Chapter 1-1
Doc rubbed his chin EJ shifted a little in the tub tries to get more comfortable as Doc lifted his arms moves his shoulders bit. “Martha this is a first, I am stumped as a poll cat up a tree,” Doc said placing his fingers behind his head watching EJ melt before his eyes. “He is starting to burn up again Martha we need to cool off again then we will set him on the stool. I'll check every inch if I have to, we missed something,” he said.
Pa and Ma cooled him off waiting for his temperature to drop again before Pa reached down and removed him from the tub and set him on the stool while Ma wrapped a towel around his waist. “EJ what were you doing before all this happened?” Doc asked.
“Just playing Doc, having some fun that's all,” he said.
Pa laughed. “They where have an old fashion water fight with buckets when this happened Doc.”
“Humm,” Doc said re-examined him from top to bottom.
“Hey that tickles Doc, but that doesn't… ouch,” he replied.
“Still tinder I see,” goes on examines him. EJ shifted his weight nearly falling off the stool Pa catches him. EJ face nearly went white with pain as they pulled on his left arm and shoulder near his lower ribs where most of the damage was. Doc noticed it to just in time quickly re-sits him.
“Wayne let’s get him back in the tub, he burning up and think I found our problem,” Doc said as Pa puts him back into the tub Ma and Pa cool him down.
“So what's the problem Doc?” Ma asked.
Doc waited for EJ to come back around. “How do feel son?” He asked.
“Doc, that really hurts there,” EJ said out of breath and panting drenched with sweat.
“We’ll give you few more minutes to cool down then will finish up ok?” EJ nods Doc waits for him to calm and a cool bit more. “Wayne, while we’re waiting for this son of yours to cool some, I'll give him some more pain medicine. Ok EJ?” He said lifting his arms turning him on his side in the tub. “When I press here do you feel anything here?
“No”
“What about here?” Doc seeing small bump; no bigger than his or a man’s thumb, but tinder bruised kinda white. Instant pain, EJ turned white almost passed out again.
“Tsk, tsk, yep Martha we missed something all right, and now its lodge its self deep inside behind those ribs as it tried to heal around it and it can't. We have’ta re-break those ribs and remove it.”
Martha looked at EJ and Wayne, Martha nearly in tears. “No Doc, you can't be serious?” She replied.
Doc scratched his chin. “Martha we have’ta or he'll just keep burning up with the infection and it will get worse. Now I know a Doctor over at the hospital, I'll give him a call he can do it. I'm just a county Doc not a specialist in these sorts of things. That means this boy going to have to spend the night I'm afraid next to a tub. You are going to need lots of ice too keep him cool. Plenty of liquids, no soaking him.” He said as he pulled the plug on the tub. “Keep those stitches dry because also while he's there we are going to reopen them and get all the infection out this time. So you are looking at long night folks. Wayne, mind if I use your phone and Wayne find me a spot for my cot, it is going to be a long night,” Doc replied.
Wayne bent down towards Martha starts counting on his fingers, whispers in her ear. “Dear, I'm running out of corners.” Martha giving him a strange look as Wayne and Doc walked down the hall. “Doc the phone is right in here,” Wayne said.
Doc passed Julie in the kitchen watching them clear the table, snatches a piece a slice of meat off the plate. “Sorry dear couldn't resist,” Doc said as Julie giggled.
Wayne laughed. “Julie, fix Doc a plate before you put it all away.”
“Sure Pa,” she replies and gives Pa kiss on the cheek as he sneaks piece for himself.
Grandma went over to Wayne to find out what the Doc said about EJ. Wayne gave her the news. Grandma looked towards the hall shaking her head. “My poor grandson,” nearly crestfallen with the news. She looks around the room, puts two fingers to her chin thinking what to do. “Wayne dear, he'll be fine and everything will be ok, we Stuarts are tough so are the Downing's,” shoved him down the hall. “Grandma will take care of things; now go back to my grandson.” Wayne looked at Grandma stunned. “Boy! I'd told you to scoot, now go,” as she squared his shoulders pointed him back down the hall.
Next thing you hear in the room is a loud whistle from Grandma. “Now then, that I got everyone's attention.” She waited for the hubbub to stop. “Everyone outside that includes you Doc,” as he hung up the phone. Everyone went outside mumbling especially Doc, Mary grabs Doc by the coattails brings him towards the front; Grandma outside organizing the house and quarters and giving updates to everyone on the news. Mary pushed Doc up front to give his report of his findings and what they plan to do next. Everyone scatters busyier than beavers on a Sunday brunch tree festival. Wayne down the hall with Martha and EJ still in the tub, trying keeping him cool when Grandma walked in to see her grandson. “EJ, how are you doing my boy?” She asked.
