The Magnificent Seven Fic - 'Truth or Lies' - 3/3

[azombiewrites]

Title: Truth or Lies
Rating: PG
Fandom: The Magnificent Seven
Main Characters: Ezra, the rest of the seven + OMC
Summary: Ezra receives a letter from Maude telling him his father is coming to Four Corners.
Disclaimers: The guys are owned by CBS, MGM, Trilogy Entertainment Group, and The Mirisch Corp.
Spoilers: None
Status: Complete
Total Word Count: 29,153



Ezra didn't know how to deal with the man across the street. The only option that he had wouldn't work. Shooting the preacher was something that not only wouldn't he get away with but it would cause Chris to cause him physical harm as punishment.

The gambler's eye caught the abovementioned man heading towards him. Ezra was about to greet him when the gunslinger turned just as he reached Ezra and strode across the street.

'How rude.' Ezra muttered.

He then realised that Chris was headed straight towards Josiah. Ezra smiled when it took only a few whispered words in the preacher's ear to cause Josiah to walk away. Chris waited a few seconds then crossed the street again.

'Can't get it through that man's head to leave you alone.' Chris pulled a chair closer to Ezra and sat down.

'Tried it myself but he just won't listen.' Ezra nodded.

'He's going to try and stop you.'

'Stop me from what?' Ezra turned his face to look at Chris.

'Leaving.'

'You think I'm going to leave?'

'Aren't you?' Chris returned Ezra's stare only to have the gambler look away.

'I haven't really thought about it.'

Chris knew he was lying. 'We'd understand if you did.'

Ezra started playing with the corner of his red jacket and tried to think of something else to say.

'At a loss for words Ezra.' Chris chuckled at Ezra's silence.

Ezra smiled and nodded.

'If you do decide to go with him, we'll have to do something about Josiah because he won't let you go without a fight.'

'Then he shall have one.' Ezra growled.

'Let's hope it doesn't come to that.'

'Chris,'

'Yeah.'

'I'm having dinner with Clayton and Maude tonight. I don't suppose you and the others could have dinner at the restaurant, at my expense of course, in case I need to be rescued.'

'Why do you think you're going to need rescuing?'

'My parents don't seem to be getting along.'

'What makes you think that?' Chris asked him.

As if on cue, Clayton Standish stormed out of the Hotel with his hands waving in the air. 'Damn-good-for-nothing-Southern-floozy.'

'I see what you mean.' Chris smiled.

Clayton heard Larabee's voice and spun around to see the two men watching him. Chris was smiling but Ezra had a strange expression upon his face.

'I'm sorry Ezra but that woman drives me crazy. It's the reason why I married her in the first place. Must have been crazy myself.' He adjusted his jacket and his composure and was relieved to see Ezra's expression change for the better. 'Would you gentlemen care for a drink?'

'I would,' Ezra stood up and searched his immediate area, 'but I don't know what other gentlemen it is that you are referring to.'

'That would be me Ezra!' Chris stayed where he was and glared daggers at the younger man.

'But you Chris Larabee, are not a gentlemen. You are uncouth, ill mannered, offensive and, quite frankly, you smell.'

Clayton was watching both men carefully. He hadn't heard Ezra speak to Chris that way before and he wasn't sure how Chris was going to act.

'And what about you Ezra Standish, the way you dress and stay clean, a person would think that you like men.'

'What's wrong with the way I dress?'

'Quite frankly, it's girlish.'

Chris stood up and began walking towards the saloon. 'Always wondered why it was so easy to get you into that dress.' He stopped when he noticed that he wasn't being followed. 'You comin' or what!'

Ezra reluctantly began to follow, his mutterings unrecognizable.

'Quite frankly, I think you two deserve each other.' Clayton hid his smile when Ezra and Chris stopped, turned and narrowed their eyes at him. He wasn't going to be threatened. 'You act like a married couple you know that don't you. From the way you're talking, I take it that Ezra wears the dress in the family home.' He waited for a response but their mouths had fallen open. 'Now, let's go and have that drink or would the two of you prefer to be alone.' Clayton walked past them and smiled when Ezra and Chris began arguing with each other, loudly.

___________________________________________



Maude began laughing, she couldn't help it. When Clayton told her what happened that afternoon she had to know what Chris Larabee meant when he said something about it being easy to get her son in a dress and insisted that Ezra tell her the story. He did. The redness on her son's cheeks made her laugh even harder.

Ezra glanced from his mother to his father. Both were laughing, laughing at him because he wore a dress to save someone's life. If it was a con or something similar then there wouldn't be a problem but at the time the situation had been serious and life threatening.

These two didn't seem to care. Ezra had to wait for nearly five minutes before they began to get themselves under control.

'I don't believe the situation was as funny as you seem to think it was.'

'Oh come on Ezra,' Clayton slapped him on the shoulder, 'you in a purple dress, all that make up and singing.'

'It wasn't funny!'

'Of course it wasn't,' Maude smiled at Clayton.

'I did it to save someone's life, two lives actually.'

'Of course you did Ezra.' Clayton tried to agree with a straight face.

'Can we talk about something else . . . please?' Ezra was nearly begging for a change of subject.

'What do you want to talk about Ezra?' Clayton asked him.

'How about the two of you for a start.'

'What do you mean the two of us?' Maude had to force her gaze to stay on Ezra.

'What are you going to do now that you've found each other again?'

'We haven't really talked about it, son.' Clayton told him.

'You've had two months and you haven't talked about it.'

'No,' said Maude.

'Are you going to re-establish the marriage or stay separated?'

