“Do y-you hate me, Brooksie?” Eddie whispered, as though unable to find his voice.
“Absolutely not!” she replied, “But I should… shouldn’t I? But I… I somehow think I love you, Edward.”
He breathed an audible sigh of relief.
“Do you love God, Patience?” Betty asked.
She looked over at Betty then nodded.
“The Bible also tells us that if a man says he loves God but hates his brother, then that man is a liar. It actually calls that person a liar in First John,” Betty said, “He that despiseth his neighbor sinneth– Proverbs 14:21. Your neighbor could be a beady-eyed pervert that just wants to see you naked. And you can definitely hate your neighbor’s intent and his actions, but you absolutely cannot hate him.”
“How? How can I not hate Lowell or the fans of Patience Webb?” Brooksie asked.
“Do you want to keep hating?” Betty asked.
Brooksie looked from Betty to Edward. Catching his gaze, she remembered his hurt expression a moment ago. He actually believed that she might have hated him. The man who looked so hurt a moment ago needed to be loved completely – and she did love him completely. How could she not? She couldn’t allow hate of any kind to live inside of her because just talking about it had nearly destroyed the man in front of her.
“No, I don’t want to hate. I don’t want all this anger and hatred,” she said.
“If you recognize the problem, then you need to take it to the Lord. If you’ve been hating all this time, you need God to step in and work on your heart. Do you ever pray?” Betty asked, wiping her hands on a small towel.
“Not for a long time,” she replied.
“That would definitely be a starting point. If your heart has surprised you with your feelings for Edmond, then that should tell you something,” Betty stated, “You can try to hate all you want, but that’s simply not the person you are.”
Brooksie looked over at Eddie. She reached across the table and took his hand in hers.
“Edward… Eddie, I do love you and I believe that you’re different,” she said, “And I want to run to the ocean with you. And eventually, I want to stop running altogether.”
He smiled as the tears stung the corners of his eyes. He blinked them quickly away.
“And I love you too, Brooksie. Believe me when I say that I actually tried not to. I didn’t want to fall for you,” he replied, “But I’m glad that I did. And I want to run to the ocean. And if you stop running, I’ll stop right beside you.”
Betty stepped over to the table and took a hold of each of their hands.
“Now I don’t believe for one instant that there’s a hatred that ‘must exist’,” she said, squeezing both of their hands, “So I was wondering if you’d like to pray before you two run off to the ocean? I know I’d feel a lot better.”
They nodded and then bowed their heads.
* * * *
Brooksie stood outside of O’Neil’s department store, making good use of their reflective windows. She pressed down on her cheek as she carefully penciled a line along the bottom of her left eyelid. Eddie just watched as he stood there holding the shopping bag full of cosmetics.
“Such a supportive husband - waiting patiently while his wife puts on her makeup on the busy downtown sidewalk,” she said, smiling at his reflection in the window, “I need the lipstick now.”
He reached into the bag and pulled out the tube. She handed him the eyeliner and then opened the tube of lipstick.
“Husband? So are we married already?” he asked, watching her pucker as she speedily colored her lips red.
“Oh, you’re right. We need a ring,” she said, kissing the window in front of her, “Do you still have it?”
She left a perfect set of lip prints on the window. He laughed as she tossed the lipstick back into the bag.
“Hey, I just increased the value of that window,” she said, “Patience Webb was asked to do that instead of autographs a few times.”
“Who’s Patience Webb? My wife’s name is Brooksie,” he said, pulling her old engagement ring out of his pocket.
“I never said yes to that ring before,” she stated with a nod toward the glimmering stone, “So it has never served any purpose at all or marked anything of significance.”
Eddie looked at the ring and grinned. He handed her the bag and then knelt down on the sidewalk in front of her.
“Brooksie… Webb? What was your new name?” he asked.
“Nena Brooks – Nena after my sister and Brooks after a wonderful actress who had a cute hairstyle,” she said, smiling brightly in the noonday sun, “But you can just call me Brooksie.”
“OK. Brooksie, I’ve only done this once before, so you’ll have to forgive me if I mess this up. My first day at Bethel Lake Park, I discovered a woman who wouldn’t stop following me.”
She laughed as he reached out for her hand.
“That beautiful woman told me that I wasn’t the person I thought I was. Within a few moments, I had been given a different name by someone I didn’t even know. Despite that bitterness and sadness that radiated from her, she was surprisingly easy to talk to. She listened and she saw. She didn’t believe she saw, but she did.
“I spent a whole night thinking about that woman because she was infinitely different than anyone I expected to meet. I liked that a lot. Different is good. Then when I met her the next day, she told me to ‘beat it’. Boy, that hurt!”
She laughed again. Three elderly women had stopped by the lamppost to watch their exchange. They were smiling.
