Hannah poured another cup of tea. "He a good boy most of the time. Then when he was six years old, Miss Leah had her first real hard time with him. It was his sixth birthday, and we made him a little cake, and she called him in for supper. She done gave up her oldest laying hen so I could make him fried chicken for a treat. He love my fried chicken. He usually come runnin' when she call him. She seen him outside talking to some bigger boys, then he comes in the house real slow like he thinkin.'

He ask her 'Mama, what's a bastard?' Miss Leah, she let that sneak up on her, she wasn't ready for that, she think he not gonna hear that till he starts school. She look like she about to faint, she tell him she explain it later, of course he keep botherin' her. He weren't havin' that, her not tellin' him. She starts cryin', and she has to leave the table and go lie down in her room, and he get upset and run outside and climb up in the tree.

She tell him to come down, he don't listen to her. He ain't never been that bad before. She tell him she gonna sit there till he come down. That boy stayed up there a long time. Then he finally got tired and came down. He wouldn't eat his supper. She give him a piece of cake anyway, and he just pick at it. He ask if he could just have it tomorrow. So she say all right, but she so sad that his birthday like that. Heath always hate a fuss about his birthday, even if he don't remember that."

Jarrod shifted in the threadbare chair. If he turned, he could see the table where this must have taken place, this key event in his brother's life. He thought of his own and his siblings' birthdays, how different they had been. He swallowed the lump in his throat, seeing his brother as a little boy, not understanding why his mother was so upset, but knowing there was something terribly wrong, and it had to do with him. Victoria wiped a tear from her eye and filed this information in her mind to remember. Maybe they could help him learn to enjoy birthdays.

"Then when school started that fall, she took him to the first grade. That boy already knew how to read, just from sittin' on Miss Leah's lap while she read to him. She taught him his letters when he real little. Miss Leah was so big on school. She knew her boy so smart, she wanted him to learn everything he can, have the best start in life, is what she say."

Hannah paused, then laughed. "That boy come home and tell her school is so boring he went to sleep. He say it's dumb to just sit there inside all day, why can't he go play outside. By Friday Miss Leah hear from the teacher. That lady was so nice, she loved children, and she told Miss Leah that she thought Heath was just bored.

He already knew what she was learnin' them young'uns his age. So she gave him a different book to read and let him do harder 'rithmetic. That boy love numbers. He quit fussin' 'bout bein' bored after that."

Victoria had to laugh. This time, the story reminded her of the son sitting by her right now. She and Jarrod exchanged smiles. "Funny enough," she told Hannah, "Heath's brother Jarrod said something very similar about first grade, and his teacher made a very similar arrangement."

Hannah smiled. "Miss Rachel kept tellin' Miss Leah to stop learnin' that boy so much at home, 'cause what he gonna do in school. Miss Leah never went to school herself. Her daddy had somethin' called a governess learn her. Just her and the governess, all by herself, until she old enough for her daddy to have her read big ole books from his library and study them.

So she don't know about regular school, and she thought Miss Rachel crazy to say her chile shouldn't be readin' already. She understand, though, when Heath come home from first grade and tell her it's dumb and boring."

Jarrod laughed. He completely understood. It was funny he and Heath had such similar experiences in their very different lives.

"Thank heaven for that teacher. Miss Johnson. We was real lucky in Strawberry to get good teachers. Them teachers really helped that boy. They treat him good, like he important to them."

"Was school hard for him because of other children?" Victoria asked.

"Sometimes," Hannah said. "Miss Leah thought things woulda been a lot easier without the biddies, she called 'em."

"Who were the biddies?"

"Before Heath was even born, 'bout 1850, a bunch of men here in town sent for some wives from back east. They say they gonna make Strawberry a real town, with families and all. They was gonna put a stop to all them robberies and killins. Got them a new sheriff, they gonna make it safe.

'Bout fifteen or twenty ladies came. They was supposed to keep up the morals of the town, and they took their job real serious. They say ugly things 'bout Miss Leah and Heath. Miss Leah don't care at all for herself.

