Disclaimer: This story is fictional. Some of the things that happened or will happen with Jim are inspired by bits and pieces of my life. Parts of the character are fictional as well. All other characters were made up and any similarities are just coincidental. This is gay romance between teenage boys, there may be sex, but for the most part, it's about their true love of each other so if that offends you, please discontinue reading. Also, if it is illegal for you to read such material, you have been warned. Continual reading could cause a knock at your door.
I hope you're enjoying it so far and that the story draws you in wanting more. This story was "inspired" by another story, a great story, here on Nifty, "Riding Lessons" by Andrew Todd. Some people have compared my writing style to that of Mr. Todd's and for that, I am flattered. While Another Chance does pay tribute to "Riding Lessons", it is a story of its own and has its own plot and agenda. If you have any suggestions or concerns, don't hesitate to email me at zarek@roadrunner.com mailto:zarek@roadrunner.com . Thoughts and suggestion are always welcomed and may or may not be implemented. Concerns will be considered and addressed as much as possible.
AND, if you enjoy the stories on Nifty.org, please give a donation to help cover their expenses. While the site is currently free, only donations from loyal fans can help keep it that way. Any amount will help.
Another Chance
Chapter 69
Nick had parked his car in the parking lot for the Bill Cody Ranch and walked in like he was a normal guest coming to stay. "May I assist you, sir?" the girl at the desk inquired.
Speaking in a hushed tone, Nick showed the girl his badge and asked, showing a photo of Joe, "Have you seen this boy?"
"Has he done something wrong?" the girl responded. "I haven't seen him, but I just logged in about two hours ago. Maria, you worked the morning and afternoon shift, can you come here, please?"
A young lady about eighteen or nineteen walked over to the desk. Nick showed her the picture of Joe and asked if she had seen him. "He came in with his dad and older brother a little before noon. Weird how he doesn't look like either of them."
"That would be because his real parents were killed. Joe was adopted, but not by them," Nick told them a little more than he should, "Where are they staying?"
Maria stated, "They are in cabin eight, but the dad and older brother went out to eat. They said that the boy wasn't feeling well, so he stayed behind."
"How long ago, and can you make me a keycard for that cabin?" Nick requested, thinking that this was going down far too easy.
The girl behind the desk looked embarrassed, "They left forty minutes ago, but ummm, we don't use keycards. The owner thinks it would detract from the natural beauty of the log cabins. I can give you a master key, just make sure you return it."
Nick accepted the key and went to find cabin eight, parking his vehicle at a different cabin so as not to draw suspicion. He knocked on the door and hollered just to be sure, "Room Service!!!" To his pleasure, no one responded. Unlocking the door, he slipped inside. He closed and locked the door before searching the cabin, not only for Joe, but to be sure no one else was in the cabin. After clearing the ground floor, Nick made his way upstairs. The first two bedrooms were empty, Joe was in the third bedroom, naked and tied "spread-eagle" in the bed. Nick closed the bedroom door and then untied Joe. "Here are my car keys, wrap yourself in a sheet and my car is parked behind cabin seven. I brought some clothes for you, courtesy of Jim. They are on the passenger seat."
Joe was worried, "What about you?"
Nick sternly stated, "I need to arrest these guys so they don't pull this on anyone else."
Joe looked a little surprised, "By yourself? There are two of them and they have weird-looking guns, kinda like the gun used by Arnold's character in Commando."
Nick thought for a second, "Why would kidnappers be carrying Uzis?"
"I'm not sure, but I do know, they are NOT Americans," Joe declared.
Nick questioned, "Accent, foreign language, or did they say something?"
"They have an accent, but they also told me that once Mom paid them, I would make a nice slave boy to some Emir something or other. And they did speak a foreign language as well," Joe answered. "I was so scared."
"Alright, we're not safe yet," Nick informed Joe, "Stay out of sight but get to my car. You should be safe to get dressed there and not be seen by them." Joe slipped out the window and Nick made a call. "Agent King, Joe is heading for my car," Nick started and shared with King everything that he had learned.
