"We need to find shelter!" He yells, but I can barely hear him over the wind and thunder.
He starts to run, and I struggle to keep up, but he pulls me along behind him. Finally, he crouches down by a large rock and pulls me in close beside him.
"Are you all right?" He asks, tucking a piece of hair behind my ear.
I nod and look down at my shaking hands. Robert must notice, as he takes both my hands in his and holds them tightly. We sit quietly listening to the storm rage around us. When I jump at a crash of thunder, Robert just squeezes my hand. The hail has stopped now only to be replaced by ferocious winds.
I feel a tear run down my cheek, and I pull my hand out of Robert's to wipe it away, hoping he didn't notice.
"You okay?" He strokes my hair lightly.
I bite my lip and reply. "I'm just worried about my sisters. That's why I wouldn't stop when you were calling. They're terrified of storms, and I know Pa will stay in his room the whole time. I haven't told any of my sisters how much of a hard time I'm having with Ma not being there, and Pa being all dazed and sad. I'm exhausted doing all the work around home, although my sisters try to help, but they don't have the stress of losing our farm and...whoops."
I cover my mouth with my hand. I shouldn't have told him about the farm. I'd just started talking and everything seemed to tumble out.
Tears running down my face, I look up. I see him biting his lip and looking down at me with his bright blue eyes. He pulls me closer to him and I rest my head on his shoulder.
"Darlene, you should've told me. I can't imagine the worries you've been facing this whole trip. You should've stopped earlier though. If your sisters are as wonderful as you've made them out to be, they'll be more worried about you being out in the storm."
Robert lets go and I pull back to look up at him. He takes my hands and adds. "They must love you an awful lot. So, your Pa isn't looking after you?"
I hesitate to tell anyone about my Pa. I don't want anyone to think badly of him. Finally, I shake my head. "After my Ma died, he went to his room and hasn't come out much since. My sisters and I cook for ourselves, milk the cows, do the laundry, collect the eggs and basically live by ourselves."
I look down at my hands. "Remember when I told you of my youngest sister Hazel being kicked by that bull? Well, I had to tend to her while she was screaming, and my other sisters were so scared. I went to Pa's room and yelled at him for not coming to help. He doesn't care anymore, and now I think my only option is to just let the bank take the farm, and our home, and maybe find somewhere else to go. Just my sisters and I."
With my deepest fear spoken out loud, the tears pour out of me. Robert hugs me again, and for the first time since Ma died, I really cry. My sisters weren't here to see, it was just Robert and I. Another crack of thunder makes me jump, but Robert just holds me closer.
"You haven't told anyone that before, have you?" I can feel his chest rumble as he speaks. "Darlene, you care too much about other's feelings, and you let yourself get hurt in the process."
I pull back and sit beside him. Lightening blinds my vision for a moment.
"I'm aware of that. My sister Adeline is the opposite, and she always tells me." I laugh softly.
We sit there silently listening to the thunder, watching the lighting and feeling the chill of the wind as it rushes past us, until finally I can see a clearing in the clouds. The rain stops and the wind dies down a little. It's over and we made it through.
I jump up eagerly and take Robert's hand, running back toward where the horses are tied. Robert and I are laughing as he stumbles trying to keep up with me this time. Our horses are fine, just really wet as we untie them.
"Now we have to go back to get the wagons." I sigh knowing it could be bad. What if my wagon is ruined? All of the happy memories of the good days when Pa built it would be gone.
My heart sores as I see the wagon sitting where I left it, completely unharmed. Robert's is lying sideways on the ground with a wheel missing.
"Where did you get that wagon? Mine is completely knocked over, while yours is still standing!" Robert runs over to his wagon.
"My Pa built it when I was little. He must have made it strong." I walk over to it and open the back, relieved to find all of my things unharmed. Some of the flour had spilled but it's so much better than I had expected.
"Is your stuff okay Robert?" I walk over to him as he reaches up to open the back of his wagon where it lays on its side.
"I don't know. Here, if I lift you up, could you climb in and see if there is anything you can salvage for me?" He asks.
