Champagne and Candlelight

Eugene Barkley gazed out the window as the train pulled in to Stockton. It had been over two years since he’d been home and he was surprised at how much the town had grown. He looked over at his sister and saw the excitement on her face. Since he’d been studying medicine in France and was almost finished, he suggested that Audra come visit and take that tour of Europe she’d been begging for with her brother as chaperone. Now, arriving home, Gene hoped someone had the forethought to bring the freight wagon as he wasn’t sure if they’d get all his sister’s luggage back to the ranch otherwise.

“Oh, look, there they are!” Audra squealed excitedly as she spotted her mother, Nick and Heath waiting. She ran up and gave each of her brothers an enthusiastic hug. “It’s so good to see you!”

Victoria gave Eugene a warm embrace. “Eugene, it’s so good to have you home again. I do hope you’re planning to stay for a while.”

“A week or two until I have to report to San Francisco to start my residency,” Gene assured her. Having extricated themselves from Audra, Nick and Heath both gave Gene a hearty handshake and slap on the back.

“I think college boy here’s grown into a man,” observed Nick, ruffling Gene’s hair.

“Hey!” Gene protested, brushing away the offending hand and looking around. “It’s too bad Jarrod’s not here. Guess he’s in court or something.”

“No, there he is,” announced Audra, spotting their big brother standing a few yards away. “Jarrod!” Audra didn’t notice Victoria’s hand on her arm, trying somewhat to prevent her from going over, but Gene noticed and also noticed the strained expression on his mother’s face. He looked in askance at his brothers, but they just gave slight shrugs and indicated silently he should just go talk to his big brother.

Audra flung herself at Jarrod with enthusiasm and gave him a big kiss on the cheek.

“And I’m happy to see you too, honey,” he laughed, peeling her off. Eugene noticed the pretty blonde standing beside Jarrod, trying not to be in the way, but close enough so it was obvious they were together. There was something about her face that was familiar, but Eugene couldn’t place it.

“Gene, welcome home,” Jarrod greeted, giving his youngest brother a warm handshake. “Why, I swear, you’ve grown at least a foot.”

Gene grinned, a bit embarrassed, but even he was surprised to be eye level with Jarrod. “It’s good to be home,” he replied and glanced over at Jarrod’s blonde companion. Jarrod took the young woman by the hand and brought her into the family group. “Gene, Audra, this is my wife, Amber.” He paused before going on. “She’s also your cousin, Uncle Jim’s daughter.”

They was a moment of silence as Gene tried to figure out if he’d heard Jarrod right. But the attorney’s words would be hard to mistake and it explained the looks on the rest of the family’s faces. Trying to cover his shock, Gene held out his hand. “Welcome to the family, Amber,” he said, keeping his tone light, “twice, I guess.”

Amber smiled at the jest as she took Gene’s hand in a ladylike fashion.

Audra piped up before Amber could respond. “I’ve always wanted a sister and cousins,” she stated, following Eugene’s lead, “I guess now I have both.”

Victoria swept in, taking both Eugene and Audra by the arm. “We must get your luggage,” she said imperiously, whisking them off without even so much as a glance for Jarrod and Amber. Eugene shot his oldest brother a questioning look, but Jarrod just shook his head sadly.

“See if Gene and Audra would like to come by the house tomorrow or Friday,” Eugene overheard Jarrod ask Heath. He glanced over at Audra, who also sported a look of confusion and decided they’d need the full story before they could understand everything that was going on. The train station was probably not the most appropriate place but Gene was going to get to the truth before the day was out.

*

“So Mother just kicked him out?” Eugene asked, surprised. He’d tried to ask about Jarrod and Amber several times on the trip out to the ranch, but every time his mother adroitly changed the subject. He managed to get a chance to talk to his brothers in the library over a drink and they told him the whole story of Jarrod and Amber’s discovery and subsequent elopement, ending with the disastrous dinner earlier in the week.

“Not exactly,” Heath explained, “Jarrod left. Told Mother if Amber wasn’t welcome, he figured he wasn’t either. They got themselves a nice little house in town. Was sure a lot of work moving all his stuff out.”

Eugene glanced around the room, noticing how much different it looked with Jarrod’s books gone. “And he hasn’t been back since?”

Nick shook his head. “Nope. Mother won’t talk about it and Jarrod…” He paused and took a drink. “Well, I reckon Jarrod’s got the right of it. It’s hard to fathom, Amber being our cousin and all, but, Gene, you ain’t ever seen him so happy as he is when he’s with her.”

Heath spoke up again. “Jarrod and Amber invited us over for dinner. Reckon we should take them up on it. I think big brother needs to know we’re not trying to cut him out of our lives.”

Eugene nodded. “That sounds like a fine idea.” Then he thought of something. “But wouldn’t that be a little cruel, leaving Mother all alone like that?”

