Rescuing Beaver [The End]

[Waterston_Fan]

I do not own this show or have any rights to it. This is my first LITB fan fiction… This is after the episode in the fourth season called ‘Mistaken Identity’ Mr. Banyan, Brandy Gonzalez and Melanie Langsford belong to me.

Ward came home as June was put the dishes on the dining room table.

“Hi dear,” Ward said happily, when he put his arms around an unsuspecting June.

“Aaaah!!” June softly yelled, as she caught the plate before hit it the table.

“Did I scare you, dear?” Ward asked with a slight laugh as June turned around and smiled.

“I didn’t hear you come in. How was your day?” she welcomed him home with a kiss.

“I had a good day. Where are the boys?”

“Doing their homework and Wally wants to ask you something.”

“Oh, does he? I wonder what it is,” Ward said when she put the food on the table.

“I don’t know but dinner’s ready, call the boys?”

“Sure,” Ward opened the door from the kitchen that led to the foyer adjacent to the stairs, “Boys!! Supper’s ready.”

“Okay, we’ll be right down dad!” Wally responded as Ward went to the table.

During dinner, the boys talked about school events and plans for the weekend.

“So, Wally, your mother tells me you want to ask me something. What did you want to ask me?”

“Oh, yeah Dad, I want to know if I can spend the night at Eddie’s on Friday?”

“That’s fine with me if Wally wants to spend the night at Eddie’s,” Beaver said.

“Well, your father and I will have to talk about it but Beaver, are you sure you don’t mind? I would rather you spend the night with Gilbert or Richard so there is no favoritism.”

“That’s fine Mom. Besides, Wally might end up coming home early if Eddie makes him mad,” Beaver said while he laughed.

“Beaver,” Ward said sternly. “We’ll get back to you on that Wally.”

“Okay, Dad.”

After supper, the boys went upstairs to finish their homework; Ward and June cleared the table and did the dishes.

“So, should we have Wally spend the night at Eddie’s?” June asked.

“I think so. Maybe Beaver can have the room to himself for one night, since in a few years it will be just you, me and Beaver when Wally goes off to college,” Ward told her while he handed her a wet plate to dry.

“Oh Ward! Did you have to remind me that Wally will end up going to college in a few years?” June asked sadly.

“Sorry, dear.”

June said, “I think we can let Wally stay at Eddie’s.”

“Okay, I’ll go up and tell him,” Ward said then kissed June and went upstairs to the boys’ room.

Meanwhile in the boys’ room—

“Gee Wally, I don’t understand how our Founding Fathers could be so cruel when it come to women.

“Yeah.,” Wally told him.

Wally was at his desk doing math, Beaver was sitting at the chair near the desk reading about the 1920’s when the door opened.

“Okay Wally, you can spend the night at Eddie’s,” Ward told him with a smile.

“Okay, thanks Dad, I’ll go call Eddie now.”

While Wally left the room to make the call, Ward sat on the corner of Beaver’s bed while looking at the book Beaver had in his hand.

“What are you reading?”

“I’m reading about the Women’s movement to give them the right to vote, Dad.”

“Yeah, we’ve had times in our history that we don’t treat people right, like the slavery issue and women. I think our Founding Fathers knew this country would be changing once they are gone and they were right.”

“Yeah, but why did it have to take so long?” Beaver asked.

“Because Congress and the President like to take their time and plus it takes years to change the Constitution,” Wally came back to finish his homework.

“Thanks again, Dad.”

“No problem Wally.” Ward answered as he got up to leave.

Few hours later—

There was a knock on the boys’ door as Wally told the knocker to come in.

“Boys, your father and I are going to bed. Are you almost done with your homework?” June asked as Ward who had finished turning off the lights, and locking doors came from behind.

“I’m almost done Mom, I got 4 problems left. Goodnight Mom, goodnight Dad.”

“Good night boys, Beaver, don’t stay up too late either,” Ward told them then warned Beaver.

“I’m almost done on my reading and I’ll go to bed.”

They closed the door to go to bed then ten minutes later the boys unmade their twin beds and went to sleep.