I nod, so he lifts me up by the waist. Laughing, I manage to show how ungraceful I can be by falling to the side where the wagon is tipped.
I hear concern in Robert's voice as he asks, "Are you all right?"
Laughing to myself, I reply with a yes as I search through the wagon, finding his things. The ropes he'd bought are still good, so I throw them out to him. His clothes, blankets and other belongings seem unhurt too. The only thing that isn't fine is the flour he bought, which has spilled everywhere. He'll need to wash the clothes and blankets as they are covered in white powder.
Finished, I pull myself up to the open hatch where Robert stands with his arms open. I jump and he catches me in his arms, sweeping me to my feet gently.
I help Robert carry his things to my wagon, as I begin to think about what I'll do when I get home. I need a plan.
Robert shuts the back of my wagon after all of his belongings have been moved over.
"Robert?"
My quiet voice reaches his ears, and he turns to look down at me.
"Thank you. Thank you for helping me during the storm, for buying me the fabric even though you didn't need to, and thank you for letting me pour my heart out to you about everything I've been holding in."
Robert has a sly grin on his face. "I am pretty great." He raises an eyebrow.
I reply with a scowl, and my own lifted eyebrow.
He laughs. "But I suppose we can both be great." Robert leans in and places a short kiss on my lips, then pulls back with a smile. My eyes are wide in shock, and my lips are left tingling.
"Well, we better be getting you home to your sisters then." Robert clears his throat as he takes my hand to help me up onto my seat.
"Um... yes, let's do that." I nervously laugh as he hops up to the seat next to me, taking the horses reins in his hands.
Chapter 12
The horses trot calmly toward home with Robert's horses tied onto the back of the wagon. The air is humid and stuffy after the morning storm. Then I see it — home.
I quicken the horses pace.
Robert laughs as I jump out of the wagon, barely waiting for it to come to a stop. Adeline drops the pail of water she'd been carrying and races over to me. She wraps her arms around me and squeezes tightly. I hug her back smiling to myself. She was okay.
Hazel, Lydia and Genevieve appear in the doorway. Screaming and laughing loudly, they run down to me, and soon we're all hugging. For me, a weight seems to have been lifted. The worry I've been dealing with has been terrible, but it turns out they're all fine.
After a while, we pull apart and I look at my sisters. They have bright smiles on their faces as they look up at me. Except Adeline.
"Darlene, I should probably tell you what happened when the storm went through. I'm assuming you ran into it too." I can see her chin trembling as she fights to keep herself from crying. "The barn collapsed and we don't know if the cows are alive. I told them we shouldn't go look because it could be dangerous." Adeline looks down at her hands.
My heart sinks. One more thing to add to our worries.
"That's okay, Adeline. As long as you're all safe. We can replace a barn and cows, but we can't replace you." I take Adeline's hand and give it a gentle squeeze. I notice my sisters all look past me toward the wagon. I'd forgotten about Robert!
"I have someone I'd like you to meet." I lead my sisters over to where Robert is
standing by the wagon. "This is Mr. Thompson. I met him on the way to Willowcreek, and he's been very good company to me. I believe he will be staying here until he can replace his wagon which was ruined by the storm." I feel nervous telling my sisters about Robert for some reason.
"My name is Robert. You don't need to call me Mr. Thompson; it sounds strange to my ears. Your sister sure talked of you a lot." He smiles at them as he puts his hand out and shakes their hands one by one.
I place my hand on Genevieve's shoulder. "This is Genevieve. That's Adeline, and that's Lydia and Hazel." I explain to Robert while I point to each of my sisters. They all shyly spit out a hello and a nice to meet you.
Suddenly, I remember the fabric I'd bought each of them. I run and open the back of the wagon. "I've got a surprise for all of you!"
My heart swells as I notice them standing and waiting outside, each of them looking so excited that I have bought them something. I also notice Robert looking around the area.
I hand each of them some fabric, telling them I'm going to make them a dress with it. They each take the soft material in their hands, and they all give me a huge grin as they stroke the fabric slowly.
