by Jana Oliver
‘Romeo and Juliet. Talk about a high body count. Even the lovers die and that is so wrong. Everyone knows there’s supposed to be a happy ending, except old Will apparently.’
When Joshua laughed, it pulled at the cut on his face. ‘I’ll see you Saturday at the battle. I’ll try to call you if I can,’ he said. ‘Or email you. It depends on whether Dad takes away both my phone and my computer.’
‘Same here.’
They drifted closer, then gradually became aware that both sets of parents were on the porch, watching them far too closely. Joshua gave her a kiss on the cheek. ‘I’ll be dreaming about flying around on that crazy horse with you.’
She beamed. ‘So will I.’
As her dad pulled out of the drive, Briar waved at her new boyfriend, then sank back into the seat, immensely tired.
‘Briar?’
‘Yeah, Mom?’
‘You really crawled across the bridge on your own?’
‘Yes I did.’ I still can’t believe it.
There was silence for a time and then, ‘I never really let you do much over the years. I was too scared something would happen to you. It’ll take a while for me to loosen up.’
Briar blinked. This was not a conversation she’d ever thought she’d have with her mother. ‘OK. I’ll be careful from now on, but . . . I want to do more things. I just don’t want to stay at home and watch my life go by, you know?’
‘I’d say we all need to be thinking like that,’ her father cut in. ‘We’ve had our lives on hold for too long.’
‘How about a driving lesson, Dad? You up for that?’ Come on, go for it.
He sighed. ‘OK.’
Score!
‘Mom, if I make it on the tennis team, will you car pool me and some of the others to practice?’
A moment’s hesitation and then, ‘Sure, if you make the team, and I have no doubt you will.’
‘You might want to rethink that, hon,’ Briar’s father began, his tone light. ‘You’ll get stuck driving a car full of raging hormones. Trust me, it’s not pretty.’
‘I hadn’t thought of that. Just how bad is it?’ she asked, grinning now. It’d been so long since Briar had seen her mother happy.
‘Unbearable,’ he said, and grinned. ‘Right, daughter?’
‘No comment, Dad.’
As her parents parried back and forth, Briar leaned against the window, smiling to herself. It appeared that she and her folks would all be stretching their wings very soon.
How cool is that?
CHAPTER FORTY-THREE
The next few days were a blur of work. When Briar finished cleaning the garage in record time – all the while hoping that her sentence would be lifted early – her parents had just come up with a new project. And then another. By the time Saturday morning came she had managed to accomplish more scut work than she had the entire summer.
Each evening’s phone call to Joshua proved that he’d employed the same tactic with similarly disappointing results. According to him, Reena and Pat had dropped by one afternoon and helped with the house, though Joshua claimed they’d spent more time messing with each other’s heads and stealing kisses than getting paint in the proper places.
While Briar had slaved away, there had been a steady stream of visitors to the Rose house. Everyone wanted to know what had happened to their daughter because the rumour mill was working overtime. Luckily her mom had extra baked goods in the freezer because every visitor wanted sit and talk over coffee. The first had been the pastor, worried about the rumour that Briar was ‘into magic’ like the Hill girl. Her mom had reassured him that wasn’t the case and sent him home with a Bundt cake. That had proved a mistake as others dropped by just on the off-chance of some Rose-quality baked goods. Her mom didn’t win first prize at the county fair each year for nothing.
A more ominous visitor was Sheriff Johnson, who was investigating the ‘wanton destruction’ of the old bridge. Apparently the guys in the pick-up had made note of a young man on a black horse and girl with blonde hair along the road that night and had readily offered up that information to avoid a speeding ticket.
This time Briar’s mother took the lead. ‘Yes, my daughter was out there,’ she’d said. ‘She and Joshua Quinn were riding along the old road.’
‘That late?’ the cop asked dubiously as he claimed another peanut-butter cookie. It was his fifth.
‘Yes. We knew they were out there. The Quinn boy is a . . . nice kid and I trust him with my daughter. Besides, we were just up the road at his parents’ place for a visit.’
