Chapter 4-2

Chapter 4-2

“Yes ma’am,” as they sit and watched her swig down another, snickering for her sleeping in. Until she busts out laughing, slapping them all on the back well. “Well what can I say, boys, age.”

“Yes, Aunty M” as they laugh watched her slap another ham stake on her plate and one on theirs as well with a wink.

“Now then boys,” looking outside pulling out her list of things that need doin around the house and Wayne giving the boys a wink. “Its time we get some work done. These boys have been penned up too long.” She said lifting Robert’s arms flapping like a flag in the wind pushing Will over almost onto the floor. Rocking EJ side to side shaking her head. “I tell Wayne, twigs every one of them. No sir these boys need be let out and soon or there will be nothing left, but a bag of bones before summer gets here,” giving them each wink. “Soon they won't be any use to us up at the Mill and the Ranch come summer time.”

“What are suggesting Aunty M?” Pa asked as he looked at his boys.

“They need to put to work, and I mean hard work… Man's work,” slapping them hard on the back knocking the wind right out them.

The boys looked at Aunty M as if she just lost her mind. “This not what they had in mind at all.” Looking at EJ then back down the hall, “man's work, who is she kidding?”

Wayne rubbed his chin, looked outside and back at Aunty M and back at the boys... “Humm man's work you say... ” Pa giving it some serious thought in his mind. “Your right.” Getting up from the table looking towards the barn, “there's no denying it,” Pa shaking his head, “but your right.”

Robert and Will looked at Pa as if he fell out of the same tree. “But that would mean hard labor, extra chores is what you're suggesting,” he replied Pa looking outside towards the fields and the barn. “Plus giving up most their weekends to play with their friends.” Pa paced the floor glanced at his boys and Aunty M. “I am just not sure they're ready yet,” looking over at Will, Robert, and EJ.

The boys turned there heads towards at Aunty M to see where she was going as she gave them a wink, “give a little boy's,” she whispered then turned to their Pa and all the extra work that it might entail.

“Pa we are willing if you give us a chance,” Robert said as Will and EJ each nod their heads in agreement.

As Aunty M gave them a nod of her approval “Sounds like to me Wayne we have our selves a deal.”

“Alright boys,” Pa replied as he walked over putting his hand on their shoulders than taking their hands shaking them, “deal. Now let’s finish our breakfast then you boys change and meet me out in the barn.”

Spring came early that year as the boys changed their clothes, Ma was in the nursery with little Jess, and the boys waved to Ma, giving her a kiss on the cheek, grabbed their sack lunches for the day. They tucked them into their saddlebags climbed onto their horses as the three boys headed out to the fields to work.

Robert would hook up the old plow while EJ planted the seed and Will would guide the line to keep the rows straight. They cleared maybe half field before stopping and rested a bit, taking on some water. “Shew,” as Robert wiped his brow off the sleeves of his shirt looked down at the rows nearly done. “Now that's what I call hard work,” he replied wiping the beads of sweat from his head and face.

“For you or the horse?” Will asked as he slaps Robert on the back and EJ nearly fell off the old hickory stomp because it was leaning to much south a bit.

“The horse of course,” Will replied looking at the rows as Will and EJ laughed at Robert.

“Fine, you try it, brother,” Robert replied. Robert hooked the halter up to Will watching him push a leg or two in the mire up the row in the mud as he fell flat on his face covered in mud. He looked like little Eskimo pie covered from head to toe in mud. Robert and EJ never laughed so hard in their lives. Man was he mad not that they could tell too much, do to all the dirt he was carrying. The horse must have been laughing too as he looked back at him scraping the mud off.

Every once in while Pa would ride by to see how they were doin and giving them pointers. Which seemed to help, not that it made their rows any straighter, but at least the horse seemed happier and the boys didn't have to work him nearly as hard.

Sometimes their friends would come by and wave to them and watched them work goading them to come with them, but they continue working as the boy’s waved them down the road. It was hard work all right working in the muck and the mire. EJ lost his boot couple of times and the boys had to shave the mud off enough times wondering if they were carrying the entire field upon their backs.

