A/N: Hi guys, finally got this done, and it is a bit of a relief, lol. The epilogue took forever to finish even though most of it was already written, or maybe because of that as some parts I really wanted to work wound up just not after the last chapter, and also because I'd read it all so many times I was completely sick of it and entirely unable to be objective, lol. But finally, with a few scenes removed and a couple added I've got it up to my standards, and I hope you guys will really enjoy it too. If you do please let me know with a review, there even better than cookies, which are you know, really good :)
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Buck squinted down at the paper, chewing on the end of the pen, face screwed up in concentration. Then he yanked the pen out of his mouth, cussing quietly and wiping it on his shirt-JD had been awfully curious about why Buck needed to borrow a pen and ink, and a little reluctant to lend it to him. If it came back with his teeth marks on it he'd never hear the end of it. He sighed, reading over the paragraph he'd managed to squeeze out so far. It sounded alright enough. Earnest. He hoped.
Dear Judge Travis,
I'm writing to you about a matter dear to my heart, and hoping you might be able to help me out. You probably remember that I've had a young cousin staying with me for a few months shy of a year now, Ezra is his name...
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"You got your canteen on you?" Ezra, eager to join Eli and Henry in their veritable rush out of town, made a face at Chris's question, the man's matter of fact tone making it clear that this was an obstacle he'd have to surpass.
"No, sir, but we're only venturing to the swimming hole, and there is no lack of water there." He finished with a winning smile, even as part of his mind was contemplating actually drinking the water that was still regularly filled with bodies despite the cooling weather and shuddering.
"You can go get your canteen and fill it first." With that, Chris turned back to helping unload the packages Miss Mary had ordered off the stage. Ezra held in a huff, knowing it would do the opposite of helping his cause. He could see Eli and Henry waiting at the end of the boardwalk, Eli just playing with something in his hands, but Henry was shifting from foot to foot, starting to get annoyed. They were close enough that he was likely able to hear their discussion as well, and he already put on airs about being older.
Besides, it was never a wise idea for Ezra to stay away too long when they were his companions, a fight was almost inevitable without him as a buffer and then they would never get out of town. "But, Chris-"
"Ezra," He said it mildly, but stopped what he was doing to turn back to him, and Ezra decided to cut his losses before he was not allowed to go at all.
"Alright, Ah suppose if it will give you peace of mind it is worth the trouble." He made it clear in his tone that he was doing this to honor Chris's wishes despite how absurd they were and got a raised eyebrow in response-but also a glimmer of amusement in the orb below it-and turned to hurry to the boarding house and back. He'd still have to go to the pump-Ezra halted mid-step as Chris's hand came down on his shoulder, glancing around to see that Chris's gaze was pointed down the boardwalk rather than on him.
"The other boys don't mind waiting," and raising his voice so it would carry easily to the end of the street, called out, "Do you?"
Eli's lazy call of, "Nope!" as he tossed what Ezra was now fairly sure was a small ball back and forth was more reassuring than Henry's silent shake of his head and half smile. Which, really, was only to be expected. Shooting a quick, but genuine smile at Chris, Ezra darted down the promenade as soon as the older man lifted his hand, a quiet chuckle following him.
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Sitting, or in Eli's case sprawled across, the church's back porch in what had become their customary gathering spot, a meeting of the Four Corners Improvement Society was coming to an end as the sun began to drag itself lower in the sky. In the weeks they had been helping Josiah come up with ideas for the church, both Ezra and Eli had begun to consider themselves rather astute in the art of social planning. Alright, Ezra thought, taking a bite out of the shiny apple he'd just polished on his jacket, he had to concede that Eli probably would not phrase it that way. Still, socials, talent shows and every manner of event had been bandied back and forth, and while the preacher had put his foot down on the idea of charging out of town folks for coming to the as yet unheld church socials, his idea for a donations accepted sign for the (hopefully) upcoming talent show had been praised. Mrs. Travis was going to pen an article about it for the paper, and Ezra was sure it would be a stunning success.
In the coming spring they might even have a game day, with contests and prizes, and while that had little to do with fundraising, Josiah had said it was community building and a worthwhile endeavor. Ezra took another bite of his apple, pulling his mind away from possible prizes-they might ask some of the local merchants to donate small things, and he hoped it was not considered passé for the organizers to participate-and back onto the matter at hand.
Currently, and partially to Ezra's disgust-partially, because if it were not for the images of nails and paint parading past his mind's eye as his friend spoke, Ezra would have been in full agreement that it was a marvelous idea-Eli was suggesting a work party, growing more and more animated as Josiah nodded along, seeming pleased. Really, it sounded just like a social, except that they would spend the beginning of the event working on the church, the town's citizenry hopefully finding the allure of the feast to follow and cool drinks during reason to work and maybe even provide some supplies. Nothing truly appealed to Ezra in the same way as those plans that involved the making of actual currency, but it had been pointed out to him that very few of those who actually lived in the vicinity had an abundant source of that, and so exchanging like with like was far more inclined to draw a crowd. Being realistic was truly a tiring way to live, whatever other benefits it might hold.
Their greatest achievement by far, however, would take place the following week. A town picnic, with Albert Fenny and Mr. Johanson providing music. There was already discussion everywhere about who was bringing what delectable foodstuff, and if even a tenth of it was delivered on it would feed the entire town twice over. He simply couldn't wait. Well, perhaps he could wait for the singalong his cousin had proposed, Ezra thought he might disappear for that portion of the festivities-but that didn't change the fact that he felt sure it would be simply wonderful. There had been those who had doubted at the idea of their getting everyone to participate, but after the rousing success this was sure to be Hen-those people would have to swallow their words.
