Wedding Song in Lexington, Kentucky

by Jennifer Johnson

  As they drew closer, Colt spied the young, blond-haired teacher in the back of the canoe holding Stephanie tightly against her chest. To his surprise, Stephanie wasn’t fighting the teacher, but both of their paddles had fallen into the creek. Several canoes filled with students floated around them, but no one tried to hand the paddles to the twosome.

  “What’s going on?” Hadley yelled before Colt had the chance.

  “A snake’s in their canoe,” one of the boys said. Colt remembered the kid had been one of the “tough” guys in Hadley’s class, always bragging, sometimes bullying. He sure looked scared out of his mind over a snake—which Colt had to admit was a good thing. It could be a cottonmouth that found its way into the canoe, and if it struck one of them, they’d have a hard time getting the victim to a hospital quick enough.

  Colt looked back at the teacher and Stephanie, realizing it wasn’t the teacher howling; it was his niece’s young friend. He guided their canoe closer to the boys. “Hadley, I want you to hop in their canoe. I’ll go get the snake.”

  The smaller boy reached out to take Hadley’s hand. His eyes were as big as his fists, and the poor guy was drenched from head to toe, probably having “accidentally” fallen into the water as many of the students had.

  “No, Uncle Colt.” Hadley shook her head and pushed the boy’s hand away. “Stephanie’s about to lose it. You need me over there to calm her down.”

  “Her teacher can calm her down.”

  “That’s not our teacher. That’s Ms. McKinney’s sister. Stephanie probably don’t know her at all.”

  Colt looked at the woman who seemed to be gripping Stephanie so tightly the child was likely losing oxygen. He could see the woman was saying something in Stephanie’s ear, probably trying to calm the girl. But fear wrapped Stephanie’s expression, and her hands trembled. At any moment, the girl could snap and try to jump out of the canoe, possibly making the snake strike her or the woman. “Okay, but you will stay as far away from the snake as possible, you hear?”

  Hadley nodded. “‘Kay.”

  “I’m in front.” Colt grabbed ahold of the boys’ canoe and pushed his way toward the front while Hadley weeded her way around him. With as few strokes as possible, they paddled toward the canoe. Colt knew he couldn’t call out to the woman that they were there to help. Stephanie might panic. Instead, he sat up as tall as he could to see inside the canoe. Relief washed through him when he saw the reptile.

  “Not poisonous,” he whispered to Hadley. He could almost feel his niece’s sigh of relief behind him. “Big black snake. Must’ve got in before we started.”

  “Thank the Lord.”

  Colt grinned at the sound of true thanksgiving in Hadley’s voice. “Once we get just a tad closer, on my three, you grab the side of their canoe, and I’ll grab the snake and hop out.”

  Silently they drifted a few feet closer. He turned and nodded to Hadley. He lifted one finger. Two fingers. “And three!”

  In one swift motion, he jumped up, grabbed the black snake with his hand around the head, his pointer finger pressed against its bottom jaw and his thumb firm against its top, and then jumped into the water with it. The every-bit-as-healthy-as-he-expected snake’s body fought to take flight along the water, but Colt tightened his hold. If he released the critter, the kiddos would freak, and he’d have a string of flipped canoes and screaming twelve-year-olds to deal with.

  He trudged through the waist-high water to the muddy bank. Glad he’d worn his work boots, he dug the strong heels into the mixture of mud and rocks until he’d made his way out of the water. After walking several yards away from the students, he released the snake into a grassy area, watching as it slithered through the field.

  He wiped his brow with the back of a saturated sleeve. “Poor feller probably hadn’t expected so much activity today. All he’d done was take a nap in an unused canoe.”

  He turned around and saw that Stephanie had climbed into the canoe behind Hadley. She held tight around Hadley’s waist, her face, even her glasses, pressed against his niece’s back. “Uncle Colt,” she hollered. “I’m going to take Stephanie back to the starting spot. You come back with Miss Megan.”

