Summary:\u00a0 Fifteen year old Adam tries to find a quiet spot to read a book.
\nRating:\u00a0 G\u00a0 3,085 words<\/p>\n
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Solitude<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Adam picked up the book on the desk and gave a small smile of satisfaction.\u00a0 He had waited all week for this moment and relished the thought of the time he now had ahead of him.\u00a0 It was difficult for a fifteen year-old to fit in such moments of pleasure in between the busy hours of his schedule. On top of school and homework there were his chores that had to be done each day and helping his father on weekends at various tasks around the ranch.\u00a0 It was a rare moment indeed when he had this much time to spend curled up with a new book, and he intended to make the most of it.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n He ran his fingers over the blue cover with the gold lettering as he looked idly out of the window.\u00a0 His father was in town and hadn\u2019t made it home for supper.\u00a0 Marie had her hands full with putting Little Joe to bed and Hoss was no doubt busy with one of his precious animals while avoided being sent to bed himself.\u00a0 As it was Friday night there was no homework assignment to complete, and as his chores were all done Adam was as free as a bird for the next few hours.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n He gave a small sigh of contentment and rested his chin on his hand as he opened to the front of the book.\u00a0 It was a new one that Marie had bought for him and he had saved it for tonight when he would have the time to really get into it.\u00a0 Adam smiled as he savoured the moment and bent his head to begin to read.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Suddenly a noise behind him made him turn around.\u00a0 Hoss stood there rubbing his chin with one hand while he clutched a book in the other. \u2018Hi,\u2019 he said smiling anxiously at his older brother. \u2018Can ya help me with something Adam?\u2019<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Adam sighed. \u2018What?\u2019 he asked.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u2018My homework,\u2019 replied Hoss coming forward and putting the book on the desk in front of his brother. \u2018It\u2019s sums and I can\u2019t get them right.\u2019<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u2018What are you doing with homework on Friday night?\u2019 asked Adam.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Hoss shrugged his shoulders. \u2018I dunno,\u2019 he said lamely, then when his brother continued to stare at him he added. \u2018I guess I got extra to make up for. Can ya help me Adam?\u2019<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Adam sighed and didn\u2019t look too pleased. \u2018Can\u2019t you ask someone else?\u2019 he said shortly. \u2018I\u2019m reading.\u2019<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u2018Who?\u2019 said Hoss. \u2018Pa ain\u2019t home yet and Little Joe\u2019s having another tantrum bout going to bed so Marie\u2019s in his room with him.\u2019<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u2018Well it doesn\u2019t have to be done tonight does it?\u2019 said Adam testily. \u2018Why can\u2019t it wait until tomorrow?\u2019<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Hoss frowned. \u2018Cause Pa will find out if I do it then,\u2019 he said. \u2018Please?\u2019<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u2018Oh all right, but be quick,\u2019 replied Adam. \u2018What do you have to do?\u2019<\/p>\n <\/p>\n The two boys bent their heads over the book and Adam started to explain the first few problems to his brother.\u00a0 Hoss put his tongue between his teeth as he began to write, adding up aloud as he went.\u00a0 It took all Adam\u2019s patience not to yell at him to hurry up, but he knew that his brother didn\u2019t need that kind of reminder about how slow he could be with his work, so he kept quiet.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n At nine Hoss was much larger than most other children his own age, but he usually struggled at school.\u00a0 It wasn\u2019t that he wasn\u2019t clever, it was more that he didn\u2019t have the confidence in his own abilities and he didn\u2019t like taking risks and having others laugh at him when he came up with the wrong answers.\u00a0 So he tended to work very slowly and that often caused him to have extra homework, like tonight.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Adam looked at his brother\u2019s sandy hair as he bent over the desk beside him. \u2018You know Hoss, Pa wouldn\u2019t be mad if he knew you had extra work to do,\u2019 he said. \u2018He\u2019d help you do it.\u2019<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u2018Yeah I know, said Hoss without lifting his head. \u2018But he\u2019d think I\u2019m dumb like everyone else does.\u2019<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u2018You\u2019re not dumb,\u2019 said Adam with a frown as he shut the book that was still in his hands. \u2018Who said you are?\u2019<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u2018Some of the kids at school, said Hoss mournfully.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u2018Well you aren\u2019t,\u2019 said Adam indignantly.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u2018I ain\u2019t as clever as some of them,\u2019 said Hoss.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u2018You are too.\u00a0 You\u2019re just clever at different things, that\u2019s all,\u2019 said Adam. \u2018None of them can do the things you do.