“Just hot Grandma, that’s all,” seeing him sweating a little bit.
“Grandma can see that,” as she kissed him on the cheek. “I bet you feel like fish sitting in that tub,” she said.
EJ laughed. “Not comfortable that's for sure Grandma.”
“Well your rooms ready so we can put you back to bed, how does that sound?” She asked.
Martha and Wayne looked at her. “What, how?”
“Doc says he needs to stay next to a tub, not in a tub dear. Less, of course, you think he's a fish?”
Pa laughed watching EJ sweat. “So the boys placed a tub by your bed with a stool for you to sit on. We can pour water on you all night if we have’ta when you get too hot. So let's get you out of that tub and back to bed you silly boy. And give your Ma and Pa break. Your brothers have the first watch.”
Pa picked EJ out of the tub as Ma dries him off. Grandma yelled down the hall. “Clear the hall, boy coming through.” Making sure all the doors are all closed except for EJ's room. “All right Wayne, take him back to his room,” she said.
EJ looked at Grandma. “I can't go out there without my sheet, not like this,” he replied.
Grandma laughed. “It went out for some fresh air EJ just like you.” Martha, Pa laughed Pa picked up EJ in his arms blushing bright red.
Julie yelled down the hall. “Everything ready Grandma,” with that Pa dashed EJ back to his room with EJ looking back over Pa shoulder towards the girl's rooms, making sure the doors are closed with extra color in his cheeks. Pa sets him down on the bed that was Richards of the two beds that weren’t yet been turned into bunk-beds for two reasons. Richard was a lot bigger than his two brothers Will and Robert and it was too hard for Ma and his sisters to help take care of him so Pa was forced to leave two of the beds alone.
Ma covers him back over with a new clean sheet as promised and placing it around his waist. Ma wiped the sweat from him, placed fresh cool towels around him. “Feeling better now EJ?” She asked as they lay him back down propping up the pillow.
“Yes Ma, lots better than that tub,” he said. Trying to stretch, but hurts on his side making a face.
Robert and Will came into the room. “Ma we have it from here,” placing the metal wash tub and stool and bucket of ice water with a dipper near the bed.
Grandma grabbing Wayne and Martha by the arm, “come on you two. Its time for a break and we have a long night ahead of us.” She leads them out of the room closing the door behind them.
Grandma taking Martha and Wayne by the arm heads for the living room sets them both down on the couch. “All right you two,” Mary said as she brought over a cup of tea for Wayne and glass of milk for Martha. “Sorry, Martha no tea for you dear,” as she smiles “none for you either Betty,” Lizzy taking it out of her hands, gives her a glass of milk as well. Doc laughed watching the two make faces at them. Martha and Grandma didn't think it was a bit funny. Mary looked at them all as she sits down as the grown-up pulled up chairs around them as if they were children.
“Now then Richard has put the little ones to bed. Julie and Anna are watching the girls while Robert and Will are with EJ so Martha, Wayne that just leaves us adults to catch our breath… I have’ta tell you, dear,” Mary said patting Martha on the hand, “it has been a day.”
Lizzy smiles patted her on the knee “Drink your milk Martha because we want you to get some rest dear. Come on every last drop, that's better.” Lizzy Dragren; Betty Stuart’s younger sister still a young woman at heart, married young to a sailor who died in the war years back, never remarried nor had any children. She was known at one time a redhead now her hair was more auburn than red. Blue-eyed Barbie doll figure. Average height at five-feet-seven inches, had the backbone of a mule when comes to getting her way like her older sister Mary.
Smart as a whip when comes to books or movies and has always had softens towards children even thou she had none of her own due to a hard miscarriage. It had always saddened her when she found out that it would be a magical occurrence if she ever bared a child. So, for now, she had given up hope and lives alone, teaching middle school. It didn't take long before Martha started to nod off. Doc added little something extra to the milk, to help her rest. “Oh my, I am tired,” as she starts to yawn.
Doc winked at Wayne. “You best hurry,” he said.
“Martha dear I think we better get you to bed,” Wayne said kissing her cheek and helping her off the couch, placing her left arm over her shoulder and his arm around her waist and started down the hall.
“I can't dear, we have guests,” as they all help her to bed.
“They’re not going anywhere dear, they'll be here in the morning,” he said.
Martha looked back. “All of them?”
