Chapter Sixteen

Ruth and Timothy stood beside their Uncle Jim in front of Reno's railroad station's ticket office; they were waiting for Heath and Nick, who were putting Coco and Charger into one of the boxcars the railroad station used to haul animals. The small group had traveled to Reno to catch the train. Timothy was standing rather close to Ruth and holding her hand. His tight grip told Ruth just how nervous her 'son' really was-even if he was trying to keep a frightened look off his face. "You've run too much and for too long. We're going to make it so you can stop that, make it so you can live wherever you want to without the fear of your uncle looming over you." Nick's words, spoken to her just that morning, sounded in her ears. "I hope you are right, Nick." Ruth thought as she glanced down at Timothy, or Timmy, as Heath and Nick were now calling the boy.

"My door will always be open to the two of you, should you need it." Just because he had agreed it was best if Ruth and Timothy went to Stockton, Jim wasn't about to have them think they couldn't return to Abbottsville if they needed too.

Ruth smiled from ear to ear as she hugged her uncle. "I know, and I'm sorry for not telling you everything sooner. I was simply afraid, been burned too many times in the past. Though, after three months, you'd have thought I could have told you everything without Heath having to befriend Timothy and Nick having to prod me into to facing you with the whole truth."

Jim smiled. "Heath and Nick are good ones, as is their family. And," he chuckled, "Nick does have a way of pushing when he gets it into his head to do so. And, from what little I've seen of Heath's dealings with Timothy, Heath does too." Jim Barkley then grew very serious. "Nick can be trusted with everything you've got, girl. And, I suspect the way Jarrod talks about Heath, that he can be trusted as well. For that matter, all my late brother's family can."

Ruth thought about the close friendship that now existed between Heath and her 'son', and how much that friendship had helped Timothy. She also saw Nick lying in the cot in the makeshift hospital and the feeling of safety that had rolled off him when she was talking with him, along with the feeling she'd had while he sat listening to her explain things to her uncle. Most of all, she remembered how it had felt when he'd kissed her after Timothy had left her room. "I know that, Uncle Jim. Really I do," Then, seeing Heath and Nick walking their way, Ruth stepped away from her uncle, allowing Jim to say his goodbyes to Timothy as well.

"We best get on that train, if we don't want to find ourselves waiting another couple hours for the next one." Nick picked up Ruth and Timothy's baggage upon hearing the conductor calling out, telling people it was time to take their places on the train.

"Bye," Timothy looked at his Uncle Jim and then walked with Ruth up the train's steps while Heath and Nick followed behind. Soon, Nick and Heath were putting their luggage on the rack above their heads, while he and Ruth took their seats. Within a couple of minutes, Nick was sitting across from Ruth while Heath was facing Timothy. Neither Nick nor Heath spoke a word as the train pulled away from the station; as Ruth had her eyes towards the window looking as if she was a hundred miles away.

On the other hand, neither Barkley could miss the fact that Timothy kept looking from Heath to Nick. Both men dared guess it was because Timothy had formed more of a friendship with Heath than Nick. Had they been able to read the child's mind, Heath and Nick would have found out they were close to right. However, neither one was sure what to think when the lad let go of Ruth's arm and climbed upon Nick's lap, wrapping his arms around Nick's neck and laying his head down upon the dark haired rancher's shoulder as he did so. However, Nick simply smiled and wrapped his arm around the boy and let the child stay where he was.

Ruth, who had turned her head back away from the train when she felt Timothy let go of her hand and move off his seat, couldn't help but stare. What on earth had gotten in Timothy? "Timothy…" She started to say only have Nick speak up.

"Let the boy stay where he's at. I don't mind really." Nick smiled at her while silently adding…'besides, if he's warming up to me, it will be easier to court you.'

"Nick's just a big teddy bear once you get past his protective armor." Heath gave Ruth a crooked smile, one that might as well reached from one ear to another. Truth was, after Nick had told him that Ruth had consented to let Nick court her, Heath had hoped that sooner or later Timothy would show some sign of at least liking Nick. After all, if things actually worked out between Nick and Ruth, it would make the adjustment the three would have to make a lot of easier if Timothy had already accepted things between Nick and his 'mother'.

"As long as you're sure," Ruth said as she looked at Nick, still uncertain of what to make of Timothy's actions.

"If I minded, you'd know it." Nick held Timothy just a little more tightly, as he smiled at Ruth and answered honestly.

Ruth couldn't help but laugh softly. Somehow, she knew Nick was telling the truth. "Fine, have it your way." She smiled and then turned her eyes back towards the window. Before she knew it, Ruth did something she'd never done before…let her head rest against the train window and allowed herself to drift off to sleep, feeling safer and happier than she had been in a very long while.