Jacob and Esau

[Shoney Mullins]

Shoney fell silent at that. She supposed that she shouldn't've been surprised that their mother was gone, but it still stung more than she wanted it to. Leah Mullins had been her shelter from her brothers... and at times her own father, so it was with no great shock that a deep attachment had grown between mother and daughter. As well, plenty of folk had said she was the spitting image of her mother as she grew up, and the resemblance had only gotten more uncanny as time went on. She'd tried to write; tried to send word, but the thought that either Frank or Zeke might intercept her letters kept Shoney from doing anything to keep in touch.

Suddenly, Shoney was glad for the blindfold. It kept Frank from seeing the tear that'd rebelliously escaped from her eye.

"Shame."

[Frank Mullins]

"Two of you were close, yeah."

Frank mentioned it matter-of-factly as they rode along the trail to carry them away from town, and to the spot where old Seamus was holed up.

"A lot closer than you've been to the rest of your kin, that's for sure."

[Shoney Mullins]

And once more her indignation and hurt at being so spurned by the rest of her family flared up to overshadow whatever sentimental feelings she felt over their mother's death.

The resentment in her voice was thick.

"Hard not to get close to a person that keeps you, Zeke, and Pa from beating on me."

[Frank Mullins]

"Not my intention to cast judgment."

With a smirk, Frank picked up the pace as they headed up a hill.

"Old Man figures it's about time for you to come back to your senses though."

[Shoney Mullins]

Leaning forward slightly to compensate for her mare heading up a hill, Shoney made a face.

"Sounds like somethin' he'd think. Something tells me you're not of the same opinion though."

[Frank Mullins]

"Don't much matter to me, one way or another."

The horses labored a moment, but they were soon over the grade.

"You're old enough to make your own decisions, and be responsible for them."

[Shoney Mullins]

At that she fell silent, allowing quiet to rule between brother and sister. They rode on, to wherever Frank was taking her. What would her father say when he saw her? What would he do? Shoney could only guess. Without her mother to temper Seamus Mullins' cruel undertones, it was nothing but a ame of chance that she was playing now. Of course, if what Frank said was true about their father, she figured her chances of leaving the old man's company alive and in one piece were just a little higher.

Then again, for as much as age might duel a man's cruelty, it was equally possible that it sharpened it as well.

[Seamus Mullins]

The camp wasn't too far away. Maybe the next valley this way or that. Not that it mattered.

Seamus rocked back and forth in his wooden rocker, plucking idly at the strings on his guitar. Kip and Roy leaned against an opposite wagon, alongside a half dozen other hired guns.

The old man paused as he saw two horses crest the hills. Kip tensed to shoulder his Winchester, but Seamus shooed his intentions down with a gentle wave of his hand. He slowly set his guitar aside and rose from his seat.

[Shoney Mullins]

She could hear the sounds of a camp, and Shoney finally took it as a sign that she could remove the blindfold Frank had forced her to wear. The bright sun hit her eyes harshly, and she squinted into the unforgiving daylight. Her gaze was cast upward as if looking toward the sun would help to quicken the diminish the brightness, and she absently accepted the reign that Frank returned to her.

She caught sight of Roy and Kip, but the figure rising to stand was who her eyes snapped to.

Just as slowly as he'd eased himself from his rocker, Shoney dismounted. She stood alongside her horse for a few short moments, staring at him, and with a silent curse that no one could hear, she started forward at a gentle pace.

She would remain as calm and genial as needed for now, playing the long lost daughter finally come home.

What happened next would be dictated by Seamus.

[Seamus Mullins]

Seamus slowly approached his only daughter with a wistful expression on his face. Nearing her, he at last opened his arms to embrace his estranged child.

"Shoney, welcome home."

[Shoney Mullins]

It felt odd, to hear those words. 'Welcome home'.

But, she never-the-less returned his embrace. He'd grown far older during the years that she'd been gone, but the fact that he was here now, expecting Frank to exact revenge for Zeke's murder, only meant that he may've become older, but he'd not grown soft.

"Papa."

Shoney closed her eyes as she rested her cheek on his shoulder. In some perverse way she wasn't but ten years old again.

"Frank told me about mother."

[Seamus Mullins]

"It was the loneliest time of my life."

He confided to her, still within an embrace.

"We looked for you, when it happened. You must not have wished to be found. I can understand. I'm glad you're here now though."

[Shoney Mullins]

Did he truly mean it? Shoney would've liked to believe him, but that one part of her mind, the part that was forever trapped in the memories of her childhood, refused to acknowledge any chance of sincerity coming from the head of the Mullins clan. Her own father.

Her eyes tracked over to Roy and Kip, but she didn't look at them for very long.

"I was up in Oregon."

Standing back finally, she searched his face. Her own features neutral, Shoney eventually let a frown twist at the corners of her lips.

"But now I'm here."

[Seamus Mullins]

A smile creased the old man's face, and he nodded at the affirmation.

"I'm glad, Shoney. I really am. This family's taken another cruel turn, and we need some good news to come down."

[Shoney Mullins]

Was it some lasting bit of respect that wished to give to him a kind word before bringing cruel reality crashing down upon his head? Like a woman possessed, Shoney's mouth opened to speak before her mind could silence it. She grabbed at her father's sleeve.

"Papa, I... I have a boy."

[Seamus Mullins]

"You have a son?"

It gave Seamus pause, and he pulled back to take another look at her. The smile remained on his face.

"Is he in town? Who's his father?"

[Shoney Mullins]

The words continued to come out unbidden.

"He's still in Oregon. It's not safe for him here."

She finally wrestled control from her younger, eager to please self, and fell silent before bringing out into the open the dark secret that only she knew. Her father needn't know about any of that.

But, she wasn't entirely cold-hearted about the matter of her son. For as hot and cold as he'd treated her during her childhood, he was still her father and at least deserved some amount of information on the matter. She'd at least tell him his grandson's name.

"His name is Seamus."

[Seamus Mullins]

He clasped her hand in his, and held it to his chest.

"Saints be praised, you are your mother's daughter. I'm glad there's some grace and dignity still left in the family after all."

He at last released her hand slowly.

"When we finish this business in town, I'd very much like to see my grandson."

[Shoney Mullins]

And now was when the cruel reality of it all would be released upon him. Shoney scuffed at the dirt with the toe of her boot, squinted up into the sun, and absently untied the knot of the bandana still around her neck. She shook her head, her eyes returning to him. The look she gave him was one of sorrow, resentment, and anger.

Now they were on to the heart of the matter.

"No more business in town to be had."

[Seamus Mullins]

The smile on his face eased away. He looked at her with a knowing expression.

"Shoney, I'm not an unreasonable man. What I aim to do, I'd do the same if it were you in Zeke's place."