#American Revolution Verse--ATeam

[avictimofthejazz]

“Almost a big family.” Templeton tilted his head. “Maggie is my aunt, and Kelly is my sister. Everyone else here are friends… but they are nearly family. And Murdock and Hannibal are trusted to take care of everything in my stead. You’ll be perfectly safe with them here.” Secretly, Templeton agreed that the concept of a family taking care of each other was a beautiful idea. He had never really had that in his life, although he had come close several times in Ipswich. Of course, every time he got near it, some idiot or awful circumstance destroyed what he was trying to build. After a while, he had finally given up on trying… and now he was constantly looking for the disaster that would wipe out this home as well. Templeton knew it was not really right, but he could not help himself. He had lost his family too many times to grow comfortable in this situation just yet. The con artist noted the way Ada suddenly locked onto him with rapt attention. Something in her intensity discomforted him, and his smile grew awkward. Then he quickly looked down at the pie on his plate as a way to break away from her stare. He was never keen on people looking at him too closely. It made him feel translucent, a sensation that he loathed. Templeton grimaced as Ada spoke about her past. “It’ll feel real in time. The rest of it all… the ugly parts… they’ll fade away. Eventually they’ll feel like a bad dream, rather than living here feeling like a lovely dream.”   He finally looked up at her again, and shook his head. “You’re not taking advantage. You’re welcome here—Maggie wants you to become comfortable and enjoy your stay, however long that might last. Once you’re better, if you feel like a mushroom on a log, talk to Maggie or one of the other women in the house. They’ll find something for you to do.”

“Oh, I rather think we will not need any medical help.” Templeton assures her lightly. “Most of our tussles are quite mild. When it comes to us, Baracus is all bark and no bite. The most you’ll have to do is help someone straighten out their jacket in all likelihood. And the alcohol will not work on most of us—we generally do not drink too much.” He drank a bit, socially, and Hannibal was known to have a pint of ale now and again. Murdock touched very little alcohol though, and Baracus would not touch any of it.” Ada’s sudden, firm reply startled Templeton into looking up at her. Then he smiled faintly, “If you think we’re all perfect, I’m afraid you’ll soon be setting yourself up for disappointment. We are hardly perfect men—we are just trying our best as most humans are.” The rest of her statement is listened to with more care. “Then if I have any questions, madam, I will be sure to answer them. But I do not wish to make it feel like an interrogation. These kinds of discussions work better when they flow more naturally, don’t you think?”

Ada’s gentle observation about Maggie being firm set Templeton to laughing quietly. “That is a very generous meiosis, Miss Rowe. Maggie is a complete benevolent tyrant when she wishes to be.” He clarified cheerfully, scooping up another bite of the pie. “But it is all for the best, as I am sure you discovered when she sent you up to bed.” At her second question, he nodded. “Indeed. I have business interests in Philadelphia, so I spend a good deal of my time there. I do try to come out here, and check on my aunt and sister when I can, however. And Baracus’s mother of course because he usually goes with me. We trust that they are safe enough here, especially with my other friends staying, but we feel better if we visit regularly.” The excuse, based partially in truth as all the best lies were, rolled off his tongue easily. All the neighbors knew the same story—that Templeton and Kelly were Maggie’s devoted niece and nephew. After Jacob’s death, Templeton wisely took charge of his aunt’s affairs, and Kelly came to live with her. As for the rest of the house’s regular inhabitants, Hannibal and Murdock were Templeton’s friends. They were allowed to stay in the house, and everyone knew that Murdock had Templeton’s permission to court Kelly. Mrs. Baracus worked for Maggie, and Baracus was her devoted son—the pair were equally loyal to the household as a whole. Of course, none of them were actually related except for Baracus, and his mother, but the neighbors did not need to know that. The story they presented to the community was widely accepted, so why should he quibble? “If you are never given that chance, you merely grow used to it. Perverse, is it not? Our bodies simply adapt to what is trying to kill us, and try to pretend that it is normal.” He sighed. There was weight behind his words but, right now, he made no move to shed any light on the unspoken statements. “Sleep as much as you need. Maggie would not hear of anything less. You’ll get used to it in time, and you will find you have plenty more days of freedom to try new things in. Maggie will not let you leave until you are ready to do so, and she is confident that you will be fine on your own. With her children grow, she is keen to hen sit any other young person who comes within her circle.” Her explanation of why she paused only brought a frown to Templeton’s features, momentarily transforming them into something world weary. It also cracked his ever-present genial mask for a moment, allowing a brief glimpse at the tired, troubled young man underneath it. Then everything slipped back into place as if nothing had ever happened. “You’re no longer in your father’s house, Miss Rowe, and we are certainly not in a formal dining situation. There is no reason to wait for my permission. More likely than not, if you did then you would end up sitting the whole night since I would forget to give it. I do not really have a head for such matters. It is a chore enough keeping myself straight without trying to control the actions of others as well.” He cleared his throat with a mouthful of water. “You have nothing to fear though. No one will lay a finger on you here. Of course, I make no promises if you get caught between some friendly tussling match or something, but no hand will be raised in anger.” The largest danger he could foresee would be Ada innocently trying to intervene when Murdock goaded Baracus a bit too far, prompting the muscular blacksmith to go after his friend in a bid to tackle him into something. Despite the grim threats Baracus often made, they all knew that those fights were playful sparring between brothers more than anything else. If either man actually wanted to harm the other one, that would be a much more dangerous situation. “I know a bit,” he confirmed when she sought information about his knowledge. “At least what Maggie mentioned when you came to stay—but she is fiercely private of information regarding her patients. She only told us as much as was absolutely required so we would not startle you on accident. As you have likely already gathered, all of us can be a bit uncouth at times. She did not want us scaring you off.”