Loaded Guns and Broken Fences [On Hold]

Chapter 6 || Fresh Wounds ||

Thomas had decided to sweep in front of the shop since it'd been a slow morning. He couldn't manage sitting still for much longer with nothing to do, and things felt quiet; the kind that usually didn't foreshadow anything good.

He supposed the off feeling was mostly on account of Emit and Abby getting shot. Given that Emit Shield was involved, the whole thing had probably been a stupid accident or misunderstanding. Neither his brothers or Abby had filled him in on any details though.

At least Abby was safe and on the mend, but helping their paw run the family store in her absence, was far less entertaining than a typical day at the livery.

"Thomas Birch, isn't it? I'll be praying fer ya."

The blond had flinched before turning to face the old woman who had somehow snuck up on him while he was lost in thought.

"Christ," He breathed, rubbing his chest before addressing her. "What for, Mrs. Lewis?" Tom asked politely and offered a smile, despite him still feeling uneasy from the startle.

"I know Horace ain't really yer pappy, but ya'll don't need ta be getting in no mess between my kin and them Shields," she explained. "And you let your sister know I hope she feels right as rain real soon," Mrs. McGrath added with a warm smile and a pat on his arm.

His own smile faltered for a moment.

Tom wasn't too fond of anyone speaking so bluntly about him not being a right Birch. Horace was the kindest man in the world for loving him like his own, and as far as Tom was concerned, he was the only man he'd ever call 'pa'. But he couldn't really hold what she'd said against her, older folks did tend to speak their mind without the cares or concerns others normally gave. He figured at that age they had the right.

"Um.. Yes, Ma'am, thank you. That's mighty kind of ya..." His voice got softer as he finished.

She nodded her head, the smile never leaving her face as she turned to continue on passed the storefront.

"This can't be that big'a deal," he mumbled to himself.

He knew that his brothers had ridden out last night with some of the Shield's to find Abby. He might have recalled hearing that Calvin had gone with them too. He'd wanted to help, but being the youngest, they'd insisted he stay to spin a story should his parents wonder where they'd gone off to.

People talked about bad blood between folks... things that could boil into serious fights. He'd heard things had gotten real ugly between two families out east and it supposedly still wasn't settled.

Had his brothers done something to the McGraths last night? He couldn't shake the concern that sat in the pit of his stomach as he watched Mrs. Lewis make her way to the post office down the street.

***

It was noon before Bran set foot outside the house again, and only after his aunt Celly had gone to do chores and left him alone long enough for him to grab his boots. She'd been fussing over him all morning, telling him to rest, and drink this and to stop scratching his bandages.

He knew it was only because she cared and had a motherly streak in her a mile wide, but damned if he wasn't relieved the moment she left. Celly and her husband Joseph had taken Bran and his brother in after their parents died, and while normally one might have thought that two more kids would be a burden, Aunt Celly and Uncle Joe had treated them like their own.

In the front room, his aunt Betty was busy sewing, but she was a heavier set woman, and just about as watchful as a blind and deft hunting dog. He easily slipped past her and out onto the porch. Down in the yard, Celly's three eldest daughters were hanging laundry and looking after the toddlers.

As Bran came down the steps he could see the far expanse of the farm paint the backdrop behind them.

Joseph's farm was enormous, over twenty-five acres of land, a huge main farmhouse that'd been built by his grandfather, and there were a handful of other buildings on the property. A few were barns and shelters for the horses, cattle, and other animals, but there was a smaller house at the far end of the property that Bran, John, and Allen shared.

In total, there were seventeen family members on the property, Celly and Joe their eight kids, Grandma Della, Aunt Betty and her son Allen, plus Bran and John. The family was huge, but Joe needed them all to take care of the chores and animals.

As large as Joseph's plot was, it was only part of the McGrath land that had been split up between him and his siblings. Joe, being the oldest, had bought some of his younger siblings shares, making his cut the largest.

To the west, Chad had a sizable farm as well, and Jack had a small few acres to the north of Joe's land. The last plot was between both Joe and Jack's property, just north of the river, and that had belonged to Bran's father.

Now that the Shield's had contested that, it had sent the entire McGrath clan into a frenzy, most of all John, who would have inherited the plot once he was married. Bran wasn't a lawman, but he'd overheard that there had been some issue with the taxes and the deed for the land, but John was convinced the Shields had pulled a fast one to snatch the land out from under the McGraths.