Chapter 14-1

Chapter 14-1

The boys quickly put on their clothes and shoes and headed out the door heading towards the stables and hooked up the wagon head for the farm. With Robert driving giving a quick nod to Richard and the Deputies within a few minutes they were back at the farm. Looking at there new house and the boys whistled, “wholly cow” seeing the size of it and all the chimneys, “man alive it’s going to be huge,” Robert replied. Driving around over by the rooster pin Robert finds a shovel and some picks in the barn and a bag of feed and stack of hay for the rooster. Whispering to the men around the back of the barn, “the coast is clear so far,” they replied.

The boys going inside his pin making sure he is inside they lock him in his pin and lifted it on back of the wagon as gently as they can. The boys quickly dug up the polls and wrapped the wire fencing around them put it in the back of the wagon. Then quickly headed back to New Downing with their loot in tow wondering what's happening to him and where he was going?  The boys pulled up behind their cottage; began setting up his new home.  Setting his pin down gently on the ground and unlocking it so he can get out. Robert coxes him out with some feed with some honey on it, nodding to the boys around the cottage. Mr. Rooster seeing the boys felt safe and sound, after all, he’d been with these boys since he was a young rooster and knows them quite well and he missed them too.

Robert puts the wagon away and the boys go inside their cottage the boys on watch gave Robert a finale nods.  The boys all climb into bed with a great big sigh. “Now it feels like home,” as they all look out their bedroom window seeing Mr. Rooster right where he belongs...

“Thanks, Robert,” EJ replies.

“Hey, that's what brothers and friends are for besides I missed him too.” The boys drift off to sleep happily with friends a full belly and rooster by their side.

* * *

 

When the new dawn break over New Downing theirs a new morning sound that morning, a happy sound to some and others as well. “C**K DODDLE DOO!” The boys happily sigh “good morning EJ,” Will laughing at Frank hitting the ceiling, Mark and Peter sprawled on the floor. “C**K DODDLE DOO” Pa and Ma wondering were heck the rooster came from and Richard laughing and girls and three little boys smiling thinking about their brothers. “C**K DODDLE DOO!” To Sheriff Whitmore and his wife all sprawled out across the floor. “C**K DODDLE DOO!” To the town folk that miss having the rooster on their farm and Grandma and Aunty M making it feel more like home. Yes, sir what more can a rooster asks for than to be loved by his boys and family and “C**K DODDLE DOO!” All morning long.

Of course, Pa and Sheriff Whitmore weren't as thrilled as the boys having Mr. Rooster next to them especially Sheriff Whitmore having been so rudely awakened sprawled out onto the floor, but after some coaxing by their wife's. After all, it wasn't their idea in first place, putting their boys next door as they looked at them straight in the eye as they crossed their arms. “Yes dear, “but.” They tried to reply, with another hard cold stare from them they soon let it pass. If you think about it was someone else’s idea, they just helped it along if you think about it. That is Wayne is almost, but not quite as guilty, but still guilty all the same. Except for a few minor details as Grandma nods to the boys out of the window.

“I do have to say Granny my grandson and those boy's got style.” As she looks out the window seeing Mr. Rooster out in his pin down by their window, “yes sir… here let me help you with that,” pouring her a cup of Joe, “now just a drop from the jug no more now.” 

“Aaahh that's the stuff,” Granny said taking a sip, “just right need that extra kick.”

“Yes sir fine morning,” Grandma said looking at the schedule, “well I need to get going if I'm to help them with breakfast. Heck, I remember the days when my kids were growing up and their first time. It wasn't like this, too bad we didn't do it then it wouldn't hurt them one bit,” Grandma said looking at them down from the winder, “no sir. Well now's my chance to make sure we get it right. Yes sir, don't need any more bad apples. I love them too much you see,” Grandma replies drinking the last drop. Grandma heads down across to the boys looking back down the road towards EJ's home. Thinking and pauses just a moment, “yes sir no more bad apples I won't let it happen, no sir,” she said knocks at the door, With a quick nod to the sheriff's boys.

EJ opens the door, “Hello Grandma,” he replied.

“May I come in?” She asked.

EJ looks around the room,” you bet” and smiles let's her in and Robert grabs her a chair introduce the three boy's Frank, Mark, and Peter. Grandma nods, “Hello boy's you can call me Grandma everyone else does you can too. So what's for breakfast and whose cooken?” She asked.

