Fire and Oil

Kayce stood and took Alyssa's hand. It was more than a handshake but less than a full romantic gesture. "Thank you Ally. This means a lot to me, I mean seeing you again and allowing me to meeting to me my son. Whatever you or Joel need or when ever I'll be there for you. See you at 12 on Sunday."

Alyssa watched him go with a little smile on her face. Now that she'd heard why, she could understand Kayce's reasoning; at least from his standpoint. She didn't agree with it but could understand. Important thing is he seems to want to see his son and that's a good thing.

Sunday morning Sally Ann called Kayce. "Hey missed you last night, especially waking up this morning. A bunch of us are going tubing on the Comal River this afternoon. Pick me up about 11 and we'll make a day of it."

"Can't do it Sally Ann," Kayce said. "Got other plans."

"Okay, maybe I'll join you then."

"Don't think that's a good idea. I'll see you next week sometime."

"Why can't I go with you?" Sally Ann asked. She didn't want to lose her hold on Kayce and didn't like that he'd turned her down.

Kayce sighed before he answered. He knew that if he was going to continue with Sally Ann he would have to tell her about Joel, but hadn't planned on doing it so soon. "Okay....I just found out I have a son. I'm going to meet him today. It probably wouldn't set well if I brought you along."

"A son? Since when and with who?" An alarm bell was going off in Sally Ann's mind, thinking she might be losing him.

"The boy is five years old; his mother was my girlfriend back then."

"So you just up and left her?" Sally Ann asked. She didn't think that sounded like Kayce.

"No, I didn't just up and leave her." Kayce's voice had a little anger in it. "She moved for her job but didn't she know she was pregnant until she had been there for a month or two. I shipped out to an oil platform in the Gulf of Mexico and she didn't know which one. We just met up again at The Corral last night."

"Why didn't you..." Sally Ann started but Kayce cut her off.

"I'm not going into it with you now. But I am going to see my son. I'll call you later in the week."

"But I want..." Sally Ann was speaking into a dead phone.

Kayce hadn't been getting up especially early, usually about 7 AM, but Sunday morning he woke up at 5. After trying to go back to sleep, he finally got out of bed at 5:30. Guess I'm excited about meeting my boy, he thought. He had time to kill so he got dressed and went out to work on the ranch grounds.

His family's ranch, now his, was a small. It was only about 200 acres, and could be described as a hard scrabble place. Not much good for raising anything but cattle and kids. Kayce didn't want to raise cattle but he had always liked horses and kids were in his future...he hoped. He was repairing the fence around the large paddock and was also working on stalls in the barn. When he finished the repairs he wanted to go look for a couple of horses. He wasn't a cowboy but he did like to ride. Around 9, he quit working and went into the house. Horses would be the next update to the ranch.

Kayce took a shower, shaved and fixed a light breakfast; he was too nervous to eat a normal big Texas breakfast. He was ready to go by 10. He had to force himself to wait until just after 11 for the 30 minute drive from the ranch in Spring Branch to Alyssa's place in New Braunfels. He would be early but he couldn't wait any longer. Kayce was going to meet his son and he was very excited. Alyssa and he had never really talked about kids; they were enjoying each other too much to think that far into the future. Kayce was an only child but he'd always wanted a big family.

He made the drive into New Braunfels in just over 20 minutes, faster than normal. Kayce drove around the block about 3 times. It was 11:45 on his last circuit and Alyssa stepped out on to her small front porch and waved him in. He pulled into her driveway and got out of the car.

"You might as well come in before you wear your tires out turning right," Alyssa greeted him with a big grin.

"Guess I'm a bit skittish this morning," he admitted.

There was no doubt in Alyssa's mind that Kayce was really interested in their son. "C'mon in and meet Joel. You can get to know him while I finish with lunch." Kayce followed her into the house and saw his son sitting on the floor playing with some toy trucks.

Alyssa led Kayce over to the boy. "Joel, this Mr. Kayce Randal. Could you say hello to him?"

Joel stood up and stuck out his hand. "Nice to meet you sir."

Kayce had to smile and he knelt down to be closer to the boy's height. Taking the boys hand, he said, "It is very nice to meet you Joel." At a loss as to what to do next, he asked, "What kind of trucks do you have?"

Joel sat back down and began to explain his toys. Kayce knelt with him on the floor. The boy picked up a shinny truck and said, "This is the nicest one," he put it down and picked up another one. "But this one is my favorite; it's a work truck and the others are just pretty."

