Papina (Bearville County)

by Katie Hamstead

  Sarah giggled as Jackson examined it, trying to figure out how it worked.

  Nova moved forward and sat beside him on the ground. She pulled out a toddler sized pair of moccasins.

  I couldn't help laughing.

  She smiled at me, before slipping them on his feet.

  Then, the siren blared on the street. Megan elbowed me. "There he is!"

  Everyone rushed toward the gate, so I plucked up Jackson and set him on my hip to follow. As I stepped through, Paul leaned against the side of his sheriff car, dressed completely in his sheriff uniform, including aviators. I almost dropped Jackson he looked so incredible.

  He pushed off and walked toward me.

  My legs quivered under me as he approached. What is wrong with me?

  He tipped his hat and reached for Jackson. "Deputy Jackson."

  I handed him over and Paul pinned a little sheriff badge on his shirt. "All right, Deputy, let's give you your uniform and take the siren for a spin."

  He took him to the car and dressed him in a little cowboy hat, a plaid shirt, boots, and to top it all off, chaps. I rolled my eyes, but Jackson's whole face lit up at his costume.

  "All right, little man, you want to turn on that siren?"

  Jackson stared up at him in awe.

  I chuckled.

  Sarah's hand wrapped around my elbow.

  Paul climbed into the car and set Jackson on his lap. A moment later, the siren blared. It rang out for a few moments, and when it cut off, I could hear Jackson busting a gut with laughter.

  "He's good with Jackson," Megan said from behind me.

  "Jackson is an easy kid to get along with," Sarah responded shortly.

  I rolled my eyes and walked away from them over to the car. I bent over just as Jackson hit the siren again. I held my ears until Paul flicked it off with a grin.

  "Sorry," he said.

  "What for? Jackson is loving this." I sunk onto the passenger seat. "Megan and Sarah are arguing again."

  "Oh." He looked down at Jackson as he reached over and hit the siren again. Paul leaned over and yelled, "I have one last thing for him in the back if you wanna get it out."

  "I'll wait until it's not quite so hazardous to my ear drums."

  He chuckled and turned off the siren. "Jackson, I have something else for you."

  We climbed out of the car and he opened the trunk. Jackson gasped, and I groaned. He pulled out a rocking horse and two toy guns. He set Jackson on the rocking horse, handed him the toy shotgun, and strapped the holster with the toy pistol around his waist. "Now there's a real sheriff right there."

  I groaned and shook my head, but couldn't help smiling at Jackson’s excitement.

  Mom called for us all to head into the backyard again for the birthday cupcakes. Paul lifted Jackson, still on the rocking horse, and shot him down the driveway, Jackson squealing with delight.

  I turned and met eyes with Nova and she smiled at me. I walked over and wrapped my arm around her shoulders as we walked through the gate.

  Paul whipped Jackson off the horse and set him in the chair Mom brought out for him.

  I hurried over and handed her the camera before pulling off Jackson's shirt. We all sang happy birthday and he blew out the candle.

  I smiled as he dug into his cupcake, but felt a twinge of pain. When everyone started mingling again, I walked inside. I found my wedding picture in the front room and stared at it. I brushed my fingers over Forrest's face as a tear fell. "I wish you were here."

  *

  Megan dried the dishes while I cleaned. Nova sat on the ground behind us with Jackson and Donny.

  "Well, I think that was rather successful," Megan said on a sigh. "He got some nice presents."

  I smiled. "He really did."

  "And he got to turn on the siren."

  I laughed. "He loved that."

  "Paul is so good with him." She smiled and shook her head. "Paul would make a great father someday."

  I huffed. "Please don't start."

  "I didn't say anything."

  I scowled at her, and out of the corner of my eye, saw Nova glaring at the back of her head.

  Megan shrugged, but kept smiling. "Did you know Sarah has a date this weekend?"

  I froze. "No. Really?"

  She nodded. "Some guy from some town closer to the city. He's driving two hours to meet her in Bearville."

  "How do you know this when she so obviously can't stand you?"

