Chapter Fifteen: Circles

Then the earth shook. Ian found himself face down in the rose bush. In a moment, he felt Reese helping him stand.

“What the hell was that?” Reese said.

“I have no…oh my God!” Ian looked at the sky. It was a mushroom of fire and smoke. “The house!”

Ian darted down the old path between the fields with Reese nipping at his heals. As they reached the clearing it looked as though the world was on fire. The wind nipped at their backs as they dodged bushes and thickets bursting into flame. They reached the opening between two old oaks and could see the lean to where the Osbourne’s car was parked.

They heard a groan and a crack. Reese pushed Ian out of the way, as one of the support beams of the lean to split and fell on top of the car. As they picked themselves off the ground, it too went up in flames.

“What the hell happened?” Was all Reese could say as Ian yanked him and they raced around the bend to the house.

The roof was gone and the walls in flame. The back porch they had stood on earlier had caved in and had become a pit of fire. The men had to put their arms up to their noses to keep from breathing in the flames.

Reese grabbed Ian’s coat and pulled him up toward the clearing that led to the Spring House path. The heat was less intense, but headed their way. From their positions they could see the maelstrom. The house, the lane, everything toward the main road was burning or crashing in on itself.

“Over there.” Reese pointed. They could see a body laying face down in the ditch. Despite Reese trying to hold him back, Ian raced to it. As they fought the flames and neared, the graying hair made it clear it was Jude.

Ian touched him and looked up at Reese. “I think he’s alive.”

The rest of the house caved in on itself. Reese and Ian shielded Jude’s body with theirs. “Grab his feet.” They managed to lift the man and pull him toward the field.

He face was bloody and his left arm broken, but he was breathing. “Jude!” Ian got down close enough so he could feel the man breathing. “Jude, can you hear me?”

Reese was on his cell phone shouting over the roar, struggling to tell the people on the other end where he was. “Just look out the fucking window and follow the flames. It’s like a bomb went off for Cris’ sakes!” Reese looked at Ian. “The Osbournes, do you see the Osbournes?”

Ian looked around. The Spring House went up in a whoosh. He looked to the barn. It stood tall, but the wind was pulling the fire toward it quickly. Ian shook his head. “Help me move him to the other side of the barn. There’s an old mud hole. If we have to, we can jump in it for safety.”

Ian reached under Jude’s armpits again and Reese went for his feet. The older man stirred and kicked. “I’m alright.” He moaned. “Get the boy! Get the boy!”

“Jude?” Ian helped him sit up. “Jude what the hell happened?”

Jude struggled to talk. “We caught the bastard!” He doubled over “My baby! My babygirl!”

“Jude.” Reese grabbed the man’s shoulders and sat him up. “Jude are they in the house?”

Jude shook his head no. “She was one the porch. He dropped the boy and he runned off.”

“The boy?” Ian screamed. “Ronnie? Ronnie ran off?”

Ian stood and looked in all directions. Reese held Jude up. “Jude, where’s the boy? Everything’s on fire, we have to find him.”

Jude nodded his head. “He was touchin’ him. Goddamn, we walked right in and he was…” Ian vomited.

Reese persisted. “Jude tell us about Ronnie, he got away?”

He nodded his head. “Toward the barn.” He wheezed. “My baby…” He sobbed.

“Janie.” Reece made Jude look at him. “Where’s Janie?”

Jude shook his head and sobbed. “Porch. Sumbitch had a gun. Shot the tank.”

Ian looked toward the barn, the fire racing in that direction. “Where the hell’s the fire truck?” He squatted down to Jude. “Jude, the boy went toward the barn?” He nodded sobbing.

“Reese, I’ve got to go get him. That thing’s going to go up any minute. You drag Jude over to the other side.” He stood to race off.

Reese grabbed him. “Ian, he’s probably run off scared to the woods or something. Just help me get Jude to safety.”

“No, there’s only one place a kid who is terrified can hide and feel safe around here. I know where that is, and I bet Ronnie does, too. I’ll check. If he’s not there, I’ll join you. I’ll be in and out in a second. I swear.” Ian didn’t bother to wait for an okay.

He had to outrace the sprinting flames, the grass and shrubs crackling like popcorn. He hopped and dodged and headed for the barn. He was barely able to breathe by the time he got to the door.

Ian yanked the door open and began to yell. “Ronnie? Buddy? It’s Ian. You in here?” Ian cupped his hands over his mouth, the roar of the fire already deafening. Ian shut the door, seeing the flames a few feet away, hoping it would buy him just a few more minutes.

The front of the hayloft was in three tears, the bottom piles of loose hay and a few bales ready to break for feeding; the second and third tears stacked tight with bales. There was no ladder. Ian spotted the old conveyer off to the side. It was a struggle but he managed to push it to the loft. Ian yanked the cord to the pull start and just as the door to the barn went up in flames.

He looked across the floor to see how quickly and where the fire was spreading. The flames had already begun to lick across the front wall. He knew that once they touched the hay piled in three tiers along the back wall of the barn the whole place would go up in seconds.

Ian yanked the crank a second time. It still didn’t catch. He heard shuffling and looked up. The mama cat was leading her young to safety, through an opening at the side. He yanked again, still no start. “Screw it.” He said out loud. He jumped on it and started to run.

Movement caught his eye once again. He looked down hoping it was Ronnie coming out of his hiding place. It was that smoke colored kitten, ignoring his family and coming straight for Ian. “The other way you stupid cat!” He yelled at it, and went back to his climb.

He was halfway there, but he’d have to pull himself up the third tier. He looked down. The entire front wall of the barn was now cracking and popping covered in the orange yellow licks of fire. And there was that stupid cat, climbing as fast as it could up that conveyer.

“Damned rodent!” Ian whirled around took two steps back and scooped the thing up. “If we die, you varmint, there will be hell to pay!” He shoved the cat in his coat pocket and ran back up the belt.

