"In Winter"

I have a little story going over on the fanfiction website.

A retiree from the west named Thaddeus Jones adjusts to a new life with family in Michigan, but he hasn't forgotten the past.

https://www.fanfiction.net/s/9732168/1/In-Winter

Chapter 3 of "In Winter" has been posted on the fanfiction website. It's a short chapter, but important.

https://www.fanfiction.net/s/9732168/1/In-Winter

Chapter 4 of "In Winter" has been posted.

https://www.fanfiction.net/s/9732168/4/In-Winter

Thanks to that nasty Polar Vortex and Canadian reluctance to keep frigid temperatures up north where they belong, Chapter 6 of "In Winter" has been posted.

https://www.fanfiction.net/s/9732168/1/In-Winter

Chapter 7 of "In Winter" has been posted.

https://www.fanfiction.net/s/9732168/7/In-Winter

Chapter 8 of "In Winter" has been posted.

https://www.fanfiction.net/s/9732168/8/In-Winter

A short Chapter 9 has been posted.

https://www.fanfiction.net/s/9732168/9/In-Winter

Chapter 10 of "In Winter" has been posted on the fanfiction website.

https://www.fanfiction.net/s/9732168/10/In-Winter

Yay, been looking forward to this.   

I've been looking forward to this too, Rosie. Love this series.

Chapter 11 of "In Winter" has been posted on the fanfiction website. It's a longer chapter this time, I think the longest one yet. I got carried away.

https://www.fanfiction.net/s/9732168/11/In-Winter

Darn!  I've been waiting for the next part and I won't be able to catch up until the weekend.  At least I have that and the next part of the legacy to look forward to.   

RosieAnnie, as far as I'm concerned you can get carried away any time you like! Especially on "In Winter", I love this series and can't wait for more. Thanks, Rosie.

Thanks, everyone, for your support of this story. I wasn't sure that anybody would enjoy a story without a lot of external action such as posses, gunfights, hurt/comfort, and so on. "In Winter" is about regret, loss, identity, aging and love, not necessarily in that order. I'm gratified that people seem to be enjoying it.

I certainly am, RosieAnnie

I really enjoyed chapter 11 Rosie but I left my comments over on the other site.

A good story doesn't need posse's and angst and confrontations. This is story of inner growth and retrospect and its well written, so of course we're going to love it! Keep it coming. We're all awaiting your next chapter.

Yes. Rosie, I agree with Keays.  You have me anticipating the simple arrival of the other grandparents, and the reveal of the next part of his life story, as if these events were high impact cliffhangers. It's is a credit to your storytelling and writing skills that you have been able to build such anticipation without the posse/action/angst tools that we typically depend on. Oh, and by the way, don't be concerned about being long winded because quite frankly when it comes to this story, the more the better! So looking forward to more of "In Winter". Happy Easter!!

Yes! I challenge you to be more long-winded than I was in TOF! Meanwhile, 500,000 words later...LOL! Sometimes introspection and personal growth take a lot of self-talk and it's so interesting getting inside the heads of these characters whom we've all come to love so much.

Chapter 12 of "In Winter" has been posted on the fanfiction website.

https://www.fanfiction.net/s/9732168/12/In-Winter

Oh great last line! He knows his daughter, doesn't he?

The tension is building very nicely in this chapter and one can't help but feel for Christine in this stressful situation. In-laws can be difficult enough to get along with but when you have a pair who think they know best and have the right to take over your children it can be downright impossible to get along.

Hopefully Pat won't be a mama's boy and give in to her manipulations--somehow I think not. And Thaddeus will certainly have his daughter's back.

Looking forward to the next chapter.