  She snorted. "She told Paul, who told Clint, who—"

  "Told you," I said. "I'd like to see her find someone to make her happy, because it's obvious Paul isn't interested in her. I hate seeing her torture herself so much."

  "And if she moves on, it will give you the green light for Paul."

  Nova growled and shot to her feet. She pointed at Megan and waved her finger in her face, before she shoved between us and snatched the towel from Megan.

  "Bray?" Megan glanced at me, confused.

  "She's saying you're wrong, she doesn't like what you're trying to do, and you should leave me alone," I answered.

  Nova gave a nod.

  "You got all of that, from that?"

  I shrugged. "I'm getting used to it."

  That weekend, a very attractive man rushed into town hall holding a bouquet of flowers. I paused my stroll down the street and changed course. I rushed up and peeked through the window.

  Sarah held the flowers as he talked to her. She smiled and blushed as he took her hand. I bit my lip to hold back a shriek of delight.

  "What are you looking at?"

  I jumped and smacked heads with Paul. I turned, rubbing the back of my head as he rubbed his forehead. "Sorry."

  He leaned over and looked in the window. "Oh, she has a date."

  "Does it make you jealous?" I can't believe I said that!

  He smirked. "No. Relieved. Hopefully she's finally going to move on." He turned and looked me over, his smirk changing.

  I swung away. "We better go before she catches us spying."

  He followed. "Where are we going?"

  "It looks like you're working." I gestured at his uniform, resenting how smoking hot he looked in it.

  "Perfect reason to walk you to wherever you're going."

  I sighed. "Whatever."

  "Hey." He scowled and grabbed my shoulder. "Don't give me that. You made it perfectly clear you weren't into the idea of a relationship, so I'm not asking for that. I'm just trying to help."

  I rubbed my eyes. "Fine. I'm sorry. It's just… with the court case coming up, I'm feeling a bit stressed."

  "Understandable."

  I huffed and nodded to the small play area further down the street. "I'm taking Jackson there to play."

  We made our way down the street. Then his hand rested on the small of my back. I glanced at him. So much for not asking for a relationship. Just as I was about to push him off, Sarah and her date burst out of Town Hall.

  Sarah froze, her eyes widening.

  Paul's hand fell from my back.

  "Are these your friends?" her date asked, smiling.

  "Y-yes." Sarah forced a smile. "That's my best friend, Bray, and that's Paul."

  Her date rushed forward offering me his hand. "So you're Bray. Sarah's told me so much about you."

  I took his hand. "Oh, I hope all good things."

  "She says you're the bravest person she knows."

  My cheeks warmed.

  "And we're done here." She grabbed his arm. "It's an hour back to Bearville so we should go."

  "Yes, don't want to waste any time." He smiled down at her.

  His keen interest reflected in his eyes. I waved to them as I left, and muttered to myself, "Please don't screw it up, Sarah."

  Paul chuckled.

  I glanced up at him. "What?"

  "I heard that."

  I grunted.

  His face fell ever so slightly. "Best friends, huh?"

  I sighed and pushed the stroller. "She thinks so."

&n
bsp; He hurried up beside me. "But you don't?"

  I shrugged. "My last best friend set a pretty high standard."

  He looped his thumbs through his belt. "He did, didn't he?"

  I huffed. "Let's not talk about it. I'm trying to focus on happy things. Jackson will start noticing soon—if he hasn't already—that I get sad a lot. I need to be more positive."

  He nodded. "Sounds good."

  We arrived at the park and I went to unbuckle Jackson. He screamed and pushed me off. I paused, surprised. "Don't you want to play?"

  He looked up at Paul with wide, watery eyes as his chin quivered.

  "I guess he wants you." I stepped back.

  Paul squatted over and Jackson's face lit up.

  I sat on a park bench as Paul helped him around the play area. My conflicted feeling swelled inside me, until I had to look away.

  Chapter Nineteen

  Sarah came by the next day. I met her eagerly, wanting to hear the details of her date. I pulled her out into the yard where we planned to garden and immediately asked, "So, what happened last night?"

