"Yes, I need nine black suits and three sweaters with white shirts and ties for the three small boys," Wayne said as they tried them on, and they talked about farming and crops that would be good to grow in the field. "I'd try growing corn and wheat and planting fruit trees. It saves on groceries later on," Wayne said, watching the boys trying on their suits. "Heck, we will even plow your field, and the boys could help mend those fences. Get yourself a wagon and a pick-up and some horses, Kollie. You'd be on your way to becoming a farmer," Wayne said, slapping his knee. "Yes, sir, I can see it now. You are plowing a field in your green Kitenge. What a sight. Not a scarecrow within twenty miles would come near your farm," Wayne said as he laughed.
"Actually, Wayne," Kollie said, snapping Wayne's overalls. "I was considering wearing these like my boys," Kollie said. Wayne sputtered.
"Why, I didn't mean anything by it, Kollie."
"I know, Wayne, but I can't farm in these now, can I? Doctoring, yes, but farming just wouldn't be practical." After picking up their suits from the tailor shop, they headed back to New Downing, stopping at the flower shop to pick out some flowers and boutonniere for their suits. They then headed back to the Whitmore farm, finding the aunts waiting there, going over the boy's homework.
"It's about time you got back," Mary said, putting her hands on her waist. She pointed to the homework, then to the note and the clock.
"Sorry," they both said, nodding and leaving the boys to their studies. After all, they promised that work would be done by Monday as Wayne and Kollie carry the supplies and suits upstairs to the boys' room and return to the farm, leaving the women folk alone with the boys.
Aunt Mary sits the boys at the kitchen table, handing them each a pad of paper and pencil, and tells them to write down these problems, go down the chapters of the pretest, and close the door for privacy. Watching each of them work the problems out and showing their work for each problem. Then, after a while, they collected the papers and took another test for each subject on the list while Ma, the rest of the girls, and Renee started preparing dinner, leaving them alone at the table.
Aunt Lizzy had Richard keep the three little ones outside while they were studying so they wouldn't have any distractions. Pa and Kollie kept to themselves, busy doing who knows what in the barn. When Ma asked and looked outside, they just said. "Just tinkering, that's all, dear." She smiles and goes back inside the house. Then, if you think that wasn't bad enough, there was a knock at the door as Aunt Lizzy answered the door. "Come right in; we are just about ready, Mr. Faith," she said.
"Lizzy, please. Just Jayden would be fine," he said as he took her hand. She giggled like a schoolgirl and blushed red.
Mary collects the papers so she and Aunt Lizzy can grade them. Their teacher, Mr. Faith, has a special surprise for the boys as he walks into their little study hall. "Hello, boys," he smiled, handing them each some music that was not on the assignment. Then, the aunts are handed a flyer about a little competition held at the school among the choirs this fall.
The aunt's eyes light up, and running takes the flyer into the kitchen to show Martha and Renee. It was a stir of excitement as they all rushed into the study where the boys were. Giving them all a hug and kiss on the cheek, watching them turn red in front of the teacher. The only ones not excited were the boys as they rolled their eyes, looking down at the music, wondering what all the excitement was all about. The boys opened their folders, finding each invitation to the competition as a barbershop group. The boys nearly fainted as they looked at Mr. Faith and then at the ladies sitting on the couch.
Without pause, Mr. Faith lined them up accordingly as a group, pulling out his harmonica to pitch for them to sing. They did a few scales to warm them up as the aunts, their Ma, and sisters flutter. Mr. Faith whispered silently among them. Mr. Faith gave a quick nod to them for quiet. While as he tapped his wand and pulled out the music, he wanted them to sing. The ladies took out a tissue to dot their eyes as they sang in unison, standing in a line. He smiled, waving his wand in the air, then setting it down, giving them applause. "Well done, boys," he said, shaking each of their hands, then turning to the ladies, thanking them for a lovely evening as they invited him to stay for dinner, which he did.
The boys rolled their eyes. Then, leaving them to their studies as they'd continued drafting an essay for English and one for history, they were free at last, and the torture was over for the day at long last as they hurried outside to play on the Whitmore's farm. Aunt Lizzy sat on the porch with Mr. Faith, helping her grade their homework and shaking his head. "This is more homework than they give in three weeks, Liz. I'm sure of it, those double-crossers," he said, shaking his head and watching the boys play in the yard.
But Lizzy paid him no mind. "A promise is a promise, Jaydan, and it will be done by Monday," she said as she sighed, placing the work on a stack of completed work, tying it up neatly so it doesn't come loose, and then placing it back into a suitcase marked boys' homework and books.