They waved back. “Goodnight Martha,” as Grandma helped Wayne put her to bed.
Martha dozing soundly asleep in her bed; Wayne walked back to the living room, seeing Grandma dressed in her nightgown. “Where did you put everyone?” He asked.
Grandma smiled. “On the roof dear, where else,” and laughed. “No dear, it’s crowded but we’ll make out just fine.” She opens the boy's room, EJ in his bed with the wash tub next to him. Will, Robert, on the bunk beds. Richard sitting on the bed wiping the sweat off EJ keeping him cooled as he can.
He nods back. “Just cooled him off a few minutes ago hope we don't run out of ice,” whispering.
Wayne whisper backs. “Thanks, I'll check on the ice,” then closed the door. Wayne and Grandma proceed down the hall to the little boy's room with a double bed. Knocks on the door, Steve opens the door. “Everything's fine till morning, Docs says everything set mother. Just heard about the ice, thanks I'll go check on it,” then closed the door.
Grandma and Wayne proceed to the girl's room seeing two girls in one bed and two girls in another. Grandma laughed. “It was a shame to just break them apart, after all, they been together all day, plus we needed the room,” she said.
Wayne laughed slapping Grandma on the back nearly losing her faults teeth. “I bet that made them really happy,” he said.
Mary and Lizzy are in the other room with the two little ones on the floor in one sleeping bag sound asleep, so if the girls try to sneak out they won't get far.”
They walked back down the hall towards Wayne’s and Martha’s room she opened the door for him. “Grandma that leaves you and the Doc,” he said.
“Oh don't worry about us old fool’s Wayne. Doc he wanted to sleep out on the foundation under the stars and I got a nice comfortable mattress in the living room so ya see it all worked out.” Wayne knew something was up knowing Grandma how she likes to sneak off herself.
“Grandma, are you planning something?” He asked.
“Wayne comes on, why would think that? I'm needed here,” as she shoved him into his bedroom. The thing was Grandma was planning how to get things done. She had two parents that children where coming home to, she was worried about them. They had all the help they need right here and things are getting little cramped for them and she need relieve a little of the stress she put on them. Grandma looked at her car waiting for the house to quiet down, sat outside on the swing, planning her next move.
Doc turned the corner of the house seeing Betty in deep thought. “Betty I've known you for ya long time, known ya for ages it seems. Heck bark on trees grows thicker with age as long I've known ya, theirs something that's bothering you,” he said.
“Doc I don't know what do about those two buffoons. Those children have to go home in a few more days and they are not ready,” she replied.
“The buffoons or the children Betty?” He asked.
Betty laughed. “Both, really… I'm sure those girls would go in a minute; Danny, of course, will suffer the most. Can I ask you something Doc? Did those two get any help at all during the time we had the children? No, not one lick of help. She wouldn't even leave the house and my son Jim just thought nothing was wrong and moped around hiding it, sweeping it under the rug hoping it would all go away. Now the children are coming home to them and we are back to where we started. Miserable except for one and I plan to keep it that way if get my wish. I rather have it all changed if I could. There still a chance. I could send them clear to Tim-buck-too," she thought if worse comes to worst.
Doc thought for a moment taking a seat next to her on the swing, his bare feet feeling the cool refreshing wood and the cool summer air. “There’s an old saying. ‘Sometimes it better to sharpen an old ax then buy a new one before chopping down that old stubborn tree,’ ” he said.
Betty gives him a puzzled look. “I'm not sure what you mean Doc?”
“I guess what I am trying to say, Betty. You need to think about moving in there sharpen some old axes, chop down that tree. I believe there's room there considering;” he said laughing. “You have both their boys here and the girls. Martha and Wayne got everything under control here. You’d be the short distance if they needed you so why not?”
“What about Danny and the girls? I can't just leave them here, not now Doc,” she replied.
“Why not? Richards here… leave Danny with him. Your two sisters can take care of the girls. They don't need you, and we have everything under control. It settled tomorrow you are moving in with them. Just yell timber and chop down those trees and remember to take your pills. Besides if you try leaving tonight you wouldn't get very far Betty.” Doc slapping his knee, “Steve took care of that,” as she too starts to yawn.
“You didn't?” She replied. Seeing Steve opening the door and leaned up against the side of the house.
“What did think we put in your milk and your tea Betty? Now drink it all, that's a good girl. Steve your mothers ready for bed now,” he replied.
“Yes, Doc. I was wondering where she went.” Steve said and Doc chuckled as they helped her to the mattress. Steve gives his mother a kiss on the cheek and wished her goodnight.
