The Forgotten Promise

 By Esther S. (ages 9-13 category)

7-year-old Mitchell Carter lay in the hay loft hiding from his two older brothers, Justin and Chad. Hide and Seek was Mitch's favorite game even though he was bad at it. Justin and Chad on the other hand, they were slightly good at hide and seek.

This time around 13-year-old Justin was the finder. Mitch normally hid in the tack room but today he decided he would hide somewhere else. 12-year-old Chad normally hid in the tack room with him, and 10-year-old Katherine normally stayed in the house with their mother and little sister Melinda.

 

 

     *2 hours later *

 

     “Mitch, Mitchell, where are you son?”  James Carter called.

 “I'm in the hay lot, father,” Mitch called down.

 “Son, where have you been?” James asked as he climbed up the ladder.

 “Up in the loft. Chad, Justin, and I were playing hide and seek.”

“That was 2 hours ago!” Justin called up.

“Son, you must have been asleep,” James said. “ We have company today. Go get cleaned up, they will be here soon.”

     Later that night Mich sat at the diner table looking around at all the people there. Father's friend from San Francisco had come for a visit with his wife and two daughters Mary Lou and Emily. Mary Lou was 6 and Emily was 2. They were going to spend a couple of days there.

 “Mitch, please pass the gravy.” Mitch handed the gravy to Justin.

 Chad poked Mitch in the side “What are you thinking about little brother?” he said.

“Oh nothing much” Mitch answered.

 

*Later in bed*

 

     “Mitch, are you feeling alright?” Chad asked.

“I'm feeling just fine, why?” Mitch answered.

 “I was just wondering you were awfully quiet at dinner.”

 “What does that have to do with anything?”

 “You're normally the loudest one of us all”.

 “Boys go to sleep.”

 “Yes father”. They said in unison.

 

                                           * 3 days later 11 pm*

 

     “Mitch, can you help me get some water?”

 Mitch woke with a start. “Mary Lou, what are you doing in here?”

“I need some water and Mommy and Daddy are sleeping. They don't like to be woken up when they're sleeping.”

 “Come let's get you some water” Mitch got up and started walking downstairs.

 “Mitch I can’t see where you are going.” Mitch climbed back up, grabbed her hand and started walking down again. He went into the kitchen, grabbed a glass, filled it with water and gave it to her.

 “Thanks Mitch,” she said. They went back to bed.

     “Who was in the kitchen last night after bed?” Mother asked, Mary Lou opened her mouth to answer but Mitch said first “I was.”

 “Why?” Mother asked.

 “Mary Lou wanted water, so I got her some.”

 “Well that was nice of you” Ms. Anderson said (Mary Lou’s Mother).

 Chad elbowed Mitch in the side. Mitch blushed. “Father, may I be excused? Aunt Rebecca sent me some more dollhouse people yesterday.” Kate said.

“Yes, you may.” Kate got up without a word.

“Chad, don't tease your brother.” “Yes sir” Chad said in a small voice.

     “We are going to leave in a couple of days.” Mr. Anderson announced.

 “What!” Chad, Mitch, and Mary Lou said at the same time.

 

                                                        *Later that afternoon*

 

     “Mary Lou promise me that when we're older you'll marry me,” Mitch ventured to say.

“Of course Mitch” Mary Lou said “I would love to marry you when we are older”

“Promise me you won't marry anyone else” Mitch said

 “I promise I won't marry anyone else” Mary Lou answered.

 

                                                       *33 Years later*

          

40 year old Mitch lay on his bed drinking tea and reading a dime novel.

“Ellie, Susie, I am home.” Elizabeth Carter said.

 Mitch got up and  went downstairs. “Hello Mother,” he said.

“Mitch, why are you not working?” Mother asked.

 “Chad let me off early.” He said with a sheepish grin.

 “I did not!” Chad came in with the luggage and put it down.

“Come on Chad it's Saturday, give me a day off.”

 “Oh, all right but just this once.” Chad complained.

     Mitch woke up Sunday. “Yes!” Mitch said. No work for him today! Mitch hitched up the wagon for Chad. The hour-long ride to church was too much for Mitch to bear. “Hello little sister” he said when he saw Andi,  "What have we got here?” he asked, taking a look at Charlotte and Lily. Mitch picked up Jared and congratulated his sister and brother-in-law on the twins.

     When Church ended Mitch started chatting. A young lady came up and asked Chad “Do you know where I might find Mitchell Carter?”

 “Yes over there.” He pointed to where Mitch was.

“Thank you, sir,” she said.

 “You're welcome.”

She walked over to where Mitch was. “Excuse me, I'm looking for Mitchell Carter,” she said.

“How can I help?” Mitch said.

 “Can we talk?” She asked.

“Yes, why?”

 “Well let me just tell you my name is Mary Lou Anderson.”

 “Oh!” was all Mitch said, then as if an afterthought, he said “Yes let's talk.” They walked off.

