LOST AND FOUND - PART III
HOME AGAIN, HOME AGAIN
Chapter 18
The day after Halloween dawned bright and sunny, but also a little frosty as Adam finally rose from his cot, checked on Thea, and then went out into the front room. He stopped to take a look at Joe quietly, so he wouldn't waken Matt or the infants. Joe's forehead was cool to the touch and he smiled when he realized he almost felt the same way about Joe as he did his children. He wanted to laugh when he thought about how Joe would react to that.
Then he moved to stand in front of the cot where his three new sons were sleeping, wrapped up tightly and warmly, and knelt down on one knee as he touched each little face and softly said their name. He was thankful they didn't resemble each other at all. His hands would be full enough without the added problem of not being able to tell them apart.
He looked over his shoulder when he heard a sound and saw Matt was awake. The doctor tossed the blanket aside and sat up, swinging his legs over the side then sat there yawning and scrubbing his hands across his face.
"You look awful," Adam said low as he stood.
"I'm sure, but I bet I look a hundred times better than you do," Matt answered and the two men smiled at each other.
"I may look, if you will pardon the expression, like 'death warmed over' but I don't feel that way."
Matt shook his head and yawned again, "Just wait, that euphoria will wear off quickly."
"Just so it lasts long enough to get Thea and the children settled in our house."
"Your house?"
Adam nodded, "The cream-colored brick near the edge of town."
"I thought that was Hal's house."
"No, Hal was just supervising the work for me. I wanted to surprise Thea and since the house is almost finished, I think it would be better for all concerned if we just moved in now. That way you will be able to help me keep an eye on her. You know she will be trying to do too much too soon."
Matt nodded as the two men exchanged a look of understanding.
"I also think Joe should stay with us while he recuperates."
"I agree, and I will talk to your father about it," the doctor said. "Now I want to take a look at Thea, then we'll tackle feeding these little people."
"Of course," Adam said. "Taking care of babies isn't anything new to me. I already have two children and I even took care of Hoss and Joe a long time ago." He looked at the infants on the cot and sighed.
"Remembering what it was like?"
Adam nodded, "Yep, taking care of the twins involved a hell of a lot of work and now we have three, so let's get started because if I know my father he will be here any minute with the twins."
Matt chuckled as he stood up and went into the treatment room with Adam following close behind.
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The two men had just come back out when they heard a knock at the door and recognized Barbara Jackson from the Post Office standing there. She had somehow commandeered Adam's four deputies and the men stood behind her, each one carrying something.
Adam quickly opened the door for her and they all filed in. She stopped in front of Adam and put her hands on his shoulders.
"Is everything still all right this morning?" she said looking at him anxiously.
He nodded and she smiled in relief as she hugged him. Adam started to chuckle looking at his men standing there awkwardly, not knowing what to do with what they were carrying.
Barbara turned to them saying, "Nate, put those dishes on this desk. Mike, John, put what you have on the other desk." She moved to Jerry and took the bundle he was carrying. "Now, I brought everything I could think of that you would need for the babies. I wanted to bring clothing for Thea, but nothing I have would fit her."
When she noticed the four deputies standing around helplessly she said, "You four can escape now, I think the three of us can manage." The four men raced for the door.
"Nice boys," she said with a smile, "but a little shy. So let's get these three wee people fed and ready to meet their brother and sister. I'm assuming Ben will be bringing them this morning?"
Adam started laughing as he nodded and said, "Mrs. Jackson, would you like to finally meet Thea now?"
She laughed with him, her beautiful eyes dancing with mischief. "Please, call me Barbara."
He offered her his arm and escorted her into the treatment room, and then was back in just a few moments. "I think those two are going to be very good friends," Adam said, "they took to each other like long-lost sisters."
Matt nodded, "I'm not surprised - they really have a lot in common," he said, busy looking through what she had brought. "I don't think she missed a single thing, and she even brought broth for Thea and Joe as well as milk." He smiled, very pleased and thankful for the help.
The two men started with Matthew and Benjamin, Thomas was still asleep.
Barbara came out of the treatment room and picked up Thomas as Adam took some broth in to Thea. He soon came back with the empty dish and the three settled into chairs, each holding an infant.
"Well Thea is asleep again and Joe hasn't even cracked an eyelid yet," Adam said as he looked down at Matthew in his lap. The baby was wide-awake and staring up at his father's face in unfocused fascination.