'This is something that Clayton and I need to talk about Ezra.' Maude was becoming angry. 'It really isn't any of your business anyway.'

Ezra raised his eyebrows at his mother then looked at Clayton who quickly lowered his head to hide his features. Ezra frowned at them both, there was something going on between the two of them and it didn't look like it was pleasant.

'Why isn't it my business mother? You are my parents and I would like to know what you are planning in regards to your future.'

'Our future is our private business and I will not discuss it with you!'


'You don't have anything to say about it father?' Ezra had noticed that Clayton wasn't saying anything on the subject.

'Not at the moment Ezra, your mother and I haven't discussed it yet.'

'Okay,' Ezra wasn't happy with the answer but decided to leave it for now. 'Let's talk about me then.'

'What about you Ezra?' Maude was getting her things together, she was ready to leave the table and go somewhere else.

'You know what I'm talking about Mother!' Ezra lowered his voice so the other diners couldn't hear him. 'I didn't have a father most of my life because you refused to pay his debt. So what now? Is he going to stay here for a while or is he intending to leave after you celebrate my birthday without me. Is he going to invite me to go with him or will I never see him again?'

'Why don't you ask me Ezra, I'm right here.' Clayton could understand what Ezra was feeling but he didn't really have the answers for him right now.

'I wasn't sure if I should because Mother seems to be speaking for you tonight.'

'That's enough Ezra! You do not talk to your father that way!' she stood up and glared at her son. 'Clayton,
we're going back to the saloon.'

'I'm going to stay and talk to Ezra for a few minutes.'

'Now Clayton.'

The two of them were trying to overpower each other and Maude won. Clayton stood up, nodded to his son then followed Maude out of the restaurant.

Ezra watched them leave and allowed his gaze to hover over the table where Chris and Vin were eating. He was about to leave himself when he noticed that he had been left with the bill again.
___________________________________________

It took Clayton nearly an hour to find Ezra. His son was spending time with his horse. He watched for a few minutes as Ezra brushed down the horse then fed him an apple. The horse was enjoying the attention, giving his owner a shove whenever he could. A smile broke his worried expression when Ezra chuckled and pushed the horse back. The last thing he wanted to do was put an end to his son's enjoyment but they needed to talk, to clear up the conversation they had last night. The lack of conversation any way.

'Ezra.'

He felt disappointed when Ezra's shoulders sagged and his head fell toward his chest.

'Is there something I can do for you?' Ezra turned around to face his father.

'We need to talk Ezra, about last night.'

'You had plenty of opportunity to talk last night but you didn't take it.'

'If I told you that I wanted Maude and I to continue where we left off she would disappear and I would never see her again.'

'She's done that before.'

'Are you okay with it? That I didn't say anything last night.'

'That wasn't my problem.' Ezra walked out of the stall and sat down on a bale of hay. 'You wouldn't discuss me. You didn't answer my question about what's going to happen between you and me.'

'What do you want to happen?'

'I would like to spend time with my father whether it be here or somewhere else.'

Clayton couldn't see his son's face; Ezra was refusing to look at him.

'That's what I want too.'

'You want to spend time with your father?'

'It seems you got your grandfather's sense of humour as well.'

'I met him once.' Ezra informed his father.

'Your grandfather?'

Ezra could sense the shock coming from the man next to him.

'Yes, I don't remember much about the visit, only that it was a big house and that he had a loud voice.' Ezra shrugged his shoulders. 'I've met a lot of relatives and the ones I liked I never saw again.'

'I don't like the way Maude raised you, she shouldn't have left you with other people, not like that, she was wrong to do that to you.'

'My father was no longer there and my mother had to do what she thought was right, what she believed was right. I don't agree with what she did but I was fed, clothed and educated.'

'You're right of course.'

'I have a mother. Vin lost his mother when he was five, never knew his father. Buck's mother entertained men for a living but she kept him with her and he had a happy fulfilled childhood, JD lost his mother last year, I don't think he took it very well. My mother may not be the best mother, she may have not been loving towards me but she's my mother and she's the only one I have.'

Where did things go wrong, Clayton thought to himself, everything was fine before Maude showed up. He decided to test his theory and asked, 'Are you always different when your mother is in town?'

'What do you mean?' Ezra stood up and moved back to the stall that held his horse. He leaned on the door and rubbed the horse's nose and upper lip.

'You're not as lively as you were, less talkative and more distant. Does she always do this to you?'

'Why weren't you there for me? I needed you and you weren't there.'

Clayton was no longer sure if Ezra was talking to him or a lost father. He stood up and moved to his son's side and placed an arm across his shoulder. 'Ezra, if I could I would go back to that day and never leave. I made a mistake and I'm not the only one who has suffered because of it. You suffered the most and I will always regret that. I wish I could change it all for you but I can't, it's in the past now and that's where it needs to stay.'

'I know.' Ezra turned around and found himself held in a strong embrace. He didn't pull away but returned it with as much vigour as he could. 'I hated you for a lot of years but I also missed you every day.'

'I missed you too Ezra and I thanked God the day I found you again.'
___________________________________________

Ezra decided that it was best if he rose early on his thirty-third birthday and find a place to hide where no one will able to find him. The last thing he wanted to do was to spend his birthday with a mother who had never cared about his birthday before, an over exuberant father and six men who had learned that it was his birthday a week ago. The thought of what they had planned was enough to send him running.

The sun hadn't even risen into the sky and he was already dressed and ready to leave his room. After checking to make sure, he had everything he opened the door and found Vin Tanner on the other side.