     Justin walked over to Chad. “That girl you pointed over to Mitch is Mary Lou Anderson!”

“So what?” Chad asked.

“She, her dad, her mom, and her sister came for a week when I was 13, and you were 12. Does that ring a bell?”

 “Yeah, but what does that have to do with anything?” Chad asked.

 Justin leaned in closer and whispered “Mary Lou is the one that Mitch promised he'd marry!”

Chad exploded “What? How do you know that? He never told me!!”

 “Keep your voice down Chad” Justin warned in his better-do-it-or-else voice.

Chad whispered to Justin “Should we follow them?”

 “What? No, how could you?”

 “Just a thought,” Chad teased.

 “A bad thought” Justin scolded.

 

******

“Mary Lou, are you married?” Mitch asked.

 “No, because I made a promise to a 7–year–old–boy years ago, my only problem was I did not remember his name until my father mentioned y’all Carter's.”

 Mitch had tears in his eyes as she told him this. “I’m so sorry I did not remember you Mary Lou.” Mitch embraced her with a hug, and said, “I’m so sorry!” He started to cry.

“Mitch, it's okay.” she soothed him.

     They walked back to the church. ”What!! My wagon is gone, what should I do?” Mitch said “Chad is going to have an earful from me when I get home! Mary Lou, can you take me home?”

 “Yes Mitch, if you want you can call me Mary.”

 “I’d love to!” They went over to where her wagon was, but it was not there. “Oh sorry Mitch I forgot that I did not bring the wagon today.”

“That's okay Mary I will walk home, it will do me some good.”

“Are you sure?”

 “Yes Mary, I am sure.”

     By the time Mitch got home, it was way past dinner time. “What took you so long?” Chad wanted to know.

 “If you had walked home you would have taken that long” Mitch snapped.

 Chad burst out laughing “You walked home?” he laughed again. “I'm sorry little brother” Chad said when he saw the look on Mitch's face.

Mary Lou and her sister Emily moved to Fresno. Melinda and Emily became great friends. This gave Mitch and Mary Lou a good reason to see each other more often.

*****

     It started to pour down rain, as Mitch left the barn and headed to the house. When he got to the house, there was a surprise for him! Andi and the twins were there! 

“Andi how are you and the kids?” Mitch asked.

“We are alright, how about you?” she said.

“What do you mean by ‘alright?’ ”

“I mean we are doing good.”

     Mitch went into the parlor, and was surprised at what he saw! “Mary Lou, what brought you here?” There's a crash of thunder and it all went black.

“Mitch I can’t see!!” Her voice shook with fear.

“Hey it's okay don’t worry.”

 

 

                                  *Christmas time that same year*

 

     “Mary Lou, will you be my wife?” Mitch asked as he drove the buggy back to his house.

“Oh Mitch, I thought you would never ask!”

“So is that a yes?” Mitch asked with a hopeful plea in his voice.

“Yes! It’s a Yes!!” Mary Lou almost shouted with joy. Mitch squeezed her hand.  As they got to the house Mitch jumped out of the buggy and helped Mary out. He slipped a ring on her finger as they walked into the house. “ Oh, Mary Lou, what a pleasant surprise!” Elizabeth Cater said.

“Mary and I have an announcement to make.” Mitch cleared his throat. “We are getting married!”

“Took you long enough, little brother.” Chad teased. Mitch scowled at him and gave him the look that said ‘Leave me alone’.

 

                                                      *6 months later*

 

     Isaac Anderson walked his daughter, Mary Lou, down the aisle to Mitch. “Do you, Mitchell James Carter, take Mary Lou Anderson to be your wife?”

 “I do.” “Do you, Mary Lou Anderson, take Mitchell James Carter to be your husband?”

“I do.”

“I pronounce you man and wife.”

 

 

                                           *3 years later*

 

     “Lulu, come to Daddy '' Mitch called to his 2-year-old daughter. “Dada!” Lulu screeched.

“Shh, Lulu, Mama is sleeping.”

“Mama want hep!” Lulu started to cry.

“Shh! Shh! Lulu, it's okay. Let's go see what's wrong.”

 “Mitch! He’s coming!!” screamed a voice from the bedroom. Mitch took off running leaving Lulu behind. 2-year-old Lulu ran to her room and hid. Mitch ran into the bedroom and went over to Mary Lou. 5 hours later he came out with a baby boy in his arms, and called Lulu to come see her new little brother.

“What is his name? Dada”

“His name is Michael James. That is my name, did you know that?”

“No dada, I didn’t  know dat. Why dat you name?”

“Because my mom, your grandma, named me that.”

“Really?”

“Yes, now go to bed.”

                                                     *5 days later*

      Mitch and Mary Lou Carter looked at their two sleeping kids. “They’re wonderful Mitch just  wonderful!”

“Yes they are,” he replied quietly.