Chapter Three #3
After composing himself, the man presented Matt a packet, saying it had been given to him for safekeeping by Sid, in case there was a time after his death when the son he had fathered was found.
The packet was to be given to his son once it was verified beyond any doubt that the person was not an imposter.
As far as Chester or anyone else was concerned, there was no doubt Matt was Sid’s son.
Inside the packet was the letter his mother had sent to Sid.
Matt immediately recognized her sprawling handwriting.
Then there was a letter in Sid Roberts’s own handwriting, notarized, saying he regretted not having lived to meet Matt in person, but upon reading the letter, he was officially claiming him as his son.
Another letter in the packet was addressed to Clint, Casey or Cole.
Matt gave the letter to Clint, who read it and then said that his uncle, Sid, wanted Matt to have the land on the south ridge.
Clint told Matt the parcel was presently being used as a reserve to save horses from being slaughtered.
Matt was moved by the letter Sid Roberts had left for him and his offer of the land.
However, he refused to accept the property.
Just knowing that the man acknowledged him from the grave and shared his legacy was touching enough.
Sidney Matthew Roberts, sight unseen, had fully claimed him—Matthew Sidney Caulder—as his.
From that day on, Matt accepted Sid Roberts as his father.
That was one of the reasons he had attended the Sid Roberts Foundation banquet as the Westmoreland triplets’ guest five months ago.
When he walked in, the entire ballroom had gotten completely quiet, and everyone stared at him, shocked, as if they were seeing a ghost. Those who had known his father—many from the rodeo circuits—approached him and said the same thing Chester had.
It was as if they were seeing Sid alive again.
And also like Chester, a number of them had tears in their eyes, while telling him what a good man his father was, and how he’d rightly earned his legend as a cowboy and rodeo star.
Two of the guys, who had been Sid’s closest friends, even remembered meeting his mother, Deena, that summer, and told him Sid always said she was the one he regretted letting get away.
After the event was over, as he, Deena, and other members of the Westmoreland family who had been there to support the triplets were leaving, he encountered a swarm of reporters who thought his being Sid Roberts’s long-lost son was big news. Or they intended to make it that way.
Not long after the banquet, he began receiving requests from newspapers, magazines, podcasters and television shows.
Everyone wanted to interview him. A production company even wanted to make a movie about the love story between his mother and Sid.
News flash! There hadn’t been a love story, and he refused to let some Hollywood director make up one.
Okay, there had been a love story, at least on his mother’s side.
According to his godmother, Megan, Deena Caulder had fallen deeply in love with Sid Roberts.
Although she could never have him as part of her life, she was happy having his son, who constantly reminded her of the only man she had ever loved.
His godmother also presented him with a photo album his mother had kept, showing photos of her and Sid during that summer.
There were a number of them. Seeing his mother so young, beautiful and happy with the man she loved had touched him deeply.
Some photos were taken at the rodeo, while others were taken at other events.
There were also news clippings of his father when he won several rodeo titles, which meant she had kept up with his career over the years.
One particular photograph, which Megan pointed out, was of Deena and Sid together at what appeared to be a nice restaurant.
Sitting close, with his arms around her shoulders, Deena smiled brightly at the camera and Sid stared at Deena.
He was looking at her in a way Matt’s godmother thought meant something.
That photo led Megan to speculate that Sid had loved Deena as well, although he’d never told Deena so.
His godmother felt Deena must have known it, but Sid’s love for the rodeo was stronger, and Deena didn’t want to take that from him.
Deena had died with instructions to Megan to only share the album with Matt if he inquired about his father. Then it was to become his.
He had shared the album with the triplets, and they had become emotional again.
Casey shared his godmother’s sentiments, that Sid had loved Deena.
Clint and Cole even recalled their uncle once telling them about the one woman he had fallen in love with—how, in the end, he had chosen the rodeo over her. A decision Sid had regretted.
“Well, Dad, I’ll be going. Don’t work too late,” Deena said now, breaking into his thoughts.
“I won’t, and I don’t want you to work too late either, young lady.”
Her response was a cheeky grin.
After Deena left, he returned to work, wondering if what Deena had said was true. Had Iris and the guy she introduced at Nadia’s wedding ended their relationship?
Regardless, he was looking forward to seeing her again.