'Going somewhere Ezra?'

'No, I was checking to make sure my door was working correctly.' Ezra turned the doorknob a few times, closed it, opened it and closed it again. His second plan was to jump through the window to the street below and run as though hell was after him.

The window opened and he leaned out.

'Window's working fine Buck!' he called out to the man below. 'Thought it had a problem but it's fine, nothing wrong with it, we won't need Nathan. Now that I know it's okay I'll go back to bed.'

The window slammed shut and the gambler returned to his bed. Damn them! Damn them and their need to make other people miserable.

Maybe he could just stay in his room, go back to bed for the rest of the day and refuse to answer the door when someone knocked on it.

Just as he was about to lie down someone did knock on the door and he refused to answer it like he decided to. But the person on the other side didn't care; they opened the door anyway and entered his room.

'Happy Birthday son.'

Why did it have to be his father? He could ignore everyone else but he wasn't going to be able to ignore his father.

'I'm not sure it is.' Ezra moaned and looked lovingly at the bed. It had been a very bad idea to get up so early. 'There are too many people who know about it, they're going to go out of their way to be nice and I'm not sure I'm going to like that.'

'You'll be fine Ezra.' Clayton came forward and slapped his son's shoulder.

'Maybe we could go somewhere, just the two of us and then come out of hiding this evening and have dinner with the others.'

'You really don't want to do this do you?'

'After spending so many years not celebrating my birthday it's going to be slightly difficult to handle all the attention.'

'Your friends are counting on you to spend the day with them.'


'My friends.' They weren't his friends they were his associates. Associates that had never once inquired as to what day his birthday fell on. He knew of the others because they had celebrated them through the last year. But surely, they would have known his birthday had also passed during that year.

'Let's go Ezra, you don't want to let them down.'

'No I wouldn't want to do that.'

Clayton led his son out of the room and down the stairs to the saloon that held the six other lawmen. Smiles lit their faces, they had something planned and Ezra knew he wasn't going to like it whatever it was.

Then it happened, they began to express their birthday wishes. Ezra forced the smile to his lips and thanked them as he shook each hand. He then sat down to a steaming cup of coffee. What he wanted was a bottle of scotch and a glass. But what good was that going to do him. The day would only be worse he went through it in a drunken state. No, he was going to have to suffer the torture of the next twelve hours or more and suffer it without complaint.

'What have you got planned for the day Ezra?'

Ezra raised his eyebrows at JD's enthusiasm. How on Earth could he have so much energy at this time of the day, or should he say night because it was still dark out.

'What I would like to know is, how did you know that I would try to sneak away so late in the night?'

Vin was about to make a sarcastic remark about it being early in the morning but Josiah spoke first.

'Because you're known to run out on us when you think of yourself and not others.' Josiah answered knowing it was the wrong thing to say but Ezra had hurt him and was continuing to do so, so he decided that he would give the gambler a taste of his own medicine.

'One more word Josiah and you'll find yourself in Nathan's clinic recovering from a serious injury!' Chris warned him.

Ezra noticed that Josiah refused to acknowledge Chris's warning; instead, his stare was boring into Ezra's soul.

'I also warned you Mr. Sanchez so if you would like to step outside so I can deal with you and your insults!'

'Don't father.' Ezra grabbed his father's arm and pulled him back down into the seat. 'He was only telling the truth, there is nothing you can do to stop a man from telling the truth.'

'It may be Ezra,' Vin was staring at Josiah, 'but the man doesn't need to throw it in your face because he's jealous of your relationship with your father.'

Ezra had to smile; these men were standing by him and supporting him. 'Gentlemen, I appreciate what you are trying to do but there is no need.'

'Ezra, this is your birthday, Mr. Sanchez has no right to ruin it for you.' Clayton squeezed Ezra's forearm.

'If he does then it will be no different from any other birthday.'

'Not every birthday Ezra.' JD suggested.

Ezra kept quiet. The last thing he wanted was the pity of these men.


'Ezra, we're going to take a walk.' Clayton stood up and pulled Ezra to his feet. 'Excuse us gentlemen, Mr. Sanchez. We will make it back for that breakfast you promised us.'

'Clayton,' Chris's voice stopped the man in his tracks, 'whatever you do, don't let him get away from you. He's like a rabbit in a hole, if he finds somewhere to hide it could take us a week to find him again then another week to get him to show himself.'

'I'm sure you are exaggerating Chris.' Ezra smiled at the man in black.

'I think your father is more than likely to believe me over you.' Chris smiled back.

'I agree with Chris.' Clayton ignored Ezra's astonished expression, wrapped an arm around his son and forced him away from the table and out of the saloon.

'You do know that you're supposed to agree with your one and only child don't you father?'

'It's been a long time Ezra, you can't expect me to remember everything at once.'

'You had five years.' Ezra argued.

'That doesn't count.'

'Why not?'

'Because.' Clayton answered.

'That's not an answer.'

'That's all you're going to get Ezra.'

'Would it have been this way if you had stayed?'

'Probably.' Clayton didn't take the question as a threat, not yet anyway.

'Umm, interesting.' Ezra moved slightly closer to his father as they walked along the boardwalk. 'We could have had some very stimulating discussions.'

'Don't you mean arguments?' Clayton laughed.

'Those too.'

'We can still have them.'

'A discussion or an argument?' Ezra had no idea where they were going. The sun was only starting to make its way into the sky.

'How about a discussion.'

'About what?'

'What did Mr. Sanchez mean when he said you're known to run out on them when you think of yourself and not others?'

