Chasing Fireflies

by Paige P. Horne

  “Thank you.” I smile before I turn back to Sara. She has a look of disappointment on her face, and I sigh inwardly, waiting for the battle I know is coming. I grab the gear shifter and put the truck in drive before pressing the gas.

  “You’re leaving me,” she pouts.

  “Baby, please don’t start this.”

  “Oh, I’m starting?” she says sarcastically. She’s really pissed, but I can’t do anything about it.

  “Yes, you are. I have to work.”

  “No, you don’t. We can get by with my disability check and savings for a little while.”

  “No, we can’t, Sara. We don’t have any savings. We only have money to fix up that house. You know I have to work.”

  “You just want to leave me. I’m too much for you, and you can’t deal with me all of the time. Just tell me, Cash. Tell me the truth.”

  “Stop this bullshit, now, Sara,” I say, pulling into town. She huffs, and I shake my head when she crosses her arms and looks out her window. We pass by the small-town square with a white gazebo in the middle and sidewalks leading in different directions. Beds of flowers are laid out in different areas, and people are walking everywhere. I notice a few small shops, and I see a sign that reads Chief’s Office. I park the truck in front of the hardware store and look over at my pouting wife. “You coming in with me?”

  “Well, I’m sure you can go in by yourself. Since you need time away from me.”

  “I don’t want to go in by myself.” She looks away. I reach over and tug her arm. Yanking it away, she moves as far from me as she can.

  “Sara.”

  “Just go in without me, Cash.”

  I put the truck in park and kill the engine. Moving closer to her, I softly kiss her neck and feel her restraint melting away. “Please walk inside with me,” I ask sweetly. I feel it when she shivers, and I see the goose bumps run across her soft skin.

  “Fine,” she huffs. “You’ve given me gooses.” She tries to play mad, but I see her smile as she opens her door. And just to see her smile more, I get out on her side, too.

  *

  I pull her along as I look at the signs above the aisles, trying to find mousetraps—the sticky kind, because Sara doesn’t want the old-fashioned ones.

  “Oh, Cash, look,” she says, dragging me away from the aisle we need to go down. “I’ve always wanted a hat like this.” It’s a green floppy hat. Sara puts it on and grins at me.

  “Get it,” I tell her. She looks at the tag.

  “They want too much.”

  “Just get it.”

  She scrunches her nose and puts her lips together as she thinks on it for a minute. I grin at her.

  “It’s not a life-changing decision, woman.”

  She looks up at me before she shrugs. “I guess I’ll get it.”

  I grab her hand. “Come on. Let’s grab some mousetraps, and then I need to go look at the lumber for our porch.”

  *

  “Thanks, man.”

  “No problem. You new in town?” the man who looks a year or two older than me asks as he helps me put my supplies in the back of Old Blue. He removes his gloves, lifts his hat, and runs a hand through his dark hair.

  “Yeah, my wife and I just moved here. Bought that old farmhouse on Eighteenth.”

  “Damn, that place has been empty for a while.”

  “We can tell.” I laugh.

  “Well, it’s nice to meet you. Name’s Mark Phillips.” He places his hat back on his head and reaches to shake my hand. “Let me know if you need any help with the repairs. I learned a thing or two working here.”

  “Thanks. I’m Cash Williams, and I may take you up on that. My wife isn’t too great with a hammer.” I smile.

  “Hey, I heard that,” she says, walking toward us with her floppy hat on and two melting ice cream cones.

  “It isn’t a secret, baby.”

  She hands me the cone and rolls her eyes. “Hi, I’m Sara,” she says, moving to hold out her hand, but there is ice cream on it, so she takes it back.

  “Sorry. Sticky fingers.”

  Mark laughs. “Nice to meet you. I’m Mark. You two should come over for supper sometime. My wife, Leigh, tells me I cook a mean grilled steak.” He winks.

  “We may do that,” I say. “Appreciate your help.” I walk around the truck and open the door for Sara to climb in. Once I get in, too, I start Old Blue and put her in drive.

