by Ciana Stone
"Why haunted?"
"Because in my mind, it always means save me."
"That kinda gave me a shiver."
Jolene nodded. "It still does me. But hey, I have my work, right? It keeps me busy. In fact, I've been on the road so much the last three years, I leased the family place in Oklahoma and have been living out of hotels. I guess if I'm honest I'd admit that it's getting old."
"So settle down. Do you have to live in the same city where the network is located? Memphis, right?"
"Yes, Memphis. And no, but I have no clue where I want to be."
"It's pretty nice around here." Mik grinned. "And you've got friends, Jo."
"I do now and I'm very grateful for that, Mik. To you and all your family. But I – well, I guess I'm waiting to find that place that whispers, “home", if that makes sense."
"It does. Only mine came from a who and not a where."
Jolene smiled. "That sure would be nice, but I'm not counting on it happening."
"Why? Because you don't know where to find this Dylan or because you have powers?"
Jolene nearly jumped out of her chair. "What made you say that?"
Mik chuckled. "Takes one to know one. Come on, Jo, you know all about my sisters, Jed's family, and me. It's not something you have to hide."
"I'm not hiding; I'm just don’t have any special abilities."
"Well, you've got something. All of us can sense it. Surely you know there's something – extra, about you."
"Not really. My grandfather… well, he was special. He was… well, let's just say he lived up to his name."
"Windwalker?" Mik moved her feet from the chair and leaned forward to prop her arms on the table. "I've wanted to ask you about that. How does it work?"
Jolene thought about it for a moment. She rarely talked about her family and certainly not about Wind-Walking. She looked across the table at Mik and sensed safety. Mik could be trusted.
"He took me with him from time to time and it's – it's hard to describe. One minute you're on the ground and the next you're above the earth and it's all so beautiful and so quiet. You can hear whispers in the wind, sometimes it's like voices in song, so beautiful it brings tears to your eyes. You feel connected, like you’re part of everything and it’s part of you. It’s – I don’t think I could adequately describe it, and honestly when it’s over you wonder if it really happened or was all just something conjured up in your mind."
Mik smiled. "I'd like to do that someday. Can you do it alone?"
Jolene shrugged. "Never tried."
"Why?"
"I don't know. Afraid I'd fail, or afraid I wouldn't."
"Why would not failing scare you?"
Jolene hated the tears that collected in her eyes. She brushed them away, feeling a little embarrassed. "With my grandfather it was beautiful. I felt that connection. To him and to – to everything. What if I did it and I didn't feel that? I guess I want to hang onto what I had and don't want to risk losing it."
Mik reached her hand across the table and after a moment, Jolene clasped it. Something brushed her mind, and the surprise made her jump in her seat. Mik smiled at her. "Yeah, that's me. Listen to me, Jolene. You will not lose it. Or him. Teddy said the last time she was here that she picked up your hat and sensed him."
"Sensed who?"
"Your grandfather. She said his heart is full of love and pride."
Fresh tears spilled from Jolene's eyes and this time she didn't brush them away. "Thank you for telling me. I miss him."
"I know, but he's not really gone, honey. He's with you, inside you. Based on what you've told me, he helped you become who you are. He taught you to listen to the wind, to love the earth and all its creatures. He taught you how to see the beauty and you do. I've seen your shows and your photos. You find the hidden beauty of things. Even Jed says so. He says you have a gift and just don't know it yet."
"Thank you." Jolene smiled through her tears. "You have no idea what that means."
"Yes I do little sister. Now—" she released Jolene's hand. "I'm gonna take a beer with me for the walk back. We're grilling tonight so head up to the main house around six and we'll celebrate you finishing your research and moving on to your next adventure."
"Sounds good." Jolene's phone rang, and she stood. "I better grab that."
"Go ahead. I'll see you at six."
"Thanks Mik. For everything."
"You bet."
