Heroes ~ pt 1

February 28th, 1928 8:15 pm

William Bates sat on the floor in front of the fireplace, intent on reading his new book, Heroes Throughout History. At the ripe old age of four and a half, he figured heroes were pretty important in the general scheme of things, and one day he hoped to meet a real live hero.

Anna was doing her mending on the sofa, while his baby sisters were holding a private conversation in their play pen. John was sitting in his easy chair looking over the evening newspaper, but at the moment he was rubbing his eyes fiercely.

Of course, Anna noticed. 'John, are your eyes bothering you?'

He shook his head no, and looked up at her. 'They're fine, just tired,' he said, reaching to adjust the shade of the lamp beside him. That didn't help either.

Looking at him closer she noticed that his lovely hazel eyes had taken on a reddish hue.

Here it comes, he thought to himself.

'Well they don't look fine. You should get them checked. Maybe you need reading glasses.'

'I'm fine. Don't worry,' he insisted, brushing off her suggestion. 'I don't want...no, I don't need glasses.'

'You know, they have a visiting eye doctor at the village hospital now. I hear good things about him from Mr Molesley. He's taken to wearing reading glasses and says they've made such a difference. And I must say, they look very handsome on him too.'

A trace of long dormant jealousy rose to the surface, causing John to stare at her for a moment before answering. 'Well I'm happy for Mr Molesley, but I don't need glasses, Anna.'

'Whatever you say, dear,' Anna replied, knowing he would eventually give in and take her advice.

Several minutes of silence passed, the only sound was the crackling of the fire.

John resumed reading his paper, his sight having cleared somewhat, if only temporarily.

Anna put her mending aside. 'I'm hungry. Does anyone want to join me in a glass of milk and a couple of biscuits?'

'I don't know. Is there room enough for all of us?' John quipped, causing Will to fall over in peals of laughter and Anna to roll her eyes. 'Sorry. Yes love, that would be very nice.'

'I'll go fix a tray then,' Anna said as she headed to the kitchen.

'You're funny Daddy,' Will giggled, grinning up at his father.

'Oh, are you still here?' John replied in mock surprise. 'You've been as quiet as a church mouse. I thought you'd put yourself to bed.'

'I'm reading my new book, Daddy,' the boy said, holding it up for John to see. 'It's really good and you were right, I can read most of the words myself.'

John looked at the cover. 'That's my boy. And it's about heroes?'

'Yeah, but I never heard of most of 'em. Do you think I'll ever meet a hero? Do you have a hero, Dad?

'I do indeed and you've met my hero. Your mummy is my hero, son.'

'Mummy? But she's a girl,' Will said, wrinkling his nose. 'Girls can't be heroes.'

'I beg to differ. Girls can be some of the greatest, strongest and most courageous heroes of them all. Don't you ever forget that, lad. And your mummy is my hero.'

This puzzled Will, but before he could question his father further, Anna came back into the parlor with a tray of chocolate biscuits and milk.

As she bent to place the tray on the table next to John's chair he noticed there were unshed tears in her eyes. His hand encircled her arm and he pulled her to his lap. 'You heard that, didn't you, my darling?'

Anna sniffed and nuzzled her face into the open collar of his shirt, wetting his neck in the process. 'Oh, John, that's just so sweet…'

'Well it's true. I've told you before. You were, are and always will be the hero of my story,' he whispered in her ear, holding her close.

'Hey, what's all the mush about?' Will called out. 'Can I have my biscuits and milk?'

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February 28th, 1928 9:45 pm ~

The girl's and Will are completely settled into the nursery. That room was really too big for one little boy. It's even bigger than ours. I have dreams of making over the small room with the dormer window for the twins eventually - make it all flowery and girly, but it's at the end of the hall and too far away for now. Whereas Will's room is just across from ours. I think it's best to keep all the children close and together for now.

So far, Will loves having his sisters with him at night and feels very protective of them. He didn't even mind relinquishing one of his shelves for 'girl' toys. He's such a good big brother.

I am worried about John though. He denies it, but I can see that his eyes are bothering him more all the time. They're red and watery when nighttime rolls around. It's interfering with his reading. Last night he even cajoled Will into reading a bedtime story to us. Will was thrilled to do it and his reading is improving greatly, but I know it will pain John if he's unable to perform what he thinks is his fatherly duty.

