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Summer is fading quickly and the days are growing shorter. School will soon be starting and Holly and Will have been busily
cramming all the fun they can have into the last few weeks they have before their vacation is over. The end of August is quickly
approaching which means they only have a few weeks left till school starts. Will, who will turn sixteen On Halloween wants
to start planning a special party to help him make friends in his new high school. Holly’s birthday follows in December
and all Will’s ideas and planning are giving her a few ideas of her own.
When school starts, Holly will be entering the fifth grade and her brother will be entering the tenth. Holly is excited
about going back to school because she made new friends there after they moved to the farm last year. Will is nervous about
going back to school because he won’t know anyone there except his friend Matthew who is a grade ahead of him. With
only a couple of weeks left till school starts their mother decides today is the perfect day to take Will to the high school
and get him enrolled. So Holly and Will climb into their mother’s car where she has already fastened April securely
in her car seat and head off to school.
In the car, Will rolls his eyes at his sister when she says, “I get the front seat on the way home.” April
coos happily in her car seat. “You think you always get to sit in front because your oldest.”, Holly says to her
brother. Will rolls his eyes again and tosses his sister an annoyed look. Holly sticks out her tongue at her brother and the
baby laughs and coos happily. When they pull up in front of the school, Will looks into the mirror on his mother’s visor
and runs his fingers through his sandy blonde hair. In the back seat Holly giggles and Will flashes a mean look in her direction.
After Mom gets April out of the car they climb up the concrete steps of the building to the front entrance.
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In the hallway Mom and Will look around for the office. Will and Holly follow their mother into the office where she speaks
to the secretary. “Oh yes Mrs. Hamilton, I remember taking your call. You will need to fill out all these papers so
we can start getting your son enrolled.” Their mother sat in one of the stiff backed office chairs and handed April
to Will. After she had filled out a stack of paperwork she reached into her purse and withdrew an envelope containing Will’s
birth certificate, his social security card and her custody papers. Then she opened her wallet and took out her driver’s
license and handed all the papers to the secretary. “While I make copies of these things your son can start filling
this out if he’d like. He’ll need to choose the classes he would like to take. I’ll see if I can fax a request
through to his old school now and get his transfer papers and school records sent here.”
Will handed the baby to Holly and looked over the classes they had to offer with their mother. Reluctantly, Will chose
an auto body class, second year Spanish, and American History. Then he chose three alternatives in case any of the first three
classes were filled. The secretary who appeared to be in her early fifties, smiled at them under her spectacles. She raised
one plump hand and pointed to the hallway. “You’re welcome to take a look around the school while you wait if
you like young man.”, she said. A wisp of black hair streaked with gray, escaped from the neat bun on top of her head
as she turned on the fan behind her.
Her round cheeks dimpled as she smiled at Will and their mother and gave them directions to various places throughout the
school. Taking April from Holly’s arms her mother led the way out of the office and they wandered leisurely around the
spacious corridors of the old school. As they walked down the hall two young girls headed down the corridor in their direction.
Holly, who was busy looking around
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accidentally bumped into the chubby girl with bleached blonde hair. As they collided, the girl dropped the stack of books
she was carrying. Will stooped down quickly and picked up the stack of books and handed them back to her. “Sorry”,
he said, “My little sister isn’t always that clumsy.” The blonde girl flashed him a brilliant smile and
ran her plump tan fingers through Holly’s hair. “It’s okay.”, she said, “I have a mean older
brother too. Accidents happen.”
Then she looked at Will and said, “You’re not from around here are you?” Will looked at her shyly and
answered, “No I’m new here.” The blonde girl offered Will a plump pink hand with bright red nails. Will
shook her hand, “My name’s Will Turner. I just moved here.” The blonde girl smiled at Will and continued
to grasp his hand a little longer than necessary for a hand shake. “I’m Cynthia Stout, you can call me Sin, all
my friends do.” Holly rolled her eyes. “Oh brother”, she mumbled. “We’re here thirty minutes
and Will has a girlfriend.”, she said to herself, though this time no one heard her.
Will’s eyes sparkled as he stood there slack jawed staring at Cynthia Stout. She had a plump round figure that curved
in all the right places. Her long blonde hair was parted in a zigzag pattern and pulled up in two pony tails on each side
of her head. The shirt she was wearing was three sizes too small, in both Holly’s and their mother’s opinions
and dipped dangerously low in the front. Her lips were the same shade of red as her fingernails and her soft green eyes were
stalking her brother the same way a hungry cat watches a field mouse just before she pounces. “They always send our
schedules out a few days before school starts.”, Cynthia said to Will. She opened one of the books withdrew a slip of
paper, pulled a pen from behind her ear and wrote something down. “Here’s my phone number. Give me a call when
you get your schedule and I’ll try to help you figure out where your classes
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are. Who knows we may even have one together.”
Cynthia Stout waved goodbye and started to walk away. Holly could have sworn she saw the blonde blow a kiss at her brother
as she bounced down the hallway. “Ewwww, Will’s got a girlfriend.”, Holly half giggled when the blonde was
out of sight. Will shot a fiery look at his sister and muttered, “I do not.”, in her direction. Their mother gritted
her teeth, Cynthia Stout was a pretty girl though most people would have called her fat. Size didn’t matter to their
mother it was what was on the inside of a person that mattered. Having always been on the heavy side herself she was almost
pleased to see that her son found the Stout girl so attractive. Cynthia’s personality seemed nice enough and she would
have encouraged Will to call her if she hadn’t caught that same hungry cat look that her daughter had noticed. That
hungry look coupled with the way she was dressed and the heavy makeup she wore made big red warning signs flash inside her
mother’s head.
When they had finished the school tour and Will was all enrolled, Holly didn’t even argue with her brother about
who was going to sit in the front. She was too busy watching her mother and waiting for the explosion that never came. All
the way home that afternoon she waited for her mother to give a lecture about Miss Cynthia Stout, her too tight blouse and
her too red lipstick. She waited and she watched but her mother never said a word. Not even when Will sat there in the front
seat beside her still looking like he had been hit by the train wreck of love and blubbered, “She was a nice girl wasn’t
she Mom?” What Holly couldn’t tell was that though her mother nodded in agreement to Will’s question her
teeth were grinding so hard against each other in sheer dread that she actually chipped a tooth.
Will watched the mail everyday for his schedule to come.
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Finally it arrived and Will pulled out the slip of paper Cynthia had written her number down on. He didn’t need it.
Holly had watched him pull that worn paper out of his pocket about a million times in the last week. He probably knew old
“Sin’s” number better than she did by now. Holly sat in the den pretending to be reading a book, not giving
the slightest hint that she was interested in Will’s conversation. Will walked into the entry hall and lowered his voice.
“May I speak with Cynthia please?” Holly strained her ears to hear what her brother was saying. “Hi Sin
this is Will Turner. Remember me? We met at the school last week.” Will looked like a sick puppy walking around in the
hall. “I finally got my schedule.”, she heard him say. If Will kept pacing he was going to wear a hole in mother’s
new rug. “First period I have math with Mr. Jenkins, second period I have American History with Mrs. Ragland.”
Her brother was silent for a moment then he said that’s cool maybe you can point me in the direction of my third period
class too.”
When Will got off the phone he wandered into the kitchen to talk to their mother. Holly wandered in a pretended to look
for a snack. “Her first period math class is across the hall from mine.”, Will told their mother. “Second
period we have American History together. Third period I have English and she said she’d point me in the right direction.
Fourth period I have shop class. Would you believe we have fifth and sixth periods together? At least now I will know somebody
besides Matthew.” Will wandered out of the kitchen and picked up the phone again. This time he called Matthew who had
also taken American History as an elective. It turned out that Matthew had History with Will and the Stout girl. When Will
hung up the phone he came back into the kitchen where Holly was polishing off a bowl of noodles.
Will sat down at the table across from his sister and started
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talking to their mother who was busy cooking dinner. “Matt says I can ride to school with him if it’s okay
with you Mom. At least that way I won’t have to ride the bus and look like a total geek.” Their mother smiled.
“It’s okay with me honey. Matthew is a nice boy. It was nice of him to offer to come out of his way to get you
everyday. Maybe when you get your license you can take turns driving to school.” Will sat across from her dreamily reading
and rereading his new class schedule. “Mom? Cynthia says the school posts a list of supplies in stores all over the
county. We haven’t even started our back to school shopping. When are we going?” Their mother shrugged her shoulders
as she continued to stir the peppers, onions and beef that were sizzling in the frying pan. “I don’t know son.”,
she said. “We still have almost a week before school starts. I’ll call Meem and Peep after supper and see if they
can watch the baby one day this week while I take you and Holly shopping.” Will pushed his chair under the kitchen table
and retreated to the den with Holly right behind him.
