Caustic Cousins: The Cleaning Caper Part 2
James clucked to the horses and had them turn off at the old fishing hole. Crystal scrambled out of the wagon, both because she was excited and because she was ecstatic to get her still-tender bum off the hard wood. She immediately grabbed their fishing poles and headed down to her favorite spot of the pond. There, the willow trees gracefully bent over the calm water, providing just enough shade on a hot summer day.
To Crystal's delight her two greatest friends were already there. "Laura! Mary!" she squealed happily, running as well as she possibly could with three fishing poles and a pail of bait in her hands.
"Crystal!" crowed Laura, jumping up and running to greet her friend. As she did so she kicked up a mess of mud, splattering the back of Mary's dress.
"Laura Ingalls! Just look what you did!" her sister snapped. "Pa's already angry with you; I'm sure glad I'm not in your skin."
Laura looked forlorn for a second, then shrugged. "Was bound to happen over something anyway. He's had his long johns in a bunch all week."
Crystal stopped though, looking askance. Laura and Mary immediately picked up on their friend's discomfort. "What is it, Crystal?" Mary inquired gently. Just as Crystal was about to tell her, a great crashing sound in the brush could be heard.
"What in the world?" asked Laura as she peered over Crystal's shoulder, trying to get a better view.
Crystal sighed. "THAT would be my cousin Danielle, probably having trouble getting down the slope."
Mary brightened. "That's right! I'm so sorry! I forgot all about her coming! I didn't know she liked to fish. That's so neat! You're so lucky, Crystal.." She stopped short as she noticed the sour glare on her friend's face. For the second time that morning she asked, "What is it, Crystal?"
"Let me go clear it with Pa, and then maybe the three of us could go talk a minute.. alone."
The two sisters nodded then added, "Come on, Mary, let's go meet her!" Mary looked at Crystal for the okay, and Crystal shrugged. Once she had set down the fishing supplies down on the bank the three girls raced back up the bank. Just as Crystal had predicted, James was having to aid his niece around every little stone and branch. Even HE was getting slightly irritated, but wisely chose to keep quiet.
"Hey, Papa!" Crystal greeted him congenially.
"Hey, sweetie. Oh, hi Laura, Mary!" he greeted the trio.
"Pa," Crystal asked sweetly and nervously, "while you show Danielle how to fish, would you mind if I went with Laura and Mary for a few minutes? They need to talk to me alone for just a bit."
James thought it over for a while, then shrugged. "As long as you hurry back, I don't see why not. Just remember, you wanted this time with your cousin, so I don't want you to just go running off and abandoning her."
"I won't Pa! Thanks! The fishing poles and bait are already on the bank. See you soon!" With that the two Ingalls girls and Crystal scampered down the bank a ways, just far enough that they couldn't be heard.
Crystal slumped down on a log, yelping slightly. Before long she had her face buried in her arms and she was sobbing her heart out. Quickly Laura and Mary sat down on either side of her and held her. "Oh Crystal, you can tell us what happened. Come on," Mary said softly.
"It.. It's just not FAIR!" Crystal cried.
"What isn't?" Laura asked. "Did you get punished unfairly or something?"
"No.. It's all that little witch's fault!" she replied, gesturing toward Danielle.
"What's wrong? Did she get you in trouble?" Mary asked, genuinely concerned.
"No, although she's threatening to. And she.. She went out and was peeping at me last night."
"Huh?" Laura and Mary asked. They knew that their friend had recently started getting spanked, but it was always in the comfort of her own home, and it was never harsh by their standards.
"Ma and Pa have decided that I have to start getting strapped when I do really bad things," Crystal admitted. "Last night was my first time, and that little twit was right outside, peeking into the barn!"
"Oh Crystal, I'm so sorry!" Laura said. "I've been on the receiving end of Pa's strap more than enough, so I really understand." With a look at her sister she rolled her eyes. "Gonna be again today after what I did to Mary's dress. Oh well. How bad was it for you?"
"That's something else! Pa said it was barely what I'll eventually get, and it still hurts today!" Crystal moaned.
"Yeah, that thing hurts worse than anything else I've ever felt," Mary sighed, truly feeling sorry for her friend.