The next morning—

The boys were eating breakfast when Ward came in to sit with them, while June poured coffee in his cup.

“So, boys, today’s Friday.”

“I know, I’m excited I don’t have to go to school for two days,” Beaver told them as he gulped down some scrambled eggs and bacon.

“Yeah and I get to spend the night at Eddie’s.”

“Sure you are!!” Beaver said sarcastically.

“Beaver, that is enough,” Ward told him annoyed as he finished his cup of coffee and got up.

“Okay, Dad.”

The boys also got up and said their goodbyes then a few minutes later Ward gave June a kiss then took his briefcase and left for work.

At Ward’s work—

He walked in, gave greetings to his co-workers then saw his secretary who had a worried look on her face.

“What’s wrong?” He got a funny feeling in the pit of his stomach when he asked.

“Greg wants to see you in his office,” his secretary told him sternly.

“Okay, well I’m sure it’s nothing.”

Ward left to go see his supervisor, Greg, who was waiting in his office, Ward felt nervous as he wondered if he’d lose his job at the marketing firm he worked for since Wally was born.

He opened the door to his office.

[Waterston_Fan]

Few hours later at the house—

“Mom!! Hey Mom!! I’m home!!” Beaver yelled as he walked in and closed the front door.

“I’m in here, Beaver!!” she yelled from the kitchen.

June looked in the cupboard for a can of beans when Beaver walked in, causing the swinging door to swing back and forth briefly.

“How was your day at school?” June asked.

“It was good, but Whitey got sent to the principal’s office.”

“Why?” June asked while she used a can opener to open the can of beans.

“’Cause he pulled a girl’s hair in class today,” he replied as he took a cookie from the jar.

“Not too many cookies now, we will be eating soon,” she reminded him as he got a glass of milk. After he poured the milk, he put the bottle away.

“Okay, Mom.”

Beaver finished his cookie, then after he drank the milk he put the glass in the sink, and went upstairs as Wally came through the door.

“Hi Wally.”

“Hey Beav,” Wally said as he went into the kitchen through the small foyer.

“Hi Mom,” Wally said disappointedly.

“Hi Wally. Mrs. Haskell called me today,” June said somberly.

“Yeah, Eddie told me today that his aunt came this morning and is staying for a few days. Boy, I don’t even want to hear it from Beaver at the table.”

“Well, don’t let it bother you, Wally,” June told him.

Wally went upstairs to start on his homework when Ward came through the kitchen door.

“Hi dear,” June said as she turned to give Ward a kiss. “Hi,” Ward said.

“Looks like Wally won’t be staying at Eddie’s,” June said.

“Why not?”

“Because Eddie’s great aunt is over at his house. Mrs. Haskell called today when her aunt was there.

In the boys’ room—

“Hey Wally, when do you go to Eddie’s?” Beaver asked as he looked up from his book.

“I’m not going.”

“Why not?” Beaver asked confused.

“Cause his aunt is visiting. She came over before he went to school.”

“Oh boy, what a gyp!”

“Well, no, it’s not a gyp. It happens,” Wally told him.

“Yeah, remember when Aunt Martha came for a surprise visit? Dad was going to take you, me, Lumpy, Tooey and Chester to the carnival.”

“Oh yeah, I remember that. Boy, Mom was sure mad,” Wally said as he wrote on a piece of paper and looked at his math book.

“Yeah, even though Mom and Dad did take us.” Beaver replied before reading his book.

Few hours later—

“Boys!! Supper’s ready!!” Ward yelled to them.

“Okay Dad,” they yelled back.

At the dinner table everyone ate and talked about things going on at school as they noticed that Ward seemed happy.

“Why are you so happy, dear?”

“Cause I want to be,” Ward said as he took a bite.

“Yeah Mom, can’t Dad be happy that you cook such good pork chops?” Beaver said.

“Well, sure but I’ve cooked good pork chops many times and even when your father was grumpy,” June smiled.

“Anything good happen at the office today, Dad?” Wally asked.

“No, nothing out of the ordinary. Just meetings and reports for the bosses.”

“So did you clobber Mr. Rutherford at the office today, Dad?” Beaver asked with a smile.