'Something that I'm not very proud of.'
'Do you want to tell me about it or is it none of my business?'

Ezra didn't say anything until he sat down in the first seat they found. He removed his hat and laid it down on the floor beside him. 'Chris was hired to protect a village a day’s ride from here, he gathered three men and he tried to hire me but I told him no. I didn't want to ride with a black man, not because he was black, but because of what he might of thought of me because, I'm Southern. You hear the Southern accent and everyone suddenly thinks that you owned slaves before the war. I changed my mind after learning that there was a gold mine near the village. I told Chris that it was because he was famous, in Four Corners anyway,'

He stopped and took a deep breath and leaned forward on his knees, 'it was my turn to take watch but I left them and went to the mine but it was empty. That's when the cannon fire started and I knew the others were in trouble. I didn't go back, I got on my horse and rode away. They could have been dying and I was riding in the other direction.'

'You must have changed your mind because you wouldn't be here if you hadn't,' Clayton said when Ezra stopped talking.

'I still can't say why I went back, I don't think I even made the decision to return, it just happened. I stopped and then turned the horse around . . . people died because I left my post.'

'You don't know that Ezra, they could have still died if you stayed.'

'I don't believe that, I won't believe that.'

'It's a what if, Ezra. You can't live with that for the rest of your life. You went back, that's the important thing. If you hadn't more people could have died, including your friends.'

'But-'

'No buts Ezra, you made a mistake but you came through in the end, a lot of men wouldn't have gone back.'

Clayton wasn't sure what to do when he watched Ezra wiped a tear from his face. 'You haven't talked to anyone about what happened have you?'

Ezra shook his head.

'I want you to know that you can talk to me about anything and everything.'

'Chris gave me a second chance, told me not to run out on him again. Since then I've earned their trust,' Ezra laughed, he couldn't help it, 'unless it's money, they won't trust me with money. Don't leave money in the hands of a thief.'

'Are you a thief?'

'I was once; I thought I changed but they expected me to take the money so I did what they expected of me. I took the money.'

'What happened?'

'The money saved my life. Someone was trying to kill Mrs. Travis. I got in the way and stopped the bullet.'

'So instead of stealing the money, you saved a life.'

'If I didn't see the man we were looking for I would have left town with ten thousand dollars.'

'Do you really believe that Ezra?'

'I don't know. I don't know who I am anymore. I always knew what I was capable of. I knew what I would do in any situation, now I don't.'

'Yes you do.' Clayton also leaned forward so he could be closer to his son. 'You went back; you saved Mrs. Travis's life. You protect the people of this town. I'm proud of what you've done with your life, I couldn't ask anymore of you. You're an honest man who is willing to give his own life to save another.'

'You think that of me after only knowing me for a week?' Ezra couldn't hide his surprise.

'Yes I do. I can see it in you and I can see it in your friends. They feel the same way. Josiah only said what he did because of the situation around him. He doesn't like what's happening between you and me and he doesn't want to lose you. If these men didn't care they wouldn't be bothered if you stayed or left.'

'Chris told me that he and the others wouldn't stop me if I wanted to leave with you.'

'That's because they understand what you're going through. We've found each other and they're happy for you, they want you to have a father again even if it means leaving town.'

Ezra stood up and turned to face his father. 'I would go.'

'With me?'

'Yes,' Ezra nodded, 'if you leave town I'll go with you.'
___________________________________________

Ezra sat at the head of the table and looked at the people who sat before him. The day had turned out to be a lot worse than he had expected. The entire day was spent in the company of his fellow lawmen, (including Josiah) and his parents. Thankfully, his father and associates were able to keep Josiah and his mouth under control. Unfortunately, no one had been able to control his mother. Maude had gone out of her way to act like a loving mother who had spent every birthday with her son.

Ezra knew the behaviour was wrong; his mother had never acted like this on any given day of his life. He had played along because he didn't want his associates to know the truth about his relationship with his mother. They knew it was a strained relationship and that he often became depressed when she was in town but what they didn't know was that he loved his mother in his own way just as she loved him in her own way. He saw it in the little things she did, things that only he saw because he knew his mother well. He wasn't able to read her all the time but he could when it mattered and it mattered today.

When his gaze reached his mother's he could see the love in her eyes but it quickly disappeared when she realised he was looking at her. He smiled and turned his eyes to his father. There was an expression of pride on his face and with sudden reality, he knew he still loved his father.

His associates, (except for Josiah) were also wearing expressions that he didn't appreciate. It was a mix of humour, (that would because of the stories his mother was telling them, all lies of course) pity, (for what he was going through) and embarrassment, (there was no reason for them to be embarrassed, they weren't the ones suffering, he was, and he was suffering.

Ezra didn't hide the degradation he felt when his mother burst into another false tale about his childhood.

'Ezra darlin', do you remember how your father use to enjoy fishing, well until the day he took you with him that is.'

'No mother, I don't remember.'

'Well, I'm not surprised, it was a terrible experience for both of you.'

'Then why remind me of it?' Ezra raised an eyebrow at her, his expression telling her that he knew the story she was about to tell was not a memory but a lie.

'Clayton went fishing at least twice a week, especially if the weather was damp, he always said that it was better to fish in the rain . . .'

'You're right there Clayton.' Vin smiled at the older man.

'Always am Vin, always am.' Clayton replied.

'He decided to take little Ezra with him . . .'

'How old was little Ezra?' JD always enjoyed Mrs. Standish's stories about Ezra and he believed every word.

'Four and a half. He was the cutest thing, short for his age, very short, so short that his trousers dragged along the ground behind him.'

