Chapter 9 - Expectations

Maggie was the first to see them return.

She'd guessed they'd be back in time for dinner. Jed's stomach was better than a clock and she knew he'd head back as soon as he started to feel hungry.

The boys were laughing together, their trousers rolled up to their knees and their feet covered in mud. There was grass in their hair and even smudges of mud on their faces. She smiled to see Jed looking so happy, before she remembered that Elizabeth might not be prepared to see her newly adopted son - obviously not her choice or her favorite, to judge by her conversation - looking so much like an urchin.

She met David's eye and he followed her gaze out the window. Like her, he smiled before he thought about Elizabeth's reaction, and shot Maggie a look of appeal.

Maggie stood. "Would you all excuse me a moment?"

The others continued with their conversation, David's attention wandering slightly as he watched her approach the two boys.

"Hello, boys! Where are the others?"

"Han and I decided to play on our own! We went down to the creek, Han likes it there just as much as I do!"

Maggie smiled at his excitement, glad that her youngest (and if she was honest, favorite) child had finally found a friend. She loved all of her children, but she couldn't help but love Jed's imagination and enthusiasm, qualities that her other children seemed to lack. She thought of her father and the joy that he seemed to bring to everything. She supposed that it should be no surprise that these two, both so like him in their different ways, were getting along so well.

"You look like you both had fun."

"We did!"

"That being said, it might be an idea if the two of you took a moment to clean up before you come back into the house. Elizabeth might not be ready to see you looking quite like you just escaped from the gypsies!"

Jed laughed, but Hannibal suddenly paled. He hadn't thought about how dirty he was, but had already guessed that his new mother liked things to be neat and tidy. He looked up in alarm.

Maggie felt bad when she saw the effect her words had on him. "Lord, child, it was just a joke! We'll just get you cleaned up a little and you'll look like you spent the morning at church!"

She took Han by the hand and led him over to the water pump. "Let's start by cleaning off those feet and getting your boots back on. Then a little water on your face and run your fingers through your hair and you'll be good as new."

It did help and she thought they looked pretty good, considering. What Elizabeth would think was anyone's guess, but surely even her sister-in-law wouldn't expect two children of that age to go and play together and come back pristine?

Unfortunately, when Maggie led the two children back into the house, she realized that was exactly what Elizabeth had expected.

Elizabeth stared at them in horror. "Hannibal! Look at you! What have you been doing?"

Hannibal hung his head. "Sorry."

"But there's grass in your hair! Your trousers are muddy and wrinkled and there's dirt on your shirt! We just bought those things yesterday! What were you thinking?"

Jed tried to stand up for his friend. "We went down to the creek to play, that's all!"

David put his hand on his wife's shoulder. "Elizabeth, they were just playing. Boys get dirty."

"But David, just look at him! His lovely new clothes!"

Maggie gave Caleb a small push. "Caleb, why don't you take David and the boys outside so Elizabeth and I can talk?"

Knowing that Maggie meant that she was going to talk and Elizabeth was going to listen, the two men gladly grabbed the boys and headed outside.

"Elizabeth, what did you think was going to happen when you send boys out to play? They get dirty! I've been trying to tell you that for years, and now you're going to find out for yourself. I'm not going to let you worry that poor boy just because he went out and had fun for one day in his miserable life! You need to accept that your boys are going to come home in a mess. And with torn clothes," she smiled, remembering, and added, "and sometimes with black eyes and bloody noses."

"But Maggie…"

"No, Elizabeth. Get them some old clothes for when they're playing or working on the farm and enjoy the few short moments every day when you see them looking clean and tidy."

Elizabeth opened her mouth and closed it again. She supposed that she would have to accept that Maggie knew what she was talking about and nodded. "Alright, I'm sorry."

"Now for heaven's sake, say something to that poor boy. He looked terrified."

Elizabeth gave a smile and shook her head at her sister in law. "Maggie, you do exaggerate so. Why on earth would he be terrified? I'm sure he's fine."

Hannibal was terrified.

He hadn't even thought about his new clothes. The excitement of playing outdoors and finding a new friend had driven all other thoughts from his head, and he wasn't used to having nice things to take care of.

He should have been more careful; why hadn't he been more careful?

He knew of children that had been sent back for less than this. They'd bought him brand new clothes and he'd ruined them on his first day there. His heart sank and he felt close to crying.

David and Caleb led the boys outside while the women - or rather, Maggie - talked.

David hadn't noticed Han's distress. He grimaced at Caleb. "Any idea how long she expects us to stand around out here? I'm getting hungry."

"Your guess is as good as mine. She's your sister - you can't have forgotten what she's like."

"No, but I hoped she'd mellowed with age. I wonder where the others got to. You boys know what they're doing?"

Jed looked to see if Han was going to answer, but the other boy wasn't meeting his eyes.

"They went huntin' in the woods, Uncle David."

Caleb laughed. "Maybe they'll bring back dinner!"

Jed thought about the dying squirrel and now he looked away as well.

"Well, since we're standing out here anyway, I wanted to ask your advice about something, Caleb. Come with me a moment. You boys wait here, we'll be right back, okay?"

Without waiting for an answer, they headed off to the barn.

Jed looked nervously at Han. "Han? You okay?"

The boy nodded, but kept his eyes on the ground. He was usually a lot better about keeping his emotions in check, but the past two days had been exhausting.

