The O'Neal Girls Chapter 7

Chapter 7 

​            The following week, on a beautiful, sunny Wednesday morning, the Carter family was driving their wagon to the O’Neal’s house. The O’Neals spent the morning cleaning and cooking. Lillian, Belle, Cassandra, and the twins spent all morning in the kitchen; the others busily dusted and swept and mopped. Paul spent his morning chopping up some tree trunks. An hour before the Carter’s were due, Lillian began helping everyone get ready. She leaned her head out the door and called to her husband. 

​            “Paul! You have an hour until they come!” Lillian came back inside and heard one of the younger girls calling to her. 

“Can you button up my dress?” 

“Of course, Megan.” Lillian knelt down in front of the girl.

​            “I’m Lynn,” Lynn reminded. 

​            “Oh, I’m sorry. I’ll get your names right one of these days,” Lillian finished buttoning Lynn’s dress.  “Where is Megan?” 

​            “She wanted to give Thunder her apple core.” 

​            “Is Megan in her nice dress?” 

​            “Yes.” Lynn nodded. 

Lillian leaped up from the floor and ran outside calling for Megan. The others followed her curiously. 

​            “Megan! Stop!” Lillian cried as she saw Megan trying to balance on top of the fence rail. Because of recent rains, the pasture had become rather muddy lately. Everyone foresaw what was about to happen. All of them ran towards her shouting at her.

Paul exited the barn and rushed towards the tottering girl. He arrived just as Megan was falling forward—into the big pile of mud beneath her. He jumped up and plunged his hands over the fence, trying to grab Megan. That resulted in Paul and Megan both falling in the mud. Lillian dropped her head in her hands and released a long sigh. This morning was turning out to be rather hectic. 

​            “Megan!” Belle and Cassandra grumbled. 

​            The twins shook their heads and turned to go back inside. Danielle was the only one who saw the humor. She stood in front of the fence laughing as Paul and Megan made their way out of the mud. Paul glanced at his clothes and then at Megan. He too bellowed in laughter. He walked over beside Lillian and held out his arms. 

​            “You’re horrible!” Lillian cried backing away. “Belle, can you go help Megan find a new dress?” 

​            “Sure,” Belle said leading a muddy, giggly Megan away. 

Paul neared Lillian and grabbed her in a hug. Lillian shrieked in protest while Paul kissed her. 

“Paul! Now I’m all muddy!” she said in dismay. 

“I know,” Paul answered with a smile. 

​            “You can head straight to the wash room,” Lillian said to Paul. “And you,” she said turning to Danielle, “can stop that laughing!” 

​            “I can’t help it,” Danielle said between guffaws.  

Lillian suddenly began walking toward Danielle with a sly smile. 

“Uh, oh,” Danielle said backing away. “I know what you’re thinking.”  

Lillian reached Danielle and caught her, slathering mud all over Danielle’s dress. Danielle pretended to be very upset but Lillian knew Danielle really didn’t mind. Danielle wasn’t thrilled with the dress she was wearing anyway. The two women followed Paul inside and hurried to clean up. 

​            An hour later, the O’Neals were ready for the Carter family. Megan, Paul, Lillian, and Danielle were all in fresh clothing, and the food was waiting. The Carters arrived three minutes after twelve and entered the house. Jonathan Carter came in first with his wife, Eliza. Jonathan had light hair just like his eldest son and always had an awaiting smile. Eliza was a small woman with short red hair. Caleb and David strolled in next. The boys looked the same as they did the last time they met; Caleb and his sandy hair, and David with his dark hair. Lillian and Paul were introduced to the Carters and the girls were reunited. David happily announced he remembered all their names and proved himself. 

​            “Do you have any jokes or riddles for us, Davy?” Jinger asked Davy when he was finished. 

​            “A whole bunch!” Davy crowed, “I’ll tell you them after lunch.” 

​            “Do you have any presents, Caleb?” Nadia asked shyly. Caleb was prone to whittle small trinkets and toys out of wood for the girls. 

​            “I might just have some…let me see,” Caleb dug around in his pocket mischievously. 

Nadia, Megan, and Lynn waited patiently as they could. 

​            “Aha!” Caleb said retrieving three small, identical objects. He handed them each one. 

​            “Horses!” Lynn cried. 

​            “Just like Strawberry and Midnight!” Megan squealed. 

​            “So pretty!” Nadia said hugging Caleb’s leg. “Thank-you!” 

​            There was a chorus of “thank-yous” from the girls and Caleb shrugged each one away. ”I enjoyed it,” he replied. 

​            Lillian had everyone come into the kitchen to eat while the food was hot. A big platter of ham sat in the middle, a plate of potatoes stood beside the ham. A bowl of salad and fruit joined them. 

​ 

When lunch was over and the women were thanked, the men headed to the parlor and the women and the girls stayed in the kitchen to clean up. Paul and Jonathan began talking about the crop and lumber prices. Davy inserted a few words here and there but Caleb remained quiet. He kept glancing into the kitchen every so often. 

She looks so great today, Caleb thought, looking at Belle. She’s so— Caleb stopped as he felt a sharp jab in his ribs. He shot an angry look at David. He leaned over and whispered to him. ”What was that for?” 

​            “You’re staring at her,” Davy returned rolling his eyes. “It’s really obvious.” 

​            “Sorry,” Caleb said. “I just haven’t seen her in so long…” He trailed off as the women entered the parlor. 

​            “Paul,” Lillian said as the women walked in, “did you bring the extra chairs in?” 

Paul jumped up, “Oops, I forgot.” He started for the kitchen to bring some more chairs over. “Danielle? Do you mind helping?” 

