Archive of Our Own

Skipping along the mint-wreathed path at the edge of the forest, nine-year-old Boq Woodsman could not wait to get to school. He would have run as fast as his stocky legs could carry him if not for his older brother, Stahl. The nineteen year old ambled down the path with his hands in his coat pockets and moaned, “I’m coming, I’m coming,” when Boq called out for him. 

“Why are you so slow!” Boq panted after doubling back.

“What’s the rush? We’ll be at school in plenty of time, then I have to go to—” he heaved a heavy sigh as he hung his head low, “—work.” 

“So that’s why you’re Stahl-ing.”

Stahl stopped in his tracks and squinted his bright brown eyes at Boq, whose giggles bubbled between his lips. 

“Bad enough to make a pun, but to make it with my name?” Stahl roared.

Boq shrieked with laughter as the lanky teen chased him down the well-trodden path. With luck, they would be the first to get to the school house, and then Boq could give his teacher, Miss Amee, his St. Glinda card without any of the other children spying on them. 

St. Glinda’s Day was for adults, especially courting couples, to exchange cards and candy and flowers, or for rich adults to spoil their already spoiled children with chocolate and toys, but Boq loved Miss Amee so dearly that he had to make her a card. Only three months ago did she start teaching at his school and already she was his favorite teacher. She never got annoyed at his questions or called him a know-it-all for trying to answer all of hers (only gently asking that he give his classmates a chance to answer). Sometimes she let him doodle on the blackboard during recess when it was too cold to play outside and she would praise his artwork.

Over the last couple of weeks he cut out colorful pictures of flowers from old copies of the The Twin Tulip Journal, swiped some scrap tatted lace from a bonnet his older sister (and second eldest sibling) Catta had sewn. He glued several large hearts cut out of brown butcher paper together so it could be almost as thick as card stock, then made the little collage of roses and forget-me-nots and framed it with the tatted lace. He left just enough room at the center of the heart for a message, so he wrote as carefully as he could: 

Miss Amee, doubt not my love!

He’d seen phrase on a store-bought card before. Since he managed to not smudge his letters, maybe Miss Amee would think his card was store bought too! But maybe she would like it more knowing it was home-made because he put so much care into it. Once the card was dry, he sandwiched it in a piece of folded paper and slipped it in his front coat pocket over his heart so it wouldn’t be crushed.

Boq checked the card again when he and Stahl ran out of breath and slowed down to a walk. It looked as crisp and neat as ever. 

Unfortunately, they were not the first to arrive at school. The Twigg brothers and Samsie Elaine were already chasing each other around the one-room school house. Miss Amee had just arrived at the school as well, following the path that snaked down the hill from the farmhouse she stayed at. 

“Good morning, Miss Amee!” Boq shouted.

“Good morning, Miss Amee,” the younger Twigg brother mockingly squawked before breaking into giggles.

Boq ignored him because Miss Amee was smiling at him with a smile so big it softly dimpled her brown cheeks and her eyes sparkled like polished river stones. Her hair almost looked like the dark, dark purple tulips that glowed red in the sunlight. She swept her curls back under the short brim of her gray hat that matched her gray bustle dress with pale blue trimming. She carried her leather satchel and another linen bag over her shoulder.

“Good morning, Boq,” she said, then tipped her head towards Stahl, “Mr. Woodsman. You’re both here early.”

Oh, she noticed! he thought with a jolt of excitement. Of course she would notice—she pays such close attention to each of her students because she is a very good teacher.

“Boq had a fire under his keister this morning to get here,” Stahl said, hands at his hips. “Wouldn’t tell me why, either.”

Boq’s face burned pink as they looked down at him. He buried his fists in his pockets to resist touching the card.

“I-I wanted to be the first to help start up the wood stove,” Boq stammered.

Stahl groaned, “You had me running all that way for that?”

But Miss Amee smiled sweetly at Boq and handed him the little brass key for the school house. 

“That’s showing some initiative, Boq! You may open the school to start up the wood stove, then leave the key in the top left drawer of my desk, please. If there’s time, you may draw a little on the corner of the blackboard.”

Boq thanked her and scampered off, only to double back once again to say good bye to Stahl. 

“I’ll see you soon enough,” Stahl said with a grin.