Renee walked out to ring the bell for dinner as Wayne and Kollie came out of the barn with Richard, with hands and face black and clothes dirty, laughing. Richard said. "Yes, sir, Mr. Whitmore, it needs a new fan belt, new spark plugs, and a couple of new tires. It should be as good as new," Richard said.
"Thanks, Richard," he said, slapping him on the back.
Seeing them walking into her nice, clean house, Renee nearly has a cow right then and there and yells. "Stop! Tinkering right. Oh no, you don't if you think you are going walking in here looking like that, no, sir. You might as well eat out in the barn," she said with an icy-cold stare. Then, they burst out laughing at the sight of them, passing a wash tub of warm, soapy water to wash up in and placing a box for their dirty clothes and some towels. "Now hurry up and bathe quickly, boys—dinner's waiting. Wayne, I put some fresh clothes down there for you and Richard," she said, rolling her eyes with Martha by her side, laughing at the three of them. "Now scoot," giving them each a swift kick to get them going.
Renee and Martha were in the kitchen, waiting for the men to finish cleaning up when they visited with Mr. Faith. "I thought there was something fishy going on when I saw all that homework," Renee said, nodding her head.
"What's done is done," she sighed, "at least it's done for now. Just need to keep it fresh in their minds is going to be the problem," Renee replies.
Wayne yells down the hall. "Martha, dear, can you come in here, please?" Wayne asked, looking at the fresh clothes they wanted them to wear.
"What's the matter, dear?" She asked.
Wayne holding up the bright yellow Kitenge. "I can't wear this," he said.
"Why not, dear? You are the one that said clothes don't make the person, remember, dear," she said.
"Yes, dear, But―" he tried to replied.
"No buts. The boys and Doc have been wearing them all summer long. You don't see them complaining, do you?"
"But―" he tries to reply.
"Now, just put it on; stop whining," she said, giving him an icy cold stare. Look at Richard; he doesn't seem to mind." She watched him go down the hall, doing a quick twirl in his green one, thinking nobody was watching. Now come on, dear; dinner's getting cold," she said.
Wayne sighed and followed her down the hall to the kitchen, where everyone was gathered. Nobody says a word as Richard or Wayne sits at the table wearing the Kitenge. For them, it doesn't matter what they wear as they pass the meat and roll down the table to each other. "As I was saying," Jaydan said, placing the peas on his plate. "I believe the boys have a good chance of doing quite well in the competition, with little more practice, of course. Tell me, Martha, do any of your lovely daughters play the piano?" He asked.
"Sorry, Mr. Faith, we never even owned one," she replied.
"I see, too bad," he paused, pointing down the table at the rolls and butter.
"I do know where I could get a secondhand one for you, and provide piano lessons if you would like," he said.
The girls get excited thinking of the possibilities of learning to play the piano. Wayne leans over to his wife. "Dear, what are you talking about? What competition is he referring to?" he asked.
"Later, dear," she said, excitedly watching the girl's smiles. That would be wonderful to learn. Are you sure you have enough time? You are awfully busy as a teacher, as I understand," Martha said, nodding to the boys.
"It would be my pleasure," he said, taking Lizzy's hand under the table. "In fact, I plan to settle down here for a while myself and build a nice house to look over the country setting, admire a few sunsets, and do a little farming in the spring." Watching Lizzy's cheeks turn blushing red and a twinkle in her eye, Jaydan gazed over at EJ for a moment, wondering as he looked at the nearly healed wound on his hand as he thought of the report he got last regarding Morgan from Margaret and his two friends, Bowden, and Derrick.
After dessert and some light conversation, everyone left for home. Jaydan gazes slowly across the fields, feeling the chill as dark thoughts and shadows seem close. He quickly nods with a wave of his hand and slowly dissipates around the corner. For time, he knows is short as he walks down the corridors to his study with Morgan on his mind. "Something is not right," he said as he paced across the floor, "but what?" He asked, petting a stone-figured cat with ruby eyes as he stared at the knife his friend Derrick had brought him from Margaret.
The knife was stained with the boy's blood. It still glows as it sits in the glass case, undisturbed. Jaydan ponders as he reads and studies the transcript left behind lying on his desk. His eyes light up as his face darkens; he screams. "NO!" As he rushed down the corridors of time, knowing now what and who had been released from the Cross Bone Gate Prison.
