Growing pt.10
They heard footsteps and then the closet door opened. Junior mustered all the strength he could and swung the bat hitting whoever had opened the closet door.
"Ow! Junior, it's alright. It's just me. OW!" Adam exclaimed. Junior was shocked and he dropped the bat and hugged Adam who had knelt down.
"I'm sorry, daddy. I didn't mean to hurt you." Junior apologized.
"It's alright, Junior. I should have called your name. You did the right thing."
Junior looked at Adam tearfully and was deeply concerned.
"Are you hurt?" Junior wondered.
"Luckily, you hit my good leg. I'll be fine in no time." Adam answered. "Come on, I should be resting and you should be taking care of me."
Adam went to bed and hugged Brian and Junior close. Kate walked in several minutes later and saw Junior and Brian sleeping.
"What happened here?" Kate wondered.
"We had a bit of a scare. Big brother decided to pay us a visit. Junior woke me and I went out to take care of Patrick and Junior and Brian hid in the closet. The dogs did most of the work. They bit and growled and forced Patrick to leave. I walk in and opened the closet door and I was greeted with a baseball bat to the shin. Junior had grabbed it when he went into the closet. And let me tell ya something, he hits hard." Adam explained.
"Are you ok?"
"Oh, I'm fine, but Junior's upset with himself. He didn't mean to hurt me. I should have told him I was coming."
"The poor babies."
Kate ran her fingers through JUnior's hair and then Brian's. Brian yawned and opened his eyes. He cooed and looked up at Kate.
"Hi, Brian," Kate whispered. Brian smiled and Kate picked him up.
"Mama." Brian cooed.
"Yeah, that's me, cowboy."
Brian smiled a bigger smile and buried his head into Kate's chest. He yawned and Kate rocked him to sleep in her arms.
That afternoon, Kate watched Adam sleep. Junior and Brian were on the floor playing with Racer, Cece, and SPot. Brian grabbed SPot roughly and SPot hissed and scratched Brian who didn't cry.
"Mommy, Spot scratched Brian," Junior mumbled. Kate looked and saw that Brian had a scratch on his arm. She picked Brian up and looked at it. "He grabbed Spot really tight."
"Ah. Brian, you have to be careful with the kitty. Kitties don't like to be grabbed roughly. They'll hurt you." Kate warned. Brian played with his scratch and Kate grabbed his hands. "DOn't do that. Let's go get it taken care of and then it's time for you to take a nap."
Kate left the room with Brian and Junior played with Cece who was rubbing her head into his belly. Junior giggled and rolled on the floor.
"Stop, Cece." Junior giggled.
Several minutes later, Kate walked in and went back to her sewing. Junior walked up to her and rested his head on the arm of the chair.
"WIll Brian be ok?" JUnior wondered.
"He'll be fine, Junior," Kate answered. She knew that Junior wasn't satisfied so she stopped what she was doing and picked him up. "The only reason why your father got sick was because he didn't take care of the wounds like he should have. Brian will be fine. We just have to watch him."
"Ok."
"Come here, cowboy."
Kate picked Junior up and they hugged close.
That night, Junior was awake worrying about his father and Brian. He sighed and sat up. He walked over to Brian's crib and watched him sleep. Junior climbed up into the crib and laid down next to Brian and watched him closely. Brian could feel someone next to him and he curled up closer to Junior. Junior gently rubbed his back and soon fell asleep.
The next morning, Kate walked in and smiled at the two. She walked over and ran her fingers through JUnior's hair. Junior moaned and opened his eyes. He looked up at Kate and stretched. Kate caressed Junior's cheek and smiled.
"Were you worried about your baby brother?" Kate wondered. Junior nodded and Kate picked him up. "You have just a big handsome heart."
Junior sleepily hugged Kate and Kate sighed. She knew that one day, she wouldn't be able to hold her eldest baby like she was then.
"Go get dressed while I take care of your brother," Kate said.
"Ok," Junior mumbled. Kate put Junior down and Junior got dressed while Kate took care of Brian. Kate took the boys downstairs and she started breakfast. Brian sat in his high chair and was playing with his spoon and bowl. Kate walked over with a banana. SHe mashed half of it in Brian's bowl and tried to do so in Junior's but Junior shook his head and moaned.
"No, I don't like it," Junior said.
"You don't like bananas?" Kate wondered. Junior nodded and Kate ate the rest of the banana. "What do you want? DO you want blueberries?"
"Yes, please."
Kate grabbed a container of blueberries and Junior grabbed some and put them in his bowl.
They heard noises from the bedroom and Kate walked over just as Adam walked out.