‘I thought you and the Quinns had some . . . problems.’
‘We did. We got that sorted out . . . recently. Briar and Joshua are dating now so it seemed only fair we get to know his parents better.’
After more questioning that led absolutely nowhere, the sheriff departed with a bag full of cookies and brownies. He claimed his next stop was going to be the Quinn house, then he’d be seeing Reena Hill’s folks.
Briar wasn’t worried. She knew that none of their parents, or Lily, would allow anything bad to happen to them.
The following Saturday Briar was granted respite from her detention. Since her birthday had hardly been one of celebration, a party had been scheduled for that evening. As always, Briar’s mom was baking, but this time it wasn’t stress relief. In fact, she was humming along to the radio. She’d even signed up for art classes in Statesboro.
‘I’m out of here,’ Briar said, shouldering her pack that held her uniform. ‘It’s time to get all hot and sweaty.’
Her mom chuckled. ‘You used to hate that.’ She removed a sheet of cookies from the oven. The scent was absolutely mind altering.
‘I’ve been worse,’ Briar said. Like covered in wolf drool, for one.
‘My little girl has changed.’
‘So have you. I like my new mom a lot.’
‘Even when she makes you scrub the kitchen floor?’ her mother teased.
That hadn’t been fun. ‘Yeah, even then.’
They hugged and then a kiss landed on her forehead. ‘Just don’t forget how to be my little girl every now and then, OK?’
‘I won’t. Thanks for being cool about Joshua.’
‘He’s a good kid. I’m sorry we kept you guys apart.’
‘Yeah, me too. He said his parents are getting counselling. I’m hoping that works for them.’
‘All we can do is hope. Lora and I are meeting for lunch next week in Statesboro. Fewer busybodies watching us that way. It’s not going to be easy, but I think we’ll try to mend fences as best we can.’
Yes!
‘Cookie to go?’ her mother offered.
Briar took one, popped a kiss on her mom’s cheek, and then scooted out the side door at warp speed, letting the screen bang shut behind her. As she headed through town for the field, she couldn’t keep her smile under wraps.
No one knew it yet, but Elmer Rose’s sad story was about to change for the better.
In deference to the heat, the last re-enactment of the year was scheduled an hour earlier, though it was almost as hot at eleven as it would be at noon. The moment Briar pulled on the heavy uniform she began to wilt. How did the soldiers wear these things? At least she wasn’t allergic to wool like one of the other re-enactors who’d broken out in hives.
She’d just finished buttoning up her uniform coat, twitching at the itchy fabric, when Joshua appeared, leading his mare on to the field, Kerry trotting at his side. He was in full uniform and had hidden his wound under an old-fashioned bandage.
Wow, is he cute or what?
‘There you are,’ he said, smiling. ‘I’ve missed you.’ He placed a kiss on her cheek.
‘It’s been, like, forever,’ she said. They kissed more earnestly now.
‘Briar?’
They jumped at her father’s voice. He was standing behind them.
How did he sneak up on us? Wasn’t he supposed to be working in the beer tent?
Her cheeks war
med in embarrassment. ‘Ah, hi, Dad.’
‘Hi there. Joshua, can I talk to you a minute?’ he said.
‘Sure, Mr Rose.’ With a shrug, Joshua handed off the reins and then tailed behind him until they reached a suitable distance away. Then her dad began to chat with her boyfriend, a friendly hand laid on his shoulder.
‘What is that all about?’ Briar murmured.
Reena coasted up, assessed the scene and delivered her verdict. ‘My dad did the same with Pat yesterday. It’s the You mess with my girl and I’ll kill you lecture.’
‘He really said that?’ Briar asked, astounded.
‘Yup. Pat was still freaked about it last night. You know how big my dad is.’
‘Yeah, linebacker big. How are you and the Ego doing?’
‘Just fine,’ Reena said, waggling her eyebrows and grinning. ‘Pat’s a total kick once you get to know him. Who would have thought there was a nice guy beneath all that jerkiness?’
‘What about his parents? How are they taking you two being together?’