Barbara had Thomas cradled in her left arm and was stroking the top of his head with a gentle hand. She grinned at the way his blue-green eyes fluttered closed at each touch, then popped open again when she lifted her hand.
Benjamin seemed to be in a bit of a temper as he waved his tiny arms around and kicked his tiny legs. Matt had him on his shoulder and was rubbing his back, but Benjamin wasn't interested in being soothed back to sleep. So the doctor stood and began to pace around the room, hoping it would help. He stopped and said, "They're here," with relief when he spotted the wagon coming down the street with Hoss driving and the twins sitting in between him and their Grandfather.
Even before they pulled up in front Adam could see his two older children were bouncing on the seat in excitement. Ben lifted them down, but held them back from running for the door. He kept them standing next to him as he reached into the bed of the wagon and handed each of them a bag to carry. Weighed down, they could only manage to stagger and Balor jumped down out of the back to follow them and took up his post, sitting just to the right outside the door. Adam smiled as he stood and settled Matthew on his shoulder, appreciative of his father's foresight. He went and opened the door.
The twins shuffled in and dropped the bags on the floor by the door and threw themselves against their father's legs, Alexander wrapped his arms around Adam's left leg while Annalise did the same with the right. He looked down at them and shook his head as they stared up at the moving bundle on their father's shoulder with wide eyes.
"Can I hold him? Who is he?" Annalise said trying to shake her father's leg.
"If you both will let go you can go over there and sit down, and THEN you can hold one of your brothers."
The twins instantly let go and ran for the chairs to sit down.
Barbara stood then saying, "Why don't I give Thomas to Annalise? Matthew seems pretty content where he is."
Adam nodded his thanks to her as Matt stopped in front of Alexander. "Here, you can hold Benjamin," the doctor said and carefully put the infant in the child's arms and showed him how to hold him. Annalise didn't need to be shown.
The little girl looked down into the baby's sleepy blue-green eyes and instantly fell in love. "Your fingers are so tiny, Thomas" she whispered to him and began to sing to him softly as she stroked his cheek.
Alexander laughed when his hazel eyes met Benjamin's bright black ones. "You see me, don't you?" he said to the baby.
"He's just born, he can't really see anything," Matt said but Alexander shook his head.
"Nope, he can see me, can't you Benny?" he said then laughed with delight when the baby opened his eyes wide and made a cawing sound.
Ben came through the door then and walked up to Adam who handed Matthew over to him immediately. Ben took the baby in his arms and went over to the twins and went down on one knee to show them the infant. "This is your other brother Matthew," he said and the two children leaned forward to look, and then toward each other to compare babies.
Hoss had come in right after his father and picked up the bags the children had abandoned. He handed them to Adam. "I packed some clothes for Thea and for the twins. I figured since your house is 'bout ready they wouldn't be comin' back anytime soon."
Adam took the bags from his brother and smiled his thanks, touched by Hoss's thoughtfulness.
"Oh, I put in some of Joe's things thinkin' he'd be stayin' with you for a while, too. And Hop Sing put somethin' in there in a tin. He said Thea would know what to do with it and it's for buildin' up her strength."
His older brother just shook his head as Hoss continued, "How's Thea this mornin'? Any better?"
"Yes she is, do you want to go in and see her? I'm sure she's awake now."
"Can I?" he asked, suddenly shy, but when Adam carried the bags into the room, he was right behind him.
Thea WAS awake and smiled at the big man and took his hand when he reached her side. Her husband set the bags down and quietly left the room to keep an eye on his older children.
"Morning Hoss," Thea said in a hoarse, but surprisingly strong voice.
"Mornin'," he answered and looked down at the floor, suddenly feeling embarrassed for kissing her the night before.
"Hoss look at me," she said softly and when he finally met her gaze she startled him by saying, "I love you." He blushed and she laughed a weak laugh.
"You're MY brother too, and I couldn't love you more even if we had been born of the same parents. Don't you ever feel embarrassed about anything with me."
"Yes ma'am," he said and looked away as he turned redder.
She chuckled and tugged on his hand until he looked at her again. "Just remember, Hoss. You're the only adult in this family I haven't done any work on," she grinned at his startled expression and winked at him. "Your next, big guy."
