Times Change

by redandready45

Excuses

Dennis opened the wide doors to his barn, gently tugging at the ropes of Crystal, and petting her on her muzzle. After this night, Dennis felt no need to give his pony anymore grief they she had been through.

"It's okay," cooed Dennis, "I'll keep you safe, those girls aren't going to go near you again." Crystal whinnied. "You can say that again replied Dennis." He pulled her usual resting spot on the barn. She sat down on her hunches, like a man slumping into a chair after a long day. "Yep, it's been a long day." He tussled her mane some more, but noticed something odd. He pulled it back, and clenched his teeth. "No one will ever touch you again. I promise."
-
In the living room of the farmhouse, two girls were sitting on the couch, looking down with a guilty look on their face. The tall girl looked like her face was scratched up, while the short girl seemed to have tears on her face. Across the room, leaning on the door were two older girls, one of them glaring down at the two girls, who for obvious reasons had a lot to fear them. The other girl was less angry and more apprehensive. An uncomfortable silence hung over the air, until it was finally broken by the ringing of the bell, but the fear on the girls sitting on the couch. In walked a man with a smirk on his face. Not a kind smirk, but the kind one got after scowling. He looked at girls on the couch with scorn, while he looked at the two girls on the door with annoyance.

"Bonnie, Lyra," uttered Dennis with a fearful calm, "go wait upstairs, I want to talk to these girls alone."

"Mr Sad-," uttered Lyra ,"Go," which echoed like a ghostly whisper. Lyra walked out the swinging door, quiet footsteps being heard, while Bonnie continued to stare at the Kell sisters with great contempt, before a glare from Dennis wordlessly told her time to leave. She went through the swivel door, and walked upstairs. Dennis walked over to the red chair in the room, and sat down never taking his eyes of them.

"Why," he asked unusually softly.

Ann look changed from anxiety to more of a tone of passive annoyance. Probably since the girl beating her up was gone, her fear was gone. Polly, however retained that look of anxiety on her face, looking down.

"I don't think you heard me," Dennis continued his teeth clenched ," what would bring you break into my house. and try to steal my horse. Hmm." Ann's look did not change, but Polly's eyes only continued to water.

"Since you won't tell me, I'll call you Dad, and have him come over."

"What," shrieked Polly, while Ann continued to have that look of passive annoyance, with her arms crossed, "i'm sorry. It was Ann's idea, please don't tell Daddy."

"Oh I am not gonna tell him Polly," Polly shrugged in relief, "You're gonna tell him." Polly backed up in fear. "But-,"

"I don't care whose idea it is," replied Dennis, his calm fury returning. "You trespassed and you tried to take my property. I don't want your excuses. I said you can play with Crystal when I tell you to. I have no idea why you would do something like this." He looked toward Ann. "I don't know what your issue is with your dad, but keep other people's lives out of it." Ann continued to have that annoyed look, which enraged Dennis even more.

"Come on," said Dennis, walking over to them. "I'll take you home, we can wait for your dad there."
-
Half an hour later

Stanford Kell pulled up in his car. It was a blue Lincoln Continental. Stanford preferred driving himself whenever a deal was to be made, because he felt it signified his strength when making a deal. "I got dem suckers good," he muttered to himself. He smiled as he pulled in, but was confused when he saw a balding man in pajamas standing in front of his house with his two girls. He looked ready to get an ax, but calmed down when he saw Dennis. Still he was confused when he saw a calm look a Dennis' face.

"Dennis," Kell stepped out of the car, turning off his headlights, "what's going on?"

"Your daughters came over to my house," said Dennis," I'm sure they'll tell you all about it. Go on Polly, tell him." Dennis stepped aside, giving Stanford full view of his daughter.

"Polly," asked Stan, "what is going on?"

"I-," Stanford walked closer. Noticing the bruise the bruise on Polly's head, and the scratches all over Ann's face made him panic.

"What happened?"

"We broke into Mr. Sadnik's house, and we tried to steal Crystal," Polly admitted, tears leaking out of her eyes.

"You what?" Stanford growled, making Polly, and even Ann winced a little.

"Why are you two hurt," asked Stanford. He turned around ," Sadnik, did you hit my kin." He walked over to Dennis, slightly menacing.

"No," said Polly, "It was one of those girls at his house."

"What," asked Stanford.

"Don't worry," said Dennis, "I'll deal with them. Go on Polly, continue."

