by Risner, Fay
“I'll hurry. I promise,” Melinda said, going to her room. She pulled the clothes she thought Gracie might approve of out of her closet and packed her valise in a hurry.
Chapter Four
On the way by Shana's room, she heard some thumping noises. She stopped at the bedroom door to see if the girl was about finished with her packing.
Shana sat on the edge of her bed, bouncing a red rubber jack ball off the floor. “Are you about ready to go with Gracie?” Melinda asked.
“As ready as I'm going to get,” Shana said dejectedly.
“This will be a fun trip if you let it be. I'm going, too,” Melinda shared.
Shana leveled her with a searching look. “Sure and tis so? Why are you goin'? You didn't get into any wickedness and need to be gotten out of town like me?”
“Is that what you're thinking? That isn't entirely true. Your parents just want to let you experience something different than living in town is all,” Melinda said, trying to smooth over Shana's leaving town.
“That is what they are saying, but me knows when I've been plotted again to get me out of town,” Shana replied.
“That's not so. I volunteered to go. The reason I'm going is Madeline read her tea leaves a few minutes ago for me. She said there's going to be trouble at the farm while Gracie is there. I don't want her going out there by herself like she did last time. I figure between you and me, we should be able to keep Gracie out of trouble. Don't you?”
“Yes, Aunt Melinda. Sounds like a grand idea if this is so,” Shana said, perking up.
“All right, now let me help you pack so we can get going. Gracie is getting itchy to leave, and when she gets like that she gets cranky,” Melinda exclaimed.
Melinda went to the closet and pulled out two pairs of trousers and two blouses. The girl didn't budge. “Shana, get underwear from your dresser drawer. Hurry and help me out.”
Shana rushed to the dresser, pulled a drawer open and took out a nightgown, panties and socks. She stuffed the underwear in the bottom of the tapestry valise on her bed.
Melinda folded the clothes and laid them on top. “Now we need to pick out a couple of your nice dresses so you have a change for church.”
Melinda glanced up at the shelf above the clothes. She noticed a glass jar half full of brown globs floating in amber liquid. She pointed to the jar. “Shana, what's in that jar?”
“Nothing of importance,” Shana said. “Tis just an experiment I was after tryin'.”
Melinda folded up the dresses and packed them. “Really? How interesting. What kind of experiment?”
“I'm growin' bugs in that jar,” Shana explained.
Melinda shut the valise and went back to the closet. She brought the jar off the shelf and noticed as the liquid in the jar moved so did the brown globs.
“Best set the jar back on the shelf, Aunt Melinda. If the lid was to come off we would have a mess,” Shana said, growing nervous.
“What kind of mess?”
“The bugs would escape and be crawlin' all over the house,” Shana said sincerely. “For certain, that means the bugs will start by goin' in everyone's bedroom upstairs, before they crawl downstairs.”
Melinda pressed her hand to her throat. “Mercy! That sounds horrible. You will be gone for a while. Can the bugs be left alone in the jar until you get back?”
“I'm sure they can. As soon as they are big enough, I will take them outside and let them go,” Shana assured her.
“Maybe you should let them go now,” Melinda insisted.
“To be sure, they are not ready quite yet. The bugs wouldn't survive if I turned them loose now,” Shana said.
As she inspected the contents inside of the jar, Shana sneezed, then she hacked.
The hack turned into a coughing spasm. Melinda patted her back. “Oh, dear, do you want me to go get Miss Molly?”
“No, I will be able to get rid of this cough meself,” Shana gasped. She unscrewed the lid on the jar and took a big drink of the amber liquid as the brown globs floated up and bounced on the bottom of the jar.
“Oh, that's awful,” Melinda cried, looking sickly. “How could you drink the liquid off of those bugs?”
Shana smiled at her. “It worked great, didn't it? My cough is gone as you can see.”
Melinda shut the valise and grabbed Shana by the arm. “Come alone with me. You have to let your mother check you over before we leave. I don't want you sick while we're gone from you drinking that awful stuff with bugs in it.”