“Will”, Holly said as she clicked on the computer in the den. “I’ll bet the lists are on the school’s
web sites too. Mine was last year.” Holly sat down in the swivel chair and reached for the mouse. Will picked up the
television remote clicking through channels till he found a show he wanted to watch. “I found your school’s web
site.”, she said . “Hey Will, here’s a list of all the classes and what supplies they want you to have.”
Reaching into his pocket, Will withdrew his school schedule and began to unfold it. He stood over his sister carefully studying
the computer monitor. Holly heard her mother calling her from the kitchen. “Here Will, you can sit down and print your
list. Don’t turn the computer off I want to look up my school and print my list too.”
Her mother was warming a bottle for the baby when she got to the kitchen. “Could you give April a bottle while I
finish
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cooking Sweetie?” Holly leaned over the playpen to pick April up. “Sure Mom.”, she said as she sat down
in a kitchen chair holding her sister on her lap. Her mother tested the bottle and then handed it to her. April sucked greedily
on the bottle that holly held for her. The screen door on the front of the house banged open and closed. Daddy, who had left
his muddy boots on the front porch, followed the smell of peppers and onions into the kitchen and plopped down in the chair
beside his daughters. “Dinner will be ready in a few minutes.”, her mother said as she leaned down to kiss Holly’s
father.
Mommy stirred a pot of broccoli and carrots that were steaming on the stove. She lifted the lid off the crock pot on the
counter to stir the rice and then continued to stir the peppers, onions and beef that were sizzling in the wok. Holly watched
as her mother measured soy sauce, corn starch and water into a bowl and stirred them together. Holly pulled April’s
bottle away and sat it down on the table. She carefully lifted the baby onto her shoulder and started to pat her back. Mommy
and Daddy talked while Holly burped the baby. Will came into the kitchen to join his family and laid a list on the table in
front of Holly. “There’s your fifth grade list Squirt.”
Holly rose from the table and put April down in the baby swing. When the baby was safely buckled in she cranked the handle
on top that put it in motion. The squeaking of the baby swing and April’s happy coos filled the kitchen as Mommy picked
up both Holly and Will’s lists and paced them on the kitchen counter. Holly set the table while Mommy filled bowls of
rice, pepper steak and steamed vegetables. After supper, when the dishes were cleared off the table, the four of them looked
at the school lists. While Mommy cleaned the kitchen, Daddy made a phone call to his parents. When Daddy hung up the phone
he said, “Mom says she and Dad are busy tomorrow but they will be glad to watch April the next day so you can take the
kids school shopping.”
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Holly spent the next day rummaging through her closet and dresser drawers trying on clothes. Though she had been very active
over the summer and most of her baby fat had melted away, she had also grown at least two inches taller. She and her mother
carefully packed all the clothes she had outgrown into plastic totes lined with moth balls and carried them up to the attic.
Seeing how much his sister had grown, Will decided that he should look through his closet too. Their mother helped them make
a list of what they would need for school. The following morning after April had been dropped off at her grandparent’s
house the three of them headed off to shop.
Their fist stop was a local department store where Holly and Will gathered all the supplies that were on the school’s
lists. Their next stop was a shoe outlet where they both tried on pair after pair of shoes till they each found just the right
pair. Then their mother helped them each pick out a back pack to carry their books. When they left the shoe store they headed
off to Mommy’s favorite outlet store, then finally to the mall. By the time they picked up their little sister the trunk
of their mother’s car was close to overflowing with boxes and bags. Will and Holly carried all their things inside while
their mother put April down for a nap and started supper.
Soon the first day of school arrived and Will walked with Holly to the end of the long gravel drive where she would wait
for the school bus. “I always dread the first day of school.”, Will confided in his sister. Holly dragged the
toe of her shoe across the gravel drive and knocked down an anthill. “Yeah, me too.”, she said. Just then they
heard the loud honking of a car horn as Matthew came over the hill and pulled up alongside them. “I hope you have a
good first day Squirt.”, Will said to his sister as he opened Matthew’s car door and waved goodbye. “You
too big brother.”, she said as they drove away. Holly stood there alone then waiting for the big yellow school
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bus and Mr. Henry, the balding old bus driver with the wide toothless smile. Holly smiled to herself. Though she always
dreaded the first day back to school she would be glad to see her friends. She would also be glad to see Mr. Henry who always
had a smile for the kids on his bus. On the last day of school Mr. Henry had brought a cooler filled with fruit drinks, pop
corn and candy and had let everyone have a snack on the ride home. That was a special treat coming from Mr. Henry who normally
didn’t even allow a piece of gum on the big yellow bus. Holly liked Mr. Henry. He not only smiled every time a child
climbed onto the big yellow bus, he always smiled and waved goodbye when you got off the bus. He knew every child’s
name and greeted them every morning as they stepped onto the bus.
This morning as she stood at the end of the gravel drive waiting for Mr. Henry’s big yellow bus, she found that she
really didn’t dread the first day of school at all. Across the road was the driveway that went down to the old Johnson
farm. It wasn’t really a farm anymore, old Mrs. Johnson lived there alone except for her chickens. Mrs. Johnson was
a frail, bent old woman with snow white hair. Holly didn’t know exactly how old ‘old’ Mrs. Johnson was but
she knew she must be well past seventy. When they moved in, Mrs. Johnson had been the first to welcome them to the neighborhood.
She’d walked across the road and down the long gravel drive carrying a big plastic container with a four layer homemade
chocolate cake inside and a basket filled with cookies and fresh eggs. Mrs. Johnson had often invited Holly across the road
to her farm for a glass of milk and cookies. When April was born she had knitted her a pair of pink booties and a matching
hat and sweater.
Holly recalled hearing the old woman telling her mother that her only living relatives were a grand daughter who lived
in Richmond and two great grandchildren. Yet this crisp September morning as she stood there waiting for Mr. Henry’s
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big yellow school bus, Holly could hear more than one voice rising over the hill that went down the gravel drive to the
Johnson farm. Curious about the voices, Holly watched as three figures climbed the hill. She could see Mrs. Johnson walking
up the drive, holding the hand of a little girl no more than six years old. Beside them she could see a boy, perhaps no older
than herself, carrying a book bag up the hill. Mrs. Johnson waved good morning to Holly and she waved back. At the top of
the hill she introduced the two children to Holly. “This here is my great grandson, Josh and this is his sister, Jenny.”
Mrs. Johnson continued, “Josh and Jenny live here with me now. There was a terrible accident”, the old lady
said sadly, “A drunk driver crashed into their mother’s car as she was coming home from work one evening to pick
them up. My grand daughter was killed.”, the old lady said as a tear rolled down her cheek. “I took the children
down to the school to get them enrolled the other day. They are a bit shy about starting out in a new school. Maybe you could
watch after them for me today and help Jenny find her classroom.”
Mrs. Johnson hugged her grandchildren and kissed Jenny on the top of her head. “Have a good day younguns.”,
the old lady said. Then the old woman turned and started back down the hill. Holly smiled at the children, “My name’s
Holly. I’ll be glad to help you find your way around. What grade are you in Jenny?” Jenny smiled shyly as she
looked up at Holly but didn’t answer. Then Josh spoke, “Jenny’s just starting kindergarten.”, the
boy said. Holly wasn’t quite sure what to say next. She felt sorry for the children. She couldn’t imagine how
hard it would be to lose your mother and then have to come to live in a strange place and start school. “What grade
are you in Josh?”, she asked.
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“Fifth grade.”, he answered as Mr. Henry’s big yellow bus came over the hill. “Really? So am I.”,
Holly answered as Mr. Henry stopped the school bus and opened the door. “Good morning Holly.”, Mr. Henry said
with a smile. “And who do you have with you this morning?” Holly smiled back at Mr. Henry. “This is Josh
and his sister, Jenny. They live across the road with Mrs. Johnson now.”, Holly said pointing towards the Johnson farm.
“Well good morning Josh and Jenny.”, Mr. Henry said with a big toothless smile. Holly plopped down in a seat with
Allie White. Josh and Jenny sat in the seat in front of her. Holly introduced Josh to Allie who was also in the fifth grade.
When Mr. Henry’s big yellow bus stopped in front of the school, Holly led them both inside and stopped at the office.
“Excuse me.”, Holly said to the secretary. “These are my neighbors Josh and Jenny. They just moved in with
their grandmother. They don’t know which class they are in yet.”
