AN: A shorter chapter this time. Just the way it worked out for this one. Hope you'll still like it.

Again a big thank you to those that review, in whatever way they do it. But also thank you for simply reading. It's great hearing from readers, it truly makes my day, but just knowing it's read is very satisfying already.

Since I can't send a PM to guest reviewers: a special thank you to my faithful guest reviewer. You may feel like you don't know what to say, but your reviews mean so much to me! They make me feel like a much better writer than I really am and make me aspire to get better.

Chapter 6

"You mean Miss Morgan?" Daniel asked as he started to look around.

"Don't look," but Evan was too late and Daniel had already turned his head.

"Far out!" The 14-year-old exclaimed. "She doesn't look anything like she does at school. Weird. Don't know what is different though."

"Her hair's loose."

All eyes turned to Adam now. No one had noticed that he had turned around as well.

"Her hair?" Daniel looked over his shoulder again and nodded, "Yeah you're right." He looked back at Adam in surprise. "Didn't know you'd been checking her out."

Adam couldn't help rolling his eyes, something he'd scold his brothers for, "You don't have to check a girl out in order to be perceptive. In fact, it's something you could do learning early on: girls like it when you notice things about them. Like a new dress or a new hairdo. Or new perfume."

Brian laughed, "You listen to your big brother, Danny."

"Yeah, but Brian…Adam's not looking at dating her. So why should he notice?"

"Make it a habit to notice things like that, no matter which girl, and you'll always be fine," Brian knew better though. Adam wasn't one to notice things like that. Brian was. His love life depended on it. Adam was different. He hadn't dated at all since he had gotten guardianship of his brothers. He'd barely looked at girls. Things had been different when he was still in school, but their parents' deaths had changed everything. Brian studied his brother as the man glanced at the teacher at the other table.

"Still weird. I mean…it's my teacher!" Daniel wrinkled his nose.

That made Brian laugh, "Hey, I've dated teachers. They're people too."

"You didn't date my teacher, did you, Brian?" Guthrie inquired.

"No, I never had the pleasure, buddy," Brian reassured, "she's a little out of my league, I think."

"And she's probably about 60 years old."

"She's not quite that old yet, Ford," Brian corrected. "I'd guess around 40, but you never ask a lady's age, so I guess we'll never know." He hoped all this would distract the boys enough not to notice Adam's wandering eyes.

"40 is really old, though," Ford commented.

"Mom was 40." The words left Brian's mouth before he had a chance to think. The effect was instantaneous. The mere thought of their mother dying in that horrible car crash at the age of 40 brought a silence over the table. It was definitely more of a distraction than Brian had been working for.

"Oh," Ford's eyes filled with tears as did Daniel's and Brian could kick himself.

"I'm sorry, buddy," Ford usually felt too old to be cuddled in public, but now he allowed Brian to pull him on his lap. "I didn't mean to make you cry."

"I'm not crying."

"I know…neither am I," Even Brian felt the tears sting his eyes.

"Wonder why she's here all alone," Adam had completely missed Brian's faux pas, which told his brother more than the oldest would like, "You'd think she's waiting for a friend, but she's clearly finishing up her lunch." It wasn't until that moment, when he turned his head back to their own table, that he noticed all the sad faces. "What? What happened?"

Brian cleared his throat, "I think a bomb could have gone off and you wouldn't have noticed. So the better question is: what happened to you?!"

"Why would something have happened?" Adam's defensive was another clear sign to Brian. "I'm just concerned about a fellow human being."

"Suuuuure," Brian couldn't help teasing a little.

Ford had quietly slipped off Brian's lap again. The mood had changed and they were all grateful for it. Well, all, except Adam. The man was starting to feel a little embarrassed. He was no fool. He'd clearly missed something and the reason was that he'd been staring at Daniel's teacher. Their food served now, he tried to concentrate on his steak instead of either Miss Morgan or Brian's teasing comments, but it was difficult.

"Daniel," the familiar voice behind Adam and Daniel caused both of them to look up startled, but for different reasons.

"Miss Morgan, ah I eh…" Daniel stammered.

"Dear me, I would think you'd be more eloquent judging from your school work. Maybe you need some tutoring, young man," Miss Morgan teased causing the teenager to blush fiercely.

"What Daniel meant to say was 'good afternoon, Miss Morgan," Adam glanced at the embarrassed teenager and watched him nod.

"Yes, ma'am, good afternoon, but eh..no need for tutoring."

"I was just teasing, Daniel, you're fine."

"Oh"

Adam laughed, "The word tutoring is enough to make any school child shudder."

"Anything to keep them in line, Mr. McFadden."

They looked up when everyone started to chuckle.