"But the worst part is how Danielle kept teasing me last night, threatening to tell Ma and Pa that I did things or said things that I hadn't.. She even stole my bed and is making me sleep in the trundle!"
"Why that little witch!" Laura exclaimed as she stood up. "Why don't you just tell your parents?"
"They won't believe me that she was peeking in, and are adamant that I stop blaming her," Crystal said, her gaze cold. "And I just KNOW she's got something else in store for me," she sighed. "I don't know WHAT, exactly, but there's something."
"Surely your parents can tell she's rude though!" exclaimed Mary, but Crystal just shook her head miserably.
"She sucks up to them and they are buying it! ARGH!" Crystal yelled as loudly as she dared while standing and stomping.
"Wow, that really stinks," Laura commiserated. "Would you like me and Mary to come and fish with you guys to help keep you company?"
"It's Mary and I," Mary corrected, "but we'd be happy to come with you, Crystal."
Crystal's face lit up with gratitude. "Thank you so much! I had no idea how I was going to get through the entire day."
The three adolescents made their way back to James and Danielle. "Hi Pa!" Crystal called out. "Thanks for giving me a few minutes with Laura and Mary. Oh, and Danielle, these are my best friends, Laura and Mary. Obviously, this is my cousin, Danielle."
Laura had a stony glare as she was introduced but Mary elbowed her, and with a sigh she was able to drop it. "It's a pleasure to meet you," Mary said congenially.
"Yeah, hi," muttered Laura. Once again Mary elbowed her sister, and Laura added, "I've heard SO MUCH about you." Danielle glared at first Laura and then Crystal, but since she was in the presence of her uncle she soon was smiling sweetly.
"The pleasure is all mine," she answered.
Everyone sat in rather stony silence, not quite sure what to say. Danielle REALLY wasn't having a fun time, although she had no one to truly blame but herself for this one. But she just KNEW that that brat of a cousin of hers had been talking about her behind her back to those. dirty girls.. That Laura and Mary.
Suddenly James shot up from his seat. "Oh my goodness," he said. "Crystal, get the fish and the poles. I've got to get both of you back to the farm, NOW!" he roared. Concerned, all four girls turned to look at what James had been looking at. It didn't take long for them to see the thick black smoke that was coming up over the horizon. Crystal scrambled down to the water's edge and grabbed the fish, thrusting the poles into her cousin's hands with glare just DARING her to argue. Thankfully, she didn't.
"Laura, Mary, I would suggest you get home too. Tell your pa that there's a fire at the Johansson's place!" James hollered from the top of the bank. Both sisters quickly gathered up their things and scampered off. By this time Crystal had already scrambled up into the back of the wagon. Slowly, slipping on the slightest amount of twigs and leaves, Danielle made her way up the slope as well. Crystal rolled her eyes.
"Come on Danielle!" she urged. Finally her cousin had made it up into the wagon, her hand landing on one of the strung up fish. She jerked her hand away, looking at the slime that was oozing down it. Her face crinkled up in disgust, and Crystal realized that her cousin hadn't caught a single fish that day. Then she looked at her cousin's pole and noticed that it was the only one without bait. The realization that she had been fishing without a worm just so she wouldn't have to handle the fish dawned on Crystal and she rolled her eyes, but quickly her fear for their neighbors overtook those thoughts. The way the wind was blowing, if the fire wasn't contained soon, their house would be next!
With James racing the horses all the way back to the farm it was only a matter of minutes before they pulled up in front of the door. Julia was already hurrying out, soaked pillowcases and bags in hand. "Thank God you're back!" She yelled.
"I know. Girls.. I'm sorry but I'm going to need you to pick up your ma's and my chores today. First, Crystal I want you to show Danielle how to clean the fish. There are a lot there so it will take her a while to do them all. Make sure she knows what she's doing before you leave her. After that I'll you decide what she does or doesn't do. Hopefully we will be home soon!"
"Yes, Pa!" Crystal called out. With that James and Julia were galloping down the road as fast as their horses' hooves would take them.
Suddenly, Danielle knew just what she could do to get her cousin in further trouble.
