HEREDITY

Drena Hills

“The child is father to the man.”

-

William Wordsworth

Hannibal Heyes was angry. Cemeteries always brought that out in him and if he had been given any viable excuse not to have been there he would have taken it. He frowned the thought making him feel guilty. A good friend was dead and all he was thinking about was how much he didn’t want to be there.

Glancing over he saw his cousin listening to the preacher’s words like they meant something, while at his side his little son and daughter huddled confused and at a loss as to why everyone was ‘so sad’ as Bridget had put it.

Next to them 5 year old James Trevors stood like a little soldier at attention. This was his second funeral in two years and he stared straight ahead only reacting when four year old Bridget slipped her hand in his.

Heyes bit back any thought of tears preferring his anger to sorrow. Lom Trevors had been a good man, he didn’t deserve this, not to die of some sickness that struck at a man and didn’t even give him a way to fight back.

It had only been Christmas when he and Kid had learned how sick their old friend was. Lom had been practical and matter of fact. His only son, now that his mother was dead, was going to need a home. He was entrusting them to find the best place for him.

Kid had been frankly flattered. That Lom would entrust them with such a fragile assignment spoke much of how Kid had handled finding out he was a father. The two small children had flourished under the care of the two ex-outlaws and while their home was slightly unconventional no one could say it lacked love.

Both had hoped their friend was just being overly cautious, but as the chill of January slipped under the door Lom quickly worsened until it was at a point where James was spending more time at their house than his own.

Heyes looked down at the little boy. He needed a hair cut, the dark straight hair blown into eyes, which had yet to shed a tear. He was slight of built and needed feeding up, Heyes thought, wind cuts through him too easily.

As if sensing Heyes’s assessment of him the child looked up and met Heyes’s eyes and then quickly glanced back down. He looks like his mother, Heyes thought thinking of the laughing beauty Heyes and Lom had once fought over for her attention. Lom had triumphed, but then he had truly loved her and Heyes, well he had been an outlaw on the run and the thought of it being anything more than a pleasant interlude had been clear to her from the start.

The Preacher finished and Heyes took his place along side Kid as one of the pallbearers. It was an odd assortment of ex outlaws and prominent citizens who made up the mourners and said much for the respect in which the man had been held.

But all Heyes could think of was when will this end. He needed a drink to overcome the hangover from the ones he had taken last night to get through today.

*************************

“Yes left the boy to those two!” the matron said in hushed shocked tones to the two women huddled around her.

Heyes walked by and pretended not to notice their stares. The Governor had insisted on the mourning party returning to his house for the mandatory meal and only the huge old mansion would have been big enough to handle the crush of people coming from the funeral.

“Heyes?”

He turned to see his cousin nodding for him to come over and gratefully made his way across the room to where he was standing at the staircase.

“Governor wants to see us, seems he has Lom’s will, something in it for us.”

“Ah Kid don’t do this to me,” Heyes said closing his eyes. His headache was now worse from putting on a poker face and pushing down his anger and grief and he was almost at the breaking point.

“Says its important Heyes, won’t take a minute and then we’ll use James as an excuse to get out of here.”

Kid said it matter of factly. To Kid the boy staying with them had never been a question. The child had instantly taken to his children and the three were now inseparable.

“You really want to take on raising three children?” Heyes had asked him incredulously when he had realized Kid’s intentions.

“Heyes I don’t know how to raise two, how is three going to be any harder?”

“All right, but if this is about what he left us…”

“It’s not, formal reading of the will is next week, this is something else, a letter.”

Heyes nodded and allowed his cousin to herd him up the stairs to the Governor’s private office. He had made this route several times since that first time for amnesty, but it still gave him a rush of adrenalin. Visits to this office were life changing.

This one was to be no exception.

****************************

“I’m what!” Heyes yelled jumping to his feet in shock.

The Governor looked up from the later he had barely started to read aloud.

“James’s true father,” the Governor repeated and did not act surprised. But what caught Heyes’s attention even more was that neither did his cousin.

“That’s wrong…” Heyes said staring at the man and suddenly found a drink being forced into his hand by his cousin who with a little pressure on his shoulder returned him to his seat.

Heyes gulped down the whiskey his mind whirling.

Yes, Lisa and he had…but she had married Lom, Lom had been. He felt as if his head was going to explode.

