When He Returns

by Amelia Smarts

  Her lower lip quivered. “Why don’t I get a say in whether Wade can stay?”

  Clyde leaned back in his chair and raked his fingers through his hair. Instead of answering her question, he asked, “What did Wade do to make you dislike him so?”

  Sadie pursed her lips together, her eyes flashing with anger. Wade raised an eyebrow at Sadie, wondering what explanation she would give.

  “Well? What happened?” Clyde prompted. He looked back and forth between them, waiting for one of them to respond.

  Finally, Sadie spoke up in an angry voice. “I’m in charge while you’re away. That’s what you’ve always said. Wade refused to listen to me. He wouldn’t help Luke feed the animals. He didn’t do anything to help all day, so I think he should leave.”

  “Land’s sake, is that all?” Clyde said with a short, relieved laugh.

  The girl’s jaw clenched, and her brown eyes turned dark with anger at her father’s dismissal.

  “Sadie, darlin’,” Clyde said gently. “Wade will be doing chores soon enough. I told him he could choose how he wants to help. He’s old enough to figure out what needs doing around here, and he’s not obliged to mind you like the other kids. He’s the same age as you. Older, in fact.”

  Wade was so pleased by Clyde’s explanation that he struggled not to allow a smug smile to form on his lips, especially when Sadie became even angrier and more flustered. Perhaps he would stay at the house longer, Wade thought, if for no other reason than to take secret pleasure in watching Sadie getting knocked off her high horse. It was clear she was used to being queen bee, but now that Wade was around, she no longer had free rein.

  “But I hate him!” she burst out, her eyes flooding with tears.

  “Sadie Shaw!” Clyde said sharply. “Has Wade given you any reason to hate him?”

  The girl buried her face in her hands and shook her head, clearly distraught. Wade almost felt sorry for her then. He didn’t like seeing her cry, even if she deserved to be put in her place. He also recognized that she’d made a valid point. While everyone else had done chores that day, Wade hadn’t done anything to help.

  “I suggest you apologize this instant,” Clyde said.

  “Sorry,” she mumbled, her voice small and cracking with emotion. She kept her face covered and sniffled behind her hands.

  Clyde stared at her, appearing more concerned than anything else. He glanced at Wade. “I’m not sure what’s going on here, but I expect you both to act kind and respectful toward each other. You hear?”

  “Yes, sir,” Wade said.

  “Sadie?” Clyde prompted, turning his attention back to his daughter.

  “Yes, sir,” she mumbled behind her hands.

  Clyde stood. “Come with me, Sadie. We need to have a talk.”

  Sadie sniffled and rubbed her eyes. She pointedly didn’t look at Wade before following Clyde into the bedroom.

  Wade couldn’t make out what was being said, but he heard Clyde speaking in a questioning voice and Sadie responding with similar hysterics to what she’d just displayed at the table. The longer they stayed in the room, the more worried Wade became. Would Clyde be swayed by his daughter’s dislike of him?

  Clyde eventually left Sadie in her room and returned to the table, where he sat across from Wade. He was surprised to see that the man’s eyes were filled with sorrow. “This is my fault,” he told Wade sadly. “I’ve expected too much from her.”

  Wade’s spirits sank. He had a terrible feeling that Clyde was going to tell him to leave. It seemed obvious that Clyde was conveying regret over bringing Wade home and had changed his mind about allowing him to stay.

  “I’ll leave tomorrow,” Wade mumbled, preferring to offer the solution as opposed to hearing Clyde’s rejection. “I’m sorry to have caused you and your family trouble.”

  “What?” Clyde exclaimed, his eyes lighting with surprise and then softening. “No, no, kid. That’s not the right way to go about fixing this. Remember how I said that sometimes it’s hard to be part of a family?”

  Wade nodded, feeling a sliver of hope. “Yes.”

  “Well, that goes for all of us. Sadie is having a hard time because I’ve relied on her so much, but she’ll get through it. The problem is she’s overwhelmed. You can understand that, can’t you?”

