Destined By Proxy

~32~ The Evil Strap

Hi friends!

I won't post an update next Tuesday, because I will be on vacation. I'll be back the following Tuesday and hopefully I can start getting bonuses out again ❤️❤️❤️

Eli's POV

When the dance starts up again, minus a fiddle, we leave after Rachel grabs her dishes that she brought for the potluck. When we git outside, Micah scans the area and sees Ezra sittin' in the wagon as instructed.

But we don't see Levi at all.

"Where is he?" Micah asks gruffly to Ezra, and Ezra stiffens at his place in the back as he makes eye contact.

"I don't know, sir. I haven't seen him."

"Think he went home?" Micah asks me, and I nod.

"I think that's exactly what he did"

Micah breathes deeply as he scans the farm, already almost dark.

"Iffin he ain't, I'll come back out and find him. I'll go check a few spots real quick before we leave."

Micah turns on his heels and walks off, and I look at Ezra with annoyance on my face.

"I'm sorry, Eli," he says softly, and I shrug.

"I tried, Ez. I asked ya to talk to him about it tomorra. I can't help ya now."

"Can you at least be there?" He asks softly as he avoids Maggie's stare, and I have to wonder if he actually has feelins for her outside of friendship....And I hope that he doesn't for his sake. I know firsthand what it's like to love a woman ya can't never have...But at least I have the luxury of not havin' to see her every day.

"Oh, I have a feelin' I'll be there whether I wanna be or not," I mutter.

When he simply looks at me with desperation in his eyes, I sigh. "I'll be there, Ez."

~*~

When Micah comes back without our brother, we git in our respective wagons and ride home. I almost feel bad for Ezra, ridin' in the back of the wagon by himself with Micah so riled. However, knowin' our eldest brother the way I do, I can almost guarantee that he is completely silent as he drives his team to the ranch.

"Will he be hurt?" Maggie asks softly on the seat next to me, and when I look over at her I see how worried about Ezra she really is.

And I understand. You expect Levi to git it, and often. When he does, it really ain't that big of a deal...At least for us.

It's different with Ezra. He very rarely needs more than a verbal reprimand, so when Micah decides more is needed, it can be hard to stomach.

"Spankins hurt, if that's what yur askin'."

"Micah just looks SO angry," she says quietly so the children in the back can't hear.

"He is. Ezra's got a bad one comin'. Micah takes pride in the Whitlock name, and anythin' that soils it ain't acceptable."

"Do you agree with that?"

I'm quiet as I try'n decide my own feelins with this whole thing.

"I think he deserves a lickin', yes. But I also know how nasty Levi can be to him. I doubt Micah woulda batted an eye iffin he settled it in the privacy of our ranch...But he embarrassed Micah tonight, and that's one of the worst things ya can do."

"Noted," she says as she stares straight ahead, and I laugh out loud as I click my tongue for the horses to move faster, tryin' to keep up with Micah's rig. I can tell just in the way he's drivin' that he's fumin'.