Dalton's Pov
I was laying in bed listening too my sister in law and Zelda talking in the other room. I sat up in bed and looked around. I saw little Cain was already up. Most likely him and Dylan's kids are all playing somewhere. I don't care. None of my business and most important none of them are my worries. I grabbed my pants and put them on before I walked out of the bedroom. The last time I was here this room was Cora Lynn's room. I bet she is all grown up by now. Might have too ask Dylan about her. Her and there other sister.
I walked out of the room and saw the gals talking in the kitchen. I walked out of the house so I can go too the out house. Last night after everyone went too bed I walked out to the barn so I can smoke and have a few shots of whiskey without no one knowing. As I was walking too the out house I saw 2 riders riding down too Dylan's. I walked inside the out house. I don't care who it is as long as it's not Mr. Brantley Keith Gilbert, my father.
After I got into the out house i lit up my smoke. I might take Dylan up on his offer about his old cabin, just so I don't have too be round all these damn kids. Every where you look you will see a kid. Makes me sick. I don't know why some people have too have so many kids. When I was in Oregon these was a family who had 15 kids. 10 daughters and 5 sons. Nuts. I smoked my cigarette and was walking back too the cabin when I heard voices coming from inside the cabin. I sat down on Etta's old rocker she has sittin outside on her porch.
I was looking around when I heard the door opening up. I looked and saw two young men standing there. I looked at them and they had no idea who I was. But at the same time I wasn't for sure if they are who I think they are either.
"Hello. I'm Henry and this is my older brother Josiah Gilbert. We are Dylan's little---" I cut him off.
"I know who both of you are. I was there when our ma gave birth too both of you." I told them. Josiah was looking at me.
"Dalton. Dalton is that really you." Josiah asked me. I looked at him.
"The last time I checked I was Dalton." I said too them.
"We thought you was dead. Years ago. When did you get back? Why are you here? Wait till mama finds out. She will be----" I cut Josiah off.
"Shut up boy! Don't you tell her nothing. Same goes for that old son of a bitch husband of hers." I told them young boys. If they tell them I'm here I'll leave and I will never come back too this place ever again. The only reason I'm here now is so I can find Zelda a husband. And I need too do that quick like.
"Sorry Dalton we won't say nothing too mama or pa." Henry told me. I looked at both of them.
"How old are you boys now?" I asked them.
"I'm 21 and Josiah is 24." Henry told me.
"Married." I asked them. I lit up my cigarette
"No sir. We are too busy working with Dylan on the ranch. Well, we help in the timber too but we are mainly work with Dylan. How long are you staying with Dylan? I sure has missed you big brother." Henry told me. This kid never shuts up. I looked over at Josiah who was giving me a look.
"What is you problem?" I asked him looking at him.
"Nothing." He said too me.
"Come on Henry we have work too do?" Josiah told me walking over too his horse.
"Hey, I'm glad you are back big brother. I'll stop back by later. We got a lot too catch up on." Henry told me. I was about to say something when Zelda walked out.
"Ma'am. It was good too see you again Dalton. Talk later." Henry said too me walking over too his horse. I watched as both of my younger brothers rode away. Damn kids have no idea what they are doing with there lives.
"Are you hungry. Etta and I made---" I cut her off.
"No I don't want no food. Just leave me alone." I said too her. Zelda gave me a small smile then walked back inside the cabin. I sat back down in the old rocker. I could hear the kids laughing and playing out in the back of the cabin. I was about too go for a walk when I saw Dylan walking over too me with a cigarette in his mouth. I had no idea he smoked at all.
"I heard you, Henry and Josiah talkin?" Dylan asked me, taking a seat next too me.
"Why was they here?" I asked my bother.
"I paid them for the month." Dylan told me. I looked at him.
"Pa don't pay no one now." I asked him. I should have known Brantley would run out of money. sad the richest men around here is all broke in less then 20 years.
"No pa does pay, but they helped me with the old cabin for the last couple of weeks." Dylan told me. I just looked at him.
"I see." I told him. Dylan looked at me.
"You and Zelda want too look at the cabin or are you just up and leaving again." Dylan asked me. I looked at him.
"You would love that, wouldn't you." I said too him. I got up and walked off the deck.
"Where is you going brother?" Dylan yelled for me. I just kept on walking. I need too get away from this place for a while. If I had my horse with me, I would just ride away and never come back too this hell hole they call home.