“Ah, nah, Miss Melinda. We don't need to tell Mama Molly,” Shana said, trying to brace her feet as Melinda tugged her down the stairs.
“Oh yes, you will, too,” Melinda declared.
Molly came out of the parlor with Orie and Gracie behind her. “Is something wrong?”
“You might say that. I was helping Shana pack when I found this jar on the closet shelf. Shana says it contains bugs in their juice. She has been growing them.”
Orie took the jar from Shana's hand and held it up to the doorway light. He unscrewed the lid and smelled the jar's contents.
Melinda went on to explain. “I don't mind that so bad. Shana says if the jar's lid came off while we're gone the bugs would be loose in all our bedrooms. I was trying to get Shana to turn the bugs loose outside before we leave. She got a coughing attack which was really bad. It worried me so I told her she should check with her mother before she leaves to make sure she's well enough to go.”
Molly said, “I see.” She placed her hand on Shana's forehead. “You don't have a fever, Shana.”
“Sure and I know I don't,” the girl said sheepishly as she lowered her eyes to the floor.
“She might get sick anyway later. When Shana couldn't stop coughing, she took the lid off the jar and drank the liquid around those bugs,” Melinda explained, holding her nauseated stomach.
Orie ordered, “Tell Miss Melinda what's in the jar, Shana.”
“Tis swelled up raisins in apple juice,” Shana said and stifled a snicker behind her hand.
“Forever more, is that all?” Melinda said, looking upset at being tricked. “Well, young lady, your joke isn't the least bit funny to me. I was very concerned about your health.”
Madeline suggested, “She just might get a bellyache yet from drinking that apple juice if its been sitting in that hot closet long enough to turn bad.”
“I might?” Shana said, looking hopeful.
“That will not be a problem if we hurry up and get to the farm before the urges strike her. There's a perfectly good outhouse at the farm for her to go in when she needs it,” Gracie said. “Now thanks to you two, we have fooled around long enough. Let's get going before the Sawyers think we've changed our minds.
After the well wishes, Miss Molly admonished they should be careful and come back healthy and safe. Through it all, Gracie pushed Shana and Melinda to the front door and down the sidewalk. Before she let up she had them started toward the livery stable.
“Sure and it's a pleasant surprise that you're comin' with us, Aunt Melinda,” Shana babbled, trying to make amends for worrying Melinda with the jar of fake bugs.
“I'm glad you think so, dear. We will have a good time at Gracie's farm. You wait and see. I just know it,” Melinda said. “Aren't we going to have a good time, Gracie?”
“Yip,” Gracie said shortly as she looked up and down the street. “Head across the street to the livery. Hustle before Old Man Krumble gets too close. He never can whoa that team of horses when he's coming at pedestrians. Sometimes I think he doesn't want to.”
“Why? Did you do something to make him out of sorts?” Shana asked. The old man's long beard flopped in the breeze as he rushed down the middle of the street.
“Nope, I don't have anything atall to do with that crabby old man. Never have,” Gracie assured her. “He thinks he owns the street, and he has the right way when he's using it.”
They hustled across the street and felt the breeze from Mr. Krumble's passing team o
f horses and buggy. Melinda and Shana stood by the building's large open doors to wait. Gracie went inside the livery stable to make arrangements for renting a buggy.
Shana spotted a poster on the livery wall. “Tis fer sure and certain, we will be back in a month, Aunt Melinda?”
“Yes, we only have to stay until the Sawyers come home from Ottumwa. Why, dear?”
“Read this poster. A circus is comin' to town the end of June. I would sure like to go to that. I have never been, and there will be wild animals. An elephant even,” Shana said excitedly.
“Matter of fact, I'd like to see the circus myself. I love clowns. Of course, we'll be back in time so don't worry. Now we have something to look forward to,” Melinda said cheerfully.
Shana gave her a hug. “Aunt Melinda, I confess I sure am glad you're comin' along.”
“Well, I was beginning to wonder. You won't play any more pranks on me, will you? I wouldn't like that,” Melinda said.
“No, ma'am, I will not do that to you ever again,” Shana vowed.