“No, I didn’t. I would get fired if I did that.”

“Boys, your food will get cold if you don’t finish up,” June told them.

“You know what dear, I’ll do the dishes and you can go take a bath,” Ward said happily. June and the boys stared at him.

“Boy!! He must have had a really good day today!” Beaver said as he finished his supper.

June smiled, “Thank you, Ward.”

After supper, Ward did the dishes while June read the paper, once Ward finished the dishes, she went to take a bath.

The next morning—

Ward kissed June goodbye as he went off to work, carrying his briefcase; Beaver and Wally went to school as June cleaned up the kitchen from breakfast. A few hours later, Ward, Beaver and Wally came home for the day as June was cooking dinner.

While Ward was in the den working, the boys were in their room doing homework, June was on the phone with Aunt Martha while the oven cooked the roast. Ward went into the kitchen to get a glass of milk when he realized June wasn’t in the kitchen and saw she was in the, living room talking on the phone

“JUNE!!” he shouted. The boys heard him shout from their room.

“Uh oh, I think Mom’s in trouble,” Beaver said.

“I don’t know Beav. It sounded like a reminder yell than a ‘you’re in trouble yell’. Besides if she was in trouble, he wouldn’t even holler like that, just at us.”

[Waterston_Fan]

June jumped out of her chair, “Oh no!! I’m cooking dinner, I forgot!!! I’ll call you back later. Bye, Aunt Martha.”

June hung up the phone and hurriedly ran into the kitchen to find Ward, standing near the open stove, with a sad look on his face as he took off his mitt.

“Oh Ward!! I forgot, I didn’t realize 20 minutes had passed.”

“Hey, what happened in here?” Beaver and Wally came in.

“I was talking to Aunt Martha in the living room and burnt our dinner,” she told them sadly.

As the smoke dissipated they saw the burnt roast.

“Well, we could just go out to dinner instead,” Ward suggested cheerfully.

June turned towards him with an aggravated look, then said, “I nearly burned the house down ruining dinner and you want to go out to dinner?”

“Yeah,” Ward said as June put her hand on his forehead.

“Do you feel alright, dear?” she asked then continued, “No fever,” they all laughed.

“Is it dress up or casual, Dad?” Wally asked.

“Casual but bring your sport coat,” he said as Beaver and Wally went upstairs.

After dinner, Wally was in his room reading, Ward and Beaver worked on his spelling homework as June called Aunt Martha back. A few hours later Ward and June went to bed, and the boys who were doing their homework in their room, went to bed a half hour later.

The next day after school—

Beaver went to Metzger’s field to play touch football with his friends Richard, Whitey, Gilbert and other classmates.

“Hey Gilbert, why don’t you play defense and I will be the quarterback?” Beaver told him.

“Oh come on Beav, I’m a better quarterback than you are. You don’t even know how to throw since Richard intercepted you a few times,” Gilbert told him.

“Yeah, Beav. You couldn’t even block your own mother!” Richard laughed.

“Leave my mother out of this!!”

Beaver played quarterback as he struggled for a few plays then Gilbert got his chance, and Beaver got frustrated while he played pretty well.

“Come on Beav!! We told you that you are a lousy quarterback! Maybe you should try for wide receiver,” Richard told Beaver.

“I think I will!!” Beaver yelled as he stood near the sidelines.

After the ball was snapped, Beaver juked to fool the defensive back as he got open, he turned to see the ball thrown his way and jumped to catch the ball. The defensive back tackled Beaver as he fell to the ground on his shoulder. Hard.

“Ow!!” Beaver said as his shoulder felt the brunt of the fall while the defensive back got up. Beaver sat up holding his arm while his teammates ran over to him.

“You okay, Beav?” Richard asked as Beaver got up rubbing his shoulder.

“I’m okay, but I think I might sit out a play or two.”

Beaver didn’t go back in as he watched his friends from the sidelines play, until it was time for dinner.

At the Cleaver home-

As Beaver went upstairs, he heard the phone ring then he heard his dad pick it up. He went to his room and saw Wally doing his homework.

