AWKWARDNESS

 

 

            In a reality in which Fodder-wing recovered from his illness instead of dying, Penny and Jody were allowed to go visit him and the rest of the Forresters after Penny's snakebite brought the two families back together in friendship again.

            A gleeful Fodder-wing hobbled happily to Jody, and actually embraced him.

            "Oh, Fodder-wing, I'm so glad you're all right!" Jody said, beaming at his friend.

            But Fodder-wing answered emphatically, "Oh, Jody, I'm so relieved YOU'RE all right!!"

            Jody was confused. "But I wa'n't sick."

            "No, but I'm so glad you're all right from Lem hittin' you! I was so worried!"

            Jody blushed as his eyes involuntarily rose and met Lem's. The latter looked rueful.

            "Umm, oh, well, yeah. I'm all right."

            While Jody's eyes dropped to the floor in embarrassment, Fodder-wing asked, "Mr. Baxter? You all right? My brothers ain't hurted you too bad?!"

            Now it was Penny's turn to appear discomfited, as he stammered a bit awkwardly, "Yes, young un, I'm fine." Perplexed, he tried not to meet the eyes of Lem or Buck or Mill-wheel.

            But having expected this from their younger brother, Buck and Mill-wheel at least were a bit amused, and Penny couldn't quite help but notice, via his peripheral vision, much to his chagrin.

            Fodder-wing, worried and oblivious to his guests' discomfort, then demanded, "Is Oliver all right??"

            Jody groaned slightly, and Penny rolled his eyes and said, "Young un, these questions is a mite awkward, right in front o' your brothers."

            "I cain't he'p it; I been turrible fretted, 'bout all o' you! And Oliver was nice to me when I met him!"

            By now, the Forrester men were grinning openly at the Baxters, and waiting for the reply to their little brother's question. Their expressions almost dared Penny to respond.

            Penny fidgeted and hedged, "Yes, Oliver'll be all right, I reckon; it'll take more time, but he'll git healed more each day."

            "So, he ain't recovered yit?"

            "Uh, no. It's slow goin'."

            The Forrester men made no attempt to hide their smug reactions.

            "Kin I go stay with you-all awhiles? And will you take me to see Oliver?"

            "Uhhhh! Well, now, your family might not approve...!" Penny's eyes reluctantly faced those of the adult Forrester men. "I mean, you're more'n welcome to visit with us long's you like, long's your family agrees. But uh, for us to fetch you to Oliver might be more'n your folks, uh...!"

            Lem waved it away without hesitation. "Go right on and take him! He's been givin' us a fit, ever since we clobbered the three o' you."

            "Stop sayin' it like you're proud you done it!" Fodder-wing cried, as he shocked the Baxters by pounding his little fists against Lem's chest.

            Grimly, Lem gripped the tiny wrists and nonchalantly rolled his eyes as if he'd grown accustomed to having to do so.

            Buck remarked, "Me and Mill-wheel had to stop Lem from hittin' the boy the first time or two he pounded on Lem that-a-way. Now, Lem don't even bother to threaten him, so we don't hafta bother to protect him no more, neither."

            Mill-wheel nodded agreement. "But we're gittin' mighty tired o' hearin' it, from this here boy of ourn. Take him, Penny. Keep him as long as you want. Take him to Oliver iffen you feel like it."

            Buck added a condition, "Long's you're sure Oliver'd not hurt Fodder-wing, jest for bein' our leetle brother."

            Penny firmly assured him, "No chance o' that."

            Jody semi-echoed, "He'd never do that."

            "So Oliver's a real angel, huh?" Lem asked sarcastically.

            "He'd never hurt a young un," Penny stated assuredly.

            "See?" Fodder-wing taunted Lem. "Oliver'd never hurt a young un. Unlike you, Lem, when you hurted Jody!"

            Lem glared, and once again appeared tempted to threaten the boy, but then subsided, and said, "Fine. Git him outta here for awhiles. Then maybe our boy'll come back less quarrelsome."

 

            Jody and Fodder-wing thoroughly enjoyed visiting at Baxter's Island for a few days, before setting out for Volusia. Mrs. Hutto and Oliver were stunned to see the extra visitor that Penny and Jody had brought, but they welcomed him, especially when they saw the little one's anguish regarding the blond sailor's condition.