He had to jump and catch himself on a beam, hoisting his feet on the third level. Adrenaline kicked in and Ian managed to catch the beam and hoist himself up with little struggle. Ian stuck his feet in the cracks of the tightly packed bales and shimmed across the front until he found what he was looking for.

It was on old chute, long ago used for corn that ran through the center of the third tier. It was too small for him to get in, but the right size for a child.

Ian stuck his head in as he could feel the heat rising behind him. “Ronnie?” He called. “Ronnie? It’s Ian.” In the dark just beyond his reach he saw the small boy laying on his belly blinking at him. “Ronnie are you hurt?”

The boy didn’t move. “Ronnie, the barns on fire, we have to get out of here!” The boy looked at him. “You’re safe now…but you have to help me. Can you do that?” Ronnie nodded.

“Crawl up to me…come on…come to me…no one’s gonna hurt you….come on…” and the boy wriggled and came toward him, just enough so that Ian could grab him and pull him the rest of the way out. Bruises had already begun to form around the child’s neck and face.

“Hold on buddy, just grab around me and hold on tight!” The wrapped himself around Ian so tight he almost lost his balance. Ian looked down the flames were starting to devour the second tier already. Ian was having trouble breathing and Ronnie was coughing.

He hoisted the boy on his hip and stood. “Hold on.” It was a balancing act, but Ian managed to take steady steps toward the center of the third tier. He lifted Ronnie over his head. “Grab on to the beam.”

Ronnie pulled himself up. Ian pointed and yelled. “Are there hay stacks at the back still?” He got no answer. “Okay…we’re playing this one by ear Ronnie, just hold on. Shimmy to the window and jump. When you land…run! Just run into the field!”

“Go!” Ian watched the child begin to crawl across the beam over his head toward the open hole at the peak of the barn. “Don’t look down, just look at the window and crawl, Ronnie. Crawl!”

He tossed his shoes over the edge and grabbed the beam over his head with one hand. Ian kicked himself off the floor, using his hands to pull himself up until he could wrap his legs around the beam. Upside down he began to inchworm to the opening.

“Don’t look down…don’t look down…” He repeated over and over, until inch by inch he could feel the cool air from the opening.

It was the center pole across the top of the barn his Uncle used to hang tobacco sticks across. He prayed it would continue to hold his weight until he shimmied its length and figured out how to flip himself around as he hand walked its length to the opening in the center tip of the barn.

He felt his feet bang against the wall. Ian looked down. The far end of the third tier was now a roar, fire racing toward him. He released the beam with his legs, the weight of his body took a full swing almost pulling him off the beam.

Ian heard someone yelling. “Com’mon. Just a little further. You can do it! Com’mon.” It was Ronnie. Ian looked up from his grip, and there the boy was a little more than arms length away.

“Jump, Ronnie, jump!”

Ronnie had laid down on the beam, his feet locked over the edge of the window and was reaching out to him. Ian knew that if he grabbed the boy’s hand, the quick shift in his weight would pull them both over and into the fire pit below. His only hope was to swing his feet up onto the ledge, hopefully enough to levy himself.

“Get back boy.” Ian yelled. Ian managed to swing a leg up and over the top of the beam. As the fire crawled upward, somehow Ian found himself on top of the beam. It was hard to breath and Ian was dizzy but he slowly managed to crawl the few feet left to the sill of the opening.

Ian caught his breath. He felt something struggling in his pocket. He reached in and pulled the cat out. He handed the cat to the boy. “Here this is yours.” Ronnie’s face lit up as he held the cat tight.

The boy took his hand and they looked down. If they could jump out far enough the could land in stacks of loose hay, otherwise it was 200 or more feet to the hard ground which would soon be enveloped in fire. “Okay kid,” Ian said. “We gotta jump out”

“Like on a diving board.” Ronnie nodded. He looked up at Ian. “I’m scared.”

“We can do this. We’re strong men. We always land on our feet.” He reached out his hand. The boy took it. “When you land, get up as quick and you can and run, run away from the heat.” I pointed out. “To the field.”

Ronnie nodded and squeezed his hand. “On three?”

Ian smiled and nodded. “One…” They both took deep breaths and looked at their target, about 10 feet out.

“Two…” They both squatted down, like frogs about to take a leap. Ronnie nodded his head and they both said “Three.”

As he yelled three, Ian felt his body hurling, he didn’t know if it was toward the pool of flame, or just to the ground outside the barn. All he knew is that he was falling. He let out a scream.

Reese had managed to get Jude to the field in back of the barn, but he could see black smoke billowing out the open holes near the top. He saw no movement.

“You see ‘em?” Jude said.

Reese shook his head. Jude’s head snapped up and pointed toward the barn as they watched layers of fire poof out the bottom.

“Get back.” Sonny grabbed Jude and pulled him further away from the flames. Both of their heads shot toward the sound of sirens. They knew it was too late to save most of the buildings and searched with their eyes whatever wasn’t quickly being engulfed by fire. Another crack made them both jump and they ducked as they saw the back wall of the barn begin to crumble and fall toward them.

It fell in pieces onto the ground, large burning chunks hitting the grass and the stacks of hay. “Oh my God!” was all Reese could say knowing that both Ian and the boy were probably gone. His heart sank and Jude grabbed his shoulder.

Suddenly above the din they heard a piercing cry, “DAMN CAT!”

“Over there!” Jude pointed and ran towards a haystack that was beginning to burn. A chunk of the top point of the barn had fallen on it. Reese could see something struggling in it. He saw little hands pushing and pulling trying to free itself. Jude ran behind Reese, ignoring his own pain and headed toward the haystack.

Reese arrived first and began to toss broken boards to one side. By the time Jude had arrived they could hear coughing. One arm swinging broken to one side, Jude showed amazing strength with his other, lifting a large heavy chunk just enough so that Reese could reach in and grab.

“I’ve got you!” Reese grabbed the hand and pulled. Ronnie sprang from where he was pinned and gulped for air.

