Chapter 22 - Harvest Festival

Grandpa Curry was not to be put off so easily. The next day, he found Jed alone in the yard.

He slowly brought the conversation around to dinner the night before. Within a few minutes, Jed told him everything.

On Sunday, the church was having a celebration for the Harvest Festival. Caleb couldn't have been more surprised when his father asked him if they were planning to go. Francis wasn't usually a man for church events.

"I don't know, we were trying to decide. I think Maggie wants to. David wants to meet us there - I think they all need a break from those awful parents of Elizabeth's. I'll be honest, I'm not looking forward to seeing them again."

"I think we should go."

He gave his father an appraising look. "Francis Curry, what are you planning?"

He gave his most innocent smile. "Planning, son? Me? Never!"

Caleb gave a grin. "Alright then. We'll show you how we can throw a festival here in Kansas!"

Maggie had to agree with Elizabeth about one thing - she did love it when her family were clean and tidy, and dressed in their Sunday best. For once, Jed looked like an angel, without a spot of dirt on him. She knew it wouldn't last long. Han was standing beside him, looking very well in his best clothes. She noticed they were looking tight on him and she smiled. Now that he was eating good food on a regular basis, he was starting to fill out nicely. She'd have to tell Elizabeth that he needed some new things.

Before she let the family go their separate ways, she had a few words to say to them. "Before you all set about seeing whatever kind of destruction you can manage in the next few hours, please remember that how we behave will reflect on all of us - including your parents, Han. There will be no running about, no shouting, no pranks and no mischief - is that understood?"

They nodded.

"Let me hear you promise. Leah?"

She rolled her eyes. "I promise, ma."

"Han?"

"I promise, Aunt Maggie."

"Jed?"

His promise was a little more grudging. With a sigh, he said, "I promise."

She turned to the person beside them. "Francis?"

He looked shocked. "Maggie, my dear…"

"None of that. We live here, I don't want to spend the next ten years living down whatever you have planned for today. No shenanigans, is that understood?"

His smile was dazzling. "Maggie, I promise that I will not run, shout, play pranks or cause mischief!"

The boys giggled and even she couldn't help but smile. "I suppose that will have to do! Off you go, everyone. Have fun!"

Leah quickly spotted Charlotte and they ran away to find the rest of their friends. Han and Jed ran off laughing, and Maggie and Caleb went to find their other relatives.

Elizabeth had been looking for the Currys and quickly came to their side. She hugged her sister-in-law, a gesture very unlike her. She looked tired and anxious. "Maggie, Caleb, it's so good to see you! How are you both?"

"We're all well! And yourselves?"

Maggie noticed that David also looked worn out. She felt sorry for her brother. Five minutes of the Sheffields was more than enough for anyone, and he'd had them for just over two weeks now.

"We're also well, thank you."

"And the boys? My two aren't causing you any trouble?"

"No, we enjoy having them about. They're good boys."

Mrs. Sheffield felt she should join in the conversation. "They are fine boys, Margaret."

Maggie gritted her teeth over the futility of telling the woman again to call her Maggie.

"Thank you, Mrs. Sheffield." Even though Maggie was now a grown woman with children of her own, she couldn't begin to imagine calling them 'Amelia' and 'Reginald'. "I'm very proud of all of my children."

"But those two are such fine boys." She smiled at Elizabeth, "Like Tom. Such a lovely young man."

Elizabeth smiled happily, but David bristled, annoyed, and addressed his sister. "How's Han? He is here with you?" He looked around.

"Of course he's here! He's running about with Jed. I was noticing that he's starting to fill out those clothes of his. It looks like you'll need to buy him some new things."

David beamed, but before he could speak, his father-in-law joined the conversation. "It doesn't do to over-feed and spoil a child, you know. Moderation, that's what you need."

David's smile instantly disappeared. "I hardly think he's in danger of becoming fat. In fact..." He was about to continue on his theme, when Elizabeth shot him a look of such desperate pleading that he took pity on her. "In fact," he said, "I think I'll go and look for them."

Caleb took his chance. "I'll come and help!"

Maggie shot him a look as he made his escape with a grin.

Elizabeth tried to smooth over the situation. "It must be your excellent cooking, Maggie. I'm glad he's doing so well, but it is a shame about his clothes; they're practically new."

Maggie agreed. "I know. Sometimes it seems you've barely got them in something new before they've grown again."

Mrs. Sheffield joined the conversation again. "Perhaps, Margaret, you might have some old cast-offs that the boy could wear."

Maggie stared at her in dislike. She would happily have given Elizabeth more of Adam's and Joe's old things, but the way the woman said it - 'cast-offs the boy could wear' - made it sound as if it was all he deserved.

She looked at Elizabeth to see if she had also taken offence at her mother's tone. To her surprise, Elizabeth seemed to see nothing amiss.

"Yes, that's not a bad idea. Do you have anything that Joe might have grown out of? I'd be happy to pay you, of course."

Maggie felt her anger rise. As if changing the subject, she said, "I thought Tom looked very well at church on Sunday. Was that a new jacket he had on?"

Elizabeth didn't pick up on her meaning and instead beamed in response. "Yes, it was! I saw the material in the Mercantile and couldn't resist it. I thought it would suit Tom very well."

Through gritted teeth, Maggie said, "Well, do you have enough left to make one for Han?"

Elizabeth looked worried. "Oh! I don't know… I was hoping to make some trousers for Tom, to go with his jacket."

Maggie couldn't hide her annoyance any longer. "Well, I'm glad one of your boys will look respectable. Don't worry, I'll see if I can dig up some hand-me-downs for your other child. Enjoy the festival. Goodbye."