            "Gee, Oliver, I'm so sorry my brothers hurted you this bad! Iffen you're still this bad off, I don't wanta think 'bout how bad off you musta been, when it first happened!" He hesitated, and then asked, "Oliver, did you mean to take on all three to oncet, or did you feel trapped into it, with the whole town watchin'?"

            Now it was Oliver's turn to hesitate. But after just a moment, he decided to answer the child's question honestly. "I felt stuck. I had started it, with Lem; I mean I hit him first, on account o' what he said to me. I ain't had time to think through what th'other two would do."

            "That's what Ma figgered. She wa'n't pleased they ganged up on you that-a-way, and she wondered iffen Buck and Mill-wheel ain't takened advantage o' the crowd o' witnesses to keep you trapped into it."       

            Mrs. Hutto was visibly impressed. "Well, now I'm right glad to hear your ma takened sich a stand agin what they done." She sniffed. "Though, I still figger Oliver shoulda backed out anyways, when he seed what was comin'. He was a hot-headed fool to keep goin', knowin' where 'twas gonna git him. Oliver, sometimes I think you ain't got a mite o' sense."

            "Now, Ma," complained Oliver. "You know more 'bout male pride than most women. Don't pretend you don't understand." It was clear that these two had had this argument many times lately.

            "Jest 'cause I understand, don't mean I agree 'twas worth the risk, nor worth gittin' this bad hurted," she retorted.

            Oliver was nodding throughout, already familiar, word for word, with her objections. He was also, clearly, just as tired of hearing them as Lem had been tired of hearing Fodder-wing's admonishments.

            Fodder-wing continued, "I know I likely cain't convince you-all o' this, but Buck and Mill-wheel really are a heap nicer'n Lem. They jest git caught up in th'excitement of a fight. All six of 'em love to fight, mostly with each other."

            Penny supported Fodder-wing's words, "It's true 'bout Buck and Mill-wheel bein' nice." He went on to tell about how the two had saved him from the snakebite, even after he and Jody had sided against them in the fight.

            Oliver and his mother appeared dubious at the content, but plainly had faith in the value of Penny's words on any subject, even this one.

            Fodder-wing asked gingerly, "Oliver, kin I fetch them two here with me to visit? I promise you, I'll only fetch 'em iffen they promise not to hurt you. I jest want you to see how nice they kin be, 'specially when Lem ain't around."

            Mrs. Hutto gasped at the proposal, keenly concerned for her son's safety. But Oliver said slowly, "Ma, could make a big diff'rence for the future o' relations betwixt our two families. And I...trust this here leetle feller not to mean me no harm."

 

            Upon returning home to Forresters' Island, Fodder-wing said, "Ma, you was right: Oliver ain't meant to take on three of 'em, and he felt trapped by the whole town watchin'. And Mis' Hutto was riled at Oliver for not backin' out anyways, when he seed that Buck and Mill-wheel was gonna git into it, too. She said he ain't showed no sense, goin' through with it, not backin' down, and ne' mind the townsfolk bein' there."

            Now it was Mrs. Forrester who gave a smug look to her sons, instead of the other way around. The men rolled their eyes at her in return.

            "Anyways, I told Oliver and his ma 'bout Buck and Mill-wheel bein' so much nicer -  most o' the time -  than Lem...." His resentful glare targeted Lem, who returned a long-suffering irked expression. "And, well, I said I wanted Buck and Mill-wheel to go visit 'em with me, so's they could see for theirselves...." He aimed an uncertain look at those two brothers, who returned  astounded expressions back at him.

            But it was Lem who barked resentfully, "You ain't serious! They ain't gonna go visit him!"

            Buck and Mill-wheel exchanged perplexed, noncommittal expressions, and then went back to staring in disbelief at Fodder-wing.

            Not even waiting for their decision, Mrs. Forrester put a hand on her hip and said, "Well, now iffen you-all're doin' this, I'm goin' with you. To make sure, myself, that no harm comes to nobody, that things ain't made no worse'n a'ready are. Plus, been years since his ma and me quarreled; I figger it's way past time we have a better talk. Git things settled. Peaceable."

