Part 1
Brinnnnngggg!!! 10-year -old Andi Carter flung
from her seat as the final school bell rung. Ahh... At last... No more
school 'till Monday!! Andi thought gleefully as she slipped
into the line of her classmates heading towards the exit.
Her teacher's voice caused her
to pause. “Andrea Carter, please wait, I'd like to speak with you.”
Andi cringed at the sharp edge
in Miss Hall's voice. I guess she didn’t like that last report,
Andi thought, a sick feeling washing over her.
Miss Hall waited until all of
the other students had filed out the door before she began her
speech. “What has possessed you this past week? You’ve scared Sierra
Higgins three times this week with small creatures, and disrupted class more
times then I care to count, and now a report about the importance
of NOT having an education. Whatever is the matter?”
Andi felt her face turning the
color of a tomato at the mention of her latest faults, “I don’t know! Everyone
is treating me like a little kid and I’m not one!" She blurted out.
“Then maybe you should show
them how grown up you are,” Miss Hall suggested gently. She then became
grave. “You know I am going to have to inform your family about your behavior.”
“Yes ma’am,” Andi whispered,
dreading the truth.
“I'm not going to make you copy
any lines today, but I certainly hope your behavior will be improved by next
week,” Miss Hall reproved her giving her a stern look.
As Andi slumped out
of the schoolhouse, she could feel anger boiling up inside of her. She
contemplated her feelings as she walked over to the livery where she was to
meet one of the ranch hands.
Why was everything going wrong
this week? It wasn’t just at school. At home everything went wrong
too. Andi flinched as she remembered the way she had decorated Chad's
saddle with mud and hay. She had thought it looked nice! But apparently Chad
hadn't thought so. He had her mucking out the stalls for the next two
days. A tiny smile played at Andi's lips as she recalled the look on Chad's
face when he saw the "spruced up" saddle.
A sudden finger of worry
tickled at the back of her mind as she thought of her episode today.
Justin would be pretty upset when he heard the report from Miss Hall. And she
knew Miss Hall would tell him before he came home tonight.
She pushed the fear back as she
came into sight of the livery. Terry, the hand from the ranch, was already
waiting for her, and in five minutes, she was settled in the wagon racking
her brain for excuses to tell her mother when she got home.
***
“Hello Andrea,” her mother’s
cool voice startled Andi as she came in through the door.
Andi lifted her head in
surprise. One look into her mother's stern gaze and Andi knew that Miss Hall
had already informed her. "Mother I can ex—"
Her mother cut her off before
she had a chance to give her excuse. “Justin came home early. He would like to
speak with you in the library.” Her mother looked at her pointedly. “I suggest
you head there right away.”
Andi turned her eyes to the
floor “Yes ma’am,” she said meekly. As she made her way upstairs to
deposit her school books in her room, a feeling of dread washed over her. Andi
felt awful about her behavior the past week, and didn’t feel like facing Justin
at this moment.
An idea popped into her
head. What if I just go away for a few days? Then when I get back it
might be all blown over. I might just do that. After stuffing an extra
pair of overalls and a few other necessities into a satchel, she climbed out
her window, slipped down the post, and headed for the barn.
***
The pit-pattering sound of
pacing had been consistent in the library for nearly a half an hour. The eldest
Carter brother, Justin, was there waiting for Andi. His mind was blank as to
what to do with his youngest sister. He was almost certain that she had gotten
into more trouble this week than other girls her age do in a year.
Justin felt a flicker of
irritation. He had absolutely no time for her childishness. He had just
received a telegram from the Governor of California saying that he
was to go San Francisco immediately. I wonder where that girl could be.
He wondered to himself, I’ll give her ten more minutes.
After ten more minutes of
pacing, Justin decided it was time to go and seek out his sister. He went up to
Andi’s room and gently rapped on the door. No answer. He gave a smarter knock.
No answer. “Andi?” he called to the shut door, “Andi? You better open this door
right this minute, young lady, or things will not be pretty.”
After waiting a moment, Justin
swung the door open. “Andrea Carter, you...” He stopped and gazed into the room
before him. Andi wasn’t there. Pivoting on his heel, he made his way to the
kitchen and caught Chad, who was just coming in through the back door. “Have
you seen Andi?” he inquired of his brother.
“No, I was looking for her
myself and noticed Taffy is gone,” Chad replied, “If that girl has
run off without doing her chores again, I’m gonna....”