King surprised Nick, saying, "Excellent work, Sheriff. My agents should be there shortly, and we can take these two down. I have a feeling they are two members of a terrorist cell. Perhaps we can get some information out of them. You have proven yourself, I was wrong to leave you out and I apologize."
Nick smiled to himself, "At least you're a man about it. No apology necessary, and I do understand your reasoning. I have to go, I just heard the door being unlocked."
Nick listened to the two men speak and didn't recognize the language. He noticed that one voice was getting closer. The door opened and a young man backed into the room, still chatting with his partner. Based on his age, Nick surmised that he had to be the "older brother". Nick grabbed him in a sleeper hold before the boy even had a chance to notice Joe missing or Nick being in the room. The older voice called out asking a question. Nick knew that he would come find out why no one answered him and also, that he wouldn't be so easily taken. Nick cuffed the boy that he just rendered unconscious and prepared for the older man to come in.
As the doorknob started to turn, Nick pulled out his pistol. The door opened and a much older man stood before Nick with an Uzi hanging from a sling at his side. He started to reach for the Uzi but Nick shot his right hand. "Next shot will be between your eyes unless you drop to your knees and cross your legs, NOW!" Nick demanded.
The man yelled at Nick in his native tongue and started reaching for the Uzi with his left hand. Nick fired another round off and the bullet shattered the man's nasion region. Nick heard the front door open and was relieved to hear several agents calling out "clear" as they searched the cabin. "Upstairs in the third bedroom," Nick called out. Nick holstered his pistol and pulled out his badge.
The first agent through the bedroom door eyed Nick's badge, "Where's the boy?"
Nick replied, smiling, "Probably in my car."
"No I'm not," Joe yelled as he ran into the room and hugged Nick.
Nick hugged Joe back, "Let's go home."
"OK," Joe agreed, "but first, I need to do something."
Jim was showing Jackson the house that he thought would be appropriate for the ranch when his computer spit out a message, "Mom, someone just put the battery in Joe's phone."
It wasn't a minute and the home phone rang. Caller ID again announced that the call was from Joe's cell phone. Heather put the phone on speaker, "Hello?"
"Mom," Joe was crying, "Nick's bringing me home. I wanted to let you know right away so you can stop worrying."
Heather started crying and thanked Joe for calling her. "And what of the men who kidnapped you?" Agent King asked.
"One is dead, Nick shot him right between the eyes. And the other, some FBI agents took him into custody. Nick would need to explain it all, I wasn't there to see it go down," Joe explained. "And Jim, thanks for the clothes."
Jim grinned, "No problem, Bro. I knew you would appreciate it. You can pay me back by getting your butt home and letting me hug you."
"We are on our way!" Jim could hear a smile in Joe's voice.
A little voice asked, "Daddy, does that mean Uncle Joe will be alright?"
Before Jim could answer, Heather knelt down and hugged Jake, "Yes, everything is fine. Joe is on his way home. Thank you for caring."
Jake placed his hands on Heather's face and looked her in the eye, "I can't help but care, he's a part of my family."
"You are so right," Heather agreed, giving Jake another big hug.
It seemed like forever before Joe walked through the front door. Much to Jim's disappointment, he went straight to Heather first, but Jim was second, followed by the rest of the family. Jake waited for his turn, and he kissed Joe on the cheek. "I'm glad you're alright. Grandma was crying."
Joe gave Jake an extra hug and spoke into his ear, "I know she was, I was, too. Were you crying?"
Jake looked down as if pouting, "They wouldn't tell me what was going on. I asked and Daddy suggested that I go to my room and play."
"Well, I am glad that you care," Joe acknowledged, "but I think your daddy was right not telling you exactly what was going on."
"Then that man," Jake said, pointing at Agent King, "wanted to arrest Grandpa Nick and Daddy."
Joe looked bewildered, "For what?"
"He told Nick to leave the FBI to rescue you, but I helped him find where you were. Nick was determined to rescue you," Jim replied.
Agent King held up his hands, "I'm glad things worked out. It was totally against FBI procedure for him to do so, but I am learning there are times when you can't go strictly by the book."
