Destined By Proxy

~22~ Behind Enemy Lines

Eli's POV

We all have a gleam in our eye as we sit down at the table for supper tonight, and look at the platters of blue gill fried up.

It's been so long since any of us took time to go fishin'.

Micah sits at the head of the table, and nods in appreciation at the amount that Ezra caught—I even catch Miss Hatfield eyin' the meal excitedly.

"What's takin' Levi so long?" Micah grumbles as we all sit, waitin' for him.

"Want me to find him?" I ask.

Micah sighs as he nods. "Fish ain't as good when it's not hot."

"You guys start. I'll find him," I say over my shoulder as I walk out of the house.

He's in the barn, muckin' out the last stall. "Ya still ain't done with this?!?" I gasp, and he shoots me a look.

"I took a break a few hours ago so I could do some chores," he mutters as he throws out more soiled straw.

"Micah is waitin'. Put it down and go in."

"I can't. I still didn't finish the list he gave me today," he snaps as he continues to work.

"He's gonna be mad iffin he has to eat cold fish. Ya know as well as I do that he won't start until we're both at the table. Hurry up."

Levi curses under his breath as he puts down the pitchfork. He goes out of the barn and quickly washes at the well, and then hurries inside.

And like I expected, nobody has eaten a thing.

"Sorry," Levi mumbles as he sits at his spot. Micah watches him carefully, and then glances at me and studies my face.

"You alright?" Micah finally asks, and I nod. "Yeah."

~*~

Supper was great. I really hope the girl took notes, because Rachel makes the best blue gill this side of Virginia.

The women clear the dishes and the youngins go outside to play while the four of us sit around the table like normal.

"I ate more of that than I shoulda. You did right good, Ezra. Maybe we should send ya fishin' more often...I forget how much I like it." Micah says as he rubs his belly and leans back in his chair.

I eat another cookie that Rachel left on the table, and Micah looks between the three of us carefully.

"Now that it's just us...Who's gonna tell me what's goin' on?"

When we all stay silent, he turns to Ezra—and that irritates me. That's always been his go-to, because he knows Ezra will tell him the truth.

"What happened Ezra?" Micah asks gruffly, but before he can say anythin' I interrupt.

"Leave him alone. It's between me and Levi."

Micah raises his eyebrows in surprise as he looks between us.

"Ok, so one of ya start talkin'...Now....."

Levi lets out a defeated breath. "I have half of one stall left and a few more chores. I'll finish them 'fore I go ta bed."

Micah nods as he studies our brother. "Alright—I can appreciate that....But what's really goin' on to make Elijah so cross with ya?"

"Nothin's goin' on. I was upset, and I talked to him about it—That's it. Ya don't need'ta ALWAYS git in the middle," I snip.

Micah nods calmly again, and I instinctively git a pit in my stomach. That's always been what he does right before he sends whoever it is to the barn for a lickin'. That cool, calm nod is what ya DON'T want to see.