”Ian!” The little boy screamed and began to fish in the smashed haystack.

“Hurry!” Jude yelled straining at holding the large chuck.

Reese just dove head first in, holding the clinging child on one hip. He felt a hand grab his. Reese dug his feet into the ground and wrapped his hand tight around the partial length of arm he could feel but not see and then just straightened up; smacking the back of his head on the beam attached to the bottom of the chunk Jude was holding.

Ian popped out of the haystack gasping for air like rising from the bottom of a body of water. He wrapped his arms around Reece’s waist and pulled himself to safety. Reece tried to pull Ian all the way out but Ian reached back into the haystack and pulled something out.

He handed a hay covered pissed off cat to Ronnie. “Here this thing is yours.”

Jude dropped the pylon and the four scrambled back just as the stack burst into flame. Reese wrapped his arm around Ian, Ronnie and kitten still tucked under his arm. Jude wrapped his good arm around Ian’s other side the four managed to stumble themselves as far from the flames as possible.

As they all dropped to the ground a fat man in a rubber suit walked over to them. “What seems to be the problem?” Ian stood up and decked him.



Tippy Shores was in her robe when the doorbell rang. She made sure she was properly covered and looked out of the curtain to see who was ringing the bell this late.

“Oh, my.” She said as she hurried to undo the deadbolts and open the front door.

“I’m sorry. I know it’s late…” Saxon Allen was trembling.

“Honey, it’s okay.” Tippy held the door open and allowed her entrance. “Come on in.”

“Ian…” she said. “He’s not home. I was hoping he was here…”

“No, honey, we went to…”

Saxon hung her head. “Lost Mountain.” She took a deep breath.

“Come over here and sit down, Saxon.”

The woman said “Thank you” and sat uncomfortably on the edge of the sofa.

“Honey,” Tippy patted her on the knee. “He’ll be back tomorrow. Reese flew him down yesterday.”

“I got a message from my mother. She told me Ian’s Aunt Hil had died. I didn’t know if he’d gone back or what…”

“I’d have called you myself, but I didn’t know how to contact you. Ian said you were out of town.”

Saxon nodded her head. “In Australia, I came back early. I had turned my phone off. When I landed, I finally turned it back on to see if that…jerk tried to call.”

“Romantic holiday didn’t work out so well?” Tippy rubbed Saxon’s shoulder.

“The first few days were wonderful, but Rudy started getting the 72 hour itch and next thing I knew he was chasing around waitresses and beach bunnies. I finally had enough and hopped the next plane home.” Saxon looked up at Tippy. “Is he okay? Have you talked to him?”

Tippy took her hand. “Come on, sweetie, let’s go in the kitchen and have some tea and cheese cake.” They stood up and Saxon followed Tippy through the house. “He’s shook up, Saxon, but he seemed to be holding together well.” She pulled a stool out from the kitchen counter and patted it. “Have a seat. You hungry? I’ve got some left over fried chicken?”

“No, thank you. Tea and cheesecake sounds good, though.” Saxon smiled.

Tippy opened the fridge door. “We all wanted to go with him, but Ian insisted he do it alone.” She pulled a pan from the fridge and put it on the counter. “I did manage to talk him into letting Reese fly him down.” She reached over her head putting two mugs of water in the microwave and then grabbed two plates.

“Good.” Saxon said. “At least he’s not alone. Just a small piece.”

Tippy looked up from the knife she was about to slice with. “Ian made it.”

Saxon grinned. “Okay, a big piece…”

“They are staying at a motel, but they went to the Osbourne’s this morning and they were all going to the service together.”

Panic was written all over Saxon’s face. “The Osbournes?”

“Yes.” Tippy smiled placing a large chunk of cake in front of Saxon. “Janie and Kyle, is that right?” The microwave alarmed and Tippy opened the door and took out two mugs of steamy water. “They bought his old place, next door to his aunt?”

“Yes.” Saxon opened two tea bags and dunked one in each cup. “He’s okay with that?”

“I guess so. He didn’t really say.” Tippy pulled open a drawer and got out two forks and two spoons.

Saxon let out a breath. “It was going to be hard enough without that. It never crossed my mind.” She put her hand on her forehead and her elbow on the counter and forked the cheesecake a little.

“Honey, is something wrong? I mean, why would that be a problem?” Tippy pulled her stool right up beside Saxon, and shoved the sugar bowl toward her.

“Has Ian talked much about his past?”

“Not a whole lot.” Tippy swirled her sugar into her tea. “It seems to make him uncomfortable, so as hard as that is for me, I don’t press it. Eat your cheesecake, honey.”

Saxon nodded her head. “He has tried so hard to put it all behind him, and it keeps just coming back and smacking him in the face.”

“Darlin’, I knew he was raised so poor there’s not a word for it, and I understand that he was abused, but whenever you bring up Lost Mountain, or if it even slips off his tongue, you can see this glaze just take him over and he shuts completely down.”

“So he has told you about it?”

“Just bits and pieces.”

“Ian’s a survivor, but there are a lot of deep scars. It seems every time he’s gotten hold of some kind of happiness and managed to get the past to stay down, something comes along a rips those old wounds right back open.” Saxon washed down a bite with tea.

“You care for him a lot.” Tippy smiled and sipped her own cup. “You don’t have to say anything. I can see it.” She forked off another bite of cheesecake. “Why haven’t the two of you ever gotten together?”

Saxon half smiled, half frowned. “Oh, timing, all wrong. It’s something that was just never meant to be.”

“But now that that Clare thing is out of the picture?”

“Oh, Tippy.” Saxon shook her head. “Let it go. Ian and I are close, but there are just…bridges neither one of us can get across.” She smiled. “Even though we haven’t seen each other in years, last weekend we picked right up where we left off as dear, dear friends with that little ache there of just enough memory of the past that will never let us be anything more than that.”

