Responsibility - Part 4

Hello, Faithful Friday Fiction Fans,

I have no idea what happened to this week! It can NOT be Friday! Do you think this week is missing a few days? I'm not sure what days, but it just can't be Friday again already.

I worked on Monday.

Spent all day Tuesday at the polls.

Caught up on things on Wednesday and mailed a couple things.

Tuesday morning I mowed the yard. Some of it REALLY needed it and other parts barely did. And I weeded two flower gardens. Then I did other things.

Today my sis and I are heading over to help my brother pack orders for his book business. He's been swamped with orders and can't get caught up by himself.

Tomorrow afternoon I get to go to my heart-sister's baby shower.

Hmm, I guess there's no day of the week missing. But it sure feels like it. Maybe they were just missing some hours each instead of a full day. ;)

I haven't written at all this week. I was planning to a few times but always got interrupted or something. Hopefully next week I can write again. I want to get back to "Lake Wood." 

Today is the final part of this story.

Responsibility

Part 4

    “Speaking of home,” Preston said, offering his hand to his sister to pull her to her feet. “We’d better start back now. Raymond, you think you can find the way out of this tangled patch of trails?”
    “Yep.”
    “I’ll take Sundance back at a slow pace,” Levi announced. “Just leave a lantern in the trail where I have to turn and I can find the rest of the way back.”
    At that Danielle clasped her hands together and exclaimed in delight, “Then I can ride Arrow! I’ve always wanted to ride him.”
    “No, you may not, Danielle Perry,” Levi replied quickly. “You’re not strong enough to handle him, and I’m not about to let you possibly injure yourself so you get out of chores for weeks.”
    “But—”
    “You’re riding double with me.” Preston’s voice had a “don’t-even-try-to-argue” tone in it and Danielle didn’t press further.
    “Well, are you two coming?” Raymond’s voice moved Preston into action and, after swinging up into the saddle, pulled his sister up behind him, and they started for home, leaving Levi to follow slowly with Sundance.

    Dani had finished her supper, which would have been more than bread and butter in the kitchen had not Preston put his foot down and gently but firmly reminded his mother of what she herself had told Dani, and she was now seated in the family room telling about her adventure while Raymond bound her ankle, for she had twisted it in the tree. Preston could tell she had begun to think she was quite important because of the fuss being made over her, and he thought it was time that idea was changed. Before he could say anything, however, the door opened and Levi entered.
    “How’s Sundance?” Dani asked eagerly, catching sight of him.
    “She’ll be all right after a week’s rest.”
    “A week! How can I survive without being able to ride her for a whole week,” Dani wailed. “Poor Sundance, she won’t like it either when I ride another horse and leave her behind.”
    Preston cleared his throat. “You won’t be riding any horse at all for the rest of this month, Danielle.”
    Turning to stare across the room at her oldest brother, Dani gasped, “Not ride?”
    Levi leaned over Preston’s chair and muttered, “Don’t forget her chores.”
    A very faint nod was answer enough for Levi, and he crossed to a chair to sit down and take off his boots.
    “But, Preston,” Dani asked, “what about going to town?”
    Her brother’s voice was quiet. “You’ll ride in the carriage with Mother and Natalie. And as soon as you are firmly back on your feet, you’ll be doing your regular chores and any others that Levi assigns until this month is over.”
    This seemed too much for Dani and she burst out, “Extra chores! Preston, why? You can’t mean that—”
    Levi opened his mouth to speak but Natalie leaned over and whispered something to him and then the two of them rose and slipped from the room, Raymond following as soon as he had settled Danielle’s foot on a stool.
    Preston listened in silence to his sister’s protests until the others had left the room, then he interrupted. “Danielle, I mean every word I said. You have been late for supper four times this week alone, . . .”
    “But—” Danielle started, but her mother’s hand on her arm silenced her.
    “You have neglected your chores and then talked Raymond into helping you finish them, you frightened Mother and the rest of us by riding off into the woods alone, which you know you are not to do unless you have permission and,” he added, his voice slightly stern, “I haven’t heard you say you were sorry as though you really meant it.”
    At that Dani burst into tears and flung her arms around her mother’s neck. “Oh, I am sorry, Mother, I am. I didn’t mean to make you worry, but please, please say I can ride as soon as Sundance is well. Please Mother! I promise I’ll never go into the woods again if you will.”
    Mrs. Perry stroked the tangled locks of her youngest daughter and sighed. Why was it so hard to say no to her? Wanting some help, she looked up at the face of her eldest who had risen and was now leaning on the mantle, and as he shook his head firmly, she said, “No, Danielle. Preston has given sentence and I’ll not change it. You must learn to be responsible.”
    Finding that her mother wouldn’t yield, Danielle tried to persuade her favorite brother to change his mind. Turning tear-filled eyes on him she began, “Preston, please—”
    “Dani,” he interrupted. “I’m not going to change my mind. And if you put up a fuss about it, I may be tempted to do what was suggested to me and turn you over my knee. And I will do that if I ever hear of you neglecting your chores for pleasure again. Is that understood?” Preston hadn’t spoken sternly, but with a firmness which his sister knew and understood.
    Swallowing back her tears, she nodded. With her eyes fixed on the floor she sat in silence for some minutes before she said in low tones, “I’m sorry, Preston. I know I shouldn’t have gone into the woods, but I just didn’t think. And then after I did think, . . . I just kept going. Will you forgive me?” She looked up.
    The corners of Preston’s mouth twitched and he smiled. “Of course I will. Now you’d better tell Mother good night, and I’ll carry you up to your room. It’s late.”
    As Mrs. Perry hugged her daughter, she heard her whisper, “I am sorry, Mother. Maybe this punishment will make me stop and think before I do something.”
    “I hope so,” Mrs. Perry whispered back with a kiss.

Do you seem to be missing any days this week?

Did you get any writing done?

Do you think Preston's sentence was strong enough?