'Will you look at the time,' Ezra had retrieved his watch from his waist coat and was now rising from his chair like a bird eager to leave the nest for the first time, 'mother, you should be in bed. It's not good for someone of your age to be up so late.'

'Now, now Ezra, that's no way to talk to your mother.' Buck warned him.

'You would be saying the same thing if your dear departed mother was here telling stories about your overly large trousers that would be not only embarrassing but humiliating.'

'My trousers had to be big, Ezra . . . you know, to hide my package. I mean, it wasn't a pleasant sight when all those ladies were blushing and fainting over a six year old.'

'Please Buck, not in front of my mother.' Ezra rolled his eyes at the ladies man.

'True story Ezra.'

'As true as my mother's stories I'm sure.' Ezra muttered.

'Did you say something Ezra?'

'No mother, not a word.'

'Then perhaps I can continue with my story. I'm sure your friends would like to hear it?'

Ezra looked at the other men but they were looking somewhere else, (even his father) they were refusing to look at him.

Maude smiled then continued. 'Clayton told Ezra to wear old clothes but Ezra insisted on wearing his usual attire.'

The men around the table smiled, they knew what that usual attire would be.

'Frilly shirt.' Vin nodded.

'I do not wear frilly shirts.' The words shot out of Ezra's mouth.

'Neck tie.' Nathan nudged Josiah then frowned in anger when the larger man didn't respond to him.

'Waist coat.' JD jumped in before anyone else could.

'And a pink jacket.' Chris finished.

Ezra didn't say a word.

'You didn't. Did you?' Chris refused to believe Ezra would ever wear pink.

'Of course not!'

'His best Sunday suit.' Clayton Standish was now laughing so hard because of the expression on his son's face that tears began to fall from his eyes.

'I refused to allow him to wear his new boots, thank goodness. He was a sight walking next to his father. Clayton had his hands full so Ezra held onto his father's trouser leg.' Maude reached across the table and squeezed her husband's hand then returned it her own side of the table. 'Ezra didn't catch any fish, he never could, and he didn't have the heart to put the worm on the hook. Always said it was a waste of life and he left his father know about it. He wouldn't stop letting his father know about it. Kept scaring the fish away with his complaining. Clayton didn't catch anything that day either. Ezra had fallen into the creek a few times that day, said it was an accident. Clayton insisted that Ezra fell in just as he was pulling in a fish and he just happened to fall where the fish was. The next thing Clayton knew the fish was gone.'

'You jumped into the creek and rescued the fish?' JD asked.

Ezra could only shrug because he had no memory of it.

'As far as we could understand, yes he was rescuing the fish.' Maude continued. 'He came home three steps behind his father. The look on his face was priceless. Of course Clayton never allowed him to go fishing with him again.'

Clayton took over the narration of the story. 'Each time I would go fishing he would stand in the open doorway, place his hands on his hips and say, "You do realise father that you are committing a mortal sin by murdering innocent fish that no doubt have families that they have to feed and raise until they reach adult hood. At which time they then have to take care of their grandchildren while their parents go out looking for food and if your hook is there with that dirty worm on it they are going to think they won't have to eat for a week but instead someone is going to eat them. Do you want to deprive those small fish of a parent."'

'He said that?' Buck looked from Clayton to Ezra then back again. 'At the age of four.'

'Four and a half.' JD reminded him.

'You said all of that at the age of four and a half?' Buck repeated.

'Apparently.' Ezra was watching his father carefully.

'How did you remember his little speech?' Chris asked Clayton.

'He said it that often that I couldn't help but remember.'

'If you would all excuse me, I'm going to retire for the evening.' Ezra stood up and raised a hand when his father looked as though he was going to leave with him. 'No father, you stay and listen to mother's stories. I've had a long day and all I would like to do now is to retire. Thank you all for the gifts and an enjoyable day.' He turned away and left the table to walk through the empty restaurant. All he wanted was for the day to be finally over and it was late enough for him to make an excuse and leave.

When he stepped outside into the fresh air, he took a deep breath and held it for a few seconds before releasing it. He had to get away from everyone and think. His room, it was the only place of solitude that he could go to. The door could be locked so no one could enter, if they forced their entry then they would be invading his privacy. They wouldn't do that to him. They would have to be aware that the day had been difficult for him and they weren't willing to make it worse.

Once he was inside his room, he removed his jacket and threw it across the bed. He was angry and the anger was building. How could his mother do this to him? He knew why she was doing it but how could she do it to her own child.

What he had hoped wouldn't happen, happened. Someone was knocking on the door. He lowered his head and closed his eyes. Please don't let it be him.

'Ezra son? Will you talk to me please?'

'Son.' Ezra shook his head.

'Ezra! Let me in.'

He didn't want to but what choice did he have. The confrontation could either happen now or in the morning. It would be better if it happened now. He moved to the door and opened it and turned away again without looking at the man who entered the room behind him.

'Are you okay Ezra?' Clayton had been worried about his son since the moment he left the table - there had been a disturbing look in Ezra's eyes.

Do it now.

'Ezra?'

Say it!

'Who are you?' There he said it, now all he had to do was hope that he got a truthful answer this time.

'Why would you ask me that? You know who I am.'

'I know who you're not! Now tell me the truth. Who are you?'

Clayton raised his hands to try and sooth Ezra's temper. 'I'm your father.'

Ezra pulled his Remington from its holster and aimed at the area between Clayton's eyes. 'Tell me now or I'll shoot you where you stand!'

'Ezra.'

