Chapter 5-1

A Chapter by Shep

Chapter 5-1

“He can’t stay in that house.” Martha intoned as the color in her face starts to pale.

“I don’t see why not after going over his case file everything’s fine. In fact, it’s better than fine, long past due if you want my option?” Mr. Barns not even glancing over at Mrs. Jennings to ask her option. “I have no record indicating it’s not.”

“But what about?” …. Mrs. Jennings and Martha tried to be heard, as they try to point out the problems that should be as clear as day.

“No buts… it stands. The boy stays the weekend over spring break. That’s final.” Mr. Barns slammed his briefcase shut, “come on Mrs. Jennings, we do have other families,” shaking his head in her direction for doodling.

“Sorry, Martha I tried,” When finally turned she follow Mr. Barns with a very cautious and concerned look. “There’s something just not right about him,” putting her fingers to her lips “No. There is something wrong about this, and she doesn't like it”

* * * *

“Jim, can you help me with this, please? “JIM!!” Linda yelled.

“What dear?” Jim asked.

“Can you help me pleases?”

“Yes dear,” Jim said as he watched Linda standing in the boy’s room changing it around to make it look more homey and new with a fresh bit of paint on the walls. “When you’re done with that, I want you to measures those windows for some new curtains and I’ll put new quilts on the beds,” as she hums along.

“Yes dear.” Jim mumbled as he rolled his eyes, “Linda he just coming home for the weekend that’s all,” hoping he can change her mind, thinking of the extra cost from feeding an extra mouth and the expense of housing him, yet knowing he is losing the battle. For now anyway.

Linda stare’s at him like he just lost his mind, stops humming. Looked him straight into his eye. “Jim if you even come near him and try to rune it for me… So help, me…!” Shaking a finger watching his face turn white.

“Yes dear! I know, my best behavior,” sighs looking down the hall towards the girl’s room. “I’ll get you some more paint,” and stalks away looking back. Mumbling, “she has forgotten she has two other girls that need her just as much, instead of one that doesn’t matter,” shakes his head walked away.

Jim checks on the girls playing with their dolls he gave them, leans over gives them kiss on the head. “Peggy dear you mind keeping eye on your brother a little bit longer as he’s taking a nap, while I help your mother.”

Peggy frowned looking over at Danny sleeping in the corner of the room. “Alright daddy, if I have to, but only for a little while… that’s it,” gleaming at her sister Donna. “Then I want to go to the park just the three of us.” Jim nods to his two girls, picked up the can of paint, walked back down the hall. Thinking how nice it will be to have little peace and quiet as he looked back at his girls whom their mother has forgotten all about as he smiles dumping the paint and leaving down the hall.

“Here go dear! The paint as you requested,” pouring the paint handing her the brush and the roller as the girl’s started to fight and bicker over the dolls right on schedule.

Linda went into a rage, “Jim pleases! I can‘t handle this now; can you?” Linda looking around the room, “deal with it? I so much want this room to be ready for him when he comes home, dear.”

Jim smiles back, “yes dear,” quickly leaving the room headed back down the hall to the girls, brings back Danny and sets him in the corner of the room. So she can watch him as he takes the girls to the park for some peace and quiet.

Danny screaming, “I want to go to Mamma.”

Linda picked up Danny held him close.” You get to help me get this room ready for your brother EJ, he’s coming home this weekend.”

Danny smiles back at his mother yet looking at his father still hoping he can go to. “EJ’s coming home, really Mamma?”

Linda nods and kissed his cheek, “Really Danny,” swings him in the air laughing watching his sisters go with their father to the park. Linda painted the old rusty room, changed the curtains of the windows where he leaped for his life, hoping that would change the feel of the room as she looks around it. “Please, let it make a difference,” as she placed new quilts on the beds and looks down the hall, looking at the clock and waited as the time draws nears.

* * *

Of course, it was whole different sort of events for EJ as the date drew near, instead of a happy of a time of freedom of break of fun. It was pure torture for him and the Downings. EJ almost ran away a couple of times to avoid it altogether but got as far as the door looking at Pa and Ma. He couldn’t do it. Knowing what was at stake for them as he looked into their eyes around the dinner table. We could, he could lose everything, and he couldn’t stand not seeing them anymore not now, not ever.

Will and Robert not leaving his side for a minute could see it draining him as he walked through his classes on the last day before the weekend. EJ promised he wouldn’t bolt as he looked down the road, oh how he wanted to run and hide. Somewhere, no-one could ever find him, in the deeper parts of the earth right now. He could just die, but he loved his brothers, sisters, and his Ma and Pa too much to run away. He couldn’t eat or sleep nor concentrate on the task at hand as the time grew closer watching that dreaded clock on the wall.

Robert and Will assured him they still would not leave his side as he tried to put a smile on his face. “How? You can’t come with me!” EJ asked as he shrugged his shoulders.

Robert grins for ear to ear, “why not brother?” As he looked at Will, “the rules never did state you couldn’t have friends stay over. It just stated you had to stay over for the weekend.” as he puts an arm around him.