My suggestion that he pay a visit to the new eye doctor, was promptly brushed aside. I'm not sure why exactly. Vanity? I wouldn't have thought so, but maybe. I did mention that I thought Mr Molesley's spectacles looked quite handsome, but I don't think that went over the way I'd hoped it would. Well, he'll come around, of that I'm sure.

Oh, I'm so tired tonight, I can hardly keep my own eyes open. I'll end this now.

~ Anna Bates.

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The following morning. 9:30 am

Hi, it's me, William Bates.

I got a new book about heroes. Archie gave it to me. He said it was his when he was growing up. I've been reading it myself because Daddy told me it would be good practice for when I go the school next year. I can read almost all the words.

Archie says every boy needs a hero. His hero was King Arthur. So I been reading this book and trying to pick my hero. Beowulf sounds pretty good. He killed nine sea monsters and a dragon with his bare hands. Theseus sounds good too. He killed a Minotaur and I guess he was pretty strong. And I kind of still like Balto the Wonder Dog, but Mummy says I need to forget about him.*

I told Granddad I was thinking of picking Theseus because he kills monsters really good. Granddad doesn't have a hero but he said if he did it would be someone he knew did kind things for people and maybe I should look closer to home. I'm not sure what he meant exactly and he got busy so I couldn't ask him.

Daddy told me his hero is Mummy. I didn't even know girls could be heroes, but he said they're the best ones. And I asked Daisy and she said Mr Molesley was her hero. I guess heroes don't have to be all muscled and kill things either.

I really need to think about this because like Archie says, every boy needs a hero.

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Heroes ~ part 2

11:00 am

'Hello there, young Bates,' the Earl of Grantham called out, knocking on the office's partially open door.

Will looked up from his book.

'Your granddad told me your father was here,' his lordship continued.

'Nope. He's not,' William replied. 'But he'll be back in a bit, he said.'

'Very well, very well...can I wait for him here?' Robert walked in with a cheery smile on his face, rounding the boy who was sitting in his father's chair at the desk. 'Would you mind my presence while you read your book?'

'It's all right, you can stay. You can sit down too, if you want.'

Robert chuckled at the boy's words. 'Thank you very much.' He sat down. 'And what's that you're reading?'

'A book about heroes…'

'Oh, that sounds rather interesting.'

'Yeah, it is…' William nodded, his thoughts already brewing an idea. All day long he had been asking anyone who would listen to him the same question. He looked seriously at the man now sitting across the desk from him before asking, 'Mr Earl, who's your hero? Do you have one?'

'My hero?' Robert laughed again at the boy's way of speaking, and certainly he wouldn't correct the young child. He quite liked Will's easiness and enthusiasm. 'Well, I reckon my hero is someone you know very well.'

'Baldo The Wonder Dog?' Will wrinkled his nose.

'Baldo the…? No, no, a person. A man you know.'

'Is it Mr Molesley? Daisy said Mr Molesley is her hero and he's the only man who's a hero that I know.'

'I'm talking about your father, William,' Robert said, leaning forward to rest his elbows on top of the desk.

'Daddy?' the boy asked, unsure. 'Why?'

'Why? Good God, lad! He saved my life, didn't you know that?'

'He did?' William looked skeptically at the Earl, but his eyes were wide and filled with curiosity.

'Oh yes he did. Many years ago...you know why he limps?'

William shook his head no. He had never really thought about it.

'We were in the African war together and your father was a very brave soldier. The bravest I ever knew. He took a bullet for me, jumped in front of the shot just to save me, without thinking twice.'

'Really?' William couldn't believe what he was hearing. And why was he only being told this now? 'My dad was a hero soldier in Africa?'

'The best soldier. He helped many people and he was a hero many times over. A true hero, indeed,' Robert nodded with a smile on his face.

'Funny,' the boy wondered aloud.

'Funny?'

'Dad said Mum is a hero too.'

'Well, I reckon you are living amongst heroes and didn't even know about it.'

'I am,' Will nodded his head solemnly.

'Aren't you a lucky chap?'

'Milord!' It was John who interrupt their conversation as he walked into the office. 'I'm sorry, my father just told me, I didn't know you were here.'

'Don't you worry about it,' Robert stood from the chair and the two men shook hands. 'Your son and I had a very interesting conversation while I waited.'

'Did you really?' John shot Will a look. 'I hope he's behaved.'

'Of course, Bates! He's yours and Anna's son after all!'