They did the work regardless, with the goals in mind. One, the boy’s really wanted to go to the Ranch and the Mill to help. And second, well let’s say looking down the road towards the farm and Pa. He had his hands full and the boys would do anything for Pa as he would do anything for them. That was all the reason they needed when comes to extra chores to help him and the farm out so he could do other things with Ma...

***

 

“I realize Linda it's been four months since you seen your son; Yes he is doing fine and no they haven't gone back on their word. Just that we been kinda of busy down here that's all with other families to attend to...I understand... No, we are not trying to stall what on earth would we be stalling for Linda?” Mrs. Jennings replied as she talked on the phone with Linda.

“I told you we just been busy that's all... short-handed if wanted to know the truth. My partner is missing… that's right Mr. Wells. The one that's been working on your case has turned up missing. We here at the agency are forced to play catch up if want to know the truth. So you can just wait your turn like everyone else?” Mrs. Jennings replied as she looked over some more paperwork piled high on her desk.

Wishing she could just wave her hand at it and it would be completed, but she can’t. Too much is at stake as she looked around the office watching her colleges as she tries to fit in without their knowledge as who she really is and what’s taking place around them. She does a quick sigh as she stamps a file placed it in the basket of completed work.

“No I don't nowhere he went. Listen, Linda, if want to see him, just go. As long you don't cause any trouble dear you'll be fine. But if I hear you caused or raised one eyebrow dear. I can promise you if you do, it will be along time before you ever see him again. I'll call to tell them you’re coming so they know its ok. Now I have work to do. She said as she hung up the phone. “Now where did he put that file,” Barbra looked around the room at the mess shaking her head. “When it rains it pours, I hope she remembers to come alone,” picking up the phone as she dials the Downing farm.

* * *

 

Thanks, Mrs. Jennings's will keep our eyes open,” as Martha looked down the road through the window holding the baby in her arms. “I'll tell my husband just her thanks, well keep an eye on her; both of them.” Martha hung up the phone hands the baby to Julie to tend for a minute, Yelled for Wayne as the car starts to come down the road and around the bend “Wayne dear!!” As she pointed at the car stopped to where the boys are working out in the fields. Martha's face went white seeing two people. Wayne ran towards the car shouting.

Robert, Will, and EJ working in the field seeing the car pull up to the field. “EJ isn't that your Mother?”  Robert asked. EJ nods his head, starts backing away further into the field as she comes closer to the fence to see him. EJ mothers waved to him. EJ stood there stunned looking at her then at his brothers wondering what to do. Then the worse thing happens, his father comes around the other side of his mother looked straight at him with his cold hard eyes. EJ freeze in his spot. Robert and Will seeing this to starts yell for Pa, as Pa leaped the fence.

EJ and his father, neither of them moved from their spots their eyes locked. Robert and Will can see Pa running half a league from them. As he too watching these two stares from one end of the field to the other. Without so much as a muscle twitch, Robert and Will standing by EJ side putting their arms around him. ...Waiting for Pa as he stepped in front of EJ. “You alright son?” Looking down at him then back across the field.

“Yes, Pa,” EJ said not taking his eyes of his father for instance.

Pa calmly walked over to the fence. “Sorry Linda, just got the message a few minutes ago,” as he nods his head towards Jim, to acknowledge his presence. “Is there something you wanted?” Wayne asked.

“I just wanted too see my son that's all,” Linda pointing at EJ nearly breaking down in tears in the field.

“Oh that's fine, we have no problem with that except,” Wayne turning his head towards Jim. “Sir if you wouldn't mind waiting back at the house or in the car,” as Wayne tries to smile, “while she sees him?” EJ's father just nods not even looking back once and gets back into the car. Pa waved the boys over with EJ never leaving his side. EJ seeing his father in the car walked a safe distance from it with his Pa and his brothers by his side.

