Chapter XVII
Smiling, Aunt Mary waved the boys off to work as she did everyday, though Adam was still unable to go with them.
After the last of them was gone, she turned to smile at her second-eldest nephew, Henry cradled in his arms. The fact that he now seemed to be so gentle caused her to be just as pleased as she was cautious about him.
"Is Henry all right?" she asked, wiping his face with the rag she held.
Adam nodded, then, knowing he was probably making a bad decision, he looked around before saying, "I just... Do you think Henry will be able to come to the mines with us one day?"
Taken by surprise, Mary gave him a confused look. "Why would you ask something like that?" she asked, not understanding.
"I just wanted to know that he'll feel useful someday." he mumbled.
"He should." she replied.
Adam nodded and for the rest of the day thought about this and things would only get worse once the others came home from work.
Sitting near the door, Adam stripped peas for his Aunt while Henry sat near him a worn rag in his hands while he napped.
And as he did this, he thought about all that was happening around him, something he had done in the past few days since being attacked. Though, he still felt anger, he was a bit more gentle with his younger brothers, beginning to see why they needed him, especially his protection.
He sat doing this when suddenly he was startled, hearing what sounded like the others, but the fact confused him, knowing it was still awhile before they were due to be back.
Going back to what he was thinking about, he let out a sigh before looking down the path as Billy came to the door, clearly out of breath.
"The... the mine... fell in... on... pa!" he gasped.
Adam stared at him clearly confused as what his brother had said sank in.
"Did you hear?" Billy asked, after a moment, anxious for his brother to react to what he'd just said.
The fact finally sinking in, Adam stood up, laying a hand on Billy's shoulder "Go tell Aunt Mary and tell her I've gone to help." he instructed before running off down the path, hoping he wasn't too late.
When he reached the mine, Adam was unable to believe what he saw, that his brothers, even Walter, all three worked, digging through the rubble.
"Tom!" he called, reaching for a shovel himself.
Surprised, Thomas turned around. "Thanks, I think we're almost done." he called just as one of his father's legs appeared.
Seeing this, Adam tossed his shovel aside and helped both Thomas and Jeffrey until their father was free of his prison.
"Pa!" Jeffrey called, though his older brothers knew it was probably useless.
"Tom?" Adam asked, not sure of what he could do.
Nervously, his brother knelt, slipping a hand under their father's head. "Adam, see if you can find any water or rags... I doubt it'll do any good, but I've got to try." he said as he saw his father's hand move ever-so-slightly.
"I've got to try, Pa." he whispered, though he had no clue how it would end.
And for Walter and the boys' Aunt it was an unknowing wait.
Walter played with his little brothers while their aunt stood at the door, ready to do what was needed when the others showed up.
Though when they did, it hit her hard, even if she had expected it.
A lump quickly formed in her throat, she knelt as Billy rushed into her arms, the fact that he was sobbing obvious.
Though she all ready knew and had expected it, Thomas nodding his head, reaffirmed the fact.
Poor boys. First their mother and now Simon. They loved him so much. Now Henry won't have him to care for him. And Thomas,.. he'll have to take on more, or rather he will because he says so.
"What will happen to us, Aunt Mary?" Walter asked, his eyes drooping even more than usual because of his tears.
"I'll stay here with you, sweetie. Don't worry." she whispered, smoothing back his hair.
"And I'll take care of you guys also." Thomas added, hesitantly leaving his father's side.
"Me too. I won't abandon you." Adam added, kneeling to scoop Henry into his arms.
"Of course not." Thomas added, though he was still amazed by his brother's statement.
"B-But what about daddy?" Gabriel asked, his cheeks red from tears and his usual embarrassment.
Slightly hesitant, Thomas wrapped an arm around him while looking to his aunt for guidance.
Letting out a sigh, Aunt Mary struggled as she gently cupped her nephew's cheek in the palm of her hand. "Well, sweetie, do you remember when your sister..." she asked, her throat lumping at the memory even now.
Hesitantly, her nephew nodded. "Is that what we doing with Pa?"
"I'm afraid so, Gabriel." she whispered, before bending to kiss him on the forehead.
"Oh. I'm gonna miss him so much." he mumbled with a sigh.
"Wish I had been there with you guys when it happened." Adam mumbled, thinking maybe he could've done something.
"I don't think it would've mattered. Even if you had been there we couldn't have gotten him out in time." Thomas replied, hoping to ease his brother's guilt even the tiniest bit.
"Still... he... you know."
Thomas merely nodded. "I know, but don't worry. I'll fill in for him. I'll handle the mine and I'll help Aunt Mary with Henry."
"Tommy that's thoughtful of you sweetie, but..."
"Aunt Mary, I'm seventeen, I can handle it myself." he insisted, his eyes full of determination.
"Me too!" Adam added, startling even himself with the power of the statement.
Smiling, Aunt Mary shook her head. "Oh, you two... At least I still have all seven of my nephews." she whispered, gently squeezing Gabriel to her side.
"Yeah, I guess so." Adam mumbled, handing Henry to Jeffrey before gritting his teeth and stomping over to the organ and began playing a barely audible tune.
Letting out a sigh, Thomas laid a hand on his aunt's shoulder. "I'm gonna go out back and get Pa ready." he whispered before heading out back.
Though Mary wanted to say something, she couldn't. Then with a sigh, she merely looked from one of her nephews to the next while Adam played. "I love each of you boys so much." she whispered.
Throughout the night, both Adam and Thomas, both had trouble sleeping, knowing what would happen the next day.