Chapter 511) Sticks & Stones

Henford-on-Bagley
Cromwell Stables

A fire was crackling on a sunny day with the bluest skies interrupted occasionally by the fluffiest cumulus clouds, the light breeze rustling through the many trees carrying the scents of the Henfordian countryside with it, birds were chirping, bees were buzzing by, there was laughter, the neighing and snorting of nearby horses, while the soft, rhythmic sounds of an acoustic guitar accompanying a man’s deep, melodious, if slightly rough, but very pleasant voice crooning a popular country music classic entertained the three people present.

“Remember when we didn’t have a dime between us
You took my hand and said we don’t need much
Just as long as we’re together we would be fine
Now we’ve acquired all I thought would please you
I gave everything you know that I could
And still you’re telling me you’re not satisfied
So take everything we have if it makes you happy
But darlin let me say before I leave
These sticks and stones ain’t all that makes a home
They don’t have arms to hold you when love goes wrong
Now you say, we are through
These sticks and stones may break me,
But the words you said just tore my heart in two“

“Hey Junior, come in now, you know the words, kid. Bet this sounds mighty nice as a duet!” the singer, Jack Kershaw suggested, his voice upbeat, despite the gloomy words of the tune.

18-year-old Jackson only huffed, then got up and walked off.

The singing seized while slowly the music faded out, as Jack put his guitar aside, trading confused glances with Izzy.

“Thought he was havin’ fun. Thought we all were. Did I read that all wrong?” Jack wondered confused.

“No, it looked that way to me as well. He was singing the last two songs with you. Maybe your singing was just TOO good? Your voice and that accent gets me all the time, when you sing and play it certainly made me feel bubbly head to toe, and that’s not from the beer, even though your last song CLEARLY was an homage to your ex.” Izzy smiled and winked at him.

“Nah, it wasn’t. You are the only one who makes me wanna sing, darlin’. Just a song I always liked, more for the upbeat rhythm than the words, although I guess you got a point here too, could relate, especially if he added some lines about them sticks and stones being used to club the sense out of me over and over, but guess that’s too much truth on how life goes and wouldn’t sell records. I know Jackson used to always sing along when it came on the radio. Something’s off here. I felt that way that since I picked him up from the airport, figured he was just jet-lagged. I asked him about it a bunch ‘o times, he swears nothing’s wrong.” Jack stated.

“Shall I try?” she offered.

“Nah, better if I see what’s up. He likes ya, how could he not, but I think he needs to get to know ya a little better before he’d be comfortable with such talks. Probably some teen boy thing needin’ some man-to-man guidance anyway. Nothing to worry yer purdy head over. Be right back. Dontcha go anywhere, darlin’.” Jack winked at a smiling Izzy.

“Well, if I did, you know where I live. And you hold the key, to my door and my heart, lover.” Izzy giggled, since they were next-door-neighbors.

Jack found Jackson on the other side of the huge Cromwell Stables building, sitting on the ground in front of a wooden bench, angrily tossing small pebbles he had grabbed into the tall grass to the side. Jack hesitated for a moment, then just lowered himself down next to his son

“Hey kiddo, what’s up? Maybe I can help.”

“Nothing.” was Jackson’s tight-lipped response, but his grim facial expressions told the tale that there very well was something.

“You keep sayin’ that, but I am just not buying whatcha sellin’ anymore, kid. Something CLEARLY is wrong. Is it because I moved? Son, if it’s too much … I can come back. You’re still so young, I was worried you weren’t ready to be on your own, so secluded and …”

Jackson looked up and interrupted his father rudely

“It’s NOT! I am fine! Don’t worry about it! I had to practically take care of myself since I was a little kid, mom was always working and then she got sick and died. I got this. I say it’s nothing, so it’s nothing!” he snarled, trying to get up to walk off again, but Jack put his hand on his son’s shoulder and just pulled him in for a hug.

Unexpectedly, Jackson not only allowed it, but even leaned into it, hugging his father back. The two men remained like this for a while, before Jack pulled away after Jackson loosened his grip.

“Talk to me, kid.” Jack tried, but Jackson only shrugged.

“Nothing to talk about.” Jackson said, snuffled, casually wiping across his eyes with his sleeve.

“Is it Izzy? I know this can’t be easy, me moving far away, leaving you alone, and then me dating a younger woman … but I thought you liked her all right. All night you two were gangin’ up on me, teasing. So, what gives? I am all lost here, son.”

“So, you admit that you ARE dating her? When I called her your girlfriend earlier you went into the longest speech ever on how she’s not. So, which is it, dad? I like her, seriously, it’s all good, I just like to know where we stand here!” challenged the young man.

“Right, okay, fine, it’s …. complicated. Even though it is not complicated between her and me for once, this is – BY FAR – the easiest relationship I have ever had. But we’re just not ready to go official yet … I think we are close, but I really want to do this right and not put the wagon before the horse here.”

“So, you love her then?”

“Tough crowd tonight.”

“Easy question, dad. Yes or no. Either you do or you don’t. Shouldn’t be tough.”

“It ain’t, it’s just the sayin’ it that is. You really are gonna make me say it though, huh? Fine, yes, I think I do like her a LOT. I am almost ready to use the L-word. But I need a little more time. My heart’s been through the wringer, I gotta take it one step at a time. I wasn’t gonna be dating again THIS soon, yet, .. and yes, I said that. Yes, Izzy and I are dating. There. She’s really important to me. You think I’d leave the ranch like I did if she weren’t?”