\u00a0 You know more about animals than anyone else in that school, and you\u2019re the only kid I know who can tell the weather just by reading the signs around us in the sky.\u00a0 And you know all the names of so many plants.\u00a0 They\u2019re the ones who are dumb if that\u2019s what they\u2019re saying.\u2019<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Hoss grinned at him. \u2018I reckon you\u2019re right, ain\u2019t ya Adam? I guess I do know lots of things, don\u2019t I?\u2019<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u2018You sure do,\u2019 said Adam kindly, patting him on the arm.\u00a0 He put his book down, unwilling to get to it until he had made his little brother happier. \u2018I bet you can do all these problems too, without any worry.\u2019<\/p>\n <\/p>\n The two brothers bent their heads closer to the book and for the next ten minutes the only sound that could be heard was Hoss\u2019 counting, while Adam watched and checked his calculations.\u00a0 After a while he said,\u2019 I told you that you could do it!\u00a0 See?\u00a0 It wasn\u2019t that hard, was it?\u2019<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u2018Nah!\u2019 said Hoss, beaming back at him. \u2018Guess it wasn\u2019t.\u2019<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u2018Hoss!\u2019 came Marie\u2019s voice from down the other end of the hallway. \u2018Time for bed. Where are you?\u2019<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u2018Coming,\u2019 he yelled back, as he gathered up his book and his pencil. \u2018Guess Little Joe went ta sleep after all,\u2019 he said ruefully. \u2018Thanks Adam.\u2019\u00a0 He tucked the book under his arm again and headed out of his brother\u2019s bedroom.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Adam sighed and opened his book again. He listened to the silence around him and relished his solitude. \u00a0He leant back in his chair, propped the book up on the desk in front of him and was soon engrossed in the story that was unfolding in the pages in his hands.\u00a0 Just as he was immersing himself deeply in the narrative, the door opened and his stepmother entered, carrying a plate and a glass of milk. \u2018I thought you might like a snack,\u2019 Marie said tentatively. \u2018You didn\u2019t eat much at supper.\u2019<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Adam reluctantly raised his eyes from the page in front of him and forced a smile onto his face.\u00a0 \u2018Thank you,\u2019 he said politely. He felt a little awkward with her gesture and didn\u2019t know quite what to say next.\u00a0 He had never felt entirely comfortable with Marie and there was usually a barrier between them that they both tried hard to break through. The problem was they had got off to a bad start and even though their relationship was better now, they still had moments like this when they were stilted.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n She sat down on a chair next to him and placed the plate and glass on the desk.\u00a0 Not knowing what else to say, Adam picked it up and began to drink.\u00a0 \u2018You\u2019re reading the new book I bought you,\u2019 she said. \u2018Is it any good?\u2019<\/p>\n <\/p>\n He looked at it, wishing he could give more of an opinion on it. \u2018I think so, I haven\u2019t really had the chance to read much of it yet,\u2019 he said, hoping she would take the hint.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n She didn\u2019t.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u2018Oh well I\u2019ll be interested to hear about it when you\u2019re finished,\u2019 she said, smiling at him. She fiddled with the pens on his desk and he wondered why she stayed to talk if she felt as uneasy as she appeared to be.\u00a0 For a few moments they sat in silence. \u2018Adam?\u2019 Marie said suddenly.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u2018Yes?\u2019<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u2018I just wanted to say\u2026.well, I really appreciate\u2026.. it\u2019s just that \u2026 I\u2019ve felt we\u2019re getting on a lot better lately, don\u2019t you agree?\u2019<\/p>\n <\/p>\n He blushed slightly, wishing that she wouldn\u2019t open up this conversation. He didn\u2019t feel comfortable expressing his feelings at the best of times and particularly not with his stepmother. \u2018Um, yeah I suppose so,\u2019 he said finally.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n She smiled at him. \u2018It\u2019s just that I really appreciate being able to \u2026.well, you know\u2026\u2026 talk to you like this.\u00a0 Your father is happy about it too.\u2019\u00a0 Adam nodded as she continued. \u2018It makes everything so much more pleasant, don\u2019t you think?\u2019<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u2018I guess so,\u2019 he replied wishing that she would change the subject. He looked down at the book in his hand and reluctantly closed it.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n I just wanted you to know that I feel much happier here now,\u2019 Marie continued. \u2018I have you to thank for that.\u2019<\/p>\n <\/p>\n He looked up at her. \u2018Happier?\u2019 he said. \u2018Weren\u2019t you happy before?\u2019<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u2018Well yes I was, but since we\u2019ve been \u2026 well, friendly \u2026.. it\u2019s been easier than before.\u00a0 It wasn\u2019t an easy thing to come all the way out here and take on being mother to two of you.\u00a0 Plus being married to your father has had its challenge, when he\u2019s had to work so hard to get things established around here. And then there\u2019s Little Joe of course.