Boq could still hear his brother’s laughter when he entered the one-room school house. He went straight to Miss Amee’s desk at the front of the class to put the key away. Once he did, he pulled out the St. Glinda card. Maybe he could put it under the key, so when she opened it, it’d be a wonderful surprise that she knew was from him? He grinned at the thought. 

“—kind of you, Nimmie,” Stahl’s muffled voice said.

He must be hearing things. His brother should be halfway back home by now! Stahl worked on the family sawmill with Pa and Pon, the third eldest Woodsman sibling.  Gripping the handle of his satchel, Boq tip-toed to the window nearest the cold wood stove and listened.

“I couldn’t have done it without your help, Stahl,” Miss Amee said.

“Happy I could help,” Stahl replied. 

Boq pressed his ear against the window pane, heart stuck in his throat. Why was Miss Amee calling Stahl by his first name instead, and why was he calling Miss Amee by hers?!

“Do you have any plans for tonight that aren’t academic in nature?” he continued.

“I’ll be courting a plate of roasted chicken and mash with a side of peas and carrots this evening.”

“No dessert?”

“I don’t really have a sweet tooth.”

“Sweet enough already?”

Miss Amee giggled. Boq’s heart plummeted to the pit of his stomach. Was…was Stahl flirting with Miss Amee? 

“You’re awful,” she said, but Boq could hear the smile in her voice.

“Well, Boq said I was ‘Stahl-ing’ this morning, so I suppose he’s rubbing off on me.”

“Oh no, did he? Were you hiding out in the Stahl-s?”

He barked out a laugh. “You’re worse than he is!”

Boq’s heart cracked. He pulled away from the window pane, unable to listen to them anymore. He yanked the stove door open with a deafening screech and threw the chunks of wood in its iron belly to drown out their voices. Is this why Miss Amee gave him the key? To get rid of him and spend time alone with his stupid older brother? 

He took out the card and crushed it in his hand. 

Miss Amee never liked him at all. She only pretended to so Stahl would like her, because everyone loved Stahl. He was dependable and nice and handsome and everyone his age in town fell over their own feet to get Stahl to look their way.

“It’s freezing in here!” Jinjur, a dairyman’s daughter a year older than him, whined. “Why isn’t the stove on?”

Boq stared at the yawning mouth of the stove with its crooked wooden teeth. As broken hearted as he was, just couldn’t burn up weeks’ worth of work. He shoved the St. Glinda card in his pant’s pocket and lit the stove without a word. 

Jinjur plopped down in her desk seat across from Boq’s and straightened the blue bow in her red hair. “I saw Miss Amee talking to your brother.”

Boq ignored her. He put his brown coat and cap on his assigned nail in the back of the classroom, set his lunch pail under them, then stormed back to his seat. 

“I’m talking to you, blockhead.”

He buried his head in his arms and struggled not to cry. He was so mad and sad and jealous and just a red wash of feeling that knotted up his vocal cords so he could no longer speak. He also didn’t like Jinjur very much and didn’t want to talk to her. 

She sighed and he heard her get up and grumble to the front of the class. He tightened his arms around his head as he heard more of his classmates filter in. The loud sound of his own ragged breathing filled his ears and pressed against the growing chatter around him until—

“Are you all right, Boq?”

He looked up at Miss Amee, who looked down at him with concern. Still unable to speak, he only nodded, then busied himself with pulling his speller out of his satchel. She hovered for a moment before walking to her desk.

“I hope you all haven’t been misbehaving when class hasn’t even started yet”—she set down the bags with a clink—“because then I’d have to take back my St. Glinda’s Day surprise.”

Boq sagged in his seat while his classmates leaned forward and oohed. Even the big kids in the back of the class chittered with anticipation.

“But only good girls and boys will get their surprise at the end the day. So straighten up!”

The whole class did—except Boq, until his desk partner smacked his back.

“Ojo,” Miss Amee said, her voice stern, “you needn’t hit to make your point across.”

“But I was only—”

“Apologize to him. Sincerely.”

“Yes, ma’am,” the puppy-faced boy with dark red locks sighed. “Sorry, Boq. I was only trying to help.”

Boq nodded.

“Boq,” Miss Amee said gently, “you need to look at him and tell him you accept his apology.”