Jolene ran to the front room and picked up her phone. "Hi, this is Jolene… Mr. Weathers? I'm so glad to hear from you…"
Chapter Three
JD took off his hat and ran his hand back through his hair. The day had been no longer or any more tiring than normal but something seemed wrong. No, not wrong just off kilter. There wasn't a better way to describe it. He wasn't sick, hurting, or upset. Just off.
He had not felt this way since the last time he had the dream. The hanging woman dream. God almighty he hated that thing. He sat down on the back steps of the house and leaned back, propping his elbows on the step behind him.
It'd been what, three years since any of his family had the dream? Three years without the dream was no cause for complaint. Good damn riddance to that thing, but it was strange. If the dream was part of the family curse, then where did it go? Did the curse vanish with the dream and if so why?
No one had an answer to that, and the relief everyone felt at its disappearance didn't prompt them to question why it had vanished. He supposed the only reason he thought of it was his twin sons, Briggs and Dawson. At almost eighteen, in their senior year of high school, so far neither of them had had the dream. He prayed they never would.
JD closed his eyes and leaned back more. He'd rest a few minutes before he faced the weekly family meal at the main house. His mind wouldn't settle enough for him to relax though. He pushed himself up. Might as well head in and wash up. His father, Jason, got riled as an old bear if people showed up late. He liked to eat exactly at 6:30 and anyone not at the table was liable to get a tongue lashing when they showed up.
He walked in through the laundry room, hung his hat on the hat rack, and proceeded into the kitchen where he found his father sitting at the small dinette table. There were papers scattered on its surface. With his reading glasses perched on his nose and his brows drawn together, he appeared to be in a serious frame of mind.
Eloise, the woman who had cooked and cleaned for them since JD's mother left years ago, stood at the stove. JD walked over and leaned down to give her a kiss on the cheek. She looked up and beamed at him. "How's my boy today?"
"Starving. That sure smells good."
"Your favorite. Meatloaf, mashed potatoes, fresh green beans, and Cole slaw. And I've got a big pan of biscuits in the oven."
"Marry me, Eloise."
"Oh go on with yourself."
JD grinned, snagged a bean from the pot, and turned to his father. "You're looking mighty serious, Pop."
Jason looked up, removed his glasses, and put them on the table. "Actually, I'm – well, I'm feeling a mix of things right now, son."
"Everything okay?"
"Yeah, it is. Better than okay. Guess I'm just wishing this could have happened before now. Lots of water under the bridge."
"Sir?"
Jason waved his hand in dismissal. "I'll tell you all about it at dinner. Rest of the family is in the den. Call 'em to the table, would you? Well, the adults. Eloise is gonna feed the kids in here. The twins are almost eighteen so we're putting them at the big table. I'm gonna put this stuff away and will be right in."
"Sure." JD headed for the den. That piqued his curiosity. Family meals that separated the kids from the adults meant one of two things. Either there was family business to be discussed, or something had happened in the family that wasn't fit for the ears of children. JD hoped for the former.
"Soup's on." He announced as he reached the door of the den.
"'Bout time," His brother, Bryson got to his feet and slapped the boots of
another brother Jayce, out of his way as he started for the door. "Oh, by the way, Billy Sweet called and said you promised we'd take care of the demolition of the bar?"
"They need some help, Bryson and we owe them."
"Hey, I wasn't gonna complain. We're gonna take care of it and get this, that lady that Riley Morgan took up with, Annie Becke? She's paying for the whole thing and said money wasn't a problem. Billy told me to call her to talk money, and she offered twenty-five percent more than what I quoted if we could get it done next week."
"Yeah, we scored on that one, bro." Jayce rose and followed Bryson to the door, slapping JD on the shoulder. The two other brothers, Jasper and Bronson followed suit as the kids bounded up and out the door. "You kids are eating with Eloise in the kitchen." JD yelled after them.
"We have to eat with the kids?" His son, Briggs asked.
"No, Pop said for you and Dawson to join us at the big table."
"Yes." Briggs bumped fists with Dawson.