She said she didn't give a good gosh-darn what they think 'bout her. She laugh about what they say to her, 'bout her. She especially laugh at them for thinkin' they little ole town here so important, she from a real city. She real tickled 'bout that, can't hardly stop gigglin'. Back then she just don't care what they think o' her or say 'bout her.

But when they ugly to her boy, she so upset. She gave some of 'em what's for, but it didn't do no good. She kept saying he just a child, it's not his fault. But they act like their young'uns gonna catch somethin' bad from him because his mama wasn't married to his daddy.

Miss Leah just couldn't understand that. She say it's so stupid, it's not fair. It just about break her heart. Heath didn't care when he was in his first couple years of school. He used to playin' by himself most of the time anyway. It wasn't till he got a little older, maybe 'bout fourth grade, it started to upset him some. The worst for Miss Leah was him gettin' in fights with other boys."

Hannah shook her head, then laughed. "Miss Leah, she don't understand boys and why they fight. Heath tell her, 'Mama, he said such and such 'bout you, and she say, 'I don't care what he says, just walk away.' Heath say that it don't work like that, he gonna whup 'em, and boy howdy he sho did."

"Wait – what did you say?" Jarrod couldn't help but interrupt when he heard Heath's trademark expression. "Heath says that sometimes."

"What, boy howdy?"

"Yes, that's it."

Hannah laughed. "That boy picked that up from me. He thought it was so funny. When he was little, he say, tell me again, Hannah, and he laugh and laugh when I say it. He make me tell him that every day."

Jarrod and Victoria exchanged glances and smiled. They were learning so much about the young man who had come to them not so long ago. His roots were here, and so much here had shaped him. Victoria could picture a towheaded little boy asking to hear something again and again, laughing. It was a sweet picture.

"So Heath insisted on fighting boys who said something about his mother?" Jarrod asked. This didn't surprise him in the least.

"He sure did, no matter what his mama say. He was real proud of that. He come home banged up, got a black eye and a cut lip, and his mama starts fussin', tryin' to patch him up. He ain't havin' it, he thinks that's the silliest nonsense he ever heard, a fuss over a little thing like a black eye.

He about nine years old and he split his knuckle on another boy's tooth, and he come home bleedin', and Miss Leah all worried, and she say somethin' bout taking him to a doctor, and that boy sit there and tell his mama he don't need no doctor over nothin', he fine. He tell his mama that's a waste of money and he ain't goin'.

He say that other boy need the doctor, not him. He say he whupped that other boy good and that was fine and dandy, he don't need nothin' else. Miss Leah just threw her hands up in the air and gave up."

Victoria and Jarrod couldn't help but laugh. They could both see Heath saying this. This sounded like Nick, too. Fights, maybe for different reasons, but the same determination to whup the other boy. "I had some of the same trouble with his brother Nick, for different reasons, but the same attitude," Victoria said.

Hannah smiled. "I tried tellin' Miss Leah that's just boys, and she oughta be proud of him, but she just look at me like I was crazy. She fussin' and Heath just look at me and smile. He know I'm proud of him. He don't care what his mama said. She wastin' her breath tryin' to tell that boy not to fight. By his last couple years of school, he done whupped everybody who messed with him. Nobody want to fight him no more, 'cause they knew he gonna whup them."

Jarrod laughed. He could see Heath doing that. Victoria asked, "Was it just other boys saying things about his mother, or were they unkind to Heath too?"

"It them sayin' things about his mama that upset my boy the most," Hannah replied. "He kind of lonely when he in his first few years of school, some of them mamas actin' like bein' friends with him gonna corrupt their young'uns. They say he can't play with their children. So Heath make friends with Modoc Indian boys. He friends with some Mexican boys too. That boy always figure somethin' else out. He ain't too upset 'bout that. He say them schoolboys all sissies and he don't like them none anyway.

