New Beginnings: Life Changes
ch. 52
Getting Reacquainted
"My goodness! What an enthusiastic greeting!" Claire exclaims as she is nearly knocked off her feet from the twins' double hug.
"I missed you both as well! Step back and let me see you. Aaron, you look so much wiser and Alyssa, you are much taller than I remember. I hear you have new family members. Will you introduce me to your younger sister and brother?"
"Aaron! Alyssa! You know better than to jump from a moving wagon! Whatever were you thinking?!" Chris scolds having approached his children.
"Yes sir but it was barely moving and we saw Claire! She's home! It's been ages and ages since she was here!" Alyssa defends as Aaron nods in agreement staying close to Claire to avoid any sudden swats his Pa might administer.
"So, I see. You make sure you wait for a wagon to stop before getting off from here on out! Am I understood?"
"Yes sir" Aaron answers as Alyssa replies "Yes, Papa I will."
"Welcome home, Claire. I apologize for my wild children attacking you. These two are usually better behaved."
"Hello, thank you. I am very happy to be home. You know I love Aaron and Alyssa and don't mind at all. May I meet your new wife?"
"Yes, come children, and let's introduce the rest of our family," Chris says guiding them to his wagon.
Helping Savannah down and swinging the younger children down from the wagon bed, Chris makes the introductions.
Claire, this is my wife Savannah, my youngest daughter, Charlotte, and youngest son, Nathaniel. Everyone, this is Claire Cord. You've heard Alyssa and Aaron speak of her."
"Welcome home, dear! Your parents must be thrilled to have you home. I have heard so much about you from Ben, George, and my older two. I hope to hear of Boston." Savannah exclaims.
"I have heard of you as well. Mama told me of the lovely way you and Chris came together. I look forward to hearing more. Now let me meet these two children. Hello Charlotte, what a pretty name. I love your dress. Did you help sew it?" Claire asks bending to speak to the younger children.
"Hello. Thank you. I did help, I sewed the two large buttons here on the front. I am learning to hem."
"Those are special skills for sure. The big yellow buttons on the blue calico look like little suns! Now what about you, Nathaniel? Did you help your Mama too? You are a strong boy aren't you so I will guess you are a big help to your family."
"I helped Mama make the berry cobbler. Lottie, Lyssa, and me picked berries and Mama made cobbler to bring to you. I can get it!" Nathaniel answers as he quickly scrambles up in the wagon to get the basket. "Here Mama, you don't want to leave dessert in the wagon."
"Thank you Nathaniel. Now do try to slow down before you hurt yourself or someone else. There is no reason to be leaping from wagons as you just did. Now, you children go play with the rest until we call you for dessert." Savannah instructs as Chris scolds "Nathaniel! Do not jump from the wagon that way! It is too high for you to try to fly off the wagon bed! You don't have wings, son. Sit first and then climb down, please."
"Yes, Papa. Can I go play?"
"Yes, but remember, no flying allowed. You are not a bird."
As the adults walk back to the gathering group, Claire says "Nathaniel reminds me of my brother Ben when he was that age. Ben was very active and loved dessert, actually, he still loves dessert. Nathaniel is about five right?"
"Yes, and Charlotte is seven. They love living here in Paradise and visiting the ranch. Both love animals but Nathaniel is still learning about the importance of being respectful to them. He is the type of boy who acts before thinking. I am trying to help him learn to think and react calmly."
"Once again that sounds just like Ben! He has the same problem of acting before thinking. Let me introduce you to my intended. Alex! Come over for a minute." Claire calls to him.
"Savannah, this is Alex Hale. Alex, this is Chris' wife, Savannah. They have the two little ones playing on the pirate ship. Nathaniel is in the red shirt and Charlotte is wearing the blue dress."
"Pleasure to meet you. Welcome to Paradise. I need to get back inside as I am going to be helping serve in a few minutes."
"I'll come help as I brought a berry cobbler."
"A cobbler? You will have to tell me how to make that." Alex answers as they enter the kitchen.
"It is similar to a pie except the dough for the crust is thicker. You pour your filling into your dish and put strips of dough in with it before covering the top with overlapping strips of dough. What is this dessert you are slicing?"
