Sticky Trouble part 1

Recap:

Sara succeeds with coming to the fair without landing in more trouble, however during the race a man with a beard tries to drag down Little Joe from Cochise. Sara throws a caramel at him and causes him to let go of Little Joe who wins the race. Sara thinks it isn't good that the man gets away unpunished for his crime and comes up with a plan to get even with him.

"I aim ta teach him not ta go messin with my uncle Joe."

"So what do ya want ta do?" Kylie asked.

"Don't ya see? I've got glue and he's fast asleep and he's got a beard." I grinned broadly. This would be so much fun.

Sara's POV continued,

"What kind of diversion do ya think will work?" Kylie asked.

I shrugged.

"Shall I provoke Garrett a bit?" she suggested.

"Okay. It should just get you the attention of yer and my dad an' give me enough time to glue his beard to the table. Jist Don't get into a fight."

"But I don't know what to do?"

"You'll think of something." I replied and started to head over to the man's table.

Kylie looked around trying to think of a good diversion. If she could make some people stand up in front of the table, I would be safe and nobody would notice what I was doing. I waved at Kylie, signaling that I was already in place. My by now somewhat nervous friend looked around, then spotted Garrett who was pointing at her while he was talking with another boy.

Kylie felt her anger rise. Now she would get back for all the things he had done to her. She limped over to him and even I heard the last part of their conversation.

"…is the daughter of the Blacksmith. Her name's Cripple-Kylie."

Kylie walked up to then and put her hands on her hips. She spun Garrett around to face her, "Yeah so what. I've got a leg which is shorter than the other one. I ain't the only person in the world who got something like this. So STOP TEASING ME!" She yelled and gave Garrett a hard push. Surprised by this attack the boy fell backwards. A few adults stood up to intervene before the fight escalated.

Adam and Cormac both jumped to their feet as they heard Kylie's yell.

I used the time and quickly put a large clot of glue on the mean old man beard. I hoped that the glue would trickle down on the table. I didn't have much time left. Dad and Cormac had already reached Kylie and were talking with Garrett's stupid dad. I hid the glue in one of my pockets and ran over to them.

"What did Garrett do to ya Kylie?" I called giving Garrett one of my most angry glares.

"He called me Cripple-Kylie." She said and tears welled up in her eyes. Cormac scooped his daughter up and glared at Martin whose face had turned into the deep red of embarrassment. He grabbed Garrett's upper arm and landed one very hard swat on the seat of his britches.

"Apologize!" He growled.

"I'm sorry." He spat out.

"Go and wait at home." Martin ordered and sent him away with another stinging swat.

I had to try hard not to giggle. That was killing two birds with one stone. Garrett got in trouble in front of half the town and I had gotten my revenge on that hairy man that had tried to hurt Joe. Suddenly dad tapped me on the head. I felt a pang of guilt when I looked up in his face. I had promised not to cause any trouble; I knew dad would see that as lying, when he found out about the whole thing. Oh well, let's jist hope he won't find out.

End of Sara's POV

Adam looked down at Sara's little face. Her eyes were wide, though he could swear that she also looked a little guilty. Adam presumed that his daughter was upset about Garrett's teasing and her best friends distress, though he wondered, "Did you plan to get Garrett into trouble?" He asked as Martin had lead his son away.

Sara shook her head fiercely. Actually she wasn't lying, she thought, they hadn't planned to get Garrett into trouble too. It had just happened, an extra benefit.

Adam's anger rose. Why couldn't this boy just leave Kylie and Sara alone?

Sara looked up at her dad and let out a relieved sigh, knowing that he believed her. She really had no intentions of getting into trouble today, but she just had to get even with this hairy man. Adam took her hand and guided her out of the tent.

"No more fighting, is that clear?" He stated firmly crouching down in front of his daughter.

Sara nodded. "But daddy I didn't fight. I wasn't even close by."

"I know, and I'm very proud of you that you let the adults handle this." All of sudden he was interrupted by people who were hurrying out of the tent and into another. "Looks like the Flapjack-Eating-Contest is about to begin. We better go and get your uncle Hoss."