“Hey Wally. Has Eddie’s aunt left yet?” Beaver asked as he sat on his bed facing Wally.

“No, she hasn’t and he wants her to go home.”

Ward and June walked into the room as Beaver turned and Wally looked up.

“Beaver, did you get hurt playing football today?” Ward asked.

Wally looked at him, Beaver looked shocked as Ward and June stood near the desk.

“Gee Dad, how did you know that? I just got home.”

“Where does it hurt Beaver?” June asked as she sat next to him.

“One of the parents of your friends was watching you boys play,” Ward told him.

“Oh, well my right shoulder hurt but feels fine now.”

“Make a fist with your right hand then,” Ward said.

Beaver made a fist but cringed in pain for a second.

“I’ll go call the doctor,” June said as she got up.

“No, Mom it’s okay. It’ll be fine.”

“No, Beaver, the doctor will look at your shoulder. How did you hurt it?” Ward said as June left the room.

“Yes, sir,” Beaver replied then Ward sat next to him, as Beaver continued, “Well, I jumped for the football and a guy hit me while I was in the air and I landed on my shoulder.”

“I don’t ever want you to hide your injury, you don’t know if it can get worse, understood?”

“Yes, sir,” Beaver said as Ward left the room.

“I wasn’t hiding it Wally, I just think it’ll be okay.”

“Yeah, but what if you really hurt your arm more by not getting it treated? Remember the pitcher for my team, Bobby Jenson?”

“I remember him, he seemed to have disappeared,” Beaver replied.

“Well, he had elbow soreness that he didn’t tell anyone about, he kept pitching till his arm hurt so much that he had to tell his parents. Now he can never play baseball because he messed up his elbow. So don’t take any chances with a little soreness, Beav.”

“Okay Wally.”

After dinner, Ward, who was in a happy mood still did the dishes again while June read the paper. After Ward finished the dishes, he sat on the couch as June put the paper down.

“Ward, would you ever tell your parents you got hurt?”

“No, I don’t think I would have. But I think my dad would have wanted me to play hurt if I ever did.”

“Did you ever get hurt?” June asked.

“Yeah, when the pitcher threw the ball and it hit my leg.”

“What happened then?” June asked again.

“My dad would tell me to take it like a man and play,” Ward responded with his arms folded.

“Oh, Ward! You had such a mean father.”

“No, I didn’t. He just had a strong sense of values.”

“Why have you been so happy the last few days? Did Fred get fired or something?” June questioned even though she enjoyed him being in a good mood.

“No, dear. I’m just excited about something and I won’t tell you what it is either,” he kissed her on the forehead.

June put her hand on his forehead, it felt normal; they both laughed as the doorbell rang. The doctor came to look at Beaver’s shoulder which was just a bruise. Beaver was given pain medication and was told no contact sports for two weeks. Beaver groaned as he went back upstairs.

Monday morning at Grammar school—

Beaver had to stay in Miss Lander’s class because of an assignment that was due that day.

“Beaver? Why didn’t you do the assignment?” Miss Landers asked as she looked at Beaver while he stood at the front of her desk.

“’Cause it was hard.”

“Beaver, things in life are hard. I want you to bring back your parent’s signature tomorrow,” she told him angrily.

“Yes, Miss Landers,” Beaver replied then left with the note in his book.

[Waterston_Fan]

At the Cleaver home—

Ward was reading the paper in his chair, Wally was in his room reading a book, and June was cooking when Beaver came home.

“Hi Dad,” Beaver said as he walked towards Ward, who turned towards Beaver.

“Hi Beaver, you are late getting home,” Ward told him angrily.

“Yes, sir. I got a note for you to sign from Miss Landers. I didn’t do an assignment,” Beaver told him as he gave him the note then he realized his father wasn’t in a good mood.

“Oh, you didn’t do an assignment? Why is that?” Ward asked crossly as he looked at the note.

“’Cause it was hard.”

“Oh Beaver! You have to try and work at things that are hard. If everyone quit doing things because it’s too hard, we wouldn’t get anything done,” he told Beaver as June called out.