“Chad, Mother told her to meet
me in the library forty minutes ago, and she’s not in her room.” Justin
couldn’t help the worry from seeping through his voice.
Chad’s face clouded in concern.
“Don’t worry, Justin. You check the house and I’ll ride around and see if I can
find her.”
Part 2
Just as the sun was beginning
to set, Chad returned from his search with no trace of his sister.
Worry plastered all over his
mother’s face when he told her of his failed mission. “Where on earth could she
be?”
“She has run off like this
before. She’ll be fine, Mother,” Chad reassured her. “I’ll take
another look around the ranch tomorrow morning.”
“Thanks, Chad,” Justin
said from the corner where he was working. “I’m sorry to leave, but I have to
be on the 6:00 train to San Francisco tomorrow morning.”
“You’re fine, Justin. You had
better go and pack,” Elizabeth addressed her oldest son.
“I’d better turn in for the
night. See you later Justin,” Chad said, heading upstairs.
“Good night, Chad” Justin
replied, and then in a barely audible voice added, And God help you find our
little sister.
***
The next
morning Chad guided his horse toward a clump of bushes and trees at
the Carter borderline. His mood was fairly dark. He pressed his lips together
and scanned the premises. Andi was going to be in big trouble when he found
her.
A flash of color and a small
whimper captured his attention. He pushed his way into the bushes and found a
small patch of ground. There, huddled next to the tree, sat Andi.
Anger like a volcano suddenly
burst out of him. “Andrea Rose Carter! Just what do you think you are
doing?”
Andi looked up in surprise.
“Chad, what…”
Chad bore his piercing gaze
into his sister’s eyes. ”Well?” he asked.
Andi suddenly ducked and turned
to flee. But Chad was too quick for her. “Oh, no, you don’t,” he barked. He
snatched his sister by her braid, dragged her out of the clearing, and flung
her on his horse. He then hoisted himself up in front of her and dug his heels
into the horse’s flank.
***
“Do you care to tell me what’s
going on?” Chad asked curtly once they were half way into their ride.
Andi clenched her
teeth and sucked in a long breath before starting her explanation.
After Andi
finished, Chad gave a shake of his head. “You are sure in one heap of trouble.
Mother is pretty upset.”
Andi tightened her
grip around Chad’s waist. “What do you think she’ll do?” she whispered.
“What do you
think?” was Chad’s short reply.
Andi uttered a
groan. “Oh, Chad, why does everything I do always seem to land me in trouble?”
she asked, slumping against her brother’s back.
“I don’t know,
little sister. I don’t know.”
***
It was almost ten
by the time the duo trotted into the Carter barnyard. ”You’d better run and
tell Mother you’re safe,” Chad instructed, nodding in the direction of the
house.
After a nudge from
Chad, Andi slid down from the horse and trudged up to the porch. As she slipped
into the house, she was met by her mother.
Tears flooded
Elizabeth Carter’s eyes when she saw her youngest daughter. “Andrea!” she cried
as she rushed over to envelope her with hugs.
“Hello, Mother,”
Andi said weakly through embraces.
Elizabeth pushed
her daughter back and held her at arm’s length, a hard look set in her eye.
“Andrea, I am very, very, disappointed in you. You are ten years old and
know better than to display such childish behavior. There has got to be a
punishment for this.”
Andi dropped her
gaze to the floor, shame washing over her.
“Chad will…”
Suddenly, Chad
popped his head in through the door and interrupted Elizabeth’s lecture.
“Mother, a lady in a buggy has just pulled up. She’s asking for you.”
“I’ll be right
there,” she replied, making her way towards the door. She paused as she gave some
last minute instructions. “Andrea, go to your room and change. Chad will deal
with you later.”
For
once Andi was glad to obey and escape to her room.
***
Andi deliberately
took the longest time picking out a “suitable” dress to wear. By the time she
made her way downstairs, it was almost lunch time.
“Andrea,” Elizabeth called
from the parlor, “I would like to introduce Mrs. Delaney Ricker. As I remember,
you met her last time she came through.”
Andi groaned
inwardly. Yes, she remembered. Last time Mrs. Ricker had come, she stayed a
whole week. The entire week had been filled with dresses, frills, shopping,
ribbons, and more frills.
Andi plastered a
smile on her face as she walked into the room. “Yes, I remember.” She turned
and dropped a curtsy towards Mrs. Ricker. “Good day, Mrs. Ricker.”