“She’s invited too,” Heath said, shrugging, “assuming she wants to come. We have dinner here most every night, don’t see how it’s wrong to visit with our brother once in a while.”

“So who’s going to tell her?” Eugene wanted to know and sighed when they both stared at him.

*

Dinner at Jarrod and Amber’s was a far cry from the last dinner at the ranch. The teasing banter that was a staple of family dinnertimes was in full force, love evident in every jibe. There were no awkward silences, no trying to avoid speaking. Nick had raided the wine cellar and brought a case of Jarrod’s favorite Chardonnay and some champagne his eldest brother had ordered a few months before as a house warming gift and the wine flowed freely.

“So, Gene,” Jarrod said, leaning back in his chair and lighting an after dinner cigar, “do you have a place to live when you go to San Francisco?”

“Not yet. I was hoping to take a quick trip and find something close to the hospital, but it doesn’t really matter as long as I’m not too far away.” Gene smiled as he emptied his wine glass. “Why? Is my big brother offering me a place to stay?”

Jarrod surreptitiously pushed Amber’s hand away from where it was trying to sneak up his thigh. “Gene, you know you’re welcome to live at the townhouse. I’m only there a week or so out of every month, unless there’s a big case coming up. Amber will probably be with me when I come down, but there’s still plenty of room.”

“Just make sure you get them to close their door,” Nick kidded. “No telling with these newlyweds.”

“Nick, you’re awful,” Audra laughed. “I’m sure Jarrod and Amber wouldn’t do anything inappropriate like that.”

Amber smiled knowingly at Jarrod, slipping her hand back onto his leg a little higher this time and Jarrod made a mental note to stick her at the other end of the table next time they had a dinner party.

“Sweetheart,” he said as casually as he could with Amber’s hand pressing against his hardened groin, “why don’t you go get dessert?”

“All right,” she acquiesced with one last squeeze to the front of his pants. “Will you come help me?”

“I’ll be there in a minute.” Jarrod held back a deep sigh as he tried to think his erection down. Oh, no, his wife wouldn’t do anything inappropriate, he thought with a chuckle and went to help her in the kitchen once he felt presentable.

“You are a very naughty girl,” he chastised her when he got to the other room. Amber set the dessert plates on the counter and turned to slip her arms around Jarrod’s waist.

“And do you love me in spite of it or because of it?” she whispered in his ear, tongue darting out to caress the lobe as her hands traveled down to massage his buttocks.

“Oh, because, most definitely,” he whispered back, pulling her against him. Jarrod covered her lips with his own and slid his tongue between them, exploring. He pushed her back against the table, lips travelling across her cheek and down to her neck to kiss the creamy skin exposed at the top of her bodice.

“Ahem.” Jarrod and Amber turned to find Eugene standing in the doorway, embarrassment warring with amusement on his face. “I was coming to see if there was more coffee, but I’m sure I can tell everyone to wait until you’re finished.”

Amber blushed slightly and went over to the stove. “There’s some just made,” she told him. “I’ll take it out if the two of you can handle the pie and plates.”

Jarrod couldn’t resist grabbing a feel of her lovely posterior as he held the door for her and blew her a rakish kiss when she tried to glare at him.

“Nick was right,” Eugene observed as Jarrod came to gather up the dessert. “I don’t think I have ever seen you this happy.”

Jarrod glanced up to see his youngest brother smiling at him. “Well, you know what they say about the love of a good woman. And they don’t come much better than Amber.”

“I think that’s pretty much a given, she is a Barkley after all,” Eugene stated, watching for his eldest brother’s reaction.

Jarrod sighed and sat back against the table. “Does that bother you?”

Eugene perched beside him. “It is a little odd,” he admitted, “but, no, it doesn’t really bother me. Trust me, I’ve seen stranger things. And it’s obvious how much you two love each other.” They were silent for a moment before Gene spoke up again, joking. “So, think we’ve got any other cousins around that I don’t know about?”

Jarrod chuckled, then his expression grew serious. “For your sake, I hope not,” he replied. “Much as I love Amber and wouldn’t give her up for anything, Mother’s reaction…” He shook his head. “I’m beginning to wonder if she’ll ever come around.”

Eugene gave Jarrod a brotherly pat on the shoulder. “She’s as stubborn as they come, that’s for sure. But we’ll keep working on her, Pappy, that’s a promise.”

“Hey what’s taking that dessert so long?” came a bellow from the other room. Jarrod and Eugene shared a laugh as they picked up the plates and pie.

Jarrod paused when they got to the door. “Never thought I’d be taking my troubles to my baby brother, but thanks, Gene.”

Gene flushed a little. “Well, I learned from the best, Jarrod. And besides, isn’t that what family is for?”