“Ward, if Beaver isn’t home, I need you to go out and look for him. Supper’s ready.”

“Beaver just got home,” he snapped at her then signed the note, and gave it to him, “tell Wally that supper’s ready and wash up,” Ward tersely told him.

“Yes, sir.” Beaver was startled with his father’s anger as he walked up the stairs to his room and closed the door.

“Hey Wally, supper’s ready. What’s wrong with Dad?” he told his brother as they both went to wash their hands.

“I don’t know Beav, he came home in a real bad mood, why?”

“I had him sign a note from Miss Landers because I didn’t do an assignment,” Beaver replied.

“Boy, and I wanted to ask if I can stay at Eddie’s now that his aunt has left. Thanks a lot Beav!!” Wally admonished.

“It wasn’t my fault! I didn’t realize he was in a bad mood till it was too late.”

While June and the boys ate, they noticed Ward was very quiet and infuriated.

“Hey Beav, did you hear what Eddie did at school today?” Wally said as June took a bite and looked at Wally.

“No, I didn’t.”

“He put on a monster mask for a prank and scared the girls.” The boys laughed as June smiled then looked at Ward who was eating quietly with an angry gaze.

“I don’t think that’s very funny, boys!” Ward snapped as the boys stopped laughing and looked at him.

“Yes sir,” they both said as everyone ate.

The next day after Ward came home from work, he was looking at bank statements when June went into his den to talk to him.

“Ward, did you have a good day at the office?” she asked as she sat at the corner of the desk facing him as he leaned back.

“I had a fine day at the office,” Ward said snappishly.

“Did something happen that has made you upset?” Beaver and Wally came home as they heard Ward hollering at June.

“Yes, I got the bill for the shopping spree you went on, you spent $30!! That is a lot of money!!”

Beaver and Wally looked at each other near the stairs as they listened in.

“You’ve never had a problem before!” June defended herself.

“June, beat it!” Beaver and Wally ran upstairs quietly as June walked out and slid the double doors closed.

“I’d like to know what’s bothering you Ward.” June muttered as she walked into the kitchen to start cooking.

Awhile later Beaver came in the kitchen and startled June.

“Beaver, when did you come home?”

“Awhile ago, Wally came home at the same time.”

“I wish you told me when you came home, I was going to call your friends when supper was ready.”

“Sorry, Mom, I forgot,” Beaver replied but didn’t want to embarrass June by telling her that he and Wally overheard Ward yelling at her.

“Mom, can Dad eat in the den and we can have a good dinner?” Beaver asked.

“No Beaver, your father will eat with us at the table. I know it’s been trying the way he’s been acting but he will settle down,” June told him.

“I hope so, Mom.”

“Dinner is almost ready, can you set the table?”

“Sure, Mom.”

Twenty minutes later everyone was at the table eating when they started talking about the track meet.

“So Wally, is there a track meet coming up at Bellport?” June asked.

“Next Friday.”

“Maybe your father, Beaver and I can drive up—,”June responded but was interrupted by Ward.

“No, I can’t go. I have a late meeting,” Ward said as he looked at his food to take a bite.

“That’s okay Dad, you don’t have to go if you don’t want to,” Wally said.

June looked at Ward angrily as they all finished eating, Ward went upstairs while June and the boys did the dishes. A few minutes later, unbeknownst to them, Ward was listening in on their conversation since the door to the dining room was open.

“Mom, what if you call Mr. Rutherford or Dad’s boss, Mr. Banyan, to ask if there is something going on at the office?” Beaver asked as he handed the plate to Wally for drying.

“I will do no such thing. We don’t know if Mr. Rutherford or Mr. Banyan will talk to your father and he won’t like that.”

“But Mom, I’m getting tired of Dad acting like this, I mean Jeff has wanted to spend the night for a few days and I told him that Dad hasn’t been feeling well—”

“Beaver!!” June scolded.

“Well Mom, I’ve wanted to ask Dad if I can spend the night at Eddie’s and I feel like I might upset Dad if I asked.”

“Maybe you did something to upset him the morning he went to work, then he comes home in a bad mood,” Beaver accused June; she looked at him angrily.