\u2019 Adam nodded sympathetically. They all knew the problems that particular little bundle of energy caused every day. \u2018So you see, even though I have been happy, I\u2019m just saying that I\u2019m happier now.\u2019\u00a0 She smiled at him again.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u2018I\u2019m glad,\u2019 he said. \u2018I do like having you in our family, you know.\u2019<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u2018Really?\u2019<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u2018Yes of course.\u00a0 I guess it\u2019s just hard to say it sometimes.\u2019<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u2018Well, I\u2019m glad you did say it this time.\u00a0 Thank you Adam,\u2019 said Marie.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n He gave her a tentative grin. Just then there was a yell from down the hall and they both giggled.\u00a0 \u2018That little brother of yours is heading for a spanking,\u2019 Marie said with a twinkle in her eye. \u2018He\u2019s been nothing but trouble tonight.\u2019\u00a0 She stood up and hesitated, before bending forward to kiss Adam on the cheek. \u2018Goodnight,\u2019 she said. \u2018I think you should go to bed now.\u2019<\/p>\n <\/p>\n He blushed, embarrassed at the kiss. \u2018I will,\u2019 he said, fiddling with his book. \u2018I\u2019ll leave the lamp on for a while to read though.\u2019\u00a0 He watched as she left the room, feeling quite happy after all that she had kissed him.\u00a0 Smiling to himself, he began to get undressed and got into bed with his book, propping himself up on his pillow to read closer to the light of the lamp.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n After a while he heard his father\u2019s horse in the front yard and snuggled down under the covers as he finally felt himself drifting into the story.\u00a0 But after a few moments he heard a quiet knock on his door. \u2018Adam?\u2019 said his father. \u2018Are you awake?\u2019<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Adam sighed again and shut his book with a bang.\u00a0 It seemed like he would never get to read tonight. \u2018Yes Pa,\u2019 he said.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n The door opened and his father came into the room. \u2018Your new book?\u2019 he asked. \u2018Is it good?\u2019<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Adam tried to smile. \u2018I really don\u2019t know,\u2019 he said, trying to keep his annoyance out of his voice. \u2018I can\u2019t seem to get much read.\u2019<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u2018Oh,\u2019 said his father, obviously not listening to the answer. \u2018Well I\u2019m glad you\u2019re awake, because I wanted to talk to you about something.\u2019<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u2018What?\u2019<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u2018I met Mr Hudson, your teacher, in town this afternoon.\u00a0 He was telling me how well you\u2019re doing at school.\u00a0 In fact he was praising your efforts and achievements enormously.\u2019<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Adam felt quite pleased and put down his book to look at his father. \u2018Really?\u2019 he said.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u2018Yes.\u00a0 He also told me he had a talk with you about the possibility of going to College.\u00a0 He thinks you\u2019d have a good chance at getting into one.\u2019<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Adam looked down and began to fiddle with the bedcovers. \u2018Yeah well, it\u2019s not really important,\u2019 he said.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u2018Son, look at me,\u2019 said his father. Adam looked up. \u2018Do you want to go to College?\u2019<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u2018I told you Pa, it\u2019s not really important.\u2019<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u2018That\u2019s not what I asked you.\u00a0 If you are capable of going and you want to, then we\u2019ll make it happen somehow.\u2019<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u2018But how would you pay for it? You don\u2019t ever have enough money for things around here, Pa.\u2019<\/p>\n <\/p>\n You let me worry about that.\u00a0 Now do you want to go?\u2019\u00a0 Adam nodded his head, his eyes saying more than he could ever put into words.\u00a0 Ben nodded at him and smiled. \u2018Well we\u2019ll have to see what we can do about it, won\u2019t we? Mr Hudson thinks that a couple of years hard work might just get you there.\u2019<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u2018You mean it Pa?\u2019\u00a0 Adam\u2019s voice betrayed his eagerness.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Ben reached over and ruffled his hair. \u2018Yes, I mean it son. Now lie down and get some sleep.\u00a0 Surely that book will wait until another time?\u2019<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Adam laughed. \u2018I\u2019ve hardly started it yet Pa.\u00a0 I\u2019ll just read a bit more.\u2019<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u2018All right, but not too late.\u2019\u00a0 Ben bent over and kissed his son on the head. \u2018Goodnight son,\u2019 he said softly.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u2018Night Pa.\u2019 Adam lay back on the pillow and grinned as he thought over their conversation.\u00a0 It was a dream come true and one that he never thought would ever be a possibility in his life.\u00a0 To go to College was something he had always hoped for \u2013 and now it seemed like it might actually happen!