Part 2 of "In The Woods When First We Met"

222. The Whistle of the Train

Jane was the one who saw Billy first, as he walked slowly toward the house, with Gilbert at his side.

"Mother! Mother, Father- come quickly! It's Billy!"

Her parents rushed to her, with Prissy close behind.

Whatever Billy was afraid of, he did not have to face it yet, because the first order of business for his parents was just to be glad he was home.

Billy was nearly pressed to death with hugs, and both Prissy and his mother were crying. Gilbert hung back, letting them have their moment as a family.

When the fussing died down, the Andrews looked over to Gilbert.

"Gilbert, did you help find Billy?" Mrs. Andrews asked, and then to Billy she said, "Were you lost, darling?"

Gilbert did not answer, letting Billy give the explanation himself.

Billy opened his mouth to say something, but before he could, his father cut in, asking angrily, "Why on earth would you tell Josie what you did?"

"Uh-"

Mrs. Andrews told him tearfully, "Now Josie and her mother have gone all over town telling everyone the truth!"

Billy nodded, unsure of what to do.

His father shook his head at him. "You should have left well enough alone, son. You've made everything worse for yourself and for us!"

Mrs. Andrews began to cry. "The things people are saying about us!"

Billy began, "Well, Josie wouldn't have known if it hadn't been for..."

Billy was sure Jane had been waiting at home for him, expecting him to storm into the house and tell their parents about the way she had tricked him into admitting to Josie what he'd done.

"If it hadn't been for what, son?"

"Uh..." Billy's eyes locked with Jane's.

He saw how upset his little sister looked.

Jane was already treated badly by their parents for outing him to the Cuthberts.

If he told them she'd outed him to Josie...and through Josie to the entire town...

Only a few hours ago, he couldn't wait to get her into trouble. But something was stopping him, and he didn't know what it was, but he found himself unable to hurt her.

Speaking to his parents, but still looking at Jane, he finally said, "Well...I wanted to tell Josie."

Jane's eyes changed.

"Billy..." Mrs. Andrews began, upset, shaking her head.

"I wanted her to change the rumors. It wasn't fair for everyone to think Fido...uh, Anne...did something wrong. It was me. I had to tell the truth."

Billy was too afraid to look at his parents, and instead looked to Gilbert.

The expression on Gilbert's face was one he'd seen Gilbert give lots of people before, but never him.

Billy took a deep breath and finally looked his parents in the eye.

"I don't know what to do," his mother said, near panic. "How can we survive this?"

"We...we have to figure something out," Mr. Andrews faltered.

"I'll be going, then," Gilbert said quietly. "See you."

Billy's parents didn't even notice Gilbert turning to walk away, and hurried their son into the house, followed quickly by Prissy.

But Jane hung back, wanting to speak to Gilbert.