“No, Beaver, Dad was in a good mood when he left,” Wally defended his mother.

“Thank you, Wally. Boys, you go on upstairs, I can finish the dishes, thank you,” June said after Ward had quietly snuck into the den.

“Okay Mom,” The boys went upstairs as June went to the living room to read the paper after she dried the last dish.

A few minutes later Ward told June he was going out and won’t be home till late; June reminded him it was Thursday and he had to go to work but he had already closed the door.

At the soda shop—

One of Beaver’s friend’s father was getting something for his kids when he noticed Ward drinking a soda.

“Ward? Is that you?” John asked surprised.

“Oh, hi, John,” Ward and John shook hands as John sat down.

“What are you doing here? How have things been?”

“Just thinking and things haven’t been all that good for me,” Ward responded somberly.

“Oh? Are you and June having problems?” John asked nervously.

“No, not that but you see….”

While at home June was reading and the boys had gone to bed, Ward sighed and told his friend, “So, there you have it.”

[Waterston_Fan]

Friday Morning—

Beaver and Wally made their own breakfast of pancakes since they didn’t know if June was still asleep or out with Ward.

“So, what are you going to do after school, Wally?” Beaver asked as he took a bite of his pancake.

“I’m going to the park with Eddie since it’s a half day for us. What are you doing today?”

“I have a half day too, so I will see if Richard is off restriction and maybe go to his house.”

Wally took a sip of his milk then asked, “What did he do?”

“He snuck out to see a movie with some of the other guys.”

“Wow!! Did he ask you to go with him?” Wally asked.

“Yeah. I told him I couldn’t ‘cause I had seen that movie and didn’t like it.”

“But you liked the movie,” Wally told him.

“Sure, but what else was I going to say?”

Wally and Beaver finished their breakfast then put their plates in the sink and wrote a note to June that they went to school.

After School---

Wally and Beaver went home to drop off their books as they saw June was home.

“Hi, Mom,” Wally and Beaver said.

“Hi, boys.”

“Dad home?” Beaver asked.

“No, but I have to go pick him up in a half hour.”

“Okay, well Beaver is going to hang out with Richard and I’m going to Metzger’s field to play football,” Wally said.

“Okay. You be careful Wally.”

“Sure Mom, ” Wally said as he smiled with a giggle.

At Metzger’s Field—

Wally saw his friends playing touch football as he joined in to play quarterback and he threw the ball to Eddie who dropped it.

“Come on Eddie!! That was an easy pass!!” Some of the players complained loudly.

“Dry up, the sun was in my eyes,” Eddie told them, as the players groaned then got in the huddle.

Ward’s co workers were watching their kids play as they cheered. Bill Boothby’s secretary Melanie Langsford, Bill himself, and Brandy Gonzalez had all asked for the day off to watch the game.

“I see Clarence is on the field. Do you guys see Fred?” Melanie asked.

Brandy, Bill, and Melanie looked around for Fred and noticed Clarence didn’t block a player and that player sacked the quarterback.

“Oh boy, that will get Fred riled up,” Bill Boothby said

They didn’t hear Fred yelling at Clarence since they didn’t see him.

“Nope, guess he’s at work, annoying everybody like he has been since he got that dumb promotion.”

“I’m surprised Ward hasn’t quit since Fred got that promotion and surprised Fred hasn’t been clobbered yet,” Bill said.

“Yeah, or maybe he’ll go see the boss about it,” Melanie said.

Ward should have gotten that promotion because he’s been there longer than Fred and us,” Mandy said as Bill agreed.

Wally made a great throw to one of his friends who made a touchdown then the point after was made, Wally went on defense when Lumpy was the quarterback; Lumpy threw the ball 30 yards. It got intercepted by Wally who was a defensive back and ran the ball back until he got tackled hard by an angry Lumpy. As Wally got up, Lumpy shoved him back down as some of their friends held Lumpy back when Wally got up to his feet.

“What was that for?” Wally asked.

“The interception, dummy!”

Everyone went back to playing after a few minutes of getting Lumpy to calm down from tackling Wally.

