Good morning, FFFs!
I hope you have had a good week. Mine has been good. A little different than I thought it was going to be since I only worked two days this week instead of four. But that's okay. I've been able to get other things done. Like more writing. And working on some other projects. Work has been fun. I've done a lot of filing. And now that I've been sworn in as an actual Deputy Clerk, I have been able to vote people which is really fun.
Yesterday my grandparents, aunt, and my brother and his family were over to celebrate my grandma's 92nd birthday. She enjoyed getting to spend it with her husband, two daughters, a son-in-law, some grandchildren and all 8 of her great grandchildren. It was a busy but fun day. Some of us spent time outside between lunch and dessert. It was warm and muggy, but not as hot as it has been.
Today's story was written and posted many years ago. It has several parts so I hope you enjoy it. I'm trying to get something new written to post, but none of my stories seem to want to get finished. *looks at my stories suspiciously*
Responsibility
Part 1
Preston drew rein at the Perry ranch and climbed down from the buggy. “Hi, Raymond,” he greeted his younger brother.
Raymond strode over. “Hello. How are things in town?”
Shrugging, Preston turned to unhitch the horse. “Just fine. Lend me a hand here, will you. Mr. Birks—”
“Preston!” a new voice shouted from the stables and both brothers turned. “Did you see Dani anywhere when you drove in?”
The eldest Perry son shook his head and straightened up a moment. “No, Levi, I didn’t see any sign of her. Why?”
Pushing his hat back on his head and looking disgusted, Levi approached the buggy with his quick stride. “She went for a ride right after lunch, isn’t back yet, and she has chores waiting. This is the fourth time this week she’s been late, and Raymond, when she does get back, don’t help her with her chores.”
Preston finished unhitching the horse as he said, “Well, I wouldn’t worry yet, Levi. You know how she is when she is off riding that horse of hers. Give her a little more time.” Having taken over the roll as “head of the family” since their father had died nine years before, Preston tended to be more lenient with his youngest sister than Levi. Still, there was a limit even with him, and seeing Levi’s frown deepen, promised, “I’ll have a talk with her when she gets back. And Ray, Levi’s right, don’t help her. She needs to learn to be responsible.”
“All right,” Raymond agreed easily. “I’ll let her do her own chores.”
Several minutes later the three brothers entered the house and were greeted by Mrs. Perry. “Supper will be ready shortly,” she told them as they kissed her. “But you have plenty of time to wash up first. By the way, where is Danielle?”
“Late again,” Levi grumbled before taking the stairs two at a time as he went to clean up for supper. Raymond followed.
Mrs. Perry sighed and looked up at her eldest son. “You may have to do something, Preston. I talked to her last time and it doesn’t seem to have done any good.” Sometimes this youngest daughter of hers was more tiring and bewildering to Mrs. Perry then her three sons had been when they were young.
“I plan to have a talk with her this evening,” Preston assured her. “Don’t worry, Mother, she’ll learn, even if it’s the hard way.” Smiling, he bent and kissed her again. “Now,” he added quickly in low tones, “I’d better hurry and clean up before Natalie comes in.” He had heard his sister’s voice speaking to someone in the dining room and now hurried after his brothers.
Mrs. Perry smiled after him, thankful for such a strong, clear headed eldest son to lean on.
“Mother,” Natalie asked, coming in moments after Preston’s form had disappeared up the stairs, “have the boys come in yet?”
Mrs. Perry laughed, “Yes, dear, they are just washing up. But Danielle hasn’t returned from her ride yet.”
“Honestly, Mother!” Natalie exclaimed in exasperation. “Why can’t she learn to be on time?” Natalie’s dislike of anything or anyone unpunctual was well known in the house and had been a source of grief and strife several times not only for Danielle, but also for the boys.
“Preston has promised to talk to her,” Mrs. Perry remarked quietly.
“I don’t know what good talking will do,” Natalie grumbled, “but if he promised, he’ll do it.”
Danielle still hadn’t returned from her ride when the family sat down to eat. Several times Mrs. Perry glanced anxiously towards the window in hopes of seeing her young daughter riding in, but as the minutes ticked by and still there was no sign of her, she began to grow restless and toyed with the food on her plate. Danielle had never been quite this late before.
Watching the worried frown begin to creep over his mother’s face, Preston placed his napkin beside his plate and stood up. “Stop fretting, Mother,” he smiled. “We’ll go out and find Dani. Come on, boys.”
“She’s probably not too far away either,” Raymond added, pushing back his chair. “She could be fishing.”
Taking one last swallow of coffee, Levi threw his napkin on the table and stood. “It shouldn’t take us long to find her, but” he added scowling, “she’s taking care of her chores before she eats her supper.”
Putting on a brave smile, Mrs. Preston said, “I told her if she was late again she would have to eat bread and butter in the kitchen.”
