Meetin' McCoys

I had been woken up from my nap by my Uncle Perry in order for us to make the buggy ride to Aunt Sally McCoy's for dinner.

We rode in silence down the dirt path surrounded by wild grass, trees, and occasional crops. I was looking over my shoulder just watching the endless line of trees we passed by whenever the voice of my uncle broke through the silence tellin' me, "Aunt Sally has children your age. Her daughter Roseanna's a year or so older then you if I recall."

"Oh, okay." I nodded my head while still fixing my gaze on the tree lines.

"Aunt Sally's husband Ole Rand'l McCoy's a good friend of mine. He's a good Christian man; I think you'll like him." He continued on with his explanations of his-our kin.

I didn't feel like listening to my uncle go on about kin that he was sure I'd get along with when I was feeling nervous about having to meet more new kin-folk.

"Now, Novella, you'll have to watch out for Tolbert McCoy." My uncle told me with seriousness etched on his face.

"Why?" I found myself curiously askin'.

"That boy's rowdy with quite the temper on him. He's bout 13 I believe." Uncle Perry explained as he snapped the reins, making the horses trot faster.

I just nodded my head after learning why I needed to watch out for cousin Tolbert.

We pulled up to a wooden cabin that had a barn behind it and was surrounded by trees. The wagon wheels rolled over fallen leaves on the ground and made them crackle and snap. I saw a man with a beard sitting on a rocker on the porch. He waved at us and I figured that he must be Ole Rand'l. "Howdy, Perry, that the girl?" He asked as our wagon stopped in front of the cabin.

"Yes, this is Novella Landon; she's around Roseanna's age." Uncle Perry told Ole Rand'l as we walked up to where he was on the porch, after we had gotten out of our wagon and hitched the horse up to the post near the porch.

"You believe in God?" Ole Rand'l asked me, his eyes serious as he rocked in his chair.

I nodded my head at him while I followed Uncle Perry up onto the porch. "Yes, Sir, I do. He's my lord and savior, pray every mornin' and night. Oh and before every meal." I told Ole Rand'l as I stood infront of him, watching him rock in his rocking chair.

"Good girl." Ole Rand'l nodded his head in approval. "You'll make Roseanna a fine friend, kin too."

"Where is Roseanna?" Uncle Perry asked as he leaned against the porch railing.

"Inside helpin' Sally." Ole Rand'l answered. "Novella, go inside and meet Sally and Roseanna. Help them too, a'ight girl."

"Yes, Sir." I politely told him before turning around and heading to the front door.

"Girls, set the table please." Sally, who was a nice lady with a messy bun full of dark hair, told me and my cousin Roseanna.

"Yes, Ma'am." Me and Roseanna replied politely. Roseanna had dirty blonde hair that she wore straight down hanging by her shoulders and bright blue eyes. She was nice and we were getting along good so far. I could tell we would be good friends.

"You like roast pork?" Roseanna asked me as we grabbed the dishes from the hutch they were on.

"Yea." I told my cousin as we went over to the table and began to set it.

"Good, that's what I made. Roast pork with potatoes and carrots." Aunt Sally smiled at me as she took the biscuits out of the stove.

Earlier me and Roseanna helped her Aunt Sally make the biscuit dough, while we all talked about our favorite flowers, and now the baked biscuits made from that dough smelled perfect.

"Food ready yet, Ma?" I heard a gruff voice ask as I saw light come in from the back door while me and Roseana sat down at the table, since we were now finished setting it.

"Yes, Tolbert, go tell everyone it's time to eat." I heard Aunt Sally say as she popped the biscuits out of the tray and onto a large plate.

I turned my head to see exactly who Tolbert was, since I was told to watch out for him, and I saw a tall teen with a head of bright red hair. He chewed on his lip before asking me, "You Novella?"

"Yes." I answered him with a small nod.

"Great, I'm stuck sittin' next to you." Tolbert grumbled and then walked off to go gather everyone for dinner.

Yea, I can see why Uncle Perry told me to watch out for him. So far he seemed a bit mean, I just met him and he already was grumbling about me taking the seat next to where he likes to sit. I decided that I was going to like my new kin. Roseanna was nice and I knew we'd be friends fast and Aunt Sally was nice too. Ole Rand'l was okay, he was Uncle Perry's friend so I knew he couldn't be bad. I was sure the rest of the McCoy children would be nice to me too. It was just Tolbert I had to keep away from.

After sitting down at the dinner table I was introduced to everyone by Uncle Perry. Everyone just said hi to me nicely while Aunt Sally placed food on everyone's plates.

"Hatfield thinks he can give me money at the bar and that makes up for him stealin' your land and his uncle killin' my brother. He's got a lot o'sand." Ole Rand'l shook his head and violently chewed on his pork dinner as he and my uncle discussed some man named Devil Anse Hatfield.

"Bullshit what it is, Poppy." Tolbert grumbled in my ear as his lips smacked while eating his helping of potatoes.

Uncle Perry smiled while telling Ole Rand'l, "His face must've been surprised when you left the money on the bar and walked away."

"Bet it was; all those Hatfields think they can do anythin' cause of their money. All goin' to hell." Ole Rand'l continued to complain to my uncle.

"We hate Hatfields; they ain't no good, nothin' but liars, murderers, thieves." Tolbert told me as he turned his head around, looking me in the eyes. "Stay 'way from Hatfields."

"Tolbert, stop scaring her, I'll tell her when she's old enough to understand." Uncle Perry calmly snapped at the redhead next to me.

Tolbert just rolled his eyes and continued to eat. The crowded table was mostly quiet other than the discussion my uncle was having with his friend. All the McCoy kids were well behaved and ate in silence. The silence was broken though when Tolbert told me, "If any of them Hatfields bother you, you let me know."

I just nodded my head. I honestly can't help but wonder why my grumpy cousin wanted me to tell him if I was ever bothered by a Hatfield. These people couldn't be that bad, could they?