Isaiah felt like he was just getting his feet wet in Kalispell and just getting reacquainted good with his sister when he got a telegram that would pull him away for quite some time from his new home.  Daisy, his late wife's, brother, Joe, was moving out west with his family to Helena.  Joe had been injured in the war and couldn't make the move alone, but had found work in Helena and had to make the move to support his family.  Joe and his wife had 5 daughters and 1 son so they needed the extra hands.  While Isaiah hated to leave Addy and Weedy after having only been in Kalispell for a few months he felt obligated to help.  Daisy would have wanted him to and there was no way he could let her down, even if she wasn't around to see it.  What should have only been about a 3 month trip ended up taking 6 months.  Travel was a lot slower than anticipated and then winter hit.  Between sickness and bad weather it tacked on 3 more long months of hard work, but finally Isaiah and Josh had crossed over the county lines in Kalispell.  They were cold, hungry and tired.  Isaiah had sent a telegram to let Addy know that she could expect them in the coming days.  It was evening and the sun was beginning to set as he rode his horse up to the house.  Josh had been whining the part of the ride about how hungry he was and he was nearly asleep at the same.  Isaiah rode the horses straight back to the barn where he thought he would find Weedy or Addy at this time of day.

It was surprising how much she missed having her brother and nephew here, even though they hadn't been here long before Isiah had had to leave to help his brother-in-law move, and she'd been thrilled when she got the notice that they'd be back soon.  They'd exchanged letters now and then, she with Weedy's help, although her reading and writing were improving, so she'd had some inkling of their adventures.

Even so, she was surprised and thrilled when her brother rode into her barn, looking road-weary, yet a sight to behold!  Scrambling down from the hay loft, barely touching any of the rungs on the ladder, she ran over to Isiah, grinning widely.

"'Bout time!" he exclaimed, reaching for Josh.  "Lemme take th' little one!  Me an' Weedy been waitin' on ya, he's gonna be thrilled!"

Addy was a sight for sore eyes as well.  He smiled wide as he watched her scramble down the ladder. "Was hopin' to be here yesterday but we just couldn't swing it." Josh had just been too tired to continue so they bunkered down for the night and got up early this morning to hit the trail. He handed Josh down to Addy, who was equally happy to see his Aunt.  He hugged her around her neck. "Addy!" He exclaimed, boy was he happy to be back to their new home. "Pa's gettin' real grumpy!" He told her, scrunching up his face some, giggling some. "He ain't good at cookin' so we both are real hungry!" 

Isaiah jumped down off his horse and led him to some water. "Hey!" He laughed, walking over to hug his sister. "Well...." he chuckled again "He ain't wrong about the cookin' part.  How've ya been?" He asked, glancing around the barn. "Where's Weedy?" 

"Weedy's at th' house, doin' his homework," Addy explained, giving Josh a tight hug, then setting him down on a hay bale.  "He's excited ta see ya, an' we got some stew an' biscuits from th' Lickskillet keepin' warm, so ya don't gotta worry 'bout eatin' none'a my cookin'!"

"Sounds like ya had a time," she commented to her brother as she helped unsaddle the animal and get him settled in a stall.  "Got plenty ta talk about!"

Going over, she picked Josh up.  "Let's go home, a'right?"

Isaiah smiled when she said Weedy was at the house.  He had missed them both and Josh had been asking to play with Weedy for months.  He appreciated Addy getting the horse settled. "It was tough.  I had hoped to be home months ago. Joe's a lot worse off than when I seen him last.  I'm not sure he'll be able ta hold down a job in Helena." He shrugged. "I pray he can though. How have things been around here?" 

Josh wrapped his arms around Addy's waist as he picked him up and laid his arm across her shoulders. "ALRIGHT!" He was so ready to be back home.  His eyes lit up at the mention of food. "I want tha biscuits!" he exclaimed and then looked at Addy. "Got any molasses?!" He asked, licking his lips.

Isaiah laughed and swatted his hat towards Josh's rear end, "You'll be thankful for what'cha get, boy." He said as he smiled and shook his head.

