by Loni Lynne
Vickie stood up, stretching and cracking old bones she kept as limber as any twenty year old. “Still, we need to work more on this issue. This is of great importance to you, your true gift, and the nation of people long forgotten. We must find what needs to be done.”
Tonya nodded. She knew without a doubt that her studies into the tribe of people was warranted. There was a purpose in her research. Now, she just needed to find a way to figure out what she needed to do with her purpose.
#
“Would you relax?” April rounded her desk as she packed up from her day. “Your folks can’t be all that bad. They had you.”
“You don’t know my dad. He’s only worried about me playing football. He doesn’t care about anything else.”
“What about your mother?” April put a couple of files in her attaché case.
“Mom? She’s his shadow. Whatever dad says, goes.” Camden scoffed. Yeah, she had the bedside manner of a loving mother, but when it came down to family decisions, it was whatever their father wanted. He often wondered if she’d been brainwashed into the Stepford Wives.
“Are you going to the airport to pick them up?” April asked.
“No. They got a package deal with flight and car rental. They would’ve had a hotel, but mom insisted on staying at the Old Town Tavern & Inn.”
“That should be a fun experience. So are they joining us for the crab feast tonight? They are more than welcome.”
“I’m sure they will.” Camden groaned. “Just please, don’t listen to everything they say. All Dad talks about is my football scholarship, work, and politics.”
“Stop giving your folks a hard time. I’m sure we will all get along splendidly.” She stopped as she turned to lock her office. “Oh, before I forget. Here’s a number to a friend of mine over at Kings Mill Community College.” April handed him a business card.
“What’s this?”
“Amanda helps out in the student guidance center, tutoring students who have a difficult time with writing papers. She’d be more than happy to help you with yours.”
April remembered. She hadn’t given him a hard time or even reprimanded him for his cheating. Instead, she was offering him assistance.
“Now mind you, she won’t do the paper for you, but she will help guide you to put your thoughts and notes into writing. I think the history department at William & Mary have a similar program now, too.”
“Thanks, April. I appreciate your help.”
“Now, go wake up Tonya.” She nodded her head towards the open bay where Tonya had ended up with her face literally planted in an open research book. “Looks like she had another session with Aunt Vickie last night. Trust me, I’ve been there. Exhausting!”
“Do you think she’ll be ready for this weekend up in Gettysburg?”
“Are you?” April asked.
He wasn’t sure. The idea of Jared in the reenactment, along with Andrew and John whom he had yet to meet, bothered him. Ghosts? Two months ago he never believed. Now, he was actually associating with them on a daily basis. His folks would freak!
On that note he smiled and couldn’t wait to see them interact with the paranormal friends he’d made at Kings Mill, Maryland.
#
“Sure you want to go tonight? You look tired.” Camden walked beside Tonya as they made their trek to the tavern from the parking deck.
“I’m fine. Besides, I can’t wait to meet your parents. They sound wonderful.” She grimaced teasingly.
“Yeah. That’s what I’m afraid of.”
“No. You’re afraid of all the talk of ghosts and spirit world between all of us. I can’t promise it won’t come up around your folks, but I know most of the Wilton Women won’t openly talk about it among newcomers… At least not until the guests start asking questions.”
They came to the town’s intersection. Remembering the last time she’d stepped on the old cobbled bricks she stayed to the proper crosswalk and waited for traffic to clear. It bothered Tonya to think about that particular patch of old road. Confidently she strolled across the street from east to west, glancing worriedly at the menacing block of red bricks.
Camden took her hand, hurrying her along before the walk-light counted down to halt them. She looked up at him and smiled at the worry she saw in his brow. “I’m fine. This time I am going to enjoy the crab feast instead of spending it upstairs spaced out.”
“Damn. Too bad.” Camden sighed. “I actually enjoyed sleeping next to you. I was hoping we could do it again.”
Tonya laughed and poked him in the ribs. “You are such a cad!”