"Mr. McFadden," Ford was on the floor.

"It's just Adam!" Evan laughed as well.

No one in town called Adam Mr. McFadden, except in school and so they weren't quite used to it.

"Watch it, boys," Brian warned, "It's not polite to laugh."

"You were laughing too," Daniel pointed out, "I could see the corner of your mouth turn up and you looked like you were trying hard to hold it in."

"That's what you do when you want to be polite, Daniel, you hold it in."

"You didn't succeed."

Daniel's assessment caused the younger three to giggle again and Brian caught himself rolling his eyes.

"Oohhh, Adam, Brian rolled his eyes," Daniel 'tattled' with a big grin on his face.

"Brian is an adult, you are not. There's a difference." It was all Adam had to offer.

Miss Morgan had watched it all with amusement, "Well, can't say life is dull with the McFaddens."

"Never. It does get loud though," Adam mused, "And exhausting."

"I can imagine," Miss Morgan adjusted her purse which was almost sliding off her shoulder. "It's nice, reminds me of home. I'm one of 6 children as well. There was always something going on."

"There's actually 7 of us," Adam pointed out, "Crane's away at college right now."

"Oh my, 7, that's even more." She looked impressed, "But you're raising 6, well…5, considering you," she nodded at Brian, "are an adult."

"Sometimes I feel like I'm raising even him," Adam's mischievous eyes told her he was teasing his brother. He wasn't disappointed.

"Hey!" Brian ripped a piece of the roll on his plate and flicked it at Adam who simply caught it, shaking his head.

"See what I mean? Definitely one of the children."

"Yes, I can see that," She agreed smiling.

"Just because old Adam here doesn't know how to have fun, doesn't make me a child," Brian hoped his little plan would work. If not, at least he had fun.

"I'll have you know I do have fun at times."

"Then why do you never go out anymore? You're young. You should go out and have fun. You'd love the band that's playing tonight at Lucky's but will you go? Of course not."

"I might," Adam protested, although he knew he hadn't in the past.

"Oh I heard of that band. Some of my colleagues at school said it was very good."

"There!" Brian jumped at the opportunity Miss Morgan had just given him. "I have a brilliant idea, if I say so myself. Why don't you two go together."

"Oh…I…" It was Miss Morgan turn to stammer.

Brian gave Adam a challenging look, "Unless you're afraid to either go out or to leave the kids alone with me."

"Of course I'm not afraid to leave them with you. Don't be ridiculous! In fact, it would be nice not to have to be the one being at home on a Saturday night."

"See?" Triumph sounded in Brian's words as much as it showed on his face.

"Brian," Adam sounded exasperated. Why didn't his brother see he was embarrassing Miss Morgan here. And what if he didn't want to go out with her? Brian could be so inconsiderate at times! "I don't appreciate," he was going to say 'being put on the spot', but realized that would have been even more inconsiderate. To Miss Morgan, that is. Relieved that he'd caught himself in time he managed to change his words, "the way you're putting Miss Morgan on the spot here. She may have plans already and you're making it sound like she's desperate for a date."

"Actually, you're the one who's desperate," Brian winked at the blushing young woman standing next to Adam, clutching her purse.

"I have to apologize for my brother, Miss Morgan," Adam ignored Brian and looked at Daniel's teacher.

"It's quite alright, Mr. McFadden," She reassured, although she did feel rather embarrassed, "It's clear he means well."

"That's what our mother always said when he'd gotten in trouble with Dad….again."

She laughed and Adam had to admit her laugh sounded nice. "Well, I've heard the same word often enough to know that we usually do mean well, even when we go about it the wrong way."

Brian leaned back, "Right way, wrong way…you're giving me a headache. Just ask her already!"

She saved a helpless Adam, "You don't have to if you don't want to, of course, but I think I'd like to go and I wouldn't mind having someone with me. I've only been here since the start of the school year and I don't know too many people yet. It's difficult for a young woman to go into a bar alone."

From an early age Adam had been taught to be a gentleman at all times and the role suited him well. Her words tug at him and he found himself nodding, "I would be honored to escort you."

It made Brian stifle a chuckle, "It's clear you don't go out enough. You sound like you're stuck in the 17th century."

She laughed, "Well, maybe a little, but I'll have you know, sir, that some women like it when a man has proper manners." She looked at Adam again, "I'll see you tonight then…I live right next door at number 3. Is 7 all right?"

"7 it is…I do feel at a disadvantage, you know my name, but I don't know yours. Your first name can't be 'miss'."

"No, it's Emily. Emily Morgan." Her expression suddenly changed as she turned to Daniel, "And hope you won't tell your classmates that. I'm young enough as it is, don't need my authority undermined by my students calling me by my first name."