He smiled back then started to laugh when she crossed her eyes at him as she said, "I take it you don't have any faith in my medical skills."
Adam came back in then saying, "Sounds like I'm missing a good time in here."
Hoss nodded as he tried to stop laughing, but he made the mistake of looking at Thea so she crossed her eyes again and he couldn't stop. Finally he had to leave the room.
"Are you having fun, harassing my brother?"
"He's my brother too, now," Thea said with a satisfied sigh. "I've always wanted a sibling to torment."
"Well, now you have two, or at least you will after Joe recuperates."
"I know and I agree with you, it's a lot of fun to fool with his mind."
Adam took her hand and leaned down to kiss her and took a close look at her face. Amazed, but very pleased that she had a little color in her cheeks he said, "I want to bring the twins in to see you now that they should be finished taking inventory of baby fingers and toes. Then Barbara wants to know if you'd like her to come in and get you ready to go home."
"Yes I would. I can't wait to get home, this isn't exactly the most comfortable place to be."
"We should have you and Joe and the babies bundled up in the back of the wagon in no time and we'll get you there as quickly as possible."
Adam was as good as his word and everybody ambulatory rushed around getting the two invalids and the babies bundled up and in the wagon.
Thea was comfortable lying on a pad of folded blankets in the wagon, having been given a sponge bath, then dressed by her new friend in a thick flannel nightgown, quilted robe, and fur-lined slippers. More blankets covered her and she had her head in Adam's lap. The twins and Matt were sitting in the back of the wagon too, and each held an infant in their laps. Balor jumped in after the twins and lay up against her feet like a large, hairy hot- water bottle, so even before the wagon started to move she closed her eyes and drifted off.
She didn't even wake up when Adam slipped out from under her, vaulted over the side, then reached back in to pick her up, blankets and all.
He stood on the front walk and said, "Theadora." She immediately opened her eyes.
Looking around confused she said, "Why are we stopping at Hal's house?"
"This isn't Hal's house," he answered her as he carried up the steps and to the front door, which was standing open. He stopped and looked down into her heavy eyes and said, "Welcome home Mrs. Cartwright."
Everyone stopped where they were and smiled when they heard her gasp, then weakly squeal with delight as Adam carried her over the threshold.
HOME AGAIN, HOME AGAIN
Chapter 18
The day after Halloween dawned bright and sunny, but also a little frosty as Adam finally rose from his cot, checked on Thea, and then went out into the front room. He stopped to take a look at Joe quietly, so he wouldn't waken Matt or the infants. Joe's forehead was cool to the touch and he smiled when he realized he almost felt the same way about Joe as he did his children. He wanted to laugh when he thought about how Joe would react to that.
Then he moved to stand in front of the cot where his three new sons were sleeping, wrapped up tightly and warmly, and knelt down on one knee as he touched each little face and softly said their name. He was thankful they didn't resemble each other at all. His hands would be full enough without the added problem of not being able to tell them apart.
He looked over his shoulder when he heard a sound and saw Matt was awake. The doctor tossed the blanket aside and sat up, swinging his legs over the side then sat there yawning and scrubbing his hands across his face.
"You look awful," Adam said low as he stood.
"I'm sure, but I bet I look a hundred times better than you do," Matt answered and the two men smiled at each other.
"I may look, if you will pardon the expression, like 'death warmed over' but I don't feel that way."
Matt shook his head and yawned again, "Just wait, that euphoria will wear off quickly."
"Just so it lasts long enough to get Thea and the children settled in our house."
"Your house?"
Adam nodded, "The cream-colored brick near the edge of town."
"I thought that was Hal's house."
"No, Hal was just supervising the work for me. I wanted to surprise Thea and since the house is almost finished, I think it would be better for all concerned if we just moved in now. That way you will be able to help me keep an eye on her. You know she will be trying to do too much too soon."
Matt nodded as the two men exchanged a look of understanding.
"I also think Joe should stay with us while he recuperates."
"I agree, and I will talk to your father about it," the doctor said. "Now I want to take a look at Thea, then we'll tackle feeding these little people."
"Of course," Adam said. "Taking care of babies isn't anything new to me. I already have two children and I even took care of Hoss and Joe a long time ago." He looked at the infants on the cot and sighed.
"Remembering what it was like?"
Adam nodded, "Yep, taking care of the twins involved a hell of a lot of work and now we have three, so let's get started because if I know my father he will be here any minute with the twins."