With all eyes on him, Boq’s throat squeezed so tightly that he wouldn’t be able to let a peep out. Still, he turned to Ojo with wide eyes and hoped he understood I accept your apology, please make this stop.

Ojo frowned at first, then gasped, “Oh! Here, you can write it down instead. I don’t mind you writing it down.”

“But he has to say it out loud, or it’s impolite,” Jinjur said with a smug grin on her face.

“I don’t care,” Ojo snapped back. 

Boq didn’t want to look at Miss Amee but he looked at her with eyes so wide that they watered at the edges. She looked back at him, her brow now bent with worry, and said, “You may write that you accept his apology.”

As quickly as he could with his trembling fingers, Boq wrote on Ojo’s slate that he accepted the apology. Class could finally move on, but he knew that this wasn’t over. Miss Amee would want him to explain why he suddenly couldn’t speak and she’d keep him in during recess until she got an answer that he could never give because the big girls always stayed inside during recess and then they’d gossip to the big boys who’d find it so funny that they’d have to tell the little boys that Boq had a crush on the teacher but the teacher liked his older brother much better and oh he couldn’t take the shame!

The moment Miss Amee called for recess, Boq tore out of the schoolroom before he could hear her call his name. That didn’t stop the other students from shouting for him until Jinjur’s clear voice rang out: 

“Miss Amee, doubt not my love!”

Halfway across the yard, Boq stopped dead in his tracks. Ears ringing, he dug his hands into his pants pockets and only felt lint. He patted his shirt and remembered his coat was still in the school house.

Finally, he turned around and watched in horror as Jinjur sauntered towards him and holding his wrinkled St. Glinda card high in the air.

“You’re such a sap, Boq,” Jinjur said, rolling her eyes. “What were you going to do, ask her to marry you?”

Suddenly, the knot in his throat detangled itself.

“Give it back! That’s not yours!” he shrieked, trying to snatch it out of her hands but he was too little and she was too quick.

More laughter echoed through the field from his classmates as they caught sight of his card. The Twigg brothers and Samsie came and started a game of monkey in the middle with Jinjur, where Boq screamed like a Monkey caught in an invisible cage.

Samsie started singing:

Miss Amee and Boq

Sittin’ in a tree

Then they all chanted:

K-I-S-S-I-N-G

“Stop it!” Boq cried, palms pressed against his ears. “If you don’t I’ll—”

The older Twigg brother shoved him. “Cry to Teacher?”

Samsie cackled and started a new song:

Teacher’s pet

Too well kept

Always tattles on you, so don’t forget!

“Uhh, she’s actually coming,” the younger Twigg brother warned.

Boq looked past his bullies to see Miss Amee storming towards them with little Ojo trailing behind, the rest of the class silently gathered at the front of the schoolhouse. Boq wheezed, his head light and his legs unsteady. He was either going to faint or run, and he was embarrassed already without fainting—

Boq ran.

He fled into the woods, ears ringing too loud to hear anything and eyes blurring with too many tears to see anything, but his feet knew where to go. They led him straight to the hideout Stahl had shown him years ago by following a narrow brook to an ancient tree where the rain and wind had stolen much of the dirt surrounding many of its stout roots. It was a good place to rest when hunting in the winter or to play with his little sister Tolah in the summer. 

Now it was the gnarled hand of a benevolent giant that hid Boq from the cruel world outside of it. He curled himself as close to the curved dirt wall as he could to stay warm. The ringing in his ears quieted down, and he listened in case anyone had been quick enough to follow him here. After a few minutes of silence, Boq cracked.

He sobbed into his knees, moaning low for a moment and then his voice swooped up into an ear-piercing squeal. His chest tried to heave the shame and the anger out through his eyes, but those feelings wound themselves even tighter along his ribcage. What in the world could he do now? He couldn’t go back home, as he’d have to explain why he was home early. He couldn’t ever go back to school now, and what would happen when Stahl came to pick him up? He’d probably go home first and start a search party and then Boq really would be in trouble once they found him.

Boq shivered. It was still early spring, and while no snow stuck to the ground, Jack Frost still painted their windows every morning. Maybe he’d freeze to death before they found him. He really wouldn’t want to die so young, and he wished he had his lunch pail so he could have one last meal. 

Wiping his nose on his sleeve, his sobs softened to a sort of burble that sounded like the brook. He was smart. Miss Amee often told him he was. Surely, he’d figure something out.

