Chapter 5-2

Chapter 5-2

“Rena, Martha. I need favor… hu, hu that’s right a favor,” Martha explains over the phone what’s going on filling in the details. “They just left a while ago. I couldn’t agree more. Well what I was thinking, remember Mrs. Trenny… That’s right. I was thinking your boys could and us girls could do a little …..” As they giggle, “alright this afternoon say at 5 o’clock. Good. No, I am sure Wayne won’t mind, after all, they are his friends too the more the merrier,” as she hangs up the phone.

Martha and the girls busy in the kitchen gathered the supplies into boxes. Aunty M checking them off the list as Wayne came back with the pickup. “Oh good, your back dear.” Leaning forward giving him another kiss on the cheek. “Everything go off as planned dear?” She asked.

“Just fine Martha,” as he looked at all the boxes of supplies by the door, “what’s all this?” He asked as Wayne pointed to all the boxes of goods on the floor.

“What’s what dear?” As if not to notice. “O this?” As she giggled. “We thought we help out another neighbor that’s all.  You mind bring the pickup back around Wayne?” As Maratha smiles and bats her eyes.

Wayne sighed then leaned forward wrapping his arms around her. “Of course dear, there’s always room for one more.”  They loaded the pickup without questioned as Martha drove it down to the Whitmore farm for the remaining supplies with Wayne in tow.

“Hello, boys ready to go?” As they sling their stuff into the back of the pickup. 

“Yes, ma’am?” The boys replied as Kollie was coming back from town seeing Martha and Rena getting ready to leave and seeing the boy’s bedrolls piled in the back of the pickup.

“What in the heck is going on?” He asks pointing to all the stuff in the back of the truck.

Rena just walked quietly up to Kollie, takes him by the hand looks at her boys. “Me and your Pa need a minute. …” Then turned back to him, looks into his eyes. “I needed a favor that’s all… for a neighbor and friend dear,” as she explains the little details of the cry of help for Mrs. Trenny and Martha.

Kollie nodded his head without question,“ of course dear, how could I ever say no to you?” Kisses her right then and there, swing her into her arms. “Just let me grab my bedroll and bag I’ll be right there.”

Rena laughed with a twinkle in her eye, “I already packed it dear,” kissed him on the cheek, “so ya comen or what?” She asked.

Kollie laughed as he glanced over at his wife shaking his head, “looks like I’m comin.”

Martha tucking the last of the things to the Trenny’s with the Whitmore’s right behind her as they were off down the road 2 blocks down from EJ house as she marched up the steps of Mrs. Trenny’s, ring the bell with the Whitmore’s.  “If there’s a will there’s away his friends will be close by and I mean very close,” as she nods. 

“Yes come in, come in,” Mrs. Trenny seeing all the extra help. Martha makes a nice cup of tea for them all, while the boys put the supplies away.

“Now then Mrs. Trenny,” Martha said as Rena, Kollie sat at the kitchen table looking at her home. “How can we help you as you help us?” As they smile looked down the road towards EJ home. After all she no dummy, knows Jim and Linda quite well.

The Whitmore’s set up shop as it were for the weekend as Martha and Wayne waved goodbye with a promise to keep an eye on their son EJ while he’s away.  Martha dots her eye looking down the road as they head back to the farm feeling better now knowing his friends and brothers are close by, but her farm is so empty with everyone gone as she sigh’s wiped tears from her eyes…..

* * *

 

Mr. Johnson walked the fence line of the property, showing the boys Will and Robert the work that needed to be done and where they can sleep in the hayloft. Where it’s nice and dry and warm. Which has a couple of cots just right for two hired hands. The boys nod and thank him as they put on their tool belts to show their eagerness and begin working on the fence towards the upper end of the field. When they see Mark, Frank, and Peter heading down the road towards them on their bicycles. For their first encounter with EJ at his home.

Robert, Will nod to them as they quickly stop. With a little surprise in there voices as they all look at the schedule they had made. “You guys are early,” Robert said putting down his hammer and nails.

“Change of plans,” Peter replied as they try to explain what’s going on.

“They what? You are where?”  Will asked in a shocked voice.

As Peter points to the house nodding his head, “Your Ma’s idea. Thought it needs a little more work,” as he shrugged his shoulder.

Robert slapped his brother on the back, “that’s Ma for ya,” laughing. 

“Our Pa brought your bikes to. He says going too talk to Mr. Johnson later and bring him in on the details he says, but for now, keep on working. They are working on a plan,” Mark replied as he smiled with big a grin as he could muster.

“It's not just for this weekend that’s all. I can’t tell you more than that, that’s all they would tell us for now,” Frank said.

Robert and Will looked at each other with new hope as they looked at their friends then look down the road towards the farm. They never thought of anything long term just a weekend as they looked towards EJ’s house and thinking of their brother who needs them.