“Anyway, I discovered pretty quickly that denying my feelings was just a waste of time. Brooksie, when you told me to kiss you, I really didn’t want to. I’m sure you don’t want to hear that, but I knew what I had been hiding. I somehow knew that if I touched your lips for only a second, I couldn’t hide it any longer.
“That’s exactly what happened. I was so scared to love you because I was so horribly afraid of getting hurt. Nothing in this whole universe mattered anymore when I kissed you – or was it you who kissed me? Anyway, the armor I wore and all those chains that bound me fell to the ground and I stepped out into the real world.
“Is it enough to just say that I wasn’t satisfied? Is it enough to say that I’m still not satisfied? I had a taste of some refreshingly cool water after months of dying in a desert. And though it helped me to get back on my feet, I can’t survive without it. I want that refreshing water all the time. I need it today, tomorrow and for the rest of my life.”
Brooksie was ruining the perfectly drawn lines under her eyes now as a tear streamed down her cheek.
“But I promise to cherish that water. I’ll take care of you, Brooksie, though I really don’t know how at this moment. But I’ll find a way if you’ll let me,” he said, holding out the ring in his other hand, “Will you marry me, Brooksie? Will you permit me to love you the way you should have been loved all along?”
She smiled in spite of the tears and lowered herself to him. She kissed him hard on the lips and said “yes” three times in a row.
The crowd of eight or nine people clapped as he placed the ring on her finger.
“I don’t know if you were serious about that, but-”
“I was totally serious about everything I said,” he whispered to her, “So, were you serious about the ‘yes’?”
She kissed him again and repeated her three yeses.
* * * *
“You do realize that this isn’t the way to the Atlantic,” she said, nodding toward the Bethel Lake Park sign.
“You’ve got to understand that I was on really good terms with my parents,” he said, “After today, I may never see them again. I just need to say good-bye.”
“So, why don’t we go to their house or even call them up?” she asked.
He looked at her and smiled.
“You wouldn’t believe me if I told you. Let’s just say that the only way I can contact them is through the Wisteria ballroom. They will
hopefully be showing up tonight at 8:00 – especially since they know I never returned last night.”
She cocked her eyebrow at him as they approached the ticket booth. He placed a silver dollar on the counter.
“So, you’re telling me that the reason I could never figure you out is because there’s seriously something crazy about you and your family?” she asked.
The boy in the ticket booth handed them two tickets and two quarters. He took her hand in his and started down the midway.
“Sort of. But don’t feel that it’s something bad. I just need you to trust me on something that would seriously make no sense to you,” he replied.
The smell of sausages, funnel cakes, and popcorn was already thick near the entrance of the park.
“And after today, we follow the Brooksie-plan?” she asked.
“Definitely. Straight to the ocean,” he replied, draping his arm around her, “So what rides are we going on today while we wait for 8:00?”
“I’ll choose… the Crystal Pool,” she replied, pointing toward the massive pool on the east side of the park.
“Swimming? Where’s the adrenaline rush in that?” he asked as she tugged him in the direction of the pool, “And we don’t have our swim suits or towels.”
“They rent those for a dime,” she said, walking faster, “And if you want an adrenaline rush, I’ll hold you under the water until you scream.”
He laughed as they ran toward the Crystal Pool.
* * * *
The seat rocked suddenly as they came to a halt near the top of the Ferris wheel. It was becoming quickly apparent to Eddie that Brooksie hadn’t lied. She truly was horribly afraid of heights. He put his arm around her and drew her close while she squeezed his hand.
“I’m sorry, Brooksie. I didn’t realize-”
“You what?” she shouted, “You didn’t realize I was afraid of heights? No one happened to mention that I’m afraid of heights?”
He chuckled as he rubbed her shoulder.
“I thought you meant it like everyone else. We’re all a little afraid of heights. I just didn’t realize it was a severe phobia of yours.”
“Yeah, well I’m severely afraid of heights – as I had said down there,” she said, accidentally causing the seat to rock.
“Well, close your eyes and think of something else. And please don’t let it be violent thoughts of killing me.”
The seat suddenly moved again as the wheel turned to permit the loading of more passengers. She squealed.
“I can only think of plummeting thoughts,” she said.
“Here,” he said, reaching under her chin and drawing her gaze up to his, “Look at me and let’s talk like we’re on a park bench down there.”
“But I can see the lights of the roller coaster behind you. I know we’re a hundred miles up.” she said.
He put both of his hands on the sides of her face and brought it closer to his. He could still smell the chlorine on her from their earlier swim.
“Then close your eyes.”
She did. No one with any amount of strength could have passed up the prize between his hands. He brought his lips to hers and kissed her slowly. She seemed to relax as he brought his hand behind her head and continued to taste her silky lips. With several more cars yet to be loaded, he was going to need to draw this out for as long as possible. It surely wasn’t going to be a punishment.
