Chapter 13

After breakfast Becky took the boys to the main house while Brian and his brothers attended to various chores.

"Aunt Becky did you know school's closed?" Sam asked. His brother smacked him on the back of the head. "Ow!"

"Of course she does dummy, she's a teacher isn't she?"

"David Joseph McFadden!" Becky snapped.

"You're in trouble now," Sam teased. He was glad too, that smack had hurt and he hated it when Davey called him a dummy, it made his tummy feel all empty.

"Sorry," Davey mumbled.

"I'm not the one you owe an apology."

Davey turned to his younger brother. "I'm sorry Sam, you're not a dummy and I shouldn't hit you."

"Okay." A part of Sam wanted to say something that would make Davey feel bad but his mommy and daddy said you had to forgive if somebody said sorry.

"Who's he Aunt Becky?" Abby pointed at the boy she saw standing just behind her aunt.

Becky stepped sideways and pulled Mike forward. "Abby, boys, this is your cousin Mike Lawrence. Mike this is Abby, Sam and Davey."

"Hi," Mike shyly mumbled.

The three young McFaddens returned the greeting. For a moment nobody moved, the children uncertain about this cousin they'd never seen before. Suddenly young Ian grabbed Mike by the hand and pulled him forward. "He stayed at our house last night," he informed his cousins.

"How come your name ain't McFadden?" Davey wanted to know.

Mike turned red. He didn't know how to explain it to his young cousin.

"Isn't," Becky automatically corrected, "and Mike uses his mom's last name." The explanation seemed to satisfy the youngest children but Davey was like a dog with a bone.

"How come?"

Mike's blush deepened. It had always embarrassed him that his parents weren't married. He knew some other kids whose parents were divorced but they'd been married once. His never had and it made him feel ashamed though he wasn't sure why.

"That doesn't matter right now Davey," Becky stalled. How much should she tell her nephew? How much could a seven year old understand?

"It's cause they weren't married when my mom had me," Mike blurted out. Maybe they'd think there was something wrong with him but he didn't want to keep more secrets from them.

"Oh, okay," Davey shrugged, easily accepting the explanation. "Is Uncle Brian your dad?"

Becky was thankful she hadn't been drinking anything just then. "No honey, your Uncle Crane is Mike's dad."

"How come we never met you before?" Davey asked. He took his duties as the oldest cousin and brother seriously. If this new cousin had been kept away from them there might be something wrong with him.

"I've been living with my mom and I came to see my dad now I'm older," Mike gave the explanation his uncle had suggested. He was glad now Brian had suggested it or Mike would probably have blurted out the whole truth on the spot.

Sam was tired of listening to Davey and Mike talking. He was ready to go play. It wasn't often they got a day off from school in the middle of the week and he didn't want to waste it. "You want to go play Mike? We got a tree house and swings and trucks," he leaned closer to the boy, "but don't let Abby get you alone or she'll make you play tea party with her."

Mike grinned at his young cousin who was as horrified by a tea party as any boy should be. "Thanks for the warning," he whispered back.

Sam returned the grin and grabbed Mike's hand, leading him, followed closely by Abby and Ian, through the living room and out the front door.

"Aren't you going to play Davey?" Becky asked.

"Is Uncle Crane gonna be okay? Is he why school's closed?"

Becky sat down, bringing herself to eye-level with her young nephew. "Your uncle is going to be fine Davey and yes he is the reason the school is closed."

"But why? Couldn't they find somebody to teach his class?" Davey knew the school used substitutes whenever a teacher was sick.

"They could have but they knew I would be gone too and so Principal Travers decided to give you kids a little break. You don't mind do you?"

"Heck no," Davey grinned. "But I don't like that it's cause of Uncle Crane getting hurt," he admitted in a more serious tone.

"I know you don't honey but he's going to be okay, I promise." Becky silently prayed for her promise to hold true. "So why don't you go play and get to know your new cousin, okay?" She was thankful when the child nodded and turned to join his siblings and cousins outside.

"How is he?"

Becky jumped one hand going to her chest as if to still her suddenly hammering heart. She hadn't had any idea Daniel was behind her. "I don't know Daniel; I haven't called the hospital yet."

"Didn't figure you had, I meant the boy," Daniel shyly admitted.

Becky thought that if his fans could see him now they'd never believe the cocky star they saw on stage and this uncertain young man was the same person. "He's about as well as you'd expect I guess. He blames himself for what happened and is afraid everybody is going to hate him. I'm surprised Brian didn't tell you."

Daniel shrugged, "I didn't see him." He didn't want to admit he was doing his best to avoid his brothers, especially his volatile older brother.

Becky eyed her brother-in-law speculatively. "You can't avoid them forever you know."

"I can try."

"They don't blame you either Daniel, I thought that got straightened out last night."

"Maybe."

"Daniel?" Had one of the brothers said something after she'd gone to her own small house?

Daniel played with the edge of his hat, refusing to look up.

"Did somebody say something?" she gently asked.

"No, I guess I just can't..."

Becky sighed, it all made sense now. "You still blame yourself so you think your brothers do too, even when they say they don't?"

"Something like that I guess."

"Is there anything I can say to make you stop blaming yourself for what was nothing more than a terrible accident?"

Daniel shrugged.

Becky nodded. "Maybe you'll start believing it when Crane tells you and you know he will." The ringing of the phone interrupted them. Afraid to answer it but knowing she had to Becky forced herself to move through the kitchen to the living room. "Hello...oh no," she gasped. She risked a glance over her shoulder at Daniel but he was far enough away that he hadn't heard her. She listened closely to Hannah, occasionally making some sound to indicate she was still listening. "I'll let them know," she assured her sister-in-law.

"Adam doesn't want them to all come down here."

"Good luck with that."

Hannah sighed, "Yeah I know but he does have a point. Somebody needs to stay with the kids and the doctor isn't letting anybody in to see Crane right now anyway."

"Then you and Adam will be coming home to get some rest?"

"I'm trying to talk him into it," Hannah admitted.

"Why don't I send Brian and Daniel down, let them talk him into it," Becky suggested. "Maybe if he knows somebody in the family will be there he'll come home, and the kids are going to want to see you both."

Hannah nodded. "Alright, I know we can't keep the whole crew away. I don't blame them really; I don't want to leave either," she admitted. "But we aren't doing Crane any good by exhausting ourselves."

"Got that right, look you take care of Adam and I'll let everybody know what's going on. Brian and Daniel will be there soon to take over the vigil."

"Thanks Becky."

Becky ended the call, gently replacing the receiver in the cradle. Now she just had to tell the rest of the family of Crane's worsening condition, without letting the kids know, and somehow convince Evan and Guthrie to stay at the ranch...piece of cake.

TBC...

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