“ADAM!!”

Hoss’s astonished, gasped cry startled both Adam and Etta from their slumber. A look of puzzlement swept over Etta as she with Adam’s help pulled herself upright and out of the man’s embrace.

“Hoss it’s not…we weren’t”

Adam was at a loss for words until he realised his brothers attention was not on him and Etta. Hoss was staring wide eyed at the bed and the face of his little brother. Little Joe’s green eyes, dulled, confused and unfocused stared right back at him. In a whirl of excitement all three scurried to the bedside. Hoss clasped Joe’s hand. Etta placed a hand on Joe’s forehead. Adam picked up the guitar from off the bed where he had previously left it. He held the guitar to his chest. The top of the arm fret pressed to his lips. Joe stared in bewilderment. His lips moved, no sound emerged. His pupils moving slowly from one face to the next. His eyelids blinking, slow and lazy. The heavy pull on his eyes for sleep clearly obvious. Hoss stroked his brothers face, prompting Joe to reopen his eyes. Lifting the pillowed head, Hoss placed the offered bottle of glucose water to his brothers lips. Joe drank eagerly. His eyelids flickering as he struggled to stay awake. Joe’s face scrunched in pain as Hoss lowered his head to the bed. Hoss’s look of guilt was painful in its self to watch .

“He’s in pain.” Hoss stated that which was clearly obvious to both Adam and Etta.

“Can you give him anything?” Adam questioned from behind the guitar.

“No, it wouldn’t be wise. He has only just regained consciousness. I can’t give him anything that contains any kind of sedative. I only have laudanum.”

“Miss Etta you gotta give him something, you gotta.” Hoss’s anger was obvious in his raised tones.

Joe’s eyes beneath their closed eyelids flickered their annoyance but remained closed. Etta was back to her efficient self. Checking Joe’s various bandages, casts and finally his pulse. He remained asleep. To Hoss and Adam’s astonishment she pinched Joe’s arm. Joe’s eyes shot open, he jerked his arm away. For a few moments he stared blankly at his antagonist and slowly he shut his eyes.

Satisfied Etta stepped away from the bed. She could feel the brothers combined gaze on her back.

“l know what you are thinking. I know it seems harsh. If l could give him something l would. l can’t not yet. He is sleeping which means he is managing his pain, which is good. The treatment starts now for a severe concussion. You brother is on the road to recovery. Come on, let him sleep. I don’t know about you two but l could do with a brandy.”

Adam couldn’t believe the woman. He was amazed. The weeping child who had fallen asleep on his lap and in his arms was once again the woman. Totally in control of her self and her emotions. She poured three glasses of the golden liquor. Etta caught Adam’s gaze and held it. She knew she could no longer keep her feelings to herself. Even in her distress, she remembered the feeling of the man’s touch. The shivers he sent rushing up and down her spine. Even though the man was dead she felt a stab of guilt. Matthew had never made her feel so loved and so excited. She knew now the love she had for him was that of a child still reaching out for the father she had lost. When at fifteen she and Dr Tone were asked to leave the reservation. It was a combined anger and non-acceptance. Her being not of the doctors blood and he being a man twenty five years her senior. Was it the difference in colour or age? At the time it was assumed that Matthew Tone had violated Etta. If she had been white, what then would the reaction have been. But no, she wasn’t white and what they thought the doctor was guilty of was OK with them as long as it took place somewhere else. It was not for them to know that Matthew Tone and Etta never lay together as man and wife for another five years. Or that the blue coat who had died in the Mission Hospital the day before. A Captain Albert Turner had been assisted to an audience with his maker by the hand of Etta Tone.

*******************************

At first Adam thought he was dreaming. Reliving yesterday’s moments with Etta. It wasn’t unusual for Etta to be a part of his dreams. As he awoke the sounds of weeping, the sounds of stifled sobs remained. Rubbing the sleep from his eyes he pushed himself up on his elbows and looked to the doorway, where yesterday he had found Etta crumbled and distraught. The sounds were coming from elsewhere. That elsewhere was the bed. Joe had managed to turn himself over and had curled himself, as much as he could into a foetal position. The bed covers were twisted and dragged around him. Which was probably the result of his struggle in trying to adopt such a position. His cries were muffled under the covers. Pulled up as they were over his head. Adam scrambled from the sofa. Bare chested and only in his drawers he rushed to his brother and knelt at the bedside.

Placing a hand on top of the rumpled bedding Adam could feel the trembling of Joe’s body. Slowly he peeled down the covers to reveal his brothers frightened face. Tears spilling from his eyes, his thumb stuck in his mouth. Taken aback Adam felt as if he had stepped back into his past. How many times had he seen this very look on the face of his small brother. The innocence in those sad, glistening, green eyes. The cheeks damp from shed tears. The face of his five year old brother not understanding why his mama wasn’t with him and why she wasn’t coming back. Those very same eyes were looking back at him now with an intensity that took Adam’s breath. The five year old boy looked out from the man’s eyes, the moist, sucked pink thumb slipped from Joe’s mouth. Adam heard the small voice that tore into his heart many years before.

