Andrea Carter Learns a Tough Lesson

by
Abigail G.　　

“ANDI!”

The angry shout tore Andi from her peaceful sleep. She sat up groggily.

“Andi Rose Carter!”

Andi then recognized the voice as Chad--her bossiest brother. She climbed out of bed and went to the door. “What, Chad?”

Chad appeared at her door, and gawked. “You’re supposed to be at school in twenty minutes, and Justin is getting quite impatient.”

“Why didn’t you wake me up?” Andi groaned.

“Your chores were done; presumably by Mitch.” He frowned.

Andi smiled at the thought of her youngest, not to mention nicest, brother sneaking by Chad to do her chores.

“This is not a laughing matter. You are supposed to learn responsibility by your chores, not how to sweet-talk your brother! You had better get ready; however, when you get back from school, we are going to have a long talk about where you were last night! Do I make myself clear?”

Andi winced at the tongue lashing. “Yes, Chad. Does Mother know about last night?”

Chad shook his head. “Not yet. After our chat, I will decide if she needs to know. Now get ready. Old Foster is gonna have a heyday as late as you are.”

Andi ran a brush threw her hair one time, then braided it. She quickly pulled a dress over her head, and ran out the door, down the stairs, and out the main door. Justin, her oldest, most sensible brother, was indeed sitting in the buggy looking quite impatient. She leaped into the buggy.

Justin started Pal, the buggy horse, off at a fast trot. “You are going to make me very late to work, young lady,” he said, breaking the silence.

“I am sorry, Justin. I overslept.”

“I see. And what, pray tell, was our most dearest brother so upset about this morning?”

Andi snorted her opinion of Justin’s description of Chad. “He just needed to talk to me,” she muttered, looking down.

“About . . .?” Justin pressed.

“I would rather not say.”

“Alright, I suppose I will find out at our little meeting when you get out of school.”

Andi’s head snapped up. “You are gonna be there?”

“Chad asked me to join you and he for a meeting after school. He said he may not keep his cool. And by the way you are acting, I suspect he has a right to be angry.”

Andi stared at her shoes. “You’ll find out then.” She felt sick.

Justin merely nodded. They rode the rest of the way in silence.

Upon arriving at school, Andi rushed into the schoolhouse and made her way to her classroom. She dreaded every step as she climbed the stairs to where the older children were taught. The schoolmaster, Mr. Foster, kept a tight rein on his pupils, and allowed no rule to be broken without severe punishment.

Andi entered the schoolroom slowly.

Mr. Foster looked up, “Miss Carter, it was nice of you to join us.”

Andi blushed furiously as the class tittered. “I apologize for being late, Sir. I--” She stopped speaking, realizing she had no excuse except that she overslept. She was not about to tell that to Mr. Foster. “It won’t happen again,” she quickly babbled.

“Miss Carter, you know I don’t allow anyone to disobey the rules without punishment.” Mr. Foster frowned.

Andi groaned inwardly, but nodded to her teacher. “Yes, Mr. Foster.”

“For being late, you will stay after school and you will write, ‘I will not arrive late to class’ 300 times in your copybook.”

Andi’s head flew up. “Sir, I can’t stay after class. Chad needs to talk to me, and he will be extremely--”

“You can stay after class, and you will, Miss Carter.” Mr. Foster interrupted.

“Sir,” Andi tried again, “If Justin tells you I can’t, will you listen?” Andi knew her voice sounded as if she were begging, but she couldn’t help it. She stared at Mr. Foster; her eyes pleading. Andi held Mr. Foster’s stern gaze, and finally saw his eyes soften.

“Miss Carter, you are sorely trying my patience today; however, since you seem to be genuinely concerned about your brother being upset if you stay after class, I will allow it to be added to your homework. You must remember it is due tomorrow, Miss Carter.”

“Oh thank-you, Sir. I won’t forget!”

Mr. Foster gave her a curt nod, and moved on with the day’s assignments.

Finally recess came. Andi couldn’t wait to get outside. When they finally got outside, Andi’s best friend, Cory Blake, came up to her. “Did Chad find out about last night?” he questioned.