  “He seemed nice,” she says, licking her vanilla ice cream.

  “Yeah,” I agree.

  “Let’s grab some groceries and then head back home.”

  *

  After we get all of our shopping done, we leave town and turn back onto our road. “I think I’m going to like it here.” I look over at my wife and out at the vast land that surrounds us. It’s secluded out our way—nothing but fields and woods. I see our house come into view, and I slow the truck down. We have a circular driveway and an old barn at the rear of the house. Nothing else but wheat fields in the back and across the road from us. Our front porch is big enough for some rocking chairs, and it already holds a swing, but it’s got some boards that need replacing, so that’s what I’m going to work on in the next day or so. I stop the truck, and we climb out. I grab the boards I bought from the back and walk them to the porch before we head inside to get ready for supper.

  *

  “I could get used to this view,” my wife says. I grin and look down. I’m shirtless, screwing in a light bulb on our front porch for when the power gets cut on. It’s nice out, and a breeze blows in from the wheat field. Sara sits on the porch swing, one knee bent and the other lightly kicking off of the porch. Her baby pink toes hardly touch the ground, but she makes it work.

  “Well, you’ll be seeing a lot of it.” I climb down from the ladder and fold it together. “This house needs a ton of work.”

  “I can help, you know.”

  “I’ll put you to work then, woman.”

  “We’ll be coworkers.” She winks. I take a seat beside her, and she lifts her other leg up, letting me push us now.

  “I do believe you’re the prettiest coworker I’ve ever had.”

  Her lips lift. “You’re only saying that because I married you.”

  “I’m saying it because it’s true.”

  Shaking her head slightly, she hugs her knees and looks out into the yard.

  “Do you want babies?” she asks after a minute.

  “I want whatever you want.”

  “What if our babies have my disorder?”

  “We’ll deal. Like we deal now,” I tell her. She grabs my hand and lightly runs her fingers over my palm.

  “You have rough hands.” She laces our fingers together. “Our hands don’t fit.”

  “They fit perfect.” I hold hers tighter and bring it to my lips, lightly kissing each of her fingers before I put our hands back down.

  “Why do you love me so much?” she asks. I look up and push off of the porch. The old swing creaks as I think about her question.

  “My love for you makes me who I am. Without it I’d be a different person. Just as the ocean would be different without the waves, the blue sky without the sun, the darkness without the light. You are my other half. You are what makes me… me.” I shrug, looking down at her. Her baby blue eyes are filled with tears, and I can say for sure this time that they are happy ones. I kiss her nose, and she closes her eyes. Tears roll down her cheeks, and she wipes them away before she sniffs.

  “You say the sappiest things.” She smiles.

  “Only to you.”

  “Oh, look!” she yells and points into the yard. “Lightning bugs! I used to capture them when I was a kid and put them in a jar. Go get a jar, baby, please.” She jumps up from the swing. I run inside and grab two jars from the kitchen.

  “Here,” I say, walking out onto the porch. She is in the yard, and I stare at her as she chases fireflies in the dark. Her curls bounce, and she catches one in her hand. They light up all aroun
d her. It’s the most beautiful sight I’ve ever seen—wild curls, pretty bugs, and a sky filled with stars.

  Chapter Three

  Cash

  The lights have been cut on so I make Sara breakfast and take it upstairs. “Baby,” I say, tapping on the door to our room. “I’ve brought you breakfast. Can you get up and eat?”

  “I just can’t today.” She turns away from me. “I’m sorry. I just…can’t.”

  “But I made you breakfast,” I say. She sits up.

  “Cash, don’t you think I’d eat if I could? Don’t you think I’d get up if I could?”

  “You can.”

  “Please leave me alone,” she says, rolling over and covering herself with the blanket. I walk in and place the food on her nightstand. I see tears on her cheeks, and I feel useless.

  “I’m sorry,” she cries.

  “Don’t be. Just sleep a little longer, and then we’ll have some lemonade on the porch swing when I get back,” I say it with high hopes, but I should know better. Sara’s mind is making the rules for her now, and I have no say. “I love you forever,” I whisper into her ear.