  Her gaze fell as she blushed. "He was nice."

  "Nice?" I dumped the tools down in the flower bed. "Just nice? He was good looking, and seemed very eager."

  "Hmm." She pulled on a pair of gloves.

  "Sarah?"

  She sighed as she picked at a weed. "It’s just… he wasn't…" She turned bright red. "He wasn't Paul."

  My heart sunk, but I refused to let it show. "Of course not. It doesn't mean he wasn't worth giving a chance."

  She flashed me a fierce look. "Are you trying to push me away from Paul?"

  I leaned back in shock. "What? No, it's not that. I just—"

  "Because I saw the way he looked at you and touched you."

  Heat erupted in my cheeks. "No, Sarah. There's nothing going on between us."

  "Good. Because I saw that he was jealous when he saw me with Ryan. He'll realize soon enough." She jabbed a spade into the dirt.

  "Really?" How could I tell her she was holding onto false hope?

  She jumped up and yanked off the gloves. "Stop it, Bray."

  I stared up at her. "Stop what?"

  "What kind of a friend goes after the guy her best friend is in love with?"

  My eyes widened as my jaw fell. "What?"

  "I gave him everything. He'll come back to me eventually. So stop using him as a rebound."

  "Whoa, slow down there." I climbed to my feet to look her in the eyes. "Number one, I'm not into Paul."

  She scoffed and rolled her eyes.

  "Number two, I'm not using him as a rebound."

  "Whatever."

  "Sarah!" I slumped, exasperated. "You're acting crazy. I'm just trying to be supportive and ask you about your date, who was a freaking hottie and really into you, and you blow up at me."

  She folded her arms and pouted. "Well, he isn't anymore."

  "Why?"

  She growled. "I don't know! Every guy seems to lose interest after a date or two."

  I shook my head. "Why?"

  "I don't know. I'm not super model pretty probably."

  I groaned. "That has nothing to do with anything. If they didn't think you were attractive, they wouldn't ask you out in the first place."

  Her eyes narrowed on me. "Well then, Miss Experienced, what do you think I'm doing wrong?"

  "I wasn't there, how am I supposed to know?"

  She growled.

  "How about you recount what happened."

  She looked me over. "Well, the car ride was fine. When we arrived at the restaurant, he asked me about you and Paul. He seemed interested at first, but after a while, his eyes seemed to glaze over."

  "What do you mean by ‘a while’?"

  "I don't know, we'd finished the entrée…"

  I raised an eyebrow. "And how much did you talk about Paul?"

  She shifted and stared at her feet.

  "Really?"

  "Ahh…"

  "Sarah, you didn't."

  She huffed.

  "No wonder."

  She shrugged. "If they can't like me as I am—"

  "It's not a matter of liking you as you are. You talk about another man, extensively!"

  She walked toward the gate.

  "Sarah!"

  "I don't need you lecturing me!" she yelled. "It doesn't matter anyway, because I'm going to end up with Paul."

  She slammed the gate shut behind her.

  I rested my hands on my hips, scowling. No wonder Megan found her frustrating.

  *

  I sat in the courtroom as the jury took their seats. Nova sat with the defense attorney, keeping her gaze low and shoulders slumped.

  The judge entered, and the proceedings began.

  Throughout the day, different townspeople came and went. Just after midday, Megan took Jackson so he could go home and take a nap.

  But I never left. I struggled to keep up with the proceedings as horrific scenarios for Forrest's death were recounted, cross examined, dissected, and finally torn to shreds.

  Several witnesses from the tribe came and spoke in their language as a translator interpreted for us, saying how terrible and wild Nova was and how they had no doubt she did it. Several said they saw her leave with Forrest the day he died.

  All I could do was let my face fall into my hands. Everything really did point right at Nova.

  When the day came to an end, the guards led her out the back so the jury wouldn't see her leave with me. Apparently it would make the situation look questionable.

  We drove home in silence, and she plodded upstairs to her room, shutting the door firmly behind her.

  Megan appeared from the kitchen. "How did it go?"