“Mr. Trevors knew before marrying his wife that she was pregnant with your child, she told him. But he loved her and vowed to raise the child as his own, which he did. It is only with passing that he felt it best that you knew so you could take your rightful place as the child’s father. He admits that before the arrival of Mr. Curry’s children he would never have considered it, but having seen you care for them he believes you have it in you to be a good parent to James.”

“This is impossible, I can’t…” Heyes stood it all suddenly too much and reaching the door exited without a look back.

“Jedediah?”

“I’ll talk to him sir, don’t worry,” Kid said rising. “Thank you for your help and your confidence.”

“Lom was a good friend to me, if there is anything I can do?”

“No sir, I think not, Heyes is gonna need to work this one out on his own.”

**************************

Kid reached the first floor landing and making a quick search finally found his two children and James under the dessert table with a bowl of trifle all three covered in cream and looking both sleepy and sick.

“Come on time to go home,” he announced picking up Bridget.

“I don’t have a home,” James suddenly began to cry.

This immediately made Bridget join him in sympathy and the whole room start to stare.

Kid knelt down quickly and met the child’s very familiar brown eyes.

“Yes you do Jimmy, I promise you will always have a home with me do you understand?”

There was something about the powerful, strong way the grown up spoke and how his eyes never wavered as he made the vow that calmed the child sensing truth as only a child can.

Slowly the boy nodded and took the hand offered him.

“Shaun,” Kid called to his son who waited not sure how to help, but was willing to give up the hand that should have been his to hold to his friend.

And deciding solace might be needed later he picked up the trifle bowl and followed them out.

*********************************

Kid finally exhaled three hours later and wearily climbed down the stairs having left three little children fast asleep in the same bed. He paused smelling cigar smoke coming from the living room and casually he walked past the door to the kitchen where he secured a cup of coffee.

“You didn’t act surprised.”

He looked up from pouring at the bedraggled figure in the doorway. Heyes looked like had just spent the last three hours in hell and barely made it back alive.

“I wasn’t,” Kid said simply and waiting for the explosion took a seat willing God to give him both energy and the right way to handle this.

But Heyes merely sunk into the chair across from him dazed. “I never knew, I swear, I never even suspected. That last time, she sent word to me, we talked and then she announced she was marrying Lom, she never said a word. And later when we got the amnesty and we saw her she never once hinted at…” he stopped and looked at his cousin horrified. “And you knew?”

“I suspected, Heyes you gotta remember I grew up with you as a child, he’s the spitting image of you and a lot of the ways he does things, like think out a problem, well when I saw him and Shaun playing that first time it was like seeing us through a mirror thirty years ago.”

“And yet you never said anything?”

“I thought about it, I almost did a couple of times, if Lom hadn’t of gotten sick I probably would have. Lom was a good friend, but you’re my cousin and you had a right to know. Then when I heard about Lom I realized it was all going to come out without my betraying anyone so I kept silent. I had him write the letter.”

“He knew you knew?”

“Yea, I talked to him about it when Lisa died, I told him you had to tell you.”

“Lom, he must have hated me,” Heyes said hoarsely.

“No, he said he respected you more than any man he had ever met, but he honestly admitted he was glad you didn’t know because that got him Lisa and God Heyes he loved that woman. He wasn’t bitter, even when they couldn’t have children of their own. He told me it was an honor to raise your son and he promised to work up the courage to tell you, but he was afraid if he did he would lose James to you and the boy was all he had left of Lisa.”

Heyes leaned back and closed his eyes willing the world to stop swirling around.

“She should have told me.”

“Heyes she did what she thought was best for the child.”

“You wanna know what kind of cad I am? I don’t think I ever even loved her. What kind of man uses a woman like that?”

“Heyes, Lisa was no innocent and she went into a relationship with you with her eyes wide open.”

“Oh God Jed I don’t know what to do, I don’t know how to be a father,” the tears broke unnaturally and the vulnerable rush of emotion frightened Kid more than any angry tirade would have.

“You need some rest,” Kid said firmly standing. “None of this is gonna make sense tonight.”

Heyes swallowed and nodded and let his partner haul him up the stairs to bed. He felt sure sleep would never find him, but to his surprise it was waiting when his head hit the pillow.

*******************************

“Uncle Heyes!” the little voice whispered.

Heyes opened one eye to see Bridget standing on tip toe beside his bed precariously in danger of spilling the mug of coffee she was holding. It was only half full and Heyes was sure most of it had been lost coming up the stairs and crossing the landing.