Then, when he about nine, he make a friend at school, that boy's mama and daddy don't care nothin' bout who Heath's mama be. They real good friends. That boy's daddy real nice to Heath, let him go fishin' and huntin' with him and his boy. Heath so happy about that. Miss Leah worry a little bit 'bout that man drinkin' so much and him sayin' swear words, Heath learnin' bad stuff too. But she don't have the heart to tell him no when he so happy to have a friend to do stuff with. That man the one shown Heath how to use that old rifle Charlie left behind."

Hannah poured another cup of tea. "That boy started bringin' home game, we didn't have to spend money on meat, which was good, 'cause the mine goin' down some and there less work for Miss Leah and Miss Rachel. Miss Leah say it real important to have meat some for a growin' boy, so she use to buy some at least once a week, even if we gotta eat boiled cactus some other days. Sometimes we have a garden, sometimes there not enough rain for one.

When he still pretty small, I use to take him with me find wild greens, too. I show him where they at and what they are and then he could do it by himself if I need him to. Heath learn a lot from them Indians too. He so proud of bringin' home game. He come home with a big smile and say, 'Look what I got, Hannah.' He so happy 'bout that and say it so much fun.

You ask me about school. Well, the next teacher, Miss Thornton, she real nice too. She also figure out how to keep Heath busy. She come see Miss Leah, tell her that her boy real smart. She said she kept Heath busy with harder schoolwork and lettin' him help the younger ones with their 'rithmetic. Miss Leah thrilled about that. Miss Thornton was worried 'bout Heath bein' by himself too much at school. Miss Leah explain about the biddies.

Miss Thornton agree it ain't fair, ain't the boy's fault, and nobody deserve to be treated ugly. She try real hard to do somethin' bout it. Heath's friend lay outta school about half the time, he ain't there enough to learn nothin'. Miss Leah don't understand why his mama and daddy don't make him go to school.

Miss Thornton go see them too, then he starts showin' up. When he start showin' up at school, he and Heath start playin' ball at recess. Them other boys see that Heath real good with a ball, throw and catch real good. So they start lettin' him and his friend play. So he had a better time after that."

Hannah laughed at a memory as she rocked in her chair. "That boy so good at school that he don't have nothin' to study when he get home. Miss Leah say Heath, why don't you study? Heath say he already know it. His mama check and ask him spell this or tell me about this history or solve that math problem on that slate.

He always done it with no problem. Miss Leah decide she gonna fix him bein' so cheeky thinkin' he don't need to learn nothin' else or do no studyin' at home. She say fine, you gonna study somethin, and I'm gonna tell you what.

Heath look at her like she crazy. That make her even madder. She told him to sit his tail down and she got out her Latin book. She make him learn them nouns and verbs. He so mad. He say, 'Mama, this isn't fair,' and Miss Leah tell him like she always done, 'Life isn't fair, so hush.' She give that boy a little somethin' in there to do most school days.

There ain't no shortcuts for him in Latin, she say. He just have to study and memorize. She tell him Latin was an important language 'cause of some famous people, and he say nobody care about them. Miss Leah say yes people do, and he can just hush." Hannah laughed. "That one thing that his mama was ready for him on, books and schoolwork."

Jarrod laughed. It sounded like Heath had been just as sassy as his siblings. He could just picture the scene between mother and son, exasperation on Leah's face like he'd seen on Mother's.

Hannah stretched for a minute, then went on. "Then sometimes Miss Leah make him read extra from them books she brought from back east. Now, Heath like to read, he just think his mama bein' mean makin' him do extra. He say, 'No one else has to do this.' She say she don't care what no one else had to do.

So he done it, even if he cheeky about it. He watch himself gettin' too sassy, though, cause if he got real mouthy, his mama sit him down with the Bible and make him find verses on how to behave and copy 'em. He hate that, so he just get that grumpy look instead." She chuckled, remembering her boy's grumpy face.

