LOST AND FOUND - PART 6

HOMECOMING

Chapter 51

The usual group of Cartwrights and their friends were impatiently waiting at the train station for Hoss and Dora. The newlyweds had been gone for two weeks, staying at the Eden House Hotel in San Francisco for their honeymoon. Thea had arranged a get together at the cream colored house so the couple would have a little time to rest before making the long ride to the ranch after spending hours on the train.

Adam was pacing back and forth in front of the group, but stopped abruptly when they all heard the train whistle. Then Thea pushed her way through the crowd to take his arm, wondering why he was so impatient. Maybe he had missed Hoss and Dora more than she had thought.

The train came rushing by then and they all began to move down to the end where the private car was. The door opened and Dora came out first, closely followed by Hoss. Everyone pressed forward past Adam and Thea to greet the couple.

Dora was smiling widely and laughed when Ben reached up to help her down. Hoss paused on the steps to watch as his wife was passed from person to person receiving hugs all around. He looked up and spotted Adam and Thea on the edge of the crowd and he smiled as he met Adam's gaze. Thea grinned when she felt the tension in her husband's muscles ease. Now she understood his previous impatience. Adam didn't like it when family members were beyond his reach, beyond his help and his protection. But his brother and sister-in-law were home now, so he could relax.

Hoss came down the steps then to wrap his father in a bear hug then turned to do the same with Joe. Then he took Dora's arm and they began to make their way toward the other couple. Adam leaned down to whisper in Thea's ear.

"Is it my imagination, or does Hoss look like he lost weight?" Thea bit her lip.

"Looks tired too," he continued to speak low and she turned her head slightly to whisper back, "Stop that!" She felt rather than heard him chuckle.

"I wonder how much sleep he got, I imagine Dora kept him hopping."

"Oh God," Thea choked out as she desperately tried to hang on to her composure. When he leaned back down to whisper again she poked him hard in the ribs with her elbow. He grunted in surprise then chuckled as a small snort of laughter escaped her.

Hoss and Dora had just about made it through the crowd and in a moment were standing in front of them. Dora quickly threw her arms around Thea and the two women laughed and cried at the same time.

Adam held out his right hand and when Hoss took it he pulled his brother into a hug. When they both stepped back Thea threw herself at Hoss and Dora moved around the two to stand in front of Adam, hesitating. He laughed at her sudden shyness, picked her up and swung her around as she squeaked in surprise.

Hoss and Thea just smiled with their arms around each other when Adam set Dora down then astonished the young woman further by giving her a resounding smack on the lips.

"Let's move this party to the house, people!" he said, noting that the deputies had gone into the car to get the newlywed's bags. He offered Dora his arm and she took it, her face still flushed a deep pink from his enthusiastic welcome.

Thea took Hoss's arm and Marie took Ben's as the group began to move across and down the street to the house. The children had been left at home and the twins were no doubt bouncing around with impatience waiting for their Uncle Hoss and Aunt Dora to return.

The group moved down the sidewalk quickly and many other pedestrians smiled and waved, some calling out their congratulations to the newlyweds. Happy chatter flew back and forth and they soon reached the house.

The twins were waiting on the front porch and when they spotted Hoss they rushed down the steps and through the crowd to latch onto his legs. Thea let go of his arm and he laughed as he bent down to pick them up. Annalise quickly kissed him on the cheek as Alex said, "We missed you!"

The crowd moved into the house, and then into the sitting room where Hoss and Dora were the center of attention for quite a while, as everyone seemed to be talking at once. The couple managed to answer as many of the questions they were asked as they could, then Thea began to herd people toward the kitchen.

Hoss spotted Adam in the hall talking to the twins so he stood and hurried over. The children scurried off toward the kitchen and when his brother straightened up, Hoss nodded toward the front door then led the way outside.

The older man sat down on the swing and Hoss leaned back against the railing as he silently pinned his brother with a narrow-eyed stare. Adam waited for him to speak first.

"Be gentle," Hoss said with a disgusted look. "That's all you could tell me...be gentle?" he continued as Adam started laughing.

The big man leaned forward. "Adam that woman dang near tore my ears off. And don't try to tell me you didn't know that was gonna happen. Those two are too much alike."

"God Hoss, I couldn't be sure," Adam managed to choke out.

"You STILL shoulda said somethin'!" Hoss insisted.

His older brother was rolling around on the swing, trying to muffle his laughter, but not succeeding very well.

"I tell you, I took one step into that room and everythin' after that is a blur. I have no idea what happened."

"Stop it, Hoss, you're killing me!" Adam gasped as the big man said, "What kind of a brother are you anyway?"

"I'm sorry!" was all the other man could get out as he fell off the swing and lay there on his back practically howling with both hands over his mouth.

Hoss continued to give him a disgruntled look until Adam finally managed to settle down. Then a small smile lifted the corners of his mouth as he reached down with one hand to help him up. "I take it then that you had a good time," Adam said as he collapsed onto the swing with a hand on his aching stomach.

Rolling his eyes as he folded his arms Hoss said, "Yeah, but that's not the point. You still shoulda warned me!"

"I really am sorry, I guess I should have." Adam was still chuckling a little as he asked, "Did you ever even get out of the room?"