The secretary gave a big friendly smile to Jenny and Josh and said, “Oh yes, I remember your grandmother bringing
you in to register. Let’s see if we can help you find your class rooms.” Holly waved goodbye to Jenny and Josh
and started for the door. “Holly”, said the secretary, “if you’ll wait just a few minutes I’ll
give you a hall pass. I’d like you to show Jenny and Josh to their class rooms and introduce them to their teachers.”
Holly grinned at the secretary. “Okay, I’d be happy to help them.”, Holly said. The secretary asked Josh
for their last name and typed their names into the computer. Then she printed out two slips of paper handing one to Josh and
his sister. Finally she handed Holly a hall pass so she wouldn’t get in trouble if she was late getting to her own class
room. When they left the office Holly looked at Jenny’s paper. “Oh you have Miss Ramey. You’ll like her
Jenny. She is very nice.” Holly led the way to the kindergarten hall and Miss Ramey’s class room. Miss Ramey was
sitting at her desk looking at her roll book when Holly walked in with Josh and Jenny following close behind.
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“Good morning Miss Ramey. I’d like you to meet Josh and his sister Jenny. They just moved here. Jenny will
be in your class.”
Miss Ramey thanked Holly for helping Jenny find her room. Jenny looked scared as Josh and Holly started to walk away. “Don’t
worry Jenny”, Josh said as he hugged his little sister, “kindergarten is fun. I’m sure you will like it.
I’ll see you this afternoon on the bus.” Holly led Josh out the door and down the hall where they turned and went
down two more hallways. “This is the fifth grade hall.”, said Holly. “Whose class does it say you are in?”
Josh looked at the paper in his hand. “It says Mrs. Vanover.” Holly smiled at her new friend. “Really?”,
Holly questioned. “I am in Mrs. Vanover’s class too.” Holly led Josh to the end of the hallway where Mrs.
Vanover was standing by the door. Holly and Josh found their seats and sat down just as the first bell rang.
With the exception of meeting Josh, that first September day of school was pretty much like any other first day had ever
been. Holly glanced around the classroom looking for familiar faces. Allie White, who rode the bus with Josh and Holly was
in their classroom. Holly recognized six or seven other kids who had been in her class the year before. Mrs. Vanover spent
most of the morning going over classroom rules and telling the children what she expected them to learn and accomplish while
they were in her classroom. The other half of the morning she spent telling them what kind of behavior she expected from young
ladies and gentlemen and playing games to help them all get acquainted. In the school cafeteria at lunch time, Holly introduced
Josh to the other children she knew in their class.
After lunch they had recess. As soon as they got outside the door and they reached the playground, Holly raced for the
swings and claimed one for herself. Allie White got the swing
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next to hers. When Josh got to the swings they were all full. So he stood behind Holly pushing her swing higher and higher
till she felt like a bird soaring through the air. When Holly tired of swinging, she and Allie raced for the merry go round
which was nearly empty. Again Josh trailed behind his new friend. When Josh reached the merry go round he grabbed onto one
of the metal bars and ran around and around before jumping on between Holly and Allie. When recess was over and they were
walking single file back to their class Allie whispered in Holly’s ear, “I think he likes you.”, she said
pointing to Josh. Both girls giggled and Mrs. Vanover gave them a stern look.
As they sat at their desks that September afternoon with the sunshine streaming through the windows, Mrs. Vanover passed
out their text books. Then the class spent the last hour of the day arranging their notebooks as the teacher instructed and
getting their first assignments. Mrs. Vanover believed in giving homework, even on the weekends. She assigned them all to
read the first story in their reading books and answer all the discussion questions at the end. Then she handed out four pages
of math sheets clipped together that she explained would show her what they needed to work on first. Next she handed out a
list of spelling words . Holly groaned and Mrs. Vanover frowned at her. The spelling list had directions for the entire week.
Tonight, Tuesday they were to write all their words five times each and use each one in a sentence. Wednesday they had to
look up and copy each word’s definition. On Thursday they had to write a story at least two pages long using as many
of their spelling words as possible. On Friday they would have their first test.
Mrs. Vanover passed out study sheets for History, English and Science as well. “Come in with a smile on your face,
a sharp pencil, and all your homework tomorrow.”, she said. The boys and girls closed their books and finished packing
their
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book bags just as the bell rung. Holly caught Josh outside the door, “Want me to help you find Jenny and help her
get on the bus?”, she asked. Josh gave her a wide smile, “Sure.”, he said. “Want me to carry your
books?” Holly blushed. She could manage her books just fine but it filled her chest with pride that a boy wanted to
carry them for her. “Okay Thanks”, she said still blushing. Holly and Josh found Jenny and helped her get to the
bus. On the way home the three of them shared a seat. Jenny sat in the middle and talked all the way home about her new classroom.
When the bus stopped in front of their driveways, Mr. Henry waited for Holly to cross the road before he drove away. Holly
checked the mailbox and when Mr. Henry pulled away she yelled to Josh, “If we didn’t have so much homework I’d
ask you to come over.”, she laughed. “Maybe tomorrow we won’t have so much. See you two in the morning!”
Josh and Jenny waved goodbye and started down the gravel drive to their grandmother’s house. Holly walked down her own
driveway humming happily to herself. Matthew and Will were already on the front porch drinking tall glasses of iced tea and
working on their own homework. “Hi Squirt.”, Will said to his sister as she climbed the porch steps.
Mommy came outside and gave her a hug. “How was your first day?”, she asked. Holly blushed and said, “It
was nice Mom. If we didn’t have so much homework I would say it was wonderful.”, Holly said with a groan. Matthew
and Will laughed. “That’s how it is when you get older.”, said Matthew. “Just wait till you get to
high school.” Holly groaned louder, if getting to high school meant more homework she was thankful that she was only
in the fifth grade. Their mother brought out a glass of tea for Holly and a plate of vegetables and dip for them to share.
The boys sat on the floor of the porch and leaned their backs against the wall. They continued to work on
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their homework while they snacked on the plate of vegetables between them. Holly sat down on the porch swing beside her
mother.
Holly opened her book bag and showed her mother the ’mountain’ of homework. “My goodness”, her
mother said, “That’s an awful lot of homework for the first day.” Holly groaned again, “Yeah”,
she said, “Vacation is definitely over.” Her mother smiled. Holly dipped a celery stick into the dip and munched
on it. Then she told her mother about Mrs. Johnson coming up to the bus stop with her grandchildren that morning. “Josh
and Jenny are Mrs. Johnson’s great grandchildren. Their mother was her granddaughter.” Holly’s mother looked
puzzled. “Was her granddaughter?”, her mother questioned. “Uh huh, she was. Mrs. Johnson said that she was
coming home from work and a drunk driver crashed into her car and killed her. I feel sorry for Mrs. Johnson, Josh and Jenny
are all the family she has left in the world.”
Her mother sighed, “That’s really sad for Mrs. Johnson and for the kids.” Holly gave her mother a solemn
nod. “Jenny’s in kindergarten, I helped her find her class this morning. She was pretty scared, but this afternoon
she was so excited she talked about her classroom all the way home. Josh is in my class. Allie White says he likes me because
he pushed me on the swings and carried my books.” Her mother smiled and the boys laughed. Now it was Will’s turn
to tease his sister. “Holly’s got a boyfriend.”, he chanted. Then he grinned at his sister whose face had
turned at least three shades of red. Holly grabbed her book bag and stomped off to the kitchen.
April was in her playpen in the kitchen trying to sit up. Holly reached into the playpen and scooped her up. She kissed
the baby on the cheek and cuddled her close. April smiled contentedly and cooed at her sister. Then she opened her
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mouth wide and slobbered on Holly’s cheek. Mommy who was just coming into the kitchen laughed. “It looks like
you just got one of April’s kisses.”, she said with a grin. Holly kissed April on the cheek and sat her back down
in the playpen. She dangled a set of brightly colored plastic keys in front of the baby who grasped them in her tiny fist
. Holly threw her book bag on the table and opened her reading book. When she finished reading the first story she took a
sheet of paper from her notebook and answered all the discussion questions. Holly took out another sheet of paper and carefully
copied each word five times. Then she wrote sentences using each spelling word.
Holly sighed as she took the four math sheets out of her notebook and began to work on the problems. It was nearly supper
time when she finished with her math. Holly heard the screen door on the front of the house bang shut and she said, “Daddy’s
home.” Will walked through the house into the kitchen with Matthew following behind him. “Holly has company.”,
Will said. Mommy turned around and Josh peeked out from behind Matthew. “Hi Holly.”, he said. Holly’s cheeks
turned a bright red. “Hi Josh.”, she answered. “Mom this is Josh, Mrs. Johnson’s grandson. Josh this
is my mother.” Holly’s mother smiled at Josh, “Hello Josh. It’s nice to meet you.”, her mother
said. “I guess you already met my brother, Will and his friend Matthew. That’s my baby sister, April in the playpen.”,
she said pointing to April who was still sitting in the corner of the playpen rattling the brightly colored keys happily.