"We tried to steal his pony. Ann just said you were being cheap." Stanford turned toward Ann, a glare in his eye, but Ann either was tired or simply didn't care.

"And,"

"And what, we didn't do anything else," said Ann, annoyed.

"OH NO," said Dennis with a sarcastic and angry edge. " As I put Crystal back in the barn, I saw that little dye job in her mane. After you were gonna steal her, you were turning her mane pink, I saw it myself."

"But we did-," argued Polly

"Polly, Ann, get in the house," Stanford muttered, an edge to her voice.

"But we-," Polly stopped, as her father's face told her now was not the time to argue. She fearfully walked into the house, afraid of what was to come. Ann walked in, a frown on her face, but more a frown of exhaustion rather than genuine guilt. It left the two men who had trouble eyeing each other.

"Dennis," said Kell, "I'm sorry I assumed you would assault my daughters. I'm sorry they tried to steal from you. I don't blame your guests for what they did." Dennis just looked at him sadly.

"Goodnight Kell," said Dennis ," I don't blame you for what your daughter's did.

Both men walked back to their homes, one with a somber face, the other with a distressed face.
-
"What were you thinking," asked Dennis to Bonnie. She and Lyra were both sitting in two plastic deck chairs in front of Dennis. They were in Dennis' office, he was seated behind his desk. "I'm asking again, what were you thinking?" Bonnie was confused, wondering what he was getting at.

"What was I thinking," asked Bonnie, "I was trying to save S- I mean Crystal. Those girls-,"

"Yes I know what those two did Bonnie," said Dennis, "I heard you five times already, I saw what happened, I'm not blind.I wondering why you chose to attack to people in the dark. They could have been carrying guns for god's sake. Instead of running to me, you attack two strangers."

"We were helping-,"

"I heard you!" He punctuated his statement by slamming his fist onto the table. "But you don't seem to be hearing me. Do you realize you could have gotten yourself killed, not to mention, you nearly scared Crystal off the farm. Imagine if she galloped off the farm and into the road. She could have been run of the farm and killed." Dennis paused for a minute letting that sink in. Bonnie began to retort, but know she was beginning to understand the gravity of the situation, she thought for a minute. She didn't think that the people might have been armed, or that Crystal could have gotten hurt protecting them.

"I'm," she began, her eyes watering. "I'm sorry," she began, "you're right, I wasn't thinking, but.."

"Yeah that's right," Dennis said, "you weren't thinking. I don't know why you're so protective of a pony you don't even own. But that's beside the point. You also assaulted two strangers."

"But they were..."

"I KNOW, what they were doing," said Dennis ," but that is beside the point. I'm trying to start a business. Something I've working on for years now." He turned around, looking at a picture of a woman with blond hair behind him. "You assaulted my new neighbor's kids. Yes he is a calm guy, but he also an influential businessman, so his words could affect my hotel. You've already created conflict with the new neighbors, and whatever happens here will reflect on my business. Yes I know what they did, but you crossed a serious line." He paused and turned around, facing them. " I can't risk that, so I want you out of here by tomorrow."

"What," asked Bonnie stunned.

"Mr Sadnik," asked Lyra, shocked and finally speaking. " With all due respect sir Bonnie.."

"You're her friend, you feel the need to defend her, but I want you two gone."

"Lyra didn't do anything."

"I don't give a damn, you two with your behavior are gonna cause me lot's of problems, which I don't need in the stage of my business."

"But, "said Lyra, "we need to do our," her eyes darted back and forth ," project

"What project," asked Dennis. "You guys aren't doing anything. The only time you guys have gone out is during the day. At night, you guys are in one or another's room doing god knows what, except on fourth of July." Their eyes shifted, " As far as I know, you haven't done anything remotely related to astrology-,"

"Astronomy-," corrected Bonnie.

"WHO GIVES A SH-," screamed Dennis, before controlling himself.

"That's not fair, we paid you in advance," retorted Bonnie.

"Oh really," said Dennis mockingly ," you paid me. Well you obviously didn't read that contract you signed when you came in." He pulled it out throwing it on the table for them to read. "And if you look on section 2, you read 'I hereby signed refuse all rights of visitation if I have committed any felonies on property.' You assaulted my neighbor's kids, that is a felony. Thus I can throw you out," he went over to a large photo of Jimi Hendrix, with a white shirt and a red bandanna. He pulled it off the hook revealing a safe. He opened the safe, and pulled out a wad of cash. "And if you read further, I can throw you out, and not even give you back the advance." He through the money on the table in front them. "But I will anyways, because I'm not that kind of person."

