The water was so clear he could see the rocks and pebbles on the bottom, among the old leaves fallen during the last storm. A reminder of the past season. The little stream would keep on flowing, night and day. It would never stop. It flowed, surrounding rocks and trunks, following its meandering path, and would become wider and wider, running toward the valley. It would turn into a river and continue to flow, passing under bridges, boarding towns, its lively voice becoming a roar.
In this point, it was bordered by trees, willows throwing shadows on the water. Through their fronds, the sun rays penetrated making the surface shine.
Sitting on a round stone, patiently smoothed by the currents during the years, Heath tested the water with his naked foot. It was freezing cold on his hot skin. There was plenty of life all around, in the blossoming spring: insects flying and buzzing, crawling and climbing on blades of grass, birds flying just above the surface, graciously landing on the edge, bobbing their heads up and down in the water. He rolled up his pants above his knees and made two little steps toward the center of the stream. Under the surface, he saw a big rainbow trout swim sinuously just beside him.
Heath made two more steps in the water, that was now up to his knees. A year had passed since he had come to his family, he had just turned twenty-five and his life had changed in so many ways.
Matt Simmons was dead. Hannah had shot him to save his life. She had finally agreed to come live with them. It was a relief for him. She was still very active and insisted on pulling her weight, but her memory problems had worsened and she couldn't be left alone. She was now part of the family and everyone loved her. She'd keep calling Mother "Miss Leah", a thing that never failed to make Heath smile.
He caressed the surface of the water with his hand and shivered. Martha Simmons had disappeared. After the night she had killed Barrett, no one had ever seen her again.
Heath hadn't had nightmares anymore, they had left the day his family had kicked Matt Bentell out of their house without ceremony. That day, his family had stood for him without reservations, without questions. He had never felt so accepted, so loved before. That had been the moment he had really become part of the family, that day he had truly become Heath Barkley, and a free man.
The Simmons, Bentell, Barrett. All those people were ghosts, shadows from a past that would never come back. The current of his life was wiping them away and soon, he was sure, their names would mean nothing to him. They were already a pale memory. He immersed his hand under the surface and distractedly looked at it, it was slightly deformed by the water.
At the ranch, he felt at ease like never before. He felt at home. He loved to work for his family, in their land, in his land. He loved to be part of them, to be part of it all and this never ceased to amaze him.
"Heath… Heath!"
He turned to see Audra and Eugene. They were waving their hands, their smiling faces so young, so carefree in that moment. The smile he displayed when he waved back at them came straight from the depth of his heart.
His hand still middle air and his smile still on his face, he saw Jarrod and Nick come. They were laughing at something, and he saw Nick pat Jarrod's back, a brotherly gesture he now was used to, and it felt so good.
The two oldest Barkley siblings joined the two youngest, and Heath realized he was right in the middle by age. He felt the love for them hit like a blow and overwhelm him completely, with such a force that he felt his knees give way for a moment.
"Hey, Heath, what are you doing there? Everyone's just waiting for you, Birthday Boy!", Nick hollered.
"Be right there!" Heath hollered back. He happily made his way back toward the shore and out of the water, to join them.