            Also not awaiting a reply from his brothers, Fodder-wing interjected, "That's a right good idea, Ma; Oliver'd be a heap less scared, was you there to protect him by shamin' Buck and Mill-wheel into behavin'."

            Lem's smugness returned full force. "So! He'll be scared, eh?"

            "Ain't funny, Lem!" Fodder-wing raged. "You are so mean!"

            Buck was shaking his head. "Now, Fodder-wing, this'd be too peculiar. Visitin' Oliver...!"

            "Well, you visited the Baxters, after beatin' 'em."

            Mill-wheel spoke up, "That's diff'rent. We was friends with them b'fore the fight."

            "Well, maybe after this, you could be friends with the Huttos, too!"

            "Don't seem too likely."

            "Only one way to find out," urged Mrs. Forrester. "Anyways, what you got to lose?"

 

            Mrs. Hutto turned from the window, and said, "Oliver, I was right: them horses I heered outside is two o' them bearded nightmares! One of 'em has that dear leetle boy behind him on the horse, and th'other one has their ma up behind him. I sure hope you're ready for this!"

            "I reckon, Ma," he said with a slightly shaky voice. "But I got no choice anyways; we're committed now. Ma, I hope you'll not be disappointed in me nor 'shamed o' me iffen I'm a bit humble toward 'em this time."

            "Disappointed?? Iffen you'da been more humble with 'em b'fore, you'da got into a heap less trouble, and I'da been a heap prouder!"

            As she opened the door, Fodder-wing entered first, and hobbled to the blond as fast as his crippled legs could carry him. "Howdy, Oliver, don't be scairt!"

            "Hey, young un," he responded, and then caught first sight of the all-too-familiar big burly bearded men just entering, and automatically blurted, "Don't hurt me, please!" He unconsciously squirmed deeper into his chair, withdrawing in the only way that he could.

            Buck's heart clearly went out to him. He approached slowly, and knelt beside the sailor. "I'm powerful sorry, Oliver. We had no idea you felt trapped into it with me and Mill-wheel."

            The latter went and stood at a nonthreatening distance, and agreed, "Ain't our way to force a fight on nobody. We ain't knowed we was doin' that."

            "My quarrel was with Lem," Oliver reminded them timidly.

            "I know. It's jest so natural for us to git into fights. We ain't figgered no further'n that."

            "I ain't blamin' you. I jest...don't want no more...!"

            Buck patted Oliver's arm. "No more'll happen."

            Mrs. Hutto dared to meet Mrs. Forrester's eyes. "Now, I'm right proud of our boys. First time in awhiles."

            Mrs. Forrester replied ruefully, "Now, I agree with you. First time in awhiles."

            Mrs. Hutto smiled faintly at the clear double meaning. Then, she invited, "Set down, please."

            Everyone did.

            She went on, "How are we gonna git this quarrelin' stopped?"

            Mill-wheel snorted derisively. "It's that dratted gal. Anyways, she's done runned off."

            "I heered," Oliver agreed. "But I ain't in no condition to hunt her."

            "Lem has," Buck offered. "But he ain't found her."

            "Maybe she don't wanta be found," Oliver suggested. "Likely we scared her off with our ruckus."

            The two bearded men nodded. They had suspected the same.

            "What if...," Oliver began hesitantly. He looked from Buck to Mill-wheel. Both nodded for him to go on, so he cleared his throat and said gingerly, "What iffen we jest leave her choose. She will anyways. I cain't force her to pick me, and Lem cain't force her to pick him."

            "Makes sense," said Mill-wheel. "Hell, we cain't even make her come back, iffen she ain't of a mind to."

            Oliver nodded this time, and then asked, "You figger you two kin convince Lem to accept that answer?"

            Buck looked reluctant. "Likely we cain't persuade Lem to leave off huntin' her. But I reckon he's smart 'nough to know he cain't force her to choose him."

            "Then please ask him: kin we live in peace, 'til she decides?"

            "We kin try," said Buck.

            "We'll do our best," agreed Mill-wheel.

            Fodder-wing was beaming with joy at all of the men. "See? I told you these two was nice! I knowed we could git it settled! I cain't wait to tell Jody!"

            Oliver smiled at the boy and gently hugged him. At that gesture, Buck and Mill-wheel smiled warmly.