  Colt looked at the woman sitting alone in the canoe. Her already pale complexion had drained of all color. Shocking blue eyes peered at him with intense emotion. He walked back to the bank and into the water. Without a word, he pulled the canoe over to the side and got in behind the frightened woman.

  He wanted to pat her shoulder to assure her everything was all right but didn’t want to startle her with his soaking wet hands. She was as spooked as a wild buck, but she was also as pretty as a field full of daisies. His insecurities flared like he was in the sixth grade all over again.

  “It’ll be all right.” He managed to speak the four words as he paddled back toward the starting point. The woman Hadley had called Megan didn’t say anything the entire ride. He couldn’t help but wonder why Stephanie had been in the canoe with her to begin with. Stephanie often had a resource teacher with her on field trips. In his thinking, the canoe trip would warrant a teacher coming specifically for Stephanie. It seemed odd the science teacher’s sister would be the one taking care of an autistic child.

  Not that this Megan had done anything wrong. By all appearances, she seemed to have kept Stephanie as calm as could be expected. The more he thought about it, the more surprised he was that Stephanie had gotten into the canoe with Megan at all. Usually she would only venture with someone she knew well.

  He paddled up the concrete bank, and Hadley’s science teacher, Ms. McKinney, helped her sister out of the canoe. Their resemblance was striking.

  Ms. McKinney wrapped her arms around her sister. “Oh Megan, I can’t believe that happened.”

  “How’s Stephanie?”

  Colt looked at Megan. The concern in her tone was evident.

  “She’s fine. Are you okay?”

  “I’m fine. I knew it wasn’t poisonous. I just couldn’t get Stephanie to settle down.”

  The frustration in her voice made him want to defend her. “Normally a special needs assistant or a chaperone goes with Stephanie.” He glared at Hadley’s teacher, even though his words were intended for Megan. “Don’t be upset with yourself. You shouldn’t have been in that situation. She should have gone with someone she knows.”

  “I was her chaperone.”

  Colt looked at the woman who hadn’t uttered a peep the full thirty minutes he’d paddled upstream. She crossed her arms in front of her chest and glared at him. “I thank you for helping me. I needed it. But I do know Stephanie. Her mother asked me to be her chaperone today. Please do not insinuate my sister is not doing her job.”

  Before Colt could respond, the woman stomped toward the restroom facility. He looked at Hadley’s science teacher. Embarrassment swelled in his gut and tightened his throat.

  She clasped her hands in front of her. “I can assure you, Mr. Baker, I would never do anything to put a child in danger. My sister has been Stephanie’s music teacher this entire school year. They are actually very close. The snake was more than Stephanie is used to handling, and—”

  Colt raised his hand. “When a man’s in the wrong, he should swallow his pride and ‘fess up. I assumed something without knowing the facts. I’m sorry.”

  Ms. McKinney’s cheeks tinted pink, and she nodded. “Thank you.” She pointed toward the picnic area. “Hadley and Stephanie are already eating lunch if you’d like to join them.”

  “I think I will.” Though he’d already eaten his fill of humble pie, Colt sauntered toward his truck, took his lunch cooler out of the back, then made his way to Hadley. It wasn’t his fault he’d thought Stephanie didn’t know the teacher’s sister. Hadley hadn’t known. It was an honest mistake, and he took pride in being a guardian who cared about the well-being of his niece and her friends.

  He sighed. That didn’t make him feel better. He pulled the wet T-shirt away from his chest, but once released, it clung t
o his frame again. Being wet didn’t help either. But at least the sun shined bright and warm. It wouldn’t be long before he dried.

  He sat beside Hadley and opened his lunch. “How are you doing?”

  Hadley smiled at Stephanie, exposing deep dimples in both cheeks. “Much better now.”

  “Hi, Colt,” Stephanie said as she dipped her chin so she could peer at him above the rim of her glasses.

  Colt lifted his fist, and Stephanie knuckle-bumped it with her own. She giggled then wrapped both hands around her sandwich.

  “How are you doing, Stephanie? You having fun?”

  “There was a snake, Colt.” Stephanie’s thick, dark eyebrows rose, the right higher than the left.