The big man gave an exasperated sigh as he raised his eyes heavenward. "Not much," he finally answered and reluctantly began to laugh himself. "I only have one question for you and this time you better give me a straight answer. Do they ever slow down any?"

Adam desperately tried to be serious, but a small snort of laughter still escaped when he said, "Yes."

"Good," Hoss said and when his older brother looked up and saw his relieved expression he started laughing helplessly again. This time Hoss joined him.

"I swear I've never been more tired before in my life."

"Come on Hoss, cut it out. I don't think I can stand any more."

"Well it's the truth!"

"I'm sure it is," Adam answered when Dora came out onto the porch. He glanced at her then quickly looked away while biting his lip, hard.

"Thea sent me out here to get you two," she said as she gave Adam an odd look. His shoulders were shaking.

"Be right in," Hoss told her and quickly kicked his older brother in the shin when she turned away.

"Stop that!" she heard her husband hiss and Adam saying "Ow!" in a choked voice. She smiled a knowing smile as she hurried off to report in to Thea - she found her cousin and now sister-in-law upstairs in the nursery.

"What was going on out there?" Thea asked as she quickly finished changing Matthew and handed him to Dora.

"Exactly what we thought. Hoss must have told him everything, Adam couldn't even look at me."

Thea chuckled. "You ARE going to let that poor man get some sleep tonight, aren't you?"

Dora giggled and the baby in her arms laughed with her. "Of course. I could use some sleep myself."

"You should. I told you to do that on your honeymoon so you would have the upper hand in the bedroom from the beginning," the older woman said. "It always works."

The two women laughed together as Thea finished changing Thomas and picked up Benjamin, preparing to take the babies downstairs. The two women moved through the door then stepped out into the hall when Dora stopped Thea with a hand on her shoulder. The taller woman leaned down to whisper in her ear.

"I know it's too soon to tell, but I'm already late."

Thea's head whipped around so quickly she just barely missed banging heads with Dora. The taller woman laughed as she quickly stepped back out of reach and out of danger.

"Really? How late?"

"A week."

"Hmmm...when you're a month late you come and see me. We'll need to talk," Thea said seriously, then smiled her widest smile.

"Oh boy, oh boy, oh boy," she chortled, imitating Joe and bouncing the babies in her arms as she practically danced around her cousin.

Dora laughed again as she turned to keep her eyes on Thea. "I figured we better get started as soon as possible. We have a long way to go to catch up with you two!"

Thea stopped and continued to chortle as she shook her head. "Don't say anything to Hoss until we're sure. In fact, I wouldn't say anything to him at all until you have to."

Her cousin leaned her head the side and gave Thea a mystified look.

"Believe me. Adam was bad enough, hovering and fussing over me. Can you imagine what Hoss will be like?"

"Oh, I never thought of that."

"Well, think about it. Not to mention Pa, Joe, and Hop Sing." Thea shook her head, "When I was carrying the triplets and we were living at the ranch I almost went out of my mind. The five of them wouldn't leave me alone for a minute."

Dora couldn't help but laugh at that mental picture then smiled apologetically at her cousin. "I won't say anything."

"Good. Believe me, you will be glad you didn't. Just be careful and if Hoss starts acting suspicious, tell him right away."

Dora nodded and the two started down the hallway. Then she couldn't help but laugh again as her cousin began to chortle to herself once more as she bounced down the stairs. "Oh boy, oh boy, oh boy..."

The party was over and everyone had headed for home hours before. Adam and Thea had gone to bed early for a change and Thea was snuggled up against her husband with her head on his chest and his arm around her shoulders. She yawned and her eyes were just about to flutter shut when he spoke.

"So, did your pupil follow your instructions to the letter? I'm assuming she did after what Hoss told me." He chuckled at her gasp of outrage.

"You didn't tell him, did you?"

"Of course not. He never would have believed it anyway. Remember, Hoss thinks you're perfect, the poor deluded man."

Thea giggled at that. "I think he's sweet."

"It's no wonder you think he's sweet, he practically worships you."

She giggled again. "So, when did you figure it out?"

"The second day of our honeymoon."

"And you let me go on, even though you knew?"

"You bet I did, I'm not stupid - and I also found it to be highly entertaining."

"You rat!"

Adam just laughed in response to her irritation and she rolled away from him to the far edge of the bed.

"Oh no, you don't," he growled and reached out to drag her to the center then rolled on top of her.

"Adam, I'm mad at you."

"I know," he said and smoothed her hair back from her forehead with both hands, then cupped her face.

"I mean it."

"Of course you do," he lightly brushed his thumbs across her lips.

"Don't think you can sweet talk me into forgiving you," she warned.

"Never. Wouldn't think of it," he kissed her on both cheeks as he slid his hands behind her head.

"You should be ashamed of yourself," she ground out as she clenched her teeth.

"Yes, terribly ashamed," he breathed in her ear and she shivered.

"Now stop that!" she ordered.

"Yes ma'am," he said low as his lips brushed against hers and she reached up with both hands to hold his head still.

"Adam?"

"What?"

"You talk too much..."

Their voices, mingled in laughter, floated out into the hall then seemed to sink into the very walls, touching each dreamer with a smile as they lay sleeping in the shelter of the cream-colored house.