Homecoming

Chapter Twenty-Six: Mrs. Adler

I woke up the next morning in our tent back at camp. Arthur was already gone, I'm not sure where and Abigail had taken Bea to her tent. As I sat up and stretched I could hear coughing near the front of my tent.

I got up and peeked out to see Henry hitting his chest. We hadn't spoken since I slapped him. He looked up at me and for a brief moment, I thought I saw my brother again. "Do you need to see a doctor again?" I asked him.

"It's probably just because it's muggy around here," he swallowed hard and rubbed his forehead. "About the other day..."

He couldn't seem to get his words out. I hope he's apologizing. "Yes?" I ask, trying to encourage him.

"You need to..." he stopped again and looked around. When I followed his eyes I could see Miach staring at us as he leaned on Dutch's tent. When I looked back at Henry his face was different. He looked cold and mean again. He took a deep breath and looked at me. "You ever touch me like you did. You'll pay."

"That's really what you want to say?" I ask him.

For a millisecond, I watched him struggle to choose his words. But after I can tell he officially made up his mind. He looks at me like I'm a stranger, the most dangerous person in the world. "It is,"

"Then you are no longer my brother," I say holding back tears.

As I walked back into my tent I swore I watched his face drop. But I no longer cared.

I finished getting dressed and headed to Abigail's tent. I must have done well hiding my sadness because she didn't immediately ask me what was wrong. Bea looked up at me from her lap and smiled.

"Momma!" She reached for me. I instinctively picked her up and kissed her curls. "Slept in again," she teased in a tiny voice.

"Oh, Two and a half and already bullying me like she's sixteen." I smile at her.

"Are you doing anything today?" Abigail asks.

"Not today, unfortunately." I sigh as I put Bea back down.

"Well, Sadie was lookin' for Arthur to help her with something. How about you beat him to it and help out instead." Abigail smiles.

I looked at Bea as she drew in the dirt with her finger. "well...."

"Bea will be safe, I'll keep her glued to me until you or Arthur get home." She assures me. "You shouldn't be staying in camp any more than you need to... Especially with," She nods her head towards Dutch's tent where Micah is still watching me.

"I... am very uncomfortable," I admit. "Do you know where Arthur went?"

She shrugged, "I haven't seen him."

I took a deep breath, "He probably went hunting..." I said to reassure myself. "Thank you for watching Bea."

________

I found Sadie a little ways from camp. She was throwing knives at a tree, aiming at a circle she'd carved into the tree. She looked at me and gave me a surprised smile. "Who knew I'd get the other Morgan today,"

"I heard you needed help," I smiled.

"I do, I need someone to ride with me."

"For a picnic?" I tease.

"If that's what you call taking out the rest of the O'Driscolls then yes." She takes the knives out of the tree and puts them in the saddle bag of her horse. "I found the rest of them at Hanging Dog Ranch,"