Several hours had passed and Boq was still hiding under the tree roots. 

He had only left to relieve himself or take a drink from the brook. The water was so cold it made his teeth hurt and his head ache. There were no berries or nuts for him to forage, so he drank as much as he could to fill his stomach up. He tried to sleep, but his teeth chattered too hard from the cold water in his belly and the damp soil he sat on for him to even doze. He would have climbed up a tree to get an idea of a direction he could run away towards, but his arms shivered too hard when he pulled his hands out from his arm pits. He’d have to hunker down tonight.

“Bo-o-o-q!” Stahl’s voice echoed through the trees. 

Boq pulled his knees up to his chest and buried his nose between his knees. He must know about the St. Glinda card now. He must have laughed and laughed when he saw it. 

Stahl’s blond head popped upside down between the tree roots.

“There you are! You had me worried.” He launched himself down into the clover. “Are you hurt?”

Boq pulled his knees in tighter and shook his head.

“Can I come in?”

Boq shook his head harder.

“Okay, okay,” Stahl said, plopping bow-legged in the dirt. "I’ll stay out here.”

I want you to leave, Boq thought furiously, hoping his brother would understand his glare. Instead, Stahl set down Boq’s lunch pail, coat and cap at the entrance of the hideout and sat back. Boq stared at the peace offering for a moment before unwrapping his arms to snatch the coat first, shuddering with relief as he pulled the warm wool over his cotton shirt. He pulled on his matching brown cap and reached for the lunch pail.

“Sounds like you had a rough day today.”

Boq snapped his hand back and wrapped his arms around his knees again. Eyes stinging again, he grumbled to himself.

“I didn’t catch that,” Stahl said.

Boq huffed, then said through gritted teeth, “Don’t wanna talk about it.”

“Okay, we don’t have to.”

But of course, Stahl still didn’t get the hint to leave. Boq peeked between his arms and watched his brother lean back and stretch out his legs. He looked up at the sky and hummed to himself. For a long while, neither of them moved. Boq felt his soggy eyelids droop. The pressure building up behind his forehead made his whole head ache worse than ever.

“It’s getting dark, Boq.”

Boq lifted his face up. The warm, yellow sunlight had cooled to a lavender-gray.

“I’m not going home,” he said.

Stahl quirked a brow. “Are you going back to school?”

“I’m never going back there.”

“So are we staying here forever?”

“You can go home.”

“Not without you, little brother.”

Boq snatched a dirt clod and chucked it at Stahl, where it exploded in a puff on his thigh.

“Just go away!” Boq shrieked, “I wanna be alone.”

Stahl frowned at the new stain on his pants, but said calmly, “You’ve already been alone for a long time, Boq.”

Boq grappled the dirt with both hands and shouted, “Well I wanna be alone forever and no one will call me teacher’s pet or make stupid songs about me or laugh at me. You don’t get it. Everyone loves you and everyone hates me—”

“I love you, Boq.”

"You don’t count!”

Stahl’s eyes widened. He didn’t look as near to tears as Boq would have been if he had been told the same, but Boq still felt bad.

“You have to say you love me,” Boq added.

Stahl huffed a laugh, but his smile was sad.

“I don’t have to say anything I don’t want to,” he said softly. "I love you, even when you’re mean to me.”

Boq’s breath hitched in his throat. He felt so raw with embarrassment and anger that Stahl’s gentle words stung on impact. Sniffling, Boq crawled out from under the tree roots and curled up in Stahl’s lap like a cat.

“I love you, too,” Boq whimpered against his chest before bursting into tears.

Stahl wrapped his arms and legs around him, his chin curving over Boq’s scalp. Boq snuggled as close as he could to his brother’s warmth as he cried. In that moment he was very glad it was Stahl that found him, not Ma or Pa who would have really given him something to cry about. 

Stahl kissed his hair and said, “We should get going, Boq, or we won’t see our way home.”

Boq craned his neck up and whined, “Can I eat first?”

Boq sat in his brother’s lap and shoved cheese and apple turnover in his mouth as Stahl explained that Miss Amee had told him what happened. The kids who made fun of Boq were punished and did not receive their St Glinda’s Day surprise. Miss Amee had assumed Boq had gone home, but she worried about him when Stahl came to pick him up. Stahl began to worry until he remembered the hideout.