"I wouldn't…Miss Morgan," And Daniel wouldn't. In fact, he wanted to forget he even knew the name at all.

"I'll pick you up at 7 then, Emily," Adam tasted the name on his lips. The name suited her. As he watched her walk off he noticed how the sun made her hair glow even more than the red already did. It bounced on her shoulders. Yes, she definitely needed to have her hair loose like this.

"Adam's going on a date," Evan grinned, "Who would have thought!"

"It's not a date," Daniel snapped, "They're just going to listen to the same band."

"He's picking her up, taking her to the bar and will probably buy her drinks," Evan listed each item off on his fingers, "If it walks like a duck….sounds like a date to me."

"Can we please drop this subject now and enjoy our meals?" Adam's tone was terse and the boys suddenly looked a bit wary.

"Geesh, I didn't mean nothing by it, Adam," Evan immediately became defensive.

"Anything," Brian's correction was almost automatic. "Adam, they really didn't mean anything by it. Neither did I. Other than being happy that you're finally getting out of the house for a few hours. Gives me the chance to stretch out on the sofa and watch my shows as soon as I've got these four in bed….which will be early!" He stretched the last word and watched three pairs of eyes throw daggers at him.

"That's not fair, Brian!"

"I'm just teasing, Ford," Brian ruffled the boy's hair. "I'm not changing any bedtimes tonight. Now how's that steak, Adam? I have to say the stew is fantastic."

"It's good," Adam couldn't help the small nerves building in his stomach. He hadn't been on a date in 6 years. Well, almost 6. He'd had one date not too long after their parents' car crash. It had been a disastrous date. His life had changed so much, no girl his age was able to relate to him anymore. Or maybe it was the other way around. He found their topics of conversation trivial and shallow. He had to admit it was a bit unfair to them, but he simply couldn't sit there and talk about their lives when at home his baby brothers were crying themselves to sleep and needed him or Brian or Crane to hold them. Of course, Crane had needed holding too, but hadn't let on to that. No, dating had simply taken a back seat to raising his brothers.

"Can we still have ice cream?" Guthrie's one-track mind brought all the brothers back to the important things of the moment, the younger ones at least.

"I still see an awful lot of hotdog and fries on your plate."

"I'll finish it, Adam," Guthrie assured, "I don't want Marie thinking I don't like it."

"What do I hear?" Marie appeared behind Guthrie, "You don't like my hotdogs?"

"I do!" A startled Guthrie turned his head as he picked up the bun to take a big bite, "See?"

"Guthrie!" Adam sighed. He knew at home table manners sometimes suffered, but when they were out he did try to instill some manners. Often he failed.

"What?"

"We don't have to see the food once it's in your mouth. That's disgusting," Adam chided.

"Sorry," Guthrie closed his mouth, but not before a piece of meat had fallen back on the plate.

"Well, I'm glad to hear and even see you're enjoying it, honey," Marie leaned over and kissed Guthrie on the top of his head. "You always do like my food. And I bet you'll want ice cream. I do have some delicious apple pie to go with it if you boys want…"

Six mouths started to water and Adam knew he'd give in. He threw Marie an accusing look, "You're one wicked woman, you know that, don't you?"

"And proud of it, young man!" She laughed and walked away.

After they all had finished their apple pie and ice cream they could head home again. For Evan it was a good thing that on the way back he wasn't in the cabin or he'd have gotten into trouble before they even reached home. He was a little too impatient to get there as quickly as possible and kept grumbling in the bed of the truck about Adam driving at a snail's pace.

"Will you shut up already," Daniel finally had enough of it.

"Don't tell me to shut up!" Evan argued.

"Well, someone has to. It's driving me nuts listening to your whining."

"I don't whine, Danny-boy…"

At that Daniel gave Evan a push, "Don't call me that."

"Don't call you what? Danny-booooyyyy…"

"Stop it you two," Ford stepped in, "You're gonna end up fighting and then Adam's gonna get mad."

"I don't care," But Daniel did care. Deep down, anyway.

"Neither do I," Evan gave Daniel another push, but Ford placed himself in between them.

"About 10 more minutes and we're home and then you'll have all afternoon with Diablo. Are a few extra minutes really gonna be worth the trouble you'll be in?"

"Ford, the voice of reason," Daniel teased, but Ford's words had gotten Evan to think things through.

"He's right. I don't want to get in trouble. I haven't been able to work with Diablo for three whole days. I'm not risking it."

"Chicken," Daniel had no idea why he was as mad as he was, but he felt bitter and wanted to lash out at someone.

"Not gonna bite," Evan shook his head and started a game of 'I Spy' with Ford leaving Daniel to stew on his bad mood all by himself.