“I am” Robert,” answers handing her the menu.  “I thought we try flapjacks, scramble eggs, bacon freshly squeezed orange juice and milk with cranberry muffins,” he said.

Robert pulled out the recipe for the flapjacks and cranberry muffins. The boys all pitch in to help set the table; helping Robert gather the ingredients as Grandma watched the boys work as a team. Will starts a small fire to take off the chill of the cottage added a little coal while EJ makes the orange juice like he has done several times before. Grandma notes and smiles, “looks like you have done this before,” she replied.

“Yes Grandma I have more than a couple times I think,” EJ said as laughs back watches his brothers and friends as they all smile back.

EJ also tries to avoid getting orange juice in his cut that he can’t remember getting. Strange? How? And where did I get this? As he shakes his head with a puzzled look on his face. Mark and Frank set the table with all its splendor. Glasses and plates and silverware making sure they set a place for Grandma as well, after all, she their guest of honor today. EJ asks “were packing a lunch today Grandma would you like to help me with that as well?” He asked.

She said. “Oh didn't you hear boy's, your Ma's bring your lunch today? I think she’s supervising dinner according to the schedule. I'd plan on extra tonight too because you are feeding your families for dinner before Danny goes home on Monday morning,” she said.

EJ looks worried because that would mean that he would be fixing dinner instead of lunch; not just for him and his roommates, but for his entire family and his friends. He swallows hard looking over at Will, Robert and his roommates; they smile whispering encouragement to him. EJ pours the milk and the orange juice into the glasses as Robert flips the flapjacks into the air stacking them on a plate. Mark heats up the butter and syrup puts it on the table.

Peter starts cleaning up the kitchen while Robert fry's up the bacon and scrambles up the eggs. Will makes the batter for the muffins and EJ pours into the tins. Then Robert puts them into the oven to bake at 350 whistles pats everyone on the back. The boy's set all the food on the table, taking a bow wiping down the counter-top, taking out the muffins to cool setting them on the table. “Mum, mmm looks good let's eat,” as they gather around the table.

Robert stands making his toast. “To Grandma and our friends and Mr. Rooster by our window let's eat.”

They ate their breakfast laughing and smiling and Grandma thanks them for a lovely morning, letting EJ walk her back home to her little cottage with a smile. He gave her a hug and a kiss on the cheek. “Grandma if I have chosen to stay here Grandma, will you still love me?” As he looks into her eyes, “because I won't go back.”

“Yes EJ I will love you just the same and always have,” as she bends down kiss his forehead hugs him whispers, “I'm so proud of you.”

“Thanks, Grandma,” gives her another hug walks back to his cottage as Grandma watches her grandson go. Whispering, “what more could I ask for?” As she looks down the road she sighs, “two bad apples and two sours;” shaking her head. With a final nod to the Sheriff and the boys, she wiped a tear before going back inside.

The boys cleared the table and prepared for the day. They even took some muffins out to Mr. Rooster and gave him some extra feed. Leaving the cottage the boys headed for the stables get their horses, helping EJ with his pony as they headed for the farm to help build their house. Seeing Pa and Richard working, they wave laughing putting their horses out to the pasture for the day they would pick them up tomorrow after school. Since now that EJ was well enough to go to regular school.

The mere thought troubles him more than ever now, the questions they would ask, he always hated this part, starting a new and old school. It used to be he was never there very long to get know anyone or to make any friends and bullies were always there just around the corner to pester him. Of course, nothing was more worse than going home. Bullies you can outrun and outsmart most of the time. “Well boys it's about time you got here,” Pa said standing by the new house giving them each a nod.

“Sorry Pa, I think the rooster was late,” Robert replied.

“Yes,” as Pa looked towards the rooster pin, finding only one rooster instead of two and rubbing his chin laughing. “Your belts are in the barn give us hand.” The boys worked all day helping with the house sawing the planks of wood, watching the walls go up around the house. Sing a song as they all rolled up their sleeves; soon it was lunchtime with a quick cool autumn breeze. Ma and the buggies with Danny and the boys right behind her were Julie and Anna sitting beside them Ned and Bill in their buggies coming to join them. The farmers set up the picnic tables in front of the house while the Aunts; Mary, Aunty M and Lizzy and a surprise guest “Mr. Death himself,” whom we all met before and danced with and is after Mary or Lizzy as he helps set the table.