Tippy put her fork down on the plate. “Now, you see, I don’t understand. First of all, why would he choose that hellion over you to begin with? As I see it she swooped right in and took him away from you. He never loved her, and I know his heart…and every time you mention your name…”

“Tippy Ian loved Clare, in his own way, but I don’t think it’s possible for Ian to be in love. It might happen someday, but there’s…let’s just let that go.”

Tippy picked up her empty plate. “You want some more?” Saxon shook her head and scooted her plate toward Tippy. “Of course, I’ve only pieced it together, and no matter what you both say I will never understand how he could choose her over you.”

“I was never in the running, Tippy. I was always just the friend on the side lines, watching him struggle.”

Tippy smiled at her as she shut the dishwasher door. “That’s not what I heard. Ian told me that on the first day of that class the two of you just clicked. It was like you’d known each other all your life.”

“We had a very common bond.” Tippy noticed that sad smile Ian got when he talked about Saxon creep across her face as she spoke of him. “We were both poor kids in a school filled with rich kids. It was easy to spot each other and feed off that support. It never crossed our minds that it was ever anything more than a kinship.”

“Oh…I see.” Tippy said as she seated herself back beside Saxon. “You had a boyfriend.”

“No. No I didn’t.”

“Then?”

Saxon cocked her head and looked at Tippy. “You don’t know?”

“Know what, child?”

“About Taylor?”

“Whose Taylor?” Tippy asked.

“Ian’s wife.” Saxon read the shocked look on Tippy’s face.

“Mama!” Jesse yelled from up the stairs. “Mama, turn on the TV!” He screamed as he bounded down and into sight.

“What on earth!” Tippy shouted back.

Jesse raced to the little television sitting on the counter. Colton walked up behind Tippy and put his hand on her shoulder. “It’s all over the 11 o’clock news.”

“What is?” she said.

Colton nodded his head toward the set, now blazing into action. The HRT news anchor talked into the camera with a picture of Ian behind him.

“That’s Ian.” Saxon bolted up. “Turn it up, turn it up!”

Jesse pointed the remote and the sound got louder…

“HRT Executive Ian Justyn narrowly escaped death this afternoon…” the man read.

“Oh my God!” Tippy said quietly.

“For more details we go now to Barton Dennison, live in Virginia. Barton, what’s going on?”

The screen split, Barton Dennison popping into view. “Details are sketchy at the moment, Carl, but what we have managed to put together is that Ian Justyn was in his hometown for the burial of an old friend.”

“Is that a house on fire behind him?” Colton asked.

“Justyn and an unidentified companion had returned when at some point a tank used for heating exploded. Dry conditions and heavy winds caused the fire to spread quickly.” Dennison said to the camera. “Preliminary investigations report that Justyn pulled two people from the flames.”

“Was anyone seriously injured, Barton?”

“Justyn, his companion and the two people rescued were taken to the hospital but treated and released with minor injuries. The owners of the home behind me, sadly, perished in either the flames or as a result of the explosion.”

The Shores and Saxon watched the screen in horror. The phone rang. Tippy immediately snatched it up.

“Hello…?” She said as she kept glued to the screen.

“Mom? It’s Reese…”



The sun was coming up the next morning by the time that Billy picked the four up from the police station. They all now stood there staring at the charred remains. No one could tell what was still the morning fog and what was smoke still rising from the ashes. It was all just piles of scorched memories of Ian’s childhood and everything Ronnie had ever known.

The boy had refused to leave the arms of one of the men. He spoke little and remembered less. The cop in charge, a smiling quiet man they called Sergeant Cummings, didn’t press. Jude’s statement was enough. Though in pain, bruised and bloody. He remembered every detail.

Janie and Jude had walked in the house to hear the boy wimpering, “No Daddy. I don’t want to.” Jude ran down the hall and kicked the bathroom door in. Kyle had his hands around Ronnie’s throat, trying to force the boy to perform oral sex on him.

Jude jumped in and quickly threw a punch. Kyle dropped the boy and Ronnie ran, Jude assumed to his mother’s arms. Jude said Kyle jumped up, grabbed the shower curtain rod and hit him with it. It had caught him by surprise and he fell backward and hit the back of his head against the toilet. While he struggled to get up, Kyle managed to jump over him and out the bathroom door into the hallway.

He heard Janie yell, “Run Ronnie, run!” By the time Jude got himself to his feet, Janie and Kyle were fighting on the floor. Jude picked up a lamp and swung it connecting with Kyle’s head. He rolled off his wife and bolted out of the house. Jude pulled her to her feet and they ran after, hoping to find the boy.

They got to the porch and started yelling the boy’s name. Jude said he heard a shot, and looked up. Kyle was standing between the lean to and the shed with a gun in his hand. He saw him pull the trigger a second time and he turned his head to see Janie grab her shoulder and hit the floor. Kyle pulled off the third shot and Jude ducked. He heard it ping on the heating oil tank off the porch behind him.

Jude said he made a drive toward the man and ended up face down at his feet. Kyle kicked him in the side and rolled him over into the ditch. He kicked him one more time in the face and Jude felt Kyle put the barrel of the gun to his head. Then he heard the boom and that was it, until he saw Ian and Reese standing over him.

Firemen found Kyle’s body impaled in a tree, hanging there like a fallen vampire they told them. Janie’s body, burned almost beyond recognition was pulled from the wreckage of the house. All the buildings on the property had burned either to the ground or beyond repair. It was assumed that nothing could be salvaged.

Sgt Cummings now stood beside them, looking at whatever was left. “Can I take you boy’s somewhere else?’ He asked.

“That’s our rental.” Reese pointed at the dirty car that could now easily be seen in the lane across from what used to be a field. “I assume it’ll run.”

“You boys take care.” The man said. “I’ll call if I need anything, but there won’t be any charges. This is just a nightmare we’ll all gonna try and forget as quick as we can.”