"This is called Boston Cream Pie but it isn't pie at all. It is more a cake with sweet custard between the thin layers. Ben is calling it cake-pie." Alex tells Savannah as she places the stack of tin plates near the desserts. With all three families providing plates and utensils, there are almost enough for everyone.
Surveying the table, Delphie says "I see we do not have enough plates. Let's have the younger children use bowls instead. They can have one choice at a time. Do you have a limit on the number of desserts for your children, Savannah? I usually only serve one dessert and the boys have one serving but this is a special event so they may choose two. For Ben, this is going to be a hard choice. He will want some of Alex's dessert, your cobbler, Linnea's white cake, and my cookies."
Sharing a smile with her friend, Savannah replies "I have two just like that. It must be a boy trait. My girls are not as eager to eat everything available."
"Alyssa and Charlotte have formed a sister relationship. How are the boys getting along now?" Delphie asks as Alex has gone outside.
"Aaron tolerates Nathaniel but that is all. Chris has tried talking to them about getting along better but they seem not to try very hard. At times, Nathaniel seems to have decided it is worth risking a spanking to aggravate Aaron until he retaliates. Both boys have been over Chris' knee for fighting several times in the past three months. I am hoping the new little one is a boy for Nathaniel to have a brother closer in age."
"New little one? You are expecting? That is wonderful news! A winter baby then?" Delphie asks.
"Yes to all questions. We think perhaps a Christmas baby but we aren't sure. The children don't know yet. I only found out Thursday after a visit with your sister."
"I am hoping for a baby in the new year. I want Emerson to have a brother or sister close in age just as Ben and George are. Aaron may come around to enjoying having a brother. I know the girls will love having a baby in the family. They haven't left the babies since you arrived. Both adore playing with Emerson when they see her. Has Chris told you of the twin's life before he got them? That may be part of the trouble with Aaron not wanting a brother. He had an older brother. Ethan told me their story."
"I know about most of their early life. It was good Chris could be here to raise them when their other family died. He has told me of their tyrannical father. I despise men who beat up women and children!" Savannah answers as the door opens and George enters.
"Mama? Caleb and I want something to drink. Can I take two glasses outside?"
"We are ready to have dessert. You go tell the other children to wash their hands outside and come in to choose dessert. There are tin cups for you children to use for a drink."
"Yes Mama, we'll be right in!"
Settled on the ground in a group, the children listen as Claire describes her trip to Boston.
"The boys asked us to talk about the train trip to and from Boston. Rob escorted me to Boston. He may have told you all of this but I will say it too." She begins, we rode in a sleeper car. During the day there were soft padded fabric-covered seats The seats were made to be pulled down into a bed at night. In the walls of the car were bunk beds that folded down and hung by metal bands. The car had eight beds, four were bunks attached to the wall. Each set of two beds, one above and one below were divided from the rest with a curtain hung from the ceiling."
"How did you get the beds out of the wall?" Aaron asks.
"What about bedclothes? Do you have to bring those with you on the train? I need a blanket to sleep." Alyssa asks next.
"We didn't set up the beds. There is a man called a porter who is a big help on the train. He loads your bags, shows people where the dining car is, delivers water, answers questions, and sets up the sleeping car." Rob answers.
"He provided the bedclothes. We had a clean sheet over the bunk, a pillow, and a blanket."
"What is a dining car?" Charlotte asks.
"The dining car is where passengers can go to have meals," Claire tells her.
"How do the tables and plates stay still? Don't they slide around? I remember train rides as bumpy." George asks.
"Did the tables slide from one side of the car to the other?" Ben asks right after George.
"That would be funny to see people sliding in chairs across the car to catch their plates!" Caleb remarks causing the group of kids to laugh.
"No, the tables were fixed to the walls of the train similar to the fold-down beds. The plates were heavy so they did not slide around. Sorry Caleb, but no chairs slid across the car either. The train ride was smooth not at all like some we've been on." Rob answers.
"Yes, the dining car was much like eating in the hotel restaurant. You could choose from three dinner choices. Two being full meals but, one being just a sandwich. On our trip here from Boston, Claire and I chose the sandwich a few nights. Sometimes the train stopped in a place where there was a restaurant or boarding house. If we had time, the passengers were permitted to get off to eat or visit the town." Alex adds to what Rob said.