* * * *
“Come to think of it, perhaps I’d be willing to try the Ferris wheel more often,” Brooksie said as the attendant lifted the bar.
Edward stood up and held out his hand to Brooksie.
“But we didn’t get to enjoy the ride. Our eyes were closed the whole time,” Edward stated, helping her down the stairs.
She slapped his shoulder and then turned to him. She grabbed him by the collar and pulled him to her.
“If I remember correctly, someone was frightened that I would be thinking violent thoughts up there,” she said, shaking him in her grasp, “Now that we’re safely on the ground, you dare to make jokes about not enjoying the ride?”
“Uh… then maybe you should punish me by forcing me onto a different ride that would be equally as… umm, thrilling as that one.”
He laughed at his own comment, drawing a chuckle from her. She gazed into his eyes and then let go of his shirt.
“How about we ride the Ferris wheel again, only this time, we won’t ‘keep our eyes closed the whole time’,” she said with a smirk.
* * * *
The door that his mother should be coming through was almost blocked by a massive American flag nailed onto six giant crates. The whole dance hall had been decorated in patriotic red, white, and blue streamers and balloons.
“They must be getting ready for July 4th,” Brooksie said as they walked over to the large flag.
The band was getting set up on the stage while a custodian pushed a large dust broom across the dance floor. They still had a few minutes left until 8:00.
Eddie stepped behind the flag and verified that the crates wouldn’t block the door from opening. If they would have pushed the crates a few more inches though, the door wouldn’t have opened completely.
“So that’s where they hide the fireworks,” Brooksie said, pointing to the writing on the crates.
“I guess they had to store them somewhere,” he replied.
A man was now testing his cello while the rest of the band unloaded their instruments. Eddie tugged Brooksie’s hand and led her behind the crates. Before she had a chance to ask his intent, he drew her lips to his. He kissed her lightly and then delicately stroked her tongue with his. They continued to kiss for almost a full minute before he leaned back to the wall and held her head to his shoulder.
“I can’t recall the last time my lips have had such a workout. I wonder how many people are going to discover this cubby hole behind the crates?” she asked, “Or maybe we should just stay back here and claim it as our own.”
“But who would go to a dance hall just to hide out?”
“Me… and you,” she said, “I could think of nothing better to do than this.”
He stroked his fingers along her back.
“But remember, I’ve got to leave for a couple minutes when my parents arrive,” he said, “So please don’t kiss some other guy back here thinking it’s me.”
“I’ll try to contain myself until you return,” she said.
The music started as they stepped out from their hiding place. There were already several dancers that had arrived during their little escapade. He looked up at the clock and verified that it was already a minute past 8:00. He turned to the door and stared at it.
With a loud sigh, he grabbed the handle and opened it. Beyond the door, he discovered only a concrete slab, a trash can, and several trees marking the outer edge of the amusement park. He shook his head and permitted the door to ease shut.
“They’re not coming?” she asked, noticing the sad expression on his face.
“I don’t-”
The door opened and his mother appeared, staring wide-eyed at him.
“Where were you? Your father freaked out,” she said, “Thank heavens you’re alright!”
Brooksie leaned against the crate as she watched his mother surprisingly treat him like a child.
“Mom, I got attached. I can’t return,” he sputtered.
“What? That can’t be,” she stated, “Did you test it?”
“Yes. It doesn’t work at all,” he replied.
His mother looked over his shoulder at Brooksie. Brooksie offered a timid smile, though she couldn’t mask the confusion.
“So, then what happens?” she asked, “This… this just can’t be.”
“It can be and I’m okay with it. Not just okay – I’m… I’m ecstatic. I’m overjoyed,” he said.
She looked over at Brooksie again. Brooksie had turned her attention to the dance floor, hoping to give the appearance that she wasn’t eavesdropping.
“But
I need to try something, Mom. I need to see if you can bring me back by holding onto me as you go through the door,” he said, “Remember how we brought the newspapers back? Those were part of 1928, but we brought them with us.”
“So do you want to stay or come home? I don’t get it.”
“I definitely want to stay. I’m… I’m happy here, Mom,” he said, “But I need to check something on the internet. I need to find out about something very important.”
She just gaped at him for a moment as the band played a waltz of some sort.
“Well, then let’s try it,” she said.
Eddie turned to Brooksie and touched her arm. She turned to him.
“I’ve gotta go, but I’ll be back in just a few minutes. Please stay in here. Just give me 15 minutes,” he said.
She smiled and nodded, but he could read the worry in her face. He tried to give her a reassuring smile, but wondered if it would help. His mother tugged his hand and opened the door. He smiled at Brooksie once again as he followed his mother into…
7
July 2009
…his basement. This meant that Rich could have returned anytime he wanted if someone would have helped him. Why did Rich’s father cover the door with a shelving unit instead of returning for his son? Did they have a fight? Was Rich’s dad truly crazy?
Saving Brooksie Page 9