A Slow Burning Fire

by J. F. Jenkins

  Tiffany pulled her knees to her chest and hugged them tightly. “At least you're honest. Mama keeps sayin’ you just have so much going on and that you'd love to be here more.”

  “That's not a total lie. It is true. If I weren’t quite so busy, I'd come home more often. I have a significant chunk of time free, and that's why I'm here now. There are still some work things I need to do, but I can do them from my room upstairs.” Arial smiled softly.

  “But you're not comfortable here. Why would you want to be here if you're not?”

  Unable to watch her from across the room anymore, Arial stood up and sat next to her sister on the couch. “There are different kinds of uncomfortable. Some of them are good, and some are bad. The way I feel when I'm here is good.”

  “I'm still not sure I get it,” Tiffany said.

  “Have you ever thought a boy was so cute he gave you bubbles in your stomach?” Arial asked. Her sister nodded. “That's how I feel about being here sometimes. There are bubbles in my stomach, and it's kind of a culture shock, too. Because out in California, everything is so drastically different. I love both places, and just as you don't have to choose between loving a chocolate sundae or a cheesecake more, that's how I feel about home versus L.A.”

  It was all true, so she hoped it all came across as genuine. Home was boring and slow, which made things frustrating on days she just wanted to go, go, go. She might not have been a party girl, but Arial did like to get out and do things all the same. At the farm, her free time activities were so limited.

  Tiffany let go of her knees, stretching her body out again. “I wouldn't blame you for hatin' it here. Sometimes I feel like I'm drowning a little. Like there isn't more of the world than just this countryside. But then I remember you and Nadine, and I smile. I don't wanna be famous, but I don't wanna stay here for the rest of my life either. Caroline thinks it's a bad idea to leave.”

  “She's also attached at the hip to her boyfriend. Mama told me Caroline is convinced they'll get married right out of high school and work his family farm.” Arial gave a small half-smile at the thought. She admired her sister's dreams and hoped she did get to have them come true.

  “Yeah, she loves it here,” Tiffany said.

  “It's okay to love it just as much as it is to want to leave,” she said. “Everyone finds home in a different place.”

  “So home isn't here for you? Not anymore?”

  Arial's smile sobered into a slight frown. “I'm not sure. L.A. doesn't feel quite right, but neither does here. Home is an obscure thing for me. It's wherever I feel safe and can be myself.”

  “You don't feel safe with us?” Tiffany gasped.

  “Not when Mama and Caroline like to pick on me.” She laughed, trying to make it a joke, but her sister didn't join in. “It's okay, Tiffy. I promise. Pretty sure it's their way of trying to come to terms with missing me.”

  “You're probably right about that one. Someday they'll know you're just doing the things you were meant to do, right?”

  Arial's gaze met her sister's. The wisdom the young teenager had was far more than anything she had ever expected. She was pretty sure she wasn't anywhere near as insightful at that age, but it felt like a lifetime ago since she was just a teenager alone. And I'm not even that old. Maybe I grew up earlier and became more jaded than I originally thought. Most young women Arial's age were only beginning to find out what they wanted to do with their lives. She'd known the minute she had first stepped onto the set of Three Wishes, even at fourteen. The passion of performing spoke to her soul. Tiffany saw it, too. Why couldn't the rest of her family? Somehow we have to bridge the gap between us.

  “Someday,” Arial whispered. “Until then I'm here, and I'm enjoying being back. There just aren’t as many things to do. Like this morning I wanted to go get some nice fresh pastries and what Daddy calls 'fancy coffee'. Since I have to drive an hour away to get those sorts of things, it discourages me from leaving the house.”

  Her sister shrugged. “Make a date of it with Bryce!”

  “A date?”

  “Why not? Wouldn't he like to see more of the state than just our backyard? And there is the town, too, but there isn't a whole lot to do over there. Mama said they're thinkin’ about getting one of those fancy coffee shops in, though!” Tiffany's blue eyes lit up. “What's wrong with going on a date with Bryce? Don't you do that sort of thing all the time?”