“Well, hello,
Andrea,” Mrs. Ricker replied in her shrill voice, giving Andi a sickly-sweet
smile. Turning to Mother, she said, “Oh Elizabeth, what a sweet little young
lady you have.”
“Yes,” Mother
agreed, “Andrea is ten years old now.”
“My word, how time
flies,” Mrs. Ricker remarked.
Andi bristled in
annoyance, Oh. how she hated being talked about as if she wasn’t even there!
The two ladies
conversed for about ten more minutes until the cook came in and announced that
lunch was to be served. The conversation at lunch was overly dominated by Mrs.
Ricker and her occasional statements telling Andi what a cute little girl she
was.
Through the
constant jabbering, Andi was able to learn that Mrs. Ricker would only be
staying until Sunday this time. Well, Andi thought
hopefully, maybe by then Chad might forget about me.
***
The next day
trickled by like molasses, but it did look like Chad had
forgotten. That was one bonus. On Sunday morning, a telegram arrived
from Justin saying that he would be home on the 4:00 train.
Oh goody, Andi thought, At
least then Chad won’t get to deal with me. Ohhh… but then Justin
will. This new realization put a damper on Andi’s spirits.
After breakfast,
Andi followed her mother out to say goodbye to Mrs. Ricker. “Oh how
I wish you had more time, Delaney,” Elizabeth was saying, “we hardly had time
to catch up.”
“I would like to,”
Mrs. Ricker replied, “but I am expected at my son’s home in Tulare for supper.
I truly had a wonderful time, Elizabeth. I thank you for your hospitality.
Goodbye, my friend.” With these parting words Mrs. Ricker stepped into the
buggy.
When the buggy
pulled out, Mother walked back into the house quietly. “It was so good to see
Delaney again,” Mother commented, “I hadn’t realized how much I missed our
conversations.”
Sour thoughts swam
through Andi’s mind. “I don’t miss her,” She grumbled, “She isn’t much
fun. All she does is talk and—”
Her Mother’s stern
voice cut Andi off. “Andrea! That was extremely disrespectful and rude. I
thought you had gotten over that impertinent attitude from last week, but I
guess I was wrong. You are going to stay in your room until
Justin gets home.”
A fresh wave of
anger washed over Andi. She opened her mouth for a reply but then snapped it
shut again, biting down hard on her tongue. As Andi stomped to her room, her
mood which was already as dark as a thundercloud, turned into a tornado.
It’s not
fair! She slammed shut her door and flung herself on her bed, I was just
“voicing my opinion.” After a few more dark thoughts, Andi focused her
attention on counting the spots on the wall until she drifted into a troubled
sleep.
***
The crunching sound
of buggy wheels coming up the driveway pulled Andi away from her sleep. She
propelled herself to the window and peeked out.
Justin was getting
out of a buggy.
Andi drifted away
from the window as he walked up onto their porch and into the house. She
checked herself in the mirror and then flounced on her bed. Andi cupped her
chin in her palm and sat on the edge of the bed thinking. Finally, a knock
sounded on the door.
Justin peeked his
head in, “May I come in?”
Andi gave a nod of
approval and scooted over on her bed making a place for him to sit.
His face was grave.
“Is there something you need to tell me?” he asked as he took his seat on the
bed.
Andi dropped her
gaze to the floor.
“Well?” He
prompted.
Andi sighed, “Oh,
Justin. I don’t know what has been wrong with me this week. I wish this week
would just start over.”
Justin wrapped his
arms around her, “Oh, Andi.” he murmured.
Andi stared up into
his blue eyes. ”Justin, I’ve been thinking. I was wrong. I am really sorry and
I am ready to take whatever you have for me.”
Justin gave her a
soft smile. “I’m proud of you, Andi. It really does take guts to confess like
you did, but you’re right, there must be a punishment.” He paused before
continuing/ “For the rest of the week, you must be in sight of an adult at all
times. Also, for the next month no riding Taffy unless someone from the ranch
is with you.”
“Alright,
Justin,” Andi replied, giving him a weak smile.
Justin stood up and
extended his hand. “Come on, Andi, let’s go downstairs.”
Andi slipped her
hand into his. “Justin? I just remembered a Bible verse that I think goes with
this.”
“What is it, hon?”
Andi closed her
eyes as she recited, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to
forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all iniquity.”
Justin met her gaze
with a warm smile. “ Yes honey, that does fit in.”
THE END
Great story, Anne and Heidi!
ReplyDelete-Sadie S.
Great job!
ReplyDelete