As a second thought, Melinda said, “And you promise not to trick Gracie, either. That isn't a nice thing to do. I warn you, for sure, Gracie wouldn't take a trick played on her well at all.”
“No, I wouldn't have done that to Miss Gracie in the first place. She isn't a good sport about such things,” Shana declared.
“I see. Just so you know, I'm not a good sport, either. So why are you glad I'm going with you to the farm?” Melinda asked.
“You're happy all the time. Miss Gracie isn't happy much any of the time,” Shana said honestly.
“Oh, Gracie is happy sometimes. It's just harder for her to show it than it is for us. We need to make an effort this month while we're with her on the farm to show her how to smile and be happy. What do you say?”
“Sure and tis a thought, but I suspect that is going to be one hard task,” Shana said.
“That farm is her home. All her good memories are wrapped up in that place when she was a child growing up with her parents. She lived there all her life, taking care of her animals. I'm sure she smiled a lot back then before she moved to Locked Rock. She will like being home so much I think we should be able to get her to smile for us,” Melinda surmised.
She grinned at Shana, and Shana returned the grin. They looked so much like they were planning a conspiracy that Gracie grew suspicious right way when she drove the buggy out of the livery stable. She might just have to ask what they were up to later. Right now she had to get those two slow pokes moving before Thad gave up on her ever showing up. Besides, she was eager to be home for a while.
“Throw our bags in the back and hop up here with me. It might be a tight fit on this seat. Good thing Shana isn't as wide as you and me, Melinda,” Gracie said.
“Thank you, Gracie,” Melinda said defensively.
Gracie ignored Melinda's frown as she took her hand and tugged until the woman was on the buggy seat. Shana scrambled up by herself.
They were off with Gracie walking the horse out of town. “Now this is the pace to move in town. No need to run over anyone. Plenty of time to get the horse moving once we're out in the country where there ain't any traffic.”
“That's right, Gracie,” Melinda agreed.
“How far is the farm from town?” Shana asked.
“Ten miles give or take a few feet,” Gracie said.
Shana frowned. “That's a long ways from Locked Rock and me friends.”
Melinda winked at Shana, hoping to reassure her. “It doesn't take any time at all to get to the farm I'll bet. I remember when we went to your parents' wedding barn dance at Mr. Orie's farm. We were there in no time. Gracie, your farm is just past that, isn't it?”
“Yip,” Gracie said.
Once they left the city limits, they went past pastures containing grazing cows, timbers looming up to shadow the road and farmsteads with corn and hay fields.
“Just look around you, Shana. Isn't everything so colorful in the country?” Melinda asked, trying to keep the girl's mind on scenery rather than the time of travel.
“Mostly green,” Shana said dully.
“That's because that's the color God likes,” Gracie said simply.
“Now how would you know a thing like that?” Melinda asked.
“I got the idea on a buggy ride with Millard Sokal. We both decided the same thing. There wouldn't be so much of the color green in the country if it weren't so that God liked that color best,” Gracie declared.
“Oh, Gracie! I reckon that's a good way to think about the country. Whether it's true or not,” Melinda said, with a giggle. But what I have always suspected must be true. Mr. Sokal and you think a lot alike.”
Gracie narrowed her eyes and grimaced at Melinda. Shana giggled. Melinda smiled back at Gracie, knowing she had hit a nerve.
For a while, they listened to the rhythmic clip clop of the horse's hooves and the wheel groans and creaks on the loose rocks.
Every so often, they bounced into each other when a wheel fell into a pot hole. Mostly, the ladies didn't mind. They were too busy watching the country sights go past.
About a mile from the Three Oaks farm lane, Gracie said, “Look over there. That's Mr. Orie's farm.”
“Oh yes, just the way I remember it with that nice big barn we had the wedding dance in,” Melinda said.
“I have been here many times with me father. Look! Isn't that a deer?” Shana asked excitedly, leaning over Melinda's lap to point.
“Where?” Gracie asked, trying to follow the pointing finger under her nose.