  I groaned and collapsed on the couch. "Terrible. Everything really does point at Nova and it just breaks my heart. I just know it wasn't her."

  She brushed her hand across my forehead. "Why don't you get some sleep?"

  I shook my head. "No. I think I'll just have nightmares of everything going wrong and Nova being taken away. I think I'll go for a walk."

  "Okay. I'll wait here until you come back."

  I didn't bother changing out of my skirt and blouse. I just pulled off my heels and traded them for a pair of flip flops.

  I walked briskly, heading nowhere in particular. I just needed to move and think about something else after being stuck inside the courthouse all day. But my mind kept going back to Nova and how guilty she looked. But it couldn't be Nova. As much as my head told me everything said she did it, my gut told me otherwise. I found myself in a raging internal battle, not sure what to believe anymore.

  But I did know one thing: Nova needed me to believe in her.

  I turned up Main Street and saw all the shops closing. I hurried up it, waving to people as they called to me, but not for one moment slowing down. I reached the park by Town Hall, and again pressed my forehead against the warm flagpole. I'm sure I looked like I'd lost it to the shop owners as they passed by on their way home, but I really didn't care. The warmth of the metal felt good against my throbbing head.

  When I realized how dark it had become, I straightened and glanced around. The street was completely abandoned, and for the first time ever, I felt afraid. What if Forrest's murderer still lurked the streets, waiting to get me, too?

  I gasped and ran for the Sheriff Station.

  I burst in, making Paul jump. He stared across at me from behind his desk, his jaw hanging. "Are you okay?"

  "Yes…" I panted. "No." I collapsed onto a chair by the door. "I scared myself."

  He grinned, standing to lean over his desk. "How?"

  I draped my arm over my face. "It's dark outside, and I was thinking about Nova and how I refuse to believe she killed Forrest, when I thought that maybe the murderer is waiting to get me."

  Paul walked toward the coffee maker. "I doubt that. It was definitely a crime of passion."

  "But…" I sucked on my lip as he headed to me with a hot chocolate.r />
  "You're weaning, right? So coffee is still bad?"

  I gave him a quick smile. "Hot chocolate late summer?" I shrugged and skulled it down.

  He smirked. "Better?"

  I stood. "A little, but I'm still…" I sighed and walked over to the trash, dropping the empty cup in. "What if all along I've been wrong and Nova did do it? What if they were having an affair? If it's all true I don't know…" I groaned. "It would mean I didn't know my husband at all, and I love the girl who stole him away from me. Or, what if the prosecutors are all right, and he rejected her so she killed him out of jealous rage? But then, if that were the case, she's faking how she feels about me, and maybe she's just biding her time to take Jackson or something and I just—"

  He covered my mouth. "You know Nova, and you knew Forrest better than anyone. Don't let the lawyers get into your head. These things are all about twisting the evidence to fit their theories, so while the prosecution works to prove Nova's guilt, the defense will do all they can to prove her innocent."

  "The prosecution wants me to be their prime witness. They want to use me to…" My face fell into my hands as I cried. "I can't do this anymore! I just want to know the truth, the real truth. Everything they say and do just confuses me. I feel so lost sitting in there."

  "You don't have to be there every day," he said, pulling my hands from his face. "There are some days which will be so dry you'll find yourself counting the dots on the carpet."

  "I can't not be there."

  He tucked my hair behind my ear. "I know. But, I think everyone will understand if you take some days off to be with Jackson."

  I shut my eyes and nodded.

  His thumb brushed my tears away.

  I leaned into his hand, taking in its warmth. I grasped his wrist, holding his hand firmly against my face. He shuffled closer and kissed my forehead. I sighed and clutched his shirt. I threw my arms around him and buried my face in his chest.

  He took a sharp, surprised breath, but held me tightly in his arms. "Bray?"

  "Yes?"

  "Please don't cry."

  I clung tighter to him. "Just hold me."

  He held me tighter, stroking my hair.

  I held him, and suddenly became acutely aware that my hands pressed right against his back. They wandered upward, feeling his strong back and shoulders.