"Mr. Sadnik," said Lyra, her hands in a begging gesture. "We are really, really sorry for causing you this kind of trouble. We promise from now on..."

"Lyra, stop saying sorry, it won't help you. And neither will your empty promises. You are twenty two years old, you should know that. I've tolerated you two because of your laziness and idiosyncrasies, you seem okay. But this is where a draw the line. Your are adults by law and you two need to understand the consequences of your actions."

"Mr. Sadnik," Bonnie said the voice returning in your voice, trying to think of a good response "we defended you because we are your friend. You even invited us to spend July 4th with you and your friends."

"You two are my guests. I was trying to be nice." Dennis paused. "But again, I am now a business man, and I'm trying to keep my business afloat. And this could cause unwanted attention."

"But-,"

"This conversation is over," Dennis said. "Now get out of my office."
-
"What game are playing, Ann," Stanford said. He was staring her down, but she remained apathetic. "Answer me girl."

"Well," she said in a passive tone, "I was trying to help Polly. Maybe you should talk to-,"

"No, I spoke to Polly," said Stanford," and I am not taking her side. She is going to be grounded for a month. She knew she was wrong, but you were the one trying to start trouble. I pull you out of Texas to help you escape your bad name, and all you do is create more trouble. I can't even look Mr. Sadnik in the eye. After all I've taught you about respecting your neighbors..."

"Yeah right," Ann replied, her voice rising up ," You didn't teach me anything."

"What?"

"All my life, it's 'Not now Ann I have a call'," she said copying her father's Texas accent." 'Go play somewhere ELSE Ann.' Now you suddenly are like ,'Don't do this Ann,' when almost all my life, you wanted me out of the way."

"You ungrateful brat," he replied. "I put food on the table, clothes in your drawer, and soon I you will be in college which I am also going to be paying for. Everything I did was for you. I know you are upset about your mom being gone, but.."

Ann screeched, and jumped out of the chair, and ran out of the room. "

"I am 17, I don't need to hear that speech anymore," she said running to the front door.

"You act like a child, know get back her, I'm not done with you," he ran and grabbed her wrist.

"Let go of me," she screamed.

"You are gonna listen to me.." he was cut off by a slap to his face. He sound of the slap echoes for a bit. Ann and Stanford stared at each other, not knowing what to say. Ann was too angry, and Stanford, was too shocked to respond. Ann slowly made her way to the door, while Stanford just watched, doing nothing to stop her. A slam was heard.
-

"Well you've done pretty well for yourself," said Lyra standing in Bonnie's room, while she sat in her bed sulking.

"I don't want to hear it," Bonnie said

"You will hear it."

"I don't-,"

"SHUT UP!" Whatever words that were to come out of Bonnie's mouth were lost on the tongue and never came up.

"For this whole trip, you have been belittling me and telling me what to do," she paced around, trying to calm herself. "You've mocked me, you embarrassed me in front of the new neighbors, and you hurt those neighbors and you got us kicked out."

"What about when you got all drunk on that beer stuff. You could have-,"

"I was drunk, no one was going to listen. But Mr. Sadnik is right, we could have been in big trouble for getting into a fight."

"I was trying-,"

"I know," shouted Lyra ," but our problems don't matter. It's what he saw."

"You wanna be in charge," shouted Bonnie.

"Really?" asked Lyra, screaming

"Yes really, since apparently I don't know what I'm doing and got us screwed over," Bonnie shouted.

"Okay!"

"Fine!"

"FINE!"

"So what do we do," asked Bonnie. Lyra, now in control, thought about what she was going to do. She had never been called upon to take charge, so thinking up a strategy was new to her.

"My way?"

"Yes," Bonnie underscored. "Your way!

"Okay," said Lyra. "We leave the hotel, but we stick around to see what he does, for about a week. After a week, when he is nor longer mad at us, we come back, apologize, and show him some observations, so he'll believe we were doing work. We'll ask him if we can finish our assignment for the next few weeks, and and we mention the eclipse."

"Well," Bonnie said, never expecting such a professional plan, "I don't have any other ideas, so let's do it."

"Agreed," Lyra said, taking Bonnie's hand. Their conflict over, they now set off make a new plan.

"Besides, what's the worse that can happen," asked Bonnie.

Author's Note:

Sorry for waiting so long, but since I'm on break, I want to get back to writing.

There is some foreshadowing, but I won't tell.