  “Promise?”

  “Promise, promise.” I kiss her hair, and with a heavy heart I walk down the stairs. Doubts run through my mind as I pass by boxes that still need to be unpacked. I sigh and grab my keys. Her parents said it over and over. Don’t move her away from here. Who will watch her when she is having a hard time and you need to leave? I pick up the house phone and call her mom. I have to see if she can come over until I get finished down at the station. Her drive is about thirty minutes and Sara will be pissed, but I can’t risk it. I just pray she sleeps until Debbie gets here.

  *

  I pull up to the chief’s office and hop out of Old Blue. It’s early morning still, and I look down the street and see people opening up their shop doors. My attention turns back in front of me when I notice a short, round lady unlocking the door that reads Chief’s Office. She gives me a smile, and as she opens the door, I hear a bell ring.

  “Well, hello,” she says, holding the door open for me to walk in. The smell of coffee and flowers hits my senses as I step inside.

  “Good morning.”

  “Would you like a cup of coffee? The chief tells me I fix the best, but you know he may just be trying to butter me up. After all, I am his wife.”

  “Please, and I’m sure that’s not the case.” I wink.

  She laughs, and I see lines of age around her soft blue eyes. With that and the streaks of gray in her hair, I’d say she’s in her mid-fifties, just like I’d assumed the chief was. “What brings you here?”

  “He is here for a job,” the chief says, walking from the back of the office.

  “Good morning, sir.”

  “Son.” He nods, then turns to his wife. “Anne, how about you print out some forms for this man to sign? You and I will go for a ride around the town,” he says, looking back at me.

  “I’ll get on that,” she replies. “I’m sorry.” She shakes her head. Her cheeks turn bright red, and I know I’m going to like this woman. “I didn’t even introduce myself. My name’s Anne Rogers.” I take her hand when she reaches it out–– it’s small and soft. “And this is Chief Drew Rogers.”

  “I’m Cash. Cash Williams,” I say.

  “Well, Cash Williams, it’s a pleasure to meet you.” The bell rings and in walks a man shorter than me with a head full of curly dark hair. He looks a lot younger than my twenty-seven years, and he has a suit on so I’m assuming he is the other deputy.

  “This here is Guzman,” Drew says.

  I stick out my hand. “Nice to meet you. I’m Cash.”

  “Pleasure. Name’s Ben, but everybody calls me Guzman. You can call me either or.”

  I nod when the chief speaks. “We’ll get those papers signed when we get back, Anne. Guzman, you checking in on the Kingsleys today?”

  “Headed over there now,” Ben replies.

  “Well, grab you some coffee first. You don’t wanna offend Anne here.”

  “No one is offending me. You boys go along now. I need to clean up this here office. I swear, you dust, and then bam, it’s right back like you didn’t do anything at all.”

  I smile as Drew lifts his hat from the coat rack, and the bell dings when he opens the door. I grab my coffee from Anne and follow him out.

  “I called your father yesterday,” Drew says once we get into the car. The smell of leather and carpet cleaner fills my nose, and the inside reminds me of my dad and the times I rode around with him before I got my own car. I push those thoughts aside and look over at the chief.

  “Oh, yeah?” I ask, thinking he probably ran my tag when he pulled me over.

  “Yeah, I ran your plate yesterday.”

  Bingo.

  “No offense. Just had to do a background check.”

  “None taken,” I reply, taking a sip from my coffee cup, thinking Anne was right. This is some damn good coffee.

  He nods. “Your father said he hasn’t spoken to you in a good while.” I see him cut his eyes to me.

  I clear my throat. “Last Christmas to be exact,” I say, resting my cup on my knee. “My father and I didn’t see eye to eye about some things.” I look out the window.

  “I see,” he says, stopping at a red light. “Well, I don’t want to get into your business. He confirmed you working for him and put in a good word for you.”

  “He did, did he?” I ask, a little shocked.

  “You seem surprised?” Drew says.