‘His mom was pretty cool. She’s interested in local history and because my family’s been here since forever she likes that. Especially since they used to be slaves at the Ashland Plantation.’ Reena snorted at that. ‘His dad? Well . . .’
‘Bad?’ Briar asked, still keeping an eye on her own dad and her boyfriend, wishing she could hear what her father was saying.
‘The first time we met was way awkward,’ Reena explained. ‘Mr Daniels stared at me like I had horns growing out of my head. Then he found out that my dad used to be a pro football player and suddenly I was golden. Seems he’s hoping to score tickets to the Super Bowl.’
‘Wow. He’s a user, isn’t he?’
‘Totally. Oh, and Pat’s coming to your party with me tonight.’
‘Oh, man,’ Briar said, realizing the implications. ‘Did you warn him about some of my relatives?’
Reena grinned. ‘No, I didn’t. I figured it’d be more fun that way. Especially your great-aunt. I’m hoping she wears that hat with the flamingo on it. That’d rock.’
Briar groaned at the memory.
‘I’m off to the ice-cream tent and then I’m meeting Pat at the lake. See you later, girlfriend.’
‘OK, bye!’
Joshua returned, his cheeks crimson.
‘What did my dad say to you?’
He shot a look at her father, who was currently talking to a re-enactor.
‘He said . . .’ Joshua sighed. ‘He said, and I quote, that “having grandchildren appear before my daughter gets married and in college would give me homicidal tendencies”. In short, if I crossed the line with his little girl, he would rip my head off and feed it to me.’
‘What? Is that, like, even anatomically possible?’
‘He made it sound like it would be,’ Joshua admitted. ‘And I believe him.’
‘I’m sorry. He can be kinda weird sometimes.’
‘No weirder than my dad. I got the Let’s review the birds and the bees lecture over breakfast. Bottom line is Don’t go there no matter what. At least not yet.’
‘I’m surprised there isn’t a chastity belt involved.’
‘Don’t give them any ideas.’ He hugged her. ‘Don’t worry. I’m not like Mike, but I will need a lot of kissing to compensate.’
‘That I can handle.’
As Briar wound her hair round and pinned it up – it was always hard to get it under the cap – she worked out the final parts of her plan.
‘You have a very devious look going on there,’ Joshua observed.
She leaned close and whispered the plan in his ear, along with a question.
‘Arabella could handle it. But are you sure? These guys will freak out.’
‘Exactly,’ Briar replied, smiling. ‘It’s time Elmer won for a change.’
The re-enactment went down like clockwork: the Union forces moved across the battlefield towards Bliss as the Rebs took cover behind various trees and bushes. Gunfire was exchanged and then the Union unleashed their field cannons and the bodies began to fall. It was December 1864 all over again.
Briar held her ground, just like Elmer had. Then she began her run, flying across the field, dodging Union soldiers and their bayonets. At first she stuck to the script, but at the last minute she veered towards a Union officer who was destined to fall from his horse, wounded.
Five, four, three, two . . .
The guy went down and this time Elmer Rose swung up on to the saddle, wheeled Arabella around and took off like Sherman himself was on his heels. Riding past stunned faces, Briar made sure to avoid any bodies lying on the ground.
When she reached the fence that was the Union line, she vaulted it and kept going. Behind her came shouts and then raucous cheers. Further down the field, she reined the horse in. She turned round to find chaos. Emboldened, many of the re-enactors had broken ranks and were attacking the bluecoats with unrestrained and totally non-historic glee.
Once the final bugle sounded, Briar nudged Arabella back towards the Confederate lines. Joshua trotted up to her, winded. ‘That. Was. Awesome!’
Briar hooted in celebration. She knew some of the re-enactors would be upset with her, but it didn’t matter. The fact that Rawlins had been the one to kill Elmer had cut her deeply, that her ancestor had died at the hands of a traitor. That didn’t mean she couldn’t give Elmer Rose his own moment of glory.
Briar slid off the horse and claimed a hug from Joshua who placed a kiss on her sweaty neck.
‘I’m so proud of you.’
