When the boys arrived at the airport, it was huge and noisy. Grandma and aunts found a baggage handler for all the suitcases and gave everyone a hug, pat on the back, and kiss on the cheek. Of course, Donna and Peggy preferred staying in the car. They wanted nothing to do with them, could care less, and could all fly off the planet for all they were concerned.
Wayne and Kollie gave Richard a firm handshake and a pat on the back and thanked him for all his help. With tears in their eye, they said goodbye for now and saw them all on Friday. They tried to laugh when a big jet had flown right over their heads. They could barely hear each other and were amazed at its size as it landed. Looking at the clock, they needed to go as the group all said their goodbyes and checked into the airport, finding the plane terminal for Phoenix, Arizona. Pa picked up their tickets, carrying the three little boys. Boarding the plane, they saw other planes taking off and other ones landing.
There were big ones and small ones of all colors and sizes. Everyone's eyes went towards the plane's window, watching the other planes until it was their turn as they took off.
Grandma and Richard waved to them on the ground as they left the airport. She dabbed her eye when she waved. "Well, girls, it's just us," She said. Grandma loaded them back in the car, and they all headed back to New Downing with Richard behind him in his car.
The boys looked out the window, watching the city below them disappear into nothingness. Now, they were high in the sky, with clouds floating beneath them. When things settled down to a low crawl, the seat belt sign was turned off so they could move around a bit on the plane.
The aunts took the boys up to see the cockpit to meet the pilots and let them explore the plane a bit so they could stretch their legs for a while. Then, let them wear themselves out as they fell asleep with the soft lull of the engine sound. Within an hour or so, they were landing, and the seat belt sign was turned back on. As the boys looked out the windows, they could see the cities below them and small towns in the distance coming closer and closer. Then they landed at a new airport with the screeching halt of the tires, slowing the plane down, and they returned to the Phoenix airport terminal.
As they got off the plane, there was a sign that said welcome, boys, to Arizona cotton field, with a man holding a sign wearing a pilot's uniform. The same man that was in the cockpit as the boys laughed. "Look, Pa, it's the same guy?" Will said.
"Well, it looks like he wants us to follow him, then, doesn't it?" Pa said, grabbing Danny and Ted's hand and Robert taking Sam's. The boys and the group followed the man out to the vans waiting for them, and their luggage was packed on top; they headed down to the cotton field. It took ten vans to haul them all. What a group they are as they go on down the road. The boys noticed a temperature change as they left the airport; the climate felt like summer.
Pa and the boys unbutton their shirts a little, and aunts wave fans to cool themselves down due to the dry heat; it seemed hotter here than at home. Even Mr. Whitmore was sweating under his cotton Kitenge; his sons wished they were wearing theirs instead of these farm clothes. The boys looked down at the cool water running down below, staring at the river. The boys wished they could stop and take a dip as the van drove over the bridge.
Soon, they reached the cotton fields in Salina, Arizona, pulling up into the lot with everyone else. Aunty M. comes out of the house with the ladies to welcome the group. She helps show them to their rooms so they can all freshen up before lunch under the canopy. Then it happens as Pa, the boys, Kollie, and his three boys step out of the van. Martha and the girls, nearly in tears seeing them all here, including their aunts, rush right over.
Then Martha gasped at the sight of Danny and his arm and looked at Wayne with tears in her eyes, with no words to explain. He just nodded his head, looking down at Danny as she wept as she came closer. She picked Danny up and took him straight into the house, grabbing Doctor Whitmore by his sleeve after giving Danny a kiss and hug.
EJ watched them go as she went into the house with his brother, nearly busting a gut at how Ma fussed over everyone and sighed. It was just another reason why they loved her so much. Pa and the boys unload the suitcases and take them to their rooms. Wayne gives Aunty M. details about what's been going on down at New Downing and with Danny, which, in turn, makes her very mad. Thinking he was safe from harm all this time.
Martha fussed over Danny. The boys were changing into cooler clothing, and they wasted no time putting on their Kitenge. "Ah, that's better," they said, putting their sandals by the front door.
Martha found Danny's suitcase, cleaned him up, and after checking him over from head to toe, giving him another kiss and a hug, set him down to play with the rest of the boys, laughing to herself as she sighed. Wayne visited with his girls for a while in the kitchen as he waited for Martha to come down. "There you are, Wayne," she said as Martha put her hands on her hips, giving him a very stern look.
