Day Four of Omicron and the plot bunnies won't leave my head-but taking a short respite from FF writing for accreditation and my blogs are calling. Be back soon and hope you have enjoyed Desespoir as much as I have written it. All the personal messages are appreciated and keep my creative juices rolling! Thank you as always to LainieLou and GinGin for your encouragement and reviews, ModocGal for my questions, Mal for my French, the indomitable EireRose for her characters, and of course JTBGirl and BlueEyes for keeping me going-or I would have quit stories ago! You are the best!
FIVE years after Désespoir, A Flock of Trouble
Tab, Jon, and Jack waited impatiently for their girl cousins to come out to the road. Aunt Audra would be taking them to school.
The new term started today, the first day of September. They were anxious to see their friends after a long, hot summer at the ranch and in the city.
It was Jonathan Nicholas Barkley's first day of school but he was trying to keep up with the older boys and not act scared. He was so Nick's son.
Rose, Sophie, and Mae came out first. New ribbons, shined shoes and pinafores adorned them. They complimented each other on their clothing and lunch pails. This was their second year in school at age eight and nine.
"All the girls from Sunday School have already met the new teacher while we were in San Francisco. It's not fair." lamented Mae, Nick's twin daughter.
Her twin sister Sophie, "Oh Mae, it will be fine. You are a wart."
The family had spent over a month in San Francisco for the visit of the Captain and Mama-Marie Beaufort from France. Parties, shopping, and touring the town had been the order of the day.
The Captain finally signed off on the French portion of the adoption of Liesel's children, happy with Jarrod's performance for Beaufort Shipping. He had amassed a fortune for the company along with the Breckinridge holdings and Carrington Banks.
The children knew no difference due to Barkley values and Liesel's strong sense of virtues. Mama Marie's extravagant spoiling was the first the children knew of excess; Liesel refrained from saying anything since their visits were rare, every three years or so.
The children had chores, lessons, church service, and a limited amount of possessions. They began going with Audra at young ages to volunteer at the orphanages she built around the state.
Jarrod bought a new home on an acre outside San Francisco for horses and a menagerie of pets for their expanding family but still spent the school year in Stockton. Liesel did not enjoy living in a bustling city but became a patron of the arboretum and the art museum. He also purchased a beach home in Monterey for family trips.
Jarrod still enjoyed fine tailoring, cigars, and rare scotch. He enjoyed his amenities while expanding their empire into the golden age. He had finally found contentment in his growing family of six and his Liesel.
Liesel owned a fine collection of amethyst jewelry after their six years of marriage. Jarrod had brokers always on the lookout for another amethyst to gift his wife.
—&—-
Rose was more nervous than the twins; she excelled in school and was at the top of her class. But her lapses into French caused her embarrassment and teasing from some of the girls.
"Fancy smancy Frenchie" they would tease.
Her cousins would immediately take up for her but it wasn't enough.
Jarrod had talked to her yesterday when Katarina mentioned her fear. Sophie had told her mother and she, in turn, told Nick who told Jarrod.
"Rose, I understand some of the girls haven't been kind about your French heritage."
"It's fine Pappy. I just wish I wouldn't slip up sometimes. Jack never does it. I know Mamere still does it all the time. I just get to talking and French words slip out. I want to be an American just like the rest of the Barkley's."
"You are my Rose-Marie. You are an American. You have a gift of being fluent in two languages and thinking in both. Did you know we wouldn't have won the American Revolution without the French? General Lafayette served his country and George Washington. He probably spoke just as you do—- the best of both languages" and he hugged her.
"Thank you Pappy, for trying to make me feel better," she told him.
He laughed, "Well it's true I promise." To his pragmatic daughter.
"Oh, I believe you Pappy. I just want to punch Susie and Sally and Mildred in the nose sometimes. They are odieuse. See, I mean hateful."
He kissed her on the top of her auburn curls, identical to her mother.
"Oh Pappy, you know I wouldn't but I just want to."
"Oh Rose, I know the feeling well."
—&—
Lissy, Emmie, and Nattie came out with their mothers to wave goodbye. They were all five now and had one more year at home. Lissy was blonde and blue-eyed whereas the twins were distinctively black curly-haired and carried Liesel's memorable green eyes.
Jarrod had the twins reading already and it was obvious they had their parents' keen minds.
Liesel had two toddling boys she was corralling at the same time. Jarrod Thomas Barkley was three and nicknamed Chip by Nick at birth.
