Ford McFadden glanced at his watch again. He chewed at the corner of his lip. He glanced up to the front of the classroom.

"You got an important date?" Miss Prewitt asked him.

"Actually, I kind of do." Ford said apologetically. "There is sort of a thing at our house and I don't want to be late."

Miss Prewitt leaned against the podium at the front of the classroom. "Hmmm . . . I believe your brother mentioned something."

Ford smiled shyly at her. He had thought he heard Crane talking on the phone late last night. He had gone to the bathroom, and could've sworn he had heard his older brother's voice, but couldn't find him anywhere. He had noticed the phone cord running across the hallway and into the closet, but it had been late and he'd been tired so he'd just brushed it off. Now, it made sense. A McFadden man was hard-pressed to find privacy on the telephone - one was in the upstairs hallway, and the other in the kitchen right where Brian and Guthrie slept.

"I know I really ought to finish this chapter, but if I promise to work on it this week, would you mind? I can still make the late bus." Ford pleaded.

"I don't know if you noticed Ford, but the others left already." She grinned at him. "You work harder than anyone I know. Come on, get your backpack. I'll drive you. That bus drops kids all over the county. It'll take you an hour to get home." She turned to grab her purse.

***7***

Adam shifted the bag of feed, hoisting it on his shoulder and passed Brian who was coming back to the truck for another load.

"I'm just saying, I don't think fifteen years is justice." Brian said.

"You think he's gonna argue you with you?" Crane asked, as he lifted another bag of feed. "What would you consider justice, anyway?"

Brian considered this thoughtfully. Crane stood where he was, the heavy feed bag resting on his shoulder. Adam had come back to the truck for another load, and leaned against the old International waiting for Brian's answer.

"Fifteen minutes alone in a room with us." Brian said. He raised an eyebrow at Adam. "I'd hold him down for you, Adam."

"Fifteen minutes?" Adam considered. "I'd only need two."

Brian laughed, and then returned to the work in front of them. "Well, I didn't think you'd want to end his suffering quickly."

"I imagine," Adam said thoughtfully. "If we just stepped into the room and glared at him for a good ten minutes, he'd go into cardiac arrest."

"You know what she'd say about this conversation." Crane told his brothers.

"Yeah, but she ain't here just now." Brian said. "I just don't like that he got off easy."

"I like that he's locked up and she didn't have to say a word to anyone. You want her sitting in that courtroom across from him telling it over and over?" Adam asked Brian.

"No." Brian sighed. "I understand why letting him plea to a lesser crime is a good choice. I just don't like it. That's all I'm saying."

"That's all you been saying for the last hour." Crane said. "It's over and done. My shoulder works good enough to haul feed, and she's doing alright." He glanced at Adam. "She is, isn't she? She's pretty good at pretending."

"She's okay." Adam shrugged. "The nightmares are going away." He took off his work gloves and ran a hand through his hair. "I'm trying not to think too hard about all the ways he's hurt her. I get too angry." He glanced at Brian. "And fifteen years in jail doesn't seem like shit compared to what that . . ." He let out a long slow breath. "See. Brian, you gotta leave it alone. I get too . . ." He let out another steadying breath. "We better go turn those ribs in the smoker. Don't want to ruin dinner."

"Yeah." Brian agreed. "Sorry, Adam. I wasn't thinking . . ."

"Don't worry 'bout it, Brian. I feel the same as you - probably even more so. It just doesn't do any good, does it?" He smiled and reaching out squeezed the back of Brian's neck.

Brian shrugged wishing he'd kept his mouth shut. He could easily slip into rage. He studied his older brother thoughtfully. It was Witter all over again.

"What was his name?" Brian asked angrily.

"It doesn't make a difference, Brian.'" His seventeen year old brother sighed heavily. "Putting a face on him, won't change the fact that they are gone."

"I just wanna know his name." Brian repeated.

"Witter." The name tasted bitter on Adam's lips. "Mason Benjamin Witter. He was thirty-eight."

"Same as Mama." Brian said shocked.

"Not the same at all." Adam said, suddenly angry. "Brian, I don't want to be talking about him. We got enough to deal with. I don't want you ever telling them his name. You and me. That's it. We are the only ones who will know."