They entered the tavern. People had started to arrive for the Thursday night feasts. Five rows of long farm tables with parson benches were lined with butcher paper and little wooden mallets, claw crackers and rolls of paper towels waiting for the next group of people to be seated. Millie had suggested a community-meet your neighbor-kind of atmosphere for the summer feasts.
A party of two might be placed next to a family of five all sharing heaping bowls of fresh corn on the cob, home style hickory baked beans, creamy coleslaw, hot buttery yeast rolls and of course all you can eat Maryland crabs. Since she’d implemented the Thursday summer time feast, the place was packed from five until eleven at night. They had to hire extra cooks and wait staff just to keep up.
Millie came by loaded with a tray of frothy beer mugs and platters heavy with Old Bay seasoned steamed Maryland Blue Crab.
“Met your dad…looks like an older version of you?” Millie whispered out of the side of her mouth conspiratorially as she maneuvered around the tables.
Camden sighed. “Yeah, that would be him. And my mom?”
“Sweet lady.” She smiled teasingly. “Does she know your dad’s a letch? Fancies me bosoms e’ does.”
“Yeppers…that’s my dad.” He nodded and shook his head sadly.
Millie laughed. “’e’s just a good ol’ bloke. They’re fine folk. Up in room 210 if’n you want to say hello. The rest of the crew, or at least most of ‘em are out back at Kenneth’s table.”
“Thanks, Millie. You joining us?” Tonya asked.
“If I go out back with all of you, Sean will snag me down with him and damn everyone else—so we will see if I can sneak away.” Winking, she shifted around a narrow path between the rows of tables and made her way separating a couple of guys, placing her linen shift, corseted covered bosoms between them as she lowered cold, frosty mugs in front of them and poured the heaping tray of crustaceans down the center line of the table for the next round of all they could eat. Millie sure did know how to make a man enjoy his atmosphere while he dined. And Millie loved every minute of attention.
“Crap! Here they come,” Camden mumbled under his breath.
Tonya turned to where Camden was looking. The dapper looking Barbie and Ken couple could be seen shining above the rest of the crowds.
“Does your dad’s hair move at all?” Tonya whispered, smiling at the couple waving at their son over the tops of bobbing heads of grazing customers.
The choked mirth trying to force its way out of Camden’s mouth got lost in a haphazard greeting from his mother running to him and squealing as if she hadn’t seen him in years. “Nope. He and my mother invested in Aqua Net in the eighties…the super-sized cans.”
Tonya grinned, biting her tongue as the couple made their way to their son.
“Mom, Dad…this is Tonya Mead. She and I have been working together at the historical society. Tonya these are my parents, Mark and Tracy Phillips.”
“Oh, it’s so good to meet you, Tonya.” Tracy squeezed her cheeks between her palms. “Cammie has told us so much about you. How you’ve been such a big help showing him around Kings Mill.”
Cammie? He was not going to live that one down.
And yes, his father was a boob man, his eyes darted directly there before meeting her eyes. “Yes, we can’t wait to hear more about all the things you’ve been doing together.”
Was there insin
uation in his father’s voice? Oh ho…this was going to be an interesting night.
“The rest of the group are out back. We’ve all been invited to join them.” Camden guided them to the side door of the tavern.
They made their way out onto the rough-hewn styled, wraparound porch to the back patio where five more long tables were filled. The last table was reserved every week for Kenneth Miles and guests. Camden led them to the front of the table where Kenneth was seated.
He made the proper introductions down the line—from Kenneth, April, little Danielle in a high chair between them, to Tonya’s dad, Chris. The Wilton Women of course were there as was Jared and Joshua.
“Boys, won’t you slide on down and make room for Mr. and Mrs. Phillips?” Kenneth asked, wiping his Old Bay seasoned fingers on a clean paper towel. He shook Mark Phillips hand. “Please, sit down and join in. My treat.”
“Tonya, why don’t you come over here and sit between your father and me?” April said, licking her fingers from the butter dripping down the ear of corn she’d been eating.