Ezra had to admit, if only to himself, that he truly felt no astonishment that it had been one of his ideas that had become the most popular of their upcoming plans. It was only fitting.
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Grinning, Buck made his way over the slightly grassy, mostly sandy, little shore to the log JD had helped him pull over earlier. Billy, chasing after little Callie Greengrass in a game of tag, ran right in front of him and the tall man had to pull himself short, shaking his head and chuckling softly at the little ones enthusiasm. It was a right nice day for a get together, the wide clearing by the swimming hole the perfect place for it-and after the last rain they'd had it was actually plenty deep enough for a swim, though with the mixed company no one but the children had even been in to wade. Finally making it to his resting place, Buck settled himself down and stretched out his legs. Looking over at both Ezra and Eli making nice to Josiah where he'd sat himself with some book he'd been reading bits of out loud, and the indulgent look on the preacher's face, he thought that maybe the boys' last minute plan for a bonfire later might actually happen. Yep, this had been exactly what they needed after all the hullabaloo last month, even if things did seem to have been settled down for awhile now.
Buck patted his pocket and ignored the twinge of nerves in his gut. Later, when the day was over and the time was right. Later.
Ezra was not sure he cared for most of the excerpts that Josiah was sharing from Sir Sidney's Arcadia, but he was not entirely sure he did not care for them either. The language was rather beautiful, and flowed well, but he did not think much of any of the character's sense. Possibly, it was the sort of volume one needed to read for themselves, needed to spend time lingering over the words and examining the character's motives, or possibly it was that Josiah was choosing those passages that resonated closest to his own soul, and that it was different ones that would linger in Ezra's mind.
Ezra liked that phrase, 'resonated closest to his soul'. He'd heard Mrs. Potter use it, and thought it almost poetry, though she had been discussing nothing more interesting than her late husband's favorite Psalms. If Ezra were going to select a volume of the Bible that he was least interested in, it would be Psalms.
Glancing over at Eli as Josiah paused in his oration, taking a breath, Ezra wasn't sure whether he was amused or annoyed. The other boy had moved a while ago to stretch out on his stomach in the sparse greenery and appeared to be nearly asleep. Josiah thinking it would soon be close to the time for them to find their beds would not aid them at all in their quest to extend the picnic into a bonfire as evening descended. Cousin Buck had already said he was agreeable to their plan, but that at least a few other adults would need to be recruited and that if Eli's mother didn't stay then they had to get permission for him to spend the night in Ezra's room. Ezra thought that that was a delightful addition and Eli thoroughly agreed.
Now they merely had to recruit said adults, and after a brief discussion had agreed that next to JD, who they weren't entirely certain Buck would count as an adult, Josiah would be the easiest to bring around to their viewpoint. Eli falling asleep, and Ezra could hear him softly snoring now, *was* not part of the plan.
Though, actually, cocking his head as he thought and losing track entirely of the narrative, if he slept now, surely no one would be able to say that he hadn't enough sleep to stay awake for a bonfire…
If it weren't for the fact that he was certain it was the ham sandwiches and custard tarts Eli had eaten nearly a dozen of altogether causing his friend to snore Ezra would feel he owed him a compliment on his cleverness.
Ezra himself had eaten rather more than his usual, though he preferred the berry pie Mrs. Travis had provided to the custard. Shifting a little in the sand and saying a silent apology to his trouser seat, Ezra positioned himself so that he could lean against the side of the large rock that Josiah was using as a backrest. There was something extremely relaxing about sitting in the sun, feeling slightly overstuffed, and listening to a trusted companion's voice speak beautiful words you weren't quite paying attention to, becoming a soothing flow of sound by your ear. It was almost like a song.
Ezra decided right then and there that this was an experience he was going to take every opportunity to repeat.
Slowly, the combination of the sun, his full belly, Eli's soft snores, and the deep drone of Josiah's words worked its magic, and though at first Ezra tried to keep his eyes open-surely, it was undignified to slumber in public-he found that his body refused to listen to his orders, and eventually ceased to give them.
*.*.*.*
The sun had set and most of the people of Four Corners had headed back to town or to their respective farms and homesteads long ago. The crowd still sitting around the probably-a-little too-big bonfire, popping and crackling and making the night air nice and toasty, was in it for the long haul, or at least no one had headed off yet. Buck chuckled quietly to himself, once it had been revealed the boys had already gathered up enough dry wood for the bonfire all by themselves not a one of those they'd asked to 'supervise the evening festivities' had been able to say no. They'd just plain been too earnest and excited. Mrs. Potter had even let the twins stay, putting Josiah in charge of getting them home and leaving with Mary and Billy.
Right now all four were bugging Nathan for a ghost story, Josiah having let it slip that the healer could apparently spin quite a spooky one. Nate, who'd been planning to head back right around the time Josiah had spilled the beans, was kinda grumbly, but he'd yet to actually say no which more than likely meant he'd start any second now. How could he not with all four of them turning puppy eyes up at him?
Shifting a little back as an ember popped and flew too close to his new neckerchief, Buck's gaze lingered on his cousin, cajoling smile on his face as he sweet talked Nathan. His hand came up and patted absently over where he had two letters tucked safely into the inside pocket of his coat. One was his latest reply from the Judge. The other, more delicate script across the top, that had come tucked inside the Judge's, was for Ezra.
Smiling as Ezra threw back his head and laughed from some quip Nathan had just thrown at him, Buck let his hand fall to his lap. It could wait. It could wait.