She beamed at the praise. It meant so much coming from her guy.
When she looked around for her father, he shot a thumb up in the air and she returned it.
After more photo opportunities than usual, they encountered Sergeant Nickleby at the edge of the battlefield. Since he was in charge of the re-enactment, she’d expected a lot of yelling because of her flagrant misuse of history. Instead, he was so upset he could only wave his hands and croak incoherently.
‘That was totally farb, but I loved it, Briar!’ one of the Union soldiers called out. Translation: historically inaccurate, but it still rocked.
‘Thanks!’
Nickleby sputtered along, beyond words. One of his aides helped him to a folding chair where he sank down and put his head in his hands. Briar suspected that in future the part of Elmer Rose wouldn’t be assigned to a headstrong girl. No doubt generations of Rose women would sing her praises for that.
After she’d stripped out of the uniform and touched up her make-up, she hunted down Joshua. He was near the horse tank, waiting as Arabella loaded up on water. Kerry sat nearby, chomping on an ice cube.
‘Good news. We’ve both been given a reprieve this afternoon,’ he announced.
‘Honest?’
‘Yup. Your dad told me to have you home in time for the party at six, which I am invited to, by the way.’
‘For real? That’s cool! So what should we do?’
He gestured towards the saddle where a canvas bag hung from the side. ‘Your mom packed a picnic lunch for us. I’m thinking we should head for the lake. How about you?’
My mom packed us lunch?
‘Deal!’
Joshua didn’t head to their usual spot on the beach, but further round the edge of the lake to a private cove. It was quiet and remote, and Briar loved it on sight.
‘How did you find this?’
‘I know all the ground around here. Comes from spending a lot of time on a horse.’
While Arabella grazed on grass and Kerry chased squirrels, they dined on cold chicken and three-bean salad, laughed at each other’s jokes and fooled around. There was even apple pie.
‘Your mom is a great cook. Mine is just OK,’ Joshua observed.
‘How’s she doing?’
‘Better, I think. Still . . . confused.’
‘She’ll get better, I’m sure of it.’
With Kerry on guard for any rampaging wildlife, they stretched
out in the grass under a shady tree, watching the clouds form weird shapes above them. Where Briar came up with all sorts of different names for the formations, Joshua claimed every one of them was a horse.
He pointed at another cloud. ‘That looks like a—’
‘Horse, I know.’
‘I was going to say it looked like a zebra.’
‘Which is nothing more than a horse with stripes,’ she countered.
They laughed together and then he kissed her.
‘I proclaim this a perfect day,’ Briar said, feeling loved like never before.
‘Who knows, it might get even more perfect,’ he replied, his eyes promising mischief.
‘How?’ Could that even be possible?
Joshua rose up, dug for something in his pack and returned with a small box. ‘I was going to give you this tonight at the party, but with all your relatives around it’d get awkward.’
Inside the box was a charm, a silver rose. ‘Wow, that’s really pretty. It’ll work great on my bracelet. Thank you!’
‘Thought you’d like that. Turn it over.’
She found ‘BR + JQ’ engraved on the back of the charm. ‘Awww . . .’
Joshua touched her face in genuine fondness. ‘See, I’m good with Roses now.’
Briar laughed, and they were just about to kiss when someone charged up to them at full speed.
‘I found them!’ Pat called out.
Reena quickly joined him. ‘Hey, girlfriend. We’re not interrupting you or anything?’ she asked, then sniggered.
‘What are you doing here?’ Briar muttered.
‘Breaking up your PDAs, what else?’
Her two friends quickly stripped down to their swimsuits and, though she wasn’t supposed to be looking, Briar couldn’t help but notice that Pat looked pretty good.
‘Avert your eyes, woman!’ Joshua said, turning her head towards him.
She laughed and stole a kiss.
‘Race you!’ Reena said, and then took off for the water. Pat was right on her heels and when they reached the lake they began splashing each other like small kids, laughing and joking. Kerry bounced around and barked at their antics.
‘I thought you said no one knew where we were,’ Briar murmured.