The O'Neal Girls Chapter 2

Chapter 2

​ 

After breakfast, Lillian and Paul readied the girls for school.  The girls rushed around the house as they finished dressing and fixing their hair. 

​            “Does everyone have their papers?” Lillian said packing lunches. 

​            “No, I can’t find my math homework,” Megan called. 

​            “I saw it in our room,” Lynn said. Megan ran off to find it while the other girls jumped into the wagon. 

​            “Remember, Elsie and Faith are in charge,” Paul instructed. “You have an hour to get to school.” 

Lynn and Megan raced outside and jumped into the back of the wagon. 

​            “Goodbye!” Elsie and Faith called as the Clydesdales trotted forward. Belle, Cassandra, and Danielle waved goodbye. Paul took Thunder out to the woods with him and the rest went back into the house. 

​            After the kitchen was cleaned up Lillian asked what the girls planned to do for the morning. 

​            Danielle laced her shoes. “Cassandra and I are going to go help Paul for the morning,” she said to Lillian. 

​            “Be careful,” Lillian said. 

​            Danielle grinned and waved goodbye to Lillian. Cassandra smiled at Lillian and followed Danielle to the barn. 

“And you?” Lillian asked Belle. 

“I want to go back to our house and salvage some clothing and such if I can,” Belle said. The past two weeks had left little time for long trips. Everyone had spent their time building the extra room in the O’Neal cabin. 

“That’s a good idea,” Lillian nodded. “I’ll go find you a bag to take along.” Lillian went to her room and soon returned with a bag. She handed it to Belle, “Here this should work fine. You can just wear it on your back while you ride.” 

“Thanks. I’m going to use Midnight if that is alright.” 

“Of course.” 

“I should be back around supper.” Belle left the house, saddled Midnight, and began the long ride back to the old Hansen cabin up in the Black Hills. 

~~~ 

Belle was almost at her cabin when she heard a deep voice singing. Her eyes riveted up the left where a horse and rider where coming near her. It can’t be, Belle thought when she saw the blonde hair. Oh! It is him!​ 

“Belle Hansen?” the man said pulling his white horse up near Belle. 

​            “Caleb Carter?” Belle returned. 

​            Caleb swung down and ran to Belle. He reached up and helped her off the saddle. He flashed a happy smile at her. ​”Belle! I haven’t seen you in a while!”

​            “I wasn’t sure when we’d see each other again!” Belle smiled up at him. 

​            “Where are you living now?” 

​            Belle pulled away, ”It’s a long story.” 

​            “I have all day.” Caleb led Belle to a tree where they both sat down and Belle told the about her new home at the O’Neals. The sun was shining it’s warmth on the earth and the autumn wind blew gently across the grasses. It was wonderful time for Belle and Caleb to meet. Both were nearly exploding with the joy of reuniting. 

~~~ 

Cassandra rolled up her sleeves. “This is harder than I thought,” Cassandra muttered. She straightened and took a deep breath.

​            Danielle pushed the hair out of her eyes as she swung the axe over her head and down on the thick branch she was chopping. “Well, Paul said he only has two more trees that we need to do.”

​            Cassandra sighed, “I just can’t wait for a break.”

​            “You can take a break anytime,” a voice called. Lillian walked towards them with Oakley and two flasks of water.

            “Hi Oakley!” Cassandra said as she reached out to take him from Lillian.

            Lillian handed the larger flask of water to Danielle and set the smaller one aside. “The small one is for Paul; I’m sure he ran out by now.”

​            “Thanks,” Cassandra said while Danielle took a huge gulp, splashing water here and there. Oakley giggled but Cassandra sighed loudly, “How do you expect to win a husband acting like that?”

            Danielle looked up at her sister and cocked her eyebrow. ​”I don’t expect to win one?” she replied testing her answer.

​            “That is the silliest thing I have ever heard!”

​            “Well, I have more important things to worry about,” Danielle said coming back to the axe and tree. She swung the axe into the air and deftly caught it without nicking herself.

            “Be careful!” Lillian admonished.

​            “I’ll be fine,” Danielle moaned rolling her eyes.

​            “I’m serious!” Lillian shot back. “If you don’t start being careful, you’ll never have to worry about getting a husband!”

​            Danielle ducked her head and grinned. “That’s not a bad idea,” she said.

            Lillian tossed her hands in the air. “What am I going to do with you?”

            Danielle shrugged, “I don’t know.”

            Cassandra shook her head and handed Oakley back to Lillian. “I’ll keep my eye on her,” Cassandra promised. “And I’ll make sure she behaves. Right, Danny?”

            Danielle stood ramrod straight and saluted. “Yes, ma’am!”

~~~

Caleb and Belle stopped at the fork in the road. Belle had collected a bundle of dresses and blankets and some miscellaneous utensils. Caleb had rode with her and helped her salvage her items. 

​            “This is where I leave,” Caleb said. He looked longingly at Belle.  

“I had a wonderful time today,” Belle said. 

Caleb took her hand. “Me too. I hope we’ll see each other again real soon.” 

​            Belle nodded. ”I must get back. I need to be back before dark.” Belle smiled one last time at Caleb and cantered off. 