Andi’s mind went back to the previous night. She and Cory had decided they were old enough to go see what Fresno, the town nearest them, looked like at night. There had been fight after fight, plus swearing and drinking. The air had been filled with the smells of horse manure, liquor, and tobacco. She and Cory had almost gotten kidnapped. They would have been if three men hadn’t stepped in and rescued them.

Andi remembered one of the men’s words when the danger was over. “What in the world are you kids doing in town at this time of night?” When he didn’t get an answer he continued, “You sneaked out, didn’t ya?” Still receiving no answer he kept on, “I can guarantee you did by your poker faces. Both of you ought to have your hides tanned!”

The man had continued scolding them until Andi’s ears burned with shame and embarrassment. He had finally sent them home saying, “Now get on home, the both of you, before I forget I ain’t your Pa and give you the thrashings you deserve!”

“Andi?” Cory’s voice brought her out of her reminiscing.

“Yes, he did.” She answered Cory’s question.

“How?” “Remember those men who helped us?”

“How could I forget?” Cory laughed.

“Well, one was Sid, spending most of his recent pay check. He recognized me and went right back and gave Chad an earful. Chad was so mad he waited until morning before talking to me. The only thing that saved me then was that I overslept, and I had to leave with the warning we were gonna have a long talk when I got home from school. He was smoldering when we left. I won’t be surprised if he tans my backside like he has threatened for so long!”

Cory’s face drained of color, “S-S- Sid McCoy?”

“The one and only.”

“Chad’s foreman?”

“Yes, Cory! What’s wrong?”

“Did he recognize me?”

“I have no idea. I guess I’ll find out after school. Don’t worry, Cory. If Chad doesn’t know, I won’t rat you out.”

“Thank-you.” Cory gasped, looking relieved. Then his look changed to one of concern, “If you get in more trouble for being ‘alone’, tell Chad I was there. And whatever you do, don’t lie to protect me. If Chad finds out you lied, there is not one doubt in my mind he would whip you.”

“Thanks. He might already whip me, though.” Andi shuddered at the thought.

“I don’t know if Justin or your mother would allow Chad to tan you. But don’t worry, I have had plenty whippings, and most of the sting goes away in an hour or two!”

“Thanks for the comfort.” Andi responded sarcastically.

“No problem.” Cory grinned. “Let’s go play baseball, and get our minds off this horrible topic.” Cory suggested with a grin.

“Sure.” Andi gave her consent, and they ran off together.

The rest of the school day passed uneventfully, and Justin came to pick her up. Andi couldn’t meet Justin’s eyes on the way home.

“Andrea, it would be easier if you would just tell me what you did, so I don’t have to be surprised.” Justin’s voice was calm, but Andi knew he was near giving the order to tell him, especially since he used her full name. Justin’s word was law since Father had died eight years ago.

Andi took a deep breath and poured all the details out to Justin.

Justin didn’t say a word during Andi’s recital, nor for a while afterwards. He finally spoke, “Andrea Carter, I am shocked and hurt that you would go behind my back and do something like this, especially after the countless times I have told you that Fresno is a dangerous place at night. You very nearly could have been kidnapped last night, and the fact that you did it alone is even more appalling.” Justin paused his scolding as he studied Andi.

Andi studied the buggy floor, and didn’t look up.

“Andrea, were you alone?” Justin questioned, staring intently at her.

Andi sealed her lips and remained silent.

“Andrea Rose Carter, answer the question this minute!” Justin snapped.

Andi nearly burst into tears. Justin never spoke to her so sharply. “No, Sir.” She whispered.

“I thought as much. Who were you with?”

Andi shook her head. He could yell at her all he wanted, but she wasn’t going to rat Cory out.

Justin thought for a minute. “Must have been Cory. No one else would be so dumb!”

“Cory is not dumb, Justin Carter.” Andi leapt to her friend’s defense.

“So it was Cory.”

“I never said that!” Andi protested.

“You also never said it wasn’t him. Was it?” Justin prodded.

Andi crossed her arms and refused to look at Justin. Pretty soon they pulled into the yard. Andi jumped from the buggy before it quit rolling.

“It’s about time you got here!” A voice exploded from behind her.

Andi whirled to face Chad. Her anger boiled up. “In case you haven’t noticed, neither Justin nor I control when school lets out,” she snapped.