Once Boq finished eating, Stahl held his lunch pail in one hand and Boq’s hand in the other. They walked down the darkening path as quickly as Boq’s short legs could carry him.

“Do I have to go back to school tomorrow?” Boq huffed, his stomach starting to ache.

“Yes, you should. Can’t let a few naysayers get in the way of your education.” Stahl squeezed his hand. “Besides, won’t you miss seeing Miss Amee?”

Boq thought back to their conversation he eavesdropped on and smirked up at him. “I think you’d miss her more.”

Stahl snorted, “I don’t know about that.”

“I think she likes you too.”

“Sure she does,” Stahl laughed, then tugged on Boq’s hand. “We need move a little quicker. The sun’s gonna beat us.”

Boq tried to walk faster but his head hurt so badly it made him dizzy. He panted as he tried to keep up—and tripped. He fell to his hands and knees and vomited up his lunch. Boq coughed and heaved until his stomach crumpled tight like a ball of tin foil.

Stahl patted his back. “Get it all out?”

“My head hurts.”

Stahl wiped Boq’s face clean with his handkerchief, then gave him a little water from his canteen to swish and spit out. Stahl shrugged off his jacket and draped it over Boq’s shivering shoulders. Boq poked his arms through the warm, oversized sleeves before wrapping them around Stahl’s neck. With a grunt, Stahl scooped him up.

“Hang on, we’re almost home.”

Boq pressed his aching face into Stahl’s neck and dozed off. 

The rumble of Stahl’s voice woke him, “He’s not feeling well, Ma.”

Boq kept his eyes shut as the cool, thick fingers of his mother’s hand pressed against his forehead.

“Are you actually sick, Boq? You seemed well enough this morning,” she tutted. “He feels warm. As if I don’t have enough to do.”

“I’ve got him, Ma.”

Boq tightened his grip on Stahl’s shirt as his brother navigated them through the cacophony of suppertime. His dangling legs brushed against chairs and other people until they reached the kitchen area where Stahl lowered him down on a stool and leaned Boq back against like he was carefully balancing a sack of potatoes. 

“Just throw him in bed and get yourself something to eat! He’ll be fine,” Pa shouted above the noise.

Stahl said nothing. Boq dozed off again until Stahl cradled his head with one hand and gently washed his face with a warm cloth.

Catta blurred into view and murmured, “What’s wrong with him?”

Stahl sighed, “Bad day.”

“Well, let me know if you need anything.”

Stahl scrubbed each of Boq’s grubby fingers and his dirty palms, and it felt so nice that Boq felt himself slipping back to sleep.

“Boq, could you open your mouth? I need to give you a little medicine, okay?”

Boq whimpered, but opened his mouth so Stahl could tip the bitter medicine down his throat faster than he could taste it. Stahl gave him a little milk to drink, but it didn’t mask the aftertaste he belched up. 

After wiping his hands and face again, Stahl carried Boq into the bedroom. Boq cried when he had to sit up and take off his school clothes. The cool air prickled over his skin until Stahl pulled his night shirt over his head. Boq shivered as Stahl laid him down and tucked the the cold sheets around him. 

“You okay?”

Boq opened his eyes and met his little sister Tolah’s green eyes. 

“No,” Boq whined.

She frowned, then left his bedside. She returned a few moments later with the yellow teddy bear that used to be his, but he gave it to her for her seventh birthday this year.

“You can have Teddy tonight.”

He pulled Teddy under his chin and hugged him tightly. “Thank you.”

She clambered up on the bed, then flopped over him like a red-haired doll and cuddled him.

“I hope you feel better,” she whispered.

“Me too.”

Stahl returned with a bowl of chamomile water in one hand and a mug in the other. He sat on the edge of the bed and lowered the bowl to the floor

“Taking good care of your big brother, Tolah?” he asked quietly.

“I think he’s sick.”

“Just a little heartsick.”

Catta came to snatch her up and help get her ready for bed. Despite his moaning, Boq sat up again so he could sip the strong mint tea sweetened with honey and something he couldn’t name, but it pleasantly burned down his sore throat. Once he finished, he settled back down into the warming blankets. 

“Tomorrow’s another day,” Stahl murmured as he spread the cool, damp cloth over Boq’s forehead.