  “Hadley put her hand on Stephanie’s shoulder. “Yep, but it’s gone now. Right?”

  “Right!” Stephanie waved her right arm in an exaggerated motion. “All gone.”

  Pride swelled in his heart for his niece. The sandy-haired, green-eyed cutie was hardly bigger than a fencepost, but her heart was as big as a barn. And she had spunk and fight in her. The girl handled a horse better than most men. And yet her heart was as tender as a mare’s for her foal. He loved the girl with every breath in him.

  Colt took a bite of his sandwich. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Ms. McKinney’s sister exit the restroom. He could tell by the damp strands of hair around her face and neck that she’d washed up. He wanted to talk to her, to apologize for accusing her sister. Instead, he watched as she sat at a far table with Ms. McKinney and several teachers.

  She and her sister sat side by side on a bench that faced him. He could tell they were identical twins—both with light skin, blue eyes, and long blond hair, but Megan had a deeper dimple in her left cheek when she smiled, and her eyebrows seemed to be a shade darker.

  “Ms. Megan’s awesome.” Stephanie’s words interrupted Colt’s thoughts.

  “She’s a good piano teacher?” Hadley asked.

  “Miss Megan’s the best. She’s awesome.”

  “I’d like to learn piano someday,” Hadley said. “Maybe you could show me.”

  Stephanie moved her fingers through the air like she was playing the instrument. “You go like this.”

  Colt smiled as Hadley laughed and mimicked Stephanie’s motions. Maybe it wouldn’t be such a bad idea for Hadley to start taking piano lessons. His niece loved to sing, and it was often too quiet in their big family farmhouse with only the two of them.

  He gathered up his, Hadley’s, and Stephanie’s garbage and headed toward the trash can. It would give him an excuse to talk to Megan and apologize to her. As he made his way toward the picnic table, one of the teachers stood up and motioned for the students’ attention.

  “When you can hear my voice clap once.”

  A clap sounded from the teachers and many of the students.

  “Clap twice,” she added.

  This time almost all the students clapped twice and faced her. In a matter of seconds, the entire picnic area grew silent with all sixth-grade faces staring at their teacher.

  The woman raised her hands in the air. “Today is a very special day. It’s Ms. McKinney and her sister, Megan’s, birthday. Let’s sing happy birthday to them.”

  The students cheered and then began the birthday chorus. The sisters were petite enough that a couple of the girls walked toward their science teacher and her sister and wrapped an arm around their shoulders with ease.

  Once the song ended, the students and teachers made their way out to the open area for a few games. Megan stayed at the picnic table, cleaning up the mess. Colt walked to her and grabbed some items off the table.

  “I’m sorry for my assumption.”

  Megan jumped and placed her hand on her chest.

  Heat warmed Colt’s cheeks. “Sorry. I guess I should have let you know I was here.”

  Megan smiled, exposing the deep dimple on the left side. “I think I’m still a little jumpy about the snake.” She pitched several wrappers into the trash. “It’s okay. I was a bit shaken for Stephanie.” She turned and peered into his eyes. “I really am grateful you helped us. I don’t know how I would have gotten her to calm down.”

  “It was nothing.” His stomach knotted up talking to her. It had been a long time since he’d felt anxious talking to a woman. He cleared his throat. “Well, Stephanie’s been bragging about you being a terrific piano teacher.”

  Megan smiled again. This time he noted the beautiful white teeth and a twinkle in her eyes. “She teaches me more than I teach her, and that’s the truth. Music is her gift.”

  Colt rubbed his hands against his pants then clasped them together. “I was wondering if you’d be interested in giving lessons to my niece Hadley. She’s the one who got Stephanie out of the canoe.”

  “I know who Hadley is. I help with my sister’s class every chance I get. I’d love to give her lessons.” Megan reached into a side pocket on her lunch bag and pulled out a card.

  Colt raised his eyebrows. “You keep business cards on you? Even when canoeing?”

  She shrugged and grinned. “You never know when you’ll need them.”