“Did you finish all your homework already?”, Holly asked. Josh shook his head. “I finished all my spelling
and my reading. I had some trouble with some of the math and Grandma suggested I come over and see if you could help me.”
Holly’s cheeks were still a bright pink, “I’d be glad to help you.”, she said shyly. Josh pulled out
a chair at the kitchen table and sat down with Holly. Will was standing directly behind Josh silently
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mouthing “Holly has a boyfriend.”, when her mother grabbed his arm and steered Matthew and Will back out to
the front porch. Holly sat at the table and helped Josh with his math. When they were finished, her father was still not home
from work, so Holly suggested they start on the spelling homework for Wednesday and Thursday. Holly went to the library and
pulled out two dictionaries and gave one of them to Josh. Then she handed him some notebook paper and they looked up all their
spelling words.
When Josh and Holly finished their spelling definitions he said he’d better be getting home for supper. Holly waved
to him from the front porch as he walked down the gravel drive. As she was turning to go back inside her father pulled up
the driveway. “Hi Pumpkin. How was your first day of school?” Daddy asked as he came inside. “It was okay
Daddy.”, she answered. “Who was that boy walking down our driveway when I pulled in?” Daddy asked. Before
Holly could answer Will said, “That was Holly’s boyfriend.” Holly glared at Will and Daddy laughed. Before
Will could tease her anymore her mother interrupted and explained how Josh and his sister came to live with Mrs. Johnson.
“Josh needed a little help with his homework so he came over and asked Holly.”, her mother said.
“Well that was very nice of you to help him honey. I’m sure it was hard losing his mother and coming to live
in a strange place. I hope you will not let your brother’s teasing keep you from being nice to Josh, I’m sure
he needs a friend now.” Holy reached up in the cabinet and got out some plates so she could set the table for her mother.
“Will, April’s wet, would you take her upstairs and change her for me while I get supper on the table?”
Will nodded and scooped his sister up into his arms. Daddy went into the laundry room to throw his dirty shirt in the hamper.
Mommy followed him to the laundry room and
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whispered, “I don’t think Will’s just teasing. I think that little boy really has a crush on her.”,
Mommy said with a wink. “Holly said he carried her books to the bus for her this afternoon and he spent their entire
recess pushing her on the merry go round and the swings.” Daddy smiled at her, “They are all growing up too quick.”,
he said.
After supper Holly and Will helped their mother with the dishes. Mommy washed, Holly rinsed and Will dried them and put
them away. Daddy picked out a movie on one of the pay per view channels and Mommy and Will brought glasses of iced tea in
the den. Holly spread a blanket on the den floor and put April down in he center with a bunch of toys. Will threw a pillow
on the blanket and laid down beside the baby. Holly snuggled on one side of Daddy and scratched his back. Mommy snuggled up
against Daddy’s chest curling her feet up on the couch. The family watched a movie together before they went to bed.
Early the next morning Will and Holly dressed and went down the gravel driveway where Will waited for Matthew and holly
waited for Mr. Henry. “Good morning”, Will yelled across as they saw Josh and Jenny coming up their driveway.
“Here comes your boyfriend”, Will whispered to his sister. “Would you shut up.”, Holly said glaring
at her brother. Josh held Jenny’s hand and crossed the road to wait for the bus. Matthew pulled up and Will jumped in
the Blazer with him. “Keep an eye on those two for me Jenny.”, Will said as the Blazer pulled away. The big yellow
bus came down the road and stopped in front of them. Mr. Henry opened the doors. “Good Morning Jenny, Good morning Josh,
Good morning Holly.”, Mr. Henry said with a toothless smile.
The second day of school was pretty much the same as the first. The teachers handed out more text books, gave more
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rules and talked about what they would learn and accomplish. Mrs. Vanover gave more homework than the day before and Holly
was glad that she and Josh had already looked up all their spelling definitions. On that second day Mrs. Vanover’s fifth
grade class visited the library with strict instructions from their teacher to chose a book about something that interested
them. When they returned to class they found out why. Mrs. Vanover assigned a book report , no less than two full pages, due
in two weeks.
The rays of the warm September sunshine grew hotter as they beamed through the windows of Mrs. Vanover’s fifth grade
class room. As Mrs. Vanover droned on about the form of the book report and the sun warmed the classroom some of the children
began to yawn. Mrs. Vanover cracked her ruler against the corner of her desk in an effort to wake the drowsy students. Her
effort was useless. Soon the warmth of the room lulled the children back into a dull sleepy state. Mrs. Vanover opened all
the windows but no breeze stirred on that lazy September afternoon. The teacher gave up on the lesson at hand and decided
to spend the rest of the afternoon getting to know her students. Mrs. Vanover who had moved from the city was in for quite
a surprise.
“We’re going to spend the rest of the afternoon getting acquainted.”, Mrs. Vanover said. “Each
of you will tell your name and a bit about where you live and what your life is like outside the classroom. Who would like
to go first?” Holly raised her hand and the teacher asked her to stand up. Holly stood and proudly said, “My name
is Holly Hamilton. I live on a farm in the country with my mother, my father, my older brother and my baby sister. Our house
is very old, before Mom and Dad had new siding put on this summer you could tell how old it was. We spent our first winter
in the house last year. There were cracks in the siding wide enough for snow to blow through so
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my Daddy had men come out and put in insulation and cover the house with vinyl siding.”
“We have three horses, Midnight, Star and Sugar. We ride the horses through the pastures and fields to check on the
cattle. We also have chickens, pigs and rabbits. Every morning before I catch the bus, my brother Will and I help our mother
feed and water the animals and gather the eggs. April is too little to help with the chores yet because she’s only six
months old. I guess my life is pretty boring compared to some people. Every day after I get up we feed the horses, the rabbits,
the chickens and slop the hogs. Then we gather the eggs and get ready for school. Mom makes breakfast before we go to school.
In the afternoons when I get home from school I have to do all my homework so we can ride out and check on the cattle. Sometimes
we need to put out some hay or corn for them to eat. When we get back from our ride we have to curry the horses, which means
we have to brush them. After supper we usually help Mom with the dishes. Sometimes we all watch a movie or a show on television
before we go to bed. On the weekends Will and I usually help Daddy check all the fence lines and make sure there aren’t
any breaks anywhere. Sometimes we ride with Daddy on the four wheeler and sometimes we ride the horses. I guess that’s
all I can tell you.”, Holly said then she sat down.
Josh was next and he told about his grandma’s small farm and her chickens. He told the class about his grandma’s
vegetable garden and all the herbs she grew that were good for healing ailments and for seasoning their food. Allie White’s
family raised sheep and she and her brother helped their father load wood on his truck to deliver to other families who burned
wood in their fireplaces to keep warm in the winter. Everette Stephens mother ran a childcare center in their house and his
father raised corn and tobacco. Mrs. Vanover listened with interest and surprise. Then Mrs. Vanover did a very odd
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thing, she stood up and addressed the class.
“Boy’s and girls”, she said, “ I had planned to give you the same kind of homework I gave to my
students in the city. I feel that homework is good for children. It keeps your minds sharp and makes you practice what you
are learning. I never realized that you boys and girls already lead such busy lives. It doesn’t sound as though you
spend your evenings parked in front of video games the way my students did in the city. For the rest of this week, you will
have homework, but not nearly as much as I had panned to give you. On Friday, I will give you a sheet with all your homework
that is due by the following Friday. That way you can spread it out on a schedule that fits in with your everyday routines
at home. Some of you may want to do all your homework on the weekend when you have more time to complete it.” When Mrs.
Vanover finished talking the school bell rung and Holly and Josh raced to the kindergarten hallway to find Jenny.
On the way home that afternoon, Holly, Josh and Allie talked about Mrs. Vanover’s new homework plans. Holly and Josh
decided to work on their homework together on Friday afternoons and Saturday mornings so they could have some free time through
the week. When Mr. Henry opened the bus doors the children got off and Mr. Henry waved goodbye. Josh walked Jenny down the
driveway where their Grandma was waiting. Holly checked their mailbox and waved to Josh, Jenny and Mrs. Johnson.