“So, you love her. Why not just say it then, not so hard. Not like you have to run and get married the minute you fall in love. Just be straight about it. But – what about AG? You love both? Or you quit loving her now? How does that work exactly?”

“Well, I think I will always have a really soft spot in my heart for AG, I mean, she is the mother of your sister, but I realized that she and I just don’t have enough in common to be anything that could have become what she and I were looking for. Izzy and I on the other hand, well, what don’t we have in common? She and I are carved from the same wood, even though we couldn’t be more different at first glance. The horses, she seems to like my singing, I like her cooking, we agree on the horse training, she even values my input when she is stuck or unsure, working with her is a dream and I no longer start and end every day feeling lonelier than an ice cube in the desert … even though she IS a lot younger.”

“The only one who ever gets hung up on the age gap is you. I am glad you’re happy. Seriously. I want this for you. God-honest truth.”

“Thanks kid. I just wish you were too. Jackson, if the distance is too much, I can bring you here.”

“Dad, no. I moved so much in my life, I like it in Chestnut Ridge and I want to stay. Too much rain here and I have a hard time understanding what the people here are saying half the time. The bee in my bonnet has nothing to do with you being here. Promise.”

“It better not be Ahanu and Taynee! Are they causing you grief now that I am gone?! I will be on the next plane back to kick their asses!” Jack grumbled.

“No, dad. It’s DEFINITELY not them. Since you left, they have been nothing but nice to me, checking up on me quite a bit, I mean, I am good friends with their son, I’d almost call Chayton one of my best friends, along with the McCoy kids and there is a new family that just moved there, their daughter Ashton-Leigh is really fun, Chayton and I are teaching her how to ride. Ahanu’s wife Hateya brings me cooked meals all the damn time, Ahanu even asked me a few times how you are doing, and he is happy you found happiness. I don’t see Taynee a lot, but when I do, she is very nice too. She is about to get married again, to someone from her tribe, I don’t know him well, kinda aloof, but seems all right. They are good people, things just went sour between you all, but they don’t drag me into it.”

“Jackson, come one, don’t make me beg for it, kid. Things are finally looking up for me, for the first time in a very long time I actually don’t dread waking up in the mornings anymore, so don’t give me new things to worry about.” Jack pressed.

“Fine dad. If you must know, it’s about a girl. Surprise, surprise. About a girl, and two guys. I am one of those guys. The one who gets left holding the bag.” Jackson said, Jack’s eyebrows rose up.

“More please.”

“I’ll give you a little bit, but not everything. So, there is this girl I like, I knew from the get-go she was way out of my league, but she seemed to like me back, so I thought it was worth a try to see where it goes. So, we have been talking, I got that phone because of her, cos it is a long-distance thing between us and I just recently found out she got a better offer and chose him. Or maybe I should say richer. Her dude is loaded, which I obviously am not. So, I got a lot working against me, I know it’s pointless and hopeless, but my heart just won’t listen to reason.”

“Briar Rose.” Jack simply stated, and he didn’t miss Jackson flinching.

For a moment he just glared at his father, who shrugged.

“Kid, I still talk to Connor, and he still keeps me posted on stuff. Like when his little sisters have their first boyfriends and such. So, I put two and two together and it equaled ‘ah crap!’. Look, I knew you were sweet on ‘er, but I kinda thought you’d outgrow that somehow and find yerself a nice girl at the Ridge. Listen, I know this is gonna sound really dumb coming from me, but let’s be straight here with each other. We both know you and Bri never had a chance if you really think about it. Sorry to be so blunt kid, not trying to kill yer dreams, but it took too long for someone to kick me in the rear the way I needed it to figure this out for myself. No need for you to go down that rabbithole too, cos I been there and will tell ya it ain’t a pleasant journey, so just skip it if ya can. And look at me; I am livin’, breathin’ proof that the right girl is out there, even for a retched soul like me, so there is one for you for sure, just probably in the last place you would ever think to look. Had you told me last year the one for me is here, I’d have died laughing. Who’s laughing now?” Jack snickered.

“Not me, dad. I lost my laughter. This really burns.” Jackson said somberly.

“Oh yeah, and it won’t stop for a long time either. Jackson, this is probably crappy parenting, but we’re both adults here and both know life on a ranch isn’t the same as for the city slickers, so my piece of advice for ya goes a lil something like this: while ya wait for your Mrs. Right to find her way to ya, or fate to decide to guide you to her, which I will tell ya can take a long, LONG, time, as long as you remember to be smart about it, there are always purdy lil barrel racers and ranch hands coming through Chestnut Ridge for seasonal labor and competitions. They are all lonely like you are, none of them will be your Mrs. Right, but most of them are more than willing to be your ‘Miss Right Now’ if you make it worth their while. Not the most fulfilling way to get some romantic moments into yer life, but it was what got me through long droughts, especially back before I had the ranch and was working as a ranchhand for the big guys out there. And if you change your mind and decide you wanna try going the college route, I am finally in a position to make that happen for you. Just need to talk to my bossman, I am sure he’d give me a loan, probably even interest-free, he’d probably even ship the rest of the horses over here while you make something of yourself.”

“Dad, thanks, seriously, but college just ain’t for me, I barely graduated high school and am darn glad of it, I felt goin’ to school was always a waste of time that could’ve been spent doing ranchwork, so I don’t want to waste time and money neither of us have on something I know won’t work for me. Even if I made it through to graduation, they can’t teach me anything I could use, cos I can’t sit in an office somewhere all day, every day or I’d go bonkers. I’ll figure something out. Thanks for listening. And – thanks for being there. That means more than anything. Took us both a long time to have that.”.