Pa, Will, and EJ loaded up the pick-up with all the goods they can trade at Stringham's on Main in Santaquin, packing it to the brim, and were off down the road. They just had barely three hours before they had to be back for work with Mr. Grams and Rivers. They were kind of in a hurry as Pa drove fast enough, almost breaking the speed limit. Richard watched the clock as they pulled out of the barn. They were headed towards the sheep farm to find Albert to load up some fleece to take over to Mr. Stringham to trade for cash or a note to buy things for the store in Salt Lake City.
Everyone on a deadline, including Mr. Whitmore, paced the floor, looking over the documents, wondering what to do as Doc Hatfield knocked on the door. "I got word at the hospital that you are taking some time off. So I thought I'd come over and look ya over and see how you are doing, Kollie. Since now you are my patient, according to the hospital, I'm just making my rounds," Doc said.
Kollie tried to laugh but wasn't in the mood. Showing Doc the letter from Peter's grandmother and tells him what the Judge said, showing him the papers. "No wonder you are wind up tighter than a gator on stilts. Three days all in the wrong place at the wrong time," Doc said, rubbing his chin, "so when's the funeral?" He asked.
"Sunday, that's when she wanted it," Kollie replies.
"When are they due back?" Doc asked.
"Two weeks from Monday."
"So what's ya sitting around here for like a treed possum?" Doc said, pointing to the paper. Just go up, getter done, bring her back, send off one of those telegrams, or surprise her," he said as he slapped him on the back. "Fly back in time for the funeral. Now then, let's check you over, make sure nothing else is wrong, no surprises, we both don't need anymore," he said.
Kollie packed for four, smiling to himself. "Yes, sir, that's what we'll do," packing the folder in the suitcase and setting them under the bed. With a quick little whistle, he starts preparing for a trip and making his rounds around New Downing before the boys return, excusing the Whitmore boys with a whisper, telling them. "Don't say a word, but they are all going to Arizona tomorrow as part of the help to the cotton fields," he winks, and they give him a nod.
He does some shopping himself, buying a few gifts for his wife and his boys. Then he takes them back to the cottage, humming to himself about what surprise he has and what is in store. The next question is where to stay when they return, and he looks at the cottage.
"That's right, she left me the farmhouse," hitting his head. "Or we could go home, but it was getting too small now that I have three boys instead of two. We definitely need more room, plus it'll be closer to the hospital and the Downing's and New Downing, which we like so much more. For this is home, and no other home is like it." So he thought at the time, not realizing his destiny had been changed by anyone other than Derrick, the keeper of time.
* * * *
Richard finds Albert in the shearing shed with his friends, the Wilson boys, Ned, and Brad. "Hi, Ned." He watches him sheer a sheep faster than he could ever have done, slicker than lightning on fire. Ned and Brad put their knives down and shake hands. "Mr. Downing said you would be stopping by something about needing some sheepskin," Albert said.
"Yeah, I need some to trade for the new house appliances in Salt Lake City. Can you help raise the doe?" Richard replies.
The boys nodded. "Well, we've been expecting you. Just bring a wagon over. We'll help you load them up." That day, they loaded nine hundred sheepskins as they waved goodbye and headed back to New Downing to find Mr. Stringham for the trade.
Pa, Will, and EJ were at Stringham's Hardware and Goods on Main. Pa pulls the pick-up around back with a glance over at EJ. "What do you think, EJ?" Pa asked as he pulled around the back. "You want to come inside or wait here?"
EJ thought about it for a moment and realized he was always safe with Pa and his brothers. "I trust you, Pa. I'll come inside, but if you don't mind, I won't leave your side for a minute," he said.
Pa rubbed his hair. "Fine by me," he chuckled. Will went in first to check and make sure it was safe, then turned the sign around and locked the door. Pa and EJ came in with Dave right behind them. Dave told them the coast was clear and pulled out some stools to sit on.
"Mr. Stringham said you'd be by today to make a little trade," he said, looking at the pile of stuff. It's a good thing, too. My shelves were getting bare, and they each had a pad and pencil. While Dave and his new helper unloaded the pick-up, Pa and EJ, thumbs through the catalog together, looking at items on the list that Pa had made.
The three choose what to get for the house and what to leave for the girls to pick out. They ordered lots of stuff and things that they needed, some things that would be surprised later on as they laughed, handing the list to Dave to order and pick up supplies they needed now, like stain, paint, small lumber for the chairs, and projects to build, extra hammers, and four more tool belts and the tools to go in them. Plus, more seeds are needed for planting and taking extra catalogs home for the girls.