Nick grinned at King, "The key to being a good law enforcement agent, whether it be a deputy, a sheriff, or FBI agent is learning when those times are. But NEVER cross that line between legal and illegal. King, I believe you make a fine agent."
King shook Nick's hand, "Best I can do is try. I have a ways to go before I make that claim. I need to make sure I have my priorities right. Joe, I want to give you a chance to rest, but I need to get your statement as to what happened. Here's my card, call me when you are ready, but don't wait too long. Or, if you want, write it out and have the Sheriff send it to me."
Joe accepted the card and shook King's hand, "Thank you, Agent King. I think it would be easier for me to have Nick send it to you, or your email is on this card, I can type it on my laptop and email it."
"Do that," King started, "I'm not sure if that would be considered proper documentation, so also print it, sign it and have the Sheriff file it with his report." Agent King finished packing his things, thanked the family for their hospitality and headed for his home.
Heather looked at her family, "I hope we can go at least until after Nick's and my honeymoon before anything else happens. As much as this family has been through, I don't know how much more I can take."
"Ummm, Mom," Jim said looking down. Heather got a worried look on her face. "I think I'm pregnant," Jim stated and started to laugh. Heather walked over with her arms out like she was going to give him a hug. He put her arms around her and she smacked his rump before kissing him on the cheek.
Jake looked confused, "Did Daddy do something wrong? Why did Grandma smack his butt and then kiss him?"
Zac looked at the boy, picked him up and hugged him. "Daddy was only kidding but he lied to Grandma, so she swatted him, but she loves him, so she kissed him."
"I like the kissing part, and hugging," Jake proclaimed.
Zac kissed Jake on the cheek, "And we love showing you how much we love you."
"'Cause I'm so loveable," Jake giggled. "That's what Daddy says my shirt says."
Zac looked at the shirt Jake was wearing. "It sure does. See, that's an L and that's an O..." Zac continued pointing out each letter of the word "loveable". Then he hugged and kissed Jake one more time before putting him down.
Jake walked over to Jim, "Papa says that you lied to Grandma, that wasn't very nice."
Jim picked Jake up and was about to say something when Heather did, "No, lying isn't very nice, but when you say something obviously not true, it's not quite the same thing. He was only playing."
"But you swatted his butt?" Jake seemed confused.
Jim tried to explain, "But she didn't do it hard enough to hurt, it was more of a love tap. Do you trust me?"
Jake grinned, "You're holding me off the ground, that's a silly question, Daddy." Jim swatted Jake's butt about the same degree as Heather did him. "That didn't hurt at all."
"That," Jim said, "is how hard Grandma swatted me. Lying is wrong, but if you said something like the sky is purple, I would know you were just funning and not consider it a lie. Do you understand?"
Jake nodded his head, "So if I said the fire felt really cold, you wouldn't punish me?"
Jim kissed Jake on the cheek before answering, "Not for that, no. But if you lie and then say it, you would get in trouble for the lie."
"I love you, Daddy and that's no lie," Jake laughed.
Jim hugged the boy tightly and whispered in his ear, "I know you do, and I love you back."
That night, Joe worked on his statement. He told how every now and then, his kidnappers spoke English, but most of the time, they spoke a language which he didn't understand. He discussed how the older man told him how much money they would make selling him to an emir who likes blond American boys, especially if they were an anal virgin. Joe typed everything he could think of and asked Nick to read it before he saved it and then sent it. After reading it, Nick pulled Joe in for a hug and apologized for not protecting him from it.
Joe hugged Nick back and assured him that he didn't blame him, "Even Superman can't be everywhere at the same time."
"But," Nick replied, "You're like my own son. Once I marry your mom, I'd like to adopt you and make you my actual son. That is, unless you would rather stay a Bolt. I want you as a son, but that doesn't mean you can't be my son and Jon Bolt's."
"I'd like that. I take it from what you just said, you won't be adopting Jim, too?" Joe didn't look surprised.
Nick wet his lips and then swallowed, "I talked it over with Jim. He wants to think of me like his dad but at the same time, he feels as if I did adopt him, he would be abandoning his dad in a way. I don't doubt that he cares for me in the same manner as his father, and since he is moving out of the house, we agree that an adoption would be pointless at this time. You are already aware of the conversation we had whether he should call me Dad or Nick."
