The Opals: Part Four

by Rose1505

"STOP!!" cried Laura, Rubarb's owner.

"We give in!" Rubarb limped off the battlefield over to Laura.

"C'mon," Woodle said to April as he began to shove his way off the bench and down the isle.

The crowd was obviously disappointed, they didn't like it when people called it quits. They murmured and booed and shook their heads.

Woodle and April finally found their way over to Rubarb. Laura was busy trying to find a healing potion and Rubarb sat a few feet away from her, very calmly.

"Hey there, Rubarb! Great fighting out there, man!"

"Oh, Hi, Woodle! I didn't think you'd make it."

"C`mon, I always do what I promise! And look, I brought along April, too!"

"Oh, cool!" Rubarb said before asking, "Can you guys come over to my house today?"

"No, I don't think so.." Woodle said. "Supper is probably on the table by now, Mom will be worried."

So April and Woodle set off for home in silence. When they got there they were surprised to hear me talking to company inside.

"Oh, man, I forgot the Fishers were coming over for supper!" Woodle groaned April let out a cry of joy and flew inside, she loved the Fishers, they always gave her candy.

Woodle felt naughty because he had been disobedient, and he didn't want company to be over, but they were, so he would just have to deal with it. They were soon all sitting down to a table full of warm food and laughing voices. Woodle ate quietly, rather than trying to out-riddle the Fishers as he usually did, but I didn't notice, I was having too good a time.

Suddenly Mr. Fisher looked at Woodle and said: "I was there for Rubarb's fight this afternoon, the brave little lad, I saw you in the bleachers but it was too crowded to come and say hi. How do you think he did with his fight?" Woodle wished he could shrink under the table. Charity's mouth dropped wide open in disbelief. Mr. and Mrs. Fisher just look at each other, confused. Woodle didn't dare look at me. April suddenly burst into tears; "He made me go because he wanted to see Rubarb's fight and that if I didn't go---er, he'd make me go..!"

My eyes flashed and I stared hard at Woodle. "Young man, you may be excused from the table." Woodle rose slowly and then sprinted out of the room and up the stairs. "April, don't wail, dear, you're not in trouble." I said, putting April in my lap.

Dinner was finished early and the Fishers left early so I could deal with Woodle in private. Charity and April were tucked into bed earlier than usual, too.

Woodle was already in bed, though I knew he wasn't asleep. I came in and closed the door.

"What am I going to do with you, Woodle? I took you in and fed you and loved you and you are nothing but a constant source of trouble, disobedient and rebellious and putting April and Charity in danger by your thoughtless ways! When are you going to grow up!?!" Woodle was trying not to cry. "I`m sorry, Mom, but I saw no harm in stopping in just onc--"

"That is enough! You are to do as I say when I say with no exceptions. Do I make myself very clear?"

"Yes ma'am" Woodle grumbled.

"You`ll have an extremely long list of chores to do waiting for you in the morning. Go to sleep."

Woodle waited until I had closed the door firmly behind me before he burst out sobbing. He didn't know I was on the other side of the door biting my thumbnail in concern. Oh I loved that little trouble-maker so much but I just couldn't let him get away with these sorts of things!

The End