Hey! So this was out sooner then I thought! Reviews appreciated!
"MA! SHE'S GONNA KILL ME!" Jenny Carter turned to see Royal running inside, wearing a bonnet on his head, a growling Elizabeth following him. Jenny was shocked for a second, why in the world was Royal wearing his sisters bonnet? Then she jumped into action grabbing both children and pulling them apart.
"Royal! Why do you have your sisters bonnet?!" She asked taking it off of her sons head. "Charlie dared me!" He exclaimed and Elizabeth began struggling in Jenny's grasp. Jenny gave a long sigh, Royal's best friend was named Charlie. It was a match made in heaven to be honest, both boys got themselves into loads of trouble. "Just because he dared you doesn't mean you have to!" Jenny growled. "Get up in the loft and STAY there till dinner." Royal gave her a hurt look and she released her grasp on him, he climbed up the ladder and disappeared from sight.
"Now you," Jenny turned to Elizabeth who tensed up. "Next time don't chase him, you just encourage him more." Jenny advised and let go of her. Elizabeth nodded and pulled out her homework. "Ma?" Jenny turned to see Royal's head peeking down at them. "When will Pa be home?" He asked, his eyes wide and innocent. "Soon, he only took Daisy to town." She responded and Royal nodded then disappeared again.
The door was flung open yet again and Jeb walked in holding Daisy in his arms. "Hey what'd we tell Ma Daisy?! Piece of cake!" He set Daisy on the floor and she toddled around then settled next to a doll and began pulling its hair. "Ma Pa!" Elizabeth said and they both looked at her. "I wanted to wait till you were both here! Something happened at school today! Guess! Guess!" She exclaimed.
"Uh...Royal got stuck in a tree again?" Jeb guessed and Elizabeth shook her head then paused, "Well actually that did happen but…" Jeb face-palmed, "That was supposed to be a joke!" He sighed.
"Well it's even better! I got the highest grade in the whole class on the math test!" She yelled and beamed. Jeb ruffled her hair, "I wouldn't expect anything less!" He said and Jenny smiled, at least one of her children was serious about school! Daisy began crying, the doll forgotten, Jeb scooped her up and she giggled in delight, gently touching his face with her tiny hands.
"Oh!" Jenny remembered as she put a pot on the counter. "I invited Willy and Carrie over for dinner next Saturday!" Jeb smiled, "They're always welcome here." He assured her and Daisy squealed "Chloe!" Jeb, Jenny, and Elizabeth all froze then Daisy began laughing and they shrugged it off.
"Aw man! Tomorrow's Sunday!" Royal whined from the loft and Jeb raised and eyebrow. "What'd he do this time?" He asked Jenny who rolled her eyes in response, Elizabeth meanwhile launched into a full blown explanation of how Royal ended up in the loft while Jeb shook his head in exasperation. "Wearing your bonnet? What on earth does he expect to achieve?" Elizabeth shrugged, "Nothing good I tell you!" She responded.
"Dinner!" Jenny called setting five plates on the table. Royal scrambled out of the loft, nearly tripping on the ladder and ran to his seat. The family joined hands in grace then began to eat.
"Yuck! Eggs!" Royal poked the eggs with his fork. "The loft is always another option…" Jenny hinted and Royal quickly began cutting up the egg and shoving pieces into his mouth.
"So uh...Anything interesting happen at school?" He asked Royal and Elizabeth. "Ooh! Royal kissed Penelope George!" Elizabeth yelled and Royal tensed, blushing.
"I-I did not!" He yelped, "W-We just fell into each other! That's all!" Elizabeth began making kissing noises. "Alright Lizzie that's enough!" Jeb warned and Elizabeth stopped but continued grinning at her brother with raised eyebrows. "And Royal, you stay away from Penelope George alright?" He asked and Royal nodded his face looking more like a strawberry then a humans. "Yes sir?" Jeb prompted, "Yes sir!" Royal exclaimed. There was a clap of thunder from outside and the family looked up to see rain dancing along the windows.
"The team! I forgot to unhitch the team!" Jeb exclaimed and he ran outside before Jenny could utter a single word. Elizabeth ran after him, being the oldest she often had to participate in boy chores and often helped with the horses. Jenny ran to the window while Royal continued eating, not really caring about the situation.
Jenny watched from the window as Elizabeth and Jeb ran through the rain and unhitched the horses. Elizabeth led them to the barn and then came rushing out. Finally they both ran back in, soaked to the skin and covered in mud. Jenny couldn't help but roll her eyes then turned to Royal. "Royal! Fetch some blankets, a new pair of Elizabeth's clothes, and a new pair of Pa's clothes!" Royal looked as if he were about to protest but the look on Jenny's face warned him against it and he rushed up to the loft.
"Honestly!" Jenny scolding while draping blankets over Jeb and Elizabeth. "The team could have waited!" She said and Jeb shook his head, "I kind of like the wagon!" He responded and Jenny gave an exasperated sigh, she walked over to Daisy who had thrown the rest of her dinner in the floor and was beating her spoon against the table.
Royal came back down from the loft and Jenny assisted in the task of redressing Elizabeth and attempting to redress Jeb. Daisy cooed softly, happy that everyone had forgotten about the dreaded bedtime.
Jenny rolled her eyes and picked up Daisy, carrying her to bed as night began to creep into the blue Minnesota skies, covering the state in black.