Funny...William thought again...his daddy suddenly appeared as strong and mighty as all the other heroes he had been reading about. Then he remembered the time he was pulled from the fishing stream by him. He saved him from drowning! Mum would often say how important Dad was, and now he knew why. His dad saved lives. His dad was a true hero. And Mum was Daddy's hero. Had she been saving lives too? William was willing to bet on it.

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Hi, it's me again, William Bates. I'm back.

Daddy's friend, the Earl, came in to see him today. He was waiting for Daddy in the office and he saw my book. He asked me about it and I told him I was trying to pick my hero. He said that was good because every boy needs one. I asked him if he had a hero, and he said my daddy was his hero and that Daddy saved his life when they were in a war together in Africa.

I didn't know that. Then Daddy came in the room and they started talking and Mummy came and got me.

I asked Mum if Daddy is a hero.

He's certainly my hero, she said.

Did he save your life too? I asked, then Fee bit Finnie on her shoulder and she started crying and Mummy didn't answer me, but I guess he must have saved her too.

One time when we went fishing in the stream out back and I fell in the water. Daddy jumped right in and pulled me out by the arm. I reckon he saved my life. He didn't kill any monsters, I don't think, but my Daddy is my hero too.

~ William Bates

My Granddad checked this over and said it was okay to put in our Journal. Mum says someone has to so I'm not telling family secrets.

*See - Goodbye Balto Bates - Chapter 43

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Heroes - part 3

8:15 pm

It was a quiet family night after a dinner of roasted vegetables and lamb stew. Granddad had just gone home. The fireplace in the parlor was burning low as William sat on the blanket Anna had placed on the floor for the girls. His colouring materials were spread all around him, as he tried his best to concentrate on the pad of paper on his lap, but something was bothering him and he knew he wouldn't be able to express his artistic side until he got the answer to his question.

'Daddy?'

'Yes?' John was standing right beside the boy, helping an eager Fee to bounce on her feet while her sister also begged for his attention. Finn was stretching her arms out to her daddy, demanding to stand too. Both girls were now discovering that their legs were meant to support their bodies and they didn't want to do anything else.

'Why is mummy your hero?' William asked, facing his father with curious eyes. 'Does she save lives?'

'What?'

''Cause you save lives, you saved Mr Earl's life and I was wondering if mummy was your hero because she saves lives too,' the boy tried to explain.

'Mr Earl? Is that what your conversation was about?' John shook his head with a smile. Finn had now reached for his leg and was pulling at the fabric of his trousers. 'And William, we call him, his Lordship.'

'Did she or did she not?' the boy insisted.

'Well, she did. Mummy saved my life.'

'How?' William couldn't wait for his father's explanation.

'Well…' John began. 'When daddy moved to the Abbey, you know I worked there, don't you?' His son nodded enthusiastically. 'So, when I moved there...I was very sad. Walking was painful because of my injury and well, I didn't really have many friends.'

'Because you are not that social?' William repeated what he had heard many a time.

'Precisely,' John chuckled. 'For that reason, I was not feeling too happy and mummy...she helped me. She became my friend and…'

'You fell in love.'

'Exactly. We did, and that made me a better man. Happier. She loved me even when everyone else put me aside because of my injury. People didn't really like how slow I walked. Mummy helped me with all that. Mummy saved me from a sad and lonely life.'

'I knew she saved lives too. I just knew it!' the boy nodded seriously, a feeling of fulfillment growing inside him. His Mum and Dad were heroes, and he was one lucky boy.

'She not only saves lives, she gives life too,' John continued with a gentle smile. 'She gave me you and Fee and Finn. Mummy gives the greatest gifts of all.

Finn began to pull at her sister's dress, as if to say, Enough of her now! It's my turn to stand.

'Mummy gives me biscuits sometimes, even when it's too close to dinner. And she makes my temperature go down when I'm sick, and she taught me how to skip rope! Mummy's really good at skipping rope, Daddy,' William thought aloud. He was building up quite a list of hero powers for his mother. Only one thing would make it better. 'Did you or Mummy ever kill a monster?'

'Uh, no...that opportunity has never come up, thankfully. Why do you ask?'

'But you would if a monster tried to eat me or Finnie or Fee, right, Dad?'

John needed only to think about this for a moment. 'Your mother and I would do anything you protect you and your sisters, son.' John watched as the boy took one of his pencils and began to draw something on the piece of paper. 'What are you drawing?'

'Just a minute,' William replied, the tip of his tongue poking out of his mouth in concentration.