His glare darkened. “Get rid of your smart mouth. By the way, Sid mentioned you weren’t alone. Who was with you?”

Andi glared at Chad, “As if I would tell you!” With that remark Andi turned on her heel and walked toward the house.

“Andrea Carter, stop right there!” The cold sternness in Chad’s voice stopped her in her tracks. She heard him coming toward her and turned, right as he got to her. “You had better tell me right now who was with you.”

Andi looked up at her brother, who stood well over six feet three inches. She gulped. Chad was mad. He grabbed Andi by the arm. “Andrea, I control whether you get your backside tanned or not, so I suggest telling me who you were with and telling me quick.”

Andi gulped again, and momentarily forgot the pain in her arm. “No.” She tried to jerk her arm from his grip, but he held her fast.

“Andrea Rose Carter, tell me right now.”

Several ranch hands paused their work to watch. Chad’s grip tightened.

“Please, Chad, let me go.”

“Chad, what are you doing?” a new voice broke in.

Andi whirled, and nearly crumpled in relief as she watched Mitch come closer. Soon he was there. “Let her go,” Mitch ordered, alarmed.

“Not until she answers me.” Chad spared his brother a brief glance.

“I was with myself. You want to know who else?” Andi challenged.

“You know I do.” Chad hissed between clenched teeth.

“I was with me too!” Andi made herself give an unnatural cackle which quickly turned to a moan as Chad tightened his grip.

“Not funny, little sister.”

Mitch gave Andi an odd look, “Uhhh…you okay, Sis?”

“Never been better,” Andi said, her voice strained with pain. “Chad, do you mind loosening the vice on my arm? We have been learning some stuff in school, and if I remember right circulation is kind of important.”

“What makes you think that I’m cutting off your circulation?”

“The bluish tint to my skin is usually a good sign, as well as tingling and loss of feeling. Want to know more?”

Chad loosened his grip on her arm and Andi let out a sigh of relief. “I am sorry, Andi. I just can’t stop thinking about what could have happened to you. I love you more than you can imagine. How . . .?” He shook his head. “Really, Andi, it makes me sick. Why in the world would you do something so dumb? It‘s like you are asking for a licking.”

Andi studied the ground.

“When?” Mitch asked, looking confused.

“Last night--”

“Do we have to tell everybody?” Andi interrupted.

Chad glanced at her, “Do you really not want me to tell Mitch?”

“I guess I don’t care. So long as Mitch doesn’t tell anybody . . . like Mother.”

“I won’t, Sis.” Mitch assured her.

Chad repeated her story, omitting no details. He ended with, “I still don’t know who she was with.”

“She was with Cory Blake,” Justin said as he joined them. “Sorry it took me so long. I went to Mr. Blake’s livery and asked him what he knew. Apparently Cory had kept it all a secret. He called Cory in, and he admitted to every detail. Mr. Blake assured me that Cory would be getting a good thrashing tonight, and that he didn’t think Cory would ever do something so foolish again after tonight.”

Andi shuddered at the thought of Cory getting a ‘good’ thrashing for being with her. Sorry, Cory. I tried, she thought.

“That is exactly what Father would have done to us, isn’t it Justin?” Chad laughed.

“Hey, I got a few thrashings too, you know,” Mitch protested.

“Not as many, though.” Chad replied.

“Chad, I don’t think anyone could get as many as you.” Justin laughed.

Chad tried to look offended, but in the end his laughter won out.

Justin’s gaze flicked to Andi. “We have business to settle, brother,” he said, turning toward the house.

“Right.” Chad responded, instantly serious.

Justin marched Andi through the house to the library. He led Andi to a small table and he and Chad quickly took chairs on one side; leaving the other side to Andi.

“Whose idea was it?” Chad asked.

“Both of ours,” Andi responded instantly. Cory had suggested it, but she wasn’t about to get him in more trouble by saying so.

Then the scolding began.

Justin started first, and he soon had Andi’s face beet red and her ears tingling from the reprimand. Chad soon took his turn, and things only got worse. “Andrea, look at me,” he commanded.

Andi raised her tearful gaze to meet Chad’s stern one.

“I was seriously considering giving you a tanning!”

Andi stiffened.