He tipped his hat, hopped in his car and pulled off into the nowhere he came from leaving them to stand there surveying what was left of nothing.

“Well, it’s all gone now.” Jude said, his forehead taped shut and his left arm in a cast and sling. “All of it…ever damned thing.” He shook his head in disbelief.

Reese looked at Ian and the little boy clinging tight in his arms, face buried in his shoulder. “So what do you want to do, Ian? I can stay as long as you need.”

“We should stay or at least come back for the funerals.” Ian said quietly.

“Won’t be no funerals” Jude said. “Don’t need to put the boy through that. I’ll have her laid to rest next to Miz Hil. She’d like that. Janie would, too. Him I’ll let ‘em dump him in a hole somewhere. Don’t really care.”

Ian took a deep breath. “Let’s all just go back to our hotel room, clean up and get some rest. We’ll decide what to do then.”

No one moved. Reese rubbed the back of still in shock boy, now dressed in one of Sonny’s tee shirts and a pair of Ian’s socks that came up to his knees, clinging desperately to Ian. The other four just looked at the blackened mess in silence.

“Raze it, Jude.” Ian turned to his old friend. “Bulldoze every fucking piece right into the ground and forget it ever existed.”

Jude nodded his head. “I’ll see if there is anything left the boy might want, and then make sure no one can ever remember what was here. Maybe when the boy’s older he can sell it like you did.” Jude turned to Billy. “Will you take me home?”

“Sure, Jude. If that’s what you want.”

Ian leaned his head against the child’s. “Come on then. Let’s all go get cleaned up and get something to eat. Reese can get us ready to fly back, but you call me if you and the boy need anything…anything at all.”

Jude looked at Ian. “Son, take the boy with you.”

“Fine, you’ll join us later though? You have our room number?” Ian started to hand Ronnie, his face still buried in his shoulder, to Jude.

“I’ll come say goodbye. Reese, buddy, will you and Billy take the boy and let Ian and I talk?”

Reese nodded and reached for the boy. Billy ruffled the boy’s hair, as Ronnie allowed himself to be switched to the other man’s arms like a rag doll. The boy clung to Reese, one arm around his neck, the other hand clinging to a singed and docile kitten. Jude and Ian watched him being carried across the field to the car, Billy following behind.

Jude put his one good hand in his pocket. He looked at the ground then but up to Ian. “Take the boy back home with you…I’ll fix it so no one will ever try to take him from you.”

“Jude? I’m just a stranger to him, you’re his family, all he knows…all that’s left.”

“Ian, son, I ain’t got much time neither…” Jude saw the question on Ian’s face. “Liver’s gone…got the cancer. Doc says maybe a year. Hadn’t even told ma girl. You leave him here; the boy watches someone else die and then gets hauled around from home to home until he turns eighteen. That’s not what you wanted.”

“Jude…”

He put up his hand. “Just hear me out. I know, I know…but things have come full circle now. You do right by this boy, just like you allus did, give him ever thing we couldn’t give you. Ever thing we wanted to give and I still can’t give to a child now. He ain’t got no family but me. Kyle’s mama’s dead and his daddy’s in worse shape than me. I’ll talk with him and we’ll get legal papers drawed up real fast…”

“Oh, Jude…” Ian sighed. “I don’t…this isn’t a good idea. I mean, look at me…all the pain…and it just keeps following me around.”

Jude pointed his finger at Ian. “Don‘t! Don’t cha even think like that. You made the right decision, make the right one this time.”

Ian held his ground. “How can you say that, Jude? Look!” He forced the old man to looked at the black, smelly mess of what his life and Ronnie Kyle’s life once had been. “If I had made a different decision none of this would have happened…none of it!”

He stepped in front of the old man and looked in his eyes, pointing behind him. “This is my fault, Jude, and you want me to take that boy to live with me? Not good Jude. Not good! What kind of nightmares will that kid have for the rest of his life, because of something he had no control over? I know what that’s like, Jude. No, I can’t do it. You can’t ask me to do it!”

“You don’t know that Ian. None of us knew about that boy’s…Kyle. What you did was…”

“Selfish, what I did was selfish Jude. I saw an out and I took it. I thought I was making things better for everyone, but I’ve just made it worse. Janie, Kyle, Ronnie and you, I made things worse. People are dead and that boy’s life is ruined, don’t ask me to seal his fate.”

Jude put his hands on Ian’s shoulders. “You think things would be better if you’d made different choices? Why, son? Taylor would still be gone, and you’d still be livin’ in a shack with no hope.”

He slipped his good arm around Ian’s shoulder and squeezed him close. “It’s time, bubba. You take that boy. You give that child everything you ever wanted. You give that boy all the love you tried so hard to give away. That’s all ya both need. None of us can make up for the bad stuff, but when it’s meant to be…it makes it so much easier to forget.”

Ian looked at the ground. “Meant to be?”

“Meant to be, Ian, you take that boy and you got something you was allus suppose ta have…family, real honest to God family. That’s meant to be, Ian. I know it in my heart. What’s happened is awful, so nows your chance to take it all, the nightmares of your childhood and the nightmares of his and make ‘em good. Ian, this were meant ta be. Take ‘em, take ‘em and don’t look back.”

“Come with us Jude…please?”

Jude shook his head. “No…caint. Gotta spend the rest of my time trying to find whatever is that was hid from you, hell hid from us all. I may not be able to do right by you, but you can do right by my gran baby, and maybe I can find something that will help you both.”

Ian started to hug Jude. “Just go now. I’ll stop by before you go, maybe bring the boy some clothes, got a couple things at the house that’s his, probably all he got left. I’ll sift through this mess and see what I can find.”

Ian gave Billy a hug and got in the car, watching Judd just silently looking over the charred remains as they drove off. As the rattling of the dirt road gave way to the smooth rock of pavement Ian finally asked Sonny. “Can we make it home before dark?”

“Probably.”

“Make it happen.”