By the time they made it to the dining room, Eloise had the food on the table; glasses of iced tea poured for everyone and was in the kitchen with the kids. JD smiled at the sound of laughter coming from the kitchen. Eloise might be getting on up in her sixties, but she had more life than three folks combined, and always knew how to bring light and laughter into the day.
He took a seat beside his father, who sat at the head of the table. As had been their habit since they were kids, the brothers took seats in rank of age. Across from JD sat Bronson who was two years younger. Beside him sat Jayce the third in line at age thirty-eight. Jasper, age thirty-six and Bryson the baby of the family at age thirty-four filled in the rest of seats across from JD.
That left Briggs and Dawson to sit next to him.
During dinner the conversation revolved around the ranch, tasks completed, those needing to be done and what Jason would like to see accomplished when time permitted. JD listened, commented when necessary, and wondered about the topic Pop wanted to keep from the kids.
Pop waited until everyone finished. The twins cleared the table.
"Tell the kids to help Eloise with the dishes." Pop called after them as they headed for the kitchen laden with plates and serving dishes.
"So?" JD asked.
"So we'll wait on the twins, son."
"Okay."
"Wait on the twins for what?" Bryson asked.
"Something Pop wants to talk to us about."
"What is it?" Jayce asked.
"I'll tell you when I'm ready, son."
No one made another comment after that. They all sat and waited. JD hid a smile. Not a man among them showed anything but respect to their Pop. Jason Weathers might be well into his sixties, but he was still strong as a bull with a mind razor sharp.
He'd raised all five of them pretty much on his own when their mother announced she wanted a divorce. She planned to move to New York and marry some man she met on a cruise. Pop pleaded with her to stay, but Alice wouldn't give in. She wasn't happy, hadn't been happy most of their married life and she would not spend the rest of her life being miserable.
JD was almost thirteen at the time, the oldest, and while it upset him, it hadn't surprised him. Alice had never seemed happy. She didn't show any interest in the ranch. She complained incessantly about all the cooking she had to do, even though Eloise, who worked for them part-time, did most of it. Alice spent her time shopping, visiting friends, taking cruises and trips and talking on the phone.
The twins returned and took a seat, looking expectantly at Pop. Pop looked around at everyone. "I've never talked much to you boys about my childhood, but tonight I'm going to. I grew up in North Carolina. My family had a spread up there, passed down through many generations.
"I had four brothers, Jacob, Jonas, Joshua, and James. Our ma passed on when we were little and our pa, Jeremiah raised us. He had some brothers, but they all died young so he was the only one left of his people."
Pop cleared his throat and looked first at the twins. "What you boys don't know, and saints be praised, you never had to experience, is that our family was cursed."
"Cursed?" Briggs blurted.
"Yes, cursed. Since the 1800's there hasn't been a girl born to my family. Nor has there been a man born to the family who has ever lived a happy married life. Wives die, kill themselves, kill their men or run off, but they don't stick."
"Whoa, Pop." Dawson said. "Back up the truck. How do you know the family was cursed?"
"I didn't know the whole story until recently. Back in the 1800's one of our ancestors lived out west, during the big silver strikes. He met a woman, Sara Whitestone and they had a fling. Her parents found out and shipped her back east to be married. It was an arranged marriage. She became a preacher's wife.
"Sara went insane. She killed her husband and fled back west with their son. Once she found her lover she tried to convince him to take her back. He laughed at her and called her a fool. Sara tried to kill him but succeeded in killing a young maid that worked in the man's house.
"She was arrested, tried, and hanged for murder. With her dying breath, she cursed her lover and all his family. Said they'd never know the peace and love of hearth and home, that they would be denied the happy home she was denied."
He looked around the table at his sons. "You boys know what I'm talking about. You've had the dream. It's her, Sara." Pop paused and took a sip of tea. "From that day to now, there's never been a man in the Nash family who has had a lifelong marriage. Every wife of a Nash man has either killed herself, killed him, gone insane or run away."