  Wade thought about the question before answering. He didn’t see what she had to be overwhelmed about. Sure, she had to do chores and she’d lost her ma, but it wasn’t like she’d suffered neglect or starvation like he had, plus he’d lost two parents to her one. “I’ll try to understand,” he answered, and he meant it. He would try to understand for Clyde’s sake.

  “Thank you, Wade. She’s a sweet girl, and I couldn’t be prouder of her. I wouldn’t have survived her ma’s death if it weren’t for that child, and she has a heart of gold. When you see her getting overwhelmed while I’m away, will you help her?”

  The prospect of helping Sadie didn’t sound enjoyable in the least. Still, it was a small price to pay to earn Clyde’s favor. “Yes, sir. I’ll help Sadie all I can.”

  Clyde smiled at him. “Thanks for that. I’m glad you’re here, Wade, and Sadie will be glad soon too. I’m sure of it.”

  Wade doubted the latter, but he didn’t make that known to Clyde. Instead, he focused on Clyde’s words. For the first time, he felt wanted—needed even—and he’d do whatever he could to make Clyde proud.

  Chapter Four

  The next day was Saturday, and all the children besides Wade and Sadie scattered. The twins tagged along with Clyde to the jailhouse, and Grace and Ada played jumping rope outside.

  Remembering that Sadie had needed water for cooking the previous day, he set out for the well and lugged a large bucket into the kitchen. He’d no sooner set it down when she harped at him. “Look what you did! You spilled water everywhere, and I just mopped the floor.”

  Wade bit back the angry response that first entered his mind. “Sorry. Is there a rag somewhere? I’ll clean it up.”

  “Yeah, in the cupboard next to Pa’s room. Hurry, it’s going to sink into the wood.”

  He nodded and rushed off to fetch it.

  While Sadie cracked eggs for the midday meal over a pan, Wade got down on his hands and knees and cleaned up the water he’d spilled. He then draped the rag over the stove handle to dry it out. He thought about questioning Sadie about what else he could do to help her, but he preferred to anticipate what she might need instead of suffering the annoyance of following her orders. For that reason, he discreetly located another rag and set to work dusting the furniture in the main living area.

  Sadie’s voice from the doorway startled him a few minutes later. “What are you doing?” she exclaimed.

  Wade stood from his bent position, where he had been wiping the wooden legs of the armchair. “Cleaning the furniture,” he replied. “I noticed it was dirty.”

  “But… That’s my job,” she replied, her eyes narrowed suspiciously.

  The way she looked at him in an accusatory fashion instead of simply appreciating his efforts rankled Wade. He knew it would be unwise to needle her, but he couldn’t help himself when he retorted, “You haven’t done your job very well. The whole cabin is filthy.”

  Her brown eyes widened, and Wade noticed a flash of hurt pass over them. He might have felt remorseful if her hurt feelings hadn’t immediately turned to anger. “You think you’re so perfect and you do everything better than me, but you can’t even carry a bucket of water without spilling it.” She scoffed and returned to the kitchen.

  Wade joined her some time later to clean the grime off the kitchen table. They worked in tense silence, each annoyed by the other.

  Though Sadie didn’t appreciate Wade’s efforts, it was clear that he helped her significantly. She read her book for several hours in the afternoon. Wade wouldn’t have known that was anything out of the ordinary if Clyde hadn’t remarked that it was nice to see her spending time in leisure.

  When the family sat down to sup
per, she wasn’t angry or frazzled. She even smiled at everyone but Wade throughout the meal. Wade thought she looked pretty when she smiled, and he wished it wasn’t such a rare occurrence.

  Clyde noticed the change in his daughter’s demeanor as well and later expressed gratitude. “Thank you for your help, Wade. I’m mighty grateful to you.”

  Just that simple acknowledgement from Clyde allowed him to feel that his efforts were worth it. In the weeks that followed, Wade continued to assist in lightening Sadie’s workload. To his astonishment, this only seemed to cause her resentment toward him to deepen, but Wade learned to pay her little mind. He wasn’t working for her benefit, after all. He was working for Clyde.