Joe nodded, "I've never met the man, but I do feel like he's adopted me into his family. I know he'll still watch over me, even if you adopt me. I never told anyone, but Jon did visit me in a dream and told me to be happy accepting you as my dad, and he would always consider me his son, even if you adopt me. I have thought about it, and I never felt of my birth father as a dad, but I do consider Jon and you in that manner. I'd like to start calling you Dad, if you're okay with it."
Jon smiled, "I'm more than okay with it. You mean as much to me as Chris and Jim."
Joe hugged Nick tight and cried into his shoulder, "Dad, I was so scared, but I knew deep down you would rescue me. And if you weren't able for some reason, I had a feeling that Jon would..." Joe didn't finish his sentence because Nick's cell phone rudely interrupted him.
Nick looked at his phone and it was Agent King, "Hey, Joe just finished his statement and is getting ready to email the .doc file to you."
"That's good to know," Agent King responded, "but I have a question for you. How many times did you shoot the perp?"
"Twice," Nick answered, "I shot him once in the hand and then between the eyes, why?"
King cleared his throat, "It's strange, actually. When the ME removed his shirt, there was a third shot in the chest, but no exit wound and no bullet. Not even a bullet hole in the shirt. The ME says, based on the blood flow, it happened almost the exact same time as the head shot, maybe right before, but definitely not after. The chest wound may have been the kill shot."
"I can't explain that," Nick stated. Joe could barely hear what Agent King said and started smiling.
After Nick hung up his phone, he looked at Joe, "You have any idea what happened?"
Joe's grin couldn't get any bigger, "Know how I was saying that if you couldn't rescue me, I knew Jon would?" Joe went on to explain in detail what happened concerning his parents, and how the rifle above the fireplace seemed to smoke after each one had been shot. He explained how there was never a bullet found, only the bullet hole.
"So, you're thinking that Jon made that chest shot, I take it," Nick questioned.
Joe nodded his head, "I really can't say for sure, but I see no logical answer otherwise."
Nick couldn't argue. He knew that Joe's parents were killed in a mysterious way, but no one would discuss how it happened. "You may be right, but I advise you not to tell anyone outside this family. If I didn't know about the mysterious happenings, I might think you were crazy."
Joe looked down, "I want you to adopt me and all, but would you be upset if I changed my last name to Bolt-Archer as a way of respecting Jon?"
As the days passed by, it was getting closer and closer to Nick and Heather's wedding. They originally planned on the wedding by the lake with the reception in the "party" barn, but with construction going on for the barn and new house, plus the barn was a makeshift office so business could continue, Jackson suggested that the reception be held at the rodeo arena.
It was just a few days before the wedding when a truck pulled into the lot, hauling a horse trailer. Jim didn't recognize the driver, "Can I help you, sir?"
The driver got out of the truck, "Jackson said that I could keep my horse at the rodeo stables while my men work on the barns and house. I don't believe we've met, my name is Gerald, Gerald Ryder, but my friends call me Gerry. I own the construction company handling the rebuild."
Jim shook Gerry's hand, "My name is Jim. I can show you where you can stable your horse."
"Jim?" Gerry looked deep in thought, "Are you the one who Jackson said drew up the floor plans we're using?"
"I didn't actually draw that floor plan," Jim admitted, "but I did find an already existing plan and altered it for something I like better."
"So if you're interested in architecture, I can introduce you to someone," Gerry offered.
"Thanks," Jim responded, "But I like drawing houses that I wouldn't mind living in just for the fun of it. I'm more interested in horses and computers."
"Fair enough," was all that Gerry said. As they were chatting, Gerry and Jim moved to the back of the trailer and Gerry lowered the gate. He backed his horse out of the trailer and Jim's mouth dropped at how beautiful the animal was. "He's an Arabian stallion and I named him Midnight Rider since my last name is Ryder."
Jim felt like he was in a dream, "He's beautiful, but I've never seen a black horse with a white mane and tail before. I've heard of them, but I've never seen one until now."
