Trials of Faith

Chapter VIII

Chapter VIII

Peter waits impatiently for his siblings' 11 o'clock train to arrive, eager to see them all again. His mother had put him to work around the house for the duration of the last couple days, so he had quickly volunteered to drive to pick his siblings up. His motives are selfish, he knows, but if he had to beat one more carpet.... Suddenly, the train pulls into the station, and he begins scanning the influx of passengers coming off the train. He spots them only because of Edmund's hideous light blue holiday sweater that he had gotten from their grandmother the previous year.

"Edmund! Susan! Lucy!" He shouts and makes his way towards them to help with luggage.

"Look!" Susan says. "There's Peter!"

Lucy runs up to greet him with the embrace of a hug. Suddenly, she feels something rough against her face. Once Peter releases her from the hug, she notices the stubble on his chin.

"Uh," Lucy begins. "What's that?" She points to his face.

"This?" Peter chuckles. "This is my face, Lu."

"You know what I mean!" Lucy says.

"Oh, that. Well, I was thinking about growing a beard." Peter says hesitantly. "Like when we were in Narnia..."

"Don't!" Susan, Edmund, and Lucy say in unison.

"What, you didn't like my beard then?" Peter teases.

"No one had the heart to tell you how awful it was," Susan says. "Not even Aslan Himself." She giggles.

"Hey!" He says, playfully shoving her.

"It's the bloody truth!" Edmund laughs.

Lucy nods in agreement.

"What? Ed had a beard too, you know!" Peter says, smiling.

"It worked for Edmund." Lucy explains.

Peter looks at Lucy, mock hurt flitting across his face. "Fine, I'll have to get my revenge!" He growls, then begins to tickle her.

Lucy begins to giggle harder now, though while he tickles her, she notices his hands are cracked, bleeding, and work worn. 'What had he been doing?' She decides to wait and tell Edmund later. He would know what to do.

Edmund and Susan smile, momentarily forgetting the situation they are currently in.

"We should get back. Mother is expecting you all for dinner. I'll shave my beard this evening. "

"Speaking of Mother," Lucy says. "Hasn't she asked you to shave the beard by now?"

"Um-yes." Peter gives them a false smile. "Of course." He says as he takes the girls luggage and begins leading them towards the Pevensies' only car.

Lucy's smile fades as she realises what warrants Peter's reaction. There is a heavy silence as Peter loads the trunk.

"Susan thought of something that may help your case." Edmund says, breaking the silence.

"Oh?" Peter says, grateful for a change of subject.

Susan nods. "You know how Jacob's father Earl Schultz is in the military like Father?" Peter nods as he turns the engine of the car on.

At the word military, Peter's lips thin and his posture stiffens. "Yes." He replies as casually as he can manage.

"What's the look for, Peter?" Edmund asks. "I'm not the only one who notices these things."

"Nothing that concerns you. Forget it, Ed."

Edmund gives Peter dubious looks.

"May I continue?" Susan asks irritably.