other. Autumn was coming on and the air was beginning to feel crisp and good.
Jarrod took it in with a smile. It felt good when he was able to help a client work things out. It made him feel one more time like he had chosen the right way of life for himself. He headed back to his office with a bounce in his step, and a nod and a smile to everyone he met.
The End