Finding Addy

[Adelaide Chappel]

The tone of the reunion changed quickly, and the single word, 'cholera', told all he needed to say.

 

"Oh, Isiah..."  Sick to her stomach, she managed to smile at Weedy.  "Weedy, why doncha take Josh here an' show him yer room?  Th' two'a you'll be sharin'."

 

Once the boys had run off, Addy took her brother's hand and squeezed it tightly.  "Oh, Isiah, I'm so sorry."  She hugged him, on the verge of tears.  "I'm glad ya come here, an' you can stay as long a ya need."

 

Daisy had been such a sweet girl, from what she had heard, perfect for her bestest brother, and they had been happy.  It just wasn't fair...

 

@MD

 

[Isiah Samual Chappel]

Isiah could remember when he was the kid being excused so the adults could talk and boy that used to make him so mad.  He wanted to know what they were talkin' about, but now...now he knew he wanted nothing to do with those adult conversations.  He wished he could tell his kid self to just go out and play and have fun and be a kid like he was asked and not go out and sulk because he'd been excused from the conversation.

 

He watched as the boys jumped up and ran off to the room and wrapped his hand around his sisters, placing his hat back on his head.  Her gentle words and warm touch were just what the doctor ordered. "Yeah." He said softly as he stepped into her embrace and hugged her back, closing his eyes as he did. "Me too." He whispered into her long hair.  He pulled back and looked down at her, not wanting to stay in this state of mind any longer than he had to.  He hadn't allowed himself to before and he wouldn't now.  He hadn't come here to bring Addy down.  He forced a smile for his little sister.

 

"Well I think yer stuck with me." His smile widened some at the words, excited to be back with his sister,  in a new town, to start fresh! "I ain't goin' back." He let her know shaking his head as he spoke of their home town.  "Josh 'n I are movin' here, stayin' fer good!" He shook his head once in confirmation.  

 

@Bongo

[Adelaide Chappel]

Addy let him hug her for as long as he needed, understanding that blubbering wasn't his way, although there would come a time and a place, but that was his choice. 

 

"Well, me'n Weedy'll be happy fer th' company."  She had her own tales to tell, but that could wait for a bit.  "Sit on down here an' have some coffee.  Ya eaten recently?  Might hafta bunk ya on th' floor fer a bit, but I know ya done that before."

 

There were certainly logistics to work out, but that would come with time, and in the mean time, they'd do what they always had...make it work!

 

Impulsively, she hugged him again.  "It's good ya come here, Isiah.  An' havin' Josh here, too...he'n Weedy'll get on just fine!"  Weedy was one of those things that needed explaining!

 

@MD

[Isiah Samual Chappel]

He hugged her back as she came into his arms again and squeezed her good an' tight.  With so much distance between them and never knowing when he would (of if you would) get to see her again he had never allowed himself to stop and realize just how much he missed her.  But now being here with her again he realized he had missed her somethin' fierce!

 

"It's good to be here, Addy, thanks fer havin' us." He said with a smile in his voice as he stepped back from her and took the seat she offered him.  "I ain't gonna turn down no coffee or food." He hadn't taken a bite of the cookies that Weedy had offered them earlier, wanting Josh and Weedy to be able to have 'em.  

 

"You sure we won't be imposin' on you two?  I know you won't expectin' us and I don't want to put you two out, but you know that I don't mind sleeping on no floor and Josh there won't either." 

 

Isiah was itchin' to know about his sister, what had happened with her since she'd arrived here and since she'd been gone from home and how in the world she'd ended up with a kid!?  Had she married?  Was she widowed too?  It could be plum near anything!

 

@Bongo

[Adelaide Chappel]

"Here now, sit on down an' we can figure things out.  Might hafta move things around a bit, but we'll manage."  She poured them both coffee, then set out a plate of cornbread, butter and honey.  "Gemme a minute, I'll take th' boys some food."

 

It only took a couple of minutes before she was back, sitting across the small table, taking a sip of coffee.  "Weedy...boy's name is Porter James, he's 'bout ten or so."  That needed to be sorted out first, since Weedy was a part of her life now.  "His ma...she loved him well enough, but not herself...she was more often drunk, usin' laudanum an' whatnot.  He wandered inta th' barn one day an' just started helpin', an' soon enough, he was with me most'a th' time an' just..." she shrugged, "here."

