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sight.
    She set the bowls on the table and pondered what Mr. Weaver must have been like, when Arlan took her hand, and pulled her into the chair next to him.
    “We always say a blessing in this house,” he whispered.
    She nodded her understanding, as each bowed their head, and clasped their hands together in front of them. 
    Ma cleared her thr oat. “Dear Lord, thank you for answering my prayer and bringing home a daughter to me, a sister to Benjamin, Calvin, and Daniel, but most of all a wife for Arlan. You know how lonely he’s been and frankly, he’s not getting any younger …”
    “Ma!” Arlan whispered in warning.
    “Well you know it’s true,” his mother countered. “And Lord, if you could see it in Your big ol heart to do so, bring Benjamin a wife next.”
    “Year,” Calvin added.
    “Better make that two,” said Arlan.
    Daniel snorted then covered his mouth with his hands.
    “And Lord,” their mother continued. “Give me the divine strength as always, not to kill my boys.  Forgive them, for they know not what they do …”
    The twins burst into laughter, then got up, and kissed their mother on the cheek. “We’re sorry ma, we won’t do it again.”
    “Do what?” Arlan asked, his eyes wide. “What have they done now?”
    “Everything’s fine, son. You don’t need to worry.”
    “ What did they do?” Arlan asked through clenched teeth.
    Ma sat back in her chair and shrugged. “They threw your brother down the well.”
    “What?!” Arlan barked as he stood. “You two …”
    “Stop!” Ma barked just as loud. “Sit, eat. I’ll hear no more of it today. Besides, the introductions aren’t done.”
    Arlan slowly sat, his eyes narrowed to slits at the twins still standing on either side of their mother’s chair. They looked at each other before they re-took their seats. “This here’s Daniel,” Arlan told Samijo. “Who’s lucky to be alive after what these two did. Thankfully, he doesn’t look any worse for wear.”
    Daniel glanced to his twin brothers, who in turn eyed him with something between amusement and warning. He crossed his eyes at them and then looked to Samijo. “Howdy.”
    “Daniel doesn’t talk much, but when he does, it’s usually good,” Arlan told her. “He’s the smartest of the three.”
    “Hey,” Calvin protested. “That’s not fair, you know Benjamin and me didn’t get the kind of schooling he did.”
    “You all had the same schooling , only difference is, Daniel paid attention,” Arlan huffed. “By the way, Calvin. How’s that sling shot of yours?”
    Calvin, who’d been reaching for a slice of bread, froze. His eyes rounded a scant second, before he looked Arlan in the eye. “Worked the last time I used it.”
    “Really? And when might that have been?” Arlan asked.
    Calvin audibly gulped.
    “Stop all this yapping,” their mother said. “I want to hear about Samijo’s journey west.”
    “Sure, ma,” Arlan said, then glared at his younger brother who in turn, took a sudden interest in a piece of potato at the end of his fork.
    And so, Samijo and Arlan had their first meal together with the rest of the Weavers. Samijo, for one, couldn’t have been happier while Arlan on the other hand, was waiting for the meal to end so he could take his brother Calvin out to the barn to show him a little brotherly love … Weaver style.
     
     
     
     
     

 
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
    Six
     
    Af ter lunch, the men left to do the afternoon chores, and their mother watched them head across the barnyard from the kitchen window. Samijo stood beside her and caught the worried look in her eye as Arlan grabbed Calvin and none too gently, shoved him toward the barn. “What are they doing?” she asked.
    “Looks lik e Arlan’s going to have a talk with Calvin. Best get the bandages ready.”
    “Bandages?” Samijo asked with a hint of concern.
    “A trip to the barn usually results in bandages.”
    Samijo’s mouth dropp ed open.