Aster Bolger's youngest daughter looked across the dinner table at her mother imploringly. "Please, Mum? Mister Gardner said he wouldn't let any of us drown. And I really should learn to swim. And he told me to tell you..." Aster pressed the palm of her hand against the side of her neck as she always did when she was nervous.
Her husband, Rollo Bolger, chuckled as he dug into his baked potatoes. "I don't think so, Missy. Your mother has steered clear of the Gardners ever since young Samwise Gardner speared her in the neck with a stick when they were playing Kill the Dragon or somesuch." He salted his food with relish. "It was the end of a beautiful friendship."
"Oh, Mum, Mister Gardner is sorry. He said so. And that was a long time ago wasn't it?" Missy Bolger's eyes were still wide and pleading. "Years and years!"
A sharp stick. Yes, that was the explanation her big sister was given by Rose Gardner to explain the blood and the bandage..."What's the matter with you, Aster?" Floria asked. "Do you think Sammie meant to stick you?"
"Floria, I...I don't think he could help himself...he cried and his tears were..."
"Well, then, no harm done. You two will be tearing about as always before long so you might as well forgive him now."
"NO! Oh, no. I am never playing with Sammie Gardner again. Never again...."
"Mum? Can I go?" Aster wrung her napkin. Rollo looked at her with amusement. "Oh, and Mister Gardner told me to tell you, 'specially, to trust him and he was sorry and no harm shall befell me."
"Befall." her father corrected.
"No harm shall befall me and to trust him." Missy nodded. "And he was sorry." She ticked off the important points on her fingers. "Please? Everyone else is going. And it was years ago!"
Aster's hand went to her neck again. She forced it down. "Yes, it was years ago but...oh, Missy." Rollo was beginning to imitate his daughter's pleading eyes. He whined. He sniffled. Missy sniffled. She whined. Aster knew they'd begin to howl like puppies next and sighed. There was no pain, none at all, but there was blood everywhere, all down her dress, on Sammie's mouth and he was pleading Aster I'm sorry I'll never do it again I'm sorry I'm so sorry...
"Tell Sammie...tell Mister Gardner that it will be the end of him if anything happens to you. And I mean that." Missy clapped her hands and cheered. Her father reached across the table and shook her hand to congratulate her. Aster smiled at them even while she went back to twisting her napkin. Missy enthusiastically turned to her again.
"And you forgive him? Everything is all right?"
"Everything is not all right, at all, and I do not forgive him."
"Aw, Mum..."
Aster speared a carrot with her fork. "It was a very sharp stick, Missy..."
~