The Girl. by Laura Lee Fall

doesn’t go many
places”.
“Okay, I thought she would be working or all you”.
    Working on his project he added, “Nah the bar don’t open till 6:00 PM”.
“Oh thought their open all day Seth?”
“Yeah some are, but that’s how paw runs it, his way of things”.
“Well I’m going to go see your maw”, as she pointed to the big house.
Hammering away on his bike he replied, “Yeah she is cooking probably, because it’s Friday and
this family will be very busy”.
    “Oh okay, thanks Seth”, said Ella rather loudly and holding her ears, from the horrendous
banging. “No problem Ella”, smirking and thought girls are lightweights, as he saw her gripping
her ears and just kept working on his bike banging.
Ella went up onto the porch knocking on the door.
“It’s open,” yelled Brenda.
    With her eyes large Ella said, “Hello”, opening the door going in.
“Oh I know that sweet little voice”, coming from around the corner into the kitchen, she greeted
Ella.
    “Hi Brenda, I was in town and remembered what you told me to stop in, so I did”, said Ella
smiling.
“Oh sugar hello, I’m glad you did”.
She actually hugged Ella that smiled and after embracing her a few seconds.
Brenda said, “I missed you darling”.
Smiles big, as Brenda added, “Shoot I got boys around me always”.
Ella thought, for owning a bar; they are the nicest people she ever met and their mom is
always home was sure nice.
    Giving the fact that Ella since the age of thirteen was on her own.
Standing by the stove, Brenda said, “Darling you’re in time for some good hometown cooking”.
Ella was looking around the kitchen and there were many knick-knacks of roosters with farm
animals.
    Even the kitchen curtains were of cows and it was sure very country the whole house seem to be,
as she glanced into the dining room off the kitchen.
There was a big painting of Indians hanging on the center wall and right below a big wooden
hutch and setting on top of it was pictures of the boys.
Some were from school and others of sports they have played.
    Now Ella takes a longer look onto the hutch and gives a curious expression.
Since one picture that sat right in the center surrounding all the others, was a picture of the
Wiley boys.
    However, there were actually eight longhaired boys; naturally, they had those curls and waves
all through the long length.
Where are the other four boys that sure appeared to be Wiley’s?
Ella though, did not ask as she figured something bad must have happened to them and they
probably were in heaven.
    Furthermore, the family does not even mention any other boys, as the picture obviously showed
there were more boys at one time when Ella picked up a picture of Seth that had to be around
eleven or twelve, as she gasps mumbling, “Oh my the boy?”
    Setting it back down she stopped looking around and never pry, but seems the Wiley’s do hold
many secrets?
Brenda asked, “Will you join us for supper?” Closing the lid on a big kettle cooking on the stove.
“Oh no Brenda, I didn’t come to intrude; I need your help in a way”.
“Sure sweetie what’s wrong?”
    Standing by the counter, “Well I am getting older”, said Ella and Brenda smiled for she was a
baby yet and could tell.
Ella continued telling Brenda, “I saw you need help with dishes”.
Raising her eyebrows, Brenda now interrupted her and said, “Oh darling that’s a very hard job”.
Suddenly Seth walked in looking for the wrench as he hunted through a drawer making a mess.
“Shoot it's hard on him”, pointing to Seth.
“What is?” With his long curly bangs hanging directly into his eyes and raising her eyebrows,
“Nothing boy forget about it”, said Brenda annoyed.
“Sure”, grabbing the wrench out from the drawer.
“Hey Seth I wanted to mention something to you”.
“What maw?” Shook his hair to hang down covering his face more on purpose.
“That’s what I want to mention to you”, said Brenda pointing at