Making her way over to the other side of the table, she was across from Camden but next to her dad who gave her an awkward hug without using his season encrusted hands. Conversation ensued once more among the guests.
“So you’re Kenneth Miles?” Tracy asked all agog about dining with a billionaire celebrity, but her look of fascination of his casual clothing had taken her off guard.
“Yes. Why yes, I am.” Kenneth smiled warmly.
“Forgive me, but I always imagined you much…older.”
“Sweet cheeks, what have I told you about talking out of turn?” Mark patted his wife’s knee, but Tonya didn’t miss the look of total commanding control from under his gleaming white smile.
“It’s quite all right, my good fellow. I must admit there are days when I feel as young as all of my thirty-five years and some days I feel closer to three hundred years.”
Pretty darn close to the truth where Kenneth Miles was concerned. He was a nearly three hundred year old spirit inside of the frame of a thirty-five year old man. There was a cacophony of subtle coughs from the older Wilton Women at the far end of the table. Tonya turned her head and smiled down at them. Vickie waved and winked. April on the other hand had given Kenneth a not so subtle kick under the table. He only grinned at her and went back to talking with the new guests.
No one else seemed to notice or care as the waitress came by to take the new arrivals drink orders and place a fresh basket of hot rolls on the table.
Things could get very interesting if the truth were ever exposed.
#
Conversation was pleasant as they ate. Tonya watched as mug after mug of sweet tea were consumed by Camden’s folks. His mother wasn’t at all happy getting her hands dirty breaking into the crab. She opted for a chef’s salad with crabmeat instead and Mr. Phillip couldn’t make a move without wiping his fingers every time he touched a part of the crab. Where everyone else used their fingers to dig out the sweet meat he used the small silver appetizer forks to dig into the cracked shells. For shame if he were to soil his neat sports manicure or his light blue golf shirt.
“Camden has been diligently working on his paper for his history scholarship. The research he’s been doing with the South Carolina historical society on finding out about missing Confederate soldiers has been an informative experience. I’m thoroughly enjoying his insight into the topic.” April continued her conversation with Tracy across the table.
“I’m so proud. He’s always been into athletics that I didn’t think he’d be interested in history at all. When he hurt his knee…”
“Tracy, that’s enough. His knee is fine. This little hobby is fine for now, but Camden needs to focus on making the football team. Practice begins in two weeks, son.”
You could’ve heard a pin drop as every head turned to Mr. Phillips…well except for Camden who looked as if he wished hell would open up and swallow him whole. It would be preferable to what was coming, Tonya was sure.
“Dad, I told you I’m not trying out for football.”
“And I just made a donation to the boosters that says you are. End of discussion, Cam.” His father’s voice was low, his gritted smile and glint in his eye spoke volumes. He was controlling. “I agreed with your mother that this field trip for a few weeks to Kings Mill would look good on a resume, give you a well-rounded outlook, and make you look smart. But a degree in history is not going to get you anywhere unless you want to teach history to a bunch of high school students.”
Tonya swore she could smell smoke rising from April’s t-shirt collar. Kenneth, the charismatic man he was, placed a loving hand on his wife’s. “Dear, I think Danielle needs changing. Could you be a love?”
“Of course.” April stood abruptly, viciously wiping her hands clean of seasoning and lifted their daughter out of the high chair. She was so irked she nearly forgot to unlatch the little strap around her. “Excuse me a moment.” She plastered a smile on her face and met everyone’s eyes except Mark’s before rushing with the baby away from harm.
Tonya had never witnessed April’s fury but something told her it wouldn’t be pretty. The guy had some major balls somewhere. Camden had turned gray but his clenched knuckles were feverishly red…and it wasn’t just from the Old Bay.
“Dad, history is more than a hobby. I’ve learned quite a bit since I’ve been here. And so what if I want to teach history? What’s wrong with that?”
His father wasn’t backing down. “You are going pro bowl. You were all star quarterback your senior year in high school.”
