April Fool's, Andi!

 By Isabella A, age 16

#1 WANTED Poster

“Hey Andi!” Riley burst through the back door.

  Andi looked up from her not-so-good, success at cinnamon rolls. “Yeah?”

  “Could you take a saddle to the livery for me? I'm heading over to Circle C, and I want Blake to take a look at it.”

  “Sure.”

  “And while you're there, you can get that sugar you need for the pies this evening.” 

  “Alright.” Andi nodded.

  “The saddle's on the porch.” Riley grinned and fled from the kitchen.

_______

  It didn't take Andi long to get things together and get to town. The only problem was that the saddle looked in perfect condition.

Hmm...That's odd. Andi thought, as she dropped it off.

  “How can I help you?” Mr. Goodwin asked as Andi came in.

  “Oh, I just need some sugar.” She smiled turning her gaze to the wall were the latest newspapers were put up. Andi scanned the wall from the bottom to the top. As she got closer to the top she gasped. There staring at her from a wanted poster was her own face. The poster read: Wanted: Andrea Rose Prescott $1,000.

  “Here's your sugar ma'am.” Mr. Goodwin said handing her a brown paper bag. Andi snatched the bag and stormed from the Mercantile.

  “Who in the world put that there! And why?” She shouted getting in the rig.

________

  “Riley!!” Andi thundered, as she rode up to the Circle C. “Riley!”

  “What's seems to be the problem sis?” Chad asked, coming by at that moment.

  Andi poured out her find in less than a minute.

  “What!!” Chad bellowed. “Are you sure?!” Without waiting for Andi to answer he jumped in the rig beside her. “We're going to town, I've got to figure out what's going on.”

  Andi turned the rig around. “Just how do you plan on doing that?”

  “Have you committed any crimes lately?”

  “No!”

  “Well, I guess we'll just have to ask Justin to help you outta' this pickle.” Chad broke into a wide grin.

________

  “Mmm.” Justin mused. “That's quite a predicament you got yourself in.” He grinned at Chad who grinned back.

  “It's not funny!” Andi frowned. “Is there anything you can do, Justin?”

  “I'll look into it...I'll probably have an answer by tonight's April Fools party.” Justin sighed. “Have you told Mother yet?”

  “No, I haven't even told Riley.”

  “We better go do that.” Chad smirked. “I'll drive sis.” He added as he turned to leave.

________

  “That's the ins and outs of it.” Andi sighed.

  “Hmm...Rough goin' huh?” Riley frowned.

  “Ya' think?” Andi frowned back.

  “And you're sure you haven't broken the law lately?” Ellie asked politely.

  “Yes. As sure as anyone can be.”

  “I'm sure Justin will figure it out, Sweetheart.” Mother smiled.

  “Andi,” Riley broke in. “You probably outta head back home if you want those pies done on time.”

  She nodded and rose to leave. “Anyway, if I'm landed in jail, that's the reason.”

________

  “It just doesn't make sense.” Andi said as Riley and she pulled up to the Ranch House.

  “The April Fools party?” Riley smiled.

  “No, the poster.”

  “You still worrying about that?”

  “Well, a poster is for when you're looking for someone. The problem is everyone knows where I am. So why would they need a poster?”

  “Good point.” Riley chuckled. “I'm sure you don't want to ruin Chad's party with thinking about that poster too much.”

  Chad's party?

  Well, it was about the truth. Chad had wanted an April Fools party since the beginning of March. He said “It's kinda' like Christmas.” He had got a name card for every member of the family (except Kate and the kids who couldn't make it, and Sammy who was too young) and everyone drew a name and was supposed to make a goofy gift for that person. Andi had drawn Peter, so she had to think really hard for him, because what a ranch hand thought was funny, probably wasn't the same as what a gentleman thought was funny. And Peter was a gentleman.