"I have a work truck too," Kayce said.

Joel stared at Kayce for several second. "Are you my Daddy Mr. Randal?"

Kayce was very surprised, more like shocked, and it showed in his facial expression. Alyssa was was leaning in the door way to the kitchen, smiling at the interaction between Kayce and Joel. "He knows who you are," she said. "I've been showing him your picture since he was old enough to know what a picture was. I've also told him about you."

"You told him?"

"He's a good boy and deserves to know he has a father," Alyssa answered.

Turning back to Joel, Kayce answered the question. "Yes, I guess I am Joel."

"Where you been?" Joel asked with a scowl. "You sposed to be with us."

Kayce had tears in his eyes and he sat all the way down with Joel. Must be dust in the air or something, he thought. "Your right Joel, I'm sposed to be with you. But I'm here now."

"You gonna live with us from now on," the boy asked. Tearing at the subject like a dog with a bone.

Kayce didn't know how to answer and Alyssa stepped in. "Joel, Mr. Randal has a ranch he has to take care of so he'll be staying there."

"You have a ranch? With horses and cows and everything?" Joel asked with obvious excitement. "Can I see it?"

"Someday soon, if it's okay with your mother. I'll talk to her about it."

"Enough talk for now, lunch is ready boys." Alyssa said from the door way. "Y'all come eat."

During lunch and later sitting on the swing on the front porch, Joel rambled on and on. He talked about starting school, which kids he liked, his teacher and anything under the sun he could think of. After more than an hour, Alyssa came out onto the porch. "Time for someone to take a nap young man."

"Do I have to?" Kayce asked with a grin.

"Ya, do I have to?" Joel repeated.

Alyssa picked up her son and answered, "You most certainly do young man. You'll see Mr. Randal again." As for you," she turned to Kayce, "We have to talk a bit so no nap for you."

"See you late Kayce," Joel called out.

"Joel, you should always call older men mister," Alyssa scolded.

"But we're pals, aren't we Joel?" Kayce objected with a big grin. "Pals always use first names."

He squirmed out of his mother's arms and gave Kayce a hug. Then he followed Alyssa inside for his nap. Now there was no question about dust in the air, tears crept down Kayce's face.

After a few minutes when Alyssa returned, Kayce said, "He's a fine boy, Ally. You've done a good job with him." Kayce pulled out his bandana and wiped his eyes. "I'd like to see a lot of more of him, if you'll let me."

"Joel would like that, Kayce. But just so you understand, this is about Joel; not about us."

"I can accept that but I do want to see my boy. When can I see him again?"

"He has school every day from eight till noon. You can see him a couple of time a week and on the weekends if you like."

"Where does he go at noon?

"I take him to school every morning then I pick him up at noon and take him back to the hospital with me. They have a very good day care center there for the employees."

"Maybe, after he gets to know me, I could pick him up once in awhile and take care of him until you get off work," Kayce suggested hopefully.

"We'll see," Alyssa replied. "Let's see how y'all get along first." She stood and said, "I need to get ready to start my work week so call me and we'll set up more time with Joel."

Kayce stood not really ready to leave but knew he had been dismissed. "Thank you Ally. You've been very good to me. Talk to you soon."

The rest of the afternoon at the ranch he would find himself staring off across his property thinking about his son. The land beyond the barn was a flat grass area of 4 to 5 acres. The rest of the property was the rolling hills with little valleys of mostly grass, prominent in the Hill Country around that part of Texas. Somewhere down deep he was thinking about Alyssa as well. Sunday evening Sally Ann called.

"Missed you today Honey. Want to get together tonight?

"Sorry, I can't Sally Ann. I'll give you a call sometime next week. I've got to go, see ya." Kayce was a little short with Sally Ann because she had interrupted his thoughts about Joel and Alyssa. After a few seconds, he thought, that was downright rude. That's not like me; I'll have to do better.

Sally Ann was not pleased. She felt Kayce was pulling away from her and she didn't like it one bit. She bet that his coolness had something to do with his ex. We'll just see about that, she thought.

Kayce called Alyssa to okay an afternoon visit with Joel on Thursday. "I know you work all day, let me pick Joel up from school and keep him with me, I got a car seat for the truck. Then I'll save you from cooking for one night and bring some good Texas BBQ over for supper. What do ya say?"

"Okay, that would be a nice break but Joel hasn't eaten much spicy food so get him a burger or something very mild. See you at 5. I'll give the school a call and the okay for you picking him up."