 

Shaking her head, she got up and pulled a bottle of whisky out, along with two shot glasses.  "Help yerself."  She poured herself a glass, then continued.  "Just this past winter there was a big blizzard, hit a little town up th' road real hard.  Turned out his ma had gone there ta marry th' mercantile owner, an' they were both killed.  No idea who th' boy's pa is, so we're family now."

 

Well, it wasn't all legal on paper, but there were more important ties than what a judge said.

 

"Just bought this house, we were livin' in a room in th' barn before."  She took another swig of whisky.  "Reckon I should shut up an' letcha catch up."  Her brother certainly had questions.

 

++++++++++++

"We just moved in here," Weedy explained as he led Josh into his room.  And here he'd thought he'd have his own room, but now he'd have to share, although, in truth, he'd been kinda lonely at night when Buster decided to go roaming, so he was sort of glad to have some company for a while.

 

The room wasn't much, a bed with a colorful patchwork quilt, a washstand, a chifferobe and a small table and chair.  Pink curtains covered the window.

 

"The bed's big enough to share," he declared, then Addy came in with food and cups of canned milk.

 

"Here ya go, boys, have some supper an' let me'n my brother have a bit ta talk, all right?"  She gave Weedy a wink.  "Then we'll run over t' th' Lickskillet an' have some pie."

 

@MD

[Isiah Samual Chappel]

Isiah took a seat and pulled the coffee towards him taking a sip.  "Thanks." He said as he watched her take the food and milk to the boys.  When she returned it was obvious she knew what was on his mind as she started answering the very question that was swimming around in his thoughts.

 

It amazed Isiah that a parent could basically abandon their kid that way.  He felt for the boy, but admired how upbeat and positive he seemed to be despite it all.

 

The coffee was gone by the time she'd pulled out the whiskey and after she'd poured herself a glass he followed suit, pouring himself a shot and throwing it back.

 

"He seems like a good kid." But he knew that looks could be deceiving. "He give you any trouble?" He smirked some as he reached and poured himself another shot.  He hadn't touched liquor in a while and it had really hit the spot. "Kid already had me laughin' in just the short time I've known him." 

 

+++++++++++++++++

 

Josh followed Weedy into the room and looked around.  It was nice!  He went over and climbed on top of the bed and bounced on it some before Aunt Addy brought them in some milk and cornbread!  His eyes lit up when she mentioned pie.  He was lookin' forward to that!   When she was gone he chanced talking to the new boy that he would soon learn was basically his cousin.  He was shy around new people, but he felt safe around Weedy.  He gulped at the milk and when he looked at Weedy he had himself a nice milk moustache, but was oblivious.  

 

At the offer for him to sleep in the bed Josh told him, as if he was reciting from a book. "Pa said that me 'n him would sleep on the floor.  That we wuz guest, even if we wuz family, and we shouldn't interpose (err shoulda been impose, but Josh couldn't ramember!) on Aunt Addy." It was obvious that Isiah had said this to the boy many times on their journey here, not wanting to put his sister out and the words had stuck with Josh as he repeated him, basically verbatim. 

 

@Bongo

[Adelaide Chappel]

"He seems like a good kid." But he knew that looks could be deceiving. "He give you any trouble?" He smirked some as he reached and poured himself another shot.  He hadn't touched liquor in a while and it had really hit the spot. "Kid already had me laughin' in just the short time I've known him."

 

"He is real good," Addy confirmed with a proud smile.  "When he first come here, he was tryin' real hard ta be 'specially good, I think, so I'd pay him mind, an' once he learned he didn't hafta do that, he wanted to anyway."  She chuckled.  "Oh, he gets up ta boy things, but I'm real proud'a him, he's gonna be a good man."

 

Finishing her cup of whisky, she started back on the coffee.  "Now, 'bout me...I drive stage fer th' Millegan Comp'ny, an' I run my own freight business.  Me an' Weedy was sleepin' in the room in th' barn, but now he's officially mine, I bought this house.  Needs some work, but it's ours."

 

Quickly, she added, "An' there's plenty'a room."

 

+++++++++++

"I don't think Miss Addy will let you sleep on the floor," Weedy pointed out, "and I can make room in the bed.  There's blankets your pa can use so the floor isn't so hard, and he can sleep in here with us."  

