Drifting from Deadwood by Ramona Flightner

Author:Ramona Flightner [Flightner, Ramona]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Sweet Promise Press
Published: 2019-06-07T04:00:00+00:00

* * *

The following day, Lance knocked on Peter’s door and smiled as the young boy looked at him with relief. “Happy it’s someone other than your mother and Mrs. Wagner?” he asked with a chuckle. He entered and sat on the chair at the foot of the bed.

Peter had a fresh bandage wrapped around his head, he wore a clean set of pajamas, and a sheet covered him as he lay on his bed. A book was by his side, although it remained unopened.

Lance frowned. “Why aren’t you reading?”

Peter grimaced. “The words are jumbled and blurry. It makes my head hurt worse.” He sighed. “Mama reads to me when she has time, and Simon tells me stories. But I think he prefers to be outside, working with you.”

Lance nodded and set his small package at the foot of the bed. “He does. He’s determined to learn how to hammer as quickly as I do. So far, he’s nearly busted three fingers.” He shook his head as he looked at Simon’s older brother. “He will forever try to keep up.”

“No,” Peter said. “He’ll surpass us. That is how Simon is.” He smiled with brotherly pride.

“I’d think you’d find your younger brother more annoying than you do.” Lance leaned forward and rested his forearms on his knees as he studied Peter.

Peter shrugged. “I’ll always be older and wiser, but I’ll never be as brave as Simon.”

Lance frowned. “Then why didn’t Simon go on those rocks? He said he refused, and you taunted him. That that’s why you fell.”

Peter paled, and his eyes rounded.

Lance said, “Ah, Simon fibbed.” When Peter nodded, Lance rose. “Simon?” he called out and waited as he heard the clatter of his young feet running downstairs and then clambering up the stairs. “I have a question for you,” he said to the youngest brother when Simon stood in front of him. Lance shut the door to afford them privacy.

“Yes, Mr. Lance?” he asked.

Lance placed his hands on his hips and furrowed his brows. “Why did you lie to me?”

Simon paled, and his gaze shot to his brother for an instant before he looked back at the man waiting for an answer. “I… I didn’t want Mama to know the truth. She’s already worried about me,” Simon whispered. He ducked his head as though in shame.

Lance sat down, and he was at the youngest boy’s eye level. “Don’t lie. You almost always get caught. Either because the person you were with was truthful or because you can’t remember your lies.” He sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. “Besides, your life is better if you are truthful.”

“Why?” Simon asked in a small voice. “Mama is always mad at me when she realizes I’ve acted wild again.”

“That is a question you must ask your mother. She has fears to face, and you can help her confront them,” Lance said in a gentle voice. “However, you should try to always tell the truth.” He smiled at Simon. “I don’t want to be a hypocrite as we all tell little fibs here and there.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.