Sara grinned and hugged his legs grateful he didn't suspect anything. He picked her up placing a kiss on her forehead. Then on the spur of the moment Adam opened the bow under her chin and took the bonnet of her head. "When we're inside you don't have to wear it Sweetheart."

"Thankya." She grinned and gave him a peck to the cheek.

Adam smiled and ruffled her hair while he headed back into the picnic-tent. They bumped into Hoss in the entrance.

"Adam! I havta hurry. The contest starts soon and ifin I'm late…." He left the sentence unfinished and continued his way through the crowd. Adam snickered at Hoss' clear worry about missing the contest.

"Daddy? Do ya think Hoss is gonna win?"

"I'm sure of it Sweetheart. Come let's look for a good place to watch." Adam sat her down again, but kept her hand in a good grip. He didn't want her to get lost. They managed to grab a table right in the front of the large table were all the competitors were sitting. Hoss had obviously come in time to take part. He was sitting with a confident smile on his face at the end of the table.

Sara looked around for Little Joe and Ben. Little Joe sitting a few tables over talking with a young man, but Ben was nowhere to seen.

"Daddy, Can I go and sit with Uncle Joe?"

"Sure you can, but don't wander off."

"I won't." She assured him and ran over to the other table.

Just as she reached the table an adjudicator picked up a small hammer and hit it against a small bell. Raising both arms up in the air he demanded silence, "Lady's an' Gentlemen. We've got ten participants this year. The winner of the last year Eric Cartwright on the left, Samuel Green,….."

Sara stopped listening and climbed up in Little Joe's lap.

"Hi there Shorty." He grinned and tried to shake off the dizziness from the alcohol. He had drank too much. Tomorrow Pa would harangue him about drinking. This prospect depressed him so much that he decided to take another sip of his beer.

"Hello little girl. You must be Adam's daughter right?" The other young man asked.

Sara nodded unsure what she should think of this man. He was swaying when he was sitting and he looked a bit sick. All of sudden the man burst into laughter nearly falling off the bench.

"Then it was you who put the snake in Brown's son desk."

Sara nodded confidently. She liked the man. He had a sense for humor.

"Yup, that was me, but daddy didn't think it was funny." She added with a frown. That only caused the man to laugh even harder.

"I'm sure he didn't!"

Sara also had to giggle, then turned to Joe. "Do ya think Uncle Hoss is gonna win?"

"Yeah, I'm sure."

Sara nudged his ribs lightly and beckoned him down. Obeying the order ,Little Joe bent down. Sara put both hands around his right ear and whispered, "Did ya bet on him?"

Little Joe spluttered and quickly tried to stifle his laugh as he saw that Adam was looking over to them.

"You did, didn't ya?" She waved a naughty finger at him.

Unable to lie Little Joe nodded,then sniggered.

"Do ya want to bet with me too? I'll bet my penny on Hoss." chuffed Sara.

"I won't bet with you Sara. My yankee granite head of a brother would kill me if he found out."

"But…." The sound of a bell interrupted her and everyone looked up. The contest had began.

Hoss wolfed down the flapjacks as if they were thin air. In less than a minute his plate was empty and he demanded more, and more he got. Sara grinned and looked up at Little Joe, who was sipping at another beer.

"Ya gonna win Uncle Joe." She whispered, happy that her Uncle would gain some more money. The same time she thought it was unfair that she wasn't allowed to gamble. She was already eight. She wasn't a little girl anymore.

Little Joe nodded confidently. He knew he shouldn't be betting when Sara was around, but this was just a too good opportunity.

Meanwhile Hoss was eating flapjack after flapjack only taking short breaks to drink some water. He had eaten by far the most.

Feeling bored, Sara jumped off Little Joe's lap and headed over to her dad. She wanted to get some sweets right now.

"Daddy, can I have my candy back?"

"No, save it for later Sara. You'll get tummy ache if you eat much more of that."

"But dad…." She whined giving him her biggest puppy-eyes.

