Between the Rivers

TWO days spent enduring an enforced recuperation can give a body a great deal of time to work up a grudge. Resentment burned in Ember like the banked coals of a fire waiting for a breath to spark them into life. Frustrated at being cooped up, he took himself outside to watch Lee work one of the twos in the round pen.

  Running into Gov had not been intentional but, when Ember spotted him mucking out the paddocks, that fire inside felt the breeze and he cut for the barn. His fist came up and Gideon went down cups over tea kettle. Ember stepped in, but by then Lee cut in, pushing him back.

  “Get out of my way!” Ember growled.

  “Em, you know I feel the same—”

  “Then quit taking his side!”

  “I’m taking yours.” Lee struggled to keep his hold on Ember. “You know I’d be the first one to walk all over him—”

  “Anytime you’re minded to try,” Gideon said, fists ready.

  Ember and Gideon both tried to edge around Lee. He pushed at them alternately and told them to knock it off. It was a precarious position to be sure and, if Gideon swung, heaven help him Lee would light into that boy. His salvation came in the form of Fort, who bulled in, grabbed the back of Gideon's shirt and effortlessly hauled him out of the impending dust up.

  “Knock it off, both of you,” Fort ordered. “I said enough! Ember, Gov knows where he stands. Aspen has taken care of this.”

  “Well, I haven’t!” Ember shot back, shoving at Lee.

  “Unless you want Pa to take care of you, you’d best simmer down right now.”

  Tired of being shoved by a brother who wasn’t paying the least bit of attention, Lee wrapped both hands into Ember’s shirt and pinned him against the paddock rails.

  “Fort’s right,” he admonished. “You know what Pa said.”

  Ember had no interest in his brothers’ counsel. All he cared about was getting even; Pa was a problem for later.

  “Ember, you let this end, you hear me?” Fort loomed with all the intimidation his mass provided.

  Rarely was he cross with his family; when he was, it demanded attention. Ember didn’t like it, not one bit but, right at the moment, he didn’t have much choice.

  “I hear you,” he said, although his body language called him a straight up liar.

  “Good,” said Fort. “Now apologize.”

  “What!? What for?”

  “Embrey Anatole Rivers, do not push me. In this household we do not fight with each other. You will apologize. You will do it now.”

  “He’s not a brother,” Ember balked.

  “Pa says he is.”

  “I ain’t neither,” Gideon chimed in hotly, and added an addendum that made the more delicately raised boys wince.

  Fort continued to glare at Ember, who had been raised properly and should thereby know better. Ember glared right back. Why should he apologize? Gideon started this. It was Gideon who left him bound hand and foot to explain what had happened. That humiliation drove Ember, and humbling himself did not come easily. Judging by the look on Fort’s face, and Lee’s, easy or not it had better come quickly. Ember stared at the ground and found his pride a hard lump to swallow.

  “Fine,” he choked out. “I apologize for hitting you.”

  “Now you, Gov,” Fort demanded; like Aspen he was granite firm without raising his voice.

  “I ain’t sorry,” Gideon refused. Fort gave him a shake and he added, “I din’t hit ‘im near hard as I could’ve.”

  This brought Ember off the fence. It took an effort for Lee to hold his twin back— mostly because his hands were already full holding himself back.

  “You’d better get sorry or you’re going to be sorry,” Fort promised.

  “I ain’t a-makin’ no plans, if’n that’s whatall you’re a-drivin’ at. ‘Sides, we’re even,” Gideon said, pointedly wiping blood from his split lip.

  Fort would have never accepted this sort of answer from Emberlee, but right here and now it might be the best they would get from Gideon.

  “Ember, will you take even?”

  There was a pause in which Fort willed his temperamental sibling to accept what was offered.

  “Yeah, we’re even,” Ember allowed reluctantly.

  “Ember—”

  “I said so, didn’t I?”

  Fort accepted what he was offered. “How about you, Lee?”

  “I’ll take even, Fort.”

  “Good, then let’s get back to work.”

  Inwardly Fort sighed. Would Ember ever mellow? He was not the easiest person to deal with, especially when he was in a poor temper. Not that he didn’t have cause. Heck, even Lee would have rather stood beside him than in front of him. He shouldn’t say it that way. Of course Lee would stand up for Ember, or any of them. Only, where Ember would flare up, Lee would ride steady. Heaven help the man who mistook him though because, when Lee did go off, it was no fizzle. All around, the quicker Gov settled in, the happier Fort would be.