“You shouldn’t have told her that, Mother,” Raymond laughed. “You know she’d rather stay comfortable in her dirty riding clothes than get dressed up for table.” Then he dropped a kiss on his mother’s cheek and followed his brothers out of the dining room.
Raymond strode over. “Hello. How are things in town?”
Shrugging, Preston turned to unhitch the horse. “Just fine. Lend me a hand here, will you. Mr. Birks—”
“Preston!” a new voice shouted from the stables and both brothers turned. “Did you see Dani anywhere when you drove in?”
The eldest Perry son shook his head and straightened up a moment. “No, Levi, I didn’t see any sign of her. Why?”
Pushing his hat back on his head and looking disgusted, Levi approached the buggy with his quick stride. “She went for a ride right after lunch, isn’t back yet, and she has chores waiting. This is the fourth time this week she’s been late, and Raymond, when she does get back, don’t help her with her chores.”
Preston finished unhitching the horse as he said, “Well, I wouldn’t worry yet, Levi. You know how she is when she is off riding that horse of hers. Give her a little more time.” Having taken over the roll as “head of the family” since their father had died nine years before, Preston tended to be more lenient with his youngest sister than Levi. Still, there was a limit even with him, and seeing Levi’s frown deepen, promised, “I’ll have a talk with her when she gets back. And Ray, Levi’s right, don’t help her. She needs to learn to be responsible.”
“All right,” Raymond agreed easily. “I’ll let her do her own chores.”
Several minutes later the three brothers entered the house and were greeted by Mrs. Perry. “Supper will be ready shortly,” she told them as they kissed her. “But you have plenty of time to wash up first. By the way, where is Danielle?”
“Late again,” Levi grumbled before taking the stairs two at a time as he went to clean up for supper. Raymond followed.
Mrs. Perry sighed and looked up at her eldest son. “You may have to do something, Preston. I talked to her last time and it doesn’t seem to have done any good.” Sometimes this youngest daughter of hers was more tiring and bewildering to Mrs. Perry then her three sons had been when they were young.
“I plan to have a talk with her this evening,” Preston assured her. “Don’t worry, Mother, she’ll learn, even if it’s the hard way.” Smiling, he bent and kissed her again. “Now,” he added quickly in low tones, “I’d better hurry and clean up before Natalie comes in.” He had heard his sister’s voice speaking to someone in the dining room and now hurried after his brothers.
Mrs. Perry smiled after him, thankful for such a strong, clear headed eldest son to lean on.
“Mother,” Natalie asked, coming in moments after Preston’s form had disappeared up the stairs, “have the boys come in yet?”
Mrs. Perry laughed, “Yes, dear, they are just washing up. But Danielle hasn’t returned from her ride yet.”
“Honestly, Mother!” Natalie exclaimed in exasperation. “Why can’t she learn to be on time?” Natalie’s dislike of anything or anyone unpunctual was well known in the house and had been a source of grief and strife several times not only for Danielle, but also for the boys.
“Preston has promised to talk to her,” Mrs. Perry remarked quietly.
“I don’t know what good talking will do,” Natalie grumbled, “but if he promised, he’ll do it.”
Danielle still hadn’t returned from her ride when the family sat down to eat. Several times Mrs. Perry glanced anxiously towards the window in hopes of seeing her young daughter riding in, but as the minutes ticked by and still there was no sign of her, she began to grow restless and toyed with the food on her plate. Danielle had never been quite this late before.
Watching the worried frown begin to creep over his mother’s face, Preston placed his napkin beside his plate and stood up. “Stop fretting, Mother,” he smiled. “We’ll go out and find Dani. Come on, boys.”
“She’s probably not too far away either,” Raymond added, pushing back his chair. “She could be fishing.”
Taking one last swallow of coffee, Levi threw his napkin on the table and stood. “It shouldn’t take us long to find her, but” he added scowling, “she’s taking care of her chores before she eats her supper.”
Putting on a brave smile, Mrs. Preston said, “I told her if she was late again she would have to eat bread and butter in the kitchen.”
“You shouldn’t have told her that, Mother,” Raymond laughed. “You know she’d rather stay comfortable in her dirty riding clothes than get dressed up for table.” Then he dropped a kiss on his mother’s cheek and followed his brothers out of the dining room.
What was your week like?
Have you read this story before?
Do you have stories that don't want to end?
2 comments:
My week has been goo! A combination of more busy days and laid back days. :)
No, I don't remember this story.
No, I don't think I have any stories that don't want to end; but I'd say that's a good thing that yours don't want to! Probably. :P
Sounds like a good week. :)
I'm glad I was able to pick a story to repost that you haven't read. ;)
Haha! It could be good that they don't want to end, but then again, I was hoping for a few shorter stories to post on here. I guess we'll see what happens.
Post a Comment