"Yeah." Brian agreed reluctantly, sorry he'd ever asked. "Danny could never deal with knowing who was driving." He sighed feeling again the helplessness like a tidal wave, washing over him. "How are we going do this?" He asked looking up at Adam with frightened eyes.

Adam, wrapped an arm around his shoulder. "We have to, Bri. And you know what Dad always says, 'Ain't nothing two brothers can't manage together.'"

"Who's that?" Adam's voice pulled him back to the present. He was shading his eyes and looking out at the road that led to the Circle Bar Seven.

"That's Crane's girl." Brian said with a grin, recognizing the car. "Hey, Crane, Elizabeth's driving up."

"What?" Crane was just closing the gate of the truck. "Ah, geez, I smell like I been hauling sacks of feed."

"You have been hauling sacks of feed." Adam said laughing. He turned and winked at Brian. "'Sides, I don't think she'll notice. She always seems distracted by those baby blues of yours."

He turned and walked to the house. He glanced back at Crane. "You want me to grab some of Hannah's perfume and give you a spray?"

"No, that's okay." Crane said irritated.

"I don't think she'd mind." Adam teased.

"I can see why you didn't bring her home until you'd trapped her with that ring." Crane said with a sigh.

Adam just smiled at him, and went inside the house. Crane turned and stared at Brian who stared back, confused until he realized that Crane was probably hoping to be alone when he greeted Elizabeth.

"What?" Brian asked. "I think maybe you kids should have a chaperone."

"She's probably bringing Ford home." Crane offered.

"Oh, well, as long as someone's keeping an eye on you. Can't have you stray from the straight and narrow."

Crane rolled his eyes at his older brother. "Thanks for looking out for me."

"No problem, little brother." Brian said. "I better go check those ribs." He whistled as he walked away, and it wasn't until he'd turned the corner and disappeared behind the house that Crane recognized he was whistling an old hymn. Nearer My God to Thee. He sighed, heavily. Sometimes older brothers were a real pain in the ass.

He smoothed his hair, as her familiar car turned onto their driveway. She pulled to a stop in front of him, and Ford hopped out almost immediately.

"Thanks for the ride, Miss Prewitt." He said. "I appreciate you going out of your way." Crane could've sworn that Ford gave him a teasing wink as he passed by and disappeared inside.

"Hello." He said smiling at her.

"Hi." She smiled at him.

"You want to go for a walk?" He asked, crossing in front of her car, and opening the door.

"You've got that family dinner." She reminded him.

"I've got an hour still, and I'd rather spend it with you than doing chores." He groaned inwardly. It had sounded better in his head than when he'd actually spoken it. "I mean . . ."

She laughed. "I am glad that you prefer a walk with me to mucking out horse stalls."

I am an idiot. Crane thought to himself. "I meant that I would rather walk with you than just about anything."

She smiled and held out her hand, as he helped her out of the car. "Just a quick walk." She told him. "Tonight's important and I don't want to make you late."

***7***

"What are they doing now?" Hannah asked.

"Walking." Guthrie said from where he sat looking out the window.

"They holding hands?" Hannah asked from the doorway of the kitchen.

"Yep." Guthrie answered. "Wait, no. Now, he's got his arm around her. Ah, geez, if they start kissing I'm not spying for you Hannah."

"That's enough spying, Mrs. McFadden." Adam said from where he sat in the front room at the desk. He was dutifully recording the money they'd spent on feed into the books. "Leave the kids alone."

"Oh, Old Man McFadden, wise in the ways of love is protecting the next generation of lovebirds?" She asked, grinning at him.

"I've been married for weeks now." He said leaning back in his chair. "I'm a vertible sage when it comes to the ways of love and romance."

"Oh, yeah?" She laughed. "I hope you aim to prove it later." She winked at him.

"I can't see 'em any more." Guthrie said turning around. "You want me to follow them?"

"No." Hannah said laughing still. "That's okay. You can come and help me with dinner."

"Brian's cooking dinner tonight, hon. Remember?" Adam told her.

"He's smoking some ribs." She said, "but I thought I'd cover the rest."

"No, Hannah." Guthrie said. "We are cooking for you tonight. It's a surprise."