He hears laughter as Morgan fades through the walls back into his domain. Jayden knows without a doubt that the prophecy regarding the Dark Prince is about to come true as he slowly crashes to the ground from the spell placed on him by Morgan. His eyes are closed, and he is drifting into a deep, nightmarish sleep. Morgan stands beside him, his eyes glowing as he picks up the knife now lying on the ground beside Jayden. Laughs then fades back into the shadows of time to wait for the perfect opportunity to take the boy, so that he may change his destiny, and finally begin the search for the Five Keys of Destiny.
* * * *
"What a nice fellow Mr. Faith is, Wayne; he sure is sweet on Lizzy. Did you see how their faces lit up when they looked at each other? Ah, young love," as Martha sighs.
Wayne pulls back in front of the cottage, picks up the small boys, takes them into the house, and sets them on the mattress on the floor as Martha helps them get ready for bed. Everyone is tired from a long, hard day on the Whitmore farm as they yawn and go to bed. Ma and Pa tucked everyone into bed, doing the rounds, and sighed happily. "It's so good to have them all here under one roof and almost home, dear," she said, looking at her boys in their bed and girls in theirs.
Martha and Wayne go outside under the moonlit sky for a walk towards the farm. Wayne wrapped his arms around her lovingly as they walked towards the farm. They find a nice, secluded spot under a nice tree near their farm where they can see their house being built. All is quiet except for crickets chirping their soft music from their wings like soft violins floating in the air. Wayne could feel the warm, gentle breeze of the night air rustling through her hair as he peered deep into her deep blue eyes, folding his arms around her. He pulls her close to his chest, then leans back her head gently for a sweet kiss under the moonlight of stars from her man of the moon.
Martha, wrapped deeply in her thoughts of love for this man and her children, embraces him as she melts into his arms under the moonlit stars. Wayne whispers gently into her ears, "Martha, my dear, do you know how much I love you?" he asks as they embrace once more.
She whispered, "Yes, my darling, I do," as they kissed under the stars and moon. Against her, the man, and the moon in his arms sigh. They sit and talk about Danny and EJ, the rest of the children, the new house, and when it might be finished. "Really, Wayne, that soon?" she asked as she looked back at the house.
"Yes, dear. In fact, we were just planning a shopping trip for the large appliances and furniture this weekend. That was until Peter's grandmother passed away. That's why we needed you here, and Kollie needed his wife, so they could file the paperwork for Peter before time ran out," he said as they talked about this and that for a bit longer before turning back to the cottage, checking on the children one more time before turning themselves in.
Cock a doodle do as the rooster crows at Whitmore farm and just over the horizon of the Downing cottage. Martha is in the kitchen preparing breakfast for their families before the start of the day before getting ready for the funeral. "Come on, sleepy heads, rise and shine," she said as Ma nudged each boy out of bed. The boys all yawn, turning over on the other side as Ma leaves the room.
Pa is ready for the day, reading the paper, making an inventory, and listing things they need to do and buy. Ma and the girls are in the kitchen. Ma is taking food inventory, shaking her head at Pa and the boys, then laughing at them. "Stubborn, foolish boys." Julie and Anna take feathers down the hall, sneaking into the room, grabbing one foot, then the other, working their way down the back of their necks, then down their sides.
Then, a war started as feathers flew and pillows were tossed across the room at each other. You could hear laughing down the hall. "Yes, it was good to be home," she gently yells. "Alright, boys, breakfast will be ready soon; fresh towels are in the bathroom; hurry, boys, we have a lot to do today," she called.
"Yes, Ma, yes, ma'am," the boys laughed down the hall. The boys quickly bathed and gathered around the table for breakfast as Ma served her special French toast with sausage, orange juice, milk, cranberry muffins, and fresh eggs from the chickens.
Ma and Pa with smiles on their faces, looking at their little family gathered around the breakfast table. Right now, it couldn't be more complete in their minds looking at the three small boys next to the girls and four on the other side with Ma and Pa on the opposite side. It did not matter to them who was who. To them, they were all one family as they smiled. Elbow to elbow, cramped as it may have seemed. Nobody minded, of course, as Ma helped Danny cut up his food and set some more on his plate. After breakfast, they cleared the table together.
"Ma, let us help you with that," Robert said, finishing the dishes. EJ and Will wiped down the counter, putting the dishes away. Ma and the girls watched in amazement as Pa smiled at his boys and continued making a list of things for the house they would need.
They all dressed in splendor and headed to the Whitmore farm with the aunts. They all headed over to the cemetery with their friends to bury Peter's grandmother. A small whispering in the wind was felt around them, with a small voice that some may only hear. Leaving a small kiss on Peter's cheek as she says. "Farewell, my son, you'll be ok," and disappears as Peter leaves a rose on his grandmother's headstone with his new parents by his side.