<\/p>\n <\/p>\n He gave a satisfied smile as he picked up his book again and opened it to the page he had got up to before. Burrowing into his pillow, he had hardly read for more than five minutes before he sensed someone looking at him and looked up to see his youngest brother standing next to his bed with his thumb planted firmly in his mouth, staring at him.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u2018What are you doing here?\u2019 Adam said sternly. \u2018You\u2019re supposed to be asleep in bed.\u2019<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Little Joe took his thumb out of his mouth and said \u2018I\u2019s come in your bed.\u2019 He began to pull back the covers and climb in with his brother.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u2018No!\u2019 said Adam firmly. \u2018You go back to your own bed.\u2019 He grabbed the covers from the little boy\u2019s grasp and pulled them up again.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n But Little Joe wasn\u2019t so easily dissuaded. \u2018No!\u2019 he said just as firmly. \u2018I\u2019s come in your bed.\u2019 He climbed up onto the bed and sat glaring at his brother.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u2018I\u2019m reading,\u2019 said Adam. \u2018Now go away.\u2019<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Little Joe shook his head. \u2018You read to me!\u2019 he said firmly and tried to grab the book. \u2018You read me story.\u2019 At three years of age Little Joe was already beginning to show a very strong will and was definitely not a child to be dissuaded if he had set his mind on something. He burrowed under the covers and Adam had no choice but to resign himself to the fact that his little brother was there to stay, at least for a while.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u2018Read story,\u2019 the little boy demanded and planted his thumb firmly in his mouth again as he began to suck on it noisily.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Adam sighed and began to read his book aloud.\u00a0 At least this way he got to read it, which was more than he had done all night.\u00a0 After a few moments, Little Joe interrupted him. \u2018Not that one.\u00a0 Story wiv pigs!\u2019 he demanded.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u2018No! I\u2019m reading this book now,\u2019 said Adam, getting exasperated.\u00a0 All he wanted was to have a bit of time to himself and it seemed like even that was too much to hope for tonight.\u00a0 There had been one interruption after another, and he wasn\u2019t about to stand for any more, particularly not from a three year-old.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n He stared to read again, but Little Joe put his little hand on the page and said, \u2018No! Story wiv pigs!\u2019<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u2018I said no,\u2019 said Adam. \u2018Now be quiet and listen to this one, or you go back to your own bed.\u2019<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Little Joe glared at him and kicked him under the covers. \u2018Story wiv pigs!\u2019 he insisted.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Adam sighed and angrily shut the book with a bang. \u2018Oh all right!\u2019 he said crossly. \u2018Once there were three pigs.\u00a0 They built some houses.\u00a0 The wolf blew them down and they lived happily ever after.\u00a0 Happy now?\u2019 He opened the book again.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Little Joe glared at him again. \u2018No!\u2019 he said. Adam could see that he was fighting a losing battle, so he put the book down and began to tell the story of The Three Little Pigs properly, with all the voices that Little Joe loved.\u00a0 The child snuggled in closer to his big brother and listened intently, with his eyes firmly fixed on him, the slurping noise from his thumb providing a background to the narrative. As the story progressed his eyelids dropped lower until he was sound asleep beside his brother.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Adam looked down at the small sleeping boy beside him and smoothed the unruly curls that looked so untidy.\u00a0 He smiled at the features that were so composed in sleep and marvelled at how rarely he ever got to see the little face so still.\u00a0 It seemed like this child was born to move and it made them all tired just trying to keep up with him.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n He reached up, turned down the lamp and put his book on the table beside his bed.\u00a0 Cuddling down next to his brother he listened to the child\u2019s regular breathing and the slurping noises that he was getting used to, and his mind went back over the conversations he had had that night with his family.\u00a0 As sleep gradually overtook him, his thoughts were not of the story he had been determined to read that night, but rather the story of his family and his own part in it.\u00a0 Of Hoss and his need to feel good at something, of Marie and the friendship they now shared, of his father and the trust he had in him, of Little Joe and his need to be cared for.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Adam\u2019s eyes closed as he listened to the silence around him.\u00a0\u00a0 As he drifted into sleep his last thoughts were of how lucky he was to belong to this family where he was loved and needed so much.\u00a0\u00a0 Although it would have been nice to at least get that book started\u2026\u2026\u2026<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Summary:\u00a0 Fifteen year old Adam tries to find a quiet spot to read a book.The End<\/span><\/h2>\n
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