Meanwhile—

Beaver went to Richard’s but ended up walking over to Gilbert’s when he saw Richard looking panicked.

“Beaver, I went to your house and they said you were at my house, but I’m glad I found you!”

“Whose they?” he asked.

“Your mom who had some friends over, and your dad is also home.”

“Oh. What’s going on Richard?” Beaver asked, but had a bad feeling about what he was going to hear.

“Beaver, Gilbert is trapped in the McMahon house.”

“Aw, gee Richard, the last time we had something involving the McMahon house, you gave the police officer my name and address. He came to the door with a detective because of what you did!! Why did Gilbert go in there?”

“I said I was sorry. But we were playing catch near the house and the baseball went through the window. Look, we don’t want Gilbert to get in trouble, right?” Richard asked.

Beaver thought, “Well, no.”

“Then let’s go!!” Richard said as both boys went to his house to get some flashlights then ran to the McMahon house.

They walked into the door as they called Gilbert’s name.

“Over here!! I’m behind a door that seems to be blocked because I can’t push it when I turn the knob!!”

“Okay, keep talking so we can get to you!” Beaver yelled as he and Richard got closer to Gilbert.

The house moaned in its old age as the broken windows let the sun come through uninterrupted. The boys didn’t use their flashlights until they got away from the windows closer to where Gilbert was trapped. The house settled as the boys stopped then went forward when part of the ceiling caved in.

“Whoa!!” Richard yelled as he ran forward and ran into the wall.

“Hey, I heard that. Are you guys okay?” Gilbert yelled then screamed, “Aaaaahhhhh!!” then the boys heard a crash.

“Gilbert!! Are you okay?!! Gilbert!!” Richard yelled then called out again, “Beaver!! Beaver, are you okay?”

There was dead silence as Richard yelled out for his friends then ran out of the house frantically.

[Waterston_Fan]

Richard ran towards Beaver’s house hoping that Wally was home but he saw him walking home with Eddie.

“Wally!! Wally!!” Both boys stopped and turned towards Richard who looked scared to death.

“What’s wrong?” Wally asked.

“Gilbert and I were throwing the ball around the McMahon house and I threw it hard into the second floor. So Gilbert and I went in but he got trapped, So I went to see if Beaver could help so we got the flashlights, Beaver and I went in. I know where Gilbert is, he says he can’t open a door and then there was two crashes and Beaver isn’t calling out or anything!!”

“Holy mackerel,” Wally said shocked.

“Why don’t we all go to the McMahon house and see what we can do,” Eddie suggested.

“Okay, but Richard, we might have to get our fathers in this.”

Richard said with realization that their parents would be involved,”Okay.”

A few minutes later the boys got to the house as Wally took the flashlight from Richard then went in.

“Gilbert!! Beaver?!!”

Wally heard Gilbert’s voice. “Wally, I know my dad is going to get mad but I think you should call him!! I think you should call Beaver’s dad too. Boy, we sure are in for it.”

“I’m going to send Eddie, okay?” Wally said.

“Okay,” Gilbert said.

Wally left the house and went to talk to Eddie.

“Eddie, why don’t you go to the shop that has a phone and call my dad. Tell him that Beaver and Gilbert are trapped and the fire department will need to be called.”

“Okay,” Eddie said as he ran to the closest store that had a payphone.

Wally went back in the old house to talk to Gilbert and Beaver.

“Gilbert! What is your exact location?”

“I was on the second floor but I don’t know if the ceiling above me fell or what but I don’t think I fell through the floor.”

“Okay. Beaver!! Do you know where you are at?” Wally yelled.

“The floor gave way but then everything is dark.”

Eddie came back to tell Wally that his dad was on his way and they waited for them.

Awhile later Gilbert’s father, John, Richard’s father, and Ward, were at the McMahon home as they made a plan of what to do. Ward and John went to get their sons while Wally and Eddie held on to the rope that held Ward; Richard had come back and with his father held on to the rope that was tied around John. As the rescuers were going in, two police cars arrived as well as Eddie’s father; Eddie had told his father where he was so they wouldn’t get worried and George wanted to help so he came to the old house.