'I could really use your help with your sisters.' The twins were in an outright battle for John's attention now, as Finn pulled harder at Fee's dress and the later began to squeal angrily.

Will looked up from his picture, 'Oh no, I'm not gonna do that. They are dangerous.'

'Dangerous? These little angels?'

The boy pushed up his sleeve, showing his father a purple mark on his forearm. 'Finnie bit me today. Hurt really bad too. Mummy says they are experimenting with their new teeth, that's just normal stuff, she said, but I'm not taking any chances.'

John laughed aloud, sitting Fee back on the blanket, and immediately, she turned to her sister, letting go with a high pitched yell.

'You bit me once when you were around their age, you know,' John told his son. 'Bit me right on my chest, clean through my shirt. You didn't want to let go. I know how it feels, lad.'

Will looked up from his drawing, 'Yeah, it's not fun. Daddy? Do you think I might be a hero one day too?'

'Oh yes, I'm sure of it. Soon enough you'll be your sisters' hero. You'll be their champion.'

'As long as they don't bite me again,' the boy concluded. 'Look, I made a drawing. It's a picture of my heroes.'

John took the paper in his hand to get a look at it. He squinted to see it better, but well…'This is...very, very good. Who are they?'

'That's you and mummy,' William pointed out the obvious.

'Oh! Of course it is!' John smiled broadly at the drawing, even though he couldn't see it very well. Tears began to brim as the meaning of Will's gesture dawned on him. His son thought he was a hero? And most importantly, his hero? He sniffed in a couple of times, trying to suppress his tears from falling.

'Hello there, you four,' Anna cheered as she walked in from the kitchen. 'Dishes are all done! What have I missed?'

'Will just drew this wonderful picture,' John said, handing her the drawing as she sat down on the sofa. 'Look...this is me-'

'No, that one is Mummy. See her blue eyes and pearls!' William corrected. 'You're the boy, Daddy, and here's your stick'

'Oh right. Yes, I see that now.'

'Can you really?' Anna asked, a little worried.

'What? Of course I can. It's a bit dark in here, that's all.'

'Yes, dark…and maybe your arms are getting too short,' Anna said knowingly, holding the picture at a distance so he could see it better. She was on to him, but for now she let it drop. 'And these two beauties, what are they up to?' Anna addressed her little girls and they answered their mother with happy, drooly smiles.

'Well they both want to be standing at the same time, but I only have two hands and William is afraid of his sweet baby sisters,' John chuckled as he watched Finn and Fee, each vying for Mummy's attention. A competitive streak was strong in these two.

'Soon they'll be walking,' Anna sighed with a smile. 'They're growing up so fast.'

'And running after Will to see who can be the first to take a bite out of him!' John laughed at his own words.

'No, they'd better not!' the boy shouted before bursting into giggles when John attacked his neck with mock bites. Anna joined them on the floor. It was nights exactly like these they had dreamed about back in the Servant's Hall of the great house.

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9:30 pm

The girls are tucked into their beds and sound asleep. I think their new-found talent for standing has worn them out. Fee almost jumped right out of her granddad's arms tonight when he was holding her on the sofa, just trying to stand and bounce on his lap. It's not a relaxing little cuddle time anymore, I can tell you. I don't recall Will being this rambunctious, but maybe that's because we're dealing with two this time around, and I wouldn't have it any other way.

Will has been obsessed with heroes this week and I'm so proud, but completely surprised to say that the lad has deemed his mother and me as his heroes. He really put a lot of thought into his decision and asked many questions. Our competition was none other than the likes of Beowulf and Theseus. It's easy to see why he chose Anna, but me? It touched me deeply. And, when I couldn't easily see his drawing of us, it convinced me, once and for all...I need to visit the eye doctor. Anna is right...again.

I suppose most people, when they get to be my age need spectacles for reading, with the exception of my father who seems to still have the eyesight of an eighteen year old. I can already hear what he'll have to say and I'm not looking forward to it. On the bright side, Anna has voiced her appreciation for eyeglasses more than once in the past week. We shall see where that leads.

Anna's just crawled in beside me and wrapped her freezing legs and feet around mine. It's the price I must pay to share her bed. I wonder if she realises she left her pearls on?

~ John Bates, Hero

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Thank you for taking the time to read this chapter. All of the entries are lovingly written by Handy-for-the-bus & Terriejane. We don't own John & Anna, but we wish we did. Alas, we just use them gently. Eamon, Will and the twins do belong to us, however. If you enjoy the Journal, please review. It makes our day. :)