~~~ 

Supper was cleaned up and the younger girls had all their homework finished by the time Belle made it back home. She floated in through the door with her knapsack of items.  

​            “Sorry I was late. I had a lengthy conversation with an old friend,” she said. She dropped the bag on the kitchen table and went upstairs. 

​            “Caleb,” Cassandra said. 

​            “Who’s Caleb?” Lillian asked with interest. 

Cassandra turned to Lillian and Paul, “Caleb Carter isn’t just an ‘old friend’ like Belle said. He’s her beau. They began seeing each other a few weeks before we were arrested.” 

​            “Is he a nice man?” Paul asked. 

​            “Oh yes. He is very nice and he loves Belle very much.” 

​            “Do you think Belle would mind if I spoke to her about him?” Lillian questioned. 

​            “Maybe…” Cassandra said. 

​            Lillian stood and walked up to the loft. Belle was picking up dirty clothing when Lillian walked in. 

​            “Belle, could I talk to you?” Lillian asked sitting down on the bed. 

​            Belle looked warily at Lillian. "What?"  

“Cassandra mentioned she thinks you met a Caleb Carter on your trip today.”  

Belle blushed brightly. ​”Yes, I did. I can explain. You see, Caleb and I met a few weeks before we were arrested. We became good friends and then he eventually asked to court me and I agreed. I wasn’t sure at first; with my duties as a mother, it’s hard to fit in other things.” 

​            “That’s what I’m here for,” Lillian cut in. “Now you can go ahead and take a few hours to yourself; take time to go see Caleb.”  

Belle frowned slightly but it vanished within seconds. ​”I better get the laundry downstairs,” Belle stood up and carried the bundle of clothes downstairs.  

Lillian watched curiously. Why does she act so strange around me? 

~~~

            Danielle flopped down on the couch in her nightgown and robe. She let her feet stretch out across the couch seat and her mid-back-length hair fall over the arm rest. Paul was doing some figuring over in his chair. Lillian and Belle came into the living room from the kitchen and grabbed the mending basket. Everyone else was tired and had gone to sleep.

​            “I’m surprised you’re still awake,” Lillian said pushing Danielle’s feet off the couch.

            Danielle sat up straight. “I’m not sleepy yet.”

​            “Since you’re so eager to stay up,” Lillian began pulling some torn and ripped clothes out of the basket, “you can help me mend these.” She tossed a pair of pants at Danielle.

​            “I’m no good at sewing,” Danielle complained from underneath the pants.

​            “That’s why you’re going to practice.”

            Belle and Lillian grabbed needles and began on their dresses and shirts while Danielle began on the pair of pants. With such a big family, the older women spent some extra time sewing clothing for the family. Because they couldn’t afford to buy store bought clothing for the entire family, the women were required to fashion their own. They spent a half hour working on the holes before Paul demanded the girls go to bed. Belle fled up to the loft while Danielle said goodnight.

​            “Belle?” Danielle said once she reached the loft.

​            “What?”

​            “Don’t you like the O’Neals?”

​            “Of course I do! That was a silly question.”

​            “You don’t act like it.” Danielle crawled into bed.

            Belle didn’t answer right away so, Danielle waited a moment.

​            “Well…I’m too old for a mother and father now if that’s what you mean,” Belle said finally.

​            “You’re never too old for parents,” Danielle shot back. “Lillian and Paul have helped a lot ever since I’ve been here. Just give them a chance!”

​            “I’m upset that you girls are forgetting all about Mama and Papa! Mama and Papa are important to me and the O’Neals are stealing you girls away from them.”

​            “Stealing us away? They are trying to help us! We’ve been without parents for six years and they want us to feel welcome and loved!”

            “Look at you! You’re already forgetting Mama and Papa. You’re getting attached to the O’Neals.”

            “I am not!” Danielle declared defensively. “Not really…we’re simply friends…I just think we should give the O’Neals a chance. They’re good people…Mama and Papa would be proud to know that the O’Neals adopted us.”

            “Mama wanted me to raise you girls; not Mrs. O’Neal,” Belle muttered angrily.

            “Mama was wrong to ask you to raise us!” Danielle shot back.

            “How dare you!” Belle snapped. “How can you say such a thing?!”

            “You were only twelve. Mama shouldn’t have asked a young girl to take on that big of responsibility.”

​            “I won’t discuss this anymore,” Belle stated firmly. “You’re completely brainwashed by the O’Neals. They are filling your head with nonsense.”

            Danielle glared at her sister. “You have no right to say that about the O’Neals.”

            “I’m going to bed!” Belle rolled over and ceased speaking.

            Danielle hushed and crawled into bed. “Goodnight,” she muttered.

Chapter Three