The Power of Friendship

 by Abbi Grooms

“Andi! I finished that last reader you gave me. Can I get another?” Andi Carter whisked her hat from her head and wiped her sleeve across her forehead to clear the sweat as she grinned. 

“Macy Walker, the way you’re rushing through these readers, you’ll be at my last one next week!” Macy grinned sheepishly and shrugged. 

“I never wanted to do much book learnin’ when I was with Ty, Jase, and Rudy; but now that I can read more, it’s awful fun. I really liked that dime novel of MItch’s you gave me last week.” Andi laughed. 

“I’m glad you enjoyed it, but don’t tell Mother. She thinks those books are just awful, and Mr. Foster, well he’s convinced they’re of the devil himself.” Macy threw back her head as she laughed. 

“The secret is safe with me. As long as you can get me another one that is.” 

“Of course. I got--” 

“Another what?” The stern voice had both girls jumping as they turned in the barn. Chad Carter stood with his legs apart and arms crossed. He raised one eyebrow as he studied the girls. 

“Chad! Do you always have to sneak up on people like that? We were just talking about books.” 

“Oh, like that dime novel you slipped Macy when she came to get her last reader?” Andi’s cheeks flamed. “Calm down, little sister, I think  they’re good for you every once in a while. Besides, Macy only gets to be with us for another month so I think it’s great considering she probably won’t get to read such educational material when she goes back home.” Andi giggled and Macy shrugged. 

“I reckon I’ll get to read ‘em, given I can find ‘em. I figure most stores gotta sell at least a couple.” 

“Macy!” Andi scolded, “No! A young lady does not go shopping for dime novels!” She lowered her voice, “Just ask one of the boys at your new school to get you some.”

Chad snorted, “You are truly a lady, Andi.” Shaking his head, he turned and headed out of the barn. 

“Cory is supposed to come by tomorrow. Since it’s Saturday, maybe we can ride into town and Cory can pick up a couple of the books to smuggle back home with you, my treat. How does that sound?” 

“Goodness, Andi! You ain’t foolin’?” Macy’s eyes grew large with appreciation. 

“Course not, Macy. That’s what friends are for. I reckon we oughta get cleaned up before dinner. We probably have about fifteen minutes, come on.” The dinner bell found the girls seated at the table, shockingly on time. 

“Well, I believe this is the first time y’all have been here on time since Macy came to visit, Andi,” Mitch chided. 

“I hate to contradict you, Mitch, but this is actually the second time,” Macy smirked. 

“Oh, right. Y’all were on time when you got grounded to the house for shirking your chores. One might say that was because it got you out of sewing. If I remember correctly, you girls excused yourself from your sewing two hours before dinner to ‘prepare yourselves for the meal’.”

Chad nearly choked on his water as he howled with laughter. “Two hours, Andi? What were y’all doin’? Sewin’ your dresses for dinner?” 

“It takes a lady quite some time to make herself presentable, Chad Carter.” 

“Which is why I saw y’all twenty minutes ago in the barn?” He pressed. 

“Okay, children, stop the bickering and focus on your food, or all of you will be going to bed with no dessert.” Elizabeth Carter eyed each of her children before going back to her potatoes. After finishing the evening meal with a delicious peach pie, the girls excused themselves to get ready for bed. Once in their room, Andi counted out fifty cents for four books and two bags of candy before laying down in bed and drifting off to sleep. 

*****

Andi and Macy woke early and ate breakfast, quickly excusing themselves to the barn. 

“You clean out those stalls while I get some fresh hay and water for the horses,” Andi directed Macy. After dividing and conquering their chores, the girls saddled Shasta and Patches for their afternoon ride. Cory arrived soon, and after discussing their plans with Mother-- excluding the pending dime novel purchases--the three headed into town.

