1961, Wisconsin
Scott’s mother stood on their porch, her hand raised to shield her eyes from the late afternoon sun, her gaze fixed somewhere far on the southern horizon. The worried expression on her face sparked a tingling sensation of fear in the back of his neck. Mom didn’t usually look like that.
Her long auburn hair was tied in a loose ponytail. The white lace fringed apron she wore swirled in the brisk breeze that had picked up as the afternoon had progressed. She reached to smooth some errant locks, her other hand resting on her rounded, very pregnant stomach, as if shielding her unborn baby from any harm.
Scott, although just fourteen years of age, already nearly matched his mother’s five-foot-six height. A sense of pride and love filled his heart as he secretly observed his mother. He would never let any harm come to her, he would always be there for both his parents, his younger brother and his unborn sibling, no matter what.
Tension sneaked into his voice even though he tried to ignore the growing worry. “Is something wrong, Mom?”
The soothing smile that spread into his mother’s eyes calmed him instantly. “No, of course not, Scott. Your Dad knows what he’s doing.” Lovingly, she smoothed her hand over his short dark hair, and fixed her gaze to the horizon again. “I just wish he was back already.”
Scott raised his eyes to the empty sky as well, then let his gaze rest before him. To his right, about a hundred yards from the main house, lay their barn, its red plank walls gleaming with the fresh coat of paint he and his father had laid on it only a week ago. A smaller building that housed the feed, tackle and farming machinery stood behind it, still waiting for its new coating.
Their four horses stood in the corral, content, munching their way through a bale of hay Scott had taken them after the noon rainstorm subsided.
Some of his father’s prized dairy cattle grazed on a pasture behind the barn. Some, like the heifers, had been taken further away from the house, to graze on the fields with fresh grass growing, to let the pastures closer to the barn recover and grow.
The main house was a big, double story building with white plank walls and a gray tiled roof. A colorful, lush array of perennials decorated the front edge of the porch. To the left of the building several rows of currant bushes stood in the shadow of some apple trees. The afternoon breeze teased the leaves of the plants and the distinct, delicious aroma of the currants made Scott’s mouth water with the memory of their taste.
The vegetable plot behind the house didn’t evoke similar memories. Scott and his brother Brian disliked the well-organized patch of land enormously. Not because of the vegetables, although the thought of having to eat cabbage for instance made him groan internally, but because the responsibility of weeding the patch lay solely on their shoulders now that their mother was almost eight months pregnant.
The task of keeping the weeds out seemed never-ending, and their mother didn’t seem to understand their objections to the backbreaking job of tending to her carrots, onions and pumpkins. Her reply to their disgruntled complaints was always delivered with a sweet, tender smile and a loving kiss on both Scott’s and Brian’s cheeks. ‘But I have such skillful, able sons. I’m sure such a small plot is no obstacle for two such strong, young men.’
How could you resist that? Scott smiled to himself as he watched his mother look up to the sky.
Brian, Scott’s younger brother, came running from the barn. “Dad’s coming! I saw him when I climbed the ladder. Mom, he’s coming!”
“Brian. How many times have I told you not to climb to the roof of the barn?” scolded their mother. His face twisted into a shameful grimace as he realized he had been caught.
“I didn’t climb very high, Mom…”
“Never mind that now, Brian. Where did you see your dad?”
Brian twirled around and pointed up to the sky, toward a small speck that slowly made its way closer to the farm. “There!”
A smile spread on his mother’s pretty face as she grabbed hold of Scott's and Brian’s arms and pulled them with her. “Quick, get in the truck. He’s going to land on the back field soon.”
The excitement in the truck was tangible as they drove the short distance to the pasture. Brian leaned on the dashboard, gazing up toward the blue sky speckled with white fluffy clouds, and wriggled impatiently in Scott’s hold. “I can’t see Daddy anymore. Where is he, Mom?”
“He’s coming, don’t worry, Brian. He’s probably just making a wide turn and a careful approach. He’ll land soon.”
When they parked the truck, the biplane had already reached the end of the field. It slowly descended toward the ground, its wings swaying in the breeze.
Tension built up in Scott’s stomach as he watched the red plane glide downward, the loud growl of the engine now audible over the brisk wind that swept the field, making the blades of the green grass dance and ripple like waves on a lake’s surface.
Eyes firmly fixed on the approaching plane, he took hold of his mother’s hand, only to be surprised at how tightly she squeezed his. “It’s alright, Mom. Dad knows what he’s doing.”
“I know, Scott, but this is so exciting.” She glanced at him with a wide smile of joy lighting her face. “We’re watching your dad’s dream come true.”
He had to laugh. “Yeah, I know, Mom. This is what he’s been talking about all winter.”
“He touched down! Mom, he touched down!” Brian jumped up and down in the back of the truck, holding on to the roof and yelling, enthralled. “I wanna go flying, Mom. I want to, right away. Do you think Dad’s gonna take us for a ride, Mom? Please, Mom.”