​            Danielle stood up to follow him, but Jonathan, Caleb, and David leaped up too. 

​            “You have three grown men in the room and you ask your daughter?” Caleb chuckled.  

Danielle raised her eyebrows at him. ​“And…?”  

​            “You’re a woman!” Caleb exclaimed. 

​            “So? Women can carry chairs just as easily as men,” Danielle shot back. 

​            “Well…uh…it’s just not proper. Let us do it.” The Carters hiked after Paul to help him. 

Danielle sat back down in between Cassandra and Belle 

​​            “Danielle, you really need to act more like a woman,” Belle said quietly. 

​            “And you shouldn’t have embarrassed Caleb,” Cassandra added. 

​            “Caleb embarrassed me!” Danielle hissed back, “Just because I’m a woman doesn’t mean I can’t do some of the same things he can do.” 

​            “The boys are just trying to behave like gentlemen. It’s proper for the men to get things for the ladies,” Lillian said gently, ending the conversation.  

The men came down from the loft with the extra chairs and everyone found a seat. The men turned back to talking about corn and trees and the women spoke about the latest dress styles. Danielle moved away from the women in a hurry. She was content listening to the men. The younger girls bored easily too. They started a checkers tournament among the three of them. Eventually, Caleb stood up and asked for a drink. Belle readily volunteered to get him one. The two walked into the kitchen away from the group. 

~~~ 

​            Belle handed Caleb a glass of water and was about to return to the group when he caught her arm. 

​            “What?” she asked. 

​            “Do you still love me?” 

​            “Of course!” 

​            “Are you sure?” 

​            Belle looked down at her hands, “I think…I’ve been praying about us….” 

Caleb stretched out his hand and took hers. “I’ve always loved you Belle; ever since the first time I saw you plowing that field. Don’t give up on me Belle. I’ll come see you more often, I’ll do anything. I know this is God’s leading. I don’t want to lose you.” 

Belle smiled at him. “I just want to be absolutely sure.” 

“I understand but…I’m sure,” Caleb leaned over and quickly kissed Belle on the cheek. 

Belle blushed and looked at Caleb in surprise. ”Caleb…” she reprimanded softly. 

“I love you, Belle,” Caleb said again. 

~~~ 

Close to supper time, The Carters left. They had a long ride home ahead of them and they didn’t want to get home too late.​ Lillian and Belle packed the leftovers from lunch for the Carters to eat on the way.

“Thank-you for inviting us over,” Eliza said warmly. 

​            “We enjoyed everything!” Jonathan added. 

​            “It was good seeing everyone again,” Davy said climbing aboard the wagon. 

​            “Sure was,” Caleb agreed. 

​            The O’Neal family waved goodbye to the Carters as they vanished from view up the road.  

​            “We have chores to be done, girls,” Paul said heading towards the barn. 

​            Danielle, Elsie, and Faith followed him, Lillian, Belle, and Cassandra headed for the kitchen, and Hannah and Jinger cleaned up the parlor with help from the little girls. 

​ 

After chores and supper the day came to a close. Everyone was tired from the long yet enjoyable day. Paul and Lillian decided to send everyone to their rooms early. The girls weren’t thrilled with the idea. 

​            “You have school tomorrow,” Paul said as he kissed his complaining daughters. 

​            “But it’s only seven-thirty,” Faith pleaded. 

​            “Too bad,” Lillian said sending them off to bed. 

​            The girls trekked slowly off to their rooms. Cassandra, Danielle, and Belle lingered. 

​            “And what are you three doing?” Lillian said, hands on her hips. 

​            “We were talking,” Cassandra answered. 

​            “Just like we always do,” Danielle added. 

​            “Oh, no. You three, off to bed,” Lillian said shaking her head. 

​            “But, Paul!” Danielle said, shifting hopeful eyes to Paul. 

​            “You need your rest,” Paul agreed with Lillian. 

​            “Fine,” Cassandra sighed.

The girls called out their goodnights.​

Paul said goodnight to the girls then to Danielle and Cassandra he said, “I’ll need your help tomorrow.” 

​            “Okay. I’ll be ready,” Danielle said as walked up to the loft. 

~~~ 

Lillian was sleeping peacefully at two a.m. She was stirred awake when she felt someone tapping her shoulder. She rolled over to the edge of the bed and peered through the darkness. After a few seconds, she recognized fair-haired Nadia standing before the bed in her long, white nightgown, looking like a miniature angel. 

​            “Nadia, honey, is something wrong?” she asked the girl. 

“”Yes,” the girl answered. 

​            “What’s wrong?” 

​            “I woke up and the house smelled different.” 

​            Lillian hid a smile. Little children will wake you up for anything, won’t they? Lillian propped her head up and looked at Nadia. ”What did it smell like?” 

​            “Smoke.” 

​            It took Lillian a split second to register what Nadia had said. She sat up and leaned over to where Paul was snoring. 

​            “Paul,” she said shaking him. “Paul!” 

​            Paul muttered something Lillian couldn’t understand. 

​            “Pa-aul!” she cried urgently, slapping him in the stomach.

​            “What?” he mumbled sitting up. 

​            “Nadia said she smelled smoke!” 

​            Paul swung his legs over the bed, groped for his pants and tugged them on under his nightshirt. Lillian jumped out from the other side of the bed and reached for her robe. The couple reached the doorway at the same time. They looked out and stared in amazement. Lillian’s hand came up over her mouth; Paul ran a hand through his thick hair. They both uttered the same word: 

​            “Fire!”