"I told you, Miz Barkley, I can't read nor write. Ain't nobody learn slaves that back home. I tell Heath that, tell him he oughta 'preciate all that learnin' he doin' and his mama makin' him study. He look sad for a minute 'cause I don't know how. Then he say Hannah, want me to show you like I show them Indian boys? I tell him ain't no need to do that, I too old, but he can read out loud to me while I doin' somethin'. He like that. And Miss Leah real pleased with that."

Jarrod mulled this over. He wasn't surprised his younger brother had been as precocious in his schoolwork as he was in other things, or that he had excelled. He had recognized his brother's intelligence right away, just talking to him for a while. He was intrigued by Heath's mother. She sounded like she had had a flair for academics herself. Heath's being a good athlete didn't surprise him either. He had seen Heath doing things on the ranch and had marveled at his physical ability.

Hannah looked away for a moment, then she started laughing. She had remembered something else. "I told you Heath learn all kinds of things from them Indians. He come home, he nine or ten, he say 'Hannah, Hannah, watch this.' Then he start doin' bird calls. He sound just like 'em. I tell him that real good, he sound just like them birds. He say really, Hannah? I told him sure enough.

So he go in the house for supper, his mama say wash up, Miss Leah real particular 'bout that. She check that boy to make sure he get clean enough. He washin' his hands and grinnin' to himself. I wonder what he up to. He make one of them bird calls and his mama say 'What's that? Is there a bird in here?' So Heath think that so funny, and he do another one. His mama lookin' around, confused. Miss Rachel don't know what in tarnation, neither.

Heath keep doin' it and tryin' not to laugh. He got them ladies riled up. He look at me like 'don't tell 'em, Hannah, please.' I have to bite my lip and pretend I coughin' not to laugh at that boy. Finally he can't help himself laughin,' he 'bout ready to fall on the floor, he laughin' so hard, and Miss Leah say, 'What's so funny, Heath?'

He told his mama that ain't no bird, it's him. Miss Leah look at him like he crazy. So he do it again. He done all these bird calls. He so proud of himself for that. Miss Rachel aggravated, though, cause that boy done made her think there was a bird in the house, and she worried cause one time a bird built a nest in her house back east and she couldn't get rid of it.

Heath look at her like she done lost her mind, worryin' about that. He mumble somethin' like that the most ridiculous thing to worry about he ever heard. Miss Leah tell him to say he sorry for upsettin' her and quit bein' sassy. Heath say he not sorry, though, and she told him never tell a lie, right Mama?" Hannah laughed at the memory. "That boy."

Jarrod and Victoria laughed at this. It pleased Jarrod to know how clever and funny his brother had been. How he wished he had gotten to know his brother back then, before he had the look in his eyes that Jarrod saw sometimes, before he was withdrawn and quiet. It was one of his fondest hopes to bring Heath out of his shell, out from behind the walls he had put up. Heath was responding, slowly, but it was a start. Jarrod felt like learning more about him as he was doing now was more helpful than he could have imagined.

Hannah went on, "He know what he doin', he really bein' cheeky, he ain't confused about nothin'. Miss Leah know that, though. She say it's a good opportunity for him to learn to act like a gentleman and learn some manners. Heath say he don't want to learn 'em, she says, 'Well, you will anyway.' Miss Leah finally learn to be stern enough with him. This time, Heath know she not playin'.

She tell him if he upset ladies, always apologize whether he done somethin' wrong or not, because that's what a gentleman do. She say he gonna act like a gentleman even if he don't have the means of one. She explain that ladies get upset easier. He mumble somethin' about livin' with ladies, but he do what she say.

So Heath, he come around and he tell Miss Rachel he apologize for teasin' her. Miss Rachel say it all right. She love that boy even if he drive her crazy. He spend a lot of time with her too. He used to spare a penny from what he earned at the livery stable and get his Aunt Rachel one of them licorice sticks she like."

Hannah smiled. "That boy always doin' somethin' nice for us, bringin' his mama the newspaper from the livery stable, Mr. Roberts let him take it when he done. He keep it real nice too. He stop and fetch me them wild greens 'cause he know I like 'em, even when I can grow collards and turnip greens. Like I say, he sweet as the day is long."