Destined By Proxy

~3~ Bushel of Brothers

Elijah's POV

"What are you two doin'?" I ask as I pretend to be stern and glare at my knucklehead brothers as they wrestle with pitchforks.

"Don't tell me yur gonna act like Micah now....." Levi snorts as he holds out his pitchfork and tries to poke Ezra in the leg.

"No, I just wanna git my story straight, so when Ezra stabs you in the gut with his pitchfork, I can tell Micah why the calves didn't git branded."

At 19, Levi is still as ornery as our bull Roscoe. He is constantly tryin' to git out of work, and he's the reason Micah is startin' to get a permanent scowl on his face.

Ezra, on the other hand, is the exact opposite. He is more stern and serious like Micah, but his twin brother irritates the snot outta him...He usually gives up and wallops Levi after his patience is gone.

I ain't foolin' when I said Ezra will get the pitchfork into Levi...He's also stronger, smarter, and quicker.

They may have been born on the same day, but they are vastly different. Micah and Ezra were the towheads of the family, and when they were younger their hair was almost white. The older they've gotten, it's darkened a great deal and gold has replaced the white-blonde locks.

Levi and I got our brown hair and tanned skin from our momma, who's ancestors were Lebanese. We look like twins instead of the actual twins.

"Micah ain't here...Just you...You're tellin' me this ain't yur favorite time of the year?" Levi grins as he dodges Ezra's advances and spins so he's out of danger.

I return his smile with my own and simply nod...Micah may have kept this family together when Pa died, and keeps this ranch runnin' smoothly, but he's far too strict—Especially with Levi.

"I'm gonna head out for a bit. You two don't kill each other, huh?"

"Thought the calves needed branded," Levi says innocently as he stabs his pitchfork into the ground and leans on it. Ezra takes that opportunity to strike, and pokes him hard in the rear.

"YOUCH!" Levi cries as he grabs his rump and glares at his brother. "That ain't fair! I was talkin'!"

Ezra cracks a small smirk as he puts his own pitchfork in the dirt and simply walks out to where the calves are.

"As I said, I'll be out for a bit. Micah will be home day after next, so I suggest ya git the chores done before that, huh?"

"Same to you, brother...I haven't seen the south corral git re-fenced yet....." Levi smirks.

I hide a grimace as I head to my horse. I've definitely put off the fence...I've been too busy doin' Micah's chores today.

~*~

I ride into town and smile to myself when I see Catherine Salders talkin' with one of her cousins, Natasha, over at the schoolhouse. I get off my horse and smirk when she sees me.

"Looks like ya had a tryin' day," Catherine sighs as Natasha shakes her head in frustration.

"The Olton's think they're such God-fearin' Christian's, but they've got the worst children. Jamie better pray to the Almighty that he does his sentences by tomorrow."

"What did he do?" Catherine asks as she hides a smirk behind her hand.

Natasha grimaces as she blows out a breath. "He made spitballs."

"Spitballs?" I nod in appreciation as I smirk at Catherine, and then Natasha. "Not a bad choice...I made a few spitballs in my day."

"Elijah Whitlock! I surely hope you got yur knuckles rapped like Jamie did today!" Natasha admonishes sternly.