Gerry patted his stallion and told Jim, "He has a nice gentle gait, too"
Jim walked with Gerry to the Rodeo barn and showed him which stall he could use. They made small talk and Jim discovered that Jackson was actually having two barns built with a paddock between them. One barn would be for the horses that he rents out, and the other would be for boarding and personal horses. And he had to show Gold to Gerry. Gerry assured him that the new barns would be up within a week.
Jim introduced Gerry to some of the ranch hands, who were decorating the arena for the reception. One of the guys covering the arena floor with carpet asked Jim what he thought of the color scheme. "Purple carpet, ivory colored flowers, Mom will love it. Purple is her favorite color, and her dress is ivory," Jim explained.
Her wedding day finally arrived, and Heather couldn't wait. She had on a modest country romantic ivory lace wedding dress with a matching veil. Jim and Joe wore the tuxedos that Matt had bought for them. Heather had bought both of them ivory colored shirts to match her dress.
Heather and the boys stood at the back of the aisle admiring how calm the lake looked while waiting for their turn to walk the aisle. Nick was standing at the front, watching Jake and admiring how beautiful she looked. Chris was standing with him. They watched as Jake walked down the aisle carrying the pillow with the rings. Jim had to comment, "He looks so cute. He's getting to be a pro at that."
"Jim and I've been talking, Mom, and you look so beautiful," Joe stated.
Jim concurred, "You're always beautiful, but today, you are more beautiful than ever. You truly love Nick and it shows. I think Dad is happy for you."
"I know he is, he came to me in a dream and said his goodbye. He said that he will love me through all eternity, but I am marrying Nick. He's happy that I found someone who truly loves me the way he did, and he wishes me all the happiness in the world."
"Be honest, who do you love more, Dad or Nick?" Jim asked.
Heather looked a little upset that Jim even asked that, "That's not a fair question. I love them both in different ways. That would almost be like asking to pick between you and Joe."
Jim smiled, "You gave me the answer I was hoping for, but Dad is your past and Nick is your present, so while you love them both, I hope you appear to Nick that you love him more."
Heather started smiling again, "Nick and I already discussed it. We both realize that this is the other's second marriage and we both agree that we will not compare the other to our dearly departed."
Jim hugged Heather, "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have asked that, especially today." Jake had just finished walking with the rings and the music changed to "The Wedding March." Jim held onto Heather's left arm and Joe held onto her right as they started walking down the aisle. When they got up to Nick, Jim kissed Heather on the cheek, and then Joe kissed her before she took her place beside her fiancé.
The minister began the ceremony as he normally does. And when he asked, "Who doth give this woman away," Jim and Joe stood and said "we both do" in unison.
The minister asked if they had their vows ready and told Nick to go first, "I'm sorry if this doesn't come out quite right. I struggled trying to write my vows, but nothing I wrote really expressed how I feel about you. Chris, told me to just let my heart lead me, so I hope I got this right. As you know, I've been married before, and I gained a beautiful son from that marriage. When she died, I thought I would never see true love again. Then I was asked to watch over your handsome sons and given the opportunity to meet you. I was nervous because you stirred up those emotions that I thought were buried. Heather, I fell for you from the moment I laid eyes upon you. You made me feel whole again. You healed a broken heart to which I had become accustomed. I want to live the rest of my life knowing that I make you as happy as you make me. I want to provide for you and treat you like the beautiful princess you are. You are my true love and I shall put no other woman before you so long as we both shall live."
When Nick was done, the minister turned to Heather and asked her to say her vows, "Nick, that was beautiful. I too, was married before. An accident took the man I truly loved from me, and after time, I thought I was happy with my son and then another son. You came into my life and showed me what true happiness really is. You made me feel whole again. You repaired my broken heart and showed me true love again. You make me happy and I hope that I always make you just as happy. I want to be your support on bad days just as well as good. When you are sick, I want to be there to nurse you back to health. You are my true love and I shall put no other man before you so long as we both shall live."