  Clyde paid him once a week and always thanked him for his work. Wade stashed the money he earned in a jar he kept buried next to an apple tree on the other side of the barn. As the weeks turned into months, Wade gave his money little more than a passing thought. He stopped dreaming about leaving and instead focused on improving things where he was. Things did get better. With Wade’s help, the house’s cleanliness improved to a livable standard.

  On one occasion nearly six months after Wade had joined the family, Clyde questioned him about Sadie. “I know you two had a rocky start. Have things improved? Are you two getting along all right?”

  Wade didn’t want to worry Clyde, plus he harbored a fear that Clyde would kick him out if he did anything to vex Sadie too badly. “We’re getting along fine,” Wade reported, looking down at the ground when he said it.

  It was a bald-faced lie. Just an hour before, Sadie had noticed he was enjoying a book of hers and had purposely hidden it after he’d set it down. She made her dislike of Wade clear every day, but he thought it best to ignore it in the hopes that she would eventually warm to him.

  Clyde nodded, satisfied. “I thought you two would work it out. Sadie always has the best of intentions. When she was yea-high”—He held out his hand to indicate a small child— “she used to pack my pipe for me before I got home from work. Every single day, I could count on it like I could the sun to set.” He chuckled and walked away.

  Wade stared after him, glad he’d elected not to say anything unfavorable about Sadie. Clyde certainly wouldn’t have wanted to hear it. Worse, he might have assumed Wade to be the problem. This thought filled him with fear, and he could never quite shake it.

  ***

  Wade eventually established himself in the family as an authority figure to be minded by the four youngest children, simply by nature of him being the oldest. When he decided the household was in dire need of some structure and discipline, he told the children they were required to make their beds every morning, something none of them had done previously. He showed Miles, Luke, Grace, and Ada how to tuck in their bedding and fluff the pillows at the head of the bed. Then he instructed them to do it on their own before joining the family for breakfast the next morning.

  After breakfast, Wade checked to make sure all the children had made their beds. Miles’ and Luke’s beds were still messy, but they had made an attempt to heed Wade’s order. Upon walking to the girls’ room, he discovered Grace’s bed neatly made, but not Ada’s or Sadie’s.

  Sighing, Wade called out for the youngest child. “Ada! Come here.”

  Ada joined him in the room and stared at her bed, where Wade was pointing. “I thought I told you to make your bed,” he scolded.

  She blinked and looked up at him. “But Sadie didn’t make her bed, so why do I hafta?”

  Wade groaned. He didn’t have a good answer for that, but he was about to say something along the lines of ‘because I said so’ when Sadie walked into the room.

  “I should have made my bed, Ada. I’m sorry. We’ll both make them together from now on, all right?”

  Ada readily agreed then, getting to work on folding her blanket. Wade caught Sadie’s eye and gave her a nod of thanks. She returned a nod of her own. They understood each other. From a strategic standpoint, it was best to present a united front to the younger children.

  Though they remained unspoken enemies, Wade developed a sort of grudging respect for her, and he could tell that she respected him too. If it weren’t for the two of them, the house would descend into total chaos.

  While Wade respected Sadie, he adored Grace. Carefree and uncomplicated, the child didn’t have a mean or conniving bone in her body, and from the start, her kindness paved the way for Wade to feel like part of the family. She sensed whenever he was feeling down, and she would always take measures to cheer him up in her small ways. She picked wildflowers, offered milk, covered him with a blanket, and generally did all she could to make him happy.

  Wade did feel happy. He found peace within the cramped living quarters and soon came to call the town of Lebec his home. He attended school with the other children at the schoolhouse. Though he hadn’t been to school in two years before joining the Shaws, within months, he was leaps and bounds ahead of all the other children, even those several years older.

  Clyde praised him for this at supper one evening. “The schoolmarm tells me you are the best student in her class, my boy. Don’t know how you managed that, being out of school for so long, but I’m mighty impressed.”

  Wade smiled as he spooned potatoes onto Ada’s plate. “I suppose it’s because I’ve always had a hankerin’ to learn. I read every book I can get my hands on.”