“I’m sure he will, but not today, Brian. He’s just flown for two days to get the plane here, so he must be tired. You have to wait for another day, but you will get a ride soon, I promise.”
The aircraft slowed down and turned toward them, bouncing on the uneven ground until it came to a halt about thirty yards away from the truck. Brian scooted off to meet his father, but Scott darted after him and grabbed him by his collar before he had a chance to get any closer to the plane.
“Brian, you fool! You don’t go near the plane when the engine is running. You get that?”
“Let me go!” The slim little boy might have been smaller than Scott but he was surprisingly strong. Scott had the advantage though, and hoisted his younger brother up in his arms, holding his wriggling body tight.
“Not until the engine stops, Brian.”
His brother went limp in his arms and hung like a sack, gazing at the plane that now stood still, facing them, its engine running. The spinning propeller whisked some loose blades of grass and dirt up into the air, then ground to a halt.
As soon as the propeller stopped turning, Brian’s body sprang into life. Scott released his hold and watched his brother scramble across the field as fast as his short legs allowed.
“Don’t touch the blades,” he shouted after Brian as he strolled closer to the now silent aircraft, assisting his mother on the slippery grass. The noon thunderstorm had drenched the fields a few hours ago, and the smell of the wet earth mixed with whiffs of freshly trampled grass. In the next field, a few hundred yards away, stood a herd of their heifers, curiously staring at the odd machine that had invaded the neighboring field. Some of the young animals bucked and bounced in excitement, their tails flung up in the air. Others just stared, bewildered.
Scott and his mother reached the plane just as his father hopped down from the wing and removed his goggles and a leather cap, briefly hugging Brian who was already climbing up on the wing. A wide grin lit his father’s face as he warned Brian. “Don’t step on the wing, son, keep close to the hull, and don’t touch anything if you go into the cockpit, d’you hear?” Then he turned to greet his wife with a deep kiss.
Scott smiled and shifted his gaze to the ground. Although he liked seeing his parents show affection to each other, to actually stand so close to them when they embraced was just a little embarrassing, almost like intruding into a private moment.
His father released his wife from his hold and gazed deep into her eyes. “I finally made it. I finally managed to find just the right one.” He turned to Scott. “What do you think, son? Isn’t she great?”
“So cool, Dad. When can we go flying?”
His father placed his arm around Scott’s shoulders and smiled. “Soon, Scott. I’ll teach you to fly this summer, like I promised. Now come, let me introduce you to our newest family member, Waco YMF-5. She’s here to stay.”
* * * *
Janet stood behind the barn and rubbed her eyes. The tears stung her eyes but the hurt and humiliation tore into her soul. The way her father had yanked her plain cotton dress up and exposed her backside to whip her with his belt made her stomach turn and ache in deep shame.
The punishment felt unjust as she hadn’t broken the vase on purpose. Caleb had rushed in to the living room just when she had placed the vase back on the shelf, and in his hurry he had accidentally shoved her elbow.
The only consolation was that he had received a hiding as well.
Her backside stung with the whips of the leather belt, so much so that sitting on the ground was not an option. Her legs felt weak and tired, her arms ached, but she still had to clear the pens where the newborn calves were kept. That was also part of the punishment—no food, and work until dark, clean the chicken coop, and the pens.
She heard footsteps and turned, her heart in her throat, fearing it was her father who approached. If he caught her taking a rest he would beat her up again.
“Janet?” Eddie’s warm voice made her sigh in relief.
“I’m here.”
Eddie, her older brother, now fifteen, rounded the corner. He carried a bottle of milk and something wrapped in paper.
“I brought you something to eat, Janet. Don’t be scared. Father drove to the far fields to check on the cattle. Eat before he comes back.”
“Thanks, Eddie.” She grabbed the package, unwrapped it and tucked into a sandwich, gulping it down as fast as she could. She hadn’t eaten all day.
The cool milk tasted heavenly, but the sandwich made her empty stomach ache briefly. She wiped her mouth on her sleeve and passed the empty bottle to Eddie. His dark eyes were fixed on her.
“He shouldn’t treat you bad, Janet. He shouldn’t hit girls. It’s not right, it just isn’t. And as for what happened—it was an accident, and caused by Caleb, not you. It’s not right, Janet.”
“He is our Pa, Eddie…”
Eddie’s frown deepened and his eyes darkened with loathing. “Then he should act like a father, not like a tyrant. Sometimes I think the devil’s possessed him.”
Janet’s hand flew over her mouth, fear flashed in her mind. “Eddie, don’t say things like that,” she whispered in horror.
“I’ll say what I think, Janet. And I promise I’ll protect you if he ever treats you bad again. It’s not right, father or no father, for a man to hit a woman, or a girl. You remember that, Janet. You don’t have to accept that.”
“I’ll be alright, Eddie. Just don’t make him angry, please, or things will get worse.”
“I won’t stand aside again, Janet, not anymore, not ever again. I’ll be a man soon, and when I’m a man, I’ll show him his place. I promise you I will. Now come on, let’s get those pens cleared before he comes back.”