Wayne walking into the kitchen seeing Doc and Steve put his mother to bed. “She went for a stroll, but didn't get very far,” they replied.
Wayne laughed. “Seems to be catching tonight,” looking down the hall. “Looks like we're running low on ice Doc.” Steve filled the bucket taking it to the room. Wayne opened the door finding Richard in bed sleeping. Robert and Will are cooling EJ off in the tub again. Steve handed him the fresh bucket of ice and water. EJ smiles tiredly at Pa sitting on the stool. EJ was getting weaker from all the sweating and no sleep. Pa closed the door walked back down to the kitchen.
“Doc they're cooling him now, he sure looks tired, it’s wearing him out Doc,” Wayne said.
“I was just about to go check on him.” Doc heads on down the hall into the room. How are you holding up son?” Doc asked checks him over listens to his heart and takes his blood pressure.
“Just tired, really hot, Doc,” he replied trying to talk around the thermometer in his mouth.
“Well ya should be, ya haven't slept much and your not drinking enough; we need to feed you again too,” he replied.
“I already had supper Doc.”
“You sweated it all that out son, we need put it back into ya or ya won't be strong enough by morning. The wind will blow ya away. Wayne rustles up this poor boy some more vittles, he needs a snack maybe a couple more before breakfast, put the pot on to while yer at it. I like it black and strong,” Doc said.
Wayne and Doc left the boys after they help him back on the bed. Wayne brings EJ a try of food. “Robert, Will makes sure he eats every last bite,” Doc said to Robert and then take turns sleeping until Julie knocked on the boy’s door and nudges Richard while Robert and Will slept the rest of the night.
Doc sends Wayne to bed with another check on EJ. “Wayne you're tired, go join your wife, I have everything under control, I'm used this. Heck, I spent more nights awake delivering babies than I can count, your not, now go, and if I need ya I'll wake ya.” Steve, how much ice is left?” Watching him go down to the fruit cellar where the big meat freezer was.
Steve came back up with what little was left. “It’s low Doc, half a brick? Why?” He asked.
“Do you think you can make a quick trip up the road?” Doc asked pouring another cup of Joe.
“I guess,” Steve replied shrugging his shoulders and handing the bucket to Richard as walks into the kitchen setting it down the empty one by the sink.
“Good.” Doc picked up the phone and begins to dial the nearest farm.
“You are joking at this hour Doc?” He asked.
“You need ice, I need ice.”
Phone rings. “Hello, Mr. Watkins… sorry, be callen you so late. This is Doc Hatfield that's right…. how're those triplets? Glad to hear... I need a favor, I need some ice do think you can spare some? Oh, I'd don't know… as much as you can give me. Need lots, have a boy here going through it like water. Can't keep him cooled, has a big fever… Sure I'll send someone right over. If you know anyone else passes the word I'm at the Downing farm thanks, Mr. Watkins.” Doc said hanging up the phone. “Steve they live just down the road about ten maybe twenty miles go straight make left then turn right he'll leave the light on for ya. You need ice, now git son before we run out. Oh… And give them my best they are just simple farmers just like the rest of us.”
Steve giving him a weird look… “All right Doc,” shrugged his shoulders. Steve hopping into the car follows direction Doc gave him, with a bucket in the seat for the ice. Steve sees the farm and Mr. Watkins dressed like Richard when he first saw him. Doc wasn't kidding simple farmers.
“Doc says ya need ice for a boy with fever?” Mr. Watkins said. Mr. Watkins was an average farmer, but he didn’t do a lot of farming theses day. He mostly works up on main in a small Grocery store called Wilkins Grocery. He was a tall man with a wide girth, and with small legs and arms, but those arms were pure muscle. He had a short crew cut brown hair, the same style as when he was a sailor on the big warships when he severed in the war. He was gunner back then. He was the type of guy that would do anything for a neighbor, or stranger that has fallen on hard times.
“That's right sir,” Steve said.
“Here ya go son; tell Doc, hopes to be seeing him at the picnic soon. Ya, come to son, if ya like. They'll be plenty of room for ya,” he replied.
“Will see; we’re not sure right now, things might have changed back at the farm. Well gota get back with this ice. Doc’s waiting on it, we have a boy that has be cooled and soon,” he said as Steve waves goodbye. “Thanks for the ice,” heads back to the farm.
Mr. Watkins went back inside watching him go back up the road. “Wife? Did you pass long that Downing's needed ice?” He asked. “I run up to the store and clean out the cooler if need be.” He said.