Addy chuckled at all of Josh's questions.  He reminded her a bit of Weedy when she'd first started first started looking after him and he'd realized that he could get a meal whenever he asked, and no longer had to scrounge, or just go without eating.

"I got all th' molasses ya want," she declared, setting him on his feet, "an' honey, too!"  Leaning down, she whispered in his ear, "All ya want, just taday, an' yer Pa can't say nothin' 'bout it!"

With a laugh, she straightened and held her hand to the boy.  "Weedy'll be glad ta have someone ta help him with th' chores!"  She laughed again as she winked at Isiah.  "Got plenty goin' on, but we can talk 'bout that after th' boys are in bed."  She grinned.  "Over whisky!"

There was a lot she could pass on, but it wasn't something the kids needed to know about, even though none of it was dreadful, and most was pretty good, better now that her brother was back!

They had just stepped through the yard gate when Weedy burst out the door in a dead run and flung himself at Isiah.  "Uncle Isiah!  You're back!!" he shouted excitedly.  "Hey, Josh!  You won't believe it!  I got my own horse!"

Josh’s eyes got wide when his Aunt Addy told him she had molasses, honey and he could have ALL he wanted with no objection from his Pa! “You’re the best!” He said to her as he wrapped his hand around her extended one. Even in just these few short minutes it felt so good to be around Addy again. She was so soft and kind!

Then there was his new best friend…and family member. “Weedy!” He jumped up and down a bit while he held tight to Addy.

Weedy nearly knocked the breath out of Isaiah when he flung into himself onto him. Isaiah was just as happy to see the boy. He hugged him back squeezing him tight as he picked him up a bit before putting him down. “No ya didn’t?!” He said when Weedy told them he got a horse all his own. Isaiah remembered when he got his first horse and there was no better feeling for a boy. His excitement was clear in the tone of his voice. “Will you show her to me after we eat?” 

Isaiah looked forward to eating with his family, catching up on Kalispell, meeting the new horse. Yep, it felt good to be home! 

"Yes, sir, I really do have a horse!"  Weedy grinned widely, looking up at his uncle.  "It's one of the ones that Ma got from one of the bandits she helped catch!"

"Told ya there were stories," Addy chuckled, leading the way into the house.

Weedy had turned his attention to his cousin.  "You can sleep with me tonight, on the floor, so Uncle Isiah can use my bed." 

Quarters would be tight, but that was something else Addy wanted to talk about.

She chuckled and glanced at Isiah.  "You an' Josh can clean up, Weedy an' me'll get th' food on, won't be but a minute."

It was nice to have all the ruckus in the house again!

Bandits?! And Addy had gotten a horse from them?? Worry swelled up inside of Isaiah but at the same time he was proud that his baby sister could take care of herself.  As much as he wanted to tell himself he wouldn't leave Kalispell so that he could take care of his sister, he knew she was just fine without him.  Nonetheless he wanted to be here.  He simply raised a brow at her when she said she would tell him later about the stories and he figured that was because Josh was too young to hear 'em.

"Thanks for giving up your bed for me, Weedy." No way Isaiah could turn down offer for a soft bed and he knew that Josh would never turn down the chance to sleep on the floor with his new cousin. "A'right, we'll be quick." He told her as he grabbed Josh up.  They could sure use a good meal, so they wasted no time cleaning up and getting back to the two of them.

"What can we do ta help?" Isaiah asked as they came back to the kitchen, cleaned up and ready to chow.

"Drag in a chair from th' other room.  Otherwise, it's about ready."  Addy chuckled as she looked at her nephew.  "So, ya real hungry?  Got some stew an' biscuits," she leaned close to the boy and whispered, "but be sure ya leave room fer that pie!"

Stew was ladled into bowls and plates with biscuits, butter and jam were set out, as well as cups of milk for the boys and cider for the adults.  A quick prayer and it was time to eat!

"We'll pile some blankets fer th' boys ta sleep on," Addy suggested, then continued, looking at her brother, "an' tomorrow we can start lookin' into addin' a room on, so th' boys can have theirs an' Isiah can have his own.  Oh, an' gettin' Josh signed up fer school!"