A Secret to Shatter by Katie O’Connor

Chapter Seven

Ira climbed out of bed and stumbled to the bathroom. He grabbed a towel and slipped into his swimsuit and hobbled to the hot tub in his backyard. Every morning and evening this week he’d been grateful to have the tub to climb into. Ranching was hard work. Harder than he expected.

He wasn’t weak. He could carry a wounded buddy, and both their packs, out of a bad situation. He was trained to jog for miles in full combat gear. Admittedly, he’d lost some of his fitness after being shot, but he’d also been working hard to regain his strength. Ranching was almost enough to beat him. His determination was flagging.

Luckily, he was marginally less sore today over yesterday. In time, he might just get the hang of working for a living. After nearly a year of convalescence and gradually building back his strength, he had the go ahead for full physical activity. He wasn’t ever going to run a marathon or be a heavy competition lifter, but he was good to go. He just had to wait for his muscles to catch up to his brain.

He climbed up onto the low deck encasing the tub, pushed the button to remove the cover and when it was out of the way, climbed into the soothing bliss of bubbling water. He had a date tonight and didn’t want to be too stiff to play proper host. But first, he had to loosen up and put in a full day’s work on the Bar 3. Today they were repairing the cabin roof which meant peeling off the old shingles and putting on new ones. It promised to be a bear of a day.

Forty-five minutes later he entered the Flint kitchen through the back door as had become his habit after watching what his father and half-brothers did.

The place was a zoo. Kids ran everywhere, people chattered. Was he mistaken? Was today a day off work? Because this felt like a party. Surely, he wasn’t crashing a party.

“Ira, come in,” Robert called out from the table where he sat with two school aged girls on his lap. Probably his young granddaughters. “Meet my family. These two princesses are my granddaughters, Daisy and Jane. The two hooligans are Ken’s kids, Gary and Zander.” Robert introduced the adults, most of whom Ira had seen around town. There were two teenage girls, Hannah and Casey, they were part of his brother Justice’s family.

There was one new face.

“This one,” Robert said his voice bursting with pride as he slung his arm around a pretty twenty something woman, “Is our daughter Beth. She’s studying to be a nurse. Once she graduates, she’s coming home and working at the hospital.”

“Da-ad,” Beth grumbled, rolling her eyes. “I haven’t decided where I’m going to work yet. Plus, it depends on who is hiring when I get out of school. I’m not in a rush to make any decisions; I want to finish school before I decide.”

“We have guests,” Robert chided. “Play nice.”

Beth rolled her eyes again and turned to Ira. “Nice to meet you, Ira. Welcome to the Bar 3. I hope you enjoy working here.” Despite her frustration with her father’s attempts to control her career, warmth and welcome rang in Beth’s voice.

“Nice to meet you, Beth. Nice to officially meet all of you. I’m really enjoying working here.” It was surprising just how much he was enjoying the manual labor and ranch work. An honest day’s work for an honest day’s pay. That the work kept him fit was a bonus.

“Mommy, is that man my uncle?” Daisy piped in; her brows scrunched together.

“No, dear, why do you ask?” Tricia, Riley’s wife, and Daisy’s mother, asked.

Ira’s heart jumped to his throat. This is not how he wanted his relationship with Robert to come out into the open. He was hoping to plan the revelation, not have it thrown into the open by an innocent, curious child.

“’Cause, he looks like Grampa and Daddy. I remember when I saw him on my birthday.” She stared at Ira as if trying to figure it out.

“That is so weird,” Jennifer said from where she leaned against the counter by the sink. “She’s right. You guys do look a lot alike.”

“Lots of people have dark hair and green eyes,” Tricia explained patiently.

Ira didn’t miss the frowns marring everyone’s expression. This was going to end badly.

“Are you like a long-lost cousin or something?” Jennifer asked.

“Um. No. I am not your cousin,” Ira responded, wishing he could tell the truth. He glanced at Robert and then at Sue. Robert looked worried; Sue lips were pressed together tightly, like she was biting back a comment.

“Robert,” Sue said, her voice ringing with warning. In unison, every head in the room pivoted toward the family matriarch and then to the patriarch.

“Hop down girls,” Robert said, helping Daisy and Jane off his lap. Moving slowly, like a man on his way to the gallows, Robert stood and crossed the room to stand beside Ira. Sue joined them, taking Robert’s hand.

Every nerve in Ira’s body wanted to bolt, to forget he’d ever come to Coyote Creek, but he held his ground. The longer this was delayed, the worse the situation got. Truthfully, Daisy’s observation was probably a blessing in disguise.

“Everyone,” Robert said and cleared his throat. “I want you to meet Ira Castillo. My son, and your half-brother.”

“What?”

“No way?”

“What the hell?”

“Are you kidding me?”

Statements of confusion and denial exploded and overlapped. This was bad. Real bad.