Robert nods with a tear of thanks picking up another board and the hammer, “then we best keep on working for EJ, Will. It will be dark soon that’s when he’ll need us.” As they watched Mark, Frank, and Peter go down the road to EJ house. It was the hardest thing they had to do because they could not go with them as they knew it was time for friends not brother’s and Ma knew it, somehow she knew they needed the help.

The boy’s raced up the driveway with their bikes to EJ’s house, running up the steps as they creaked. The house was nothing special as the boys noticed the white trim needed painting and the living room window need cleaning with old rustic curtains.

The boys knocked on the door. As Mrs. Stuart answers seeing the three boys Mark, Frank, and Peter. EJ’s friends she knew the boy’s. She has seen them before as she glanced down the hall. “Hi Mrs. Stuart, we came to play with EJ if that’s all right?” Frank replied as they smiled looking at her.

Linda not daring to say no, she lets them in showing them down the hall to his room. Linda looked outside wondering how they got here then noticing their bikes she gave a little smirk “I could have sworn they lived on the other side of town.” She said quietly to herself.

EJ, of course, was thrilled, as he came off the bed seeing his friends enter the room whispers, “you’re early,” looking at them, then at the clock, as it ticks by on the wall.

“Things have slightly change EJ,” Mark said as he looked around the bedroom checking making sure the coast was clear while Peter checked the hallway. Frank pulled out a piece of paper out of his pocket taking one of Danny’s crayon’s draws a map of the location where everyone at.

“You got to be joking?” EJ replies as he glanced down at the paper, watching his friends in the room shake their heads. “Do you realize what will happen if they get caught?” EJ voice at a whisper as he checks the hallway himself.

“Caught doing what EJ? Working on some else property,” as they smile, “That’s our story and we're sticking to it and as for us, we're just your friends so act like it, buddy. Or it’s going to be long weekends and long death sentence for your brothers,” Mark said pointing out the window.

EJ nods whispers, “I forgot all about that. It’s not just this weekend we have to get through.”

EJ politely shows them around the house, introduce them his mother and his horrible sisters as they glared at him and his friends not that they cared. Well “least they weren’t wearing that watch a ma call it dress like last time,” as Linda shakes her head. Yelling to EJ too stay where she can see him as he rode his bike down the road with the boys nervously. “Do they ever go home?” As the clock ticks by as time gets late.

She makes him come inside sending the boys home. Peter winks back at EJ as they leave for the night, promising they’ll be back tomorrow as they waved goodnight. Linda closed the door watching them go on their bikes heading for home up the road. “At last we're going to have a nice family dinner the six of us,” Linda thought as she sets the table. “Go wash up dear,” scooting EJ down the hall.

Mrs. Trenny knocks on the door of the house then let herself in the door. “Hello Linda, Jim. My that smells good,” walking into the house bringing in a strawberry cake with fresh slices on top. Dripping with caramel, “sorry I am late….Jim if you wouldn’t mind dear I brought them each a present out on the porch. Old age, I been out of town dear, just heard the news that you are having a welcome home party for EJ and Danny.”

Jim looks at her in shock and Linda nearly fainted staring at this woman in her house. The girls raced to the door seeing new dolls for each of them and Danny a new fire engine and hat as he puts it on running around the room.  “Sorry dear, I didn’t mean to… oh my… To barge right in,” as she giggles like a schoolgirl seeing the table set for six, “but that does smell good.”

Linda not wanting to be impolite just smiles not daring to say the word no, grabs another plate. “Oh no dear, that’s quite all right,” taking the cake setting it on the counter. Helping her with her jacket, “Jim dear you mind bring in another chair” as calm as cumber. “After all why rock the boat,” as she closed the door with a watchful eye. “The saying goes ‘keep your friends close and enemies closer’” as Linda placed down another setting at her table.

Will, Robert in the back of the house setting up the ladder to the room during dinner service as Mrs. Trenny pays her untimely visit as a distraction. EJ down the hall checking make sure the coast is clear went over to the window and opens it up just crack, so they can do their thing as he waved to them before going back down the hall to join the party.

“There you are, son.” Linda said watching EJ return, “finding everything alright?” She asked.

EJ nods, “yes mother just like I remember it,” watching his two sister’s glare at him. EJ takes a seat furthest away from them as he can from both his sisters and even further from his father as possible. The table seemed small considering all that was at the table. Him a mouse and they were the lions waiting to pounce on him as he waited to escape a pending doom. EJ sighed as he looks over at his brother Danny, hoping yet still not too late for him as he glanced over at his mother.

“Nasty business all these storm’s, me a widow and that big old empty house. Ever since my Sirius’ left me,” as Mrs. Trenny dot’s her eye.  “What I need are strong young lads like this here boy and his friends that I saw earlier to come help me do few chores around the place. To get it back up looking nice, decent and proper. So when summer comes I can sell the place and move to something smaller.” As she pats EJ’s hand giving him a quick wink as she looked at Linda, trying to give her a hint of some idea how to keep her son occupied other than tie him to his room under lock and key.