I've been walking around the woods for a few hours now. I'm not going too lie, I forgot how pretty it is out here. I sat down next too the creek bed. I was watching the creek water. I took a few drinks from the cold water before I made the choice of going back too Dylan's cabin. As I was walking back I could hear people talking. I walked closer to the people so I could see who it was.
When I looked I knew who it was? I can't believe they are right there and they have no Idea that I'm standing 20 feet away from them behind the big oak tree. I couldn't take my eyes off my poor mama. It's been 10 long years since I've seen my mama and there she is. Sitting next too Brantley.
"What's on your mind old woman?" I heard my father, Brantley asked my mama.
"Just thinking love." Mama told him. Brantley looked at my mama and smiled.
"Talk too me. What's going on in your pretty head?" Brantley asked my mama.
"The kids. The grand babies. Our lives." Mama told Brantley.
"Well, I can tell you this, all the kids are good. And so ain't all of our grandchildren. You just think so much woman." Brantley said too my mama.
"Well, I know where all my babies are but one." Mama said too Brantley. Brantley looked at my mama and smiled at her.
"We can't think on that no more. That boy made his mind up years ago." Brantley said too my mama. That old bastard. He is the reason I'm not around here any more.
"It's been 10 years Brantley. Where is my son at? He could be killed and I wouldn't even know it. 10 years of his life that I've missed, that we missed all because you and Dalton think the same." Mama told Brantley.
"Me and that boy are not the same." Brantley said too his wife, my sweet mama. And I agree with Brantley on that one. We are not the same person.
"Look at you Brantley. Yes you and Dalton are the same, and that was one thing I loved the most about our Dalton. All I had too do is look in Dalton's eyes and I could see you, and the same when I looked in your eyes dear, I could see Dalton standing there." My mama said too Brantley.
"Well, I am sorry he's not here with all of us." Brantley said too my mama. I watched them the best I could.
"I know you dear. I just wish I could see him. Hold him. Tell him I still love him and I will die loving him." My mama said too Brantley. I looked around and saw it was my best chance too leave now.
I ran all the way back too Dylan's and Etta's cabin. I didn't think I would see mama, but there she was. Wish I could talk too her again. By the time I got back too Dylan's it was already going on 3 in the afternoon. I sat down on the old rocker again. Dylan and Etta have someone over. I took out my cigarette and lit it up. I saw someone walking up too the cabin with my twin brother.
"Dalton, I want you too meet Abraham. Abraham Hatfield." Dylan said too me. I looked at this kid.
"Hatfield. As in Cap Hatfield." I asked this young kid. He might be 14, 15 at the most.
"Yes sir, Cap is my pa do you know him." Abraham asked me. I looked at him.
"Dylan who is this fucker?" I asked him.
"Dalton, this is your oldest nephew. Cap and Lydia have 3 boys. Abraham, Otis and Noah." Dylan told me. I looked at him.
"No he's not. Look at him. He's not Lydia's boy." I said too him.
"Abe, go on home and tell Cap that we will all meet at the timber company tomorrow at 8 a.m." Dylan told this kid.
"Sure will uncle Dylan. Nice too meet you uncle Dalton. Mama told me a lot---" I cut him off.
"Shut boy, I don't want too hear it." I said too him.
"Yes sir. See ya later uncle Dylan." Abraham said too his uncle.
"See you tomorrow son." Dylan said too Abe has he was riding away.
"How dare you talk like that too him. You have no idea what life them boys had before Cap and Lydia got them." Dylan told me. I just looked at him.
"I don't care." I said too him. Dylan looked at me.
"The sooner you leave the best it will be for everyone Dalton. What happened too you man? Look at you, skin and bones, you look like shit and your mouth needs---" I cut him off.
"You don't know what my mouth needs." I said too him.
"All I know is, you need too be nice too your family. We never did nothing too you. Our younger brothers look at you like your there hero. Our nephews do the same. And just remember this is my home. Not yours. Etta's and mine." Dylan said too me. I looked at him.
"I saw Brantley and mama at the creek today." I told him. Dylan looked at me and took a seat next too me in the other rocker.
"How did that go?" He asked me. I took another smoke out and passed it too my twin brother.
"I didn't talk too none of them." I told him. That's the way I want too keep it.
"What are you really doing here Dalton?" Dylan asked me.
"I need too find Zelda a husband." I told him.