  Andi decided Riley was right, she didn't need to ruin the party. And to her surprise, she actually enjoyed herself. There was cake, ice cream, punch and coffee. Melinda played the piano and Chad strummed the guitar while everyone danced. After awhile Mother said it was time to hand out the gifts.

  “Mitch, would you mind passing them out?” She asked.

  “Not at all.” Mitch grinned. He rummaged through the stack and pulled out a brown envelope. “Here, Andi. Since Sammy isn't getting a gift, that makes you the youngest, so you can go first.” 

  “Oh, thanks.” Andi frowned. She flipped the envelope over, it said  ANDI, in all capital letters, so you couldn't tell who it was from.

  “Before you open it up, Andi, I wanted to tell you what I figured out on the poster,” Justin said. “It seems you are guilty of committing the crime of destroying personal property.”

  “What!” Andi gasped. “To who?”

  “You'll learn more details later, just open your gift for now.” he smiled.

  Andi peeled open the seal and pulled out the card. To her surprise it was the poster! On the right bottom corner it said, Love, Chad.

  “Chad Carter!” Andi shouted wadding up the poster and throwing it at him. “That is not funny!”

  Chad ducked and the poster hit Mitch in the face.

  “Hey, sis!”

  “You should've moved.” She said clenching her fists and walking over to Chad.

  “Now look here, little sister,” Chad said getting up.

  “Don't, 'look here little sister' me,” Andi frowned. “I want to know where you got that poster and why you gave it to me?”

  Chad smiled. “April Fools, Andi! It was all a joke.”

  Andi's jaw dropped. “The whole thing?”

  “Yep.”

  “Just exactly why would you do such a thing to me?” Andi gave him an accusing look.

  “Remember, sis, the end of February?”

  Andi barely remembered yesterday. “What part of the end of February?”

  “When you constantly were playing pranks on me?”

  Andi raised a questioning eyebrow.

  “When you filled my boots with dead crickets? And stole my Stetson...?”

  “Stole! You mean borrowed?” Andi frowned.

  “Barrowed! For three weeks?! I had to go to that ice cream social bare-headed!”

  “Keeps you humble.”

  “Anyways, remember when you carved your name and age in my almost-brand new saddle?”

  “I carved Andi, Age 17, Keep Off! To be precise.” Andi smiled.

  “Yes, and remember what I told you when I caught you in the midst of doing it?”

  “Well, you yelled and shook me up a bit...”

  Now that Chad had brought it up Andi remembered the event quite clearly. She hadn't done it just to be mean. She'd done it because Chad had done it to one of the family's saddles when he was little. No reason for him to forget his childhood.

  “Just exactly what is going on here!” Chad grabbed Andi by the shoulders.

  “Who's asking?” Andi dropped her knife in her pocket.

  Chad lifted his saddle skirt and frowned at the gashes Andi had put in it.

  “See, I put it under the skirt so no one could see it.”

  “How funny.” Chad sat down on a near by hay bale.

  “About as funny as the saddle you did that to.”

  Andi grinned.

  “What did I say once I cooled down?” Chad continued.

  She shook her head. Andi remembered he had the whole family sign the saddle skirt, and he hung it on his wall, but he didn't say anything.

  “I said, “I'm gonna get you back on April Fools day”. Remember?”

  Andi thought a second. “So that's what this is? The 'get you back' joke?”

  “Yep. The whole family pitched in. Mitch designed it, Ellie drew the picture, Mother wrote the words, and Melinda got it printed. Peter hung it up, Justin promised to play along, Riley came up with the saddle and sugar idea. And me, I coached it all and signed it.”

  Andi glanced around. “Guess the joke's on me?” She smirked.

  Chad chuckled. “Honestly I thought you would see my name on it at the Mercantile and realize it was a joke right off.”

  Andi grinned and threw her arms around Chad. “What would my life be without you in it?!”

  “Probably pretty boring. Just like mine would be without you.”

  “Not to break up a tender moment,” Peter started. “But since Chad got Andi, I'm waiting to see who got Melinda.”