"You should be in bed," Kate said.
"I can't stay cooped up in bed," Adam answered.
"You still have a fever."
"I'll go back to bed after breakfast."
"You'd better."
The family of four ate breakfast and then Kate took Junior out to do chores. Junior saw a truck pull up and he smiled when he saw Jonathan and Elizabeth. Elizabeth got out of the truck and picked Junior up.
"Hi, grandma." Junior greeted.
"Good morning, Junior. Where's your mommy?" Elizabeth answered.
"She's in the barn. She's fixing a window."
"And what are you doing?"
"My chores. I have to feed the animals. All of them."
"That's a big job. Would you like some help?"
"Ok."
Elizabeth helped Junior with his chores. When they were done, they walked into the barn and saw Kate and Jonathan finishing up on the barn window.
"All done," Junior said.
"Good job," Kate answered.
They went inside and Kate checked on Adam who was resting. Brian was in his crib and Kate picked him up.
"You can come play now," Kate said. They walked out to the living room and Kate put Brian down. Brian and Junior played together happily and Kate smiled at them.
Over the next few days, Adam recovered slowly. His fever finally broke and the infection was finally gone. Everyone helped in every way that they could and everything managed to be ok.
Soon, it was Junior's birthday and Junior was happy to be 3. Adam kept Junior distracted all day so that Kate could bake a cake for Junior and make Junior's favorite meal. Adam took Junior down to another ranch.
"WHo lives here?" Junior wondered.
"A friend of mine. His name is Thomas Moss." Adam explained. "He needs help fixing his barn and I said that we'd help."
"Ok."
They got out of the truck and watched Thomas walk up.
"Hey, Thomas." Adam greeted.
"Adam, it's good to see you again." Thomas sighed.
"It sure is."
Thomas saw Junior and chuckled.
"Who's this little guy?" Thomas wondered.
"My name is Adam, but everyone calls me Junior." JUnior greeted.
"Good to meet you, Junior."
Millie walked out of the house with a fussy baby. Junior gasped when he saw the baby and he was immediately drawn.
"Thomas, I have to go to town. You'll have to watch the baby." Millie said.
"I'll try." Thomas sighed. Thomas took the baby and smiled. "It's ok, Hannah Joy."
"I just wish she'd stop fussing."
"She will."
Junior walked up and tried to look at the baby. Millie walked away and Thomas saw how Junior was reacting.
"Would you like to hold her?" Thomas asked. Junior nodded and they sat down on some hay bails. Thomas helped Junior hold Hannah and Junior smiled down at her.
"She's pretty." Junior gasped.
"She sure is."
Hannah calmed down in Junior's arms and she looked up at him.
"That's a miracle. Hannah usually fusses when someone holds her." Thomas said.
"Junior goes have a way with babies," Adam answered.
Junior grabbed Hannah's tiny hand and he smiled down at her.
"Junior, would you mind watching her while your father and I worked?" Thomas asked.
"I'd like to," Junior answered.
"Ok. Let's go into the barn where it's warmer."
Junior carefully stood up and carried Hannah inside the barn. He sat down on a hail bay and took care of Hannah while Adam and Thomas worked. Junior never stopped smiling as he watched Hannah.
A few hours later, Thomas and Adam finished working and walked over to Junior and Hannah who were playing and giggling.
"You did a good job, Junior," Thomas said. He pulled out his wallet and handed Junior $20. "This is for you, young man."
"I can't take that." Junior protested. Thomas put the money in Junior's hand and closed it.
"You take that money. You did a good job with Hannah. Besides, you managed to keep her calm and make her happy. It's very rare."
Junior looked up at Adam who nodded.
"Thank you, sir." Junior thanked.
"Thank you, Junior," Thomas answered. He picked Hannah up and kissed her. Junior looked at Hannah and kissed her cheek.
"Bye, Hannah."
Junior and Adam went home and Adam could see that Junior was thinking about Hannah.
"You had fun today, didn't you?" Adam wondered.
"Yeah. I had a lot of fun." Junior answered. Junior pulled out the money he had earned and sighed. "What do I do with this?"
"You can put it in your piggy bank and save it for when you're older."
"Can I use it?"
"Sure. What are you gonna buy with that money?"
"A teddy bear."
"FOr Hannah?"
"Yep."
Adam chuckled and nodded.
"Ok. We can do that tomorrow. We have to go back over there and I'll have to bring Brian. Your mom will be busy all day tomorrow." Adam said.
"Ok," Junior answered.
They arrived home and Junior ran inside and ran up to Kate.