Boq’s eyelids fluttered closed as Stahl stroked the space between his eyebrows with his thumb.

He slept through the night and most of the next morning. Catta gave him more medicine and broth to drink before tutoring Tolah (though she was old enough to go to school, she could not sit still for very long). Boq slept away most of the afternoon, his fever breaking right before supper. 

The next morning, he held Stahl’s hand as he dragged his feet towards school. Today was going to be awful. All anyone was going to talk about was his stupid card and how he ran away wailing like the crybaby he was. Worse, Miss Amee was going to want to talk about what happened. But it was either go to school or do extra chores around the house, and he hated chores. 

“Boq!” Ojo called out. “You’re alive!”

The smaller boy bounded up the meadow and threw his thin arms around Boq. Surprised, Boq hugged him back. 

“Why would you think I’m dead?”

“Because you didn’t come back yesterday,” Ojo said, taking Boq’s hands in his. “Even Jinjur was worried that you’d gotten yourself killed and then it would have been her fault.”

“I was only sick.”

Stahl placed a hand on Boq’s shoulder. “Hopefully that means your classmates will think twice before acting so cruelly.”

Ojo shrugged. “I don’t think so.”

Stahl sighed and patted Boq’s head. “Have a good day, Boq. I’ll see you soon enough.”

Boq waved a mournful goodbye before Ojo tugged him along to the school house. While he jabbered along, Boq said nothing and kept his eyes down to his shoes as he entered the noisy schoolhouse. The classroom’s cacophony quieted when he took his seat, then kicked back up again when he said nothing.

A soft hand touched his shoulder.

“I need to speak to you during recess,” Miss Amee murmured in his ear.

He nodded, his face burning red as he fought not to cry. Miss Amee floated to the front of the class and called for order.

“Don’t worry, I don’t think you’re in any trouble,” Ojo whispered in Boq’s ear. “She was just as worried—”

“Ojo, I asked for quiet,” Miss Amee warned.

He settled back in his seat and folded his hands on the desk. “Sorry, Miss Amee.”

She smiled at him and instructed everyone to pull out their spellers. The class period crawled on by as they practiced their letters and their numbers. Boq could barely hear himself think over the pounding of his heart. 

When recess finally came, Miss Amee instructed everyone except for Boq to leave, even the big girls who never wanted to be outside. She told Boq he could stay at his desk and took the seat in front of him.

“I’m glad to see you’ve been found safe and sound,” she said, smiling warmly at him.

Boq cleared his throat. “Yes, ma’am. Stahl was the one who found me.”

“If anyone could find you, it’d be him! He came to tell me yesterday morning so we wouldn’t worry that you weren’t in class yesterday because you caught a chill. Are you feeling better today?”

“Yes, ma’am.”

“Good,” she said. “I wanted to talk about this.”

From her pocket she pulled out his crumpled card, now torn a little down the middle like Boq’s own heart. One of the paper flowers had ripped off completely, leaving a fuzzy smear of glue behind, and the lace had half-fallen off. 

“I think it was very sweet of you to make this card for me, Boq, but I can’t accept it,” she said gently. “It isn’t proper for a teacher to accept a gift like this from a student, especially one as young as you are. Do you understand?”

Boq sniffled as he read his card again. At least she didn’t doubt his love, even if she couldn’t accept it. 

But then he noticed something about the card. Something he hadn’t considered before. Something that could save him from all this embarrassment and make everyone else look silly for once.

“The card isn’t from me,” Boq said.

Miss Amee blinked. “Pardon?”

Boq forced himself to look his teacher in the eye or else she’d figure out in an instant that he was about to tell the biggest lie in his short life.

“It’s from Stahl.”

Miss Amee’s dark eyes widened until they sparkled in the late morning light. Boq hated to lie. He knew it was a bad thing to do. But since Boq forgot to sign the card and he knew Stahl and Miss Amee liked each other, maybe he could something good with the lie.

Sternly, Miss Amee asked, “Is this true?

Boq nodded. “He was too shy to give it to you, so he asked me to do it.”

“Did he now?”

“Yes, ma’am.”

A smile teased Miss Amee’s mouth as she held Boq’s gaze. She smoothed the card out.

“It’s clear your brother put a lot of time and effort into it.”

