Chapter 19-1

Chapter 19-1

Everyone was up and early when the rooster crows with his musical sound “C**k do doodle do” it’s a school day again for the boys as they all yawn. Ma and Julie down in the kitchen preparing breakfast with Anna down the hall finishing with the three boys Sam, Danny and Ted with their baths, Ma walking down to the boys room to give them a nudge, “hurry boys towels are in the bathroom bathe quickly breakfast will be ready soon,” giving each a kiss on the head before leaving the room.

Things were back too normal as it would seem, everyone happy and where their supposed to be or are they as Ma has an inkling that just won't quit in the back of her mind as she looked up the road and back again. With that feeling that something just doesn't feel right and what about that storm?

Thinking about that day EJ and the boys were locked in a room with someone they never saw, someone he supposes to know with chills still going up her spine just thinking about it. For now, she will be on the lookout for that person coming down the road. The aunts knock at the door with smiles on their faces as the boys ate their breakfast with their homework all finished and in hand, tied into a bundle, they proudly took them to school.

One by one they handed the teachers their homework with a smile and proud faces as the boys take a seat in the classroom and the aunts in the back to watch the class. The teacher passed around a test for each of the boys nodding back at the aunts as they just nod back to them. With proud faces for their boys, knowing they have worked so hard.

As the boys took the test, one by one Will, EJ, Mark stand up first handing it in and then a few minutes later Peter, Frank and Robert hand theirs in before the rest of the class sitting back down into their seats to wait on the rest of the class as they struggle with theirs. After teacher grades, their test gives a score of A or B the aunts made sure he or she marked the roll and signs the permission slip for being absent; then sends them on their way to the next teacher for their test with the same results as before. They continued on thru out the day until they reached the last teacher. Mr. Faith class as Lizzy heart almost skips a beat when she hears the music in the room.

“Hello, boys,” as he stops the class sitting them down. Then Lizzy hands him the music work with a twinkle in her eye and a smile. He has the boys line up on the little stage in the room in a single file handed them the music he wants them to sing for the competition. Again the aunts find a place to sit in the room too listen. The song was like the voice of angels sing from on high, then when he adds the rest of the choir, "oh my.” The Aunts wanted to weep for the sound was so joyous than a solo from Robert and then the boys joined in to top it off with the choir surrounding the room. Aunts left the room with tears in their eyes, thanking him and bowing to Mr. Faith for a wonderful job and thanking the choir before leaving out of the classroom dotting their eyes.

The Aunts marched right into the principles office handing the notes from the teachers clearing their absentees for the week, each giving him a hard cold stare, that made him sputter a couple of times. Until he said he was sorry and to the boys for his rude behavior as he was glad that arrangements could have been made. Mary and Lizzy nearly lost it right then and there when he said arrangements. “If you call tripling the homework on these boys' good arrangements you are not sorry at all” they said as they give him an icy cold stare that could freeze a polar bear in the winter as they slam the door in his face and leave with boys for home since they finished all their schoolwork for the day and taken all their test. They were pleased as punch as they stopped at Ice Cream Parlor before going home “I think I'll have two scoops” Mary said.

Martha had every right to be worried when she looked up the road every once in while wondering about the storm. You see… Morgan has taken up residence uptown as a Doctor for Linda and Jim. There regular Doc is somehow out of town by the name of Doctor Jasper Main. Some sort of miss fortune has happened to him as Morgan laughed watching him leave in hurry out of town.

“Too bad,” he said as he laughed unlocking the door replacing the nameplate with his name as Doctor Morgan as he shuffles through the papers finding the miss guided souls; checking them off in his book and some for later too leave a calling card then finding the folder, Jim and Linda Stuart. “Ahh yes this is the one,” he said putting a big black circle on his little black book of names. “I think its time I paid them a visit,” he laughed as he puts on his hat and wraps his red scarf around his neck, tucking the folder under his arms and swish into the shadows once more.

* * *

 

Wayne and Richard went to work on the house for the afternoon, loading up the stain for the wood and the paint for the windows and supplies they brought over from Stringum Hardware Store. Martha, Rena busy themselves with the cotton trade and sewing new curtains and things for the houses while watching the boys play in the house.