Will was having supper with Matthew’s family so the boys could work on a school project so the farm was quiet that
afternoon. Holly did her homework and then decided to take a swim since the weather was so warm. Josh knocked on the front
door and Mrs. Hamilton went to answer the door. Holly’s mother called up the stairs but Holly didn’t answer. “She
might
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be out in the barn or playing with the rabbits.”, Holly’s mother said. “Let me get the baby and we’ll
go out and look for her.” Mrs. Hamilton picked April up and they walked outside. Holly saw her mother and Josh walking
toward the barn and yelled, “Hey Josh.” They turned toward the backyard and found holly wrapping a towel around
her waist. Holly’s mother took April back inside. “Wow”, said Josh. “I’ve never been past your
kitchen. I didn’t know you had a pool or a trampoline.” Holly smiled at Josh. “I’m sorry Josh I guess
I haven’t given you a tour. Let me change clothes and I’ll show you around.” Josh followed Holly through
the back door and played with April who was trying to crawl across the kitchen floor while Holly went up to her room and changed.
Holly came into the kitchen and told Josh to follow her. She led Josh through the house and showed him the dining room,
the den, the living room and the library. He followed her up the stairs where she showed him her parent’s room, the
guest room, Will’s room and then her own. “I thought Grandma’s house was big.”, Josh said with a laugh.
“We lived in an apartment in Richmond. It was small but Jenny and I had our own rooms. There was a playground for all
the kids who lived there to share with swings and a basket ball goal. There was a big pool and a tennis court there too but
Mom would only let me swim when she could go with me.”
“You could come over and swim with me whenever you like Josh, though I’m afraid we won’t have many more
chances this year. ” Holly led Josh back down the stairs and out the front door. The walked around the big wrap around
porch and down the steps. Holly rounded the corner of the house and Josh followed close behind her. “We could jump on
the trampoline if you want to. Or”, she said, “I could show you the
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rest of the farm.” Josh didn’t say that he wanted to jump so Holly led him toward the barn. She introduced
him to Midnight, Star and Sugar. Then she led him around the barn to the rabbit hutch and showed him the rabbits. They walked
on towards the chicken coop so Josh could see all the chickens then she pointed him in the direction of the hog pen. “It’s
pretty smelly down there.”, she said with a laugh.
“Have you ever ridden a horse Josh?” Her friend shook his head. “I’ve never even been close to
one before until you showed me the ones in your barn.” Holly smiled, “I’d always wanted one of my own. Daddy
surprised me with the horses when he and Mom brought me out here to show me the house before we moved. Daddy bought Sugar
for Mom and Star is mine. Before Will decided to move back home Daddy bought Midnight for him so he would have his own horse
to ride when he visited. Daddy says when April is bigger he will buy her a pony. We use the horses when we check on the cattle.
But sometimes I just like to ride.”
Since their move to the farm Holly had grown taller and lost most of her baby fat though she was still a little plump.
The summer spent in the sun had turned her skin a golden bronze. Her long blonde hair was a golden color like wheat in a field
with streaks of red that were almost he same flaming color of her mother’s. Her smile was always wide and happy despite
the silver braces she wore. And when she smiled tiny dimples appeared in her cheeks. A row of tiny freckles pranced across
her cheekbones and her nose in a line. Her personality was bubbly and open. She was polite and kind and always seemed to have
a smile for Josh. Her blue green eyes sparkled when she laughed and Josh thought she was the prettiest girl he’d ever
met from the inside out. As they stood there admiring the horses, Josh leaned toward her and kissed her on the cheek. Holly’s
face turned a bright shade of crimson.
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“Why’d you do that Josh?”, she asked, still blushing with embarrassment. A lopsided grin spread across
his face and his cheeks turned a deep shade of pink. “I don’t know.”, he said, “I guess because I
really like you.” The two of them walked back in the direction of the house. Holly took off her shoes and climbed up
onto the trampoline. Josh sat on the edge and dropped his shoes over the side. Their laughter reached the kitchen and drifted
through the open window. Holly’s mother looked outside as she stood at the sink peeling potatoes for supper. Josh took
Holly’s hands in his and they held hands while they jumped in circles around the center of the trampoline. Holly was
glad Will wasn’t home to see Josh holding her hands because he wouldn’t miss the chance to tease her some more.
Before they knew it fall had come to the valley. April learned to crawl with ease and was soon crawling all over the house
getting in to everything. Mommy had to move everything that might be dangerous out of April’s reach. Daddy had to buy
some lumber and build a railing halfway across the top and bottom of the staircase. Then he attached a gate to the top and
the bottom so April couldn’t go up or down the stairs. Matthew and Will were inseparable. If they weren’t at football
practice or in town at the arcade, Matthew was usually at the farm. On Friday evenings and Saturday mornings Holly and Josh
spent their time doing their homework for the week together. Like Matthew and Will they were always together. Many afternoons
Josh brought Jenny along to the farm with him. Holly didn’t mind even though Jenny was so much younger.
Like her brother, Jenny adored Holly. Josh would rarely play with her at home but Holly made her feel special. Though Josh
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would groan and complain, Holly would make him play tea party with her and Jenny. While Holly and Josh played video games
in her room, Holly would let Jenny climb the stairs to the playroom and play with all the toys she had nearly forgotten now.
Sometimes Jenny would sit in the sandbox and play with April or Holly would put her sister in the baby swing so she and Josh
could push them. Sometimes Mrs. Johnson would make them a platter of homemade cookies or fudge and they would sit on her porch
swing and listen to her stories from the past.
Mrs. Johnson had lived in the big white house all her life. One afternoon as she was telling the children about the past
she mused that it had been many years since she had been in Holly’s house. “Were you friends with someone who
lived there?”, Holly questioned, eager to learn more about the people who had lived in her house before. Mrs. Johnson’s
face softened. “I was there as a guest many times. Roy Wyatt lived there with his wife and family. Roy had a daughter
named Aida, she and I used to play together. One winter almost everyone in the valley came down with a terrible sickness.
At first we all thought we had the flu, we coughed and ached and ran high fevers. As it turned out most of the valley had
contracted Scarlet Fever.” The old woman shook her head sadly. “ We didn’t have a doctor in town back then.
The nearest one was two towns away.”
A tear slipped down the old woman’s cheek. “Aida Wyatt’s Mama was expecting another baby that winter.
Aida’s brother Ben was only two or three. Everybody at the Wyatt house came down with the fever. Mama wouldn’t
let me go with her but she went over and nursed them all even though she could have easily caught the fever herself. The fever
was especially hard on little ones and old folks. Aida’s brother Ben died when his fever soared higher and higher and
they couldn’t bring it down. Aida’s mother went out in a blinding
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snow to fetch in cool water to bring down Roy’s fever. Some folks say that’s what killed her. Mama says she
died giving birth to Aida’s baby sister, Elizabeth, who they named after Mr. Roy’s sister. Newborns aint got the
strength to fight things off yet and that poor baby caught the fever too. By springtime the only ones left living over there
were Mr. Roy and Aida. A while after that Roy’s sister, Elizabeth Johnson, and her son came to live with Roy and Aida.”
The old woman shifted her position on the swing and continued to talk. “Miss Elizabeth’s husband was a miner
up around West Virginia. Seems he got trapped in a slide in the mine and died. Poor Miss Elizabeth and her twin brother Roy
had been widowed at an early age and both had these young ones to raise. So she came to live with her brother and Aida. Miss
Elizabeth’s son Frank was my husband. So I visited your house many times as a child and as an adult. When Frank and
I married we moved in here with my folks who weren’t getting on so good by then. I was the youngest child Mama and Papa
had and they were on up in age when I married Frank Johnson. Frank took over the place for Papa and used the land on both
sides of the road to graze his animals.”
She paused and wiped away a tear, “My Frank got killed in the great war and Aida and I remained friends and kept
right on working these places with my young ones as long as we were able. Aida never did marry, she lived over there in that
big house all alone with nothing to keep her company but all them books. When the war started over in Vietnam, all three of
my boys were drafted. Frank Junior wrote me letters to tell me how awful it was there. Soon his letters stopped coming and
one day a telegram arrived telling me that my Frank was missing in action. Sometimes I used to dream that he might make it
home one day like it happens in those movies. Of course it’s been too many years now. If Frank wasn’t already
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dead when they sent me that telegram, I imagine he died in one of those prison camps long ago.”
Josh slid his arm around his grandmother and hugged her as she continued to tell the story. Clyde, my middle son was shot
trying to carry another wounded soldier to a helicopter so he could get medical attention. The government sent a man in uniform
out here one day. He was carrying a box with a medal in it that they awarded poor Clyde before he died. Jeter my youngest
son was still sending me letters when he could to let me know he was still okay. He was accidentally killed by what the government
calls friendly fire about a week before the war ended. That left only Aida , me and my daughter Doris here to tend the farms.
