The next thing Maria and Mrs. Shaughnessy heard was, "Adam, what happened?" from Ben.
Maria got up, went downstairs and saw Adam limping as Ben helped him into the house.
"I was shot, Pa, I'm not sure who did it, though," Adam replied as Maria went over to him.
"Let's get you to bed, young man," she joked, since she was two years younger than Adam.
"You're younger there, Maria," Adam said with a smile.
She chuckled and helped him up to his room.
"Thank you, Maria, but you didn't need to help me," Adam told her as he sat on his bed.
"I wanted to, Adam; plus, you're going to have to get used to me helping," she told him softly, receiving a smile from him. "I'll step out so you can get out of those clothes and into something for bed."
"Yes, ma'am," Adam joked.
She left the room just as Ben, Hoss and Joe came up the stairs.
"He's changing," Maria said softly, almost in a whisper.
The men nodded as Ben went in to help his son if he needed it.
"Maria?" Adam called.
Maria turned to the door, opened it and went inside.
"Comfortable now?" she asked.
"Yes, I am, actually. I see one of the dresses Mrs. Shaughnessy brought over fits," Adam said and saw the blush creeping up on her cheeks. "You look pretty."
"Oh, um, thanks," she replied, her cheeks now medium red now.
"You're welcome," he replied.
"Would you like coffee if there is any made?" she asked.
"Yes, I would love some, Maria," Adam said.
"Okay, be right back, and stay in that bed or I'll tie you down," she ordered, making him chuckle as Ben, Hoss and Joe laughed at the fact that Adam was threatened to be tied to his bed.
"Yes, ma'am," Adam said in return, making her chuckle as she left the room.
Maria went downstairs and saw another man in the living room, "Um, sorry to bother you but do you know where the kitchen is, sir?" she asked kindly.
"I take you," the man spoke with a Chinese accent.
"Okay. Thank you," she replied, "I'm Maria."
"Hop Sing, cook to Cartwrights," he introduced as he led her to the kitchen.
A smile came to her face seeing the large room she entered. "What a lovely kitchen," she told him, looking around.
"It good to cook in," Hop Sing told her as he got the coffee around to make some. "How many cups?"
"Two will be fine, sir," she replied.
"No sir, just Hop Sing," he told her.
"Okay, Hop Sing," she spoke as she sat down in a chair that was in the kitchen.
"Aw, look Hoss, our big brother has a crush," Joe joked as he looked at his oldest brother to see him roll his eyes as he took a book off the night stand and started to read it. "And I guess he's too in love to tell us if he likes her or not."
"I think you're right, Joseph, the look of love is written in your oldest brother's eyes," Ben replied, getting a glare from Adam.
Ben, Hoss and Joe all left the room laughing.
"What's funny?" Maria asked softly as she brought up a small tray that had two cups of coffee and some cookies.
"Nothing, Maria, nothing," Joe said with a smile as he opened the door for her.
"Thank you," she whispered and closed the door with her foot after she was inside.
"She likes him also," Joe said as he, Ben and Hoss all went downstairs.
"Yes, she does, son; yes, she does," Ben replied with a smile.
"Thank you, Maria," Adam told her as she handed him his coffee.
"You're welcome, Adam. So this is what stopped the bullet's speed?" She asked, picking up a book off the night stand.
"Yes, I'm thankful for it - I hate having to get bullets taken out," Adam said.
"I bet," she replied and sat in the chair.
Adam's leg still hurt a lot but he still smiled her way as she sipped on her coffee.
She was reading a poem from a page which hadn't been ruined by the bullet.
"Maria, is everything all right?" Adam asked.
"Yeah, just thinking about what Willow is telling our Grandma," she replied, "since, Shaughnessy told me she took off. I have a feeling where she went was to wherever our grandmother is camping."
"Who knows, Maria," Adam replied then asked her, "Do you know why she is so wild?"
"I'm not sure - ever since our mother passed, she's been like that," she replied.
"And you've been the quiet one?" Adam asked.
"Yeah, I just haven't found anyone to talk to. Our father was the kind that would yell at us all the time and Willow never really cared, it seemed like," she replied.
"You have no problem talking to me," Adam told her, making her smile.
"That's because there's something about you that makes me want to talk to you; not sure what it is, but it's something," she replied with a grin.
Neither of them knew that Joe and Hoss were listening from outside the door.
"Probably the fact that I'll sit and listen to you," Adam told her.
She nodded in reply.
Meanwhile,Willow was trying to convince her grandmother that everything was fine. "Grandma, they have a lot of fancy stuff, a big house, they're kind," Willow told her grandma with a smile as she dismounted the horse.
"They have your sister; they are evil," Grandma Hoad replied.
"They are not evil, Grandma- they are kind; they took us in," Willow replied.
"They shot your father; they are evil," she replied.
Willow just rolled her eyes and sat down on a log that was on the ground nearby.
Meanwhile Adam and Maria were still talking in his room; "Maria, are you sure nothing is bothering you?" Adam asked kindly.
"Yeah, just-I have a lot on my mind and, right now, I'm not sure what to think," Maria replied.
He motioned for her to sit on the bed.
She got up and sat next to him.
"Want to talk about it? I might be able to help you figure it out," Adam told her as she leaned against the headboard with him.
"Just," she started and the tears slowly fell down her cheeks.
Adam put his arm around her shoulders and held her close. "Easy, sweetie, calm down."
"I'm scared my Grandmother will come here and try stuff, Adam; she's one mean lady and I'd rather be here then get put with them," Maria cried into his side as he held her close.
Joe knocked and entered, smiling at the sight on the bed. "Everything okay?" he asked when he heard Maria crying.
Adam sighed. "She's just worried about her grandmother coming here and starting a fight or something, that's all."
Joe smiled, "I think she got a little too comfy in bed with you," Joe told Adam, who glanced over to find that Maria was asleep.
"Help me lay her down," Adam asked of Joe.
Joe nodded as Adam pulled the covers back so Joe could lay Maria down.
Just as Joe covered her up, Ben came into the room. "Um?" was all Ben got out, unsure what to ask upon seeing Maria in the same bed as his oldest son.
"We were talking, she started to cry, then fell asleep," Adam told Ben with a chuckle.
"Well, I just came to get the dishes,-Hop Sing ordered me to come get all the dirty dishes from here," Ben said, chuckling, which made Adam chuckle also.
"They are here on my nightstand," Adam told him as he stretched out next to Maria.
Ben went to protest but he knew he raised his sons to be proper with a lady, "Adam, are you sure you don't want to sleep on the couch? We could bring in here from the spare room?" Ben asked just to stay in the room longer.
"Pa, trust me, nothing will happen," Adam said in reply.
Ben glanced at Joe and the two of them smiled at each other.
"Am I missing something?" Adam asked.
"Nope," Ben and Joe both replied as they left the room.
"Man, Pa, I have never seen Adam so in love," Joe said with a smile.
"He is in love," Ben agreed as the two of them went downstairs.