"Not much of a surprise anymore, is it, Guth." Adam said rising and walking to her. "So, you got yourself some free time." He reached out and put his hands on her shoulders. "What do you think, Hannah Joy, you wanna take an old man out for a walk?"

"What kind of surprise?" She asked cautiously.

"Wait and see." He said kissing her.

"Oh, man!" Guthrie groaned. "I'm completely surrounded."

"Don't worry, Guthrie." Hannah said stepping out of Adam's arms. "We won't torture you." She ruffled his hair as she passed by him, and hesitated holding the front screen open. "You coming, Cowboy?"

"Hell, yeah!" Adam grinned at her.

"Language!" She said, shaking her head at him. "Keep an eye on my kitchen, would you, Guth? I get nervous when all your brothers are in there. I just got everything where I want it."

"I'll do it for five bucks." He told her, a hand on his hip.

"Guthrie!" Adam admonished.

"Hey, I'm just trying to make a living. She's already got me spying on Crane for free. A man has to put his foot down somewhere."

"I'll bake you a dutch apple pie." She said to him.

"Deal!" Guthrie rubbed his hands together with glee. "Geez, I'm glad you married her Adam."

"Well, she does bake a good pie." Adam agreed. "Come on, darlin'," He said taking her hand. "I know that look. We stay one second more and you'll be cooking him a pan of brownies, too. He knows you are a sucker for his sweet talk, sweetheart."

"Guthrie James! Have you been playing me for baked goods?" She asked shocked.

"No, ma'am. I'm just a poor orphan boy so grateful for a good meal." He said blinking at her with wide, innocent eyes.

Hannah stared at Guthrie - stunned. Adam tugged on her hand leading her out onto the porch. "Come on, honey."

"Adam! He knows exactly what he's doing!"

"Well, I'm sorry darlin'. But all McFadden men are aware of their charm." He grinned at her. "It's a curse really."

"You've raised a little con man!" She said following him down the steps.

"Oh, don't kid yourself, baby. I've raised six of 'em. Carbon County doesn't stand a chance."

***7***

Hannah wasn't sure what to expect. The last time they'd surprised her by cooking dinner was telling her they were all heading up into the high country for a week. She'd rambled alone in the big house, overwhelmed with the unfamiliar experience of silence. The food had been surprisingly good - what she'd had of it anyway. It was always tricky for her to get a full plate of food. She had learned to move fast - they didn't mean to eat everything. They were just seven hungry men who'd spent the day working a ranch.

"Now or after dessert?" Brian asked the brothers.

"Now." Crane said. "She looks nervous."

"Why would I be nervous?" She asked. "You all are acting suspicious. Besides the last time you treated me to dinner, you left the next day leaving me all alone."

"I thought you enjoyed peace and quiet." Evan offered.

"Well," Hannah hesitated. "I guess you wore me down and I got used to all the noise."

They laughed. "Poor Hannah! You never really stood a chance did you?" Crane said laughing.

"Alright, alright." Adam said. "Stop torturing her. Don't worry honey, we aren't leaving you."

"Good." She sighed in relief. "I know that Ford thinks those goats are sweet as can be, but they tried to ram me every time I fed them."

"That's how they show you they like you." Ford told her.

"Well, I'd be happier if they liked me less." She told him. Silence settled over the room, which was completely unusual. She glanced around nervously. "Fellas, what's going on?"

"You start Dan'l." Brian said. "You are the one with the artistic sensibilities."

"Me?" Daniel asked surprised. "Um . . okay. Go and get it, Guthrie." Guthrie rose and disappeared and they could hear him clatter his ways upstairs.

Daniel rose, and Hannah looked at Adam anxiously. "Well, um, let's see."

"I told you to write it down." Crane told him, shaking his head.

"No, I got it. Geez, give me a second. I was trying to build suspense."

"Consider the suspense built." Hannah said.

Guthrie returned then, holding a box in his hands. He sat back in his seat, after handing the box to Brian.

"See, I was waiting for Guthrie." Daniel said. "Okay, well, we've been talking - -actually for awhile now. And we wanted to do something." Daniel began. "We wanted to do something for you. I mean, Adam didn't really give us much of a chance to welcome you to the family."