Boq’s heart skipped a beat. She believed him! She actually believed him, thank goodness!

“It’s because he likes you a lot, Miss Amee. He thinks you’re very kind and thoughtful, and he likes that you try to make everyone feel good about themselves. He thinks you’re funny too. And, of course, he thinks you’re very pretty.”

“He told you all that?”

“Yes, every time we walk to school together. He can’t say enough about you.” He traced the round edge of the card. “You mean a lot to him, because not everyone is so nice to him.”

Softly, she asked, “He gets picked on a lot?”

“Yes, but he doesn’t cry about it like I do.”

Blinking back his tears, Boq’s chest warmed as he thought about Stahl. Or maybe his fever was coming back. 

“What’s wrong, Boq?"

“Am I in trouble?” Boq asked.

“No, you’re not in trouble, but your brother might be,” she chuckled. “Before I forget, let me give you your St. Glinda’s Day surprise.”

She went to her desk and pulled out a stick of cinnamon candy with a note tied to it that read: Sweets for the Sweet.

“There’s an extra piece for your brother as well you can pick up after class. He helped fetch me a good price at the sundries store for them,” she said. “You’re free to go.”

Not needing to be told twice, Boq bolted out of the schoolhouse. Ojo waited for him by the front door and demanded to know what happened. Boq recounted the whole story and Ojo turned on his heel towards Jinjur.

“You were wrong the whole time!” Ojo shouted. “The card wasn’t from Boq at all, it was from his brother!”

Jinjur rolled her eyes. “Sure it is.”

“It is!” Boq protested. “And I’ll prove it when he comes to pick me up and then you’ll feel silly.”

Of course, Boq hadn’t thought up how he could prove it just yet. When school was called back in session, he wrung out his brain like a sponge for ideas. Oh, why did he have to lie? Stahl was going to hear from the other kids about the lie and he’d correct them right there because he was good and honest, and then Boq would be all embarrassed again and he have to ask for the card back—

Wait.

That’s it!

Again, the day came to a crawl until at last Miss Amee released them like a pack of piglets. Boq shot out of his seat like a cannon so he could be the first to leave. As he hoped, Stahl was already waiting for him outside of the school.

“Did today go over better?” he asked, ruffling Boq’s hair.

“Miss Amee wants to talk to you. In the school house. She says I have to wait outside.”

Stahl crossed his arms and grinned. “You’re not in trouble are you?”

“No, no trouble.” Not yet, anyway. “I think it’s about the card.”

Stahl waited for the other kids to flood out into the warm sun before heading inside. Jinjur stomped right up to Boq and demanded her proof. Boq led her and Ojo and other curious children to the side of the school house where the spruce bushes grew and peeped through the crack of open window. The last two students blushed as they passed by Stahl on their way out. Miss Amee clasped her hands on her desk and smiled.

“Mr. Woodsman! What can I help you with?”

Stahl ran a hand through his hair. “Good afternoon, Miss Amee. Boq said you needed to speak with me?”

No! Boq held his breath as Miss Amee stared at Stahl with a confused look on her face. Why didn’t Stahl ask about the card? Oh, he was going to be found out and embarrassed all over again! Miss Amee turned her gaze towards the window and Boq and his classmates ducked.

“Yes,” she said lightly, “it’s about your card.”

Boq popped his head back up. Miss Amee no longer looked confused, but his brother sure did.

“My card?”

She nodded as she pulled Boq’s card out of the desk drawer. 

Miss Amee tilted her head and frowned. “I’m afraid Boq confessed the whole scheme. I know that the card is from you and that you tasked Boq to give it to me.”

Stahl froze. Boq’s stomach twisted as he stared at his cursed card in her hands. What if Boq’s guess was wrong that Stahl and Miss Amee liked each other? What if his lie wrecked their friendship?

Smacking a hand on his forehead, Stahl groaned, "I’ve been caught!”

“You have,” she sighed, disappointed. “You caused your little brother a great deal of strife, you know, having him take on your burden for you. I don’t know if I can accept the affections of a man who won’t be responsible for his own feelings.”

Jinjur gasped and Ojo shushed her, but neither Stahl nor Miss Amee looked towards the window. Boq’s heart thumped anxiously in his chest. He never considered that Miss Amee would reject Stahl because of Boq’s lie. What had he done?