James clucked to the horses and had them turn off at the old fishing hole. Crystal scrambled out of the wagon, both because she was excited and because she was ecstatic to get her still-tender bum off the hard wood. She immediately grabbed their fishing poles and headed down to her favorite spot of the pond. There, the willow trees gracefully bent over the calm water, providing just enough shade on a hot summer day.
To Crystal's delight her two greatest friends were already there. "Laura! Mary!" she squealed happily, running as well as she possibly could with three fishing poles and a pail of bait in her hands.
"Crystal!" crowed Laura, jumping up and running to greet her friend. As she did so she kicked up a mess of mud, splattering the back of Mary's dress.
"Laura Ingalls! Just look what you did!" her sister snapped. "Pa's already angry with you; I'm sure glad I'm not in your skin."
Laura looked forlorn for a second, then shrugged. "Was bound to happen over something anyway. He's had his long johns in a bunch all week."
Crystal stopped though, looking askance. Laura and Mary immediately picked up on their friend's discomfort. "What is it, Crystal?" Mary inquired gently. Just as Crystal was about to tell her, a great crashing sound in the brush could be heard.
"What in the world?" asked Laura as she peered over Crystal's shoulder, trying to get a better view.
Crystal sighed. "THAT would be my cousin Danielle, probably having trouble getting down the slope."
Mary brightened. "That's right! I'm so sorry! I forgot all about her coming! I didn't know she liked to fish. That's so neat! You're so lucky, Crystal.." She stopped short as she noticed the sour glare on her friend's face. For the second time that morning she asked, "What is it, Crystal?"
"Let me go clear it with Pa, and then maybe the three of us could go talk a minute.. alone."
The two sisters nodded then added, "Come on, Mary, let's go meet her!" Mary looked at Crystal for the okay, and Crystal shrugged. Once she had set down the fishing supplies down on the bank the three girls raced back up the bank. Just as Crystal had predicted, James was having to aid his niece around every little stone and branch. Even HE was getting slightly irritated, but wisely chose to keep quiet.
"Hey, Papa!" Crystal greeted him congenially.
"Hey, sweetie. Oh, hi Laura, Mary!" he greeted the trio.
"Pa," Crystal asked sweetly and nervously, "while you show Danielle how to fish, would you mind if I went with Laura and Mary for a few minutes? They need to talk to me alone for just a bit."
James thought it over for a while, then shrugged. "As long as you hurry back, I don't see why not. Just remember, you wanted this time with your cousin, so I don't want you to just go running off and abandoning her."
"I won't Pa! Thanks! The fishing poles and bait are already on the bank. See you soon!" With that the two Ingalls girls and Crystal scampered down the bank a ways, just far enough that they couldn't be heard.
Crystal slumped down on a log, yelping slightly. Before long she had her face buried in her arms and she was sobbing her heart out. Quickly Laura and Mary sat down on either side of her and held her. "Oh Crystal, you can tell us what happened. Come on," Mary said softly.
"It.. It's just not FAIR!" Crystal cried.
"What isn't?" Laura asked. "Did you get punished unfairly or something?"
"No.. It's all that little witch's fault!" she replied, gesturing toward Danielle.
"What's wrong? Did she get you in trouble?" Mary asked, genuinely concerned.
"No, although she's threatening to. And she.. She went out and was peeping at me last night."
"Huh?" Laura and Mary asked. They knew that their friend had recently started getting spanked, but it was always in the comfort of her own home, and it was never harsh by their standards.
"Ma and Pa have decided that I have to start getting strapped when I do really bad things," Crystal admitted. "Last night was my first time, and that little twit was right outside, peeking into the barn!"
"Oh Crystal, I'm so sorry!" Laura said. "I've been on the receiving end of Pa's strap more than enough, so I really understand." With a look at her sister she rolled her eyes. "Gonna be again today after what I did to Mary's dress. Oh well. How bad was it for you?"
"That's something else! Pa said it was barely what I'll eventually get, and it still hurts today!" Crystal moaned.
"Yeah, that thing hurts worse than anything else I've ever felt," Mary sighed, truly feeling sorry for her friend.