"Hey, there's not need to point out a man's errors." Adam protested.

"I'm just explaining things." Daniel said. "But we wanted to say welcome to you - officially." Daniel continued.

"Oh, well, you . . ." She began surprised.

"Whenever, Mom and Dad would bring home a new brother, they'd also bring home a new pair of work gloves. When the new brother turned ten, he'd get his gloves, and his first real pair of boots."

"It is sort of the McFadden way of welcoming a new member to the brotherhood." Brian said rising and bring the box to her. He set it in front of her.

She hesitated, and he nodded at her. "Go ahead and open it." He said.

She found her vision blurred by sudden tears. "I don't know what to . . ."

"Open it, Hannah." Guthrie said grinning at her.

It was an ordinary brown box. She saw that they'd used ordinary duct tape to close it. She peeled it back and opened the box. She saw the leather gloves, and found that she couldn't speak at all, completely overwhelmed with emotion. She lifted them out, and caressed them gently.

"She's crying." Guthrie said looking over at Adam.

"Happy tears, Guth." His older brother said gently.

"Girls are so weird." Guthrie said to cover his nerves.

"They are really beautiful." She said softly. "I can't even think of words to say how grateful I am."

"There's something else." Daniel told her. Look inside.

She saw the small velvet bag and looked up at them.

"You already had a pair of boots." Evan explained. "So, we decided on something different for you."

"Open it." Ford said encouragingly.

She lifted it out, and pulled open the bag. She poured the contents into her palm. It hung on a simple silver chain. It wasn't made of diamonds, or fancy crystals, but it was the most beautiful necklace she'd ever owned. The circle bar seven was delicate and lovely.

"Look on the back." Guthrie said.

She turned over and could see the letters A and H, etched into the back. She gave up all efforts at keeping her tears back. They said nothing, simply sat where they were watching her, as she fairly wept. Adam rose and crossed the length of the table to stand beside her, his hand gently stroking her brown curls.

"Welcome to The Brotherhood, Hannah." Brian said. "You are one of us now."

"For always." Daniel added.

"Here." Adam said taking the necklace from her and putting it on her. She reached out and touched it reverently.

"Thank you." She said at last, rising to address her brothers, as Adam wrapped his strong arm around her shoulders. "I'm so proud. I'm the luckiest girl there is." She smiled at all of them, blushing. I love you fellas, and I can't think of a place I'd rather be than here with all of you." She winked at Brian at this last statement. And he nodded his head at her.

"We love you, too." Crane said and they nodded their agreement.

"Now?" Guthrie asked.

"Yes." Daniel said to him. Guthrie reached out and lifted his glass of milk toward her. "To our new brother." He said and they all lifted their glasses and agreed in unison.

"Our new brother!"

Hannah recognized that these days with all the brothers around them were fleeting. They were men, nearly grown, and no doubt each of them would find wives of their own, and create lives separate and apart from The Brotherhood. They would be forever tied together - not just by the ranch but by the bonds of family, but these days with all of them together under one roof would someday come to an end. And she knew deep in heart, despite all the complications, despite all the difficulties, she would miss these days, and treasure the memory of them for years to come. They would be as dear to her, as the necklace that hung around her neck. The simple sterling silver necklace was more precious than gold or diamonds; for there is no more precious metal than one forged with love.

She turned to Adam who ignored his brothers for once, and leaned in close to kiss her whispering softly, "Welcome to the family Hannah Joy, we are awfully glad you are here."

They hooted and cheered as they always did, whenever Adam kissed her in front of them, and she blushed as she always did, but didn't break away from Adam's kiss, instead she wrapped her arms around him, until at last Guthrie called out.

"Can we have the pie now?"

And laughing, still held in the circle of her husband's arms, she smiled at her brothers, and then moved to serve the pie she'd made to her family.

The End

Author's Note

Thanks to all my faithful readers. I appreciate all the reviews that you've posted and am happy that you've enjoyed the story. I'm always a little sad when a story ends. I wanted to say a special thanks to my Irish friend who's posted a review. Go raibh maith agat. I sure hope that the rest of the McFadden school years go smoothly! Thanks for reading! - Willful Red