If Wishes Were Horses

         Kyla was up early like she was every morning and heading for the stables. Now that she owned a horse ranch with her father, early up and early down was her byward. Sam, her son, was still in bed and would be for another hour. It had taken a couple of years and a lot of money, but the ranch was finally starting to get into the black. When they bought it two years ago, it had lots of potential but needed a great deal of work. Her faith in their dream hadn't failed her. She had disappointed her father once a long time ago, and had resolved never to do so again. She had turned her life around and devoted it to their dream. All she needed from life now was this ranch, her father, and her son. The father of her son taught her that men were not needed or wanted in her life, and she had made sure that that was the case. After she had Sam, she had gone to school, got her business degree, and joined a premier financial services company. Leaving Sam with her father, she had worked long hours learning her craft, and started building her own portfolio. She took a flyer on a couple of unknown companies whose prospects had looked good and they had gone right to the top. Those guesses made her a rich woman. She left the financial district and returned to Sam and her father able to live comfortably on her portfolio. She took care of her own stocks and bonds, but that was the limit of her experience in that field now. She owned a horse ranch now which was finally building a name for well trained quarter horses. Her and her father had been the only hands at the start, but she hired on some expert horse handlers in the last year, taking some of that responsibility off of her father's shoulders.

         Sam came running out of the house as Kyra returned from the stables. She didn't shovel out the stables anymore, but she did help her father supervise the hands on the ranch. The Sheridan family that had owned the ranch had come on hard times. Her father had been the foreman for the ranch for many years. When the ranch came up for sale he contacted Kyra about buying it. She was ready to pack it in in New York and move her and Sam back home to Montana anyway. She authorized her father to negotiate on the price while she drove down there. She already had a blank cashiers check made up waiting for the total to be entered. The negotiations were completed by the time she got there so she signed it and handed it over and received the deed. It was an old story. The head of the family died and the children didn't want it and the wife wasn't able to run it. Sam was of an age where he needed plenty of room and good air to grow. He would get that here plus the guidance of his grandfather. It was time that he had a male influence in his life and Kyra couldn't think of anyone better to give it to him. Sam had settled like he'd been born to it. He probably was cause their genes contained a long line of horse wranglers. He learned how to ride, and his grandfather was teachng him how to train quarter horses. He had been given a colt of his own to raise and train. As soon as that colt was born, it was love at first site. Now they were inseparable. Kyra had finally got her life back on track after the disasterous mistake in judgement she had made in her teens. She kissed Sam on the cheek, gave him a hug, and sent him on his way to school. He caught the bus at the end of the lane with the other kids in the neighborhood. Happily, he was an A student and took after her in the brains department. His daddy had proved to her long ago that he didn't have brains or decency.

         Kyra had gone into the house to work on her accounts when there was a knock on the door. Wondering who on earth it could be at this time of day, she opened the door. She was stricken with shock. There was Bryce, Sam's father standing in front of her. She hadn't seen in him nine years, and it would have suited her down to the ground to never lay eyes on him again. She started to shut the door on him, and he placed his hand on the door to stop her. She looked him over with interest. He had grown into the handsome man his childish looks had foretold when she knew him.

         "Bryce, you are not welcome here. Now leave the ranch and let me shut the door."

         "Please, Kyra, talk to me for a few minutes. Let me in. If what I have to say has no impact on you, then I'll leave."

         Kyra looked at him for a few minutes. There had been a few changes in his face. There were lines that hadn't been there before and disillusionment and sadness deep in his eyes. Against her better judgement, she swung wide the door again and let him in.

         "Have a seat in the living room, Bryce, and I'll bring in some coffee. I'll give you a fair hearing and then I want you to leave."

         Bryce gave her a rueful look and passed by her into the living room. Kyra went into the kitchen and fixed a tray of coffee and rolls. She carried it out to the living room and set it on the coffee table. She poured Bryce a cup of coffee and flavored it the way he preferred without even thinking about it. Bryce took the coffee from her and a flicker of laughter faded in and out of his eyes. He took a sip and set the cup on the saucer.

         "Kyra, I have just returned from many years overseas. My father and I had a falling out after I graduated from college and I joined the Navy and saw the world. After I was discharged, I stayed overseas where I had made some friends and made my living there. Now that I am older and have had reason to reexamine choices I have made, I regret some of those choices. I realize that through my youthful stupidity I have lost you and my heritage. However, I do have a son in this world and would like a chance to become his father. I would like to hire on as a ranch hand and spend some time with Sam. I am asking you to give me this opportunity."

         "Bryce, I have had the raising of Sam as a single mother for nine years. I realize that he probably needs a male influence in his life, but it needs to be somone who will be here for him through good and bad times. Your track record is kind of spotty on stability. I will not have Sam hurt because you have looked at what could have been and decided that you might like to be a father after all. I still remember what you said to me the night I told you I was pregnant, including wondering whether he was really yours or not. Since you knew you were the only boy I had been with, that was particularly inexcusable."