“Yes’um,” she replied.
“Call Doc back and’ asks about the picnic wife, see if needs anything else before I go.”
Steve returned back to the farm with the ice, putting into the freezer, Doc on the phone with Mrs. Watkins. “Picnic? Haven't given it much thought to it Mrs. Watkins been kinda busy... Yes. I guess I'll be there... What about the Downing's... Don't know, hard to say.” Steve overhearing the conversation looks over at the Doc shrugged his shoulders shows him the ice. Doc nods back. “Yes, he just got back, thanks for the ice Mrs. Watkins... I'll do that, thanks again… Steve that's farmers around here are always worried about their neighbor. She says more ice is on the way and to leave the porch light on,” Doc said.
“Good thing to Doc it looks like they took the last of the ice too by the looks of it. This all we have left till morning.” Steve said looking down at bucket half filled with ice.
“You better get some rest Steve, I'll be fine,” as he poured himself a hot cup of Joe. Richard walked into the kitchen finding Doc, resting his eyes for a few minutes. “Doc, EJ getting too weak and we can't cool enough him on the stool. It takes too much out of him, he nearly falls off it.”
Richard had his fathers build and were consider tall compared to his mother reaching five-feet five inches and lengthy, for some reason he was able to keep his dark brown hair from balding unlike his father and two bothers. Now partly bald in the center and began losing their hair before age of twenty. Blue-eyed and hard straight nose with high cheekbones like his mother, Richard could be considered man made by hard living, not by education or status, but neither are his brothers. He did not leave home like his older brothers, remained at home to stay close so he could care for his mother after his father died, yet he had regrets that he would never have a life like his older brother Steve.
Instead of he tied himself to the house very seldom did go out like most boys his age and date young girls or go to spring or summer dances. Instead, he stayed at home either reading a book on cold nights or took care of the house and the yard while his mother was away visiting old friends. Sometimes his felt he was wasting away as others were out enjoying life as he tinkers around the home and still feels him with grief every time he sees pictures of his father staring back him wondering if he was proud of the choices he has made.
Doc nods his head walked down the hall wakes up Wayne. “Wayne we need those arms of yours to move your son." Wayne nods and looked over at his sleeping wife still sound asleep. Wayne leans over and gives her a kiss on the cheek then closed the door behind him. “We need put him back into the tub Wayne; he's too weak to be moved back and forth,” Doc said.
Pa seeing EJ lying on his bed, Julie and Richard trying to keep him cool; EJ looked up at Pa as he leans over to him. “I'm so tired Pa and it's so hot,” as Julie wipes his head.
“I know son, I know,” Pa said as he looked down at EJ resting his hand on his shoulder. “Julie, see if you can find a quilt and some towels. Richard, see if we can try to make a bed in there for him.” Pa gently picked up EJ carries him back down to the tub, and laid him in it, and then they cooled him off. Pa took a quilt and soaking it in cold water and laid it on top of him. Julie placed a pillow behind his head, to make him more comfortable. Richard brings a cot in and a stool for someone to sit on next to the tub, to keep an eye on him.
EJ is finally able to rest with a cool damp quilt on top… Julie and Richard would remove the quilt and replace it every so often after they cooled him down with water replace it with another cool quilt back on top. “Richard I've got it, why don't you go gets some sleep,” Wayne shoving him towards the door. “Julie and I can handle it from here.”
“Are you sure sir?” Wayne nodded his head watching Richard head off to bed. Wayne heads down to the kitchen for more ice, Doc pacing the floor in the kitchen. Doc looks up seeing Wayne tries to smile. “Just nerves Wayne, we are low on ice and your boy using it up faster than I would like and we still need to get him to the hospital. He's burning up hotter than a firecracker on the fourth of July.”
“Well that's the last of it,” Wayne said taking the last bucket down the hall with ice water.
Doc getting worried picked up the phone to make another call for ice, hearing a knock at the door. Wayne opened the door seeing Mr. Watkins with a pickup filled with buckets of ice.
“Sorry Doc,” Mr. Watkins staring at Wayne. “Sorry I’s was late, but you’s forgot to turn your porch lights on’s and we missed the turn... This should git ya started, more’s on the way’s Doc. Oh, change of plans on the picnic, we ain’t sure if ya were’s gonna t’a make it,” he said looking at Mr. Downing. “So’s we and the boys thought heck we just have one of our own’s right here’s,” he replied.