“Daddy says you are sick and we should leave you alone so I brought you this to make you better. You always say you will die in the morning if you don’t get some and I don’t want to loose you like Uncle Lom.”

The little girl’s worried face brushed the last of the cobwebs from Heyes’s mind and he sat up taking the cup in one hand and her in the other.

“I’m not going anywhere Bridget sweetheart and thank you,” he said kissing her on the forehead and pensively taking a sip of the lukewarm coffee.

This settled Bridget happily snuggled up under one arm next to him. Uncle Heyes was almost as nice as Daddy to sit with. He always smelled of city things and she loved the way he said her name in that deep husky voice. It made her feel like an adventure was just nearby that only he could find for her.

“Bridget!” Shaun hissed from the door peering around with James. “Pa is gonna tan your hide, Uncle Heyes is sick!”

“He’s better, I fixed him,” Bridget said huffily snuggling down deeper under the covers refusing to give up this wonderful safe place.

Heyes stared at the two exasperated little boys watching her and this time he evaluated them with fresh eyes. He must have been blind he sighed. Kid was right only an idiot would not have missed the resemblance, the boy even had his right dimple.

“You all right Uncle Heyes?” Jimmy asked nervously, his worry clear.

“Well enough for a story,” Heyes forced out the words.

The two little boys were instantly on his bed happy to escape the chill February morning under the warm comforter with such an offer.

I have a son, Heyes said staring down at the boy smiling up at him expectantly and felt a shiver of fear run up his spine. What kind of father am I going to make? I don’t have a clue…

“I thought I told you three Uncle Heyes was sick,” Kid growled from the doorway.

Three little faces instantly dived under the covers.

“I’m sorry Heyes they were worried,” Kid sighed his eyes tired. It was clear he had gotten no sleep wrestling with the problem.

“It’s all right, family comes first,” Heyes said nervously swallowing and meeting his partners eyes.

Kid blinked in surprise at the surrender he saw there and a small grin began to break across his face.

“You sure?”

“Yea, but your gonna have to help me.”

“I will, just like you did me.”

“Daddy are you done being all growly were ‘mothering down here,” Bridget asked peeking out.

Kid laughed and sitting down pulled her out and hugged her, “Yea I’m done being all growly, but next time you check with me first all right?”

“Yes daddy, Uncle Heyes is going to tell us a story.”

“You think some of those raison buns Miss Wilson sent over might go well with it?” Kid asked and laughed when two little boy’s faces immediately peered out eagerly. “I thought so.”

“And coffee,” Heyes added as if his life depended on it.

Kid nodded, “I’ll bring the pot.”

****************************

It was a week later before the opportunity arrived and Heyes was ill prepared when it did. The three children had just been dropped off by one of the women they paid to help with them and as he looked up from his desk Jimmy shot past tears pouring down his face.

“What the…” Heyes said turning to see Bridget and Shaun standing there not sure what to do.

“Jason Marlboro said Jimmy couldn’t go to the father/son breakfast at church cause he doesn’t have a daddy,” Bridget said softly eyes full of tears.

With a groan Heyes stood up and taking a deep breath thanked them for the information and telling them to find their dad he climbed the stairs like he was going to his execution.

“Jimmy can I come in?”

“No.”

“Please?”

There was a pause and finally the door knob turned and two large eyes looked up at him.

“Can I talk to you a minute, I got an offer I’d like to discuss with you.”

James Trevor had known this man his entire life and while they had not spent a great deal of time together, what they had had convinced him that as far as grown ups went this one was one of the more interesting varieties. Plus his dad had told him he could trust his man.

So nodding he climbed up on the bed and waited.

Heyes took a moment pulling a chair over so he could face the child. He had been working over this speech for a very long time and for once his silver tongue seemed determined to fail him.

“Jimmy did you know I don’t have a father either?”

The boy looked up interested at his revelation.

“I lost my dad and mom when I was just a bit older than you. It’s not easy not having a dad is it?’

The boy nodded in agreement.

“But did you know its not easy not having a family either?”

The boy frowned confused. “But you have Bridg and Shaun.”

“No, those are my cousins children, I don’t have anyone of my own.”

“Just like me,” the boy breathed realizing and the two sat there a moment considering this.

“Therefore I was kinda wondering if maybe I could sometimes be like a second dad for you? I mean I’d never be as good as your real dad, but maybe we could sort of look after each other?”

The boy looked at him thoughtful, “Then I’d have a dad to take to the Sunday school breakfast.”