'Does my mother know? Or did she master mind the entire con?' Ezra saw the flicker of truth in the blue eyes.

'You just gave yourself away.' Ezra smiled. 'Who are you?'

'Ezra, you can't really believe that we would lie to you about something like this, we-'


'Mother must have told you enough about me for you to know that I carry out my threats.' Ezra was wearing a wicked smile. 'If you don't tell me, I will shoot you!'

'Eugene . . . Eugene Langdon.'

'How much is she paying you to do this?'

'She's not.'

'How much is she paying you?'

'Ezra she isn't paying me. I'm doing this for other reasons.'

'Get out!'

'Let me explain, please.'

'I want you on the next stage out of here.'

'Ezra . . .'

'Get out!' Ezra had all intentions of shooting Langdon if he didn't leave before he counted to three but there must have been something in his eyes because Langdon didn't hesitate in leaving. No doubt, he was going to run to Maude and tell her that her precious baby had found out the truth. There was no father. It was only a ruse to get him to leave Four Corners.

Josiah had been correct with his thoughts on the parentage of Ezra Standish.
___________________________________________

Josiah was having trouble finding sleep. His mind was too busy thinking about what had transpired during the day. He had kept his mouth shut out of respect, (the others thought they were the reason for him staying quiet) for Ezra because it was his birthday even though he knew in his heart that Clayton Standish was not Ezra's father. All he had to do was find a way to prove it to Ezra. If the man who claimed to be Ezra's father were playing a role then he would not reveal his true self. Not when there was money involved.
Maude.

He knew Maude would know the truth. She would have set it up, as another way to get Ezra to leave town and the plan seemed to be working. Ezra was going to leave and he had to do something to stop him. If he became desperate, he could kidnap him, take him somewhere and force the truth into the young man's heart.

A noise from within the church caused him to rise from his bed. He took his gun from the holster that was hanging over the back of a chair and quietly made his way into the church. He wasn't prepared for what he saw.

'Drinking in a church of God, Ezra!'

'Yes I am Mr. Sanchez and I will stay here and continue to drink until I am dead drunk.' Ezra was sitting on the back pew with a bottle of whiskey in his hand. His jacket and hat were nowhere to be seen. The white shirt beneath the colourful waistcoat was damp in patches and clinging to Ezra's skin.

'You will not drink alcohol in my church!' Josiah moved quickly with long strides but before he reached Ezra, the young man's voice stopped him in his tracks.

'Why does she do it Josiah? Why does she keep doing it to me? Does she hate me? Is that it?'

'It's your birthday Ezra, she was-'

'I'm not talking about that!' Ezra waved his hand in the air. 'I'm talking about him.'

'Him?' Josiah knew it was Clayton that Ezra was talking about. He sat down on the pew opposite Ezra.

'You know very well who 'him' is.' Ezra sighed and rubbed his eyes with his free hand. 'You were right Josiah, you were right all along.'

'About Clayton?'

'He's not my father.'

'I'm sorry Ezra.' Josiah looked down at his hands.

'Sorry! You're not sorry. It's what you wanted. You didn't want me to have a father and now I don't have one. Again. Twice now, I've lost my father. Why would she do that to me?'

'Maude did it to get you to leave town.'

'I know that.' Ezra allowed the bottle to fall from his grasp. It fell on to its side when it hit the floor but didn't break and there wasn't enough liquid in it to cause it to overflow. His head followed suit and landed on his knees. He then clasped his hands over his head.

'She did it for the right reasons you know that don't you Ezra.' Josiah saw Ezra nod his head. 'She thinks your life is more at risk here as a lawman than when you were travelling from town to town cheating folks out of their money.'

'I don't cheat.'

'But your mother thinks you do.'

Ezra had to laugh at that. 'She doesn't even cheat.'

Josiah stood up and walked over to Ezra and sat down beside him. He used his weight to push the smaller man further along the seat then said, 'She loves you Ezra and she thinks she's doing the right thing for you.'

'I know, I just wish she had a better way of showing it.'

'Does this guy know that you know he's not your father?'

'Eugene Langdon. Yes he does.'

'What are you going to do now?'

'I told him to take the first stage out of town. As to me? Apart from getting drunk I don't know what I'm going to do.' Without lifting his head, Ezra reached down and picked up the bottle but Josiah immediately took it from him.

'Being drunk isn't going to do anything for you except give you a nasty hangover.' Josiah warned him.

'Why didn't I listen to you?'

'You had your reasons Ezra and at the time they were good reasons.'

'Will you forgive me?'

'I think that should be the other way around. I hit you, more than once, and the things I said to you are unforgivable.'

'You had good reasons to at the time Josiah.'

'No reason was good enough to beat you up.'

'Why don't we call it even.'

'Sure, why not.' But Josiah knew it would never be even. What he had done to Ezra was unforgivable. It didn't matter if Ezra forgave him because he would never forgive himself.

'May I have my bottle back now?'

'I think you've had enough to drink Ezra. It's time you tried to sleep it off.'

'I'll stay right here thank you. This seat will be enough for me.' Ezra started to keel over but Josiah grabbed his arm and pulled him back up.

'You're not sleeping here Ezra. You can sleep in my bed.'

'That would be unwise Josiah, that is your bed and I will not take it from you.' This time Ezra tried to stand up but only managed to fall back down onto the seat.

Josiah pulled him to his feet and began to lead him to the back room. He had to take most of Ezra's weight because the smaller man was either incapable of walking on his own or he was refusing to help.