  Clyde nodded. “That’s right smart thinking.” Looking around the table at the other children, he said, “You all need to follow Wade’s example. Luke, I heard you frequently don’t turn in your homework. And Sadie, Mrs. Williams said you’ve been passing notes with your friend Dot lately.”

  Luke straightened a little in the chair. “I’ll turn in my homework from now on, Pa.”

  “See that you do, son. After supper, you’re to get straight to it.”

  “Yes, sir.”

  Sadie didn’t take the mild scolding from her father in stride as Luke did. Her cheeks flushed red as she stirred the carrots and corn on her plate. She’d picked the vegetables from the garden that afternoon, peeled the carrots, shucked the corn, and flavored them with salt and pepper. “Sorry we can’t all be as perfect as Wade,” she retorted sarcastically.

  Wade stared at her with some surprise. Her response was disrespectful, even for her, and Wade couldn’t imagine talking to Clyde in that way—mostly because he wouldn’t want to disappoint him. Wade held his breath, worried about how Clyde might react to her comment.

  His worry was unwarranted. As was typical for Clyde in his interactions with all of them, he remained patient. “That’s not what I’m saying, darlin’. No one is perfect, but Wade is exceptional in his schooling. You each are exceptional in your own way.”

  “How am I ‘ceptional, Pa?” Grace piped up.

  Clyde grinned at her. “You are the sweetest girl who ever lived, and we should all follow your example of kindness.”

  “I agree,” Wade said, smiling at her too. “Sweet as cherry pie on a summer’s day.”

  The supper conversation continued in much the same way as previous supper conversations, but Wade noticed that Sadie’s demeanor had changed. The dislike that had faded from her eyes over the last few months shone stronger than ever when she looked at Wade, and he had a terrible suspicious that her dislike was back for good.

  Chapter Five

  Over the next few years that Wade spent living with the Shaws, Clyde’s words of wisdom often ran through his mind: You must learn not to be a lone wolf, son. Because of Clyde, Wade learned how to be part of a family with all of its joys and sorrows. He came to address Clyde as 'Pa', and he grew to love everyone in the family—even Sadie. He was grateful for the direction his life had taken, and he knew that if Clyde had not brought him home that day he’d stolen the bread, he likely would have ended up in jail like his natural father.

  Wade was reminded of this unexpectedly one day. Clyde came home from work and retired briefly to his room after greeting them. A short time later, he emerg
ed with a somber expression. “Children, come sit down,” he said, his voice grave. “We have a matter to discuss.”

  Before he’d spoken, the younger children had been laughing and playing, and Wade and Sadie were both busy reading. Upon hearing Clyde’s voice, the room fell silent. Wade had never heard Clyde speak in such a way, and his stomach clenched in sudden, inexplicable fear.

  Clyde sat in his armchair and waited for the kids to get situated around him. “All of you know right from wrong, don’t you?” he began. Upon witnessing a nod from each child, he continued. “If you take something that doesn’t belong to you, what’s that called?”

  Nothing but the sound of breathing could be heard until Grace murmured, “Stealing,” in a hushed voice.

  “That’s right,” Clyde said. “Stealing is a very bad thing to do. Now, one of you has stolen money from my nightstand. The person who has done so will be punished, but I will be more lenient if you confess right now.”

  Wade looked around the room. The children wore matching expressions of confusion. He caught Grace’s eye and noticed her look of concern focused at him. Grace was so transparent in her feelings that Wade realized immediately that she thought he’d stolen the money and was concerned about him being punished. The knot in his stomach tightened as the knowledge sank in that he was definitely the most likely suspect out of all the children.

  When no one spoke, Clyde said, “Last chance for the culprit to confess. Believe me when I say it’s better to tell me now.” He looked at each of them and, if Wade wasn’t mistaken, his hard gaze lingered on Wade for an especially long time.

  “Very well,” Clyde said, his voice angry. He rose to his feet.

  It was the first time Wade had ever seen Clyde truly angry, and it was a horrible sight.

  “We’ll do this the hard way then. Everyone, get to your room!” Clyde barked, pointing in the direction of the bedrooms. “I’ll speak to you one at a time, from youngest to oldest. You first, Ada.”