Wayne looks at Doc and looks back at Mr. Watkins as if he missed something with a puzzled look. “Doc… What picnic is he referring to?” Wayne asked.
“Well’s are’s gonna helps me unload this ice boys?” Mr. Watkins asked as he starts picking up the buckets setting them by the porch.
“Yes sir,” they replied forgetting all about the picnic for now at least. Doc and Wayne shrugged their shoulders and helps unload the ice from the pickup. Watching Mr. Watkins drive on down the road.
“Wayne it looks like we have ice,” Doc said slapping him on the back. “The question is” looking at all buckets, “where are we going put it all?” Doc asked.
Wayne and Doc pack the freezer chuck full again. Placing the ice in every cool spot they could think of around the house to keep it from melting too fast. Now they had too much ice and more was coming, Doc and Wayne laughed.” You got ’ta hand to our farmer neighbors, be careful what you wish for you just might get a snowstorm,” Doc replied.
Just a couple hours till dawn; Mary and Lizzy where getting up heading down the hall passing Wayne in the hall with a bucket of ice water. “We had to move him during the night,” as they looked towards the bathroom seeing Julie sitting on a stool by the tub.
“How's he doing Wayne?” They asked.
“Pretty weak and tired, Doc's calling the hospital now to see if we can get him in there sooner. Martha still asleep and so is her sister, their both out like a light. Whatever Doc gave them worked like a charm, best night sleep they gotten in a long time,” Wayne said.
“Did you sleep much?” Mary asked leaning against the wall in the hallway next to her sister Lizzy.
“No, not really, laid there mostly worrying. I got this Julie.” Pa said holding up the bucket of ice water, “got a boy that needs coolen.” Pa puts down the bucket of water they cool him down. “Well lest he sleeping some,” he replied.
“Pa I think we need to wake up Ma find the Doc his breathing little rough the last hour starting feel little clammy too,” Julie said getting up from the stool near the tub and tucking the cool quilt around him.
Pa finds the Doc tells him what Julie said, Doc checks on him again, as he just got off the phone. “The Doctors over there Wayne, the soonest he can look at him is about sometime around noon. We can't wait that long,” he said looking at EJ. “Go wake up your wife. Like it or not we're coming now.”
Wayne ran down the hall waking up his wife and boys. “Quickly boys; Robert pull out the pickup bring it to the front of the house. Will, Richard grabs some quilts and water and ice.
Robert is the type of guy that takes life seriously when comes to making a hard decision. He has always looked up to his father and knows without a doubt he can talk about anything with him without feeling embarrassed regarding any subject. He too like his sister Julie was very mature for his age of fourteen-year-old teenager. But he feels that time has slowed down as he watched other kids his age go out and do things that neither his Pa nor his Ma would approve of while wishing he could just grow up to be an adult today instead of waiting. Which fine sometimes in a way because he had plenty to do right here helping his Pa take care of the farm. If it was one thing he learned it was responsibly and be responsible for your action or suffers the consequences.
Robert resembles his father regarding his broad shoulders and hair color of soft brown hair and blue eyes or should he say one blue eye and one green eye depending on the light. He stood tall at an average height of five feet six inches. Lengthy and sprite when he moved and considered doing nothing more than being with or play, teasing his two brothers Will and Sam. Yet sometimes did not agree on things regarding his sisters Julie and Anna, but no matter how hard they made him blush or teased him. He loved them and held them in high regard when asking for advice.
Will was 13, just a year or two older than EJ. Still very much a kid at heart getting in trouble whenever he could, but he was not considered a bad kid wanting attention. Yet it was true he acted more for the fun than question the consequences. To say he was a handful at times would be stating the true nature of his fun-loving self. He too took life seriously like his brother Robert, just not as serious as he would have liked. He preferred to play in the sun and fish and swim in the pound near the house more often than he did his chores, and has been grounded more times than he can count.|
Will was still waiting for his growth to kick in like his brother. Not just because his brother Robert and his friends at school teased him about enough. He tried to stand tall a four-feet eight inches, to a size six feet, unlike his bothers size tens. It was true he’d never be a basketball star or make the team playing football, but there was always track. After all, he has to outrun his sisters from time to time. Will liked too wear his hair long just barely over his ears and enough to keep it out of his deep blue eyes like his mother. He was proud of his long stride and his high cheekbones like his Ma. He always had a smile for girls whenever they would wave to him in the hallway or the classroom as he watched his brother roll his eyes. He was known as the jokester yet he could be the sweetest guy around when he chose to.
“Yes Pa, Yes sir,” they replied.
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