  Arial could feel her cheeks growing hot, and she hoped her little sister didn't notice. It was one thing for her mother to know about her feelings for Bryce, and a completely different one for her sister to notice. Little sisters meddled and talked a lot more than parents did.

  She cleared her throat. “We spend time together, but I wouldn't call it a date. That implies something a lot more romantic than what's actually happenin’, kiddo.”

  “But isn't there? Doesn't he give you the bubbles in your stomach? All he has to do is smile and I feel them.” Tiffany gave a lovesick sigh. “Don't worry! I know he's too old for me, so I won't try anything. If he gives me bubbles, I can't imagine what he does to you!”

  “Tiffy!” Arial gasped. “We're friends!”

  “Then why do you look like a tomato?”

  Growling softly, Arial clenched her fists. She'd been caught. “Perhaps we'll go to the next city over sometime, yes. Or I'll show him downtown Columbus. It wouldn't be right to drag him out here and not let him have a little fun.”

  “So what about the bubbles? Does he give you those?” her sister asked.

  “Bubbles and tingles,” Arial admitted with a defeated sigh.

  “Do you think he gets them too when he thinks about you?”

  Arial scoffed. “Doubtful.”

  A loud crack of lightning jolted them both. They looked out the window and watched the rain come down in sheets. The lightning strikes were more frequent and closer to the house. As soon as it appeared in the sky, thunder would sound.

  “Still nothing to worry about right?” Arial asked, her voice shaking.

  “Is the sky green?” Tiffany asked in all seriousness.

  She shook her head. “No, it's black.”

  “Then I'm not worried. Besides, the news said it would only be severe thunderstorms. Stay away from the windows.”

  Rolling her eyes, Arial stood. “I know that much. I'm going up to bed. Today was a little long.” Hopefully her sister wouldn't ask why. Arial didn't want to talk about the complications of her relationship with Bryce.

  “Okay, thanks for making me feel better,” Tiffany said. “I kind of always knew you didn't hate it here with us, but it's still nice to hear you say so. And I do think you should ask him to go out with you sometime. He talks about you all the time. I bet you give him bubbles, too.”

  “Goodnight, Tiffy,” Arial said.

  She shook her head and made her way up to her room. Setting her book aside, she grabbed her notebook to bring up to her attic hideaway. She loved being up there in the middle of a rainstorm. The sound of the rain pummeling the roof was oddly relaxing, even when it came down in an almost deafening roar. Ideally, she wanted to work on writing a song, but she wouldn't be able to hear much of anything over the beat of the rain. Which was fine by her. Hopefully, it would help her to mull over all the thoughts swimming in her head.

  Why did men have to be confusing? Why was her family trying to push her and Bryce together in the first place? They didn't understand anything about relationships in Hollywood. She couldn't just go on a date with him at random. Or could she? It was hard to get used to the idea of the paparazzi not being around to document her every move. Hypothetically, she could go on a date with Bryce and not have to worry about the consequences of what it would do to her image.

  It's possible for us to actually try, she realized. And if it failed, she and Bryce were the only ones who would know. There was still the Katie-factor to weigh in, of course. She could create a casual but intimate moment for them. A home-cooked dinner and enjoying some of the local
scenery would help open him up more. Then she could get a better read on him. The real question was: would he go for it?

  Chapter Ten

  Arial awoke before her alarm clock went off. Getting up in the early hours of the morning was becoming a lot easier for her. Then again, with such good motivation like seeing Bryce first thing every day, it wasn't exactly hard either. She noticed even her sisters groused about being awake a lot less with him around. Similar things had happened on set whenever they had early call days. She was convinced he was a morning person, and his energy rubbed off on everyone.

  When she went downstairs, she found her mother was already cooking breakfast. Usually, they were on their own for the first meal of the day. Arial took a good whiff of the air and smiled when she smelled eggs and cheese.