“Silence!” Sue exclaimed. Clearly accustomed to listening to their mother, everyone fell quiet and stared expectantly.

Ira scanned the room. Riley and Flint looked stunned. Carl looked bored. Ken looked angry. Beth, Candice and Jennifer looked half scandalized. Even in a family this large, news of a secret family member didn’t go down well.

“Ira is family, and our guest. Be polite and let your father speak.” Sue’s voice was firm, quiet, and filled with love and compassion.

Robert cleared his throat again. “Boys, after your mother passed, I spent a lot of time with a lovely woman from the city, Catalina Castillo. Ira’s mother. We were close for a couple years. I’m not fit for the city, and she wasn’t fit for the country. We split up. Amicably.” He sighed heavily. “Girls, this was before I started seeing your mother.” Nobody seemed particularly calmed by the last disclosure.

“Ira is my son and I’m proud of his accomplishments in the military. I’m more than proud to have him join the family business and be a valuable hand here on the ranch. I expect each and every one of you to treat him with the respect due any other family member. Do I make myself clear?” He crossed his arms over his chest and looked around the room, fixing every one of his children with a solid stare.

“Welcome to the family, Ira,” Sue said embracing him.

Her fresh scent and warm hug reminded him so much of his mother Ira fought a tear. “Thank you.” When she stepped back to Robert’s side, Ira spoke.

“Look, I know this is a shock. It was a shock for me when I found out. I thought my father was dead. My mother’s fault more so than your father’s.” Not quite true, but close enough. “I’m pleased to be here with all of you and I want to assure you I have no desire to own part of your ranch. I just want to get to know my family. I don’t need money, but I’d like to have a family again. I’ve been alone since my mother passed last year.” There were a million things he’d like to say, but he stuck to the plain, simple truth.

“After all the lectures we got about safe sex, you have an illegitimate child?” Ken demanded. “Ironic.” He shook his head. “Just how long have you known about your mystery child and why were you keeping him a secret?”

“Kendrick Flint, don’t you take that tone with your father.” Sue shook her finger. “I won’t stand for it.”

“Relax, honey,” Robert said and embraced his wife. “You said this would be a problem. You were right. I underestimated the fallout. You should all know I knew about Ira before he was born. His mother and I came to an agreement. I would support him, but have no contact. In hindsight, I was a damned fool to agree with her conditions.”

“When my mother was dying of cancer, she told me the truth. She had lied to me for my entire life. My father was not dead, he was a rancher near Coyote Creek. Once her affairs were wrapped up, I came here to meet him. I was as shocked as you all appear to be. And I was angry. At my mother and at Robert. Frankly I still am. I don’t understand how a man can walk away from his child without a backwards glance. I’m sorry if this news is upsetting for you.”

Ira scraped his hands through his hair. He pressed his hands into his pockets to still his trembling fingers. “Robert, I’ll talk to you later. Sue, thank you for having me. I think I’ll take the rest of the day off and let you people talk this over.”

“No bloody way in hell are you just dropping a bombshell like that and leaving my parents to pick up the pieces,” Riley said. “If you’re family, you’re family. You’re stuck with us now.”

“Fine, then I’ll leave.” Ken declared. “Kids, we’re going.”

“But Daddy, I was gonna play with Daisy,” Jane complained.

“You can play another day. I have things to do and we’re going.” He ushered her to the door and called for his sons to hurry up.

“Don’t leave,” Robert said. “We need to talk about this.”

“I need time to process this. I’ll be at home. I’ll call you later.” The implication that he didn’t want anyone to call him was clear.

Candice rushed over and hugged her brother. “Don’t be upset. We’re a big family and we’ve always got room for more members. We took in Casey, didn’t we? You’re not going to get pushed out. We love you.”

Ken brushed her off, his action angering Ira. This wasn’t Candice’s fault. She was probably as confused as everyone else.

Ken’s parting words were, “You better get a damned DNA test to be sure this guy isn’t playing you.”

Every adult in the room gasped. Including Ira. He’d been expecting a negative reaction, but not so much vitriol. He’d even expected to be asked to take a DNA test. In fact, he was going to insist on one. Outright hatred and animosity were beyond his expectation.

Hell, it had taken Ira months to become even semi-comfortable with the idea of having a huge family. As part of the family, he could interfere and chide Ken for his rude treatment of Candice, the way a brother would. As a newcomer and outsider, he knew better, he kept his mouth shut.

No one spoke until they heard the sound of gravel spitting from beneath Ken’s tires as he sped away.

“That was uncalled for,” Beth said. “Sorry he was so rude. He’s upset. We’re all a little stunned.”

“Honestly, in his place, I’d be just as upset,” Ira confessed. “I’m still a bit shell-shocked and I’ve had months to process the facts.” He sighed. Thankfully, Ken had his own ranch on neighboring land. Not having to butt heads with Ken on a day-to-day basis was a relief. Still, his stomach soured. It was a good thing he skipped morning coffee in favor of a soak in the hot tub. A tank load of caffeine wouldn’t help his churning guts.

