Redemption

Click awoke him shortly before breakfast the next morning. When he walked into the kitchen, the adults were having a hushed, whispered disagreement in the front room. In this, Grandpa and Grandma were insisting upon something, with Ma adamantly denying it.

“Are they talking about us?” David asked his unseen friend.

“Yes,” she replied, “You grandparents are talking about going to the sheriff, but Ma is arguing that there is nothing that he can do.” Lapsing, she listened, and then she added, “Now, they are talking about taking the matter to a preacher.”

“I don’t know what to do,” the boy thought as he looked around for something to eat, “I don’t want them afraid of me, but I will not hurt you!”

“Give them time,” the image assured, “It was a pretty big shock for them.” Then, looking towards the hall, she added, “Here they come.”

“He still needs to eat,” Ellen said over her shoulder as she entered the kitchen.

“Well, he can just-.” William began, falling silent upon seeing him.

“Tell them good morning,” her voice said in his mind, “Like always.”

“Good morning,” he said brightly.

“Good morning, Baby,” Ma said in matching warmth.

“Yeah,” Grandpa nodded.

“Dad!” Ellen growled in warning. At this, he heaved an angry sigh.

“Good morning David,” he said rigidly.

“Tell him that it was I who fed the fires last night, as it got cold in the night,” the entity instructed.

“Click said to tell you that it was she who fed the fires last night, because it got cold.” Hearing this, the old man took on an uncertain look. Finally, he nodded.

“Tell her thanks, but she can leave that to me from now on.”

“How did that little thing do that?” Ma asked in open curiosity.

“She is capable of many things,” David assured her, “In fact . . .” Pausing, the boy listened, and then he added, “She says that she has some ideas of how she can help us fix the house up.”

“Well! Now, that’s nice!” His mother cooed, and then looking at her father, she pressed, “Wouldn’t you say?” At first, he just looked at the floor. Finally, with Ma’s clearing her throat, he nodded.

“Yeah. It sure is.”

Breakfast, needless to say, was an uncomfortable experience for all.

Cathy noticed Grandpa’s bad mood. Still, Ma made a valiant effort to distract her from this.

“You poor little thing!” She winced, “Your coat is so ragged!”

“My grandparents can’t afford a new one this year,” the child explained, “As my grandmother has been sick.”

“Well, when you come over, I will sew up the tears in it,” Ma promised.

Still, she seemed ill at ease over the old man’s sullen demeanor. Later, when she joined Fall on the corner, she gave him an uncertain look.

“Is your grandfather mad at me?”

“No,” David replied, “he is mad about something that I told him.”

“Oh,” she accepted. Then, uncertainly, she asked, “Was it that I wanted to come over this weekend?”

“No,” David assured her, “it was something that I had to tell him about me.”

“So, am I still allowed to come over this weekend?”

“Of course. Remember? Ma wants to fix your coat for you,” he reminded as they started walking once more.

“You are right,” she decided, “Your mother is nice.”

Both Miss Thatcher and Cathy were amazed that David had read the entire chapter. Later, when Ricky revealed that he had not read the assignment at all, the teacher mentioned them as part of his scolding. Still, as he was a bully, this led Greesome to make an idiot of himself.

“David and Cathy have read the whole chapter!” She said, “So, don’t tell me that it was too hard!”

“That’s because she is too poor to do anything else!” The bully sneered, “And there were no dogs for him to kill!” At this, the blonde beauty lost her temper. Stomping up to her desk, she fetched her paddle.

“Get your things!” She ordered starting towards the brute, “Get your things, then put on your coat and get out! Go home! You are suspended until I talk to your father!” This robbed the boy of his toughness.

“What?” He whined pleadingly, “No! I can’t-”

“Get out! I have had enough of your disruptions and bullying the other students who are trying to put forth an effort to learn!”

“But, my Pa will tan my hide!”

“Good for you! Now get out, before I do so as well!”

The bully was crying before he left the building. However, to Fall’s horror, when he looked over at Cathy, he saw that he was not the only one. Numbed with pity, he reached over to pat the quietly weeping girl on the back.

“It’s okay,” he promised softly, “You won’t be poor forever.”

The rest of the day bore a somber feel despite its being a Friday. The pretty teacher repeatedly hugged Cathy, and seemed to be constantly taking off her glasses to wipe her eyes. Moreover, at recess, Jenny, Angeline and Tina walked over to sit with the smaller girl. Even the ever-jovial Zak grew angry at the bully’s cruelty.

“I hope that, someday, I am big enough to clobber that creep!” He hissed. In response, big Ewing nodded.

“I am going to beat him up every chance I get from now on,” he swore. Then, looking around, he reminded “It is like Miss Thatcher said at the beginning of the year: None of us can help what kind of money that our folks have.”

“I am going to help her,” Click promised in his mind, “Just to spite that goof!”

“What can you do?” The boy wondered hopefully.

“I don’t know just yet,” the entity replied, “But I will think of something!”

That evening, the gang insisted that Cathy join them. By that time, the other girls had taken a protective liking to her, with Jenny promising to slug Ricky at her next opportunity. Once they were alone, David made her laugh by recalling a silly boy that he knew in Savannah. Moreover, when they parted, he made her promise that she would come over the next day, as early as possible.

“Children are amazing,” Click decided as he continued on to his home, “They are capable of intense cruelty when they don’t like someone. But, when they know that someone is hurt, they can be veritable angels of mercy!”

In reaching the house, an even greater upset awaited the boy, because he found Grandpa and Ma already there. More, William was mad, while she and Grandma were crying.

“The union tried to organize the workers,” Ellen explained, “And the owner of the business found out, and shut the company down!”

“So you don’t have a job?” David asked in sad amazement.

“Nope,” Grandpa replied in bitter flatness, “Not until we find another one.”