“At the edge of the cornfield behind the barn,” Shana said, shaking her finger in that direction.
Melinda and Gracie spotted the doe at the same time.
“Oh, how beautiful she is,” Melinda said admirably.
The deer was frozen in place like a statue, staring at them until the buggy came closer. Suddenly, the deer raced in a hopping stride toward them. She jumped the barbed wire fence, intending to dart in front of them and cross the road.
“That deer is coming right at us,” Gracie shouted and snapped the lines over the horse's back to speed him up. She was too late. The deer rammed her head into the canvas on Gracie's side of the buggy. At impact, they heard a loud ripping sound as the buggy slid sideways. That was just before the deer's head broke through the canvas and came to rest in Gracie's lap.
Melinda screamed.
Shana gasped. Her eyes grew wide.
The horse's ears went back at the sudden loud, strange noises. He took off, racing down the road. Gracie pulled back on the lines and yelled, “Whoa.”
Shana held on to her side of the seat for dear life. For once, she was speechless as they bounced in and out of the potholes hard enough to propel them from the seat and plop them back down.
“Oh my, can't you get the horse to stop or at least slow down?” Melinda gasped.
Gracie sawed back and forth on the line. “I'm working on it.”
“I thought you said we should go slow and not race like Mr. Krumble,” Shana reminded her.
“If Melinda and you hadn't screamed, the horse wouldn't have taken off in the first place,” Gracie barked.
“I didn't scream,” Shana complained.
“I did, and I'm sorry,” Melinda said contritely as she eyed the deer's head on Gracie's lap.
The doe's mouth was open as she panted. The exertion of keeping up with the fast moving buggy and her fright had the deer bug eyed. Her tongue flopped in and out of her mouth on Gracie's lap.
“That poor deer is having a hard time keeping up with the horse. You have to help her, Gracie,” Melinda ordered.
“Right now, she's slobbering all over my skirt, soaking through to my leg. I want her off my lap worse than you do. Just let me get this horse stopped first, and I'll get shut of the deer somehow,” Gracie shouted. Her barking voice made the horse speed up.
Shana pointed ahead of them. “I see someone comin'. Maybe he will help slow down the horse.”
“Oh, how nice. That's Mr. Sokal,” Melinda said, sounding relieved.
“Great Scott! What's so nice about it? Just what we need is that man to help us and gloat about it later,” Gracie spit out.
“That's just what we need, his help. Matter a fact, any man's help would do right now. I'm not choosy, and you shouldn't be, either. We could be thrown from this buggy and badly hurt. We were just lucky enough to get Mr. Sokal coming by us right now,” Melinda said, patting her chest.
The horse slow down at the sight of Millard and tried to dart around him. The round faced man's faded brown eyes narrowed as he reached out and grabbed the lathered horse's collar. Millard hollered whoa again and tromped along side the horse, trying to brace his feet. Finally, the horse skidded to a sliding stop, causing Shana to lean forward. Melinda put out her arm to keep the girl on the seat.
Millard rubbed the panting horse's face to calm him. The horse shuttered and trembled, stomping his feet. “Settle down, boy.” Crows feet crinkled up the side of his face as he smiled. “Morning, ladies. What's yer hurry, Miss Gracie?” Before she could answer, he walked around beside the horse on Miss Gracie's side of the buggy. Millard did a double take at the deer's back end swishing sideways one way then the other. He chuckled. “Taking that deer along for a ride, are you?”
“Don't try to be funny, Millard. You won't succeed. If you want to do something to help us out, get the deer's head out of this buggy so we can go on,” Gracie barked.
“Howdy, Miss Melinda.” Millard put two fingers to the tip of his straw hat brim. “And what a nice surprise. Why, if it isn't Miss Shana over there on the other end of seat.” Millard touched his hat brim to her.
“Good morning, Mr. Sokal,” Melinda said politely as she smoothed her skirt back down over her high topped shoes.
“Top of the mornin', Sir,” Shana greeted. “Thank ye for stoppin' the horse. Miss Gracie wasn't havin' a mite of luck at it.”