None of Your Business
"It's none of your business!" His words hissed, and his eyes sparked with indignation.
"It is none of my business? None of my business when you disappear for hours with a word to no one? None of my business when you come home smelling of her perfume? None of my business when anyone with half the eye could see that you have been. . ."
"Anyone or just anyone with your experience?" The sneer on his lips made the implication clear.
Marie's hand moved swiftly, but just as it would have struck his cheek, she pulled it back. "Go!"
He stood for a moment, then turned on his heel, and fled up the stairs. She walked to the fireplace and stared into the flames.
The door opened.
"Mama! Mama, Hoss and me. . ." Little Joe's boots clattered on the floor as he dashed across the room. Marie turned and caught her youngest in her arms.
"What, mon petite, what have you and Hoss done?" She forced a smile, but she could not force away the redness or the puffiness around her eyes.
Little Joe's mouth dropped opened. He reached up and touched his mother's cheek. "You was crying, Mama."
She started a denial but then said simply, "It is nothing, love."
Hoss had joined them. "But you were crying. Is you hurt?"
"No, no, now why don't. . ."
"But. . ."
"Hoss, take Little Joe. . ." She sent Hoss a look that told him to think of his little brother.
Hoss swallowed and then said, "Joe, why don't you go see iffen Hop Sing will fix us some hot chocolate. My inards are plum froze."
"But Hoss. . ."
"Go on now, Joe. Hear me!"
Little Joe heard something in his brother's voice that usually dwelled in their father's. "All right." He trudged slowly from the room.
Hoss turned to Marie. "Who made you cry, Mama?"
"It is . . ."
"It weren't Pa nor Joe nor me 'cause we weren't here." His eyes narrowed. "Was it Adam?"
"Hoss!" Admonition was clear in her tone.
"It were; it were Adam!" Hoss turned toward the stairs.
"Eric! What is between your brother and me. . ." Her hand had caught him by the arm.
"Anybody makes my mama cry is gonna hear from me."
Marie raised herself to her fullest height, "Must I deal with disrespect from all of my sons today?"
Hoss's chin dropped. "I didn't mean no disrespect, Mama."
"It is I who must speak to your brother. You will go to the kitchen and tend to Little Joe for me."
Hoss watched as she mounted the stairs and then slowly obeyed.
Marie rapped on the door and then pushed it slowly open. Adam stood at the window looking outward. She paused and studied him. He might have been carved from stone.
"We shall talk." Her voice was soft, but he could hear the core of steel that it held.
He turned and managed to keep his chin up and his eyes from the floor. "I apologize."
"And I accept your apology." She stepped into the room and closed the door behind her. "You were with the Crawford girl."
"Yes."
"The two of you were alone."
"Yes."
She crossed the room. She needed to be able to read his eyes. "How far did it go between the two of you?" His eyes slid away, and his head dropped, but not before she had seen her answer. He shook his head. She drew in a deep breath. "She is older than you."
His head jerked up. "I'm old enough!"
"Yes, you are old enough to make a serious mistake and that is why we shall talk."
He made his retort flippant. "Pa and I already had that talk." He started to walk away from her. Marie reached out and grabbed his arm managing to turn him back toward her.
"Your father is too much of a gentleman to say the things I shall say." It was not what he had expected to hear. "And you, my son, shall listen to each word!"
He tried to take another step, and her grasp tightened. "I may not be able to hold you here, but your father is most certainly capable of keeping you in place while I speak."
Adam blanched. "You wouldn't. . ."
"I most certainly would. I would also be forced to tell him why it was necessary. Are you ready to sit down and listen?"
"Yes." The sixteen-year-old swallowed. "Yes, ma'am."
"Sit down then."
Hoss stood outside his brother's bedroom. Their father had sent word that he would be delayed and not return until late in the night. Adam had not come down to supper, and it had been a very quiet meal. He had played with Little Joe, but the little boy's bedtime had arrived, and Mama was putting him to bed. The time had come to have a word with his older brother. Hoss opened the door without knocking and walked into the room. Adam was stretched out on his bed with an open book in his lap.
"What . . ."
"You made Mama cry!" Hoss had crossed the room with his declaration.
"I... I did?"
"Yeah, and I want to know what you did." It was a demand.
"It's none of your business, Hoss."
"It is too my business. Mama don't cry easy, Adam."
Adam flushed. "I apologized. It's settled between Marie and me, so. . ."
"You said something, didn't ya? What did you say?"
"It doesn't matter. Besides you're too young to understand."
"I'm almost as big as you." The ten-year-old declared.
"But not nearly as old." Adam sighed. "I know I was wrong, Hoss. I don't need my little brother to make me feel worse about things."
Hoss let the wind leave his sails. "Is Mama gonna tell Pa."
"She won't lie for me, but I don't think so." Adam fingers plucked at the bedclothes. "I'd deserved it if she did."
"Pa'd be real mad?"
Adam shrugged, and then gave his brother a wry grin, "A couple a minutes ago you were ready to give me a thrashing."
Hoss grinned back. "That's different than thinking about Pa giving ya one." Then his face grew serious again. "Pa says I have l to learn to control my temper 'cause I'm gonna be of a size to hurt people easy. Adam, you're real smart with words; you can hurt people with them real easy if you let yourself."
"I know. I'll try harder, brother."
"Okay. Did ya get any supper?"
"No."
"I'll bring ya something."
"I... okay."
"Little Joe knows Mama was crying, but he might not think on it by tomorrow."
"If he does; he does."
"I'll keep him talking about something else if I can."
"Thanks."
Adam watched his brother leave and then rose and went to the window. "I only kissed her." The words floated out onto the air, and his eyes filled. There was no trace of tears when Hoss returned with his sandwich.