Author's Note -- I first wrote this story three years ago, back when I was still sixteen. I like the 'On a Wing and a Prayer' story series and they provide a good background for the stories that I have been writing later. However, on re-reading them seriously I find them to need a few improvements.
No changes have been made to the plots of the stories, but I have tried to develop the characters more deeply and provide more than just the superficial treatment that they were given originally. The sets of five will be updated together... Please let me know if the updated version is better or worse than the original (if you remember the original and care to re-read). Thanks!
September 3, 1939 – Muncie, Indiana
"So, Andrew," the old man said, hooking his cane on the counter, "how is your mother these days? I haven't seen her around in ages."
"She's visiting Aunt Bessie and Uncle Sam in North Dakota," Andrew Carter answered, looking up and grinning at the man. "She should be home sometime next week." He permitted himself a moment, then he bent his head back down and continued wrapping his package.
"I suppose that means that the rabbits that have been raiding my vegetable garden will go into hibernation for the winter then," the man quipped, rapping his knuckles on the counter to make sure he had Carter's attention. "They always seem to disappear just about the time your mother gets back from visiting your aunt and uncle."
Carter's ears burned red as he tied the last knot in the string and straightened up. "Have you been having problems with rabbits again, Mr. Willis?" he asked innocently. "Chris and I would be happy to wander over and set some traps. You should have told us sooner."
"They only got into the peas and carrots," Mr. Willis told Carter, one corner of his mouth twitching up in a smile. "And Lord knows that I've never been especially fond of those vegetables. I don't think I'll be having any more problems with rabbits; they've done cleaned out my stock."
Carter nodded solemnly and handed the neatly wrapped package over. "Well, if you have any more trouble, we'd be happy to take a look for you," he offered.
"Thank you for the offer, Andrew," Mr. Willis answered, taking the package and picking up his cane. He walked over to the door of the shop, hardly leaning on the cane. At the door he turned, shaking the cane back at Carter. "Behave yourself," he ordered with a wink.
"You got it boy, uh, sorry, sir," Carter replied, waving merrily. The bell above the door tinkled as Mr. Willis left the shop. Carter busied himself tidying up the few loose bits of paper and bits of twine as he watched Mr. Willis make his way in front of the big picture window and off down the street to the grocer's.
When Mr. Willis was no longer in sight, Carter stepped over to the window, checking up and down the street, making sure that there was no one around to observe. When he had satisfied himself that there was no one there, he reached under the counter, feeling around for a paper bag he had stashed near the back.
Finding it, he fumbled with it for a moment before removing one polished candy ball. He took one more look up and down the street before sticking it into his mouth and starting to suck on it, a grin growing on his face.
He had only done a few more minutes of busy work when the bell above the door rang again, announcing a customer. "Hey, Andrew," Carter's older brother called as he let the door swing shut behind him with another ring of the bell.
Carter nearly choked on his candy at the yell, but he had the presence of mind to shove the half-melted ball of sugar underneath his tongue before he turned to answer. "What do you want, Chris?" he replied.
"Today's paper here yet?" Chris asked, crossing the small store in four easy strides.
"Not yet," Carter answered. "It should be here any minute though." He was using every ounce of the willpower that he had built up over the years to refrain from sucking on the candy, even as the super-sweetened saliva pooled in his mouth.
Chris cocked his head to the side, evaluating his younger brother's actions. "Are you into the jawbreakers already this morning?" he asked after a few moments of observation.
Carter shook his head, perhaps a little to zealously. "No siree!" he assured Chris. "Why it's not even lunchtime yet."
Chris kept Carter under his gaze for another long minute. Carter could feel the candy dissolving beneath his tongue, but he was determined that this time Chris wouldn't catch him. It was a battle of wills that had been going on for years between the two of them.
"Have you seen Brian around yet?" Chris questioned, still keeping his sharp eyes glued on Carter's face. "He was supposed to help me paint the fences, but he skedaddled as soon as the sun was up."
Carter pretended to think for a minute, using the opportunity to inconspicuously suck on the jawbreaker. "Nope," he told Chris after a moment's thought. "I haven't seen him since last night. But I do have a couple of suggestions about where you might find him."
Chris held up his hands. "Whoa," he retorted, "I'm not that desperate yet. Besides, if I know Brian, he'll be back by lunchtime." Carter nodded his agreement as the bell announced the arrival of the papers.
The man hauled he bundles into the store and deposited them on the counter between the two brothers. "Sorry it took so long today, Andrew," he apologized. "But they had some delay at the printers and they wouldn't release them until eleven. And you're the last stop on my run."
"It's okay, Jim," Andrew assured him, bending over the papers and sucking on his candy again. "Chris here is always the first one to ask after them anyway," he continued with a grin up at Jim. "Enjoy your Sunday."
"Will do," Jim replied, backing out of the store. "I'll see you again Wednesday. Hopefully I won't keep your brother waiting then," he added, smiling at Chris.
Chris reached across the counter to playfully punch his brother's arm. "What'd you have to go and say that for?" he teased. "Makes me sound like a geek."
Carter stuck his tongue out at his brother, forgetting completely about his candy. Chris instantly noticed the bright streaks of colour on his brother's tongue. "Caught again," Chris quipped, wagging his finger at Carter.
Carter's face turned red as he reached for the scissors. "Let's see what was so important that it had to wait until eleven," he said instead, ignoring his brother's self-satisfied grin. The pretense abandoned, he sucked happily on the candy as he peeled back the protective brown paper wrapper.
Chris peered across the counter eagerly, anxious to know what was going on outside the small world of Muncie gossip. He started to whistle a tune gaily, happy at having tripped up his brother again. But as the stark headline was revealed, he lapsed into silence.
The Time For Peace Is Over – Britain and France Will Fight