Loaded Guns and Broken Fences [On Hold]

Chapter 27

Nancy McGrath stood with one hand on her hip while shading her face with the other. She squinted at the horse and cart Otis had brought to her attention. "You sure got good eyes," she commented, having to look up at the dark-haired boy beside her, despite being older.

"Wus ya expectin' company?" He returned, sounding more curious than anything else, despite the rather threatening rifle that hung with his arm at his side.

Nancy didn't like that Otis and his siblings carried guns around so openly like that, especially after just losing her father, but they'd made it rather clear they weren't going to part with them.

"Nope, but I'd bet ya just about anything that's Bran and Mary."

Otis didn't respond, likely because he'd never heard of either and had no inclination as to who they were.

"Bran is John's younger brother, and Mary is Aunt Celly's oldest."

"Ah," Otis nodded, though he still wore a slight frown that stayed right where it was until Bran and Mary were much closer. As Nancy began to descend the porch steps, Otis followed her. "Damn, she's beautiful," the teenager commented under his breath.

"She's your cousin," Nancy replied with a small smile.

"I didn't say I wanted to marry her er nothin," Otis was quick to say. "Hell, from what pa wus sayin', half this town's relations." By the time he'd finished his statement, the cart was slowing to a stop in front of them.

"I didn't know you had company, Nan, I-" Mary said, pausing as she accepted the hand Otis offered while she climbed down from the cart. "I brought some things for you." Both girls embraced each other.

"Mary, Bran, this is Otis," Nancy replied after stepping back from Mary. "He's one of Uncle Finley's sons. They got here a couple days ago."

Mary stared at Otis with a scrutinizing gaze. Although he was a handsome boy, he looked a little haggard and worn. "I don't believe I've ever met any of that part of the family."

"Wull, yer in for a treat," Otis snorted, before addressing Bran. "Howdy."

Bran returned Otis' greeting with a handshake and a friendly smile, though he seemed to share Mary's inability to place their exact relation.

"Finley, you said?" Before Bran could say much more, John had wandered over from the pasture.

"Uncle Finley." He offered to Bran, in hopes his little brother wouldn't make too much of a fool of himself. "You wouldn't know him, he pulled up and moved out west before you could walk."

"You'll be waitin' a little longer ta know him too, on account'a he ain't here right now," Otis added. "S'just me, an' Octa, an' Luttie."

Nancy hooked her arm with Mary's. "Well, why don't yall come inside, we can give these things to mama." As she spoke she led Mary up the worn porch steps and into the house.

"S'pose I'll head in too," Otis said.  He tipped his head to John and Bran and shifted the weight of the rifle further onto his back before burying his hands in the pockets of his worn trousers.

Otis's sister, Octa, lingered inside by the window pane watching her brother and Nancy greet the new arrivals. Never being much of one for womanly duties, she'd slipped away from their widowed aunt for as long as she could manage. As her twin came inside, she grinned.

"I knew we'd have good looking kin," Octa mused, though she suspected that might mean brains were on short supply.

"You weren't wrong," Otis conceded quietly, though he wasn't sure if she was referring to Bran, Mary, or both. It could be hard to tell with her.