Nothing else was said until they got back to the hotel room. Ian immediately lay Ronnie down on the bed. Reese produced the crocheted afghan from Ian’s box and spread it out over the boy. Ian then lay down beside the child and wrapped his arms around until the little boy squirmed to comfort and sighed. Ronnie patted the spot beside him and Reese lay down in it. The three wrapped themselves together and slept.

They were awakened by a knock at the door. Reese popped up and peeked outside the window. “It’s Jude.” He opened the door and Jude, holding two little plastic bags, entered.

He smiled when he saw Ronnie. “Hey, there’s my little man. Are you feeling a little better, buddy?” Ronnie sat up and nodded his head, rubbing his eyes. Jude handed one of the bags to Ian. “I found a pair of jeans and some under pants, stopped at Kmart on the way here and bought a shirt. That’s all there is.”

Reese walked over to his suitcase and took out a few things. “Why don’t I take a shower and let the three of you talk?”

“Thanks, Reece.” Ian said as Reese disappeared into the bathroom and shut the door.

Jude sat in the chair. “Ronnie why don’t you come here and sit in my lap. I wanna talk with ya.” The boy crawled up in his lap and wrapped his arms around his grandfather. Jude sighed. “Awwww, boy, do you know how much yer granddaddy loves you?”

Ronnie nodded his head. “Remember how I promised you one day I’d take you for a ride in a plane?” He nodded again. “Well, Ian and Reese here, they’s gonna do that for me. Would you like that?”

“You gonna come too, Granpaw?” He asked.

Jude took the boys sweet dirty little face in his hands. “No, Ronnie, I’m gonna stay here, but I want you to go with Ian.”

Ian moved to the far edge of the bed and brushed hair from the boy’s eyes with his fingers. “Ronnie, your Granpaw wants you to come and live with me. Miz Hil was all the family I had, and we were thinking maybe you and me we could be family now.”

“You want me to be your little boy now?” He asked.

Ian smiled; he couldn’t fight the tears rolling down his cheeks. “Yeah, Ronnie, I’d like that an awful lot.”

“I ain’t got nobody now but Granpaw. Can he come too?”

“I’ve asked him, but he wants to stay here and take care of a few things. Maybe we can talk him into it later.”

“Please come, Granpaw….please!” The boy begged.

“Aww buddy, I cain’t right now. I got to take care of everything here. You know yer mama wouldn’t be happy if we left the place in such a mess. I’ll get it all cleaned up and then I’ll come out at least for a visit.”

“You can call him every day.” Ian assured him. “I’ll even buy your granpaw a computer and you can see each other while you talk. It won’t be quite the same, but so many things have changed Ronnie and we just want what’s best.”

“I reckon that’d be okay then.”

Jude nodded his head and picked up the second bag. “Ronnie, I found this and want you to have it.” He handed the boy a frame with a picture in it. Ian could see it was of Ronnie, his mother, Jude and Aunt Hil. “You member when you gave me this fer Christmas last year?”

“Uh huh.”

“Well you take it and keep it by your bed. Ever night we can all watch over you while you sleep, and if you ever get lonely or sad you just look at how happy we all are and you be happy, too.”

“I’ll try Grandpaw. It’ll be hard, but I’ll try.”

“Yer a good boy.” Jude held the boy close, tears flowing from his eyes. “My heart just breaks to see you go baby boy, but it breaks with happy cause I know that Ian will take such good care of you.”

“I love you til my heart breaks, too Grampaw”.

Jude stayed with them until Reese’s plane was in the air. Ronnie waved goodbye to his grandfather and watched him wave until he was just a speck on the ground. Ronnie never looked back after that. He nestled into Ian’s lap and slept most of the rest of the way.

Reese had told Jude that he would fly back and help clean up as soon as they were allowed to. Ian said he’d pay for every trip it took, and all the manpower to clean up. Ian also made Jude promise that he would come and stay with them as soon as it was all done.

When they stopped for a final refueling Ian called Tippy. “It’s taking a little longer than we thought, but we’ll be home soon.” He said.

“It’s alright, Baby Doll. We’re just glad you’re okay.”

“Things have changed, Tippy.”

“I know, Ian. Just get home and we’ll talk about it after a good night’s rest.”

“No. We need to talk as soon as I get there.”

“Well, that’s fine.”

“Listen, Tippy, I need your help. I’m not sure what to do.”

“Anything I can do, you know that.”

Ian smiled. “I’m bringing the boy with me.”

“The boy?”

“Ronnie. He’s got nothing, I mean nothing, just what’s on his back. He’ll need clothes and toys…”

“Ian.” Tippy stopped him. “Baby Doll, I can take care of that. Don’t worry.”

“Thank you.”

“But I need you to remember something.” She said.

“What’s that?”

“That child may not have clothes and toys, silly stuff like that, but he’s got everything else in the world.”

“I don’t understand.”

“Baby Doll, he’s got you.”



It was dark by the time the plane landed. Jesse was waiting for them on the tarmack. He couldn’t help himself, he was so relieved they were home. Jesse hugged his brother and then grabbed Ian, smashing the little boy between them.

“God you stink.” He said.

“Well, your brother got a shower, but Ronnie and I haven’t had the chance.” Ian looked down at the boy. “Ronnie Kyle, this is Jesse. He’s Reese’s brother. He lives next door.”

“To us?” Ronnie asked.

“Right next door. We’ll have fun.” Jesse rubbed the boy’s head.

Ian smiled. “Let’s go home, we’ll get some food and some clean clothes and try and get settled in.” Ronnie nodded his head and stepped out on the tarmack.

Ian reached into the plane and picked up his backpack. As he started to sling it over his shoulder he saw the little head pop out. He reached in and pulled it out. “Here.” He handed it to Jesse.

“What am I suppose to do with this thing? Roll it in cornmeal and deep fry it?” He asked holding the cat up by the scruff.

