Disclaimer: I don't own Hogan's Heroes and I'm not making money out of this. Yada, yada, yada... let's get on with the story.
Andrew Carter lay in the double bed he shared with his little brother and stared up at an unfamiliar ceiling. There was a tiny crack in the paint that jagged this way and that. He frowned, thinking, my old room didn't have any cracks. His brother rolled away from him, clutching the blankets as he shifted and pulling them off. Andy shivered and tried, halfheartedly, to tug them back, but his brother had completely cocooned himself and there was no way to get the blankets except to wake the boy up.
He sat up and found his moccasins, sliding the soft leather onto his cold feet. He crossed the dark room and sat cross-legged by the window. He wanted to cry, but he couldn't. He was eight years old for goodness-sake. Practically a man and men don't go around blubbering like babies. Not even when they're scared.
"Andy."
He started at the sound of his name, turning to find Ma standing in the doorway. Her long green dress reminded him of the grass in the prairie that swayed and danced in the wind during the summertime. Which reminded him of the tall, golden wheat that he and Pa had planted so painstakingly. He smiled thinking about it.
"What are you doing up, my Little Deer?" she whispered, checking to make sure her youngest was asleep.
"Thinkin'"
She joined him at the window and with immense grace managed to join him on the floor. "Thinking about what?" she asked, tucking her shawl closer around her shoulders.
A shock of blond hair slipped down into his eyes as he looked down at the floor. "We oughtn't to have come. To Indiana, I mean." Kaya Carter remained silent waiting and listening to her eldest son process things. "It's not fair to do to Cal. He's only four and he won't remember the tree we used to have in the backyard or the barn cats or even the reservation. Then there's Mrs. Pickles! Why Grandpa Carter said she'd have her foal in the spring. I have to be there… she needs me, Ma."
"Cal will have his own memories to make here and we can always visit. I'm sure Grandpa will help Mrs. Pickles with her foaling and the cats are well looked after. The Larsons have a little girl about your size and she was so pleased to care for them."
"What about the Christmas play? I promised everybody I'd be there. I'm one of the wise men..." He turned back to the window as the wind blew, rattling the glass pane and blowing the powdery snow across the empty, cement street. It chilled him worse than any of the winters in North Dakota and he bit his lower lip, then sighed. "It's big here, too big and Billy says that they don't like us, Ma. He says they think we look funny. Do we look funny, Ma?"
She placed a hand over her mouth suppressing a chuckle at the idea her light-skinned, blue-eyed and very blond son would have to worry about such things. "You look mighty fine," she said tenderly, cupping his cheek with both her hands and turning him to look at her. "You, Cal, and Lizzie are the best looking children any ma could ever ask for."
"Stupid bank," he spat, jerking his head away as tears welled up. " I don't see why they had to take our farm. We weren't the only ones to lose our crops. Stupid, old Mr. Faulks."
"Enough," Kaya said firmly. While inwardly she agreed that Gus Faulks was uncharitable and it's true he'd been the one with the power to grant them an extension, but she wouldn't have her son speaking out of turn. Faulks was in the right legally and there wasn't anything to do.
"But, Ma…"
She shook her head. "There wasn't anything to be done. No use crying over spilled milk." Cupping his chin, she again forced him to look at her. His blue eyes, lost and angry, searched hers for answers and guidance. "No matter what happens in life, always look forward. Never back," she said, her voice trembling slightly. "You have such a beautiful spirit, my Little Deer, don't spoil it by holding onto grudges and bad feelings."
Looking into her deep brown eyes, he felt the tears slip down his cheeks. Ma was able to look into his heart, he knew it. She'd be able to see everything he was trying to hide. His anger, his fear, his sadness. He awkwardly pulled away and swiped at the tears with the sleeves of his shirt. "What if Muncie isn't as good as Bullfrog? What'll we do then? What if I don't have any friends like I did in Bullfrog?"
Kaya stood up and then pulled her son up by the hand, placing her arm around his shoulder as she walked him back to bed. "Give Muncie a chance. It might surprise you," she said softly. She put him into the bed, carefully unwrapped Cal, and lay the blankets across both of them. After they were tucked in, she brushed the blond hair up and gave him a kiss on the forehead as he yawned. "Goodnight," she whispered and left the room, leaving the door open to allow heat from the furnace to come in.
Andy lay for a few moment's his eyes fluttering, as he stared up at that stupid crack. He thought about what Ma said. Well, maybe she was right and maybe she wasn't. He'd just have to wait and see for himself. He'd give Muncie until the New Year… If it wasn't good, he'd go back to Bullfrog and live at the reservation. Satisfied with his decision, he rolled over and fell asleep.