A Little Help From My Friends

Disclaimer: I don't own the Magnificent Seven, not making any money, just cheap thrills.

Warnings: AU; WIP

Rating: FRT

A Little Help From My Friends
Chapter 3


Nathan grinned as he breathed in the good scents filling the kitchen. The stew Mr. Standish had put together smelled even better than what Ms. Lucille used to make. She might not have been much of a mother, but she could cook Nathan admitted to himself. If the smell was anything to go by then Mr. Standish was putting her to shame.

Ezra looked up at the sound of the front door closing and small feet thundering across the wooden floor. "Your siblings?"

"Yes sir," Nathan replied with a short nod. "I best go tell them to wash up."

Nathan stepped into the main room just before the younger boys reached the kitchen. He shook his head at the sight of the dust covering the younger boys. "You're not coming into the kitchen looking like that," he firmly told them.

"Aw Nate, we don't look that bad," Buck protested. His stomach rumbled and his mouth watered at the smell of stew and freshly baked biscuits. He really didn't want to take the time to wash up, but he could tell by the look on Nathan's face that they weren't going to get out of washing. "Come on guys," he sighed in defeat.

"Beat some of the dust off your clothes too," Nathan spoke quickly. He knew if he didn't they'd come back in from the pump with clean hands and faces, but with clothes thickly covered in dirt.

JD glared up at Nathan. He didn't want to brush off, nor did he want to wash up, he just wanted to eat. "I ain't got to do what you tell me," he loudly declared, his little jaw jutting out at a stubborn angle.

"John Daniel Sanchez you will obey your brother when I'm not here."

JD gulped, whirling around to face his father standing in the doorway. "Yes sir, but you're here now."

Josiah bit back a smile. "So I am, and I don't want half the dirt from the yard in the stew I can smell."

JD sighed, "Dust off and wash up?" A nod from his father and the little boy followed the others outside to do as they had been told.

"Supper'll be on the table by the time you get washed up Pa," Nathan said.

"It smells good son," Josiah smiled. "I'll be right there." Normally he would have washed up before coming into the house, however JD's raised voice had brought him inside.

Ezra stepped from the kitchen just in time to see the back of the children's father disappearing back outside. He supposed the introductions would simply have to wait until the man and his other children arrived in the kitchen. Though he had heard the younger boys playing outside when he had arrived, he had yet to actually see them. However, he knew there were three children, aside from Nathan, thanks to the information he had gleaned from the bartender. Turning back to the kitchen, he proceeded, with Nathan's help, to set the table. He was surprised when Nathan set a place for him as well. He had intended to wait for the boy's father to offer an invitation to supper. He didn't suppose it would do any harm, after all the boy undoubtedly knew his sire best.

"Pa, this is Mr. Standish," Nathan was saying as Ezra turned to the table.

Ezra nearly dropped the tray of biscuits he held. For the second time since his arrival at the Sanchez farm he had been taken by surprise. He hadn't been expecting to see a white man being referred to as Pa by a black child. Quickly recovering himself, he hoped neither father nor son had noticed his shock. The unusual situation didn't really bother him, he had simply been surprised. "Hello Mr. Sanchez, it's a pleasure to meet you," he said. Setting down the biscuits, he offered his hand to the older man.

"Mr. Standish," Josiah rumbled, quickly shaking the smaller man's hand.

"Mr. Standish helped me fix supper Pa," Nathan informed him. "More like I helped him, truth be told," he corrected in almost the same breath.

"You didn't have to do that Mr. Standish," Josiah said. He was embarrassed that Nathan had let a guest in their home work like that.

"It was my pleasure Mr. Sanchez. I enjoy cooking. A task made more enjoyable with the help of such an able young man," Ezra returned, flashing his trademark grin. Before more could be said the three younger boys came barreling into the kitchen. The first one into the room came to a sudden stop upon spotting Ezra, causing the others to run into him so that they all nearly tumbled to the floor.

"Slow down boys," Josiah firmly, but kindly, ordered. "The food isn't going anywhere," he teased.

Vin blushed, for as always he had been the first one in the door. In spite of his size, he never could seem to get enough to eat. Pa often teased him about it, sometimes swearing that he must be feeding a tapeworm.

"Boys this is Mr. Standish, he'll be joining us for supper. Mr. Standish, these are my other boys, Buck, Vin and JD." As he introduced them, he touched each boy on the shoulder.

"It's a pleasure to meet you young sirs," Ezra smiled, giving a small tilt of his head, as if tipping an invisible hat.

For a moment nobody moved and then Josiah stepped towards the table. Suddenly feet were moving, chairs scraped the floor and within only a minute everybody was seated and ready to eat.

"This is delicious," Josiah complimented the two cooks. "I think it may be the best stew I ever had."

"Ain't as good as Mama's," JD said.

"JD," Josiah said in quiet warning.

"It's good Pa, just not as good as Mama's."

"I'm sure it isn't JD," Ezra interjected. He didn't want the boy punished for rudeness. He was, according to the bartender, only five. Of course he would believe his mother to be perfect in everything she did, as well he should. At least young JD would never have to discover that mothers are only human and far from perfect he thought, not knowing how far from the truth he was. "I do thank you for the kind compliment."

Buck stared, "You made the stew?" He had thought that Nathan had just finally found a recipe he could make.

"And the biscuits," Nathan informed them. "I just helped."

"Men ain't supposed to cook," JD piped up from his place next to Buck.

"Perhaps not young sir, but when one is hungry and without female companionship, one does as one must." Ezra smiled at the confused look on the boy's face as he tried to work out what had been said. Before he could explain in simpler terms, another voice sounded.

