Chapter 1

"Mama, where are ya?", Thomas called, as he came in the door after going to pick some berries his mother wanted him to get for her.

However, when he opened the door, he was surprised to see all five of his brothers standing around, confused expressions on their faces.

"Where have you been!?", Adam yelled, causing all of his brothers to jump just a bit.

"I-I was just. . .", Thomas stuttered.

"Well not long after you left mom told me to get Pa and she's been hollerin' ever since!"

Now wide-eyed at what his brother had just told him, Thomas gasped, nearly dropping the basket of gooseberries. "Oh, no.", he whispered. Setting the basket on the dinning table, he turned toward his eldest brother. "Adam, I'm going to see if Pa needs my help. Take the others outside, maybe go find Aunt Mary.", he instructed.

However, Adam, instead merely frowned, crossing his arms. "What can you do?", he asked in the same annoyed tone he had used quite a bit lately.

Thomas sighed. "Adam, please.", he whispered, making a dash for his parents' room.

Sighing, Adam looked to his brothers, not quite sure what to say. Although, he come on aggressive as he had seemed to do as of late, the truth was that he was scared. He knew their dad had tried to keep it from the others, but the truth was he knew that their mother wasn't doing too well and it scared him. He didn't want to loose her. She was the only girl he could talk openly to and not feel embarrassed about it.

Meanwhile, Thomas, telling himself that there was nothing to fear since he had helped his father when Gabriel, his youngest brother was born. He knew he shouldn't be nervous, but the fact that their mother hadn't been doing well the past month caused him to worry much more.

So, nervously he opened the door, poking his head in. Instantly his heart felt heavy seeing their mother in the condition she was in. It wasn't necessarily the fact that she was about to give birth to his newest little brother or sister, but rather the fact that he had no clue what would become of either of them. In addition the thought had just occurred to him that his mother wasn't screaming as she he knew she should have been and the thought scared him.

"Pa. . . Ma.", Thomas hesitantly called as he made his way over to where Simon stood, leaning over his wife, not yet offering any information to his eldest son. "Pa. . . Is Ma alright?", Thomas asked in what was barely a whisper.

Looking to his eldest son, Simon sighed. "Thomas. . . your mother,", Swallowing back his tears, Simon reached down to take Jane's hand with his free one.

"S-She what?", Thomas asked nervously.

Slowly Jane turned her head to look toward her son. "Thomas," she whispered, slowly turning her hand over for him to take it.

"Yeah? Ma, is everything alright?", the look in Thomas's eye made it obvious how much he cared.

Jane sighed, giving her son as best a smile as she could. "I love you so much Tommy.", she whispered. "But, not everything. . . is going the way it should. . . I won't. . . be here. . . much longer.", she said, gasping a little.

"Ma, what will me and Pa do without you?", Thomas replied, his eyes full of concern. "We. . . We can't loose you.", he whispered.

"I know you can handle it Tommy. You're brave and capable. . .Your father will get his sister Mary over to stay with you."

"But Ma."

"No, Thomas.", she whispered, the sorrow in her eyes apparent. "I'm sorry I can't be here longer, but. . .", she sighed suddenly feeling even weaker.

"Ma!", Thomas cried, becoming more scared by the second.

Simon, reached over covering both his son and wife's hands, the situation hard for him knowing he not only had just lost one of his children, but would very shortly loose the woman he loved.

"Pa?" Thomas whispered, becoming more scared by the second, began to tremble, looking first to his mother then his father. "W-What's wrong?", he asked, his voice trembling as much now as his now second youngest brother Gabriel's usually did.

Sighing, Simon looked first down at Jane, then back to his eldest son. "Your mother doesn't have much longer son.", he whispered, looking into Thomas' eyes. "son, one of the twins was born still and the other one is very weak. . ." He sighed as a lone tear trickled down his cheek. "She would have been your only sister."

Thomas nodded, trembling a bit more as he gently kissed his mother's cheek. "Pa, is there anything I can do?", he asked afraid he already knew the answer.

Simon sighed, trying to find out how to give his son the news as gently as he could. "Thomas, go get Adam. Bring him back. . . so he can say good-bye to your mother."

"But what-", Thomas started to protest when Simon shushed him.

"I know son. But, I think that Jeffery. . . He'll be alright, just to know that his mother isn't hurting anymore and the others are too young. Adam will want to know what you do, he always has."

Thomas nodded and hesitantly went to get his younger brother.

Adam, as he had done of late, gave his brother a hard time but a few minutes later both of the brothers walked into their parents' room, solemn expressions on their faces.

Adam, as his brother led him into their parents' room, looked up at his father, the same annoyed look in his eyes as usual. Then, he looked to their mother and his lip began trembling just a bit, his throat getting tight.

"Mother.", Adam whispered, his hand trembling as he reached forward, laying his hand on her arm. "Mother please. Please, no.", he whispered, biting his lip as his eyes began to mist.

The next moment Jane slowly turned her head, looking up at her son, through weary eyes. "Adam. . . I'm sorry to leave you. . . and your brothers .like this,. . . but I know you and Thomas. . . will make me proud. I know you will. . . I know it."

Simon, his own emotions nearly getting the better of him looked down at two small bundles, one that laid in his wife's arms, the other that lay at her feet. "Adam. . . One reason. . . your mother wanted. . . you in here. . . You have a baby brother and sister. . ." At this point his throat caught as he gently laid a hand on what would have been his only daughter. "Adam, the little one in your mother's arms is your newest baby brother, Henry. The one. . . at your mother's feet. . . would have been your. . . only sister. . . And she was born still."

Adam, not wanting to believe what his father had just told him looked first from the baby at his mother's feet to the one in her arms. "Mama?", he whispered.

Doing her best to smile some, Jane looked up at her son, her lips in her best attempt at a smile as tears leaked from her eyes. "I'm sorry.", she whispered. "That. . . I won't. . . be here.", she whispered.

Gently taking his newest son from her arms, Simon looked up at his son and the three of them stood silently until-

Jane, slowly looked first at her loving husband, then to each of her sons. "I love you. . . so much.", she whispered in a barely audible voice before her body went lip, the fact now obvious.