Chapter XIV

A few days later Adam, though he had yet to return to the mine due to his ankle, and still continued to help his aunt out.

"Adam, can you please keep an eye on your brothers while I go pick some things from the garden?", Mary asked, a basket in her hand.

Looking toward his aunt, Adam gave a slight nod of his head. "Go on. I'll get the stuff ready for you to cook for supper.", he said referring to what she had picked the day before.

Smiling, Mary shook her head, at her nephew's words. "Alright, Adam." And with that she headed out the back door.

Looking over at his baby brother, who still slept on the bench near the fireplace, he couldn't help but smile. Despite what had happened to him in the last few days, taking care of Henry somehow helped with his emotional pain.

And with a sigh, Adam leaned over the table, knife in hand as he began chopping.

However, he had only begun working when he heard a door open and footsteps coming his way. Thinking it was only his aunt, he ignored it when-

"Adam!"

Looking up, he was startled, then winced as his baby brother began fussing.

"Lily?", he gasped, startled to see her face.

"Yes, Adam?", she asked, giving him a sly smile.

"I-I'm just s-surprised to see you.", he choked out past the lump in his throat.

"Oh really?", she asked, her tone remaining the same. "Why on earth are you surprised? I even brought daddy so you could meet him.", she said, stroking a hand over his cheek, making him more nervous.

Just then, Henry began fussing, the new noises now scaring him.

"Does he ever shut up!?", Lily cried, gritting her teeth as she balled her hands, her nails digging into her palms all the while.

Hesitantly, Adam turned, slightly fighting within himself, deciding what to do.

However, just as he took a step, he suddenly felt a hand grab the back of his shirt, yanking him backward.

As this happened, he was spun around so that the next moment, he was face-to-face with a pair of blazing eyes.

"What is wrong with you boy!?", the man roared, causing Henry to become even more fussy. "Someone never tell you how to treat a girl!? Huh!?"

"S-Sorry sir.", he whimpered, the worry of Lily or her father Hurting Henry in the back of his mind.

"Oh! So you do have manners!? Well, what wrong with you, ya can't give my baby girl the affection she deserves!?", he demanded.

"But she- She offered-sh-"

"Shut up! Just shut up you little rat!"

Letting out a whimper Adam merely nodded, beginning to shake as Lily's father raised a fist.

But, thankfully, just as he was about to strike, Aunt Mary came in the back door, letting out a gasp, dropping her basket when she saw the scene before her.

"M-Mary?", Lily's father whispered.

"Jake! What on earth are you doing!?", she cried in response, setting her hands on her hips.

"W-Well I...", he stuttered.

"Leave my nephews alone! I don't want to see you near any of them again!", she yelled, the fire burning in her eyes, the likes Adam had never seen.

"B-b-b", Jake stuttered, still unable to speak.

"And I don't want that daughter of yours around here either!", she added. "Now git!"

Growling, he threw Adam to the floor, causing him to grunt and pointed a finger at Mary. "You never were worth nothing. Could've had the best man in the village, but no, you just wanted those dumb nephews of yours and their father!"

And with that he gave Adam a kick in the back before turning around and heading out the door, followed by Lily.

After her heart had calmed some, Mary, though her hands shook, rushed to Henry's side, lifting him into her arms.

Then, while rubbing his back, she walked the short distance before kneeling at Adam's side.

"Adam...", she whispered. "A-Are you ok?"

Ignoring her question, he let out a sigh, gritting his teeth as he made an attempt to push himself up, his back truthfully, having made a horrible crack when Jake kicked him. But, he'd rather die than admit such a thing, especially to his aunt.

However, the next moment Simon came through the front door, much to his sister's relief.

But once he did, he gasped seeing the state his son was in.

"Mary... what happened?", he asked.

"Jake showed up. Apparently he's Lily's father.", she replied, with a sigh.

"Great... If only I had known, I would have taken care of him when he hurt you."

"Well, that's in the past Simon. There's nothing we can do about it now.", Mary replied.

"What happened to Adam?", Thomas asked, bringing them back to the matter at hand.

Looking down, Mary replied. "Jake." Then, her cheeks beginning to turn she added, "I was about to attempt to get him to the bench so I could doctor him... again.", she added with a sigh.

Nodding, Simon turned to Thomas, who in turn gave his father a look of acknowledgment.

And between the two of them, they managed to help Adam to the bench while Jeffrey moved the others outside.

"What are you going to do?", Adam asked hesitantly as his aunt knelt at his side, a vial in her hand.

"Sweetie, this'll hurt for just a moment and then you'll be out for a bit while I hopefully fix you up.", she replied pulling the needle out.

"What!? You mean I'll be out of the mine longer!?", he cried in disbelief. "But, they need me in the mine."

Letting out a sigh, Simon laid a hand on his shoulder. "Son, we only want what's best for you. If your aunt doesn't do this, you might not be able to come back to work with us at all... She might have to do nothing, but we need to know if something happened when Jake... you know."

"Ok, Pa.", Adam replied, letting out a sigh. "Go ahead Aunt Mary.", he whispered, wincing when he felt the needle stick him.

"Anything I can do to help Pa?", Thomas asked, still not completely grasping the reality of what had just happened to his brother.

Having forgotten his eldest son was there, Simon took a moment to think before finally nodding his head. "You can assist us. If nothing else, do what you can to comfort your brother."

"Alright... Hate that this happened to him again, but I'm glad I can help."

"Me too son, me too.", Simon agreed, thinking his son would make a great doctor someday.

And after that it wasn't long before Mary, with the help of her brother and nephew, did what she needed for Adam.