         Bryce winced over what she had to say buy didn't say anything in his defense. She had every reason to be sceptical of his dependability and sincerity. He cringed every time he remember his boyish voice and the things he had called her that night she had told him she was pregnant. He had been a spoiled and willful son of a powerful father and had acted that way. He knew this would not be easy but was determined to perservere. He had been afraid when he returned to his family's old ranch that he would find Kyra married to someone else and Sam calling him dad. He had known for some time that Kyra would be the only one for him and had been prepared to meet her husband. Knowing that she hadn't married in all this time gave him some hope in that direction, too. His plans would have to revamped to include getting Kyra back. He had left her as a young and frightened girl and had returned to this confident and self assured woman. He would need to get to know her all over again, and she would have to get to know him again, too. He had changed during the nine years they had been apart and for the better he hoped. He was determined to get not only his son back but get Kyra back and marry her giving his son his name. He had a second chance to get back what he had given up in his youthful foolishness and he was going to take full advantage of it.

         Kyra was worried about the reason Bryce was here. She had loved with everything she had had as a young teen age girl, and he had thrown it all back in her face. She had dated others, but no one had made her feel the way Bryce felt. If she couldn't have that she would rather not marry. But she wasn't going to risk getting involved with Bryce again. She also wanted to know what his goal was as far as Sam was concerned. He hadn't expressed any interest in being a father during the nine years of Sam's existence; and at the beginning, she could have used the help. She and her father were doing just fine now no thanks to Bryce. She couldn't refuse his request to get to know his son however. As much as she wanted Bryce out of her life, he was Sam's father; and Sam had a right to know him. So she would let him work here and live in the litttle apartment over the barn if he agreed to let Sam get to know him before they told him what their relationship was. She finally looked up at Bryce so that she could let him know what she had decided.

         "No matter what our past relationship was, Bryce, Sam has a right to get to know his father. So I am agreeable to you working here as a ranch hand so that you can get to know Sam. There is a small apartment over the barn where you can live as long as you're here. You can take your meals with us. We have to agree, though, that you won't spring this news on Sam until he has gotten to know you. It will come as a shock to him because I have never spoken of you and he has never asked. I ask that you go slow and develop a connection with him and then we will tell him who you are. If you feel that you won't be able to keep up your end in his life as his father, tell me now. I won't let you build a place for yourself in his life and have you disappear never to return. I refuse to let Sam be hurt."

         "Thank you, Kyra, You are being more than fair. My intention is to be the father figure in Sam's life from now. I regret that I have missed the last nine years, but that was my fault. I was a fool, but I'm a fool no longer. I have learned how important ties are in a person's life. Thank you for the job and the place to stay. Being able to live here give me more time with Sam, and you didn't have to do that for me. I'll gladly accept the offer of dinner in the house because I never have learned to cook successfully, and I'd probably burn the barn down. If its alright with you then, I'll take the rest of the day to move in and be ready to work starting early tomorrow morning."

         Bryce rose from the couch and waited for Kyra to precede him to the door. He kept his face pleasant but was celebrating inside. He not only was going to be allowed to get to know his son, Kyra had given him ample opportunity to become an important factor in her life again. He was here; and if everything worked out the way he hoped it would, he would never leave again.

         Kyra heard Sam enter the house and slam the door. She shook her head resignedly. She told him time and again not the slam the door closed. He would tell her that he wouldn't do it again, and the next time he came through the door he would slam it shut. She heard him as he ran into the kitchen.

         "Mom I'm hungry."

         "Dinner will be ready in an hour, Sam. Go upstairs and put your things away and wash your hands and face. We have company for dinner."

         Sam made a face. He hated having company for dinner. He always had to mind his manners.

         "Who is it, Mom? Its not Mrs. Sheridan again, is it? I don't like how she talks to you and she keeps correcting me."

         "No, son, its the son of the former owner of this ranch. He has returned home and has asked me for a job as a wrangler. He wants to stay here awhile. He's been out of the country and is resettling. His name is Bryce Sheridan. He will be joining us for dinner while he's here."

         "Why doesn't he eat with the rest of the ranch hands, mom? I just prefer it to be you, me, and grandpa."

         "We used to know him many years ago, Sam. Its mannerly to treat him like an old family friend. I want you to show him that you have been properly brought up and treat him as our guest. As you get to know him, I'm sure you'll like him. Now, get upstairs and clean up for dinner."

         Kyra shook her head in amusement, but she felt some concern for Sam. She knew that he had difficulty from some of the kids at school because he didn't have a Dad like the others and the whole town knew that she wasn't married. I hadn't mattered to him until lately. She figured that some of the kids were saying mean spirited things about her to him. That was another reason that she felt that Bryce needed to become a factor in Sam's life. She couldn't do anything about the circumstances of his birth, but she could produce a father for him. Hopefully Bryce was as mature as he had stated. He would need it once it was known that Bryce was the father. This was a small town, after all.