  “I guess I am. Didn’t have too many nice words for me the last time we spoke, so…”

  The chief nods. “Well, I don’t see any reason why I can’t hire you. So if you want the job, it’s yours.”

  “I appreciate that.”

  “Now, this is a small town, and in small towns you get to know people well. You get to know the troublemakers and the couples who like to fight, the drunks and the crazy teenagers who have nothing better to do but ride around on the weekends drinking and driving. We mostly let people go with a warning. Most don’t mean no harm anyway,” he says, pressing the gas and heading straight.

  “That there is Berry Hunt’s barber shop. Most of the men get their beards trimmed up and hair cut there.” He points to the small shop, and I look as we ride by. “So if you want to get yours trimmed up, that’s the place to go.” I run a hand over my short beard and look when he points farther down. “Down there is Banner’s Bar. It’s where all the locals hang out. If you want to get to know people, that’ll be a good place to do it. That’s Billy’s Barbeque Pit. He cooks the best barbeque ribs you’ll ever taste. Won a few out-of-state cooking competitions, too.” He grins.

  He points again. “That’s where everyone does their grocery shopping, and most of the food is farm fresh. We got a good bit of farmers in this town, and they sell their produce and meat to Sally, the lady who owns the store.”

  “Yeah, the wife and I went in yesterday,” I tell him.

  He nods. “There’s a Wal-Mart a few miles from here.” He points toward the direction of the main highway. “And a bigger grocery store with a shopping mall and all. We aren’t totally secluded.” He grins again. “But like I said, it’s a small town and we like to help each other by shopping locally. We got a few clothing stores on Third Street to keep the ladies happy and a nail salon and all that. I’m sure your wife will like them just fine. Most of the other women do.” He smirks as he turns onto Fourth Street. “That’s where they do all their gossiping, too.” I laugh. “There’s a small theater and a steakhouse if you want to take your wife out.”

  “Let me guess, best steaks in town?” I ask with a grin.

  “See, you’re getting the idea.” He winks. “So, anyway, it’s pretty quiet around here. We mainly just make sure it stays that way.”

  “Understood,” I say as I take another sip of my coffee. I clear my throat as the chief turns onto the road that takes us back to the office.

  *

&n
bsp; “Well, how was the ride?” Anne asks when we walk back into the office.

  “Just showed him around the town a bit,” Drew says.

  “You didn’t blink, did you?” She laughs, looking over at me. I smile back.

  “I’m used to small towns. My wife and I grew up about thirty minutes from here.”

  “Well, good, because you know with small towns come gossip, and everybody knows everybody, and everybody knows everybody’s business. Like that saying goes, ‘Everybody dies famous in a small town.’ And that’s the damn truth,” she says, moving around her desk. “But I love this place, and most of the people are good. It’s hard to find good people with a world gone to shit.”

  “Don’t go into your the-world-is-a-bad-place talk, Anne. We don’t want to run the boy off already with your yapping.”

  Anne laughs and pats my arm. “Sorry, son. I just get a little carried away, but it’s a damn shame you can’t turn on the news without hearing about another school shooting or a nut job going into one of those dance places and killing a bunch of innocent people. Anyway, just grinds my gears, is all. I’ve got your paperwork printed out. You just take it home with you,” she says, handing me a folder. “Is your wife looking for any work?” she asks. “I know Maci needs some help down at the library a few times a week. It’s part-time, but it’ll give her something to do. That is, if she wants something to do.”

  “I’ll ask her,” I reply. “But she’s on disability, so she isn’t supposed to work.”

  “Oh. Well, I’m sure Maci would work something out with her. Maybe pay her under the table.”

  “Woman, sometimes I think you forget that I’m the chief,” Drew says to her.

  “I surely don’t,” she replies, winking at me. He shakes his head.

  “Well, son, I’ll have your suit and gun ready for you Monday morning. You can start then.” He moves Anne out of the way and takes a seat in front of her desk. Reaching into a drawer, he pulls out a cigar and a box of matches.

  “Sounds good. Thanks again,” I say as I walk to the door. The bell rings when I open it, and I hear Anne talking.