“Yea you would.”

“And I would have a dad to beat Jason Marlboro and his dad at the three legged race.”

“Yea you would, I’m pretty good at the three legged race,” Heyes lied more scared than he had ever been in his life.

“Would I have to call you Pa?”

“Only if you wanted to,” Heyes said softly.

“I might not want to sometimes because you aren’t my real dad,” the boy said.

“I know,” Heyes said swallowing hard.

“But Johnny Jo got a second mom, so I guess sometimes people get second dads too huh?”

“Yea it can happen.”

“And I don’t think I could get a better one than you sir.”

Heyes looked down and coughed, “Thank you Jimmy.”

“Okay then,” Jimmy said putting out his hand to seal the agreement and then if to test it, added, “Pa.”

Heyes hugged him just in time to hide the tears.

“Hey how about we check out that chocolate cake Mrs. Melo made,” Heyes said pulling away quickly and wiping his eyes without being seen.

“Okay!” the child said jumping off the bed and running for the door and in doing so almost colliding with Kid.

“Whoa, whoa what’s the hurry!” Kid laughed.

“I’m gonna get cake and I got a second Pa!” the boy announced happily and was gone.

Kid looked in the room, “You all right?”

“No,” Heyes said firmly looking so young Kid almost blinked. “Kid I’m gonna screw this up. No child deserves me as a father.”

“Yea you may be right,” Kid nodded in sympathy for the boy.

Heyes looked up sharply.

“I mean Heyes come on I’ve seen you at the three legged raise, you don’t stand a chance against me and Shaun.”

The smile broke through in his eyes first and then creased his entire face.

Heyes found himself laughing and felt a little bit of the world lift off his shoulders.

******************************

“A doctor,” Kid Curry whistled twenty years later as he moved across the commencement field. “You must have done something right Heyes.”

Heyes smiled proudly, “We did something right,” he corrected waving to his ‘niece and nephew’ who happily waved back from where they were taking seats for the graduation ceremony.

It had all turned out rather strange in the end. Bridget had grown up to be the outlaw leader her uncle was, well in spirit anyway, while Jimmy had taken on some of the quieter Curry traits, but Heyes’ quick mind. Shaun, Shaun was Kid in image and heart.

“Listen Jimmy said he wanted to talk to me before this all starts, save me a seat,” Heyes said clapping his cousin on the shoulder and making his way to where the graduates were lining up.

“Dad over here!”

Heyes turned and once more was struck by the resemblance of the handsome dark haired young man making his way over to him in cap and gown.

“Doctor Trevors,” Heyes laughed shaking his hand.

“Dad, that’s what I wanted to talk to you about,” the young man said quietly. “The diploma, it’s not going to say that.”

Heyes frowned, “If you’ve waited to now to tell me you flunked…”

“No sir,” the boy grinned. “It’s going to say Doctor James Heyes, I thought it only fitting to use my father’s name, since he’s responsible for me being here.”

Heyes stared at the boy in shock, “Jimmy you don’t have to.”

“I know dad, I’ve known for a long time, kind of hard not to. I don’t know if you’ve noticed this, but we sort of bare a little resemblance to one another.”

“How long…” Heyes said frightened.

“I guess I first suspected when I was about ten, but by then it didn’t matter, you were my father totally at that point so I just shrugged it off. When I turned 21 and that letter arrived from my mother’s lawyer, she told me everything in that. How you didn’t know and well everything. She said she had waited until I was a man because only a man would understand.”

“And you are all right with this…”

“Yea dad I am.”

Heyes stood there frozen completely overcome by the revelation.

“Dr. Heyes?”

“Yea Uncle Jed said there goes the good name.”

“He knew?”

“Yea I asked him what he thought.”

“And he didn’t tell me? I’m gonna flatten him…”

“He said you would say that too, but you can’t because your gonna be grandfathers and that isn’t respectable.”

Heyes blinked trying to take in the second shock of the day, “You and Bridget?”

“Yes sir, she just found out for sure yesterday.”

“I need a drink or did Uncle Jed tell you I would say that too?”

“No sir Bridget is telling him now.”

They both turned as a familiar voice let out a ‘What!’ that echoed across the compound.

“He knows,” Heyes nodded in agreement.

“Anyway I better get back in line, I just didn’t want you to be surprised when they called my name.”

“Your name,’ Heyes said blinking back tears.

“Always was dad, its just you know how this family loves alias’s!”