Wayne carefully glides his way over and kisses her right then and there. Lifts her into his arms as he stroked her soft brown hair. "Oh, how I missed you dearly," he sighed and kissed her again. "Let's go for a walk," Wayne said, taking Martha by the hand and seeing the cotton field. "Martha, as we guessed they would," shaking his head. "It was a matter of time; he escaped this one with only a sprained arm and wrist and few bruises," as she nodded. "We have custody of him for the next six months while they seek medical help."
"And if they don't, Wayne, then what?"
"They could go to jail. For now, they have been issued a citation, and the girls, are with their grandmother and Richard, in New Downing," Wayne said as he filled her in about all that had happened, the reason they were here watching Renee and the boys as she hugged Peter. "And that we need you home, dear, frankly. So we thought we come to get you at the same time, see if we could help with the cotton field, but we have to be back on Friday due to the funeral and those papers," Wayne said, pointing to Whitmore's, "and the school."
The dinner bell rings as the girls put everything on the table for lunch. Everyone gathers around the tables for the luncheon, with Wild turkey, ham sandwiches, and all types of cold salads and pies, cakes, and cold lemonade. Aunty M. stands up, giving the toast. "I'd like to give you all a big welcome to this here cotton farm and thank you for your help and willingness to come down this far," as she mops her face with a little laugh at the group and the boys in the coolest clothes they can find. "As you know, winter is just setting in New Downing, but not here. Summer is year-round," she said as she laughed. "My son Reggie and his wife will be running the place and will fill you in on the details."
Aunty pulls out the letter and reads it. "The transfer of ownership of the cotton field goes to Martha, Julie, and Anna, with Renee as a partner." It nearly floored Wayne and Kollie, but the ladies, considering they had heard it all before and knew it at all ahead of time. It was no shock as they watched their husband's faces go into shock, especially when they found out the pilot was her son. After the pleasantries and introductions, lunch continued, and everyone got to know each other.
Aunts let the boys play for a while before schoolwork, but then it was too hot for everyone. Aunty M. took them down to the river so they could all swim for a couple of hours. That night, they had an Arizona ho-down when the air was cool with a summer-like breeze.
Unlike most ho-downs, except without the simple farmers because they were Arizonians now. They dressed more fashionably with a few farmers at their side. As Reggie set on the records, they danced the night away, swinging their dance partner around the floor and giving her an old-fashioned twirl, then breaking out with a ho-down.
"Grab your partner by the hand, bring her to the middle, kick those feet high in the air, bend those knees just a little. Round the circle like a carousel back to the middle, one and all. Swing to left, then to right. Trade them for someone else's wife, glide them down the middle."
After dinner was served and the last record played, they all retired to bed for a day's work that was about to begin on the field. Ma, with Pa and the boys, each sharing a room down the hall and girls all tucked in for the night. It was good again to have everyone together again. It just felt right as Ma fell asleep beside Pa in his arms. As the sun peeks hazily through windows on the cotton farm, a soft, warm morning breeze entered the room off the river.
The house begins to stir as the breakfast bell is sounded, and the men and boys plod their way down the stairs to the dining room with clean faces and hands before entering. Aunty M. and the ladies check before allowing them to sit at their table. Sarah is in the kitchen with the baby, preparing the lunches for the kids as they get ready for school.
Reggie pulled the van up in front to take them all and their mothers to register them, counting them on the list as they read their name by name as they entered the van. Tim, John, Devon, Nathan, Ethan, Charlie―.
Martha hands each a sack lunch as they go to school. Their Pa waving to them as they leave to work in the field with Aunty M. for the day. "Alright, boys, let's get crackin'," Aunty M. yelled out as the van left, pointing to the field. Martha hands them a bag with a strap for their shoulder and a pouch of cold water.
Aunty M. shows them how to pick the cotton placed into the pouch when filled and tie up the sack, so it doesn't blow away. Grab another bag, start down the rows, ready to go. The women refreshed the men with cool water, lemonade, or iced tea throughout the day. They worked hard clearing the field that day as they mopped the sweat off their faces. The boys' job was to pick up the bags and take them to the shed. Robert and Will would load them on the wagon or, should say, a small cart with a horse to pull it. As Ma watched EJ count the bags as they loaded them, he would haul them to the shed with his little cart and horse, where another team would unload them.