I'm getting soft. Adam thought and took out a piece of caramel. He saw how Sara's eyes lit up and a broad smile cross her face.

"Okay just one more." He stated and held it up with his trigger finger and thumb.

Sara nodded eagerly holding up her hands to receive the desired candy. Chuckling at her eagerness, he put the candy into her hands. She immediately put it into her mouth sucking happily on it before he could change his mind.

"Thank ya daddy!" She crawled up on his lap and hugged him.

"You're a real little hugger." Adam teased and ruffled her hair. Sara grinned and snuggled closer to him.

"Course I am." She murmured and tucked her face into his chest.

"Tired?"

"Not much. I'm just a bit bored."

"Well why don't you go and look after Kylie then. We'll meet again in the lunch-tent as soon as the contest is finished. They'll have built up the dance floor and then I may have to honor to ask you for a dance."

Sara giggled and tapped him on the nose. "You're silly daddy." Then she climbed off his lap and ran out. All of sudden she felt a strong hand hold her back. Turning around she saw Adam wave her bonnet in the air.

"I think you forgot something little Lady." He teased and put it back on her head. "I don't want you to get a heat stroke."

"I'll get one cuz ya force me to wear this dumb thing." She grumbled as her dad made a pretty bow under her chin. He grinned and sent her away with a light swat to her behind and a reminder to behave.

Sara's POV

Kylie was still in the picnic tent and she was reading a book! How could someone read when there was a fair happenin? Sometimes she was really strange. She didn't recognize me until I tapped her on the head.

Startled she looked up and quickly shut her book. "Oh, hi! I thought you were watching the flapjack-contest."

"I was, but it was boring. Uncle Hoss is gonna win anyway and dad doesn't allow me to gamble, so it doesn't make any sense to watch, but what are ya reading? And why are ya reading when a fair is going on?" I asked.

Kylie blushed a little, but then held up the book in front of my eyes. On the book cover was written in large golden letters. "Fairy tales of Brothers Grimm." I still had some trouble readin, especially when there were long strange words.

"I'm just reading the story Hansel and Gretel. It's about two siblings who were abandoned in a dark forest. The first time they found home again, but the second time they don't and right now they've come to a house made out of candy where an old witch lives and she wants to eat Gretel. I jist have to finish it. If you want I can read it to ya."

I thought about it for a moment and nodded. I felt sorry for the two kids in the story, their names were pretty ugly. I bet they would have been teased in school if they had been real. Who in tarnation named their children Hansel or Gretel? If I had been named Gretel…. I shuddered at the thought and sat down next to Kylie.

"Okay, wait a sec I have to find where I was. Yes, here. Or do ya want to hear it from the beginning?"

"Yes, please."

Kylie nodded and quickly flicked the pages back to the beginning. "Once upon a time a very poor woodcutter lived in a tiny cottage in the forest with his two children, Hansel and Gretel. His second wife often ill-treated the children….."

All of sudden she was interrupted by a loud yell. I glanced over to the man with the beard and saw him desperately trying to free his beard from the table. It looked hilarious. Kylie giggled and quickly covered her mouth. I had no such restraint. I laughed so hard that I fell off the bench. All the other people who had stayed in the tent also laughed at him. The man blushed and drew a knife with which he quickly cut through his beard, then he ran out of the tent as quick as possible. Though it wasn't that fast. He was still drunk.

As I started to recover again and take a big breath, I spotted a pair of familiar boots in front of me. I quickly got to my feet and looked up to find Grandpa looking down at me.

"What happened?" He asked.

I wiped away some tears of laughter and took another deep breath to get enough air to speak.

"Someone glued the man's beard to the table." I giggled.

Ben raised an eyebrow and then he suddenly frowned. He bent right over the top of me and looked me square in the eye, then asked real slow, "Wait a second. How do you know he was glued to the table?"

Cliffhanger!

I'm sorry for the long break between the chapters, but I'm really busy with school. I hoped you like the chapter anyway and please review.

Oh! I nearly forgot: A big shoutout to Gaben for her help.

Ps. Do you think Sara can talk herself out of it?