“Well, you can try, but it didn’t work the first time.” Ian pointed to the boy. “It’s Ronnie’s cat. I don’t want it anywhere near me.”

“Ian’s afraid of cats.” Reese said.

“I am not. I just don’t like them.” Ian grabbed a suitcase Reese was handing him. “You gonna help us unload or stand there like a lazy bum?”

“I’m thinking about the lazy bum thing.” Jesse said. “Here buddy, this is yours?” He handed the boy the kitten. “What’s his name?”

“Don’t know yet.”

“He’s yours now.” Ian told him. “You can name him.”

“Can I keep him in the house, too?”

“Don’t see that I have much choice do I?” Ian turned to grab a box Reese had scooted to the door.

Jesse picked up the box. “Hey, Ronnie, why don’t you put that kitty down over there in my car and then come back a help me carry some of these boxes.” Jesse pointed over to his car. “The one with the trunk open.”

“Okay.” Ronnie looked to the fur ball in his hands. “Com’mon rodent, we’re gonna go for another ride now.”

Jesse looked up at Ian. “So you’ve got a kid and a cat now, can you handle it?”

“Not sure about the cat, but we’ll make it.” Ian handed Jesse the old crock from Hilary’s kitchen. “Be careful with that.”

“You got it.”

“Is that just about it?” Ian asked Reese.

“All but the rocker.” Reese jumped out of the plane and Ian helped him roll up the ladder. “I’ll just lock it up in the plane, and come back and get it later.”

“Sounds good. Let’s get home.”

As they drove toward home, Ian was seeing it all through Ronnie’s eyes. He was scared, more than he’d ever been. Until now, Ian only had to fear for himself. Suddenly there was someone else who was more important. How the hell was he going to do this? Could he do it?

Ian looked at the cat looking at him. He sighed and looked out the window to see what the boy was looking at. “We’re doing this.” He thought to himself. As long as the cat stays on the other side of the car, they were doing this.

To her word, when they arrived, the Shores and Kellen were at the house. Tippy had stocked the fridge and bought out Toys R Us. Colton and Kellen were all smiles having turned the largest bedroom downstairs into a room for a little boy.

Ronnie was just a little overwhelmed. Ian knew it would take time, for both of them, to adjust. It would be slow, but they would adjust. The boy refused to be anywhere without either Ian or Reese in sight. Ronnie had not been around such a constant flow of people and he was naturally shy, but he was opening up.

To Ian’s chagrin, Ronnie bonded especially with the damned cat. Frankly, Ian felt better knowing the boy was always in sight, but it unnerved him that the cat seemed to never take it’s eyes off Ian. Ian just knew the little rodent was planning something. He just knew that the little feline had plans to jump him when no one was around to be a witness. “Those things are just pure evil.” He thought to himself.

But Ronnie loved the little thing, and the little thing just loved the attention. Tippy, of course, had taken both the boy and the kitten under wing. Ronnie wasn’t sure what to make of Tippy, but the cat, oh the cat loved it.

Tippy had already made plans for the boy, setting up visits with pediatricians and dentists, and had a list of recommendations for a child psychologist. With Colton now off daily working on the new television show, Ronnie and the cat were now her focus.

Reese and Jesse were already fighting for the boy’s attention. They were so goofy they made Ronnie smile, something that Ian hadn’t seen since the whole tragedy happened. They were already trying to out do each other in impressing the boy.

Colton was the biggest surprise. The quiet, gentle man would just slip into the room at just the right time with just the right gesture or just the right word. When they first arrived at the house, everyone was fussing over Ronnie and the boy was completely overwhelmed. Colton got up from his spot on the couch, walked over to the boy, picked him up and held him in his lap wrapping his arms around him tight and just sighed. “Aw, it is so good to have you home.” Ronnie, and Ian, just melted.

Ian managed to get the boy and himself showered and into clean clothes. Tippy and the boys had made dinner, and they had a big old loud family meal. Ronnie tried his best to relax, but it was all so foreign to him. Several times Ian made a point to reach over and whisper into his ear. “It’s okay, I’m still getting used to all this, too.” Ronnie would look up at him and nod.

After the big old loud family dinner, they had a big old loud clean up. Ian, new to this too, wasn’t quite sure what to do next, but he was determined to be in charge. He thought the best way was to just tell Ronnie what he normally did, and see how the boy reacted. “Well, buddy, I usually have a lot of work to do which means this is the time I usually watch television.”

“You work watching television?” The boy asked.

“That’s what I do. I work in television.”

“Okay.” Ronnie just blinked. “What do you watch?”

“Anything and everything.” He said.

“Sugar Plum, is there something that you like to watch?” Tippy asked him, patted a spot by her on the sofa.

“Ummm…well…” Ronnie took the seat beside her. “I like game shows…and funny stuff.”

“Game shows?” Tippy looked at Ian and gently nodded her head to get him to sit on the other side of the boy. “Like ‘Wheel of Fortune’?”

“Yeah. That’s good, but I like you know where people has to do stuff better.” He looked at Ian. “You know, I like that one where they have to use tennis balls and paper cups and stuff, I can’t remember what it’s called, but it’s on channel five on Wednesday night.”

“I tell you what.” Ian said. “Why don’t you be in charge of the TV. We’ll surf through the channels until we find something we like.”

“Surf through the channels?” Ronnie giggled. “There’s only two. My friend Toby Davis, he can get three, but he lives way on top the mountain.”

Ian laughed. “I forgot. Ronnie…” Ian handed the boy the remote from its place in the cradle on the end table. “…welcome to California.”

“What’s this?”

“Power, child, lots and lots of power.” Ian pointed to the red button. “Just point that thing and press the red button.”

“Point it?”

“At the TV.” Tippy said.

“Okay.” Ronnie looked around. “Where’s the TV?”

Ian pointed to the flat mirror on the wall in front of them. “Just point and hit that red button.”

