Chapter 13

"Oh man.", Adam moaned as he sunk to his knees, beginning to sob.

He sat like this for a few minutes when he felt a hand on his shoulder, causing him to stiffen.

"Adam?"

"Go away!", he yelled, knowing Thomas had spoken.

"I just wanna check on you is all.", he whispered, hoping this would comfort his brother.

"Really?", he asked, in a sarcastic tone. "Like you told me bringing Lily over was such a good idea?", he added, his voice rising with every word.

"Ok, so that wasn't my greatest idea.", Thomas agreed.

"Well,", Adam began, one hand clenching into a fist as he stood up. "How's this for an idea?", he asked. And before Thomas had time to think, he was punched in the face.

"Adam?", Thomas whispered, his eyes beginning to water as he put a hand over his nose.

"Get outta here and leave me alone!", he yelled, running deeper into the woods.

With a sigh, Thomas turned around and headed back into the house to talk to his father.

"Pa?", he called, as he closed the door behind him moments later.

Looking up, Simon gave his son a slightly confused look. "Something's wrong isn't it son?", he gently asked.

Letting out a sigh, he looked at his aunt, then back to his father. "Yes... Lily said he was pathetic because, basically he cares more about us, his family, than her."

"Oh, Adam.", Simon whispered, shaking his head. He could tell from the beginning, his son was in love. He could tell how much he cared for her.

A moment later Thomas was startled, feeling a gentle hand on his arm.

Looking up, he gave a slight smile seeing his aunt looking back at him.

"Tommy, what happened to your nose dear?", she asked, gently laying a hand on his cheek.

"Adam... punched me...", he admitted.

"Oh, sweetie, let me make sure nothing's broken.", Mary gently replied.

"I-I gotta go after him... There's no telling what he'll do in his state."

Standing up, Simon sighed. "I'll bet almost anything, he went to the mine. Let Mary look you over, then come on." And with that, he laid Henry down before rushing out the door.

With a sigh, Thomas looked to his aunt, wishing she had let him go with his father.

"Adam!", Simon called from the mouth of the mine. "Adam, can you hear me!?"

Though he got no response, he trudged on anyway, the tension he felt increasing with each second until he stopped, hearing a voice.

"Adam?", he called, slowly taking a few steps forward until he reached the end of the tunnel where he saw a dim light.

Taking a deep breath, Simon slowly peeked around the corner and gasped when he saw what his son held.

"Adam no!", he cried as his son lifted the end of the cord to the candle's flame.

Gasping, Adam turned his head to see his father rushing toward him as he dropped both the cord and the candle, not realizing that it fell, lighting the cord even closer to the dynamite.

"Son, come on!", Simon yelled, grabbing his son's hand.

Suddenly realizing, Adam let his father lead him back down the tunnel.

However, as soon as they mad it to the end, an explosion sounded, causing rocks to both fly toward them and fall from the roof.

A minute later, both Simon and Adam stood outside of the mine shaft, both panting, their hearts pounding.

Turning to look at his son, Simon shook his head, narrowing his eyes. "Son, what on earth were you thinking!?", he roared, clenching his fists in anger. "I can't believe you doing something so stupid!"

Looking down, Adam sighed, a slight fear building, knowing his father was ashamed of him.

"Well?", Simon asked, this time with a little less anger in his tone.

"I..." His eyes suddenly beginning to water, causing him to turn, not able to face his father.

Now noticing his son's let looked somewhat injured, Simon let out a sigh, gently laying a hand on Adam's shoulder. "Son... I know you're upset, but... this just isn't the answer.", he gently told his son, shaking his head, still not fully grasping what had just happened.

"But Pa... what's the point?", Adam asked with a sigh, just as Thomas walked into view, making him slightly more upset.

"Adam?", he gasped, walking up to where his father and brother were.

With a sigh, Simon laid a hand on each of his son's shoulders.

Turning toward Thomas, he swallowed, attempting to keep down his emotions that threatened to keep him from talking. "Thomas... your brother..." With a sigh, he put a hand to his forehead.

"Pa's just upset over nothing.", Adam mumbled, rolling his eyes.

"Son, trying to blow the mine like that isn't nothing!", Simon cried before laying a hand on Thomas' shoulders, a slightly pleading look in his eyes. "He tried to kill himself... again."

In response, Thomas could only gasp, looking at his father. "I-I'll... I'll help him Pa.", he whispered.

"Help me!? How!?", Adam cried, the fact that he, himself, made a desperate attempt not to cry was apparent. "In the last couple years I lost ma and my only baby sister! I've had to watch Henry go through all he did! And now I just got dumped and threatened by my only girlfriend, who didn't even care about me! You can't help me!"

Thomas bit his lip, hoping what he said next would help. "Well, why don't we get you home and you can rest your leg?", he suggested.