The minister pronounced them as husband and wife and they kissed. At the reception, Joe asked the deejay to play a song and dedicate it to Nick. Nick got teary-eyed when the deejay said that the song was dedicated to him and started playing Brad Paisley's "He Didn't Have To Be." He walked over to Jim and Joe and hugged them. Jim hugged Nick back but told him, "I concur with Joe, but he's the one who requested it."
Nick wiped his eyes, "I don't care which one of you requested it. I love both of you boys, and Jim, even though you won't be living at home, know that I will always be there whenever you need me. Joe, I think you know how much I love you."
"I love you too, Grandpa," came a small voice.
Nick chuckled to himself, thinking he was too young to be a grandpa, but here was this cute little boy who was indeed his grandson. He wasn't about to think of him as adopted or being a step, in his mind, the boy was indeed his grandson. "And I love you as well, Jake," Nick responded, picking the boy up to hug and kiss him.
Heather walked over to Jackson, "I noticed Ryan wasn't here. Is he still in Washington?"
Jackson, nodded as he spoke, "Heather Archer, boy, that does sound different, doesn't it? Unfortunately, or fortunately, depending on how you look at it; yes, he is still in our nation's capital. I do have him on Skype, so he got to watch the wedding, and he told me to tell you how sorry he is."
Heather told Jackson, "Actually, it's Heather Bolt-Archer, Nick's suggestion. Joe wants to do a hyphenated name to honor Jon and Nick thought I should as well. I know Ryan wanted to be here, and would have if he could. So how are things going there, any idea?"
"They dismissed one of the candidates, so it's just Ryan and another judge. They seem favorable towards Ryan, from what I gather," Jackson explained.
"I hope he gets it, but in a way, I'll be sad if he does. I don't want you to leave, ever," declared the new bride as she hugged Jackson.
Jackson hugged her back, "I know the feeling, but I will stay in touch, I promise. After all, I plan to retain ten percent of the beef share of the ranch. As if coming to see friends wasn't excuse enough, I have a reason to visit."
It was time to fling the garters and the single ladies lined up. Heather removed the garter from Nick's leg, turned so her back was to the line of young maidens and she flung the garter behind he back. It headed right for Cheyenne.
Nick did the same with the garter Heather was wearing. You can call sheer luck, kismet, fate, destiny or whatever, Joe thought he had the garter, it was heading straight for him and he felt it touch his fingers. Buster accidentally bumped him at the wrong time causing Joe to hit the garter, sending it to Dusty.
The deejay asked for the two who caught the garter to dance together so Dusty took Cheyenne by the hand. He spoke to her with such passion that everyone could feel it, "Lovely lady, I am so lucky to have you in my life. Even the sun hides half of the day because you outshine it with your beauty. Would you do me the honor of this dance?"
"Just don't tell my boyfriend," Cheyenne teased.
Dusty smiled and kissed her hand, "OK, I promise I won't tell me."
The rest of the day was filled with love and fun. Several guests danced with either Nick or Heather at some point. Jake got to dance with everybody... While he was resting, Nick spoke to Jim, "Everything I am removing from the house is already boxed up. I asked Chris to put the boxes in your mom's, and I guess my room now. She and I can decide what to do with it when we return from Barbados. You, Zac and Jake are free to move in to my house at your leisure."
Jim hugged Nick, "You and Mom have fun while down there. And thank you so much for letting us live in your house. I think everyone will be more comfortable this way."
Nick squeezed Jim tightly, "I know, that's why I suggested it. Just remember, your mom and I are always close, so if you ever need us..."
Jim chuckled, "Well, I hope you're not THAT close while in Barbados, unless somebody moved it and forgot to tell me."
Nick laughed, "No, and do us a favor. Don't call unless it's an extreme emergency."
"We wouldn't do that," Zac stated as he sat down at the table.
Nick looked Zac in the eye, "Just know, if an emergency DOES come up, we are a phone call away." Nick stood on a chair, "Can I have everyone's attention? First, I want to thank everyone for coming to see this commoner marry a most beautiful princess. I don't know how I got so lucky. Second, as many of you know, tomorrow will be Zac's eighteenth birthday. I know that we told Zac that we would wait to leave for our honeymoon until after his party, but that was so we could surprise him today."