They were sure glad they packed their summer clothes as the sweat poured down their bodies, drenching their shirts. Aunty M. told them the secret was to soak them in cold water and wear a straw hat to prevent sunburn and sunstroke until they got used to it. They soon learned she was right when Ma put lotion on them again; go figure. "Ouch! That smarts," trying to take the sting out of their shoulders and their backs. But at least they didn't have to wear shoes; these sandals were great, nice, and cool. "I wouldn't recommend running on the ground barefoot out here either. I would know; we all tried it," as we hopped around on the hot sandy ground and found thorns in the sand.
After things were going smoothly, Aunty M thought it was time for Martha Renee and some of the ladies to learn what they do with the cotton, seeing Reggie return from school. That left the menfolk out in the field to continue on without her. Leaving Reggie in charge of the field while he finds his captains to lead the men. According to the aunts, it was time for the boys to study again, pulling out the schoolbooks under the canopy and waving them over.
With a nod of Reggie's head, someone took their place. As the boys went to work on homework, they moaned and groaned, but they, too, made a promise that it would be done by Monday. At least it was in the shade, and they each poured a large glass of cold lemonade and cookies on a plate.
Martha and Renee watched Aunty M pull down a large sheet. "This is called a loom and shaker over here; we dump the cotton into it here and from the field, and it washes it, shakes the seeds out, and puts it into bails. Then we send it to the plant to be refined into products of oil from the seeds, and cotton is pressed into sheets, then re-cut into fabric or thread, then we put on loom such as this." She placed a stool for each of them to give them an idea of how one works. Aunty M. works on the loom, demonstrates how to make cloth, and allows them to make a roll of cloth each before taking the girls to the factory, where they transfer the cotton and where the fabric is made.
She gave them a tour of the small factory tied to this farm, handed them the keys, and introduced them to all the staff. All of them were dumbfounded as they watched how cloth was made and to find out. "I thought you said 15 percent?" Martha responded, shocked.
Aunty M. laughed. "Ladies, what would there be if you just had cotton and seed and no fabric?" The machines hummed along on the looms as the finished product rolls came forth and went into storage. "As you know, Martha, cotton is white, and we need all sorts of different types and colors; this is known as the dye room and print room," she said as they went along.
Aunty M. explains that only some things are turned into fabric like this, which is stored for other uses and sold to companies that need cotton. That's how they and we make a profit as well. Martha looked at Renee, thinking about all those different kitenges and the prints they could make and fabric in the store. After the guided tour, they returned to the cotton field for a little fun at the river as they packed everyone up and all the kids for another swim by the shore, spreading a picnic lunch by the beach and watching the kids play in the water.
They spent most of the afternoon down by the river before heading back to the cotton field as Ma watched the boys get ready to study again with the aunts teaching math, history, and music planned for the day. EJ's favorite was history; he hated math despite being good with numbers. Music, on the other hand, bothered them all, except for the aunts as they sang around the piano in the small library. It seemed that they got the most pleasure out of torturing them the most than they did.
Danny had made some new friends on the cotton farm as they ran through the house, chasing each other until Aunt Sara made them go outside. "Alright," she said, pushing them, showing them the door, and laughing. "It's time for the baby's nap." After the lesson, they were free for the day as they all ran up the stairs to put on their Kitenge and play outside with their new friends while Pa and Reggie worked in the field.
It gave Renee and Kollie, her husband, time to be alone and walk down by the river in the afternoon. She was finding a nice, secluded spot on the beach where the water lapped against the sides of the tide. They embraced each other for a moment, and time stood still just for them as they looked into each other's eyes. Her eyes glisten like little bits of stardust as he looks deeply into her eyes. He held her against his chest, stroking her long, brown, dark hair. "Oh, how I missed you, my sweet darling, my dear Renee. Oh, how I missed you beside me and your loving care."
He held her close to him, gazing into her eyes. Bathing in the last moments of the sunlight before it went down over the hills, he kissed her one more time, taking her breath away and telling her how much he loved her. They sit for a while, watching the sunset in each other's arms. Talking of this and that, before he pulls out the letter from Peter's grandmother, he asks to read it beside him. "Renee, we don't have much time, according to the Judge; we have until Friday because the funeral is this Sunday."