"But the worst part is how Danielle kept teasing me last night, threatening to tell Ma and Pa that I did things or said things that I hadn't.. She even stole my bed and is making me sleep in the trundle!"
"Why that little witch!" Laura exclaimed as she stood up. "Why don't you just tell your parents?"
"They won't believe me that she was peeking in, and are adamant that I stop blaming her," Crystal said, her gaze cold. "And I just KNOW she's got something else in store for me," she sighed. "I don't know WHAT, exactly, but there's something."
"Surely your parents can tell she's rude though!" exclaimed Mary, but Crystal just shook her head miserably.
"She sucks up to them and they are buying it! ARGH!" Crystal yelled as loudly as she dared while standing and stomping.
"Wow, that really stinks," Laura commiserated. "Would you like me and Mary to come and fish with you guys to help keep you company?"
"It's Mary and I," Mary corrected, "but we'd be happy to come with you, Crystal."
Crystal's face lit up with gratitude. "Thank you so much! I had no idea how I was going to get through the entire day."
The three adolescents made their way back to James and Danielle. "Hi Pa!" Crystal called out. "Thanks for giving me a few minutes with Laura and Mary. Oh, and Danielle, these are my best friends, Laura and Mary. Obviously, this is my cousin, Danielle."
Laura had a stony glare as she was introduced but Mary elbowed her, and with a sigh she was able to drop it. "It's a pleasure to meet you," Mary said congenially.
"Yeah, hi," muttered Laura. Once again Mary elbowed her sister, and Laura added, "I've heard SO MUCH about you." Danielle glared at first Laura and then Crystal, but since she was in the presence of her uncle she soon was smiling sweetly.
"The pleasure is all mine," she answered.
Everyone sat in rather stony silence, not quite sure what to say. Danielle REALLY wasn't having a fun time, although she had no one to truly blame but herself for this one. But she just KNEW that that brat of a cousin of hers had been talking about her behind her back to those. dirty girls.. That Laura and Mary.
Suddenly James shot up from his seat. "Oh my goodness," he said. "Crystal, get the fish and the poles. I've got to get both of you back to the farm, NOW!" he roared. Concerned, all four girls turned to look at what James had been looking at. It didn't take long for them to see the thick black smoke that was coming up over the horizon. Crystal scrambled down to the water's edge and grabbed the fish, thrusting the poles into her cousin's hands with glare just DARING her to argue. Thankfully, she didn't.
"Laura, Mary, I would suggest you get home too. Tell your pa that there's a fire at the Johansson's place!" James hollered from the top of the bank. Both sisters quickly gathered up their things and scampered off. By this time Crystal had already scrambled up into the back of the wagon. Slowly, slipping on the slightest amount of twigs and leaves, Danielle made her way up the slope as well. Crystal rolled her eyes.
"Come on Danielle!" she urged. Finally her cousin had made it up into the wagon, her hand landing on one of the strung up fish. She jerked her hand away, looking at the slime that was oozing down it. Her face crinkled up in disgust, and Crystal realized that her cousin hadn't caught a single fish that day. Then she looked at her cousin's pole and noticed that it was the only one without bait. The realization that she had been fishing without a worm just so she wouldn't have to handle the fish dawned on Crystal and she rolled her eyes, but quickly her fear for their neighbors overtook those thoughts. The way the wind was blowing, if the fire wasn't contained soon, their house would be next!
With James racing the horses all the way back to the farm it was only a matter of minutes before they pulled up in front of the door. Julia was already hurrying out, soaked pillowcases and bags in hand. "Thank God you're back!" She yelled.
"I know. Girls.. I'm sorry but I'm going to need you to pick up your ma's and my chores today. First, Crystal I want you to show Danielle how to clean the fish. There are a lot there so it will take her a while to do them all. Make sure she knows what she's doing before you leave her. After that I'll you decide what she does or doesn't do. Hopefully we will be home soon!"
"Yes, Pa!" Crystal called out. With that James and Julia were galloping down the road as fast as their horses' hooves would take them.
Suddenly, Danielle knew just what she could do to get her cousin in further trouble.