"Han?" Jed reached for his friend's arm. "Han, what's wrong?"

Han tried to keep his voice steady. "I can't believe that I was so stupid! Look at me! They just bought me all this stuff yesterday and I've spent all day playin' and gettin' dirty."

"So?" Jed couldn't see the problem. He was always getting dirty.

"So, you saw how upset she was!" Han wasn't quite sure what to call her now. 'Ma' didn't seem right anymore.

Jed still couldn't understand why he was so upset. "That's just Aunt Elizabeth, she hates it when things aren't perfect. She's always like that."

His innocent words didn't do anything to make Han feel better. If there was a child that wasn't perfect, that child was Han. He felt a sudden rush of anger.

"Yeah. Perfect like Tom. He was the one she wanted to adopt, not me. I don't even know why they brought me here, but now I've messed it all up. She's never gonna to want to keep me now!"

Jed paled. He didn't want to lose his new friend, but he'd never really liked Aunt Elizabeth. He could easily believe that she would send Han back because he'd got his clothes dirty. But Uncle David… surely he would understand?

"They wouldn't do that,' he protested, but the force of it was ruined when he added, "would they?"

"I've known kids sent back for much less than this… I know one boy that was sent back because the dog didn't like him. An' I know another who got sent back for eating too much. An' one kid because he stole some cookies."

Jed stared at him in horror, feeling guilty for his part in what had happened. "I'll tell them it was my fault!"

"It wouldn't matter and it isn't true anyway." Han sighed, resigned. "I had the best day ever. I'll never forget it. Thanks, Kid, it was fun."

David and Caleb walked back to them, a bounce in David's step. He'd had an idea about buying horses for Tom and Han, and wanted to talk to his brother-in-law about it. Caleb knew a little more about horses than David and a lot more about children. David felt sure that Tom would be fine - he had, after all, grown up on a farm - but Han had grown up in the city and he was only eight. Would it be very difficult to start him riding at that age, when he hadn't been around horses before?

Caleb had said no, it was a great idea and he'd start looking around for horses to suit them both. David was delighted to think of the boys' reactions.

Jed and Han were standing quietly talking, their faces towards each other, so at first the two men didn't realize that anything was wrong.

David put his hand on Han's shoulder and turned to Caleb. "You think Maggie's finished and we can go back in now?"

Caleb remembered other times when Maggie had an opinion to share. "Let's give them another five minutes."

"Good idea." David looked at the boys and noticed how miserable they were. "Han, is everything okay?"

The boy nodded, but kept his eyes lowered. He was trying very hard not to cry and knew that if he looked at David, he would break down and do so.

Realizing that something was wrong, David knelt down and put his hand under the boy's chin. He could see the boy furiously blinking back unshed tears. "What's wrong?"

Han shook his head. He still didn't feel that he could speak without his voice betraying him.

"Han?"

Han swallowed and tried to keep his voice steady. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to get dirty."

David was puzzled. "That's okay."

Han nodded, but kept his eyes down. He didn't believe him.

"Han, look at me." He couldn't understand the despair he saw in the boy's eyes. "You got a little messy while you were playing. It's no big deal. What do think is going to happen?"

Jed couldn't bear it any longer. "He says you're gonna send him back. You're not, are you, Uncle David?"

David was shocked. It hadn't even occurred to him as a possibility. As far as he was concerned, once they brought the boys home with them, that was that. "No, of course not! How could you think such a thing?"

Han still couldn't speak, so it was Jed that answered. "He said kids have been sent back for less. One was sent back for eatin' too much, can you imagine?"

No, David couldn't imagine that. He couldn't even believe that someone would do that to a child. He and Caleb shared a disgusted look.

"Hannibal Heyes, you listen to me!"

Han looked up, startled by the change in tone and the first use of his new name.

"We adopted you that day in Harrisville. You're my son now, whatever happens. We're family and families stick together, no matter what. You might get into trouble now and again, and if that happens, you'll be punished for it. Punished - not sent back. Never, NEVER, sent back. Alright?"

Han looked up, disbelieving, and David pulled him into a hug so tight that he heard the boy gasp for a moment. He was about to lessen his hold when the hug was returned with equal intensity.

They heard the sounds of the others returning and broke apart. Han quickly wiped his eyes and smiled at Jed, who was now grinning happily.

Maggie and Elizabeth came out to join them and greet the rest of the children.

This group looked even worse than the other two. Tom actually had a small tear across the knee of his trousers and had lost a button.

Maggie watched Elizabeth to see what she would do.

Elizabeth was determined to keep her promise to Maggie. Besides, the minute she saw her tall, beautiful boy, Tom, she couldn't seem to mind.

She surprised them all by giving a small laugh. "Well, I can see that Maggie is right and having sons is going to involve a lot of cleaning and mending! I'm going to have to get used to it, I suppose. Whatever have you all been doing?"

Tom grinned at her and started to recount their adventures. They walked back to the house, arm in arm, with Adam, Joe and Leah adding to the story when they felt that things were being forgotten.

The others stayed for a moment in the yard, watching them.

They were all glad that Maggie's talk with Elizabeth had worked, but it would have been nice if Elizabeth could have said something conciliatory to Hannibal. Han had been told off for doing much less than Tom, who had barely been chided.

David made a mental note to talk to his wife about it later.