  “This is a pleasant surprise,” she said as she walked into the kitchen. “Special occasion?”

  “Feelin' happy,” her mother said. “This past week has been wonderful.”

  Arial couldn't disagree. It hadn't been as bad a time as she had anticipated. Burying herself in chores during the day helped distract her from the family drama. If she wasn't spending her free time with Bryce outside in the yard, she was up in her room working on her music. She wasn't going out of her way to be social with all of her family either, though. Despite her newfound courage, finding a way to make everything better was easier said than done. That was the part she struggled with. How to get her family to see how important they were to her, without them thinking it was insincere. She sighed and sat at the table.

  Her mother glanced over at Arial from over her shoulder. “Everythin' all right, dear?”

  “A lot on my mind,” she admitted.

  “Do you want to talk about it?”

  “No.” Arial shook her head. There was no way she could talk to her mother about everything, not yet at least.

  Patty turned off the stove and started to plate breakfast. “Is it a boy problem?”

  Arial sighed again. “No.”

  “Oh, because I was going to say that if it was a boy problem, I don't think you have one.”

  “What's that supposed to mean?” Arial asked with a raised eyebrow.

  Her mother gave her a coy smile. “Just that maybe I was a little harsh on you earlier about Bryce. He's a nice young man. Not that I didn't think so before, but I was worried that perhaps he would pull you away from us further. He fits in well with us.”

  Arial had a hard time suppressing an eye roll. Of course she would think that. He fits in well with the small town life, so that makes him suitable for me. All she cares about is that I don't go back, and she'll stop at nothing to keep me here.

  “You're quiet, honey,” her mother observed.

  “Because I'm not sure what to say. I'm glad you like him, because he means the world to me. The more time we spend together, the more…” Arial chewed on her bottom lip to stop herself from admitting what she felt. She didn’t want to think about how happy Bryce made her but focus on her mother instead. “You do know that he's going to have to return to California with me eventually. You're not allowed to kidnap him and keep him here forever.”

  Her mother snapped her fingers. “Darn, and I was hopin' I could convince him to stay with us poor hicks forever.”

  “Mama.” Arial scowled.

  “I know you don't think too highly of us, and that you'd rather be playin' on the beach instead of here with us. But it has been nice to have you home again. Even if all we've been doing is watching you from a distance.” Patty faced her daughter. “We all know you're going to go back, both of you. Your sisters are jealous because they want to leave just as much as you do. Stop pointing it out every chance you get.”

  Arial recoiled in her seat. Slowly, she stood up and went to go put on her sandals, not wanting to be near her mother anymore. There was no way for her to defend herself. Nothing she said would help. The woman had obviously made up her mind about everything.

  “Where are you goin'? It's time to eat,” Patty said.

  “Not too hungry yet,” she mumbled.

  Her mother moved toward her with open arms. “Honey, I'm sorry. That was harsh of me. Please stay.”

  Arial grabbed the doorknob, tears pooling in her eyes. “If you want to know why I stay so far away it's because you always talk to me like that. Excuse me, I have things to do.”

  “The boys are already doing all the chores for the mornin'. You don't —”

  She walked out the door before her mother could finish. Maybe then she'll get the picture. It doesn't matter if there are chores to do. I don't want to be around her right now. Arial stalked over to the small barn where the cows were being groomed and fed for the morning by Bryce and her brother. Kieran looked up at her with the biggest smile, and that made her relax a little. Her brother had always been the one member of the family who was always on her side. If Kieran's smile was big, Bryce's was even bigger.

  “What did I tell you about doing my chores?” Arial asked in a teasing tone. “We just talked about this a couple of days ago.”

  Bryce held his hands up. “Guilty! Today there's a reason for it. I kind of wanted to hog you all day long.”

  “More than you already do?”

  “Yup!”

  Kieran snickered. “'Cause he loves you! I'm gonna go! Mama promised pancakes for breakfast today!”