Matt chuckled as he stood up and went into the treatment room with Adam following close behind.
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The two men had just come back out when they heard a knock at the door and recognized Barbara Jackson from the Post Office standing there. She had somehow commandeered Adam's four deputies and the men stood behind her, each one carrying something.
Adam quickly opened the door for her and they all filed in. She stopped in front of Adam and put her hands on his shoulders.
"Is everything still all right this morning?" she said looking at him anxiously.
He nodded and she smiled in relief as she hugged him. Adam started to chuckle looking at his men standing there awkwardly, not knowing what to do with what they were carrying.
Barbara turned to them saying, "Nate, put those dishes on this desk. Mike, John, put what you have on the other desk." She moved to Jerry and took the bundle he was carrying. "Now, I brought everything I could think of that you would need for the babies. I wanted to bring clothing for Thea, but nothing I have would fit her."
When she noticed the four deputies standing around helplessly she said, "You four can escape now, I think the three of us can manage." The four men raced for the door.
"Nice boys," she said with a smile, "but a little shy. So let's get these three wee people fed and ready to meet their brother and sister. I'm assuming Ben will be bringing them this morning?"
Adam started laughing as he nodded and said, "Mrs. Jackson, would you like to finally meet Thea now?"
She laughed with him, her beautiful eyes dancing with mischief. "Please, call me Barbara."
He offered her his arm and escorted her into the treatment room, and then was back in just a few moments. "I think those two are going to be very good friends," Adam said, "they took to each other like long-lost sisters."
Matt nodded, "I'm not surprised - they really have a lot in common," he said, busy looking through what she had brought. "I don't think she missed a single thing, and she even brought broth for Thea and Joe as well as milk." He smiled, very pleased and thankful for the help.
The two men started with Matthew and Benjamin, Thomas was still asleep.
Barbara came out of the treatment room and picked up Thomas as Adam took some broth in to Thea. He soon came back with the empty dish and the three settled into chairs, each holding an infant.
"Well Thea is asleep again and Joe hasn't even cracked an eyelid yet," Adam said as he looked down at Matthew in his lap. The baby was wide-awake and staring up at his father's face in unfocused fascination.
Barbara had Thomas cradled in her left arm and was stroking the top of his head with a gentle hand. She grinned at the way his blue-green eyes fluttered closed at each touch, then popped open again when she lifted her hand.
Benjamin seemed to be in a bit of a temper as he waved his tiny arms around and kicked his tiny legs. Matt had him on his shoulder and was rubbing his back, but Benjamin wasn't interested in being soothed back to sleep. So the doctor stood and began to pace around the room, hoping it would help. He stopped and said, "They're here," with relief when he spotted the wagon coming down the street with Hoss driving and the twins sitting in between him and their Grandfather.
Even before they pulled up in front Adam could see his two older children were bouncing on the seat in excitement. Ben lifted them down, but held them back from running for the door. He kept them standing next to him as he reached into the bed of the wagon and handed each of them a bag to carry. Weighed down, they could only manage to stagger and Balor jumped down out of the back to follow them and took up his post, sitting just to the right outside the door. Adam smiled as he stood and settled Matthew on his shoulder, appreciative of his father's foresight. He went and opened the door.
The twins shuffled in and dropped the bags on the floor by the door and threw themselves against their father's legs, Alexander wrapped his arms around Adam's left leg while Annalise did the same with the right. He looked down at them and shook his head as they stared up at the moving bundle on their father's shoulder with wide eyes.
"Can I hold him? Who is he?" Annalise said trying to shake her father's leg.
"If you both will let go you can go over there and sit down, and THEN you can hold one of your brothers."
The twins instantly let go and ran for the chairs to sit down.
Barbara stood then saying, "Why don't I give Thomas to Annalise? Matthew seems pretty content where he is."
Adam nodded his thanks to her as Matt stopped in front of Alexander. "Here, you can hold Benjamin," the doctor said and carefully put the infant in the child's arms and showed him how to hold him. Annalise didn't need to be shown.
The little girl looked down into the baby's sleepy blue-green eyes and instantly fell in love. "Your fingers are so tiny, Thomas" she whispered to him and began to sing to him softly as she stroked his cheek.
Alexander laughed when his hazel eyes met Benjamin's bright black ones. "You see me, don't you?" he said to the baby.