Pa looked up at the clock. "Holy cow, boys, it's 1:30!" Dave gave them each a sack of penny candy as they rushed out the door towards home. Pa drove fast down the road as the boys reached the cottage, the three rushing in so fast, nearly knocking over the Whitmores as they all laughed. Pa counted heads: one, two, three, four, five, one missing, Robert. Pa hurries grabs his clothes, jumps in the pick-up, and heads to the farm, finding Robert still working on a chair for the kitchen table. "Son, we got to go," looking at the clock, 1:50. Pa tossed him his clothes for work to hurry him along as they rode back to New Downing as quickly as possible. Robert changed his shirt and threw it in the back. Pa dropped him off at the post office. "Good luck, son; see you at home," he replied.
Pa looked at the clock; it was 2:00 p.m. Mopping his face, he headed for the cottage. Robert joined the rest of the boys at work inside the office. Mr. Grams kept Peter inside at the counter, and Mark printed while Frank was out helping to set up the newsstands with EJ. Mr. Rivers took Robert and put him behind the counter, and Will left Robert in charge with a trainee while Mr. Rivers went out to set up the post office in Cracken.
Robert helps load up the horses, showing the trainee how it's done by placing a number on the horse to match the route. Then, he sorts the packages or letters to match the route number to the horse shown on the paper. The boys working away at their jobs printing, working the counter, and keeping their minds busy seemed to be the key, as life went on around them.
Wayne and Kollie are finally home alone, going over last-minute plans, one surprised by another inventory of things that needed to be done. Both are busy going on about their own thing. When someone spoke, Kollie said, "Wayne, how many did you get today to work on the cotton field?"
"Eleven, why?" Kollie explained his predicament and the idea of going down with the group to get his wife before the time runs out before the funeral. "You know that's not a bad idea," Wayne said as they laughed. Looking at all the extra work and the new problems they were facing. "Winter is coming sooner than we like, and we need them here. The only reason I think they're up there longer is due to the shortage of help. Tell you what I need is someone to take this group up to the airport anyway. How about you go up there with your boys and get what you need to get done? I'll join you, say. Thursday afternoon, and we'll all leave on Friday in time for the funeral and courthouse on Monday," Wayne replies.
"Good idea, but what about our boys' schoolwork?" Kollie asked.
"Hmm, you got a point there; Mary and Lizzy said they would help; let's see what they suggest," Wayne said.
Wayne and Kollie headed to Mary and Lizzy's cottage to pick up the boys and discuss an idea with them. They knocked on the door. They opened the door with both of them, staring them down. "Please tell me you haven't changed your mind about the schoolwork?" Mary replies.
Wayne said. "No, not that, just that we have sort of a dilemma regarding it. In hoping you have a solution to the problem," Wayne and Kollie go inside and explain the problem to them. Wayne says. "So you see, it is not about them doing the schoolwork; it's about where to do it," Wayne replies. Kollie looks at the aunts, who grin from ear to ear as they wait for the answer.
Mary said. "So basically, you are asking if we would like to go to Arizona for a couple of days?" They nodded yes.
Wayne said. "One with Kollie and one of you can leave with me. That way, the boys don't miss anything, and we can all return together."
Mary and Lizzy rolled their eyes, puffing air between their lips and shaking their fingers at each other. "Alright, we'll go, but trust me, they better study hard tonight because you're fixing dinner while they're studying, and there are no ifs or buts about it, you two," Mary said, pushing them out the door.
"We will bring these two later since you'll be too busy to watch them; now scoot," Lizzy replies.
"That went well," Wayne said, looking back at the cottage before returning to their place.
Kollie laughed. "Yeah, but I didn't plan a meal, did you?" as they laughed.
"No, me neither. Oh well, don't sweat the small stuff, they say," Wayne replied, finding Richard in the stable and putting the wagon away for the night. They filled him in on all the stuff as he handed over a note for the sheepskin. "I need those mattresses sooner than I thought," Wayne said, laughing at their new plans for the girls arriving home this weekend.
Wayne, Richard, and Kollie headed back to the cottage to start preparing for dinner and the boys so they could study as agreed by the aunts. "There's nothing like a home-cooked beef stew," Wayne said as he opened the fridge, pulling out some leftover meat pieces and a half bag of carrots, potatoes, and some onions as they all laughed. "Looks like we need to add shopping to the list, boys," Wayne said, rifling through the pantry and seeing the bare shelves. Take note of how much salt, sugar, and flour is left.