  Arial watched her brother run off, completely abandoning what he was doing. Not that she minded, because she picked up the brush and started grooming Jojo. Every day the cows were brushed and fed fresh hay. Perhaps it wasn't necessary for her to do, but she enjoyed spoiling them and making them beautiful. Bryce was busy hauling the animals’ breakfast over to the feeder.

  “So why is today special?” she asked curiously as she ran the brush over Jojo's soft fur.

  “Why shouldn't it be?” He lifted the last bale of hay into the feeder. “Just felt like being spontaneous with you. For one, I haven't been to the town yet, and I thought it'd be fun to see it. And two, it'd be cool to do something more than lie around in your backyard.”

  She chuckled. “Getting bored already? Excuse me while I die of shock.”

  Frowning, Bryce leaned against the wall. “Bored isn't the word I'd use. All of this is incredibly fascinating for me. It's great. My problem is the all work and no play. Besides, I want the whole experience of being at your home. Part of that is seeing the town. Unless, of course, you're trying to keep me hidden from the rest of the world. I know I'm good-looking and all, so I don't blame you for wanting me all to yourself.”

  Her cheeks grew hot. Is he flirting with me? “It’s for your own protection more than anything. There aren't any bodyguards to protect you from your fan club, and there are plenty of members here.”

  “I'm a tough guy. I can take it.” He winked.

  “Going away for a little bit might be a good idea. Want to get breakfast at the diner with me?” she asked, desperate to not have to go back inside the house and deal with her mother again. Knowing her luck, she'd walk inside and both of her parents would start riding her instead of just the one.

  Bryce's eyes narrowed. “But your mom made pancakes.”

  “So?”

  “So, don't you want to eat those? What's better than a mom-made meal?”

  Arial put her hands on her hips. “You're declining my invitation?”

  “No, but I am curious as to why you'd pass up the opportunity.” He raised an eyebrow.

  “There will be others,” she said. “But if we're going into town, it makes more sense to do it early and make a day of it rather than put it off.”

  Bryce watched her, eyes still narrowed. “You got into a fight with someone, didn't you?”

  She balked, stunned. How could he have known? Was she that transparent? Weren't her acting skills better than that? Or did he know her that well? “I'm not sure why it matters if I did or didn't. Look, if you want to go and eat with the family, be my guest.”

  He walked over to her and gaze
d down at her. Taking a moment to brush her hair behind her shoulder, he gave her a half-smile. “I'll go wherever you want to go, but if you're running away from your family you can say so. It'd be nice to know in case of any aftermath.”

  “No lectures?”

  “Why would I do something like that?”

  “Because you made me promise to try and make things right with them,” she said.

  He nodded. “Yes, I remember. If you want my honest opinion, I do think you should go back in and eat with everyone. I've been invited to join, and I know your parents well enough to know they wouldn't start something in front of me. However, if it was that bad, I'm not going to force you into anything. Maybe spending every day at the house is eating away at everyone. Some space might be helpful.”

  A small sigh of relief escaped her. Disapproval she could deal with, but a guilt trip was a whole other story. “You have a point. Meet me at my parents’ car. I just need to grab the keys.”

  “You got it!” He gave her a thumbs-up sign. “It'll be about five or ten minutes. I've got a little cleaning up to do first anyway, so take your time.”

  Arial finished brushing Jojo before putting the grooming kit away. She made the reluctant trek back to the house for the car keys, knowing she would have to ask before leaving. If all else failed, they could walk to the bus stop, but she'd rather not have to wait. When she opened the door, her family was already in the middle of breakfast. They all looked up at her as soon as she stepped inside.

  “Change your mind?” her mother asked, eyes wide and hopeful.

  Shaking her head, Arial leaned into the doorframe. “Just wanted to see if I could borrow the car for the day. Going to show Bryce around town. He's getting a little cabin feverish.” Normally, she'd expect a snide remark from one of her sisters, but none came. Some progress had been made after all. Arial cleared her throat and then continued. “If that's okay, I mean.”