"Nash?" JD asked.
"Nash is my family name son and I'm getting to that. I was three days past my eighteenth birthday when I got into a scuffle with another fella, Donny Miller. Donny was a lot bigger and a whole lot meaner. Back then I was a string bean, maybe a buck forty soaking wet. Anyway, we were in Rufus William’s barn and Donny was wailing on me pretty good.
"My brother Jacob tried to stop him and Donny clocked him with an ax handle. Another fella, Claude Jones also tried to help but Donny knocked him clean out. Donny came at me and I shoved him. He tripped and fell back. Right into a hay rake.
"That thing came right through his body. Blood bubbled out of his nose and mouth and I saw his eyes roll up in his head before his body hit the floor. I don't mind telling you I was scared shitless. Donny's pa was the town lawyer and I was pretty sure I was going to go to prison.
"Me and Jacob run like jackrabbits. When I got home and told the rest of my brothers what happened, they said I should run. They all threw in every nickel they had and gave me an old nag that was no longer any use for hauling or pulling. That night I left home.
"I made it to Georgia before my money and my horse gave out. I found work on a farm and stayed there a year, saving my money. Then I headed south again. I ended up in Florida and got a job running cattle. That's where I met your grandmother. She was there with her family. As you know, her father was in the cattle business. When she headed back home to Texas, I headed there with her.
"Her father gave me a job working on their ranch. Paid me a decent wage. I told them my name was Jason Weathers, and they never questioned that. Two years later, I had enough saved to change my name legally. Got myself a social security card and a driver's license and I was officially Jason Weathers."
"So who were you before?" Briggs asked.
"Jedidiah Nash."
JD stared at his father for a long time before speaking. "Why now, Pop? If you've kept that secret this long, why tell it now?"
"Because I've been hiding son, thinking if anyone ever found Jedidiah Nash, I'd go to prison."
"And you don't anymore?"
"No. Those papers you saw me reading? Country Western Life is doing a piece on the Nash family in North Carolina and sent them to me. There's proof that Donny Miller's death was ruled an accident. My brother Jacob swore he got into the fight and our friend Claude backed him up.
"I've been hiding for over forty years when
I didn't have to. Now all my brothers are gone, but we still have family. Jacob's sons still live on the ranch – Jed, Jake and Jesse. Jed was named after me. Jed's wife –"
"Jesse Nash from the Rocky River Ranch?" Dawson interrupted. "He's four-time world champion all-around cowboy."
"Yes he is. And Jed's wife, Mik Morgan is—"
"Three-time world champion barrel racer." Briggs finished the sentence. "Holy shit! They're our kin?"
"Yes, they are. First cousins to your daddy and uncles."
"And?" JD asked.
"Pardon?"
"There's more to this than just a family history lesson isn't there, Pop?"
"Yeah there is. This producer – I've been talking to her and she wants to do a piece on us for the television show."
"Country Western Life?" Briggs asked.
"Yep."
"Holy shit, that's huge!" Dawson said. "They want to do something on us?"
"Yep."
"Why?" JD asked.
"Because we're family and they want to tie things up."
The bad feeling that had been threatening now bloomed out. Something clawed at his brain making his heart rate speed up and his palms feel damp. JD pushed back from the table. "I don't think we need television people nosing around into our family business."
"Well, with my name cleared, it's not like we have anything to hide."
"Don't we?" JD looked at his father. "Really? Think this over real good, Pop."
"Well, she don't have to bring out the part about the accident and all that. Folks change their names after all, for whatever reason."
"And some who do are people who have something to hide. Like I said, give it some thought."
With that, he rose and left the room. He didn't stop until he stood in his own home, gripping the back of a chair so hard his knuckles turned white. The last thing on earth the family needed was a nosey reporter poking around in family business.
It would not profit anyone for the truth about his wife to come out. His boys thought their mother suffered a heart attack and went off the road. The truth of her death would only bring them pain.