"He means that it's okay for a man to cook if there ain't no women to do it," Vin explained.

"Oh," JD nodded. "Why didn't he just say that?"

Vin sighed. "He did JD, he just said it fancy."

JD turned back to Ezra. "Did your Mama run away too?" he innocently asked.

Ezra nearly choked on the spoonful of stew he'd just swallowed. With effort he managed to get it down. Perhaps the boy was learning his mother wasn't perfect after all, he sadly thought.

"JD he's too old to need his Ma to take care of him," Vin said.

Simultaneously from JD's other side, Buck spoke. ""JD it ain't polite to ask folks personal questions."

Josiah shot an apologetic look at Mr. Standish. He knew that Vin didn't realize the rudeness of his comment. He'd have to remember to take the boy aside later and explain it to him.

Ezra offered the older man a small, understanding smile. He understood what Vin was attempting to do. It wasn't the boy's fault that he didn't realize he was being rude.

Nathan could see JD gearing up for an explosion. He never liked being corrected by his brothers. Normally he'd let Pa handle it, but he was afraid that the youngest would lash out at Vin again if he wasn't distracted, and quickly. "JD, if you eat all of your supper I'll make you some popcorn and then I'll read you a story." The youngest always liked it when Nathan read to him. He claimed nobody else could do the voices right.

"Honest?" JD eagerly asked.

"Honest," Nathan confirmed. He was relieved that the boy had been distracted before he could cause a scene. He blushed as he caught the proud look coming from Josiah.

Once the offer of popcorn and a story were on the table, Ezra noticed that the younger boys finished supper in short order. Gaining permission to be excused, they jumped up from the table, prepared to make their escapes.

"Buck, Vin, you boys wash the dishes while Nathan is making popcorn," Josiah ordered. "JD can pick out the book tonight."

Ezra could see they wanted to argue. To their and their father's credit they refrained. Contenting themselves with twin sighs, they turned back to the table and began to clear it.

"Mr. Standish, would you join me outside for a cigar?" Josiah asked.

"Certainly Mr. Sanchez." Pushing his chair away from the table, Ezra followed the older man out to the porch.

Josiah leaned against the porch post, smoke circling his curly, graying head of hair. "What brings you out this way Mr. Standish?"

The moment he had been anticipating had arrived. "I spoke to a man in town who informed me that you might be in need of assistance...with the children," he added almost as an afterthought. He was certain the man would turn him down without a thought if he thought he was offering himself as a farmhand. It was painfully obvious that he was not well acquainted with such onerous labor.

Josiah frowned. It shouldn't have surprised him that folks were talking about his troubles, but he didn't have to like it. "I suppose he told you why I could use some help?"

"Only that you had recently lost your wife. My condolences," he quietly offered, though he was no longer certain such words should be offered.

"Thank you, but she didn't die. I'm sure you already figured that out." Josiah had seen his reaction to JD's question and as the man didn't appear stupid he had likely worked it out for himself.

"I had suspected," Ezra admitted. Though he was uncomfortable discussing such a personal topic he had no wish to insult the man's intelligence.

"I'm sorry you made a trip out here for nothing Mr. Standish..."

"Mr. Sanchez I assure you that I am quite capable of looking after your boys while you toil in the fields."

Josiah sighed. "I'm sure you can Mr. Standish. The problem is I can't afford to hire help. The boys and I will just have to muddle through as best we can."

"I understand Mr. Sanchez," Ezra replied in a tired voice. "However, I would be amenable to exchanging my help with the children for food and a place to sleep."

Josiah frowned, he wasn't sure that was a fair deal. "I don't know, that's an awful lot of work for just room and board."

"The children will be returning to school soon, will they not? That will decrease the difficulty of the job considerably," he continued without giving Josiah a chance to answer.

"Actually it won't," Josiah replied. "The boys don't go to school." Speaking quickly, he went on to explain before the younger man could voice the objections he could see forming in his eyes. "It's not that I don't want them to get an education, but there isn't a school here anymore. So many families left the area that the town decided it wasn't worth the expense to keep the school open. Besides my boys, there's only a couple of other children in the area."

Ezra smiled, "Then I insist that you allow me to enter into your employ. Though teaching is not my profession, I am fully qualified to instruct your children. I know Nathan can read, what of the others?"

"Um, Buck can read but Vin and JD never got the chance to go to school before it was closed." Josiah haltingly replied, the other man's reaction to his information taking him by surprise. "I know Nate has tried to help them learn, but he's only a child himself and I haven't had time to work with them," he shamefully admitted. He was their father he should have made the time. Perhaps if he had taken some of the burden from Lucille she wouldn't have left.

"Understandable sir and the boy is to be admired for his efforts. Yet, as you say, he is but a child, too young for such responsibility."

"You'd really be willing to take care of the boys, help them with their schooling, for just room and board?"

Ezra flashed his trademark grin, letting his gold tooth flash in the light coming from the front window. He could see that the larger man was surprised at his willingness to toil for such a small reward. "For the chance to stay in one place for, hopefully, a long term? Yes sir, I most assuredly and most happily would enter into your employ for such wages."

"You're hired," he said, holding out his hand to seal the deal. Privately he promised himself that if the crop was as good as he was expecting then he would present the younger man with a small amount of cash in addition to their current agreement. "I won't be comfortable being referred to as Mr. Sanchez all the time, call me Josiah."

"Thank you Josiah, I am Ezra," and the gold tooth flashed again in the light of the window. Though they had only just come to an agreement, Ezra felt as if he had just come home.

TBC

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