Robert jumps into the wagon and picks up the fabric he bought me and shows it to them.
"Darlene, don't forget the fabric you got for yourself. Isn't this pretty? I told her that it'd go perfectly with her hair."
Adeline clasps her hand to her mouth and cries. "Oh Darlene, that is beautiful!"
I smile at my sisters standing around the wagon. It's great to be home, but I'd forgotten one thing...Pa.
I didn't want my sisters to come with me, so I whisper to Robert. "I need to go talk to Pa with Adeline. Could you distract the rest of my sisters for me please?"
He nods and jumps out of the wagon again. "Hey girls, can you come with me and show me the barn that fell? I'd like to see it."
"Yes. This way!" Hazel laughs running toward the barn. Lydia and Genevieve follow after them, but I grab Adeline's arm to stop her from going.
She turns to face me her eyebrows in an annoyed scowl. "What?"
"I want you to come with me to talk to Pa. I'm guessing he didn't come out while I was gone?" Her scowl is replaced with a sad smile.
"You're right. He didn't come out at all." She replies looking down.
We walk up to the house together. Inside, it's clean and smells nice because of the fresh daisies someone has set on the table. I pause outside of Pa's door. I can smell the stench of him already, and I brace myself for what I am about to see.
Pushing the door open slowly, after a quiet knock, I look in and see him sat in his usual spot on his bed. His face is covered in hair. His beard has grown longer than I ever remember it being. The eyes that look up at me aren't my Pa's eyes. They are bloodshot and lifeless, sunk in his head with bags below them. He's lost weight too. Although he does eat, I don't think it's an awful lot.
He smells terrible, and I almost cry at the sight of him.
This wasn't my Pa, it couldn't be.
The Pa I knew would've done anything for me. He loved me and worried about me constantly, but that Pa is gone.
Adeline whacks me on the arm, startling me out of my thoughts.
"Pa, I'm back from town. I bought flour for some fresh bread." My voice cracks as I speak.
He just nods and sits quietly.
"So, about the farm? You have thought of something, right?" I ask hopefully.
I can hear Adeline quietly laugh at my question, so I subtly kick her in the leg to stop her from being obvious.
"No, you're in charge, Darlene. You think of something." Pa replies hoarsely, barely more than a whisper. I can't react quick enough to stop Adeline from marching over to him.
"Don't you dare start that, Pa!" Adeline yells pointing at him, almost touching his face. I watch Pa jump in shock of her sudden outburst.
"Adeline..." I start.
She turns around. "No, I'm sick of him being like this. You're too nice, so I will deal with it myself!"
Adeline faces Pa again. I lean my head on the wall and sigh. This wouldn't be good.
"You need to get out of this daze you're in and face the real world. Ma's dead! She ain't coming back!" Adeline yells.
I feel my eyes widen as I watch Pa jump again as Adeline pours out her frustration. "You need to accept that, and come help us again. It isn't always up to Darlene to fix things. You're our Pa, and you need to take care of us."
Her hands are trembling at her sides as I see her swallow to fight her tears. "You've brought this problem on yourself. Honestly, if it weren't for the fact that Darlene keeps telling me that you will change, and come back to being the Pa we love, I would've left here by now. I could've started a home somewhere else, with the girls and Darlene, and probably be living a better life than I am right now!" Adeline is screaming, raising her fists above his head.
"Adeline, stop!" I yell at her, angry at how she's speaking to Pa. I walk over and pull her away from him.
She's breathing heavily and her hands are shaking. "What, no reply? You're a coward Pa! You can't face the real world, so you let your daughters deal with it. Ma would be absolutely mortified if she could see the way you've been treating us lately!"
Adeline shakes her head at him, before turning to face me. "Come on Darlene. We can see he'll be of no help to us. Let's go sort this out by ourselves, like we have been since Ma died." She grabs my arm and pulls me out, shutting the door behind her.
Chapter 13
"What was that?" I ask her, yanking my arm from her grasp.