EJ flabbergasted, “you mean you’d do that for me?”

Robert nods his head leaned over, “I have a plan,” as he glanced over at Will pulled out a sheet of paper. “This is what we're going to do…?”

EJ smiles, at last, feeling much better as he gazed about the room at his friends and his brothers. The boys planed who was staying which night over the weekend making a little time schedule. That way EJ was never left alone without at least one them by his side. It took some fancy footwork looking at the chart, but it was doable. Very doable indeed.

The day arrived as Ma helped EJ pack an overnight bag. “Ma?” EJ said putting his arms around her, “it will be alright Ma,” giving her kiss on the cheek, “its just for the weekend I won’t be far,” trying to cheer her up as he gave her a hug. Ma and EJ wiped both their tears as they say goodbye as Pa helped EJ to the car.

“Remember son,” as he nods with tears in his eye, “We will always be here for you son for this is your home,” as he placed his hand on his shoulder and says goodbye, “and we love you EJ,” Pa said with strong voice trying to hold back the tears.

EJ nods back with tears in his eyes, “I know Pa. I love you too,” and waved as the tears stream down his cheek. Mrs. Jennings drove out of the farm as his brothers and sisters chased him down the road waving goodbye, yelling how much they loved him. They disappear into nothingness when he looked back down the road towards the farm with tears in his eyes. For that’s where he belongs, his home is here, his heart was with them. It was tearing him apart inside watching the farm despair and his family behind him.

“Pa?” Asked Robert, Robert kicked the dirt in front of him, “can me and Will talk to you for a minute out in the barn?”

Pa looked down the road where EJ has just left shrugging his shoulders. “I guess so, why?”

“Well we have a plan,” Robert said. Robert and Will filled Pa in on their plan as he watched his boys with wonderment in his eyes.

“You want to do what?”

“That’s right Pa! Nowhere does it say he can’t have friends over for the weekend while he’s there. Well, are we not his friends to and his brother’s and the Whitmore’s?” Robert asked.

Pa rubbed his chin for a minute watching him pace the floor of the barn. “By golly son, if that’s not the crazy thing I have ever heard of,” as he laughed shakes Roberts hand like was coming out of his socket. “Let me see… I know a few friends myself,” as Pa made a list of names at his drawing table around the area, “humm.”

Will looked over Pa’s shoulder, “you mean?”

“Yep, he was at the Farmers Picnic and helped with the house too. You boys feel like you are up to mending few more fence’s?”

“Sure Pa who’s?”

“Well, I have an old friend up that ways. You’d be spenden the weekend with him on his farm that way you won’t be suspicious as hired help you and the Whitmore’s. Now, this what we're going to do adding to your plans of course boys, but make sure you get the work done or it will bite ch’ ya?”

“Yes, Pa.”

Ma watched the boys gather their bedrolls and tools belts as Pa called Mr. Johnson on the phone making arrangement for the boys. “Hello Mr. Johnson, Wayne Downing … yes Fine and you sir … Sorry to hear that … well, the reason I called was you said you were looken for some help around the place. Yes, you know to fix those old fences and maybe little plowing that old field for the coming spring and odds and ends. Yes, I know you can’t pay much…Well, you would be doing me a favor… Yes, a favor… anyway, it is my way and the boy’s way of thanking ya for the help last summer… if my boys and his friends came over and worked on your place for the weekend during their spring break. Sure that would be great. I’ll bring them by this afternoon. Thank you.”

Martha overhearing the conversation looked at Wayne with her cold eyes and her boys coming down the stairs with their bedrolls. “Wayne, what in tar nation is going on in my house?” As she planted her hands on her hips staring him down to the floor.

Wayne carefully walked over to his wife. “Boys meet me outside”

“Yes, Pa.”

Ma watched her two boys leave the house turning around to face her husband. “Martha the boys and I have some plans for the weekend to help EJ through his that’s all,” as he as he begins to fill her in, watching her eyes go wide and then soften.

“You what?” She replied watching the boys out the window head towards the barn for the rest of their gear.

“That’s right, they refuse to leave his side.”

“But Wayne, you realize if they get caught,” Ma replies in a hurried strangled voice.

“Who dear? They are working remember, and they never said anything about him having friends over spending the night,” as he kisses her lightly on the forehead. “We may not be able to see him this weekend, but his friends can. Please, dear, let them be by his side at least.” Martha looked out down the road as the clock ticked itself away, nods, “yes Wayne and thanks,” kissed his cheek before he left out the door.

Martha kissed each of her boy’s goodbye, thanking them as she watched them leave for the weekend as Pa loaded them in the pickup heads on down the road. “Friends he said, yes” as she smiles, “he needs more friends, but who does she know?” As she paced the floor, “humm.” Then light bust open in her head thinking “of courses, two blocks down the road Mrs. Trenny, that pour dear Her husband passed away two summers ago and that big old empty house. Surely she could use some help, I know just the boys." Picks up the phone called Rena.

prev chapter