Doris was a good girl and she helped us all she could. But two old women and a girl could not keep the farms going as we had
before.”
“I sold most of my farm off just to keep our heads above water. Aida sold off most of the antiques in her house just
to put food on the table. Aida’s farm was originally close to six hundred acres. Even before Frank went away in the
great war, Aida had begun to sell some of it off. The first time she sold off land she had real bathrooms with running water
put in the house. We still had a privy then. Frank thought it was so nice bought the things he needed and put one in our house.”
Mrs. Johnson smiled as she recalled her husband putting in the bathroom. “We never saw the need to put in another one.”
“Anyway”, she said going on, “Before the war started over in Vietnam, Doris had been courting a boy from
up in Raccoon Holler. They married before he left for the war. Doris had a daughter not long after he went away. Her daughter
Karen, was Josh and Jenny’s mother. When the war in Vietnam was over, Howard came home and helped me and Doris run it
for a spell. The three of them lived here with me and helped me
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keep an eye on Aida who was just a mite older than I was. Howard liked it here on he farm but declared he’d never
make any money. He opened a garage down in Woodstock and he and Doris moved away with Karen. “
“If I recollect correctly Karen was about Josh’s age when Howard and Doris decided to leave her with me for
a week and take a little vacation. Doris got the notion that she wanted to try skiing and Howard was never inclined to say
no to her. So they flew out to Colorado and had that ski trip. Doris called me to tell me what a wonderful trip they had been
having and said they were flying back home the next day. I don’t recall now what they told me now, I suppose I was in
shock. A police officer came to my door to tell me that my daughter’s plane had gone down. Everyone on the plane was
killed, no survivors. A person ought never outlive their children it’s one of the most unbearable things you can ever
endure. Somehow though I have managed to survive after the loss of all four of my children.”
“Karen stayed here with me since Howard didn’t have any family left except a brother with four hungry mouths
of his own to feed. She was a smart girl, always borrowing Aida’s books and reading about places she would never see.
They skipped her a couple of grades she was so smart. She graduated high school before she turned seventeen. They gave her
a couple of scholarships because she was so smart. Karen went off to college and learned to be a nurse. While she was in school
she met a boy who was studying to be a doctor and they moved in together. Then Josh was born. Karen called me one night crying
and said the boy had left her. Josh came back here to stay with me while his Mama finished school. Karen worked a full time
job while she was studying. When she could she would send me money to help with Josh. Whenever she had a chance she would
come home to visit us.”
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“Karen worked hard and soon graduated at the top of her class and they offered her a job at the hospital in Richmond.
They paid better than the hospital here so Karen took Josh and they moved to Richmond. By that time Aida had taken a fall
and busted her hip. I wasn’t able to take care of her and there wasn’t anyone else to do it. I hated to do it
but I had to send Aida off to a nursing home. Karen was her power of attorney. She sold Aida’s house to a fellow who
used the land to pasture his horses and used the money to pay for Aida’s care. Karen asked me to come down to Richmond
and live with her but I didn’t want to leave Aida. I went by to see her nearly everyday. When Josh was about six, Jenny
was born. I don’t know what ever happened to Josh’s Daddy and I never did meet Jenny’s. That’s how
they came to be here with me. The man who bought Aida’s farm didn’t do too well and I guess that’s how you
ended up living over there.”
The old woman took a deep breath when she finished her story and sent Josh inside to bring them out a glass of lemonade.
Holly followed him inside and helped him carry the frosty glasses of lemonade back outside to the porch. “I reckon”,
said Mrs. Johnson, “that every time I watched someone leave this farm something terrible ended up happening.”
She smiled at her great grandchildren tenderly. “But I’m an old woman now and by the time Josh is grown I reckon
he’ll have to stay here and look after me and Jenny.”
Josh placed a feathery kiss on his grandmother’s weathered old face. “Don’t you worry about us Grandma.”,
he said. “Jenny and I are never going to leave this farm.”
Josh walked Holly home that afternoon and when they stopped in the barn to check on the horses, she got her first kiss
on the lips from a boy ever! “You’re my best friend Holly.”, Josh
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confided. “The best friend I have ever had and someday when we grow up, I’m going to marry you!” Josh
pecked her cheek with his lips and skipped off down the gravel drive so she wouldn’t see the embarrassment blossoming
on his cheeks.
The smile on her face couldn’t have been pried off with a crow bar. She half walked half floated up the driveway
and into the house. If you’d been there watching, you’d have swore her feet never touched the stairs as she rose
to second floor and went to her room.
First love is an unforgettable thing even if you grow up and marry someone else. Holly was on cloud nine that early fall
afternoon when she pulled the journal out from under her bed where she had carefully hidden it away. She wrote down Mrs. Johnson’s
story about Aida and Roy and Aida’s mother Elizabeth. She tried to recall each detail from the minute the story began
until Mrs. Johnson ended it with Aida in a nursing home and Josh and Jenny coming to live with her.
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I don’t recall Mrs. Johnson saying what happened to Aida. I’ll have to ask her that another day. When Mrs.
Johnson finished her story we had lemonade on her front porch, then Josh walked me home. I’ve never been so surprised
in my life as I was when we went to the barn to check on the horses. While we were in the barn Josh kissed me right on the
lips! Wouldn’t Will have loved to see that? He’d never stop teasing me then! His teasing wouldn’t bother
me so much except I kind of liked to think of Josh as my boyfriend and day dream about it, and Will’s teasing was just
a little too close to the truth for my comfort. Daddy would have a fit if he thought I was thinking of Josh as anything more
than a friend. Mom probably would too. Just for now this secret is safe here in my journal.
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After Josh kissed me he said I was his best friend. Then he said he was going to marry me someday. Now I’m going
to do something I haven’t done in a long while. I’m going to make a wish. I wish that old Mrs. Johnson would stay
just as healthy as she is now so that she and Josh and Jenny will go on being our neighbors. I wish that Mrs. Johnson would
live to be over one hundred so she will still be around when Josh and I are grown. I wish that Josh would always remember
what he said to me this afternoon and keep right on feeling the same way till we are all grown up. I wish that my friendship
with Josh would last forever and that when we are grown he really would marry me just like he said.
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Holly closed the book and slid it back beneath her bed. Lying back against the soft pillows she curled up and closed her
eyes. She dreamt of Caroline and her children Roy and Elizabeth and of the winter in the valley that had brought sickness
and death. She dreamt of Elizabeth’s son Frank who had grown up to marry Mrs. Johnson. Her dreams made it clear that
other people’s lives truly do affect the lives of those around them. When she woke from her nap she rubbed the sleep
from her eyes and found that she wasn’t as sad about Mrs. Johnson’s story any more. In fact she was thankful.
The series of unfortunate events that had unfolded in Mrs. Johnson’s life had eventually brought her first love and
a best friend that she knew she would hold dear for a lifetime.
September was fading quickly and the short autumn days were becoming crisp and colorful in the valley. On that chilly September
evening when Matthew drove her brother home their heads were filled with ideas. Ideas that they shared with the entire Hamilton
household over supper that evening. “Mom”, Will said hesitantly. “My birthday is less than a month away.
I’m a little old for cake and ice cream but Matthew and I thought of some great ideas. Since my birthday falls on Halloween
we thought maybe we could have a combination party here.” Will hesitated again and Matthew interjected, “Your
farm is the perfect place to have an old fashioned Halloween party. Will and I did a little research on Halloween that we
thought we could share with the guests. We would need help from all of you to pull it off though. We thought we could even
set up some old fashioned activities like bobbing for apples. Of course no Halloween celebration would be complete without
a haunted trail or a haunted house. With your help we’d like to set up a haunted trail outside. Inside we’d like
to use the dining room for a seance or tarot card readings, all fake and strictly for fun. In the den we’d serve our
refreshments and have a Halloween film festival.”
When Matthew stopped talking everyone was quiet for a few minutes. Mr. Hamilton rubbed his chin thoughtfully, while his
wife appeared to be lost in her own thoughts. “I don’t know boys.”, she said. “I agree it sounds like
it would be lots of fun for you all but it sounds like an awful lot of work. I’m not sure we have the time or resources
to pull off something on such a grand scale as you seem to be planning.” Here Mr. Hamilton interjected, “I suppose
we might cut a maze through the cornfield that your guests could wander through. I could rig something up and pull the kids
around the farm on Pap’s tractor instead of having a haunted trail. Kind of a spooky hayride. You two boys could rig
up a few special effects and scary sights and make up a story to tell on the hay ride as we pass by the ghosts and ghouls
you set up.”