With a sigh, Adam merely gave a nod of his head.

When they made it back to the house, Aunt Mary looked up from where she sat, Henry cradled in her arms, asleep.

"Adam attempted to blow the mine, and would have if I hadn't of saved him.", Simon explained, in response to his sister's surprised expression.

Nodding, she stood up, taking a few steps toward them. "Well hang on a minute and I'll have a look at your leg.", she told Adam while handing Henry over to Thomas.

Adam sighed, letting his father and aunt help him over to the bench, where they lowered him down, his leg resting against the edge.

With a sigh, Aunt Mary knelt at Adam's side. "Sweetie, I hope you know we all love you.", she gently told her nephew while rolling up his pant let a few times exposing his red, swollen ankle.

"Oh, Adam.", she whispered, laying a hand on his shoulder. "Stay here for a moment and I'll be right back."

Lightly huffing, he crossed his arms, anxious for his aunt to be finished with his throbbing ankle.

Then, turning his head to look around the room, he saw his aunt heading back towards him as she came out of her room. However, to his disapointment, he also saw his younger brothers, Jeffrey, both arms, wrapped around them in a loving gesture.

"Don't worry. I'll have you fixed up in no time.", Aunt Mary said, bringing his attention back to her as she knelt at his side, laying a few things down beside her.

Looking up into his father's eyes, Adam sighed, knowing his father was disapointed in him.

"Pa...", he began, but Simon interrupted him.

"Son, we can talk later. I just..." Shaking his head, he let out a sigh.

"Y'all hate me don't you?", he whispered, looking down at his hands, resting in his lap.

"Of course not Adam.", Thomas said, as he stepped up between his Aunt and father.

"I don't wanna hear anymore from you!", he shouted before looking down again with a sigh. "Sorry.", he whispered a moment later.

"It's ok.", Thomas whispered a moment later, laying a caring hand on his brother's shoulder. "I know you're real upset now, but trust me... We all love you Adam.", he whispered, turning to face the others, who nodded in agreement.

Looking up at his older brother, Adam merely sighed. "Well don't worry about this anymore. I'm done with girls.", he announced. Then, giving Thomas the slightest smile, he added. "From now on Henry will be my top priority after the mines."

Hesitantly, Simon nodded, laying a hand on each of his sons' shoulders. "I'll support your decisions son.", he replied with a nod of his head. "But, you have to promise me... you won't make another attempt like you did today."

With a sigh, Adam looked to his aunt and Thomas, then back to his father. "I promise.", he whispered.

"Good son.", he replied, his voice trembling ever-so-slightly. "I want to know you'll be there for your brothers, if-if anything ever happens to me."

"But Pa... you're not going anywhere.", Adam protested, his eyes now wide with disbelief.

Son, you never know about that. Y-You"

"If you're going to give me another speech about that, I don't want to hear it.", he shouted before his father could continue.

"Look... I just don't want you to make the same mistake I almost did. When I was about Jeffrey's age, I thought I was smart enough to use dynamite to get through a side wall in your grandfather's mine.

"So?", Adam asked, anxious to find out what his father was going to say.

"Well, you know that pain I'm always having in my shoulder? Why I had to quit mining for awhile and was lucky I was able to teach it to you and Thomas and even Jeffrey to some extent?"

Adam nodded, both he and Thomas now curious.

"It was because of what happened that day. But it could've been worse. I could have been killed. Then you never would have been born."

Nodding, Adam sighed, the reality beginning to sink in. "I do, Pa.", he whispered.

"Good... Now, do you mind holding your brother while your aunt gets a few things done?"

"I-I can take him Pa.", Jeffrey replied, looking slightly confused.

Smiling, Simon shook his head. "I know you will, but you take your other th..."

"I want to do it, Jeffrey.", Adam interrupted, a slight hint of a smile to his lips.

"Ok.", Jeffrey replied, still a little unsure.

"Thanks, sweetie. He's kinda sleepy now, so he shouldn't be much trouble.", Mary told her nephew.

Nodding, Adam gently took his baby brother into his arms, Henry's head, lovingly cradled against his shoulder as he gently supported the rest of his tiny body.

Bending his head just a bit downward, he gently placed a kiss on Henry's bald head. "I love you.", he whispered as his brother drifted off to sleep.

"He's so sweet.", Mary said to herself, a slight smile on her lips as she leaned over the pot hanging on the hook over the fire.

"I never thought I'd say that again after Billy, but... I never thought I'd love Henry after Ma died but..."

"But what honey?", she asked once more as she looked up from where she worked.

"I feel like I owe something to him, like I should help him.", he replied.

With a nod, Mary laid the top on the pot and walked the few steps to where her nephews were.

Laying a hand on Adam's shoulder, she nodded. "That's a little how I felt about helping Simon. You boys are my family too. I wanted to help because I love you."

Adam merely nodded.