Kollie tries to get things back too normal as the Sheriff of New Downing and buying some new clothes for himself. “That's right,” he said turning to Mr. Gibbs a simple store merchant in New Downing, “I needed new shirts and overalls and couple pair of those work shoes if you don't mind please,” he said as he watches Doc Hatfield open the door.

“Hello, Doc Hatfield fine autumn day,” Doc watching him try on a pair of overalls and a shirt and smiles. “Wayne says you were thinken about becoming country Doctor and a farmer, just wanted to see it for myself I reckon,” Doc Hatfield said.

“Yep it is true, I needed a change; I liked being out here in the open so I said heck why not the boys love it as well.”

“True, true, always could use another one out here I suppose. They keep me busy enough and on my toes, if you know what I mean,” Doc Hatfield replied.

“Anything I do for ya Doc?” Kollie asked tries to find a pair of shoes and a couple more shirts.

“Yes come to think of it, I was in town the other day; there's new Doctor in town wanted to know if you heard of him. Doctor Morgan?” He asked.

“Can't say that I have Doc why?” Kollie asked.

“Oh no reason that's all… just odd; I never heard of him either must be my old age,” Doc Hatfield said.

“What kind of Doctor is he Doc?” Kollie asked.

“He's supposed to be a psychologist that they sent Danny's and girls parents to, there was another, but he left town in a hurry and replaced him with this one,” Doc Hatfield said.

* * *

 

“Now, now there,” as he hands Linda a tissue and sits down beside her, “it will be all right, you can trust me.” Doctor Morgan said giving Jim a hard cold stare across from them, “just tell me all about it,” as he gently he puts his arm around her as she sobs to him. How they or their grandmother took the children out of the home and now she can't see them due to Jim and his anger and the belt and hate for his boys.

“It was all his fault and those bad genes of his always getting them in trouble and all I was trying to do Doctor was raise good boys and is so difficult and now that they're gone so are my girls,” she cried. Again Morgan stares at Jim into a corner like a mouse backed into a wall from a cat. Morgan tries to bond with Linda and gain her confidence before he strikes and turns the tables. Oh, what a plan, a beautiful, wonderful plan as he plots in his mind, how to rupture this family further down the hill if he can.

* * *

 

“Peggy why don't you and Donna help me load these things into the car,” Grandma said.

“Ok, Grandma.”

“That's my good girls,” Grandma said looking down the road towards the farm and EJ cottage. Realizing its time to go home and she needed Richard to help take care of the girls even though their attitude has changed since last time and everyone needs to have some normal-see put back into their lives as she thinks of EJ and his new family.

“He seems so happy now. Yes, it's time to go home if there is a problem Wayne and Martha or capable parents and proven it time and time again.” Giving Granny a hug and note for Richard to join her in a couple of days or so, so the family can truly bond, she and the girls headed home, but not before stopping at the cottage to say goodbye to Martha and Rena because they would never forgiver her.

Grandma knocks on the door and Martha answers seeing the three of them in the doorway, she invites them in. Grandma carefully gives the girls a nudge through the door, points them to the couch and helps herself to a nice pot of tea. “Martha, Rena we are leaving today for home. Its time I get back and things are doing fine,” Grandma said looking over at Danny playing with his friend's coloring in some books on the floor.

Martha nods and wipes a tear from her eye, “now, now dear. It’s not like I'm going away forever. I'll be back,” she said and pats her on the back. “You just take care of my two grandsons for now; I'll see you at Thanksgiving again most likely in your new house.” She said than hands her note to give to Richard too follower her in a couple of days with a pat on the back and few tears of her own. Giving Danny and the children a hug and kiss they were heading for home with everyone at the door waving to them on down the road.

Ma rounds up the children takes them over to the farm for lunch in the barn where it's nice and warm as the Aunts bring the boys home from school; to join them after a long day of taking tests and turning in all their homework. After lunch, Wayne gives Ma and the girls a tour of the house as the men put up sheet-rock along the walls. The girls and Ma were amazed at the size as they danced from room to room as it echoed. “Wayne, it's huge are you sure it will be finished by Thanksgiving?” She asked.