The first time his uncle held him he remarked, "Whoa Jarrod, another chip off the old Barkley block." with his full head of black hair and sapphire eyes.
The name stuck, much to Liesel's chagrin.
She put up with it out of love for Nick but she had remarked to Victoria, "Will any of these children ever go by their given names in this family?"
Her second son had just had his first birthday, Robert Beaufort and of course, he went by Beau.
Victoria smiled, "Doesn't seem like it does it?" tossing the youngster's auburn ringlets.
Scotty and Audra were the last to come outside. Red-rimmed eyes and an excited little girl seemed to contradict each other.
"Sorry, we are making everyone wait. I didn't expect this to be so hard."
Isabella, "Do you want one of us to go with you?"
Scotty interrupted, "Aunt Bella, can you take me to school? Mommy keeps crying about how fast I have grown up. I want to go and see what school is all about."
They laughed and Audra said, "I know I am being silly but it seems like the other day, I was rocking her to sleep."
Isabella smiled, "I understand. I can't believe it will be our time next year. Her two little brothers won't know what to do without her bossing them around all day." bouncing baby Hannah on her hip.
Lissy replied, "I am not bossy, I just know best. Papa says I am just spirit'd"
"Yes Heath would say that" she grinned in merriment, "Thomson and Si can't get by with a thing with your Papa. You on the other hand are 'his little girl'.
She looked at the chubby blonde-haired Hannah on her hip, "You are on the same path, missy"
Katarina came out with little three-year-old Bess in tow, largely pregnant again to wave goodbye to Tab, Jonathan, and her twins.
They waved to the children until Audra drove the buggy full of the next generation of Barkley's out of sight. A buggy full of seven children was no small endeavor reaching the schoolhouse but Audra was up for the challenge.
—-&—-
Audra tethered up the rig and the older children ran into the building laughing and greeting their friends.
Despite his earlier bravado, Jon tensed up and walked with her slowly. He even reached up and held her hand for a brief moment.
Scotty on the other hand was trying to run ahead with her cousins, "I am not a baby, Mother. I can go by myself."
Audra flinched but since Jon was still staying close to her side, "I will walk both of you into school on your first day."
They found their seats and met their teachers. Jon pensively unpacked his supplies whereas Scotty looked around and said hello to all of the other students.
Audra started to back out and try to stymie the tears in front of the children.
She backed smack into Carl bringing Grace Anne into her seat, right across from Scotty.
As they collided, they both laughed realizing it was each other.
"Sorry, Audra. I wasn't paying attention. Grace Anne's ribbon slipped and I was trying to tie up that braid."
"Still doing her hair", she smiled.
"Hi Miss Audra" the brown-haired brown-eyed little girl spoke up.
"Hello, Grace Anne. I love your dress and ribbons."
"Papa got Maggie to get me some new school dresses made. Hi Scotty!"
The little girls knew each other from the ranch and Sunday school.
"Hi, Grace Anne. Want to play at recess?"
"Scotty? That's a boy's name." Piped up an older boy. "Yeah, it is," added his friend.
Carl glared at the boys, "You boys had any manners or home-training? You owe the lady an apology."
"Yes sir," they said in unison, fearing the cowboy's scowl.
He stared them down as they apologized to the unshaken Scotty.
"Thank you, Carl"
They walked out together with the last of the parents. The teachers rang the bell and school began.
Audra looked back one more time.
Carl took her arm, "They are gonna be fine. I have been telling myself the same thing. It's part of life. Plus Audra, with Wheeler and Barkley blood, those girls can hold their own with any city kids. Did you see your girl give that menacing look back at those heathen boys?"
"Yes I did" she grinned "and Yes they can."
She laughed, drying her tears.
He walked her out to the Barkley rig. He tapped his hat and turned around. She got up in the seat and adjusted the reins.
He took a deep breath and turned around, "Hey Audra, would you like to grab a coffee at the cafe?"
She hesitated. For the past five years she shared an uncomfortable bond with Carl.
Single parents with a painful, romantic past.
Stubbornly holding on to Emily Anne and Scott doggedly.
Polite conversations at the ranch and at church and town gatherings.
They sat next to each other at the Fourth of July parade a few months before. Grace Anne and Scotty devoured candy apples and pulled taffy.
They laughed freely with each other for the first time—-and after six years, it felt good.
"Yes Carl, I think I would like that."
He took her reins and jumped into the cart. They rode into town smiling and talking.
"Carl, Carl look!"
He turned his head and started laughing.
Two peacocks were being run out of the general store with a broom.