Without Entitlements

2: Someone new

Today after I woke up and ate breakfast with papa, I went to meet the tenants. It has taken a while for them to get used to the idea of a girl taking care of most of their problems now, but since most of them have seen me grow up, it was easier to accept someone they already knew and were familiar with than a total stranger. Even then, I could always see in some of the older men's eyes something that I could not quite place down, either their disapproval of a girl running her father's business or the hurt in their egos that a younger person was now in charge and they had to answer to me.

The morning was beautiful, and the field of wildflowers looked even more radiant and imposing, as I pass by in my way to the tenants. They seem to be asking for everyone to admire their beauty and daring anyone to take them away from the place they had chosen on their own accord. They knew how to choose what they wanted to do and where they wanted to do it and with all the self confidence in the world stood by their decisions and grew proud of them.

After a long time of visiting one tenant or another, and collecting the rent along to annotating any fixes the houses needed or any problems the families were having that I could help them with, I finally came upon the Green family, they have a little farming land which was almost not enough to feed the mouths of the six kids of theirs. Fortunately their older son was born before I was and had enlisted in the military to help his family out besides making his own way in life outside of their little farm. I remember seeing a lot of him when I was younger- Jack is his name- because his mom used to work for the house before they had so many more kids and she had to stay behind to take care of them and help more with the farming. Jack also started helping out his father and even before that he never talked much with me, not like Edward anyways. However, when both of the boys were put in the same space together, they used to get along pretty well. They would go on for hours talking about horses, I remember both of them shared an obsession with it. They would also talk about what I deemed at the time to be boys' matters so I did not pay much attention to it. The only reason why I noticed really, was because Edward would stop paying attention to me and Mary when jack would enter the room, though I would not get too mad because it would give us girls the opportunity to do some mischievousness that Edward would not let us partake in otherwise.

When I was going to knock on the door of their house the door suddenly opened and out came Ms. Green with a kid no more than 7 years old on toe. She noticed me standing there and blurted, "Oh dear you are here! I am so sorry we are in such a mess right now. Joseph and some of the kids hasn't come back for lunch yet and the teacher of the smaller kids is sick."

"Oh, do not worry much about me Ms. Green, I just came to see what I could help with but I do not mind waiting for you to get things more under control. Tell me if there is anything I can help with," I replied.

"No dear, no. Don't worry I would see that the food gets in the hands of Joseph and as soon as I'm done I'll return, Lily will stay with you," she assured me and bellowed for Lillian to come into the dining room where I was now standing, "Lily! get here right now, make Miss William some company," she then redirected her attention to me, "this kid gets lost playing with the plants and sticks but don't worry she can keep anyone entertained." I agreed to what she said and thanked her for worrying about my company, while telling her that I would do my best to look after the kids that were left in the house. She thanked me and apologized once again before leaving to deliver the food to her husband and the kids that were helping him at the farm. 

While I waited for Lily to get into the room, I started to wash the dishes that were left in the sink. I admire all the work that Ms. Green has to do for her family, and if I can do this little task to help lessen the amount, then I would gladly do it. All of the sudden, a 12 years old girl comes barging into the room and I look up surprised. Thankfully, I had finished washing the dishes and putting them away, and none of them suffered from my momentary moment of surprise. I realized it was Lily and so I get more settled down.

"So sorry Ms. Williams, I didn't mean to scare you, I was just excited to have your company. My mamma tell me it is not right for a girl to behave like that but I can't help it miss," says the little girl, somewhat ashamed of her actions. So I hurry up to lessen her worry and reply in a sympathetic tone, "Lily, do not worry about that. Everyone makes mistakes. You being excited is okay, but maybe next time be a little more careful because I could have broken one of the dishes. Thankfully nothing happened, so stop worrying for now." The girl gives me a big smile and reaches out to grab my hand and lead me to a sitting space towards the entrance of the house. I have failed to see any of the smaller kids so I assume Ms. Green left with them.

While I am sitting down with Lily hearing her ramble all about her studies and her sick teacher, the door opens suddenly, startling me once again, and in comes a young man of imposing height and defined cheekbones, with his hair all tousled from the wind that I am assuming came from riding a horse. He is announcing quite loudly, " Momma, your favorite son is finally home!" All of the sudden the rambling girl besides me stands up from the couch like one of those clowns that come out of the surprise boxes and attacks the newcomer with a hug crying about how glad she is her brother is finally home. 

Then it hits me! This young gentleman is wearing an army uniform which means that he is most likely Jack. He has changed so much! He used to be somewhat chubby, but the years in the army have strengthen him, and he has grown so much. Oh my god, why am I staring at him, and why pray tell is he looking at me with that weird look on his face now?