"No, today is about you and Heather," Zac protested. "It won't bother me to wait and celebrate my birthday when you get back."
"Honey," Marilyn started as she put her arms around her oldest son, "You can protest all you want, but Heather, Nick, Vince and I all discussed this when Heather decided to make today her wedding day. We already have the cake, guests brought presents for you as well as Heather. Just accept this."
"But Heather just got married to a terrific man," Zac argued, "And Nick married one of the ladies tied for best mom. This should be their day." Zac looked depressed.
"And today IS their day, but that doesn't mean we can't celebrate your birthday, too" Jim tried cheering up his husband.
Zac gave Jim a quick kiss before speaking, "I can't believe you all did this for me. I feel really loved and so unworthy of that love."
Heather took Jim's place and pulled Zac up for a hug. "If you feel that way because you think you are intruding on my wedding day, don't. It was my idea," Heather advised, "I knew it was the day before your birthday when I selected the date. Remember, we discussed it that morning when I chose the date. If anything, I intruded on your birthday."
Zac returned Heather's hug, "I am so lucky to have you as a mother-in-law, Mom. Thank you for caring so much about me."
After giving in, Zac was able to enjoy his party and the party didn't stop until after Heather and Nick left for the airport. Everyone had a good time and the boys all worked together to get all of the presents home. Zac figured they could sort his out once they got home.
"Ummm, would you guys be upset if I wait until tomorrow to bring Dad's and my stuff here?" Chris asked. "I'm a bit tired."
Zac put his arm around Chris, "We don't plan to make our move until Monday, so that's fine. Besides, Aunt Brenda, Uncle Brandt and Austin aren't leaving until tomorrow, so that'll keep your dad's stuff out of their way."
Joe offered, "And if you want, you can spend the night here so you're not alone tonight. Austin is sleeping with Jake, so you can either sleep on the couch, or share my bed. It's big enough."
Jim clicked the TV on and there was a breaking story on the news. The anchor was reporting, "There was a fatal accident on U.S. Route 20 near Lt. Childers St. It appears a black 2000 Chevy Tahoe was struck by a drunk driver. There were no survivors."
The Anchor person reported that names were not being released at this time. Panic struck Jim as he asked Chris, "What year is Nick's Tahoe?"
Chris gave Jim a funny look, "It was a 2010, but they totaled that one out at Christmas, remember?"
Jim felt silly forgetting that Nick didn't have the Tahoe anymore, but then, he rarely sees Nick's vehicle, "I feel sorry for whosever's family that is, but at the same time, I am relieved knowing it wasn't Mom and Nick."
The next day, after they finished at the ranch, they celebrated Zac's actual birthday in style. Matt treated them to the fanciest restaurant in Cody, and then they went to a race track where they drove race cars in a simulator. Zac chose to drive a Dodge Viper while Jim was in a Ford GT and Matt drove a Lamborghini Gallardo. They were told that the cars would respond as if they were really driving, and their handling would be affected according to any crashes they were involved in.
When they came home, the light was flashing indicating a voice message. Jim let it play, "Heather, this is Aunt Sallie. I know this is Sunday. Can you call me as soon as you receive this message?"
Jim called Aunt Sallie, "I'm sorry Aunt Sallie, but Mom and Nick were married yesterday and are on their way to Barbados."
"Have you and Zac moved out of that house, then?" Aunt Sallie asked, sounding hopeful.
Jim was curious, "We are tomorrow, why?
Aunt Sallie paused for a few minutes, "Did you by any chance see the news? The couple who were killed by a drunk driver? They left an eleven year old son. I need to find him a home, and I thought maybe you could relate to him."
Jim felt bad for the boy. It was sad thinking of the family before, but now knowing they left a young son and Aunt Sallie wanted to bring him by, he really felt bad. "What's his name?"
Jim could hear a smile in Sallie's voice, "Patrick Andrew Roberts, can I bring him by in a few minutes?"
I have created a mailing list. If you would like to be added to it to be informed of new submission, please contact me at zarek@roadrunner.com mailto:zarek@roadrunner.com . Please let me know that you read it on nifty.org.