Kollie laughed over Wayne's shoulder. "Oh, I was going to mention that, but it slipped my mind, friend; sorry," he said. Wayne pulled out a pad and pencil, making a list of things they needed for the pantry and the fridge. "Tell you what, you make a list; I'll go to the market in New Downing and see if I can get some of these things filled while you two fix dinner. I'll start peeling the carrots and potatoes for the stew while you do that," Kollie said.
Wayne makes the list of the supplies, Richard browns the meat, and Kollie peels the vegetables. It was a three-man team as Wayne put on the apron and the hat, hummed a merry old tune, made a list, and checked it twice. "Ten pounds of flour and salt―" He Checks the fridge, ice box, and meat locker, shaking his head and making his list. Wayne hands the list to Kollie and then chops up the vegetables, mixing everything in a great big kettle, throwing everything he could think of except the kitchen sink. He sends Richard down the hall for a quick bath with a nod, turns down the kettle, starts a fire in the pot belly stove to take off the chill in the room, and starts the cornbread.
Richard comes back down the hall. Wayne hands him the apron and the spoon and puts the cornbread in the oven. He pulls out a recipe for apple dumplings and a half bag of apples and heads down the hall for his bath.
Kollie was buying things on the list, checking off the items, and loading them at the back of the pick-up. Then, he hurried back with the supplies to the cottage with a wave and thanked the grocery clerk at the market. Richard helped him carry the supplies into the house, stocking up the pantry when Wayne came down the hall. "For a minute, I thought we lost you, Kollie," Wayne said, shaking the water out of his ears.
"Sorry, Wayne," Kollie said, mopping his face with a sigh. "That should do it," putting the last item on the shelf. "Now then, what's left?" Kollie asked, looking at the kettle of stew as Wayne pulled the cornbread out of the oven. Wayne has him make a tossed salad with dressing while he makes the rolls, and Richard goes out and chops wood for the fire. Handing the apron back to Wayne and the spoon, Kollie puts the salad in the fridge, and Wayne sends him down the hall for his bath before the boys get home in thirty minutes or so and gives a stir to the kettle and a stir to the dumplings on the stove, adding some more sugar and cinnamon to them.
Mary and Lizzy knock on the door on schedule as Wayne and Richard set the table. Mary and Lizzy look around the room. "Good, it looks like everything is in order, and it smells good, too, Wayne," Mary said, tasting the stew and adding a little more pepper as Kollie came down the hall, all nice and clean.
"Hello, ladies," Kollie said, still drying his hair and shaking the water out of his ears. He puts the towel in the basket, ready to be washed, and joins Richard at the table, setting plates and silverware on the table. Mary and Lizzy set the homework on the counter as the boys come in from town. "Well, it's about time you boys got home," Mary said, and Lizzy looked at them, shaking fingers at them, trying to be mad and then busting out laughs to change the mood a bit in the room.
"Your Pa's tells me dinner is almost ready, boys, so go get cleaned up so we can eat," she said. The boys are dumbfounded. "Go on now, for we have work to do. I will explain during dinner," Lizzy said.
The boys cleaned up the best they could for now since there was no time for a quick bath at the moment and sat around the table with their aunts and Pa as they explained what was going on as Mr. Whitmore told them about the letter from Peter's grandmother and what he had planned to do. Mark and Frank were thrilled, and so was Peter, that they would be more than just friends. If only it were that easy for EJ as he looks out the window and down the road, but for now, they are his family and his brothers; these are his friends.
They told them what they had planned to do. "Boys, the Whitmores will leave tomorrow with the group for the cotton field, and we will join them later. We will all be back Friday night in time for the funeral on Sunday and deliver the papers on Monday," Pa said. They were all thinking of the planned and surprise trip as they hurriedly ate and cleared the table.
Pa and Kollie did the dishes and cleaned up the kitchen while the boys studied with the aunts. They pulled out their schoolbooks, helping them do their homework and study hard for their test until the boys started to drop off to sleep.
Knowing that the Whitmores were leaving early in the morning, it was decided between the aunts that Mary would go up first, and Lizzy would be going up with Wayne and the boys the following day. They agreed to leave it a surprise to make sure not to tell anyone about it, and Mary and Kollie would have Aunty M. work out the surprise arrangements.
They helped put the boys to bed and brought in two mattresses for the aunts to sleep on. That way, they wouldn't have to be alone in the house, and they were all tired. Wayne and Kollie made the rounds to their boys, tucking them in for the night before going to bed themselves. "Goodnight, my friend, and thanks," Kollie said as he turned out the light.
"That's what friends are for," Wayne replies.