The sun was hot and the three had to keep their horses at a gentle trot so as not to wear them out. By the time they reached town, Andi’s dress felt suctioned to her back and sweat trickled in a steady stream down her forehead. Her hat hung by the stampede string around her shoulders so her head could receive airflow, but she knew she was browning under the sun. They pulled up at the water trough and dismounted, allowing their mounts to drink the cool water greedily.

Cory pulled his hat from his head and turned it upside down as he dunked it in the trough. He lifted the full hat and plopped it on his head, grinning as the water cascaded down his face, shirt, and pants before pooling on the ground in a muddy puddle. 

“Ahhh, that was refreshing.” Andi frowned and swiped her sleeve across her forehead, which didn’t do much good as the sleeve was already soaked through. 

“Lucky,” She growled as she splashed the water on her face and neck. Macy copied her movements, looking desperate to try Cory’s method of cooling down. 

“Man, Andi, this lady thing really, really stinks! If I was still with my brothers I’d be sittin in there.” Macy pointed mournfully at the trough. Andi nodded mutely before turning to Cory.

“Here,” She pulled the money out of her pocket and passed forty cents to Cory, “Go get four dime novels--some that look real neat! Macy and I will get the candy.” Cory nodded and the three entered Goodwin’s General Store. 

“Howdy, Mr. Goodwin!” Andi waved at the man behind the counter who smiled back warmly. 

“Well, howdy, Andi, Cory, Macy, what brings y’all to town on such a hot day?” 

“Got that right,” Macy moaned, “I near took a swim in the horse trough, but I remembered I had to be a lady.” Andi giggled at Macy’s look of pure disgust before turning back to Mr. Goodwin. 

“Oh, you know, we just wanted to pick a couple of things up since Macy will have to go home soon. May I have two of the five cent candy bags?” 

“Those huge things? Just what do you plan to do with so much candy?” Mr. Goodwin laughed, and Andi smiled. 

“You never know when you need a lot of candy, Mr. Goodwin.” They made their purchases and headed back into the blistering heat. 

“Let’s take the long way through town back home, Andi.” 

“I don’t know, Macy,” Andi shook her head, “That way goes right by the saloon and Mother and the others would be awful upset if we went through there.”

“Oh, come on, Andi! I wanna see where we all used to live. I know it wasn’t good, but it was home and that’s the last place I saw my brothers ‘fore I knew what they were doin’.” 

“Yeah, Andi, let her go by there. Besides, I’m with y’all,” Cory urged. Andi sighed and nodded. 

“I suppose.” She allowed Macy to take the lead when they neared the saloon, and the girl didn’t seem one bit bothered by the loud shouts and curses. Andi took a deep breath and offered a quiet prayer for safety as they drew even with the saloon. A crowd of men outside turned to stare at them and Andi wanted to fall through the ground, or spur Shasta and be out of there.

Macy kept up the same even plod, paying the men no mind and Andi followed her example. She was just breathing a sigh of relief when a large man stepped into their path. Macy didn’t bother to rein up, simply turned her mount to the side. The man reached out with reflexes like a striking rattler to grip the reins of Macy’s mount. He glared up at her with bloodshot eyes, and Andi could smell the alcohol on his breath from where she sat. Cory spurred his mount alongside the man and leaned down. 

“Get away from her, Mister. Go back in the saloon and have another drink. You really don’t want to cause us no trouble.” Cory was one of the largest boys in school, but even he was no match for the monster in the street, and Andi knew that as the man threw back his head and guffawed. 

“Shut up, boy. Ain’t none of your business. Now you, girl. You’re the sister of that low-down bunch that was rustlin’ all them horses ‘fore they got busted, ain’t that right?”

Macy said nothing but glared at the man. He gripped her leg until she cried out. 

“I said ain’t that right?” He shouted. 

Cory launched himself from his horses back and lunged onto the man. They wrestled for a few seconds before the man pushed Cory back. With four powerful swings, Cory lay motionless on the dust covered street. Andi gasped and leapt from Shasta’s back. She was running for Cory when a painful yank of her braid jerked her to a standstill. 