Climbing down from the ladders and gathering around the picnic table. The man dressed known as Death to some or keeper of Time to others dressed in all his splendor. He stands before the group of framers at the table and smiles at the ladies and the gents. “Let me kindly introduce myself if I may,” with a twinkle in his eye that made the ladies giggle. “My friends call me, Mr. Jaydan Faith,” as he tips his hat to the ladies, “Howdy Ma’am.” Giving a wink to Aunty M as he sits down right beside her as he winks back, giving her a nudge and whispers back, “now's a Good-time you promised Margaret,” he said.

“I know, I know,” she replied whispering back looking over at the two aunts Mary and Lizzy. Aunty M thinking of excuses too stand looking over at Mr. Keeper of time, I mean Mr. Death, Her mind struggling for the words and sighs, “Mr. Jaydan Faith,” twisting her mouth pouting her lips like a sour apple. Not bad looking young man if I do say so myself, looking at him at the corner of her eye, actually rather handsome.  I wonder if he knows anything about who’s after EJ. Or could it be him himself? Derrick said he was sending me some help, maybe this one of his friends he sent to help me.

Jaydan nudges her one more time whispering to her, “Your stalling.”

She whispers back,” yes I am, and I am trying to figure out what to say.”

He smiles, “I'll whisper to you ideas you take from there.”

Aunty M stands clicking on her glass to get everyone attention clears her throat “ahum,” I have known Mr. Jaydan Faith for a long time, in fact, my husband Mike could tell you stories about him if he was still here,” as she winks back him laughing. He didn't seem at all that amused by the looks of his face. “He tells me,” Jaydan whispering a thought into her mind, “he was a school teacher and a headmaster.” Now that surprised everyone including her. “He plans on teaching again this fall at Payson Jr. as a music teacher.”  Aunty M and Lizzy look straight at him with surprised looks on their faces. He nods back and stands so everyone can see him lets Aunty M sit down.

“So that means I am sticking around for a season or so and looking too build a little cottage of my own and try little farming too if you wouldn't mind. I'd like to help with this house and I brought my tools and my belt and know a thing or two about carpentry as well.”  Jaydan said then sat down whispering thanks to Margaret, “You did well,” he replied.

The table was all abuzz about the stranger as Mary and Lizzy kept peeking overtaking another look at him all throughout lunch. Sometimes you could hear whispers down the row “A school teacher did hear that” or “headmaster” and so forth. “Music teacher,” it rolled off the ladies tongues.

The men were whispering among themselves as well peeking at him, “farming in those clothes that we got’a see,” laughing, “says he knows carpentry, right?”   “Good for a laugh boys well see, we're not playing with Lagos or building toys. Better watch him closely make sure he doesn't hurt himself,” laughing looking at those fancy duds he was wearing…

Lunch was running smoothly the little ones were sent off to play on the farm. Everyone busy back to work as usual while they watched Mr. Faith go around to the barn to change his clothes. When he comes back he was dressed just like them in pair of worn out overalls and work boots that have seen better days but were comfortable to him. With his belt over his shoulder and a smile, he waves, “alright boys where do need me? I'm all yours.” 

The men could not believe their eyes except Pa and the boys he taught them well the meaning of clothes on a man. ‘Never judge a man by what he wears, it is what he does and what inside that counts.’ The men put him to work cutting planks of wood, trading Robert for him to start making the staircase for the house. While the boys set the studs of the walls around the outside for the main house.

“Sheriff Downing?” Sheriff Whitmore called out to him.

“Yes, “Sheriff Whitmore?” Wayne replied.

“Mind if you take a ride with me for a minute?” Sheriff Whitmore asked.

“No, not all, what's on your mind?” Wayne asked looking back towards the house over at the rooster pin.

“No it's not about the rooster, they can have him,” he said as he laughed. In fact, my wife was thinking of adding a few chickens back there for some fresh eggs, can you believe that?” he said as he rolled his eyes.

Wayne laughs not being all that surprised, “so what’s on you are mind?” As they head towards Cracken Villa?

“Its time Wayne we need to get these folks moven before winter starts in. I hear it’s going to be a bad one and they know it. Of course, we can't fit everyone in New Downing not yet anyway, but these folks need to know its time to either go home or start helping the ones that are still there. Doc says they are starting to get sick and my hospital getting full and I hate the cemetery. It's really bad in Downing Villa Wayne we are going to have bring the boys in for that one to start clearing them out, putting them down here for a while. So we can build more homes. We need more lumber and I just don’t know where we are going to get it and fleece to make coats and beds and we still have all that cotton to deal with here,” Sheriff Whitmore sighs.”