Ronnie looked at Ian like he was an idiot, but did what he was told. In an instant, the “mirror” lit up and a man with a deep voice looked at them.

“Can switching to Geico really save you money?” The man said.

“Well, I swan…” the boy said. “That’s bigger than our pitcher window.” Tippy showed the eager boy how to change channels, pop up the guides and the kid mastered it like a pro.

Ian enjoyed watching the boy and the boy kept looking over at Ian with a big grin on his face. He would change channels and ask if this was “okay”. Ian would nod and in a few seconds the boy would change it again, or pop up the little window at watch to things at once.

The cat remained fascinated with Ian, and Ian always had one eye focused on every move the little vermin made. When it jumped up into Ronnie’s lap, Ian breathed a sigh of relief. When it took a step towards Ian’s thigh he’d shoo it back. When the cat decided enough was enough and just plopped into his lap, Ian tensed up and told the boy, “Please, get this thing away from me.”

“Aw, it’s just a kitty.” Ronnie smiled and scooped the cat up and rubbed his cheek in its dirty fur.

“It’s an evil rodent and it doesn’t like me.”

“Ian Justyn!” Tippy tisked, taking the cat from the boy. “I cannot believe you. This precious little thing isn’t going to hurt you.”

“It smells nasty!” Ian cringed.

Tippy sniffed the now purring fur ball. “Well, you’re right about that. I’ll call tomorrow and make an appointment at a vet and a groomer.”

“Whatever, just keep it away from me.” Ian said flatly.

“Tessie!” Ronnie squealed. Tippy and Ian looked at Ronnie and he pointed excitedly to the screen. “It’s Tessie! I love her!”

Ian smiled. “She’s one of my favorites, too.”

“Can we watch her?” Ronnie asked. “Please?”

“Absolutely.” Ian snuggled back on the sofa and the boy snuggled next to him. Together they watched a syndicated rerun of an old HRT sitcom. It was a simple little farce with heavy doses of slapstick, the kind no one made anymore because no one watches. Ian always thought it was because once you’ve seen the best, why bother trying to recreate it, and next to Lucy and Carol Burnett, Tess Sinclair was the best.

They laughed and the giggled and they recited lines to each other that they knew by heart.
When the episode was over, Ian showed Ronnie how to work the TiVo, where he had saved his favorite episodes. They watched another and then another.

Before he knew it, the Shores and Kellen had disappeared and the boy had giggled himself to sleep curled up underneath Ian’s arm. He gently scooped up the child and carried him up to his bedroom. He knew eventually the boy would go to his own room downstairs, but Ian didn’t want him to wake up in the middle of the night in strange surroundings and not have any one there.

Once he had Ronnie all safe and snug under the covers of the big bed, Ian sat on the edge and just watched the child breath. He couldn’t believe the boy was now a part of his life. His mind was so full of questions and fears. Could he be a father? Would the child even let him? He leaned over and gently kissed the boy on the forehead.

The child stirred and looked at Ian. The boy reached out and grabbed Ian, clinging so tight and trembling. Ian could feel how much the boy hurt. He knew Ronnie was trying very hard, but he was still afraid and he knew instinctively how deeply troubled the boy was.

Ronnie Kyle started bawling, not crying mind you, bawling his little eyes out suddenly for no apparent reason. Ian held him and just let him wail. He hadn’t really cried at all, so Ian thought it was best just to encourage him and talk about it if he wanted. By the time he got him calmed down, at least down to sniffles, he looked at Ian as asked him if he was going to send him home.

“No, puppy, this is your home now. You don’t ever have to leave.” Ian said as the little guy just melted into him.

“You sure?” He cried.

“Absolutely.”

“No ones going to come and take me away?”

“No body. You are safe here. I promise.”

“And I’m your little boy now?” He sniffed.

“No Ronnie Kyle, you are my little man.”

He smiled. He squirmed underneath the cover but little tears dropped from his eyes again. “I miss my Mama and Daddy...Grampaw, too.”

“I know, puppy…I know…” Ian held him tight. “But do you know how lucky you are to have had a Mama and Daddy and a Grampaw? I didn’t have those growing up.”

“You did just fine.”

“Yes, I did…and now I have you, and you have me.”

“But I feel bad.”

“Why?”

“Because I’m happy and I don’t think I should be.”

“Why not?”

“Cause, cause of what happened…”

Ian took a deep breath. He wasn’t quite sure how to deal with that, but he knew he had to give it a shot. “I think its okay that you are happy. That’s why your Grampaw wanted you to come live with me.”

“It is?”

“Uh huh.” Ian slipped under the covers and pulled the boy as close as he could, kissing the top of his head and rocking him back and forth. “When I was your age and didn’t have any body, I had to stay there and it was lonely and I ached so much. I was never happy, until I was able to get away.”

“True?”

“True. So it’s better for you to be away from that place, so you don’t have to be all alone and sad all the time. You can be happy and safe. It’s okay to cry and be sad, you have to sometimes, but not all the time. And you’re so loved Ronnie Kyle. Everybody loves you, especially me. You are the best thing that ever happened to me. Sometimes the best things happen because of the bad things.”

The boy snuggled. “Can I tell you somethin’?”

“You can tell me anything you want to…anytime.”

Ian felt the boy nod his head. “It’s a secret. Is that okay?”

“Sure. You can tell me your secrets, and I can tell you mine, and they will always just be between us.”

“Okay.” The boy said. In the dark, Ian felt Ronnie Kyle pull himself around so they were face to face.

Ian could see the tears trying to dry in his eyes. Ian smiled as best he could, kissed his forehead and wiped his little tears away.

Ronnie Kyle beckoned him closer with his finger. Ian turned his ear to his lips.

He heard the boy take a deep breath and say very slowly so that Ian would clearly understand. “I know you’re my daddy.”

And the little boy kissed his cheek and held him tighter than he ever had before. This time the tears were coming from Ian’s eyes, tears of painful joy and the all too real fear of how fragile joy was.