Waiting outside the school for Joel, Kayce thought about he, Joel and Alyssa. Joel came running out of school and spotted Kayce, ran and jumped into his arms. "You come to get me?" Joel asked very happily.

"Yes sir, I did. We'll pick up supper and go meet you Ma at your house." Joel nodded and climbed into the car seat in the truck. Kayce had the sense to buy a very good car seat for the boy and helped fasten him into it. When Joel was secure Kayce stopped for BBQ and drove to Alyssa's house.

Kayce and Joel showed up at Alyssa's at 5 with a big box just full of food. helped carry the box holding on to one end and Kayce almost bent over holding onto the other end. Alyssa opened the door and the boys carried the box into the kitchen. He started laying out the food he brought from Smokey Bo's BBQ. There was brisket, two racks of pork ribs, a large helping of pulled pork with a Carolina style vinegar bbq sauce and a big hamburger for Joel. He had also brought potato salad, Cole slaw and bbq beans.

"Mama, we got BBQ he almost shouted, Kayce even bought me a hot dog for lunch." He looked at Alyssa and added, "And a milk shake." All of this was said at something close to the speed of sound. Joel continued talking tell his mother about their day, looking at horses.

She couldn't help but smile at how excited her son was. Finally able to break in, Alyssa said, "Go wash up Joel and we'll eat." Turning toward Kayce she raised an eyebrow in a question.

"We just ran around together and had a great day, didn't we Joel?" Joel just nodded as he left to clean up.

"You buy out the place?" Alyssa asked as she laughed. "There's enough for 4 or 5 people."

"I figured you could refrigerate the leftovers for another night. Keep you from having to cook. Sorry about the milk shake; I had one and couldn't very well so no to him, could I?" Joel came back wiping his still damp hands on his pants. "Let's eat," Kayce suggested.

Kayce sat Joel at the table with a cushion beneath him to raise him up a bit. Joel had not wanted to use a high chair. He said he was a big boy and didn't need it. He began to gnaw on his burger as soon as he sat down.

Kayce and Alyssa were talking and eating the great bbq when Joel asked for a bite of the pulled pork. "Buddy, that's pretty spicy, why not try the brisket or the ribs instead."

"You're eating it," Joel said. "I want to eat it too." This was accompanied with a big smile.

Kayce looked to Alyssa and she just nodded. So he put a small bite on a fork and held it out to Joel. The boy took the pork off the fork, chewed for a little and his eyes lit up. "That's really good," he said. "Can I have some more?"

"Sure buddy, here come on over and we'll share," Kayce answered. He picked Joel up and sat him on his lap. For the next half an hour, everything that Kayce ate Joel wanted to taste it. Finally the boy belched real loud.

"I'm full Kayce. Think I'll stop now."

"C'mon little man," Alyssa said. "We'll get you cleaned up for bed."

"But Ma, Kayce is still here. Sides it early yet."

"Okay but let's get your bath. Then you can stay up with Mr. Randal for an hour. After that it is bed time for little boys."

After the bath, for the next hour Joel talked to and at Kayce. Kayce didn't get much more than a few words in but he didn't mind. It was his son doing the talking and he'd missed all that while he was growing up. Alyssa let Joel stay up and extra 15 minutes and then, in spite of his arguments put him to bed. Kayce did go and tuck the boy in.

Later sitting together on the porch Kayce said, "Er Ally I'd like to help with expenses for Joel if you let me." She started to shake her head, but Kayce hurried on. "If I'd know about him I would have been helping out all along. C'mon Ally let me help."

"Okay," Alyssa agreed. "But don't think you are buying your way back into my life. This is for Joel."

"I know you don't think much of me and that's okay. I probably deserve it. But I want Joel's life to be a little better and I think I can help with that." Kayce hesitated and added, "What about I pick you guys up Saturday and we can go out to the ranch for the day. Joel can see the place and run all over. I got 200 acres just waiting for a little boy to discover it."

"I've got to work Saturday morning. Come by and pick him up around 8. I'll go to work; it's a short shift, and I'll come out to the ranch around 2."

Kayce called Sally Ann as he'd promised and agreed to meet her at The Corral at 7 on Friday evening. Sally Ann saw him come in, she ran and jumped on him, wrapping arms around his shoulders and her legs around his waist and tried to kiss him. Kayce caught her to keep her from falling but dodged her kiss and sat her back on the floor.