'He was just like the father I've always wanted Josiah.' Ezra looked up at his friend. 'You're a good friend Josiah. To have put up with all of my crap the way you do. You're a good friend.'

Josiah was about to reply to the kind words but Ezra hadn't finished.

'He listened to me, I told him things that I've never told anyone before. I cried and I laughed. I enjoyed his company. I liked him. I was happy to have a father again . . . he was the father I wanted. But it was all a lie, all of it. Said he was proud of me, proud of the man I grew up to be.'

'I'm sorry Ezra.' Josiah dropped, more than lowered Ezra onto the bed. After removing the gambler's weapons, he laid him down and covered him with a blanket. 'I really am sorry Ezra.'

'So am I Josiah, so am I.'
___________________________________________

Without opening his eyes, he knew where he was. After the confrontation with the man who had claimed to be his father, he had gone downstairs and removed a bottle of whiskey from behind the bar. He wanted to get drunk but he didn't want to go back to his room. He wouldn't have been able to cope if his mother had showed up to talk to him. So he had taken to the streets of Four Corners and for some unknown reason he had ended in the church.

He rolled over onto his side so he was facing the wall. It was the only thing he wanted to face today. His plan was to stay where he was until someone informed him that his mother and Eugene Langdon had left town.

'You should talk to your mother before she leaves.'

Ezra refused to listen to Josiah's voice.

'You can't hide in here all day Ezra.'

'Then I shall find somewhere else to hide.' He threw the blanket off his body and rolled over and sat up at the same time. He was now sitting on the edge of the bed. His head stayed down because he couldn't look Josiah in the eye.

'We forgave each other yesterday. Remember. You can look at me.'

'That's not it.'

'Then what's wrong?'

'I feel like a complete fool for falling for such an obvious lie. I'm my mother's son, I should have known.'

'Ezra, it's not your fault.'

'Then whose fault is it?' Ezra lifted his head and stared into Josiah's blue-gray eyes.

'I don't think it's anyone's fault. You know why Maude did it and she's always trying to get you away from Four Corners. What she's done only tells me that she's become desperate; she'll do anything to get you to leave. You on the other hand haven't had a father for . . .'

'Twenty-eight years.' Ezra answered for him.

'I'm sure during that time you've wanted to see him, to find out why he left. You wanted him to tell you that it was nothing you did that made him leave. You needed to know that he still loves you.'

Ezra was nodding in agreement.

'A week ago he came to Four Corners. Of course, you were angry and hurt but the need to know why took over. You accepted his reason with good faith.' Ezra was still nodding but his shoulders sagged so much that Josiah couldn't see his face. 'It's not your fault Ezra.'

'He said that he wasn't doing it for the money.'

'Then you need to find out why he did it.'

'What if he did it for the wrong reasons?'

'It doesn't matter Ezra. You're going to have to find out either way. You need to know.'

Ezra nodded. Josiah was saying all the right things but it didn't make it any easier for him. The last thing he wanted to do was face the man who had pretended to be his father.

Ezra Standish had no control of what was about to happen. He was going to face Eugene Langdon whether he wanted to or not.
___________________________________________

No one was aware of the four men who were inside the bank withdrawing money with the use of violence until a gun was fired. In a matter of minutes the front and back of the bank was covered by seven lawmen. Vin, as usual, sat up high on a roof close to the blank - he would be able to see anyone coming out of the front door. Chris and Buck stood on the boardwalk across the street with cover on either side of them.

Nathan and Josiah had made their way around to the back while JD and Ezra, (still without his jacket) flanked the bank on the right and left.

Without warning, the four men ran from the bank firing their guns, then just as quickly finding something to hide behind. Everyone ducked for cover, everyone but Ezra. To him a fatal gunshot wound would be a lot easier to deal with than facing Langdon.
___________________________________________

Eugene Langdon was watching the gunfight from a short distance away. He was the only one to see that Ezra was keeping himself out in the open. He didn't like what he saw. Had he done this to Ezra? Hurt him enough to cause the young man to want to die? No. Ezra wasn't the type to take his own like. Take risks? Yes, he was capable of taking risks to save another.

Maude had told him that Ezra was an excellent shot and had been since the age of twelve. She had often used her son's skill in a con. He wondered if Ezra himself still used that skill which was one of a dozen. His eyes narrowed when he saw that there was no reason for Ezra being more in the open than under cover. The other lawmen were well protected and the townspeople were nowhere to be seen. Ezra wasn't taking a risk; he was being childish because the truth had become painful. Eugene was going to put a stop to that.

Eugene made his way to Ezra via the back alley using the buildings as cover. He could hear the gunfire as the fight continued. A flash of white brought his immediate attention to Ezra. He moved towards the gambler and when he was within hearing distance, he yelled at the top of his lungs for Ezra to get to safety.

'Ezra! Get your ass back here now!'

Ezra heard him and glanced over his shoulder to look at him. The grimace that appeared tore at his heart. He had never meant to hurt Ezra - he hadn't done it to hurt him.

While Ezra's eyes were on him, a bullet found its way through Ezra's upper arm spinning him to the ground and leaving him in the open.

Eugene hesitated not knowing what to do but when he saw a second bullet kick up dirt close to Ezra's skull he went into action running to Ezra's side. He reached down with both arms to grab Ezra who was trying to regain his feet so he could return to the fight but Eugene wasn't going to allow that. He began to pull Ezra to the side of the building and he to verbally swear at the smaller man for making it more difficult for him.