“Okay, give me some more slack,” John said as he went up the stairs.

“Sure hope the boys are okay,” George said.

“Yeah, they should be okay,” Wally told him even though he had no idea what shape Gilbert and Beaver were in.

John was on the second floor talking to Gilbert to see where he was since he wasn’t having any trouble getting upstairs on the creaky old staircase. John saw parts of the ceiling lying on the hallway floor as he navigated the path, knocking on doors so Gilbert could let him know where he was.

“Hey, Dad, I think I heard that, tell me if you can hear this knock,” Gilbert said then he knocked on the door.

“Hey, there you are! Now let me see if I can move these boards from the door.”

A few minutes later Gilbert was able to get out of the room and got a big hug from his dad.

“How did you get upstairs in that room?” John asked as they both walked slowly out of the house.

“You see Dad, when the baseball was thrown it went in the second floor window and I saw it in one of the rooms that had the door open. Then I got trapped. Did they get Beaver yet?”

“Ward is looking for him,” John said as they both got outside and a police officer started talking to him.

Meanwhile, Ward used a flashlight that showed a small area of the floor that was black. So he walked carefully, leaned to his knees, put his hand on the area that was black then realized it was a hole.

“Beaver!! Beaver, can you hear me?”

“Yeah, Dad!!”

“Okay, can you see the flashlight?” Ward asked then shined the light down.

“No. Dad, I can’t see it.”

“Do you still have the flashlight on you?”

“Yeah,” Beaver held his flashlight with the light shining.

“Can you see any staircases anywhere?”

“Yeah, I see a staircase, Dad.”

“I’m putting my arm through the hole while shining the flashlight, do you see my hand?”

“Yeah, Dad I see it.”

“Do you see my thumb?” Ward asked then Beaver told him he saw his thumb.

“Is the staircase closer to my thumb or is it away from it?”

“It’s closer to your thumb, Dad. Staircase is more behind me.”

Ward got up, used the flashlight as he watched the floor that creaked with every step he took then found a door. He stood at the side of the door, reached with his hand on the knob and opened it. As the door opened, it made a thunderous noise as Ward turned with his back to the door as dust and debris fell.

“Dad!!? Beaver yelled out.

“I’m okay!!” Ward said then continued, “Beaver, can you hear me loudly?”

“Yes, Dad!! I’m hungry Dad,” Beaver said but he was fearful of what kind of punishment his father would give him especially since he had been in a bad mood as of late.

“So am I pal!!” Ward said as he shined the light on the staircase that creaked when he took a step.

He went around a corner to the landing of the stairs and used the flashlight to see if he could see Beaver.

“Dad!! Shine the light over here!! The light is away from me!!” Beaver told him then Ward shined the light at where Beaver was.

“Beaver!!” Ward shouted happily as he walked over to him but was stopped by the rope around his waist. He took it off and went to get Beaver.

“Dad, I’m sorry!!” Beaver said while getting a hug.

It’s okay Beav, it’s okay,” Ward told him as a few tears flowed.

Awhile later they arrived home; June gave Beaver a big hug and after Beaver and Ward got cleaned up they all ate dinner.

A Few hours later, after Ward spoke to the boys he went to talk to June who sat on the couch reading the paper.

“Hey, June, uh, there is something I wanted to tell you,” Ward said as he sat next to her while she put the paper down and faced him.

“What is it, dear?”

“Well, it’s about the way I’ve been acting. You see, I was told the company would be giving employees promotions and raises including trips and I was really excited that I would get it. But--.”

“They gave you a promotion with a raise, right Ward?” June asked suspecting they would give him a raise.

“No, they didn’t. Fred Rutherford got it. I’m sorry for the way I had been acting.” June looked at him shocked.

“Is that all? Ward!! I can’t believe they didn’t give you a raise!!” I would be upset too but I think I would have said something about it,” she told him as they gave each other a kiss.

“I know, and I’m sorry. I guess I got embarrassed because I was excited for that raise and promotion.”

“I don’t blame you for being upset. I’m glad you are over it.”

“Thanks dear.”

THE END