They put their arms around him, holding him close, and left the cemetery together. With a tear in Peter's eye, he whispered back, "I love you, too, Grandmother, and thank you."
Aunts, Grandma Stuart, and the town prepared lunch for the boys back at the New Downing Square, spreading the tables with music and dancing to lighten the mood and games for the kids all day. Ma looks down the road towards the farm and down the other way towards EJ's home; she's worried about something that Aunty M. told her and what Wayne told her about Danny and the girls. Something doesn't feel right as she looks down the road.
Wayne, noticing his wife, bends her over, taking her hand to dance to keep her mind occupied. He keeps an eye on his girls dancing with Ned and Bill. "May I have this dance, Madam Downing," as he leans forward and offers his hand. She smiles and walks with him out to the dance floor.
Granny was also busy dancing with her fellow Mr. Golden Eyes as he swept her into his arms across the dance floor, holding her close to him with her, laughing like a spirited young schoolgirl with a twinkle in her eyes. Grandma was in the corner with the girls at the table, giving Martha and Wayne a nod and a smile, watching Richard dance with a young lass with yellow hair and dark brown eyes, hoping this might be the one.
Lizzy also gets her feet wet, taking her fellow, Mr. Faith, across the floor as Martha and Wayne notice him twirling Martha across the dance floor. "Oh my," she smiled and giggled with a blush.
They danced the afternoon before returning to the cottage to change and prepare for tomorrow as the boys all returned to school. The aunts came over to quiz them one more time on their homework before the big day, and they took them back to school with all their homework finished and ready for the tests. They planned on having a good talk with each of their teachers about fulfilled promises and what needs to be kept.
The Downing and the Whitmore spent all day together on the farm while the girls did the grocery shopping. After all, they figured the boys needed time to play, leaving them alone for the rest of the day while the ladies spent the day in town.
They took their lists to New Downing, then Payson, taking both cars. "Alright, boys, we'll be home late," they said, putting their hands on their hips. "Try not to get into any trouble," Martha replies.
The boys helped the Whitmore boys mend fences while Pa and Mr. Whitmore surveyed the land. Making a list of things Kollie would need in the spring, as it was getting too late for planting, they reached down and picked up some of the soil, running it between their fingers. Frank and Mark were busy cleaning the barn, creating a burn pile of old hay, and cleaning stalls for horses. Yes, sir, there was plenty of work for them to do while the ladies were in town as they played and worked with their friends on the farm.
"Renee, what do you think of this color for the kitchen? A nice sunny yellow or maybe an off-white?" Martha asked.
"Oh, I like that peach for the bathroom," Julie said.
"Ma, me, too, it gives off such a warm feeling," Anna said.
"Do you really think we will be in our new house that soon?" Julie asked as Ma nodded.
"Yes, girls, that's what your pa says. Now, let's see what else we can find," Ma said, handing them each a list, pad, and pencil. They picked up a few catalogs on their way out of each store.
They filled their cars to the brim with all kinds of things for the new house and groceries, too. If you know how most women like to shop, that one is not enough when you can have three instead or maybe four pairs of shoes. It doesn't match the color of your eyes, and I'm sure your husband won't mind as they smile and laugh and buy him another tie.
Renee and Martha are not this way at all. They would rather spend money wisely and on their family, first before themselves as they say. "Yes, it would be nice," as they set them back on the shelf and giggle, then look at fabric and things they can make for the house and children and ask the store clerk manager where they purchase their fabric from and supplier. Would they consider buying fabric from them? Martha asked the store manager, leaving the address of their cotton mill and phone number on a card and some information.
The ladies shopped a few more stores before returning home, finding the men starting dinner for all of them. "Oh, it's so nice to have a man around the house, you must say, Renee," Martha said, and Renee watched her boys and their husbands set the table for them without even a pause.
After they put the groceries away, they gathered around the table, discussing the day and the Whitmore farm. "I was just telling your husband Kollie that we would be over sometime next week to plow his field and prep it for next year's planting season, Renee, if that's alright with you? I think he'll make a fine farmer," Wayne said, passing down the meat and the gravy. After dinner, they had some light conversation before going home to their cottage down the road.
They were filled with the warmth of friendship for each other, tired but happy yet sad, missing their own farm as they pondered. They tuck the kids into bed, making the rounds like they do every night, thanking them and making sure they tell them they love them with a kiss on the cheek as they tuck them all into bed. As they go to bed, embracing each other in their lover's arms.