"Alex, I like your cake pie. Could I please have another piece?" Caleb asks.
"If your Ma agrees, you certainly may have more but first you have to tell me the name of my dessert."
"Mama? May I get more dessert? I want another piece of Alex's Boston Cream Pie." Caleb asks Linnea.
"Yes, but only one more small piece."
"Come then, I'll help you get it. Anyone else want more dessert?" He asks the rest of the children.
"Yes!" Came the chorus of the response before the kids were asking Delphie and Savannah "Mama? More dessert? Please?"
"One more small serving. You children have to save some for us adults!" The ladies tell them.
"That's right! Don't you go eating up all those desserts! You do and I will hang you by your toes and use a chicken feather to tickle you!" Chris calls, eliciting giggles from the group of kids following Alex.
"Shouldn't we help him?" Amelia asks Claire and Rob.
"Naw! He wants to be a chef and he works in a restaurant. Let's let him handle serving the kids!" Rob replies.
After the children finish their second helping of dessert, the boys decide to visit the barn, while the girls go back to entertaining the babies.
Not wanting to stay with the younger boys, Joseph asks Sarah to take a walk.
"Would you like to see something I have been working on for Rob?"
"Alright, is it in the barn?"
"No, it is over there in the woodshed. I have been working out there because he rarely goes in. I gather any extra wood needed from the woodshed. Come back behind the woodstack, over here in the corner." Joseph says, having led Sarah inside the small building.
Sarah, following him, watches as Joseph pulls the tarp off to reveal a small table.
Walking closer she examines his craftsmanship. Noticing the carved vines with leaves circling the tabletop, she asks "Did you carve these?"
"I built the table and carved the design. I plan to continue the vine spiraling down each leg. The legs are so plain being just rectangles of wood. If I had the right tools, I would make the legs be spindles but I don't. I am making this for their front room as a wedding gift. It is a secret so please do not tell Amelia or Rob. You and Amelia are friends, right?"
"Yes, but I won't tell her. This is lovely work! Who taught you to carve, your Pa?"
"No, it was John Taylor who showed me some techniques. I used what he showed me and experimented to learn more."
"He taught you well. I wonder where he is now? He was so nice to us at Christmas the year we did our play."
"Yes, he's a great man," Joseph replies not revealing what the family has kept secret. "Sarah? Can I ask you something important?"
"Of course, Joseph."
"Well, actually it is two questions, one is have you done your grammar assignment?"
"Yes."
"Will you bring it to church tomorrow so I can use it to do mine?"
"You are asking me to let you copy my homework? That is your important question?" Sarah asks incredulously.
"One of them, yes."
"I have a question too. What would Uncle Ethan do if you were found to have copied a school assignment instead of doing your own?"
"He would make enjoying taking you to the end of school dance impossible!" At the look of surprise on her face, he laughs!
"I really had you fooled! You thought I meant it! No, I have my homework for Monday done! Now, answer me, Sarah Brandenburg, will you allow me to be your escort to the dance? If you wish to dance with others, I won't be upset but you must do at least two dances with me."
"I accept your offer. It isn't for three weeks yet. Why are you asking me so early?"
"I wanted to be the first person to ask. I acted like the fool at the Valentine's dance and want to try again. You were sick during the Spring Dance so I did not go. This is my next chance to show I can be gentlemanly."
"I look forward to it. Let's get out of here before someone accuses us of hiding to do something improper. Our fathers would not be happy if they thought we were kissing." Sarah replies.
Yes, I don't want Rob to be the one to come find us, either. Let's go get something to drink. We have water, buttermilk, milk, lemonade, and the cider your family brought."
"I'll choose lemonade. Did you know my Pa is going to buy one of those newfangled ice boxes for the store and the house?" Sarah asks as they walk back to the house.
"Claire and Alex were telling us about those. You live close enough to the new ice house to be able to get fresh ice each day. In Boston, there is a man, the iceman, who delivers blocks of ice to people every day. Milk and butter or cheese are delivered to their house daily too. I can not see a time when we have delivery instead of daily milking, churning your own butter, or setting cheese. I guess you have never milked a cow, have you?"
"No, but I have churned butter and I helped Mama make cheese once. Since the twins were born, Mama just buys butter, milk, and cheese from the Mercantile."