"Look what I got," Junior exclaimed as he held up the money. Kate was surprised and she looked down at Junior.
"Where did you get that money?" Kate asked.
"Thomas gave it to him," Adam answered.
"Why?"
Junior climbed up onto a chair and helped Kate set the table.
"They had a baby. Her name is Hannah and I got to watch her while daddy worked. SHe's really pretty, mommy." Junior explained.
"Is she prettier than your mom?" James wondered. Junior immediately stopped talking and tried to figure out what to say. He sighed and Jonathan chuckled.
"Sounds like she might be just as pretty." Jonathan chuckled.
"What are you gonna do with the money? It's a lot of money for a little boy like you." Kate asked.
"I'm gonna get a teddy bear for Hannah," Junior answered.
"You really liked her, didn't you?"
"Yeah."
"That's good, Junior."
They celebrated Junior's birthday and Junior enjoyed his gifts and his favorite meal.
The next morning, Adam took Junoir to town and Junior bought a teddy bear for Hannah and still had money left over.
"What are you gonna do with what you have left?" Adam wondered.
"Save it for when I'm big," Junior answered.
"Let's go see Hannah and Thomas."
They went to see Thomas and Hannah. When they arrived, Adam picked Brian up and carried him out of the truck. Junior carefully climbed out of the truck and followed his father and brother.
"Hey, Thomas," Adam said.
"Adam, I see you brought the boys," Thomas answered.
"Yep. This little guy is Brian. My wife has errands to run and she needs a break from the boys."
Thomas saw what Junior was holding and he smiled.
"What's that?" Thomas wondered.
"It's for Hannah?" Junior answered.
"Oh. Well, she's in the barn with me."
Junior ran in and saw Hannah in a cradle. He put the teddy bear in Hannah's hands and Hannah played with it. Junior giggled and smiled.
"He used the money you gave him to buy that for her," Adam said as they watched.
"That's very sweet of him," Thomas answered. Junior, Brian, and Hannah played together while Adam and Thomas worked. Brian grew bored of playing with Hannah and Junior and he grabbed a rock and played with it. He threw it around and had fun. Adam saw Brian and chuckled.
"I think he got bored."
"Well, we're almost done."
Adam got down and handed Brian his hat. Brian played with Adam's hat and put it on. He smiled when he couldn't see and he giggled.
A little more than a month later, it was Christmas. The family had decided to go get their Christmas tree. They walked up into the woods and looked for one.
"Look at that tree." Junior gasped.
"Yeah, but it's small. We want a bigger one." Kate answered.
"Ok."
They found a bigger tree and Adam cut it down. Brian cooed in Kate's arms and looked at the tree. Junior and Adam got the tree down to the house and they all set it up. They pulled out the decorations and they decorated the house and the tree. Brian used the coffee table and stood up. Then he started taking a few steps. He cooed and pulled on Kate's dress. Kate looked down and smiled.
"Hi, big boy. Let's go put an ornament on the tree." Kate said. Kate helped Brian walk up to the tree and put an ornament on it.
When they were done, they turned the lights on and looked at the tree.
"It's so pretty." Junior gasped.
"It sure is," Adam answered.
That evening, Adam pulled out his guitar and Kate sat at the piano. Junior sat next to her and Kate and Adam started playing Away In A Manger. Junior sang with Kate and watched her play. Brian cooed and tried to sing with them. He stood up and walked around playing with an ornament that he refused to put on the tree.
They woke up Monday morning to snow on the ground.
"Can we go play in the snow?" Junior asked.
"After lunch. We want to wait till it's warmer for you boys." Kate answered.
"Ok."
Junior watched and Cece and Racer played in the snow together. Spot walked downstairs and rubbed up against Junior. Then Spot sat down by the fireplace to get warm. Brian walked over and played with SPot who was wondering what she had done to deserve this torture.
After lunch, Kate and Adam bundled the boys up and took them outside. They walked over to a small hill and went sledding down it. The boys had fun and Kate and Adam loved to hear them laugh and play. they built a snowman and the boys rolled around in the snow.
"Mommy, I make a snow angel." Junior giggled as he laid down in the snow.
"I see, Junior," Kate answered. Kate joined Junior and they made their snow angels. Brian grabbed some snow and threw it at Adam who chuckled and threw some back. The two had a snowball fight and had a lot of fun.
A little while later, the boys were exhausted and they all went inside to get warm.
TBC
Lexie Lou, I did know that Murphys was a real town and it's really helped me writing these stories and what your friend did there sounds really cool. The rest of your review will be revealed in good time. Thanks for your comment.