“Oh Daddy”, said Holly enthusiastically, “we could have a bonfire like the ancient Celts used to scare
away evil spirits. We learned about that in school. Will’s refreshments wouldn’t cost much we could serve red
Vampire Punch, with fangs hanging on the side of the punch bowl, and roast weenies and marshmallows. Mommy could dress up
in that gypsy costume and tell fortunes for him.” Her mother’s laugher floated across the table. “Oh no,
I might have a costume but I don’t know the first thing about telling fortunes.” Holly grinned at her mother,
“You don’t have to . You can make it up as you go along. Will and Matthew can write you a little summary about
each guest and I will be your helper. You can tell each ‘fortune’ individually, before I bring someone in I’ll
give you the card telling about that person that the boys have prepared. You can always hide the card in the folds of your
skirt in case you need to look at it again. They will all be amazed and think they have really had a magical reading. You
could use tea leaves or tarot cards or practically anything. I’ll do some more research on it.”
Matthew and Will grinned from ear to ear. “That is a great idea Squirt. My sister has a Ouija Board we could use
too. You could bring the kids in in small groups and use it.” Their mother shook her head, “I’m not sure
I want to play around with that thing they always gave me the creeps.” The boys laughed heartily. “Please Mom”,
will begged. A smile crept across her face as she agreed to tell fortunes for his party. “I suppose I could make a tomb
stone shaped cake for the event. How many people were you expecting to invite?” From his place at the head of the table
Mr. Hamilton cautioned, “Don’t plan to invite more than fifteen or twenty people Will. I can probably pull ten
or fifteen on the hayride and it would take too long to run more than two trips. Not to mention what it would cost to feed
more than twenty hungry teenagers.”
With the okay from his mother and step father, Will and Matthew started to plan the best Halloween/Birthday party the valley
had ever seen. The boys sat at the kitchen table writing down names and scratching off others till they had just the right
mixture of boys and girls to invite to the party. The first guest on the list was Cynthia Stout. From the time Will met her
in the hallway of the high school he was infatuated with her. The next guest on the list was Mary Jane Dawson, who was Cynthia’s
best friend. Mary Jane was so thin she could have rested in the shade of a bean pole and looked twice that thin when she walked
beside Cynthia. She was the smartest girl in the sophomore class and Matthew thought she was as pretty as the first snow in
winter. When their list was complete there were nine boys and eleven girls invited. Counting Matthew, Will, Holly and Josh
a total of 24 kids in all.
Matthew and Will designed invitations on the computer in the den. Tombstone shapes on gray cardstock that the boys trimmed
when they were all printed. The lettering looked like dripping blood and invited them to help Will celebrate his sixteenth
birthday with a costume party on Halloween. The invitation boasted a spooky hay ride, fortune telling, a bon fire and refreshments.
At the bottom the invitation read: Please R.S.V.P. no later than October twentieth if you plan to attend. Matthew and Will
passed out the invitations on the first Monday in October so that their guests would have plenty of time to plan their costumes.
Mr. Hamilton worked for two weekends making a maze through the cornfield. In the center of the maze Matthew and Will erected
a scarecrow that gave a menacing and sinister feel to the maze. They plotted out the route the hayride would take and placed
scarecrows, witches, and even a graveyard along it’s path. Near the end of the ride a figure was hung from a tree complete
with a black hood. Instead of Pap’s tractor, Midnight and Star were hitched to an old wagon that had been sitting unused
in Mrs. Johnson’s barn for more years than anyone could remember. Bales of hay were positioned along each side of the
wagon to provide seating for the teenagers.
The dining room was transformed on the morning of the party. The table was draped with black satiny cloth and strewn with
orange and yellow paper cutouts of witches, cats, pumpkins and broomsticks. In the center candles were used for lighting.
On the old sideboard two evil looking jack-o-lanterns stood waiting to cast their eerie reflections over the room. A deck
of tarot cards lay on the table and Matthew’s sister’s Ouija Board stood in the center.
Matthew’s mother came by on the afternoon of the party. “We’re so fond of Will.”, she told his
mother. “He’s been a wonderful influence on Matthew. I wanted to do something to help you with this party since
Matthew was the one who concocted the whole idea in the first place. I have a cooler in the car filled with finger sandwiches
and fruits and vegetables I prepared this morning.” She laughed lightly as she continued, “Matthew’s collection
of Halloween movies is in the car too. He says they plan to show those this evening.” Mrs. Hamilton followed her to
her car and helped her carry in the things she had brought for the party. On the front seat of her car was a large box wrapped
in bright orange and gold paper with a black bow on top. “This a present for Will’s birthday. Matthew told us
how interested Will is in the Civil War. I found a collection of books on the subject I thought might interest him. Tell him
we hope he has a wonderful birthday.”
Holly and Josh placed six jack-o-lanterns with gruesome faces along the edge of the front porch. Mr. Hamilton, Will and
Matthew stacked heaps of wood to build a bonfire. Mrs. Hamilton finished the tombstone cake that said Happy Birthday Will.
Holly carried her old boom box downstairs and put in an old cassette recording of spooky Halloween sounds. Mrs. Johnson came
over with Jenny so they could keep April occupied during the party. Josh and Holly carried April’s playpen into the
living room and set it up. Holly brought a stack of diapers and wipes and other things Mrs. Johnson might need down from the
nursery so she wouldn’t have to climb the stairs. Just before she put on her witches costume, Holly pulled out the enchanted
journal and scribbled a fast entry.
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October 31st, 2008
Today is Halloween, my brother Will’s birthday. He and his friend Matthew planned the most awesome party for his
friends at school. We will have a spooky hayride, a big bonfire and Mom will tell fortunes in the dining room. I want this
to be Will’s best Birthday ever. I wish that just for tonight Mommy could really tell those kids their futures. I wish
that everything would go smoothly according to Will’s plans and that this party will be the talk of the school for weeks
to come. Happy Birthday Big brother.
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Holly dressed in her Witches costume, complete with pointy black lace up boots and a wiry old straw broom. Josh dressed
as a vampire with a black cape and fangs, red fake blood dripped from one corner of his mouth. Mrs. Hamilton was dressed like
a gypsy with large gold hoops dangling from her ears and an old lace shawl draped across her shoulders. Her hair was piled
on top of her head with small curling strands that escaped here and there. Over her hair she wore a brightly colored bandana
that matched her skirt. She wore a white peasant shirt with puffy sleeves that exposed her bare shoulders and shining bangle
bracelets tinkled as they slid against each other on both her wrists. Mr. Hamilton was dressed in jeans and a flannel shirt
with a wide straw hat pulled low across his forehead. He looked like a farm hand from another era.
Will and Matthew were both dressed in pirates costumes and looked like they were ready to set sail on an ocean voyage.
They both had an ear ring and a bandana tied around their heads. Matthew had an eye patch over one eye. Both boys had spent
the afternoon transferring ‘tattoos’ of skulls and crosses on their arms and looked wonderful when they appeared
downstairs in full costume. Holly and Josh laughed at the boys who had also ‘boned up’ on their pirate vocabulary.
“Well shiver me timbers Matthew, look at this pair of scurvy waifs trying to frighten the likes of us.”, Will
said. Matthew stroked his fake beard, “Aye captain a witch and a vampire they be, and uglier than the sea witch herself.
What say ye captain? Shall we make ‘em walk the plank?”
Captain Will shook his head, “Nay matey I think we might be needing these two Squirts in just a bit. We’ll
keep ‘em around till after the party and then we’ll feed them to the sharks.” They all laughed in unison.
It was going to be a wonderful party. Holly turned on the spooky music in the entry hall to enhance the effect of the spiders
webs that hung from the corners of the doorways. Will and Matthew lit the jack-o-lanterns that were on the front porch. Mrs.
Hamilton lit the jack-o-lanterns that were scattered throughout the house. Outside she spread a black table cover over the
picnic table and prepared it for the refreshments. On the back porch a card table had already been covered in orange and black
and the gift from Matthew’s family stood in the center next to the ones from Will’s own family.
Mary Jane and Cynthia arrived about thirty minutes before the other guests. Like Matthew and Will they were dressed in
pirates costumes. As the other guests began to trickle in Holly found herself surrounded by witches, genies, werewolves and
vampires. Little Red Riding Hood even came to the party escorted by a big bad werewolf. When all the guests had arrived Mr.
Hamilton stood before them and read a short speech Will and Matthew had written.