“You just mount on up, darlin’ and go home. This ain’t none o’ your business either. Now get on, unless you wanna end up like your friend there.” Andi twisted painfully and saw the man had pulled Macy from her horse and now restrained her with an arm locked across her neck. 

“Let my friend go,” She demanded between clenched teeth. 

“Friend? She ain’t a friend of nobody around here. She’s no better than her lyin’, thievin’, cheatin’, skunk brothers.”

Macy made to bite the man, but he tightened his arm and her eyes widened. 

“Are you their sister?” The man pressed, “Don’t worry, I wouldn’t claim ‘em neither.” 

“I am.” Macy declared with defiance in her voice.

The man laughed and whipped a pistol from his belt. He shoved Macy to the ground and stepped back, leveling the gun at her head. 

“Your brothers owed me five hundred dollars. Did you hear me? Five hundred dollars!” He screamed, “And since you ain’t never gonna draw that price, I’m gonna kill you for my payment.” He laughed again and Andi stood frozen. She looked back to Cory, but he still lay face down in the dust. 

“Say your prayers, honey.” The man laughed as he cocked the pistol and his finger moved to the trigger. Andi sprung from her frozen panic and threw herself in between the madman and her friend. 

“If you want to kill her, you have to kill me first.” 

“Andi, get out of the way!” Macy hollered, but Andi held her ground. 

“She is my friend and if you want her, you’ll have to take both of us.”

The man hesitated before nodding. “No skin off my nose if you wanna die for such a worthless snake.” 

“Wait, Eli.” The new voice that broke in belonged to a small, nervous man. “That one there is a Carter, you shoot her, you’ll hang for certain.” Eli cursed. 

“Get out of the way, rich kid, or you die.” Andi raised her chin.

“No.” She spoke the word quietly, but with certainty. It seemed an hour, but in reality, was about five minutes that she and Eli held each other’s gaze. 

“Drop the gun, Eli, or you’re dead!”

Andi nearly sobbed with relief as she heard Sheriff Tate’s voice. RIght now, she was certain she had never heard a more welcome sound. The gun thudded in the dirt as Eli dropped the pistol and put his hands up. Three men surrounded him as they cuffed him and walked him down the street. Andi turned to gather Macy in a tight embrace as others moved to help Cory, who was now sitting up. 

That night, as the girls sat in Andi’s room, Macy studied her. 

“Why’d ya do it, Andi? Why did you risk your life for mine?” 

“Because, Macy, you’re my friend, and I love you. That is the power of true friendship.” 

“Friendship is an awful powerful thing, Andi.” Macy wiped her eyes as a few tears leaked down her cheeks, “I ain’t never had a friend like you.” 

“Well, now you have, Macy. And you have me forever! Also, as your friend, I will never, ever go back by the saloon with you again! And you better not either, or so help me, I’ll see to it that you get a lickin’!” Macy smiled. 

“You have my word, Andi. Besides, your brothers and your mother already assured us that if we would like to remain comfortable and free for the next six months, we’d better not go near there. Chad even told me he would have it arranged for me to stay here for those six months to ensure I understood they meant it. I don’t even think I want to go to town ever again!” Andi grimaced and nodded. Her brothers and Mother had sure been angry, but she knew it was because of the fear. They truly had no business being there, and if it wasn’t for God’s provision, they would not be standing here tonight. 

“Oh, that reminds me!” And crossed the room and picked up a bundle of material. “Cory dropped this off for you.” She slowly unraveled the material, revealing four brightly colored, harrowing dime novels. Macy let out a low whistle as she ran her hand over a cover depicting a bound man about to be lowered into a fire by a brightly painted Indian. 

“This is enough adventure for me for the next six years.” Andi laughed as she recovered their secret. “You can still have ‘em, but when you go home. I think we better be on our best behavior for the remainder of your visit.” Both girls laughed. Friendship was a powerful thing, but also something extremely rewarding!