Lace Against Time

 By Patience

“Andi! You really ought to go outside, you are only getting in the way,” Melinda placed her hands on her hips. Everyone was tidying the house for Aunt Rebecca’s visit. Andi hated it went her aunt visited. Andi do this, Andi watch that! Gracious Andi, I hate spiders. Before Andi had a chance to open her mouth and protest, Mitch had led her to the door, told her to find Riley, and make herself scarce. With a charming smile, he closed the door in her face. “Rude!” she stomped her foot only to get her hair ruffled by Chad as he walked by chuckling. “Double rude!” Turning, Andi went to the barn and plopped onto a hay bale. Out of nowhere, Riley landed beside her. She wasn’t quite certain about this boy. He was new after all. But he did tell good stories. As usual, Riley began to explain the amazing game he had just come up with. There was suddenly a shout as Aunt Rebecca arrived in the buggy with Father and Mother. As soon as the two children heard the name, they inwardly groaned. Now they would have to live through a week’s worth of hiding in the barn, or anywhere else really, just to stay out of the fragile woman’s way. Andi meekly allowed her aunt to talk to her, or rather about her. Just as soon as she was able to Andi turned and ran back to the barn, where Riley was sprawled across a hay bale. Peering at her over the book, Riley grinned. “Ok, so you remember what we need for my juggling game?” he asked, slamming the picture book closed. “Four handkerchiefs or bandanas,” Andi replied. “I’ll go inside and look around.” They split; Riley raced to the bunk house while Andi ran into the house. As she ran past the parlor, she heard Aunt Rebecca’s voice droning on about the fine lady’s school that Melinda absolutely must attend. Andi burst boisterously into big brother Chad’s bedroom. Chad crossed his arms but when Andi explained Riley’s game, he gave her his oldest bandana. With a shout of thanks, Andi ran into her own room. Nothing there. She tried her other siblings’ rooms, but there was nothing. That was when she found a lacey handkerchief in Aunt Rebecca’s room. Perfect! “Ok, I got the stuff,” Andi announced, watching Riley frown at the two holey bandanas he had plead off of two cowhands necks. They began to toss the four fabric squares back and forth, enjoying the sight of the lacey hanky fluttering as it fell. Riley then put a rock in the center of the hanky, tied it over the rock, and they began throwing it for fun. Lace fluttered like the wings of a butterfly, catching the sun light where there were tiny embellishments. The white lace invention abruptly ended its flight with an inelegant splash. “Andrea Rose Carter!” Aunt Rebecca’s voice broke in on the fun. “She’s an old lady Andi, you can out run her!” Riley screamed, running straight into his uncle’s outstretched hand. Andi screamed, before taking off like a comet. No doubt Chad would be the one to catch her. Where can I go? After running three desperate laps around the house, Andi settled for hiding in various places. She rushed into the kitchen and hid there until Louisa caught wind of what was happening and alerted Melinda, who was walking past. Then she tried the hen house, but that awful rooster was there. Dashing past Mitch and tripping him, Andi leapt past Aunt Rebecca. There was only one option that remained. The barn. Father suddenly loomed, but Andi knew what to do. Falling on the ground, she rolled between his legs and took off. Her skirts were now a flutter of disaster and dirt. Almost there. “Look out Prince!” Andi leaped over the dog then saw Riley getting a spanking behind the corrals. She knew that was what she had coming for her and began to run faster. All around the barn, Chad raced only a few feet behind her. Then, Andi disappeared. Chad stood in stunned silence, blinking at the dust cloud before him. Meanwhile, Andi crouched in the hay loft, peering at the chaos in the yard below. No one thought that she could have gotten into the barn that quickly, but they did not know that she was small enough to squeeze through a hole caused by a missing board. After five minutes, Andi relaxed. She had made it. Slowly, she slipped down the ladder into the lower floor. Just then, the latch began to move. Desperate to find cover, Andi discovered that there was nowhere to hide. She inched backwards as the door opened wide. Sun light landed on her as she crouched. “Hi Father,” Andi gulped. His arms were crossed. Behind him, Chad and Mitch pretended to be busily looking at a tree, but their eyes were staring at her. The dread of what came next filled Andi. With a deliberate creak, the barn door closed. A second later, yowls more dreadful than what was actually happening filled the air. A cowboy looked at the sky and hid a smirk as everyone in the barn yard tried to ignore the hilarious mischief Andi and Riley had caused. While he sat on a fence post, Riley rubbed his rear ruefully, imagining what Andi was experiencing. “Andi,” they all heard, “Stop screaming, I only tapped you. Now, go apologize.” Snotty nosed, Andi sniffled apologies. Everyone forgave her since she was only five, but father took her on his knee. “Now darling, I only punished you because you ran from the consequence instead of confessing. Do you understand?” Andi nodded. Then she asked, “Why did Riley get spanked? He didn’t take the hanky without asking.” “I was spanked because I was disrespectful in stating the obvious fact that your aunt is…a hoary head.” Riley piped. His uncle’s eyes bulged. “Riley!”