“l want mama…where’s mama?”

Closing his eyes to the pitiful sight of his brothers plight. Adam’s lips tightened in an effort to control his emotions. Instinct alone pulled his hand up to stroke his brothers bandaged head. Hoping his touch alone would be enough. As it had been before, to sooth away the boys distress. He had no idea what to say.

“Mama, mama…l’m sorry mama..l didn’t mean to.”

Adam’s eyes shot open. Joe was looking beyond him, the fear gone from his eyes. Etta was standing at the bedside. Her hand brushed against his as she too gently touched Joe’s forehead. Her hand stroked Joe’s cheek. He buried his face into her palm.

“Don’t scold me mama l’m sorry.”

“Shush…shush.” she cooed to the boy. Etta and Adam’s eyes met. They held a look of understanding. That Joe although recovered from the coma his mind was locked in his childhood. His recovery had not been complete. Etta was to him his mama Marie.

“What have you to be sorry for mon p’tit lapin” Etta had reverted to the endearment she used for her own child.

The disappointed, unsure eyes of a child stared first at Adam and then at Etta and returned to stare at Adam. There was not a spark of recognition only the uncertainty of speaking in front of a stranger.

Adam suddenly became aware of his dress or rather undress. Etta gave him a coy smile then shut her eyes, allowing Adam the chance to scoot back to the sofa and quickly don his pants. Leaving his shirt unbuttoned he went back to Etta and his brother. Joe was much chirpier.

“l have to ask my friend to help. Do you mind if l do that little Joe?”

Joe screwed his face in serious thought. “Where’s papa?” Adam saw the look of alarm on Etta’s face.

“Your Pa has gone to San Francisco.” Adam told Joe hoping the answer would be accepted.

“Ya know my Pa?” Joe questioned with disbelief.

“Sure l do. He told me to help your mama while he was away.”

“l aint seen ya before.” the boy was not convinced. Etta came to Adam’s rescue.

“l think you have little Joe. At the moment you just cannot remember.” Joe considered this and gave Adam another thorough look over. He nodded his head in agreement and winced at the pain.

“Mama why’s my head hurt so ?” Etta fitted smoothly into her new role.

“You have had an accident. Now let’s get you cleaned up.”

“That why l can’t ‘member the man?”

“Yes.” Etta drew down the covers to reveal the wet bedding.

“That what happen to my arm, an my leg?”

“Yes”

“I can’t hardly lift my leg mama, an my arm is very heavy…why can’t l lift my leg?”

“You have a cast on your leg and arm.”

“Whatsa cast?”

“It is a special hard bandage to help your broken arm and leg to mend properly.” Joe’s widened in awe.

“Can l show Mitch and Seth…can l mama, please can l?”

“l will have to ask the doctor.”

Joe chatted away happily giving no notice to his near nakedness. Adam and Etta quickly worked around him.

“Ooo,” Joe giggled “mama the water’s cold…it tingles.”

“l’m sorry mon p’tit lapin. Mama will warm it next time.”

“Aint gonna be no next time mama, I promise. Anyways Adam washes hisself in cold water. That’s what men do. Unlessun ya get out the tub a’course. Mistah you wash in cold water dontcha?”

“Sure l do.” agreed Adam

At last Joe was settled. A pile of pillows against his back enabled him to sit almost upright.

“My head feels kinda fuzzy mama…it hurts.”

Etta adjusted the pillows. “There is that better? No don’t nod. Try to keep your head still.”

“Issokay. When will l get better?” Adam had to turn away unable to look into his brother’s childlike trusting face.

“Very soon if you be good and do what you are told. Adam is going to sit with you while l get you something to eat. Are you hungry?”

“Nah…my head still hurts.”

“l’ll give you something to take the pain away, but you must eat a little first. Will you do that?”

“’kay.” As she left the room Etta nodded to Adam he returned the gesture.

Under his brothers scrutiny Adam straightened the already straightened quilt.

“l got a brother called Adam.” Joe stared hard at Adam. “It hurts.”

“What hurts?”

“Looking hurts…You look like my brother, but you aint, an it hurts.”

“Well stop looking. Close your eyes. Is that better.?”

“Abit.” Joe’s eyes flicked open “ya won’t go till mama comes back will ya?”

“No l’m not going anywhere. Now close your eyes. ” Joe did as he was told.

“You have hurt your head that is what is making your eyes hurt.”

“How come a bump on my head makes me pee the bed…l aint peed the bed for a long time.?”

“I know.” Adam agreed.

“How’dya know?” Joe kept his eyes closed but furrowed his brow in thought.

“You just told me.”

“Oh yeah. When my eyes is closed you kinda sound like my brother. Can you tell me a story?”