 

That way, the boy wouldn't be so scared, he hoped.

 

"Do you think I can call him 'Uncle Isiah'?"  It hadn't ever occurred to him that he might have uncles or aunts around because of Miss Addy.

 

@MD

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Isiah Samual Chappel]

Isiah was mighty proud of his baby sister.  She'd come here and made a real name for herself.  He knew that their Pa would be proud of her too.  He smiled as he sipped on the coffee now and shook his head as he sat down the cup on the table.

 

"You done made a real success of yerself, Addy." He sat up more in the chair and leaned forward some. "I'm happy for ya." And he was...it felt nice for a change to have something to be happy for. "Sounds like that boy and you were just lucky ta find each other.  I'm glad he's a good 'un."  He shook his head a bit and pointed a finger at her. "Pa'll be real proud of you Addy.  And those brothers of ours too." He smirked some.

 

As she quickly mentioned that there was plenty of room in the house he could tell she wanted to make sure he and Josh felt welcomed here. "Thanks fer havin' us.  I'll get this place fixed right up for you." He'd always loved a good challenge and while the house was really nice, he was already making mental notes of how he could make the place just perfect for her.  He'd have to find work in order to get some money for a few of the things he had in mind, but that would come with time.  "And if we ever get to be a nuisance you tell me, OK?" He ask with a light laugh, but he was serious too. 

 

+++++++++++++++++++++

 

Josh really liked the idea of being in the bed with Weedy and his Pa right in the same room with him.  At his house back in Tennessee he had to sleep up in a loft all by himself and he never did like it. "I'd like that!" The boy proclaimed and stuffed some of the cornbread Aunt Addy had brought in.  

 

"Do you think I can call him 'Uncle Isiah'?"  It hadn't ever occurred to him that he might have uncles or aunts around because of Miss Addy.

 

"Oh yes, you can! Pa already gets called that back home!" The boy spoke with his mouth kinda full. "You got a load more uncles in Tennessee and sum couzins too! They're so fun." Then the boy realized how much he missed 'em and his shoulders kinda slunk. "Maybe we'll all get ta go back to Tennesee one day and you'll get ta meet 'em!  And we'll go swimin' in the creek by Granddpappy's house."  The boy kinda shivered as he laughed some, rememberin' "That wuter is so cold even in the middle of summer!"

 

@Bongo 

 

[Adelaide Chappel]

"There's fixin' up ta do, that's sure," Addy declared with a grin.  "I just fixed up th' porch, but I think maybe first thing we should look inta'd be th' boys' room, maybe fashion a bunk bed fer 'em, so they've got more room."

 

She'd never thought about having a real family here, but that was what it was shaping up as, and the notion made her real happy.

 

"We can fix up a spot fer you, too, gonna be a proper home."  With a grin, she impulsively hugged her brother again.  "Good ta have ya here, Isiah, always good."

 

++++++++++++

Cousins, too?  That sounded great to Weedy, and he was anxious to learn more.  "I can introduce you to my friend, Wyler, he's real nice, he lives on a farm, and there's a lake we can swim in!"

 

Sure, Josh was young, but he needed someone to show him the ropes, and Weedy had never had that opportunity before.  It was going to be fun!

 

@MD

[Isiah Samual Chappel]

When she suggested the bunk beds for the boys and even a room for him he could tell even more that she was pleased with the idea of them being here.  He couldn't help but smile. "Then I'll get started right on that tomorrow." 

 

As she hugged him he wrapped his arms around her in a bear hug squeezing her tight. "It sure is good to be here." He whispered.  He could hear the two boys in the bedroom taking away and this made him feel good too.  He had no idea Josh was going to have a cousin waiting for him here when they arrived.  That was a nice surprise.  

 

"I'm just about ready to take you up on that offer for pie in the town." He said with a laugh and looked towards Weedy's room. "Sounds like those two are gettin' along just fine."

 

++++++++++++++++++++++

 

Josh's eyes got real big with excitement  when Weedy mentioned the friend and that his friend had a lake they could swim in. "Swimmin's prolly my most favoritest thing ta do!" He proclaimed.  "Is your friend Wyler big like you?" Because of young Josh, Weedy was indeed big and someone ta look up to and he figured having a friend like Weedy....well a cousin! .... would come in real handy being in this new town!

 

@Bongo