She sighs. "Me saving you from letting him lay the guilt trip on you. I know you can't handle it. Every person has strengths and weaknesses. Your strengths are being kind and loving, and how you're there for everyone all the time. But you have weaknesses too, and yours is how you can't believe the bad in people. I can. It's not your fault."
I scowl at her. God, she's stubborn and not afraid to speak her mind, but I love her for it. I know she would never let anyone hurt me, especially after seeing that performance.
I also know she's right though. Pa hasn't pulled through for us in ages, so what would make him do it now?
We walk outside and head to the barn where we find Robert being tackled to the ground by my sisters. They're all laughing, even Robert.
"Darlene! Robert's so fun! Thank you for bringing him here!" Hazel laughs, taking Robert's hat and putting it on her head.
Laughing, I reply. "Don't flatter him, it will go to his head and then where would we be?"
Robert grins as I sigh, looking around at the barn lying in ruins around me. It really did fall down. All of the memories of when Pa had built it, and Ma was so happy...I stop myself. I always do this and make myself sad. Sometimes it's just so hard living here when everything has a memory of Ma.
"So yes, your cows are most definitely dead." Robert says looking up at me.
I don't know whether to laugh out loud at how he didn't even try to be subtle, or cry at the truth of his words.
"I couldn't tell." I reply sarcastically. Somehow Robert could just change the mood of things in an instant.
I hear Adeline clear her throat behind me. "Darlene, we have something to talk to Robert about, don't we?"
I look at Robert, who stands up and pulls his hat off Hazel's head.
"Umm... I think so, but I'm not too sure." I stammer. Why is Adeline wanting to ask Robert about the farm? I know that's what she's getting at. I'm embarrassed about it, but it seems Adeline isn't.
I watch as she whispers something to Genevieve, then smiles back at us.
"Let's go." Adeline pulls my arm gently, forcing me to follow along after her. Robert comes behind us until we're far enough away from the house that the others can't hear us.
"All right, what's the problem?" Robert is shifting his eyes between the two of us, obviously realizing that something is wrong. He lifts his hat from his head, and pulls his hands through his hair.
Adeline looks t
o me and nudges me in the side.
"Oh, well I was...I mean we were, actually wondering if you knew how Adeline and I can try to save our farm. Since my Pa is grieving and hasn't quite been himself, he's pretty much left the farm in our hands. He owes the bank some money. A man from the bank came and told us we had a month to pay. Now it's been about a week, and there's been no progress made." I can feel my heart pounding in my chest as I confess our situation to him, deciding if he didn't judge me for what I'd told him during the storm, surely this couldn't be any worse.
He raises his eyebrows and rubs his chin in one movement. "Oh, you girls have really gotten yourselves into an almighty situation." His eyes find mine. "Have you talked to your Pa? Surely he'll come and help you."
Adeline laughs sarcastically. "Pa? Help us? Not since Ma died! Anyway, I'm sure Darlene and I can figure out how to get the crop off in time. Maybe even Genevieve."
"That's what the bank told you to do? Isn't there any other way of getting money for you ladies?" Robert says as he bites his bottom lip.
"I mean, we could sell some eggs and milk, but it would never be enough to cover the loan. The farm is our only option." I sigh, looking down at the brown grass beneath my feet. I'd somehow believed that maybe my sisters and I could get it off in time, but it was looking a little hopeless now.
"All right, farming it is! Adeline, go explain what's going on to the rest of your sisters while Darlene and I go hunt down the machinery. Let's get this crop off!" Robert exclaims grabbing my arm. I jump, startled at his sudden outburst.
Adeline runs off, and I dig in my heels to make Robert stop and look at me.
He turns to face me, and tilts his head to one side.
"Robert, you don't have to do this. We can figure out how to do it on our own." I can't expect him to stay and help strangers. It's too much to ask of him.
He doesn't say anything for a moment, just stands there looking at me.
"Darlene, you're right. I don't have to do this. But, I want to. You and your sisters have been dealt a bad hand, and I can't just walk away and not try to help. So, you have a choice. Stand here and keep arguing with me, or take me and show me where everything is to get started."
The Wagon (Carter Sisters Series #1) Page 5