Chapter 9

Sighing, Aunt Mary knelt over Henry who, although he wasn't crying, she could see he was awake.

"Why don't you hand him to me while you get supper ready?", Simon asked, slowly sitting up on the bench.

Hesitantly, Mary agreed, gently laying her nephew in Simon's arms.

"Hey Henry.", Simon whispered, gently tugging on one of the two-year old's ears.

In response, the boy merely reached for his father, making no attempt to talk, though he giggled.

"You think he'll ever get any stronger?", Simon asked, his expression slightly grim.

Turning around to face him, Mary sighed, shaking her head. "I wish I could give you good news Simon. He may get a little stronger, but I doubt much."

Simon sighed, "Guess you're right. Maybe he can drive the cart to carry the jewels if nothing else. I have faith in him,... in all the boys, but I wish I knew."

"I know you do.", Mary agreed with a sigh.

Adam sighed as Thomas sat down on a tree stump near the stream.

"So... ", Adam asked, giving his brother a questioning glance.

"Well, you wanna talk right? Let me know what's bothering you."

Once again Adam sighed. "Ok... Please don't laugh but... I met a girl in town today."

"Ok?"

"But, I'm scared. Nothing good has happened since Ma died. I mean look at Henry. He's already two and can't walk... can't talk." Sighing, he looked down, his forehead resting on his knee.

"Well, not everything is bad.", Thomas replied, hoping to bring in a positive note.

"You're right. You can take care of anything just like you were Pa. Jeffrey finds something positive in everything. Billy, well... he's usually ok in the winter. Walter notices things the rest of us don't. Gabriel, though he's young seems to usually know what to say to cheer you up... And, Henry..." Shaking his head, Adam sighed. "I've already explained it... And me...nothing ever goes right."

Nodding, Thomas sighed. "I wish you could see what I do."

"What ya mean?", Adam asked, looking up at his brother, his expression full of confusion.

"Well..." Thomas sighed, hoping he said the right thing. "When I look at you, I see someone who's strong willed, loving, brave... You have a lot of good qualities Adam."

"You say so.", Adam mumbled in response.

"Well, there must've been something Lily liked about you."

Adam shrugged. "And I ain't a clue what it is. Aunt Mary said I should ask her on a date or something like it. I don't wanna go on a picnic with her... I'd be too nervous."

Nodding, Thomas had to admit he agreed with him. It made him feel good inside when one of the girls in town spoke to him. However, he was unable to answer them, due to the fact that he was afraid of what he would or wouldn't say.

"I understand.", he replied after a few moments. "You know how horrible I am, just with Aunt Mary... I stutter if I just say yes ma'am."

Having to agree with his brother, Adam nodded.

"But, that doesn't solve out problem.", Thomas mumbled, twitching his mouth. "What if I say... followed you, incase you need help, but stay hidden?", he eventually suggested. "I might help."

Agreeing, Adam nodded. "It might help. Sides just cause you can't talk to them doesn't mean you have a problem just us guys."

Thomas nodded. "Ok. Well, if you could take her down the creek, I'll stay somewhere in the bushes... You have a problem, just to for them and I'll find you."

Adam nodded. "Deal. I'll go to town tomorrow and ask her." Then, standing up, he turned to Thomas. "Now that's settled, let's get back before supper's all gone."

"No problem agreeing with you.", Thomas added, standing up.

When Thomas and Adam came in, they were glad to see that, although the others were at the table, they had not yet begun to eat just yet.

Looking first to their aunt, they both rushed to sit in their spots at the table.

"Not to worry boys.", Simon called from his usual spot at the head of the table. Then, giving Adam a caring glance, he asked, "You... have everything settled?"

"Yes, sir.", he replied, a small smile on his lips.

"Good.", Simon said just as Mary came over to set the bubbling pot in the middle of the table.

"Well, I suppose you're all good then?", Aunt Mary asked, settling down at the end of the table, Henry in her lap.

Hesitantly, Adam nodded.

Sensing her nephew's nervousness, she merely decided to talk to him later.

So, after Simon said what was needed, they dug into the soup Aunt Mary had made.

Adam, though he had said he was alright, ate in silence until he looked up, turning to look at his Aunt and Henry.

Aunt Mary stopping for a moment to give Henry a short break after he had eaten all he could, looked at Adam, a small smile on her lips. "Is everything ok?", she asked, slightly concerned.

At first stunned, he finally asked, "W-Will Henry ever be alright?", he asked.

Having not been prepared for such a question, Aunt Mary merely sighed, seeing how this had grabbed the other's attention. "Well...", she began, somewhat hesitantly. "I'm afraid I can't answer that Adam. Only time will tell. Though I have some faith in him.", she replied, bending forward just a bit to gently kiss her youngest nephew on the forehead.

Adam merely sighed, looking down at his bowl, lazily scooping the soup out with his spoon.

Later, after the younger ones were in bed, Aunt Mary walked outside, knowing Adam had gone out not long after they finished supper. Seeing her nephew, hunched over, not far from the house, she sighed, knowing he missed his mother.

Hesitantly, she opened the backdoor, knowing what needed to be done. "Adam?", she called, watching just a bit when he jumped.

"Yeah?", he asked, turning around to face her.

Gasping, Aunt Mary walked up to her nephew, kneeling beside him. "Adam, are you alright sweetie?", she asked, gently wiping the tears from under his red, puffy eyes. "What's wrong?", she gently asked.

With a sigh, he looked down, licking his lips in thought. "I wish there was someway you could heal Henry, cure my fears, bring Ma back.", he whispered.

Aunt Mary sighed, nodding. "I know you do.", she replied.

"But they'll never happen."

"Well...", she began, taking a moment to think over how she would word it. "Sweetie, we know your mother won't come back and Henry... only time will tell, there may still be hope. But, you... you can overcome your fears if you just believe it.", she answered.

Adam sighed, "If you say so. I just wish I could help Pa more. I know there's Thomas and Jeffrey, but I still wish."

Smiling, Aunt Mary nodded, gently patting her nephew's back. "Adam, just do what you can and that's all your father wants from you."

"Do you think you could make a little lunch for me and Lily tomorrow? So I can take her on a picnic?", Adam asked hesitantly.

Aunt Mary nodded, a small smile tugging at the corners of her mouth. "Of course.", she replied, slightly glad her nephew was willing to take the chance.

Then, with a yawn, she stood up. "Come on, let's go to bed.", she urged him, standing up.

Yawning, Adam agreed, standing up to follow her into the cottage for the night.