"He's just born, he can't really see anything," Matt said but Alexander shook his head.
"Nope, he can see me, can't you Benny?" he said then laughed with delight when the baby opened his eyes wide and made a cawing sound.
Ben came through the door then and walked up to Adam who handed Matthew over to him immediately. Ben took the baby in his arms and went over to the twins and went down on one knee to show them the infant. "This is your other brother Matthew," he said and the two children leaned forward to look, and then toward each other to compare babies.
Hoss had come in right after his father and picked up the bags the children had abandoned. He handed them to Adam. "I packed some clothes for Thea and for the twins. I figured since your house is 'bout ready they wouldn't be comin' back anytime soon."
Adam took the bags from his brother and smiled his thanks, touched by Hoss's thoughtfulness.
"Oh, I put in some of Joe's things thinkin' he'd be stayin' with you for a while, too. And Hop Sing put somethin' in there in a tin. He said Thea would know what to do with it and it's for buildin' up her strength."
His older brother just shook his head as Hoss continued, "How's Thea this mornin'? Any better?"
"Yes she is, do you want to go in and see her? I'm sure she's awake now."
"Can I?" he asked, suddenly shy, but when Adam carried the bags into the room, he was right behind him.
Thea WAS awake and smiled at the big man and took his hand when he reached her side. Her husband set the bags down and quietly left the room to keep an eye on his older children.
"Morning Hoss," Thea said in a hoarse, but surprisingly strong voice.
"Mornin'," he answered and looked down at the floor, suddenly feeling embarrassed for kissing her the night before.
"Hoss look at me," she said softly and when he finally met her gaze she startled him by saying, "I love you." He blushed and she laughed a weak laugh.
"You're MY brother too, and I couldn't love you more even if we had been born of the same parents. Don't you ever feel embarrassed about anything with me."
"Yes ma'am," he said and looked away as he turned redder.
She chuckled and tugged on his hand until he looked at her again. "Just remember, Hoss. You're the only adult in this family I haven't done any work on," she grinned at his startled expression and winked at him. "Your next, big guy."
He smiled back then started to laugh when she crossed her eyes at him as she said, "I take it you don't have any faith in my medical skills."
Adam came back in then saying, "Sounds like I'm missing a good time in here."
Hoss nodded as he tried to stop laughing, but he made the mistake of looking at Thea so she crossed her eyes again and he couldn't stop. Finally he had to leave the room.
"Are you having fun, harassing my brother?"
"He's my brother too, now," Thea said with a satisfied sigh. "I've always wanted a sibling to torment."
"Well, now you have two, or at least you will after Joe recuperates."
"I know and I agree with you, it's a lot of fun to fool with his mind."
Adam took her hand and leaned down to kiss her and took a close look at her face. Amazed, but very pleased that she had a little color in her cheeks he said, "I want to bring the twins in to see you now that they should be finished taking inventory of baby fingers and toes. Then Barbara wants to know if you'd like her to come in and get you ready to go home."
"Yes I would. I can't wait to get home, this isn't exactly the most comfortable place to be."
"We should have you and Joe and the babies bundled up in the back of the wagon in no time and we'll get you there as quickly as possible."
Adam was as good as his word and everybody ambulatory rushed around getting the two invalids and the babies bundled up and in the wagon.
Thea was comfortable lying on a pad of folded blankets in the wagon, having been given a sponge bath, then dressed by her new friend in a thick flannel nightgown, quilted robe, and fur-lined slippers. More blankets covered her and she had her head in Adam's lap. The twins and Matt were sitting in the back of the wagon too, and each held an infant in their laps. Balor jumped in after the twins and lay up against her feet like a large, hairy hot- water bottle, so even before the wagon started to move she closed her eyes and drifted off.
She didn't even wake up when Adam slipped out from under her, vaulted over the side, then reached back in to pick her up, blankets and all.
He stood on the front walk and said, "Theadora." She immediately opened her eyes.
Looking around confused she said, "Why are we stopping at Hal's house?"
"This isn't Hal's house," he answered her as he carried up the steps and to the front door, which was standing open. He stopped and looked down into her heavy eyes and said, "Welcome home Mrs. Cartwright."
Everyone stopped where they were and smiled when they heard her gasp, then weakly squeal with delight as Adam carried her over the threshold.