Meanwhile out in the barn, the younger boys are entertaining their guests.
"What is this big grey horse's name?" Nathaniel asks George who is showing off the animals as the other boys take turns on the wooden disc swing.
"This is Lightning. He is a stallion and is Pa's horse. You can't touch him so don't even try!"
"I could touch it if I wanted to! I have seen it in town. It is tied at my Papa's Sheriff's office. My Papa is more important than yours, George." Nathaniel answers loftily.
"Lightning is a boy horse, you say "him" not "it"! You are wrong about your Pa too. Your Pa is a deputy sheriff, he is a good helper to the sheriff. MY Pa IS the sheriff! No one in town is more important than him!"
"That isn't true! My Papa is important! You be nice! I am a guest!" Nathaniel yells, startling the horses.
Hearing his younger brother, Aaron walks over "Don't yell, Nathaniel. You scared the horses. Remember, Pa says to be on your best behavior. Do I need to take you out to him?"
"No! I won't yell, Aaron. I promise I won't. I don't want to go to Papa."
"Then just behave! Do not cause trouble and you won't be taken to Pa. Okay?"
"Yes"
"Moving down the stalls to look at the other horses, Nathaniel asks George "What is this one's name? It is pretty."
"Do not call her 'it'! You say 'she' for girls and 'he' for boys! Use 'it' for things that are not alive. You are old enough to know this by now!" George tells him, enjoying being able to be an older boy for a change.
"Does SHE have a name? I do not like you today. You are so bossy!"
"This is Beauty. SHE belongs to Rob. Rob does not let little baby boys touch her so keep your hands off!"
"What is this one called?" The younger boy asks moving to the next stall.
"Her name is Brown Betsy. She is Joseph's horse. No, dummy! I said don't try to touch!" George answers as the horse whickers in greeting moving toward Nathaniel's outstretched hand before George pulls him back.
"Hi Betsy, you are a good girl." George croons as he rubs the soft nose.
"How come you can pet her and I can't? That is being mean! Calling me names is mean too!"
"I'm older, it is my home, you are just a baby so I call you as I see you."
"I am five! I am not a baby!"
Over by the swing, Caleb asks Ben and Aaron "Don't you want to stop those two from snapping at each other? They are your younger brothers. What if a grown-up hears?"
"I am not hearing anything. How about you Ben?" Aaron says with a wink.
"I'm enjoying playing with my friends while George entertains Nathaniel. That is all I know." Ben answers as he passes the swing to Caleb.
Moving on to the stalls across the barn, Nathaniel stops at Lucy's stall.
"How about this one's name and who has this horse?" He asks as the horse whinnies her greeting and puts her head down to the boy.
"This is Lucy, she is my girl. Over here is Kelly, she belongs to Ben."
"She likes me. See? She let me scratch her head. I can feed a horse. Here have some of this." Nathaniel says holding up a handful of cookie crumbs he had in his pocket.
"NO! Don't! You can not feed her!" George yells shoving the boy away from his horse.
"Lucy is a dumb name for a horse! You are also dumb for naming a horse, Lucy! That is a people name, not a horse name. My horse's name is Starlight! That's a really good horse name. My horse is shiny black with a white star on his head. He is bigger than your horse and smarter too!"
"Lucy is named after my MAMA! It is a beautiful name for a beautiful horse! YOU DON'T EVEN HAVE A HORSE!" George returns angrily.
"SEE! I TOLD YOU, YOU WERE DUMB! I DO TO SO HAVE A HORSE! HE IS HOME ON GRANDPA'S FARM! YOUR MAMA'S NAME IS DELPHIE NOT LUCY! DELPHIE IS A DUMB NAME TOO!"
The barn doors are pulled open just as Nathaniel finishes his rant. Ethan and Chris have no time to speak before George launches himself at the younger boy and both are rolling on the barn floor in a tangle of swinging arms.
"You take yours, I'll get mine," Ethan says moving to untangle George.
"What is the meaning of this behavior? You know better than to get in fights! Nathaniel is much younger than you!" Ethan scolds sternly after having led George away from the horses.
"They were arguing Uncle Ethan. We were swinging while they looked at the horses." Caleb informs Ethan helpfully.