A sudden pain in his chest caused him to drop Ezra where he was. He looked down at himself thinking that something was wrong with his heart. The blood he saw in the middle of his chest told him otherwise. He had wanted to keep Ezra from danger and put himself in the middle of it. But that wasn't his real problem. The real problem was that they were still in the open.

He felt detached from his body as his mind drifted away. Ezra was below him, still forcing himself to his knees, a look of fear and sadness on his features.

He watched as the last gunmen fell to the ground. Knowing that Ezra was now safe, he allowed his body to fall to the ground. There was a sudden rush of air as he felt himself return to the pain and knowledge that death was coming for him.

Hands moved quickly over his body. His watering eyes turned to the source. Ezra was kneeling over him. One of his son's hands was trying to keep the blood in his body and the other was gripping his hand.
___________________________________________

Ezra didn't know what had happened until he turned and saw Eugene Langdon lying on the ground with blood flowing from a bullet wound in his chest. Why had he been there? He then remembered someone yelling at him and then pulling at him. Had that been Eugene? It could only have been Eugene; there was no one else around. Eugene had tried to save his life. But it was he who had put Eugene's life in danger by doing something as stupid as standing out in the open during a gunfight.

He placed his hand against the wound and was pressing down as hard as he dared, he didn't want to cause Eugene any more pain but the blooding was finding its way around his fingers. He could feel Eugene's hand gripping his. The pressure was weakening; this man didn't have much longer to live.

'Ezra,' Clayton's eyes moved around until they focused on the gambler. 'Ezra, . . . I need . . . to explain.'

'Don't, you need to keep your strength.'

'Ezra, we both know . . . I can't survive this.'

'You're going to be fine, Nathan will take care of you.' Ezra lied.

'It wasn't the money Ezra . . . I didn't do it for the money.' Clayton had to stop and catch his breath. After a few seconds he continued. 'I swear to you, it wasn't for the money.'

'Why did you do it then?'

'You.'

A simple word shocked Ezra.

'Me?'

'You were the . . . reason I did it.'

'Why?'

'I first met you when you were . . . six months old. Your father . . . was proud of you . . . Ezra. He talked about you to . . . anyone who would listen.'

'You knew my father?'

'For four and a half . . . years. We quickly became friends . . . and he finally introduced me to . . . his son and wife. I spent a lot of . . . time with you.' Clayton saw that Ezra was trying hard to remember that time of his life. 'You were a happy child.' He began to cough and a small amount of blood trickled from his mouth.

'What was he like?' Time froze for Ezra. Eugene was no longer dying but instead giving him the answers to questions that he had lived with for twenty-eight years. There was no one else in the world, only the two of them. He didn't notice the group of men standing around them, or see the confused expressions they wore. He didn't hear his mother's gasp of surprise or see the tears that began to flow down her cheeks. He didn't see or hear anyone except Eugene Langdon.

'He was a good man Ezra . . . much like you. If you want to know . . . your father Ezra . . . look in a . . . mirror. You look exactly like him . . . maybe that's why . . . she wants you to leave, she doesn't want you to . . . you're just like him.'

'When I look in the mirror all I see is what I am. A con man, a cheat and a coward.'

'You are none of those things Ezra. In the . . . last week all I . . . have seen . . . is a man who is honest . . . trustworthy, loyal. A man . . . who is a good friend.' Clayton coughed again and cringed in pain when Ezra removed his hand from his chest and lifted him up to hold him against his chest. 'You are your father's son Ezra . . . remember that.'

'I don't remember my father.'

'He . . . was a good man . . . that would do anything for a friend. That's all you . . . have to remember.'

'What happened to him?'

'He died the same night he left.' Clayton's heart broke when he saw the emotions that were threatening to tear Ezra apart. 'What I told . . . you was true.'

'Mother told me he died in an accident.'

'She thought the truth would hurt you more than his death.'

Ezra nodded. 'She does some strange things but I know . . . she loves me.'

'I only wanted to be a father Ezra, and I felt . . . like a second father when you were younger . . . I wanted to be a father again . . . it would have stayed that . . . way if you did leave . . . with me.'

Ezra gasped in pain when Clayton's grip became painful when he began to cough. A spray of blood created edges around the already growing bloodstain.

'Why didn't you just tell me the truth?'

'Would you have . . . allowed me to be a father if I did?'

Ezra stared into Eugene's eyes. 'You were a good father Eugene and I enjoyed the time we had together.'

'I'm sorry I hurt you Ezra . . . it wasn't my intention . . . '

'It doesn't matter now,' Ezra was staring into the now unseeing eyes of Eugene Langdon. He knew he was dead but he couldn't stop the words flooding from his mouth. 'We can still get to know each other more. I can teach you to play cards better, even cheat, although we Standish's don't cheat. Maybe we can go fishing again and this time I won't free the fish . . .'

'Ezra.'

Ezra ignored Nathan and continued to speak to a dead man.

'I'm sorry I didn't remember you. You were there for four and half years and I don't even remember you. Why?’

'Ezra.'

This time it was his mother's voice. He pulled his eyes away from Eugene and looked up at her. There were tear tracks in her eyes. She was crying for the man she wanted to be his father.

Ezra let go and laid Eugene down on the ground. If he had his jacket, he would have laid it over him. After standing up he unconsciously wiped his bloodied hand on his trousers. The pain in his arm hadn't registered yet. All he wanted to do now was go to his room. His shoulders hitched when the first tears escaped. Ezra expected Josiah to surround him and comfort him so he was surprised when his mother took him in her arms and held him. He felt his mother's lips on his cheek and smelt her sweet perfume. He knew this woman loved him and nothing she did would stop him from loving her in return.


The End





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