I just read all 12 chapters and can't wait for more. It is a beautiful story, full of introspection, reflection on changes, time's passage, values and how what is important changes over time. Loved to get to know the Kid's family - well, daughter, granddaughters and son-in-law. Now I want more, more, more. What about his sons, where are they, what about their families?
I am also eagerly anticipating the dastardly plans of the Chicago in-laws - because their "surprise" is sure meant to lessen Christine's influence over the girls. I am fearing boarding school or sending them off to Europe or further East or something. I hope Pat will have Christine's back.
The girls should be allowed to be children a bit longer. They might decide they are interested in turning into ladies once they become teenagers, even though I hope they won't, being the Kid's granddaughters...
It is nice to see Kid has not lost his touch with charming the ladies - even if it is just harmless mock-flirting with Cathleen (maid? housekeeper?).
I am hoping the students will continue with their interview and show the Kid he can be proud of his past. It looks like the boys never got the amnesty, if I am not mistaken, so I guess that is one of the reasons for Kid's reluctance to talk about his younger years.
It is a little heartbreaking for me to think he and Heyes split up 40 years ago and never made contact again. Their bond was always so strong, how could they stay away from each other? That made me cry more than once while reading your story, and even while writing this comment. The very beginning shows that Kid still dreams and thinks about his partner, he later even mentions he misses him. The thought of them having parted after a quarrel and fight and never made their peace with each other is unbearable for me. Maybe because I know what it feels like to have parted like that from someone and never gotten a chance to make up before the other person's death. I am hoping very much that the students might be able to track down Heyes (who just has to be alive still) and so will help to facilitate a reunion.
It is also hard to imagine the Kid having to give up the West, the Rockies... It seems cruel that he has to relocate at his age to somewhere so completely different. A move like that is hard enough when you are young and want to, but being forced to leave where you made your life and where you love to be because of health problems must be horrible. Especially for a proud, independent man. And he seems to be having a hard time, even though he loves his daughter and her family. Can a lake replace the Rockies near Yellowstone? Having grown up in a low mountain range area, I just can't see any appeal in a flat landscape (apart from maybe a short holiday).
You also have me worried about Kid's health, that his heart might cause problems at some point.

Could you maybe have some nice Chicago gangster wipe out the nasty/troublesome part of the family (which forces Pat to stay in Chicago), so the others can relocate to the likeable town of Denver, where they then happen to buy a property neighbouring that of a certain Mr. Smith (and family)?
A girl can dream...

Chapter 13 of "In Winter" has been posted.

https://www.fanfiction.net/s/9732168/1/In-Winter

Yay! I am so glad to see the next chapter. And my goodness, here comes a interesting visitor from his past to shake up the party even further! This is going to be great. I also love the way the Kid took command in the room when all the fussing broke out. Loving this, Rosie!

Yippieh. I had almost given up hope to see another chapter. But it was worth waiting for.
The poor students - bad enough to morph back and forth between guests, help, and researcher. Now they have to endure a family row.
The in-laws are really dastardly, Adelaide a queen bee with no consideration for folks she considers beneath her, including her daughter-in-law. I knew they had plans to get the girls away from "bad" influences; but arranging for a boarding school without asking the parents first and then pretending it is a Christmas gift - I am almost speechless. And the effrontery to invite a stranger to their son's house without asking. Especially Adelaide seems incapable to accept any boundaries and behaves as if her son's family and home are just extensions of her own domain. I can feel so very much with Christine, I wanted to scream and kick her out! Great how Pat reacted, fully supporting his wife, definitely no little mama's boy.
Good that the Kid came to the rescue and took charge of the situation. I only hope that the trouble and strife with the mother-in-law will not affect his heart/health. He has to be ok for a reunion with Heyes!
You chose a very interesting character from the past to make a reappearance. I have never encountered Spencer in fanfiction before, even though I thought he was an outstanding character in the series. And he had a profound effect on the Kid, admiring him, believing in him, putting too much pressure on him, but still finding back to his faith and a goal in life through his encounter with the ex-outlaws. I am looking forward to his arrival. It will also be most interesting in regards to the research of the students.
Now I am only waiting for Mr. Smith. I still cannot believe that the partners have lost contact for 40 years

RosieAnnie,
I have really enjoyed a look at how it might be for the Kid as he ages. I sincerely hope you will continue and finish this story! I'd like to know what happened to Heyes, to their friendship and if they find each other again. Will this story connect somehow to Astoria?
regards,
Lgen