“Welcome to our fall festival, on this occasion we celebrate the birthday of your friend Will, and Halloween which
is the day before All Saint’s Day otherwise known as All Hallows’ Eve. The Celtic people also celebrated this
day and called it Samhain. They built huge bonfires much like the one we will have here tonight, to frighten away evil spirits.
Let us hope that it frightens the demons in our midst away tonight. For according to Celtic legend tonight is the night that
witches, hobgoblins, fairies, ghosts, black cats and demons of every description roam freely in our midst. The ancient Celts
believed that this was the most favorable time of the year for divination, or seeing the future, so tonight you will have
the opportunity to have your future told. But first half of you will enjoy some refreshments while half of you venture out
on a haunted hayride.” As he said this Holly and Josh led Midnight and Star into the yard. Will and Cynthia climbed
into the back of the wagon and Mr. Hamilton continued, “If half of you will join them in the back of the wagon we will
get the festivities started.”
Matthew and Mary Jane stayed behind with their remaining classmates. They led their friends to the refreshments that Mrs.
Hamilton had laid out on the picnic table while their friends went on the hay ride. Will read a story he and Matthew had written
to scare them as they rode past the graves and goblins on the trail. The girls screamed and his their faces when something
surprised them along the way. Cynthia was the first one to scream when they passed the hangman’s noose. Will draped
his arm across her shoulders protectively. When the ride was over the teenagers climbed down from the wagon and milled around
the refreshment table. Mr. Hamilton loaded the wagon again. This time Matthew was their tour guide. This time Holly and Josh
climbed aboard and enjoyed the ride. Holly enjoyed it more than anyone else because this time Josh’s arm was draped
across her shoulders.
When the hay rides were over Mr. Hamilton lit the bonfire and everyone gathered around. Mrs. Hamilton put out buns and
condiments with the other refreshments. Will and Matthew handed out the forked sticks they would use to roast their hotdogs
and they all listened to a recording Matthew’s father had made. It was a ghostly tale he had adapted himself about the
Shenandoah Valley very similar to the legend of Sleepy Hollow. They listened to his eerie tale while they roasted hot dogs
and marshmallows. The weather couldn’t have been more perfect, the air was crisp and cold and not a single star could
be seen in the sky. The moon was half hidden beneath a blanket of clouds and fog rolled over the farm thicker than pea soup.
After they had eaten Mrs. Hamilton brought out the tombstone shaped birthday cake topped with sixteen candles. Matthew
led his friends in singing Happy Birthday to Will before Cynthia started handing him the presents that were piled on the table.
When the last present had been opened the teenagers piled in the den on the sofas and in the floor to watch the Halloween
movies. Before the movies started Holly announced to the crowd of teenagers that as a special treat anyone who wished could
have their fortune told. Almost everyone was eager to take their turn. Holly made a list of everyone who wanted to participate
and quietly said, “I will be back to get one of you momentarily. We have to prepare for the readings.”
Holly crossed the first name off the list and handed her mother an index card one of the boys had written about Cynthia
who was the first one on the list. While her mother studied the card Holly returned to the den and asked Cynthia to follow
her. There was an eerie glow in the dining room, the candles flickered on Mrs. Hamilton’s face. She handed Cynthia the
deck of tarot cards and asked her to shuffle them and cut them. When Cynthia laid the cards down on the table Mrs. Hamilton
spread a few of the top cards out on the table and studied them. She had studied the guide that came with the cards so that
she might appear more authentic when she ‘told their fortunes’. Surprisingly she not only remembered what the
cards meant she was frightened to see some of the glimpses into the future that the cards spelled out.
“This card”, she said pointing to a card on the table, “is the queen of cups. It indicates that someone
is in love with you and that you return this love.” Cynthia smiled shyly she wondered if Will’s mother knew it
was Will who loved her and who’s love she returned. Though Holly’s wish had made her understand the fortunes the
tarot cards spelled out clearly, she did not tell Cynthia what was in the cards. Instead she made up her own version. “I
see that this love will not endure unless it is tested and strengthened. If you should stray from my advice, I see that you
will become pregnant and the lover will abandon you. I see you will be scared and lonely and I see death though it is not
clear whether you will die in childbirth or whether this means you will abort the unwanted child.” She stared at Cynthia
solemnly and Cynthia sat unblinking with a horrified expression on her face.
“This fate is not yet sealed there is time yet to change the future. If your love is tested it can be strengthened.
When this young man who loves you sees that you are good moral character he will not run away but he will love you more. You
must not allow him more than a kiss for if you do your future is grim. Dress modestly so that you do not awaken passions neither
of you yet understand. Above all avoid being in this young man’s company alone. For if you do not heed my warning his
love will wither like fall foliage and the hand of the reaper will reach out. That is all I can tell you.”
Cynthia pushed her chair away from the table and walked as if in a daze back to the den to join her friends. “Please
tell me your mother made up all that mumbo jumbo she doled out to me in there.”, she said to Will as she settled beside
him on the sofa. Will winked at her, “Why Sin wasn’t I in your future?” Cynthia smiled, “Oh you were
in it all right.” She didn’t mention her reading again that night. Holly called Mary Jane next and she followed
her to the dining room hesitantly. Mary Jane sat down across from Mrs. Hamilton who was holding her head as though it might
split in half if she removed her hands. “Are you okay Mrs. Hamilton?” Nodding her head in answer she handed the
cards to Mary Jane. “I can feel a migraine coming on but I’ll be fine as soon as my medication has time to work.
Nothing for you to worry about dear I get them from time to time. Now if you’ll shuffle the cards and cut them we can
begin.”
Mary Jane shuffled the cards in her hand and when she had cut them she handed them back to Mrs. Hamilton who was rubbing
her head. Spreading several cards out across the table so she could study them she said, “I see that you are a very
bright girl.” Mary Jane blushed, “My teachers say so”, she said. “I see that you will go on to college
and do something to help others. I’m not getting a clear picture of what profession it is. Clearly you will work with
people. Ahhh wait you will become a doctor. Let me see your hand.” Mary Jane held out her hand and she gazed intently
into it. “This she said is your life line. You will live a long happy life Mary Jane though you will see others enduring
suffering around you. You are strong and your strength you will lend to others so that they can more easily bear their burdens.
I see a happy marriage to someone you have yet to meet. I see children in your future as well, two who are not yours and yet
you will love them as though they were, and three more who are your own.”
Mary Jane looked up at her and a smile spread slowly across her face. “Are you making that up Mrs. Hamilton?”,
she asked. She returned the girls smile and answered, “No, I’m not making it up. This is what I see in your cards
and in your hand. Life is what you make of it but some things are destined to occur along the way. You are destined to help
others because it is your nature. You can change the way events occur and even prevent some of them from happening but you
can not change who you are inside.” Mary Jane thanked her for her reading and slipped back to the den to join her friends.
One by one Holly guided the others to the dining room and her mother looked into their futures and gave her predictions.
When the last reading was completed she turned to Holly and said, “Let me have a short break. I need to go to the bathroom
and get myself a drink. I’ll find you when I’m ready to do something else.” Holly wandered back to the den
where Josh was watching movies with the teenagers. Mrs. Hamilton, who had seen into Cynthia’s future crept out the back
door. She spotted Cynthia’s car and let the air out of all four of her tires. Then she found Matthew’s Blazer
and did the same thing. The only truth in the reading she gave Cynthia was that someone loved her, of course she knew it was
her son, and that she had seen death. She’d made the rest of it up to scare Cynthia Stout into calming herself down
a bit. Tonight when Cynthia prepared to take Mary Jane home they would find that someone had played a prank on her and she
would call their parents. She’d keep Matthew and the girls here tonight and defy fate or premonition or whatever it
was she had seen.
When she had settled back in the dining room she told her daughter to call four or five of the teenagers in and they would
try their luck with the Ouija Board. The clock on the dining room wall read just past nine when the first five entered the
dining room. Among them were Cynthia Stout, Will, Josh, a tall gangly boy with red hair and freckles and a chubby girl with
mousy brown hair. “Please sit down and we will attempt to contact the spirits.”, she said. After the last encounter
with Will’s mother Cynthia appeared to be nervous. They all sat down and she moved the candles to the sideboard with
the jack-o-lanterns. Then she dimmed the floor lamp in the corner so that they had just enough remaining light to see the
board.
Taking her pace at the table again she whispered, “Place your fingertips lightly on the triangle please. It will
help if you concentrate. I feel that there are spirits all around us tonight. What do the spirits have to tell us?”
Nothing happened. One of the girls giggled and said, “This is creepy.”, she said.
