Bellefonte, Kansas
Cade crouched in the hayloft in the barn, listening for his brother’s return. The splintery old wood of the pitchfork nipped at his hands as he held it across his knees. The huge clump of hay speared on the blunt tines weighed it down, and he adjusted his grip as his forearms tired.
On the roof over his head, he heard birds twittering and chirping, fluttering their wings. It was yet another spring, and they were all coming back from wherever it was they went in winter, though it was still early enough in the season that frost formed on the ground most nights. And some of the old folks said they expected one more snowfall before the season fully changed. He hoped they were wrong. He longed for warmer weather.
I always hear how it’s warmer in California. I hope I’ll find out soon.
Footsteps approached the barn. Cade held his breath as Frank entered, walking almost right below him and stopping there. The opportunity was just too perfect not to take advantage of. Grunting, he heaved a load of hay over the edge of the hayloft and down right on top of Frank’s head.
Frank yelled out and swatted the broken clumps of hay away. He looked up with his hands on his hips, scowling with bits of hay still stuck in his hair. “You idiot! Get down from there.”
The indignity on his brother’s face was too much. Cade rolled onto his side, laughing loudly enough to scare away the birds on the roof.
The ladder up to the hayloft rattled. Cade peered over the edge and saw Frank starting his way up. “Hey, stay away,” Cade shouted and threw a handful of hay down into his face.
Sputtering, Frank jumped backward off the ladder, landing hard and stumbling. He swiped at his face and growled. “I’m not in the mood for this today. You get down from there right now, Cade, or I will come up after you. We’ll see if you’re havin’ fun then.”
Cade laughed and waved his hand. “Okay, okay, I’m comin’ down. Get out of the way.”
Frank stepped back, and Cade judged there was enough room. Rather than use the ladder, he gripped the edge of the loft and swung his legs over. He let his arms fully extend and braced himself, then dropped the rest of the way onto the barn floor. He was ready for the landing and hardly stumbled.
Frank shook his hat, flicking hay splinters everywhere. “You’re goin’ to break a leg doin’ that.”
“Hasn’t happened yet.” Cade dusted off his trousers.
“And when it does happen, and you’re bedridden, you think I’m goin’ to be the one takin’ care of you?” Frank snorted and put his hat back on. “Might have to put you down like a lame horse.”
“You would find a way to take care of me,” Cade said easily. That was what family did. He figured Frank was just being impatient with him, like always.
Frank sighed and looked away. “Sometimes, there’s not a way, even when you want there to be. Just be more careful. You’re too old now to be monkeyin’ around like a kid.”
Cade frowned and tilted his head. “Is there somethin’ wrong? You don’t seem like you feel too good.”
“I’m fine. I just worry. I need to know that I can count on you to pull your weight around here.” Frank fixed his dark brown gaze upon him. “Mary needs us. It’s been up to us to turn this place around since her husband passed, and we haven’t managed that yet.”
Cade kicked at the dust with the toe of his boot, sending up a gray plume. “You make it sound like the ranch is in trouble. But it’s not, is it? With us here, that’s extra help she doesn’t have to spend money on.”
That was the whole reason they were here: to help out Mary, their sister.
Frank put his hands on his hips and studied the barn floor. The ranch was never silent, no ranch ever was, but it seemed there was a bubble of quiet there in the barn that separated them from the rest of the place. Cade could almost see it, like a soapy shimmer.
My imagination really does get the better of me sometimes, doesn’t it?
Frank, at last, looked up. “Are you man enough to handle what I’m goin’ to say?”
Cade scoffed and straightened his spine. He pulled his shoulders back and pushed his chest forward. “Of course, I’m man enough.”
The look Frank gave him was sideways and suspicious, but he said, “Alright. Look, Cade, Mary didn’t want to tell you this ‘cause you had enough to worry about when we first came out here. And maybe we done put it off too long. But here it is now. Emmett wasn’t the best at handling money throughout the years. When he set up this place for himself and Mary, he called in a lot of favors, bought a lot of tools and equipment on credit. He borrowed a lot of money over time, too. Now it’s all comin’ due, and the ranch is only just gettin’ by as it is. If we don’t succeed and get some extra tin coming in, Mary’s goin’ to lose this place piece by piece.”
Cade held onto the hayloft ladder with one hand, not quite able to rely on his own feet to keep him steady after what he had just heard. It was unpleasant, like Frank had just given him a load of cow patties. “I had no idea.”
“Why do you think I’m always tellin’ you to grow up and get serious?” Frank frowned. He was developing harsh lines on either side of his mouth, deep furrows that angled down and framed the square of his chin.
“I get your point. I’ll take things more seriously from now on.” Cade scratched his chin. “I’ll get to work, then. Be in the stables if you need me.”
“Alright.”
Cade started to walk past his brother. Suddenly, he felt a yank on the back of his shirt, and then an itchy clump of hay was working its way down his spine like a mass of spiders. He yelped and shook it out and whirled around to see Frank laughing at him. Cade scowled, but he couldn’t help the smile that took over.
“See you later, brother,” Frank said, waving him off.
Cade left the barn, still plucking bits of hay from his clothing. He made his way to the stables. The horses were outside in the corral. Upon seeing him, his favorite mare whinnied, and Cade grabbed an apple from the barrel inside the stable to give to her. He stroked her neck as she crunched down her treat. Another of the horses came over, a nosy gelding who never knew his place. The mare shook her head and nipped her teeth at his mane until he backed away and went to bother another.
Cade watched the animals, though he wasn’t really seeing them. He mulled over what Frank had just told him about Mary’s ranch, and his heart began to sink as the situation really hit him.
Almost two years ago, he and Frank had traveled from Petersburg to Bellefonte to work on Mary’s ranch. Her husband, Emmett, had died after falling from his horse, and Mary had needed help managing the ranch without him. That was shortly after Genevieve had left, and Cade had welcomed the excuse to get away and focus on other things. Ever since then, he had been saving up his money in the hopes of buying a train ticket and getting out of Kansas. He wanted to go to California and start over.
He had thought he was so close to being able to leave, but now it seemed as though he would have to stay in Bellefonte even longer. He couldn’t just abandon his sister in her time of need.
The ranch isn’t going to make money fast. It’ll be at least another few seasons of hard work, and who knows if we’ll make enough money to cover all of Emmett’s debts?
“Do I really want to stay here as long as that?” Cade spoke softly to his mare.
Her ears twitched and angled toward him at the sound of his voice.
A few seasons, maybe even another whole year of hard work trying to pay off debts that weren’t even his. There was pressure on his chest, constricting his lungs.
He couldn’t do it.
He couldn’t pretend that this was okay by him. He had to man up like Frank was always telling him to do and think about his own needs. Adventure was calling him, and he had to answer it before he wound up spending forever here in this small town. If he wound up being one of those bitter old men who sat outside the saloon all day, talking about their youth and missed opportunities….
Well, he wouldn’t wind up like that.
He turned on his heel and went into the stable. With every step, his resolve hardened. Tonight at dinner, he would tell Frank and Mary his intentions to go westward. He was sure they could get along without him.
He grabbed a wheelbarrow from the supply closet and pushed it over to the first stall. He got to work mucking it out, muttering under his breath as he did. “Not like I’d be abandonin’ them. I’ll find good work in California. Send them money with my letters.”
His heart started to beat hard and eager for the first time in ages. He couldn’t wait to leave and finally get started on his dream.
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