Stahl clasped his hands and pleaded, “You must forgive me, Miss Amee. I had been talking my brother’s ear off on when and how to give it to you and what if you didn’t accept it, that he grew sick of me worrying and told me he’d give it to you himself. 

“This hardly helps your case.”

Stahl pressed his hand over his heart and said, “Then, if you could be so kind, permit me the chance to try again?”

His nervous smile softened into something more sincere.

“I like you, Nimmie. I like our little morning chats when we can get them, but I’d like to spend the whole day with you, if I could. There’s a place by the river where the water hits the rocks just right and create little rainbows. I’d like to take you there for a picnic and get to know each other better.”

Miss Amee darted her eyes down at her hands, her shy smile dimpling her cheeks.

“That sounds lovely.”

“Could I pick you up this Saturday, then? Around ten?”

She looked back up at him and Stahl’s face flushed a tender pink.

“I’ll be ready,” she murmured.

Boq bounced on his toes and cheered with his classmates until Stahl turned on his heel.

“What are you all doing?” he shouted as he raced towards the window. "Get out of here! Get!”

The children scattered like flies when Stahl slammed the window shut. Ojo pointed at Jinjur and laughed.

“You were wrong! You were wrong! You were wrong!” Ojo and Boq sang together.

“And you’re both idiots,” Jinjur huffed before stomping away in defeat.

Ojo took Boq’s hand. “My Unc Nunkie is probably wondering where I am. Do you want to come over?”

Stahl burst out of the school house.  He swiveled his head until he caught sight of Boq and pointed a finger at him.

“YOU!”

Boq skittered away and shrieked, “Not today, bye Ojo!”

“COME BACK HERE!"

Dropping his books and lunch pail, Boq tore into the woods. His brother’s footsteps thundering right behind him, Boq launched himself at a tree and climbed—until Stahl yanked him back down by the collar. Suddenly Boq was in a hug so tight that his head felt like it was about to pop off.

“You set me up, you menace!” Stahl growled.

“It…worked…didn’t it?” Boq grunted as he wriggled in his grasp.

“Lucky for you, it did,” Stahl sighed, finally releasing him. “You couldn’t have at least warned me what I was getting myself into?”

Boq scratched the back of his neck. Maybe if there weren’t so many kids around, he could have. 

Stahl shook his head. “Before I forget, here is your card.”

Boq took the battered piece of paper. He ought to throw it away if Miss Amee couldn’t accept it. Besides, it was practically destroyed.

“C’mon, slowpoke,” Stahl teased as he strode ahead. “I want to be on time for supper.”

Boq stuck the card his pocket, picked up his lunchpail and books, and skipped after his big brother.

Early that Saturday morning, Boq poked his head in the bedroom as Stahl readied himself in front of the bedroom mirror. His brother wore his best casual outfit of bottle blue sack coat and matching pants with his cleanest cream and green gingham shirt. He held up two ties up to his chin when he noticed Boq.

“Need something, Boq?”

Boq shuffled inside. “This is for you.”

Stahl took the old heart-shaped card out of Boq’s hands: the lace re-applied, the tear in the middle hidden by a picture of a chocolate box, the missing pictures of roses replaced with pictures of red tulips and pink hyacinths. On the back a couple new layers of paper and glue stiffened the card again, and on the front a new piece of paper covered the old message and a new one was written:

Stahl Not My Love!

From Boq

Boq’s heart fluttered as Stahl smiled at the card. Unable to throw the card away, it wasn’t until last night when Boq was struck by the realization that he loved his brother very much and wanted to show it. Catta kept Stahl busy while Tolah helped him with cutting out the new pictures.

“It looks good as new! And you remembered to sign it,” he chuckled. “Did you really make this for me?”

“Yes,” Boq said quietly. “Do you like it?”

“I love it. Thank you, little brother.”

Stahl carefully tucked the card into his breast pocket, right above his heart, then pulled Boq into a gentle hug.

“One day,” he said, “you’re going to find someone who makes you very happy.”

Not in the way Stahl meant it, but Boq knew he already had. He squeezed his older brother tightly. Stahl patted his back, then held up the two ties by his throat again.

“What do you think? Yellow or brown?”

Boq scratched his chin in thought. “Yellow.”

“I Boq so.”