Part of rethinking things ended up with Jason taking the boys to the mountain for a few days. They helped him get started on building a new place and also figuring out a site to start the business. Josh was even helpful with figuring out how many he could hire for how long, with what money he had.
Da seemed more willing to help out, but Jason didn't ask. If he was going to start a business, it was going to be his business.
He hoped.
He also hoped the break would give their father time to rest and recuperate and whatever else he needed to do. His lost temper had startled his oldest son.
Not that he didn't have a temper – they all did. Heck, Jason himself had been butting heads with him for a couple of years now. But there was always a reason for it, and that last blast – there'd been no reason for it. Jeremy's saying 'no' to everything was more of a joke than anything else. It had never caused that sort of reaction.
Something was wrong.
When they got back into town, and Jason stopped in the livery barn, Jeremy jumped down from the wagon and ran for home (whether he called it that or not.) He had seen Da sitting on the porch waiting for them.
Josh, seeing to the horses while Jason unhitched the wagon, said sourly, "One of these days he's gonna get knocked over, running out in the street that way."
"If that happens, he'll learn not to do it," Jason replied.
Jeremy was sitting on his father's lap, talking away to them in his old way, something the family hadn't seen for quite a while. If the boy stumbled over words, or changed words mid-sentence, no one commented. They didn't notice. The boy just kept talking excitedly and gesturing enthusiastically.
The father listened and watched intently, his face relaxed.
Jason stopped at the door and watched him. Yes, relaxed was the word for Da. It had been a good plan.
He still didn't look right, somehow, but he looked better.
They would talk later.
Josh plopped himself down on the porch floor and joined the conversation, or tried to. It was hard to stop Jeremy once he got started. Those two would be squabbling and correcting one another before too long. Oh well. That was life with brothers.
Jason smiled and went on inside.
"That was well done, Jason. Sneaky, but well done. Imagine waking up to find all three of my boys gone."
"I left word," Jason replied, pouring fresh coffee for the two of them and sitting down across the table from his father. "I thought you might need a break."
"So you did. And so I did. I've not seen the little one so –" the father gestured. "Mayhap you've been right, that I shouldn't be keeping them so close. Not letting them return to their home."
"Probably wasn't a bad thing at the start," Jason conceded. "But it's been almost two years."
"Doesna seem so to me. Tis new every day."
"I'm sorry." What else was there to say?
The older man shook his head. "Canna be helped. Or changed. The little one said you had him tending the fires and cooking?"
"I kept a close watch, Da, but yes. He's a good worker. Conscientious."
"Such a large word for such a small child."
"Not so small, Da. Could you still be seeing him from two years ago?"
"Tis possible." The man folded his hands together on the table. "So. I have heard from the other two. Tell me of your adventures this week past. You have begun to build?"
The man watched thoughtfully as his oldest son began to talk. He asked questions, evaluated the answers. The reasoning was sound. The young man sounded prepared, as prepared as one could be for a chancy business. Furthermore, he seemed to have included his brothers in all his plans. Could he have been looking at this one, too, as he once was, instead of seeing growth?
The father sighed, and the son stopped talking, leaning forward, his eyes showing concern.
"Da? Are you okay?"
"I'll do. Go to bed, son. You've had a day of it."
"You sure?"
"I'm fine. I think I'll just sit here a while."
"If you're sure? It has been a long – week."
"With those two? I don't doubt it."