"Caleb, your family is getting ready to leave so go back to the house. Ben, you go with him. Tell Uncle Matt and Aunt Linnea, I will see them in church tomorrow. I need to speak with your brother."
"Aaron, you go along as well. I'll be there soon."
"Yes sir", the three boys answer before escaping the barn.
"George is in big trouble isn't he, Ben? Uncle Ethan had that look. The one where his eyes get really dark and stop twinkling. His whole face looks different." Caleb remarks quietly.
"I saw that too! I think Nathaniel might be in trouble as well." Aaron says unsuccessfully hiding a grin.
"You want him to be, don't you?" Ben asks. "That's why you never stopped him from boasting and arguing."
"I think of it as letting him learn a lesson. One way or another he has to learn not to be annoying."
"Will your Pa spank him? It seems he never spanks Nathaniel. He gets by with everything but we don't!" Caleb comments quietly as they are approaching the group of families.
"Sometimes he does. This might be one of those times." Aaron answers.
Back in the barn, the two men are getting pieces of information from the combatants.
"Nathaniel, what you said about Aunt Delphie's name was very rude! Saying her name was dumb is not being mannerly nor is shouting at someone as you did George." Chris confronts the young boy.
"He was being mean! He would not even let me pet the horses. I know how to pet a horse! He pushed me away! He called me a baby! I am NOT a baby! Gabriel, Lucas, and Emerson are babies, not me! He called me a dummy too! I called the horses 'it'. I didn't know if they were boy or girl. He kept correcting me and called me a dummy. I got mad, Papa!"
Having listened, Ethan squats down to look George straight in the eyes which causes the boy to squirm.
"George Allen Cord, did you do what he said? I have already seen you shove him. This is not how we treat guests or anyone else!"
"He said Lucy was a dumb name for a horse! That's my first Mama's name! It's not dumb! He called Mama's name dumb too! You heard! He lied saying he has a horse! He doesn't!" George answers glaring at Nathaniel.
"Nathaniel James, you tell George you are sorry for saying the names Lucy and Delphie were dumb. Do it now!" Chris demands keeping a hold on the child.
"I am sorry for talking that way about the names."
"Hmmph, you aren't and there is no horse called Starlight!" George returns.
"I DO SO TO HAVE A HORSE! STARLIGHT IS BACK AT GRANDPA'S FARM." Nathaniel yells, breaking away from Chris to charge the other boy with fists raised to punch him.
"NO! YOU DO NOT FIGHT!" Chris reprimands, catching his youngest by his suspender straps and pulling him back. Delivering five hard and fast swats to the boy's bottom, Chris says "You do not pull away from me when I am holding you, Young Man! You do not talk badly about other people the way you did with George's mother's names! You do not ever try to punch another person! If someone is making you angry enough to fight, you leave. Come find me or another adult to handle the situation."
Patting the sobbing boy whose face is now buried in his shirtfront, Chris tells Ethan, "Nathaniel does have a horse named Starlight. Savannah told me about him. The horse was given to Nathaniel as a gift when he was born. Unfortunately, he had to stay behind when they esca.. err, left quickly." Chris tells Ethan changing his wording in front of the children.
"George, apologize to Nathaniel for how you treated him today!" Ethan demands firmly.
"I apologize but only for not believing about the horse! I won't apologize for the rest because it is true!" George replies stubbornly.
"George Allen Cord! If this is how you are responding, then you go wait in the tack room. You and I have some more talking to do! Move!"
After the boy obeys, Ethan says "Nathaniel?" Waiting until the little boy looks at him, he says "George is going to be punished for how badly he treated you today. He will be giving you a good apology at church tomorrow. If he or anyone else ever begins to call you names or puts his hands on you in a mean way, you come to me or your Papa. We will take care of it."
"Yessir. Papa? I need the outhouse really bad, please let me down."
"By all means, go! Hurry!" Chris replies as the boy is wiggling in his arms.
"You have become a good father, Chris. You handled this very well. Nathaniel did not need much correction today. George knows better and I will be reminding him of his manners with my belt to his behind! I am surprised at this behavior from George, to be honest."
"I've never seen him act this way. Ben seems the one more likely to behave like this, not George. Well, it is time to leave you to your fatherly duty. We enjoyed this get-together. It is good to have Claire and Alex here again. We'll see you in church." Chris replies before leaving the barn.