When Ezra had left the room that day, he'd had no idea that he'd just played the last hand of poker he would play with his father. He'd certainly hadn't know it was the last time he would see his father as the vibrant young man he fondly remembered Patrick Standish being. But after that day he'd been barred from the his father's sick room and had only been allowed only one other visit before Patrick's untimely death, and Daddy had been so sick by then. At the time he hadn't really understood what had been happening, and no one had told him much of anythings during those last days, but even though he hadn't fully comprehend the situation it hadn't taken long for him to realize that something was very wrong.

"Addy, is my daddy gonna die?" If Ezra had thought he'd been ignored the days between Daddy's accident and his visit, things were only worse now. He was starting to wonder if anyone remembered he was still around at all.

The cook quickly turned to him with wide eyes. "Lan sakes, Chil'! Where'd you ever get an idea like that.?"

Ezra shrugged his small shoulders. "Daddy said sometimes when you get sick you get too sick to get better. Is Daddy too sick to get better? Like Max?"

The maid shook her head as she went back to her cooking. "A chil' your age shoudn't be thinking 'bout such things. Now the doctor's been comin' and he's takin' good care of your daddy. You just run along and stop thinkin' things like that."

Ezra sighed as he climbed off the stool he'd be on and trudged out of the kitchen. He wasn't stupid, he realized Addy hadn't answered his question. In fact, the past several days there were lots of people who weren't answering his questions, or paying him any mind; even Mama. And he didn't like it.

He hadn't been allowed to see Daddy since the day they'd played cards and Mama didn't come down much. She had taken one ride with him a couple of days ago but she gone back to Daddy right after and since then he hadn't seen her much either. And it wasn't only Mama who was behaving strangely, all the adults had changed since Daddy's accident. Everyone whispered a lot now, and most everyone stopped talking all together when he came around them, even Edward and Isaiah, and he couldn't remember them ever doing that before. And whenever he asked when Daddy would be better, no one would tell him. No one had told him Daddy wasn't going to get better either, but if Daddy wasn't so hurt anymore why couldn't he see him? Thinking about it made his stomach hurt, and he wanted to cry. He just wanted his daddy better...now.

Not knowing what else to do Ezra went outside and looked to the stable. He wasn't supposed to ride or brush Dutch alone but Mama had never told him he couldn't just go and set in the stables by himself. Besides, the prospect of seeing Dutch made him happy and when he stepped into the dim interior of the barn, Ezra smiled. He liked being here.

His smile became a grin when he heard a nicker from farther down the aisle. Running down to Dutch's stall he found his horse leaning over the half-door, looking at him expectantly. He reached up and rubbed the animal's nose. "I'm sorry, Dutch. I can't ride you today. Mama's not here." He sighed. "Mama's never here anymore." He mumbled sadly. Giving the animal a sad pat he set against the stall and hugged his knees as the tears started to fall. He buried his face in his arms and remained like that until someone else entered the barn.

"Master Ezra. What are you doin' here?"

Ezra looked up and saw Billy, his uncle's groom, coming toward him. He rubbed at his eyes and stood up. "I came to see Dutch. Nobody wants me in the house."

"I bet that ain't exactly true." Billy said.

"Well, nobody talks to me. And Mama doesn't want to ride anymore."

The black man smiled softly and ruffled his hair. "They just all worried 'bout your daddy."

Ezra wasn't sure about that but he knew he was worried. "What are you doin'?" He asked, seeing the saddle the man had.

"I'm fixin' to polish Miz Lola's saddle."

"Can I watch?" Ezra asked. He hadn't done much the last few days and he didn't want to go back to the house so he could be ignored.

"If you want to."

Ezra was only too happy to follow the man and contentedly watched him work for quite a while. "Billy?" He finally asked.

"Yes, sir?"

"Is my daddy too sick to get better?"

The black man paused for a moment. "What makes you ask that?"

"Well, I haven't seen him in a long time, and Mama doesn't come out much and sometimes you get too sick to get better. What if my daddy's that sick?"

Billy took a deep breath. "Well, master Ezra, there is just some things boys don't need to be seein'. And your Mama, well, she and that doctor is helpin' your daddy the best they know how. I know you ain't seen you Mama much, but's that cause she wants your daddy better too, and she's gotta help him a lot."

The man went back to polishing the saddle as Ezra thought about what had just been said. He didn't think Billy had answered him either. "But is my daddy that sick?" He asked again. He just wanted to know what was wrong. Why wouldn't someone tell him?

Billy looked at him sadly after a while. "I don't know, Master Ezra. Sometimes they don't tell me much neither."

Ezra didn't know if that was a good answer or not. He set quietly for a while longer before getting up. "I'm going back to the house."

"Yes, sir, master Ezra."

When Ezra got back inside he went into the library and climbed up on the window seat. His stomach was starting to hurt again. He missed his daddy. He missed his mama too. He didn't know why they wouldn't let him go in. He could be very quiet if he needed to. Daddy wouldn't even have to play with him, he just wanted to see him.

He wasn't expecting it but just a short time later Mama came to the library and set down beside him. "Would you like to see Daddy, Sweetheart?"

A/N: Is it me, or was that really sad?

I wrote this with the mindset that children are a lot smarter than most people give them credit for, but I hope I didn't make Ezra seem a little too savvy for his age. Anyway, hope you enjoyed and thanks for reading. Reviews make me happy but knowing your reading makes me even happier:)