Renee looked at her husband, putting her fingers to his lips to silence him. "He's already my son, dear," she said, kissing him and wrapping her arms around him. "And yes, dear, I, too, would like to live on a farm."
They watched the sun go behind the hills, then started back to the farm with an extra glow in their faces as they entered the house. Renee found the boys, and Kollie went upstairs to get the papers for them to sign. Going into the small library for some privacy, they announced the news to the boys. That night, they became a family of five instead of a family of four, instead of one close friend, Peter, and all of them signed on the dotted line.
Wayne and Reggie were preparing for tomorrow by checking the luggage and the plane, making arrangements for home as they loaded the supplies they needed, checking off the list that would be mailed later, and making last-minute calls to friends and neighbors regarding cotton distribution and fabric resale for Martha and Renee at home.
The dinner bell rang as they gathered under the stars under the canopy for dinner. It was a farewell feast, to be sure: They were serving tonight steak with barbeque ribs, corn on the cob, mashed potatoes, sweet peas, carrots, and all the trimmings. Aunty M. stands up to give the farewell toast. "As we say farewell to our new friends, may we keep them in our hearts."
Aunty M. sees a shadow moving from the corner of her eye, and a shiver runs down her spine. She continues. "May our friendship here, on this cotton field, bond us together and grow―." A cool breeze of a whisper behind her as the shadow moves closer. "May we work together, help, and trust in each other."
A figure of a man standing by a nearby tree with gleaming red eyes peering back at her as he whispers in her mind. "Margaret, I finally found you. Morgan is the name, and you've been ignoring me and my warning." She continued trying not to shake or show it in her voice. "May we enjoy each other's company and our quarrels be small."
Morgan comes closer to the crowd. "Maybe I didn't make myself clear," as he tries to make someone start a fight and launches a killing ball of lightning only to find it blocked by Derrick and Bowden's protection spell, they had placed on her and materialized in seconds.
Morgan growled angrily as he noticed them mingling with the crowd. Not fighting back but protecting Aunty M. and the people here without their knowledge as a white light created some kind of bubble. No matter how hard Morgan tried to kill her or hurt the people here, he was no match for them. All they felt was a warm, sweet breeze blowing over the crowd and the smell of flowers, and two ladies suddenly appeared in the crowd, helping to strengthen the protection shield, whispered. "Don't worry, dear," as they all watch Morgan. "We got this one," they all disappear into the crowd.
Aunty M. swallows hard and looks back to where the shadows were, but they are gone as Wayne gives her a puzzled look. She continues on. "We wish them a safe journey home," and she sits down, raising her glass, shaking a little.
Everyone raises theirs, saying. "Here, here," waiting for Wayne and his wife to stand. Wayne stands and thanks them for coming and hopes they like it here, with a choked voice, saying how much he is going to miss them all. He and his wife sit down. They eat and have a good time that night and turn in early after a few dances.
As they loaded the last suitcases the next day, Aunty M. saw them off. "Aren't you going with us, Aunty M?" Martha asked.
"No, dear," Aunty M. looked at Reggie and Sara. "I'm needed here; there are a few things I need to do here," she said as she stared at Wayne for a moment. "Don't worry, dear; I'll be back in a month or two," giving them all a hug and pat on the back; she whispered to Wayne, "Wayne, watch EJ closely," then stood back. "Ya see, I hate winter, that's all," rubbing her joints and smiled as Wayne gave her a quick nod. "Now scoot," as she quickly kicks Martha towards the small plane.
Martha and the girls hugged in the middle of the plane until they landed in Provo with Grandma and Richard waiting to take them home, leaving behind Aunty M. for now. They all drove back to New Downing, saddened because they would miss Aunty M. for now, but she'd be back in time for Thanksgiving, she promised, as they all arrived home to their cottage with a small welcome home party by the town. If you could call a band and everyone yelling, waiting for them at the door with another feast at the square and more dancing that night. And yes, they do a lot of dancing here.
The moment they arrived they stopped at the courthouse Kollie gave the Judge the papers that day; that way, they could attend to more important matters as they put their arms around their son Peter and headed over to his grandmother's farm. Grandma took Donna and Peggy and moved them right in with her and Granny so the Downing's could have some peace. There was the matter of finishing the homework and the funeral before life could return to normal as EJ and his brother Danny looked down the road together.