"What's wrong?" She asked, surprised that he didn't kiss her. After all they hadn't seen each other for over a week.

"Nothing's wrong, I just don't want to have a make out session here in the bar," Kayce answered. "Let's get a booth if we can. We need to talk."

When they sat down and put in a drink order, Sally Ann said, "Haven't seen you for a bit. Why don't I come out to the ranch tomorrow and we'll spend all day together?"

"Can't do it. Taking my boy out to the ranch tomorrow. I want to spend the time with him."

"Well, I can help you watch him. I like kids, it'll be fun."

"I told you before, that's not a good idea right now Sally Ann. Just got back into my son's life and don't want anything messin it up."

"Is SHE going to be there too?" Sally Ann asked. The jealous tone in her voice was plain.

"Ally will come out in the afternoon to pick up Joel." Kayce could see the slowing building anger in her face. "Relax, there's nothing going on between us, except we have a son. So just cool your jets."

"I don't like you spending so much time with your ex," Sally Ann said in an angry voice.

"Told you I just want to spend time with my son and get to know him. Of course I'll see Ally, she's his mother." Kayce paused and looked at the young woman; his irritation at her rising. "If you've got a problem with it, that's on you. But I'm gonna get to know my boy, so deal with it, or don't. Don't matter much with me."

Sally Ann could see Kayce's reaction and thought it was time to back off a bit. She didn't want to run him off. "Okay Honey, don't get a burr under your saddle. Let's just have a good time drinkin and dancin, and then we can go to my place."

"Not in the mood tonight, Sally Ann. In fact I'm gonna head out. Call you next week." He picked up his shot of whiskey, downed it and left some money on the table. A worried and angry Sally Ann watched him go.

The next morning, Joel was a whirling dervish running from his breakfast to the door to see if Kayce was there yet. "Sit down and eat Joel," Alyssa said. "He'll be here soon."

"Okay Ma," Joel replied. He took another spoonful of oatmeal and ran to the front door again. Alyssa could only chuckle and shake her head.

Kayce parked his truck in the driveway and before he could get out, Joel came running out to meet him. "You ready to go Kayce? I'm ready; been ready for a long time. Can we go out to the ranch now?" All delivered in a nonstop, almost too fast to understand voice.

"Ya, say good bye to your mama and wait by the truck." Joel gave his mother a quick absent minded kiss and ran to the truck. Kayce walked to the porch to where Alyssa was standing. "I'm gonna go buy a couple horses and take him along, if that's okay?"

She smiled and nodded saying, "He'll love that." Kayce sort of gave her a half wave and walked back to his truck, helped the boy into his car seat and drove off.

Kayce had already checked out a couple of places and had pretty much made up his mind about which horses he wanted. This trip was a sort of last look to make sure these were the ones he wanted. "Joel I don't have any animals at the ranch yet so I thought we'd go look at some horses today, if that's okay with you?"

"We gonna see horses. I've never seen horses for real; only on TV or the movies. Ya, let's go see horses," Joel ran on for more than three or four minutes as he almost stood up in his car seat. All Kayce could do was laugh.

They drove up to the house of a sort of neighbor to Kayce. Mr. and Mrs. Jordan owned the ranch, although Mr. Jordan had passed away in the early spring. Mrs. Jordan was selling off the livestock and equipment of the ranch and would then put the ranch up for sale. She was moving to California to be closer to her daughter and her family.

Kayce, Joel and Mrs. Jordan walked over the corral in front of the barn. Mrs. Jordan pointed and said, "I put those two you looked at in here and a couple of others you haven't seen. Take your pick."

After looking over them again, Kayce picked, with Joel's help, the big black stallion and a buckskin gelding he had looked at previously. Joel was very excited he got to help in choosing the horses. Kayce pointed to another mare with a foal in the corral. "What about that mare Mrs. Jordan?"

"Well as you can see, she has an almost year old foal. The youngster won't be ready to ride hard for at least two years. You could start training him under saddle in another 8 months or so. The mare is real gentle, what's called lady gentle, and well trained for riding."

Kayce took Mrs. Jordan aside as Joel watched the horses. "Let's make a deal on the mare and colt. I plan on Joel riding the colt when it gets old enough. In the mean time he can ride the mare."

"For a boy that size, he could probably ride the colt for short distances in about a year."

"Can you deliver them over to my ranch?"

"Don't have the hands anymore but you can borrow the horse trailer to get them to your place." She turned and looked at his truck. "Between here and your place you could use your own truck, if you've a mind to."