“I think it might help cure you of rushing into things without thinking of the consequences.” Try as she might, Andi couldn’t hold back her tears anymore. They poured down her cheeks.

Chad winced at her tears, but continued, “I’m sorry, Andi, but if Justin agrees, I am going to have to spank you.”

At this dire pronouncement, Andi buried her head in her arms. She heard Justin and Chad whispering, but she didn’t look up.

“Andrea, pay attention,” Justin ordered.

Andi raised her head.

“Chad and I have decided not to whip you. However, there will be a punishment.”

Relief flooded Andi’s body. “Yes, Sir,” she whispered.

Chad spoke next. “As part of your punishment, Taffy will be off limits for two months.”

Andi gasped and her eyes filled with tears again. The thought of not riding her beautiful palomino for two months was too much! Andi basically lived and breathed for Taffy, and every day spent at the least an hour with her. I’m sorry I was so dumb, girl. I don’t know why I did it. Oh! I will miss you so much! Andi’s mind filled with thoughts of her beloved mare.

Chad wasn’t through, yet. “Furthermore, for one of those months, you will be allowed nothing but school, chores, and sewing. I know it seems harsh, but look at what you did. What if you and Cory had been kidnapped? Who knows what could have happened. You have been told all your life not to go to town at night. Rules are not just made to confine you, and make us think we have power over you. In fact, you have shown us that we don’t. Rules are made for your protection. Do you understand?”

Andi’s tears came once again. How right Chad was! “Yes, Sir.”

Justin spoke next, “We love you, honey. That is why we punish you. We want you to learn from listening, but sometimes we have to learn the hard way. It is for your own good. We want to keep you around a little while longer.” He smiled. “Do you understand?”

“Yes, Sir,” Andi whispered through her tears.

Andi’s brothers stood and came to give her a hug. Andi didn’t ever want to let go. She felt safe in her brothers’ arms. She felt horrible for hurting them.

“I’m sorry.” Andi choked the words out through her silent sobs.

“I know you are, honey,” Justin comforted.

“And we forgive you, Andi. We love you,” Chad added.

“I know. I love you too.” Andi squeezed tighter.

When the group finally broke up. Andi was able to smile. “Well, I better get started on those sentences Mr. Foster gave me if I don’t want more.”

Her brothers smiled. “I believe we have work too,” Chad said. “And we had better get it done if we want to eat tonight.”

Andi laughed as she made her way to the barn to have a short visit with Taffy before getting to work. “Hey, girl! You are gonna find out soon that I won’t be around for a while, and I am sorry. I am going to obey from now on, Taffy.”

Taffy snorted, and Andi laughed. “Well, I may stumble a few times, but I will try my best.” She sighed. “Boy, it sure feels good to be forgiven. I better get to work if I am going to finish. I won’t ever lose you again. I don’t know how I am gonna handle being without you for so long. Well, bye Taffy. I sure will miss you.”

With that, Andi turned and headed to her bedroom. The next day at school, Cory caught up to her at recess. “Hey, Andi! How are you?”

“I’m not any worse for wear. How about yourself?”

“I’m quite sore, and will be for several days. Maybe even months, or years.” Cory rubbed his backside and groaned.

Andi laughed. “I didn’t rat you out.”

“I know. Justin made that clear after he interrogated me.”

Andi laughed again, “Lawyers have a way of doing that.”

“Yep. So you didn’t get punished?” he asked, incredulously.

“You better believe I did.” Andi quickly poured out her punishments to Cory.

He let out a low whistle. “I would say you got punished.”

“Really? I was still debating that. I do have to say, however, that I am glad it is out. I don’t know why, but I feel so much freer. Yesterday, I felt so horrible all day. I don’t know how to explain it.”

“I understand,” Cory said, nodding. “Same with me. I saw Justin pull up, and I knew it would be out soon. I knew I would get a licking, but I felt kinda relieved. I feel freer too, now that I’m forgiven. You know the song we sing in church, “He Set Me Free”? I think that song could relate here, even though it doesn’t exactly mean that.”

“Absolutely,” Andi agreed.

Cory smiled at her. “Enough of this seriousness. Baseball?”

“Of course!” Andi grinned.

The two friends ran off--free and forgiven!

THE END