She whirled away. Elizabeth's color rose as she realized what she had been saying. She hadn't meant to imply that Han shouldn't have new clothes, she just hadn't been thinking clearly. Of course Han should have some new things as well. It was just that they'd bought new things for him when they'd first adopted him, and it was such a joy to dress Tom.

She sighed. Maggie was always so quick to take offence. She'd have to find her later and explain.

Inside the church hall, the minister was judging the baking competition. To ease some of the local tension, this year they had divided it into two categories, pies and cakes.

He finished the judging, hoping that he'd made the right choices and that the church wouldn't be as divided as it had been last year. He had caused an uproar when he had inadvertently chosen a pie baked by one of the younger, newer members of the congregation. He was not going to make that mistake again.

When he announced the winner, the applause was widespread and he breathed a sigh of relief that he had chosen well this time. He had no idea that these small towns could be so… political.

He saw Jed Curry and one of the new Heyes boys looking with round eyes at the pies and cakes, and he wandered over to them. "Hello, boys."

The boys stood to attention and chorused, "Hello, sir."

"Relax, boys. I just wanted to see if you were having fun." He turned to the new boy, "I've been rather neglecting my duties, I haven't really spoken to you yet. I'm afraid I don't even remember your name."

He knew it was something unusual, but for the life of him, he couldn't remember. It was odd, because he could clearly remember Elizabeth introducing Tom, and he had seen him in her company quite a few times since then. He couldn't understand why he couldn't remember seeing her with this boy.

"Han, sir."

"That's an unusual name."

The boy blushed. "It's short for Hannibal, sir."

"Oh." He could see why the boy chose to use a diminutive. "I saw your parents earlier but I didn't see you."

"He's been stayin' with us, sir," added Jed.

"Ah!" It was clear that the two of them were already great friends. "Well, I hope you're still getting plenty of time to visit with your new grandparents. Ah, here they are! Mrs. Heyes!" He called out to Elizabeth and waved, and saw the group make their way over to them. "I was just getting to know Han a little better."

Elizabeth smiled. "Hello, Han. How are you?"

"I'm good."

She frowned a little and shot a look at her disapproving parents. "You're well, Han."

He hung his head. "Sorry."

"That's alright. Have you been enjoying your stay with the Currys?"

"Yes, ma'am… ma."

The two words merged together as he quickly corrected himself. Amelia Sheffield raised an eyebrow. "Mama?"

Han blushed and Elizabeth felt sorry for him. "He isn't used to calling me 'ma' yet. He's more used to saying 'ma'am'."

Her father sniffed. "I don't know why you want him to call you 'ma' anyway. It sounds very common, Elizabeth. 'Mother' has a little more dignity to it."

Now it was Elizabeth's turn to blush. "He's not used to saying mother. Ma is easier for him."

Mrs. Sheffield gave a little sniff. "Evidently not."

The minister could sense the tension. It was clear that they weren't very accepting of the child.

He tried again. "So, Han, are you also from Minnesota?"

"No, sir. I'm from New York."

"Well, how exciting! This must be a very big change for you."

"Yes, sir."

He could see that he wasn't going to get much more than 'yes' or 'no' responses from the boy. He was about to give up when he saw a pair of arms grab Han from behind and lift him into the air.

David Heyes set the laughing boy back on the ground and ruffled his hair. "Hello, John, how are you?"

"I'm well, thank you. I was just getting to know Han."

"Good!" David pulled the boy closer and John could see the affection between the two of them. "Are you having fun, boys?"

Han nodded as Jed answered, "We're just watching the baking contest. That one won best pie and that one got best cake. I think it's the biggest cake I ever saw! What happens to them now?"

John looked over at the baked goods. "Now they're for sale and you can buy a slice, or even the whole thing! The money goes towards the church fund."

David smiled. "Then it seems to me that if we're going to teach these boys to help out in their community, we all need to buy something! Which is it to be, Jed, pie or cake?"

Jed grinned and pointed to an apple pie. "Pie, please, Uncle David!"

"And you, Han?"

Han instinctively looked at Elizabeth and her parents before answering.

Mrs. Sheffield gave a little sniff and said under her voice, "Well, I can see why the boy is growing out of his nice new clothes!"

David had moved away and didn't hear her, but the rest of the group did. Elizabeth saw Reverend Elliot stare at her mother in surprise. The boy was as skinny as a rail, and the minister thought it must be a good thing to see him putting on weight.

David came back with a piece of pie and handed it to Jed. "Han, did you decide?"

"Thanks, pa, but I'm not very hungry right now."

David looked at him in surprise. Even he thought the cakes looked delicious.

Elizabeth stepped forward, an indignant flush on her cheeks. "Nonsense, Han. Didn't you hear your father? This is part of your duty as a member of this church and community."

She pointed to the huge, prize-winning cake that Han had been admiring. "We'll buy this one, then we can all have slice."

"Are you sure about that, Elizabeth?" Her mother glared at her in annoyance, but now Elizabeth was equally angry.

Han had been trying so hard to please them since they'd arrived and all they did was criticize him. She also felt a little guilty for her earlier comments about Han's clothes.

"Yes, mother, I'm very sure. Although if you don't want any, I'll understand. It is SO hard to watch our weight as we get older, isn't it?"

Her mother's jaw dropped at this uncharacteristic rudeness from her daughter, but David leaned forward and squeezed her shoulders in approval. He knew there was something he had missed, but he could tell that somehow Elizabeth had done the right thing and defended their son.

John Elliot also smiled in approval. "Indeed, Mrs. Heyes. It is a consideration that boys of this age don't have to worry about. Certainly, Han here could happily do with a little filling out!"

The minister and Elizabeth exchanged a smile, while Mrs. Sheffield quietly fumed.