“I think he’s right. Perhaps a DNA test is in order,” Ira said. He knew the truth of his parentage, so did Robert, but for the sake of familial peace, getting the test done would be prudent.

“No need for a paternity test,” Robert declared, scrubbing his hand over his jaw. “You’re my son. I know it. I’ve watched you grow up from afar. And every day I regret not insisting on being part of your life.”

Ira considered Robert’s words and Ken’s reaction. “I think I’m going to insist on it. I’ll pay for the test myself. The results will remove all doubt that I’m a scammer. At least I hope they will.” Everyone around him still appeared shell shocked. Understandable. He needed to reassure them.

“I’ll say it again. I’m not looking for an inheritance. I do not want part of the ranch. Yes, I want to work here and learn what my father’s life is all about. Getting to know my family is my entire purpose in being in Coyote Creek.” He took a deep breath. “I saved most of my money while in the military, I inherited money from my mother and from her father. I also still have the money Robert sent to support me. I have money.” He didn’t want to be boastful. “I’m not bragging, I’m just saying that as long as I have a half decent job, I’m good. I have no designs on the Bar 3.”

“You’re my son and by God, when I die, you’ll inherit your share.” Robert thumped his fist on the counter. His cheeks were flushed, but he still looked pale.

“Are you okay?” Ira asked.

“I’m fine. I’m just angry.”

“Sit down, dear,” Sue urged Robert, grabbing his elbow and leading him to a chair. “You don’t have the all clear from your cardiologist yet. Take it easy. All this is so stressful. Sit.” The last word was an order, not a request.

“Dang it, woman. Stop pestering me. I’m fine.” He brushed her aside, but his frustration appeared tempered with caring.

Sue shook her head. “Ira, you need to know Robert has a heart condition. He’s to be taking it easy with the heavy chores, eating better, and walking more. Until he’s gets the all-clear from the cardiologist, everyone else, including you needs to step up.”

“Woman, stop worrying. The boy has heart problems of his own.”

“What?” Sue abandoned Robert and rushed to Ira’s side. “Are you okay? Are you fit for heavy work you’ve been doing? What do we need to know?”

Around them, people mumbled under their breaths as their gazes jumped from speaker to speaker like they were watching a tennis match.

“It’s nothing. I was involved in a skirmish during my last deployment. I was shot in the chest. The damage was minor and is completely healed. One shot nicked my heart. The other barely grazed me. I only told Robert because, as my father, he has a right to know. I don’t like to talk about it, so please forget you heard anything.”

“Is that the truth?” Beth asked, her face lined with concern. “We don’t want you to overdo it if you have health problems.”

Her concern was, in a nutshell, why he didn’t tell people. Knowing he’d been shot changed him from man to invalid. The irony of the word invalid wasn’t lost on him. One tiny snippet of knowledge and he became in-valid. Ira sighed and a long-held anger inside him snapped.

“It was enough to get me drummed out of the service. Honorably. But my injury won’t, doesn’t, interfere with a normal life. I promise there’s nothing to worry about. Would you like me to have my doctor send you my medical records?” His frustration made him lash out.

He swallowed hard. “Sorry. That was rude and inappropriate. This situation is entirely too stressful. I had hoped things would go easier when you all found out.”

Beth slipped her arms around his waist. “Welcome to the family, bro. Get used to the nagging, fighting, and snarking. Brace yourself for love that shows up as interference and pestering. Eventually, you’ll adapt.”

“He hopes,” Riley put in. “In the interest of transparency, I would prefer a DNA test, but if you and Dad are okay without one, I’ll survive.” He thrust his hand toward Ira. “Welcome to the family.”

“Daisy, say hi to your new Uncle Ira,” Trisha suggested.

“Hi,” Daisy said shyly. “Can I go play now? This is boring.”

Her honest appraisal of the situation broke the tension in the room. Ira chuckled as did Robert and Sue. Riley and Trisha looked chagrined.

“Sure thing, Daisy,” Riley said. “Don’t go far if you want to go for a horse ride later.”

“’K.” She scampered off.

Sue clapped her hands. “Right. Who’s ready for breakfast?”

Slowly, over breakfast, the entire story came out. Ira’s mother’s cancer and confession that his father was not dead, but was in fact, alive and well and making a very healthy living as a rancher. Robert shared his own secret scheme to keep an eye on Ira by watching him at school and occasionally at sports. He produced a jump drive of video footage and still images of Ira as he grew up. With all the evidence, it would be hard for anyone to doubt his claim to be a Flint. Too bad Ken wasn’t there to see it all and hear the stories.

Sadness and anger battled for supremacy in Ira’s heart. He’d lost a brother he didn’t even know yet. His natural optimism told him there was hope Ken would eventually come around, but for the moment, he was discouraged.