“Yes Martha I believe so,” he said as he walks her down to the kitchen and family room.

The boys change into their work clothes putting their tool belts on and joined Richard in helping him hang sheet-rock. “Richard your mother said to give you this before she left for home with the girls.” Richard taking the letter from Mrs. Downing opening, reading it then folds it into his pocket proceeded to go back to work as nothing was wrong giving a wink to Mrs. Downing; for nothing has changed because it hasn't for him not really. He was going to be here for a couple more days according to the note.

While he worked the boys pestered him about the letter until he gave in and grabbed their heads as he locked Will and Robert under his arms until they cried, uncle. “All it said was that she needs me to return home to help with EJ’s sisters at the end of the week that's all,” he replied. Robert Will and EJ were unhappy by the news of his leaving them and so was Richard he wasn't ready to go home yet, not too that. He despised those girls and they despised him as well and knowing this made it harder to go back.

Martha was spending time with the girls exploring their new house and the large empty rooms with large windows in each of the rooms. Ma handing them each a note pad and a pencil with measuring tape of their own. They began measuring the windows for curtains for the house. While Ma was still working on the colors of paint she wanted and doing some measuring herself. Wayne smiles watching her go from one room to the next as if she was in a daze with her little measuring tape and pad in her hand and color swatches. Seeing Martha on a ladder he asks, “Martha dear, needs some help with that?”  As he watched her trying to reach on her tiptoes to the top of the window pane.

“What did you say, dear?” She said turning to her husband as he grabs the other end the tape. “Would like some help with that Martha?”  Wayne asked.

Martha turns and looks at him throws her arms around him and reached up to kiss him, “no dear I'm just fine,” and gives him another kiss and went on about her work. This also gave time for Martha to think about poor Richard and how she was going to get him to stay a bit longer so he could help Wayne and the boys finish the house. Plus; she needed him as well and can clearly see he was not ready yet to go home as he plays and works with the boys. He has changed so much over the past few months.

With all the excitement of the new house the three boys Sam, Danny and Ted were left alone unsupervised playing outside on the farm. Martha is in the house with girls the boys wandered off towards the barn to play. Martha had feeling something was wrong when a shadow crossed the path towards the barn and cold wind started to blow, leaving a chill down her spine.

She immediately called out for the boys, but nothing was heard. She panicked racing through the house yelling their names over and over again. Julie and Anna racing through the house yelling for the boys as Pa and boys ran outside, looking all over the farm for them yelling their names disparately trying to find them.

The wind closing the barn door as the shadows leaped across the walls with the three boys playing inside. One the boys gave a blood curdling screaming as he dashed outside the door rushing towards the house. “It’s Ted,” Martha said and ran out white as ghost seeing the boy crying, she rushed towards the barn with Wayne and the boys right behind her; Julie taking Ted back to the house and tried to comfort him while Ma and the boys find the other two boys.

Ma and the boys rushed into the barn finding the two boys with two ladies bouncing them on their knee comfort them as Martha and Wayne walked into the barn. The two ladies gave the two boys a nudge handing them back to Martha introducing themselves as one of them back’s the shadow away from them. “My name is,” turning to face Martha and Wayne “Mrs. Destiny Morning and this is Mrs. Jasmine Hunts friends of Margaret's and we promised,” looking at the shadow now dissipating, “that no harm would come to you or your family,” as they disappeared into nothingness. Leaving nothing but an echo and sweet sent of a soft warm breeze of something they felt at the cotton field. A small whisper gently in her ears, “please dear, remind Margaret of her promise dear,” and with that, they were gone and so was the shadow.

As they were leaving the barn, there in the corner was a haystack that had fallen to the ground. Martha could see the boy’s footprints in the dirt where they were playing. Taking three boys in her arms and kissing their little cheeks then checking them over with a mothers care until she was satisfied; “they were alright this time,” she whispered as the boys told her what happened. Martha gave them each one more hug and a kiss on the head. They all headed back to the cottage to where they knew they would all be safe not letting them out her sight for another moment. Martha takes a deep breath knowing this time they were safe, but the question in her mind was “Safe from whom?”