“So were hundreds of other kids from hundreds of other high schools around the country. Doesn’t mean I’m pro or even want to be,” Camden stated.
“Cammie…” his mom pleaded.
“Mom, stop! No, I am not going to back off…” He swung his arm in emphasis and knocked over Jared’s mug of ale. Jared jumped up as the cold brew hit him in the lap.
Everyone on that end of the table went into action to clean up the mess and try to distract the argument between father and son. The awkward moment hung thick as Spanish moss in the air around them.
Jared turned around to brush the residual suds off of his pants. Glancing across the dining patio and stopped.
“What the hell are them damn Yanks doing here?” he bellowed loudly, silencing the whole dining area.
Tonya looked around him to see four men dressed in Union soldier uniforms, probably on their way to the weekend reenactment up in Gettysburg. Oh shit! The four men stood up. Tonya wasn’t sure what they were thinking, but they came over to confront Jared.
“You a Johnny Reb?” The biggest one of the group came over, sizing Jared up.
“Damn right I am!”
“Hey guys…we got us one of Lee’s Boys.” He spit on the ground, getting into the act. “Where’s your uniform, cuz? Oh, that’s right…they don’t have any. They steal them off their dead friends.” He turned to laugh with his friends.
And that’s when the fight started.
Jared planted the first punch dead square on the man’s jaw before launching himself into the guys chest and beating him into the ground. The guy’s friends joined in trying to get Jared off of him when Joshua frog jumped one of the guy’s backs and wailed his fists left and right into the guy’s ribs.
“Get off of him you sons of beasts!” Joshua fought using made up curse words that sounded close enough to be the real thing.
Kenneth went to try to be the voice of reason and ended up being on the raw end of one big Yankee deal who decided smashing him into the table like a WWF wrestler was fair game.
Soon it looked like a free for all. Food went flying, people were pummeled with glass mugs, crab mallets, and bodies… Tonya could only stand there her mouth gaping in awe. Even Mr. Phillips wasn’t safe as somehow he ended up with melted butter sauce down the front of his knit top. You would’ve thought someone had just shot him.
An explosion sounded followe
d by the mechanical cocking of a rifle. Everyone paused in mid-statue. Millie Taylor stood poised, smoking rifle in hand with it cocked and ready to shoot again at any moment.
“I don’t care who started this fight, but I’m finishing it right now. Next person to pull a punch, I’ll nail him between the eyes! I ain’t losing my license over a bunch of wankers ruining my party. So I suggest if you ain’t sitting and eating, you’ve been fighting. Pick up your tab and leave my tavern real peaceful like… You don’t want to see me mad. It ain’t pretty.”
She fired off the shot anyway. Heads ducked. No one knew where she’d aimed. “That was just a warning.”
Turning around, she walked back into the tavern as April, with a crying Danielle, came out to see what was going on.
The wait staff busied themselves cleaning up the mess. Some folks stayed to help them while others, including the Wilton Women, tended wounds. Bags of ice were brought out for bruised eyes and jaws, clean flour sack towels were bloodied from noses and split lips.
Well, Camden was no longer the center of attention. That was a plus.
Chapter Fifteen
Jared was more than ready to go back to battle. Vickie had made sure his clothing he’d arrived in weeks ago was properly cleaned and donned for the reenactment. He fit right in with the rest of the Confederate actors who’d traveled from around the world to participate in the annual event every first of July weekend.
Gettysburg had basically been transported back in time. Campsites of white canvas pup tents and brigade headquarters were set up in the original fields and outposts, buildings that still stood from the original battle played their parts in housing the great generals and their aides. Both men and women had worked painstakingly in their hobbies to bring every historical detail to life from the finest of cameo brooches and chatelaines to the brass buttons and mutton chops on the everyday soldier.
Jared blended in without a hitch and the Confederate reenactment troops welcomed his authenticity into their group. April had made all the arrangements for him to be placed in Kershaw’s brigade. He wouldn’t come into play until later on in the afternoon in the southern part of the battlefield near the old Peach Orchard.