"Here's a good answer, change your ways and be the man she needs in her life." Dylan told me. I looked at him.
"Thanks but no thanks." I said too him.
"Dalton, being married is a great thing. The love you and her made for each other. Look around man, our love is every where." Dylan told me.
"I know it is, 4 kids in 10 years." I said too him.
"Zelda is a good woman. And I remember when Dalton was a good man. I know he is still in there. He's the good man we all need again." Dylan said too me. I looked at him.
"I can't be that man no more." I told him. Dylan looked at me.
"Why not?" Dylan asked me.
"I don't know how? Man if I tell you everything I've seen you wouldn't want me here with you and your family." I told him. I was trying not too cry, What type of man cries in front of his brother.
"I want you too be honest with me Dalton. I want you here. Etta wants you here. The whole family would love for you too be here with us, but you can't forgive our pa. If you don't want too do it for yourself then do it for our poor mama. Lydia told me she still cries for you every night." Dylan told me. I was about too say something when Zelda walked out.
"I think you both need too talk. I'm going too see what Etta's doing." Dylan told me.
"She's in the kitchen Dylan." Zelda said too my brother.
"Thanks. Hey, try too make him happy." Dylan said too Zelda. Zelda sat down next too me.
"Did you have a nice walk?" Zelda asked me. I smiled at her.
"Yeah I did. How are you feeling?" I asked her.
"Good. Cain is really love being here." Zelda told me. Dylan Jr and Cain are playing tag with little Franklin, while Charlotte and baby Ruth are inside with there parents. I was watching the kids and maybe Dalton is right. Zelda needs a husband and maybe she could help me with my family.
"Do you like it here?" I asked her. Zelda smiled at me.
"I do. I feel safe here with all of you. And Cain is loving having kids too play with." Zelda said too me.
"Good. Come with me." I said too Zelda. We walked back inside the cabin. When we walked in I saw Dylan and Etta kissing each other.
"Sorry to bother you both but brother when can Zelda, Cain and I move into the old cabin." I asked my brother. I can't believe I'm going to do this.
"You are going too stay." Dylan asked me. I looked at him.
"Yeah I am. Now when can we move into it." I asked him.
"We can start tonight." He told me. I looked down at Zelda who had a big smile on her face. I looked back up my brother.
"Let's do it." I said too him.
After 4 long hours of cleaning out the old cabin Zelda, Cain and I was going too call this place home for a while. I don't know how long I am going too stay here, but for now this place will do. Dylan wasn't kidding when he had Josiah and Henry redo this place. They did a great job on it. After Dylan and Etta and their kids left it was just Zelda, Cain and I again. I don't mind it. Cain was playing with some old toys Etta let him have. I walked into the kitchen too see what Zelda is cooking. We have been living off of Etta's cooking for 3 days now.
"Smells good in here." I told her. Zelda looked at me.
"Nothing special just ham and eggs tonight. Tomrrow I'll be making us fried chicken." Zelda told me. I smiled at her.
"I'm going too work with my brother at the timber company in the morning." I told her.
"That's fine Dalton. I'm going to get this place into a home." Zelda told me.
"Yeah you do that." I told her. I walked outside so I can see the stars. I lit up my smoke. You need too start off small and I'm going to try my hardest too be happy here and make Zelda and Cain happy here. I just hope I can do it. I looked up at the heavens.
"God, please help me get out of this hole that I've made for myself. Please help me. Tell me what to do my heavenly father. Just help me." I wipe the tears away. I looked down and saw Cain standing there.
"Hey little man." I said too him. I picked him up.
"Look what my friend gave me." Cain was showing me a wooden toy.
"I see. You want me too play with you." I asked him.
"Please Dalton." He asked me. I smiled at him.
"Yeah come on. It's getting cooler out here." I said too him. I carried him back inside the cabin. Just take one step at a time. I can do this. I know I can. It's just going to take time.
A/N
HOPE YOU ALL LIKED IT.
WHAT WILL BE NEXT FOR THE GILBERT FAMILY.
WILL DALTON FALL FOR ZELDA, OR WILL SOMEONE TAKE HER AWAY.
PLEASE VOTE, COMMENT AND SHARE.
UPDATES WILL BE SOON.
HOPE YOU ALL HAD A GREAT CHRISTMAS.
GLAD 2020 IS ALL BUT OVER. I HOPE 2021 WILL BE A BETTER YEAR.