Chapter Four

"But what if it is Hoss, pa?" Little Joe, who had ridden over from his place, stood in the middle of his father's living room feeling torn in two directions. He and Alice had received word that her father was rather ill and was requesting that they travel out to California with the children, but his father and Adam, who was sitting behind his father's desk working on some paperwork, had just told him who they thought had really bought the land Ben had put in charge of selling.

Ben understood his youngest son's dilemma, but he also knew his son needed to keep his priorities straight. "It wouldn't matter, Joe. Alice needs to see her father, just in case. If we are right, Hoss wouldn't know you anyway. It's better for you to take your wife to see her father." Ben laid his hand upon Little Joe's shoulder and promised him he'd wire him if Mr. and Mrs. Vandervort arrived before he and Alice returned. "Besides, you're only going to be gone two weeks. I dare say it will be three weeks before the Vandervorts arrive. Either way, it's up to you."

Adam, who had remained silent during their discussion, set the papers he'd been working on aside and stood up. "I, for one, agree with pa, Joe. You need to think about your wife. I mean, you're talking about her father; he could pass on. If it's Hoss, he'll still be here when you get back." Adam sighed as he headed for the door. "If you'll excuse me," Adam said as he opened the door, "I need some fresh air." Both Ben and Little Joe knew it was Adam's way of saying he didn't want to hear or talk about it anymore.

~oOo~

Adam didn't want to hear or talk about "it" anymore, only the moment he walked to the side of the porch and saw Tabitha sitting in the chair his father kept outside looking at the slightly opened window, he knew he'd have to. He silently cursed himself, his father and Little Joe for not noticing the window wasn't completely shut. He might not feel that ways, but Tabitha was a smart and bright young lady for her age. She would want answers and, like Adam, would not rest until she got answers…and Tabitha had questions. He could see that much simply by the look on her face.

"You heard." Adam wasn't surprised by his stepdaughter's raised eyebrow or the words she used to answer him.

"What was your first clue?" Tabitha again looked at the slightly opened window and stated the obvious. "If you didn't want any of us children to know, you oughtta shut all the windows and doors."

While Adam didn't have a problem with the majority of her reply, he did have a problem the sarcastic tone in her voice. "There's no reason to speak in such a manner." Adam pulled the extra chair that sat up against the porch wall, towards him and, turning it so he could have the back of the chair to rest his arms on, sat down. "We were going to sit down with all you and the rest of the children within the next week and have a talk."

Tabitha rolled her eyes, which promptly earned her one of her stepfather's famous glares. Due to more than one experience she'd had with Adam, when he'd been pushed too far, Tabitha quickly stopped and asked, "If my Uncle Hoss is really alive and doesn't know who he is," Tabitha asked slowly, "are you going to tell him the truth? What about us children? Do you really expect Gideon to keep his mouth shut if he finds out?" Gideon was Little Joe's oldest son. At seven years old, he had quite the mouth on him when it came to speaking without thinking.

Adam's stepdaughter would never cease to amaze Adam when it came to her ability to think things through. Adam couldn't say he blamed her for the concern she'd voiced. After all, when it came to Gideon she had hit the nail on the head. In all honesty, the fact that one of the children would innocently say something was a real possibility.

Rubbing his chin, Adam thought on the conversation he and his father had had with their retired friend Paul Martin and his son, David, who had taken over his father's practice, the day before. Adam remembered how Mary Vandervort had written that everyone in Holland, Michigan had dropped the subject of Fredrick's amnesia nor had they pushed the young man in the Vandervort care into trying to remember his true name and past. That subject was dropped because every time it got brought up 'Fredrick would be hit with violent headaches and become extremely agitated. Adam and Ben had told this to both Paul and his son. Both the retired doctor and his son had said that they, doctors in general, still did not have a lot of information on how the human brain worked…especially in someone who was dealing with any form of head injury. If what they'd been told about the young's man condition was accurate, it was best to leave things alone. Adam groaned inwardly. Like it or not, he was going to have to go back in and discuss the matter further. With eight children running around the Ponderosa, all of whom had seen pictures of Hoss and heard stories about him, the adults needed to have a serious discussion.

"Leave it to me, okay?" Adam gave Tabitha a smile and, reaching out, laid his hand upon her shoulder. "For now, say nothing to your sister or Adam Jr., or in front of Thomas." Thomas might only be three only it didn't matter; he had been talking for a solid eighteen months and, sometimes, the things that came out of his mouth could embarrass any unsuspecting parent.

Tabitha nodded and stood up, as did Adam. Once they were standing, Tabitha wrapped her arms around her father's waist and hugged him. Since most of the time the young girl seldom held on tight as she was at the moment, Adam knew how upset the news had made her. He turned his head slightly and gazed at the scenery before him. "Heaven help us all" he thought before gently pulling Tabitha away from him and told her to go play and have some fun while he went back inside and talked with her grandfather.