“As you can see Linda he's fine,” Pa said seeing the tears starting to stream down her face whispering thanks and walked over to her son. EJ shrieks back a little as she comes forward then stops.

Linda holding out her arms to show him, “I won't hurt you, son,” looking into his eyes. EJ nods lets her come forward so she could touch him. Pa seeing that Linda going to behave remains close, but his brother's closer as they step aside a little bit.

Robert and Will followed EJ and his mother as they talked to each other down the road of the fields Pa kept a close eye on his father in the car staring at them with his cold hard eyes through the window glass.

“No mother!” EJ shouts, “I can't come over... How can you even ask me to consider such a thing? Not even for a few hours,” as EJ picked up a small rock tossed it out in the middle of nowhere. “I won't ever go back; I can't go back,” as EJ looked her straight into her tear full eyes.

Linda gazed down the road sees the farmhouse and the fields all around them, “but why son?” Putting her arms around him, “things have changed, I've changed, he has.”... She pauses... “Has changed,” as she looked back at the car where her husband Jim sat. With a little hope as she looked at his father. Knowing full well he really hasn't made an effort that she's aware of. “You're not the same boy anymore. We barely even know you and you are clear out here son,” Linda glared at Wayne and his foster brothers.

EJ just looked at her not caring, feeling the coldness and the emptiness that surrounds them still when he looked into her eyes. “No mother!!” leaving her side walked towards his horse. “I am staying right here where I belong.” Putting one leg in the stirrups and swings the other, and rides off towards the fields with his brother's right behind him.

Linda slowly walked back to the car where her husband is and Wayne is waiting. “You know Mr. Downing; you are not making it any easier for me or for him when it comes to visitation rights. And you do realize that sooner or later he does have to come home?” She said as she looked Wayne straight in the eye, “regardless if he wants to or not. The sooner he realizes that,” she said pointed towards the farm, “the sooner we all can get on with our lives,” leaves him standing there as she drives back down the road.

Wayne watched her leave down the road where she came from, walked back to the house and smiles to himself, “I wonder why?” his eyes gazing towards the farm and the fields, “why would he prefer to stay here than go back with you?” Wayne knowing full well the answer to that question as he picked up an old rock and tossed into the field. “But she is right about one thing,” as he looked down the road, “those darn papers aren't here yet and we do have to play by the rules,” Wayne gazed towards EJ and the boys working in the field. Wayne sighs hung his head, walked over to where the boys are, and leaned up against the fence to watch them work for a while. He drifted away back into the house to speak with his wife on the matter like they always do.

“You want to do what?” As Martha stares at him as if he lost his marbles. “Wayne we can't,” Martha watching the boys outside in the field.

“What choice do we have Martha, tell me?” Wayne replied as he puts his head in his hands then looked out down the road. “You heard what the state said regarding visitation rights… we both have to comply. Meaning he has to spend time in both homes, not just this one. If we don't we could lose him completely, Martha they'll just take him and place him somewhere else for non-compliance.”

“I know dear, but it's to soon, it has only been a year since...”  Martha thinking of the strange letter and the strange man and EJ disappearance as the last biggest storm broke just a few months ago.

 

“Yes dear, I realize that.” Wayne replied as his mind races with all the strange things that have been going on according to Aunty M. “Why him? why can’t everyone just leave his son EJ alone? My poor son,” Wayne trying to hold back the tears, trying to stay strong for everyone. 

“Wayne I can't, not yet it’s too soon,” Martha said as she wrapped her arms around him. “Let's wait just a little bit longer, please I of beg you, for EJ sake.”

Wayne sighs looking down the road towards the boys, “all right dear, will wait few more months.” Knowing full well it won't get any easier than either. But what can he do, who can he turn to for help as his mind raced for the solution as he sends out a payer for strength and a solution if there is any at all. Unknowing who might be listening could be from a different reality in time in deep meditation of the problem, then calmly dissipates back into the shadows once more.

“Thanks, dear,” as Martha looks at her boys. Whispering “I can't”, to herself as she holds them close in her mind with a mothers love.