The Merryweather Children

“Papa died,” Honor cried through the phone.

“What happened?” I asked gathering the files on my desk and packing them away in the old ratted briefcase I had been carrying since I came to New York five years ago. Papa had given it to me, and it always reminded me of home. People always asked me why I never got a new one, especially when the handle started to rip at the seams and I poorly stitched it back together. Looking at it now though, it didn’t feel so sentimental anymore. It felt like I had missed something; something that I never should have.

“His heart just gave out,” Honor sounded like she was trying to pull herself together.

“I’m on my way,” I assured her as I left my office and headed to the elevator. I didn’t know how I was going to explain any of this to the partners of my law firm. I had just been made partner because I never took time off, and I was a woman without a family. That was literally what Michelle said when she announced the partnership. Now I had to head back to Alabama like Reese Witherspoon on Sweet Home Alabama, the place I had long since left behind.

“Oh, Blessing, I don’t know if Papa would want you messing up things where you live. I just thought you ought to know,” I could hear her choking back the tears to try to sound stronger than she was in this moment.

“Honor, you just told me that my father died, and you don’t expect me to come home. I’m on my way,” I snapped much harsher than what I meant. He was her father too, I reminded myself as quickly hung up the phone. What the hell was taking this elevator so long?

I turned around and looked at my new office with the high vaulted ceilings, windowed all around, bookcase filled with law books and the picture of Papa, Mama, Honor, Virtue, and me when Honor was only five, Virtue was eight, and I was ten. It was everything I ever wanted. I had just arrived, and now I was leaving again. The story of my life.

***

Virtue met me at the airport like I knew he would. My little brother stood tall, much more stocky than I remembered, putting on a brave front. He was always more manish than I liked, but he was a man now standing before me; so much like Papa in the stories he told of his youth. “How you faring, Little Brother,” I hugged him.

“Well he was Pops, you know?” He didn't even argue the “Little Brother” like he had done since he was thirteen. His grief was apparent.

I nodded and got in the car. We rode quietly, each of us deep in thought about what we were doing back here. He had moved to California to start a tech company. I had decided to practice law in New York where the money was. The Merryweather children had spread out. Not Honor though. Honor stayed with Papa on the farm. She had big dreams too though. She could have been a brilliant fashion designer. Being the most sensitive of us, she put aside her dreams for Papa’s.

The closer we got to the farm, the more I thought about Mama. She had died in a tragic car accident when I was a Senior in high school. None of us were the same after that. I left the day after graduation. Virtue wasn’t far behind. Papa just wasn’t himself after it all. She was the great love of his life, and she was gone. We couldn’t deal. Now, I worried about Honor. What would she do now?

She came running out the house as soon as the car pulled up like we weren’t here for a funeral. She swung her arms around me and squeezed tightly as soon as I stepped out. “I missed you,” she sang, swaying me in her embrace.

When she finally let go, I got a chance to look around. Everything looked exactly the same from when I was here seven years ago; a little older maybe. “You’ve kept up things, I see,” I nodded my approval. Virtue grabbed my bags from the car and headed inside.

“Oh that was all Papa, and my Billy,” she blushed as she spoke this stranger's name.

I raised my eyebrows and she waved me off and shook her head an unspoken way of her telling me not to worry about it. I was sure I would meet this Billy at some point, so I just followed her inside feeling a slight twinge of jealousy that my little sister had someone in her life, and I couldn’t find a man to save mine. There was something about working 80 hours a week that turned men off. I always thought that when I became a partner I would have more time for life. It hasn’t happened yet, but I’m still hopeful.

I hurried off to my room and quickly unpacked. “He always thought you’d be back, so he never moved anything,” she said standing in my doorway like she used to when she was younger.

“I’m sorry it’s been so long,” I sat on my bed.

“Someone else you should be saying that to,” she motioned her head toward the window.

I got up and looked out. The little red horse barn Papa had built for Honor and me when I turned sixteen stood tall like it hadn’t seen bad weather a day, and I knew exactly who she was talking about. “Spirit,” I whispered. “He kept Spirit?” She smiled and went back down to the kitchen.

Papa always thought I would come back to Alabama to practice law. He had to sell my old horse to pay for law school, and it took a while, but I was alright with that. Then he surprised me with Spirit when I came to visit as a graduation gift. It made it all the harder to tell him that I was moving to New York to work for my dream firm. I ran out the door and headed into the old red barn.

The barn door creaked loudly as I stepped inside. A few familiar faces and a couple new ones looked my way before going back to whatever they were doing. I walked past all of them until I got to the last stall. Spirit turned away from me instantly. She was obviously still upset by my abandonment. I pulled up the stool next to her door and cried. It was the first time I had cried since I heard the news. Spirit turned back around towards me and neighed. I cried harder.

“Blessing?” a familiar voice called from the other side of the barn. “Is that Blessing Merryweather?” Kendrick came from out of the shadows.

“Kendrick Richardson, what are you doing here?” I asked, wiping my tears on the back of my sleeve and standing to greet my high school sweetheart.

“We heard about your father. The whole town has been helping out since his passing. I’ve been tending to the horses.”

“Obliged,” I answered, suddenly remembering my accent. He smiled that bright beautiful smile that had me missing curfew and getting in all kinds of trouble. I had to look away or I would be trapped in his spell again. “I just came out here to say hi to my horse.”

“I see. You just got in?”

“Yeah, not long,” I said brushing the top of Spirit’s head. Anything to avoid his gaze.

“Heard you a big time lawyer up in New York. You love it?”

“More than anything,” I nodded.

“Good to see you,” he nodded and went back into the shadows.

I hugged Spirit’s neck and went back into the house.

***

It was a lovely service. The whole town showed up. People I had known since before I knew me. Everybody shared their condolences and some story about what they would always remember about my father. I realized that I never really knew him like I thought I did as they shook my hand and went on their way.

Aunt Erma squeezed my shoulders, “Hey, baby,” she sighed.

“Hey,” I matched her sigh.

“Hey,” Honor came and sat beside us. Her mood was much more appropriate than it had been when I had first arrived.

Virtue came and sat by us. He didn’t say a word. Honor squeezed his hand and he snatched it back. I knew he was fighting the urge to break down. Men don’t cry in his book, no matter what. At the very least, they don’t cry in front of women.

“We all that’s left,” Aunt Erma nodded as if she was just realizing it.

“Looks that way,” I answered. “How long you think it would take for me to pass the bar in Alabama?” I asked as if I dared myself to do it. They all looked at me and I smiled knowingly. “It was just a thought,” I held up my hands defensively.

“My tech company ain’t doing so good,” Virtue admitted. “I might need a break from San Francisco.” We all gave him the same look they had just given me.

“I can’t handle the farm by myself. Billy and the town’s been helping, but I don’t know how long that’ll last,” Honor offered.

“I think that means the Merryweather children are coming home,” Aunt Erma squealed quietly for the sake of the other people gathered around to say goodbye to my father.

“Wait, it was just a thought,” I cautioned her.

“Yeah, sure it was,” she said and walked away.

“Sure it was,” Honor repeated and walked away.

Virtue and I just sat there in silence. I always loved that about him. He always knew just what to say.