         Kyra had dinner on the table when there was a knock on the door. That would be Bryce. She heard Sam open the door and heard voices. Sam and Bryce entered the dining room together. It wouldn't take long for the word to get around that Bryce was most likely Sam's father. They looked like peas in a pod standing side by side. She would need to talk to Bryce sooner than she expected about breaking the news to Sam before he heard it through the grapevine. She sighed. Just one more thing to worry about.

         Sam was a fine you man. Kyra had done a great job of raising him. He hadn't expected anything else, of course. In spite of the nasty things he had said to her when he broke it off, he knew how conscientious she was regarding her responsibilities. He could tell by the relationship between the two that there was lots of love between them, too. Thankfully, being a spoiled brat had not done any damage to his son. Bryce sat down at the chair indicated for him which was next to Sam. He spent the dinner hour getting to know his son. They had a lot of catching up to do. Dinner hour was over, and Kyra, her father, and Bryce headed for the living room. Sam was directed to his bedroom to work on his homework.

         "Bryce we need to talk. Dad is going to head on over to his living quarters so that we can be alone."

         Bryce didn't like the sound of that. It sounded serious. He prepared for a battle. He wasn't going to be giving up any ground he had been permitted.

         "I was hoping we wouldn't need to let Sam know who you really are until he got to know you. I realized that was impossible when I saw you two together. If I can see the resemblance be assured the town will, too. They have speculated for years as to who Sam's father was. I refuse to let the gossips get to him before we do. I think we need to call Sam down and tell him who you are."

         Bryce listened with growing confidence. Not only was she not going to take away what she had already granted him, she was agreeing to bring him even further into the family unit. He couldn't have asked for a better outcome. With his rights openly acknowledged, he would be able to be more up front in his pursuit of his family. He could lay claim to Sam and that would also give him an opening to lay claim to Kyra. All the hell he had gone through in the last year would be worth it if he could get his life back on track and finally claim the family he had been too foolish to claim all those years ago.

         "Thank you, Kyra, for involving me in this decision. I am more than willing to go on record as Sam's father. The sooner the better as far as I'm concerned. I'll take your lead on how to break the news to him."

         "I think now is as good a time as any. I will call him down so that we can talk to him."

         Kyra went to the staircase and called for Sam to come down to the living room. Sam obeyed with a curious look on his face. He looked at Bryce and his mother inquiringly. Kyra gestured for him to have a seat on the couch and she sat down next to him.

         "Sam do you remember that time we discussed who your father was? I told you that we had both been young and couldn't stay together. He needed to pursue his dreams; and since you were my dream, I had you and brought you up. I told you he would want to come to know you, when he was ready to be a father to you. Well, darling, this is Bryce Sherwood, your father. He has finally come back to his hometown to get to know you."

         Bryce felt deeply ashamed. Even though he had said some ugly things to her, she had protected him in the eyes of his son making any relationship they might have in the future easier to adjust to. He vowed that Kyra would never be sorry that she had decided to protect his place as Sam's father. She would also be his wife if it was at all possible. She deserved the respect that that would bring. He was late in doing his duty, but he had finally realized what his duty was. Sam slowly approached Bryce.

         "Are you truly my father?"

         "Yes, Sam, and I'm sorry it took me so long to return to you. I have missed a lot that being your father means, but I won't miss anymore. I intend to settle here and be here for you from now on,."

         Sam looked at Bryce in a measuring manner. Bryce's heart hurt at how much Sam looked like his father and therefore like him. He regretted the years he had followed his own selfish pursuits ignoring the most important thing in life. Well, he had learned his lesson the hard way, and he was here to stay. He just hoped that he could regain Kyra's trust and persuade her to be his wife. The love she had felt for him would come eventually, hopefully; but she had exhibited enormous strength in carving out a life for her dad, her son, and herself and deserved respect. He shuddered how she had been treated as an unwed mother while pursuing her goals. Well, there would be no more of that. She was strong, but he would be here to shield her from any more slights from the society she now was a part of. She would be a Sherwood as soon as he could make her one, and Sam would bear his name as soon as the legalities could be met. Sam slowly approached Bryce and Bryce just sat and waited. Sam slowly put his arms around his father's neck, fearing rejection. Bryce hugged Sam tightly to him, and the boy suddenly tightened his grip on his neck so tightly Bryce thought he would choke. There was no way, though, that he would ask Sam to ease up and hurt his feelings. He had his son, and he would never let him go again. Kyra was looking at him warningly. He didn't blame her. He had hurt her unforgivably all those years ago, and she feared that he would hurt Sam in the same way. The only way he would ever reassure her was through his actions and that would take time. He had all the time in the world to earn back what was his.