  Colt laughed out loud as he flicked the card. “I suppose you’re right.” He put the card in the front pocket of his jeans. “I’ll give you a call this week.”

  “I’ll look forward to it.”

  He watched as she walked toward the open area to join the students and teachers in their game. He was the one who could hardly wait.

  Chapter 3

  No battle plan survives contact with the enemy.

  COLIN POWELL

  A horn blew from outside the apartment. The front door swung open. “You’re being kidnapped!”

  Megan jumped up from the couch and smacked her hand against her chest. “Amber! You scared the life out of me. What are you talking about?”

  Marianna ran down the hall and into the living room. “What’s going on?”

  Another friend, Julie, pushed past the petite brunette. She wore an orange and red party hat on top of her short dark curls. She blew a whistle that hung from her neck. “Amber already told you what’s going on. You’re being kidnapped. Get your shoes.”

  Amber raced to her and looped her arm around Megan’s. Julie rushed to Marianna and grabbed her hand. “Let’s go.”

  Still in a daze, Megan slipped on her flip-flops and allowed herself to be pulled out of the apartment. She gazed back at Marianna. “Grab a key.”

  With her sister’s eyebrows still raised and her jaw dropped open, Marianna nodded and reached for her purse despite Julie’s nudging to get out of the house.

  Once shoved into the backseat of Amber’s car, Megan looked at Marianna as she clicked her seat belt across her waist. “Did you know about this?”

  Marianna shook her head. Amber and Julie slid into the driver’s and passenger’s seats and began a chorus of an off-key rendition of “Happy Birthday to You.” As understanding dawned, Megan and Marianna laughed. Megan smacked the seat. “Of course.”

  “Should have known they’d do this,” said Marianna.

  Amber winked into the rearview mirror, and the twins joined the singing. When the chorus ended, Marianna chimed in with a new chorus about smelling like a monkey.

  Megan shook her finger in front of Marianna’s face. “I don’t think so, little sister.”

  Marianna stopped and dipped her chin, zeroing in on Megan with a deadpan expression. “Really? You’re still trying to call me ‘little sister’?” She lifted up three fingers. “Three minutes is nothing.”

  “It’s something on the birth certificate.” She pointed to her chest. “Makes me the oldest. The more mature.”

  “Whatever. You sound really mature right now.”

  Julie twisted in the passenger’s seat and flicked both of them in the knee.

  “Ow!” they squealed in unison.

  “I can’t believe you two still fight over three minutes. Every year it’s the same thing.”

  Megan shrugged. �
�She just can’t stand that I’m older.”

  “Babies have more fun.”

  Amber interjected, “Well, we’re all going to have fun tonight.”

  Megan grinned at her sister as she trailed her fingertips along her pinned up hair. She glanced down at her clothes, thankful she’d chosen a matching shirt and pair of shorts after returning home from the canoe trip and taking a shower. “Julie, Amber, you two are crazy.”

  Marianna added, “You definitely surprised us.”

  Megan looked at her sister who still hadn’t taken a shower. A giggle welled up inside of Megan and spilled out. She pinched her nose. “What was that you said again? Something about me smelling like a monkey? I was worried about not having on any makeup, but at least I don’t stink.”

  Marianna wrinkled her nose and shoved Megan with her elbow. Megan pushed her back then shifted away from her sister, rolled down the window, and stuck her head out.

  Amber looked at them from the rearview mirror. “Now, now, birthday girls. Do I need to call your mother?”

  Megan bit her lip as she rolled the window back up. The one conversation with Mom had been enough.

  Julie turned in the passenger seat. “We couldn’t let your birthdays pass without some kind of celebration.”

  “I hope we’re not going anywhere where people will have to smell me,” Marianna huffed. She glared at Megan with obviously feigned offense.

  “No worries. We can sit outside.” Amber pulled into the parking lot of Megan’s favorite frozen yogurt shop.

  Megan rubbed her stomach. “Orange Leaf! I hope they have fresh blackberry topping tonight.”

  “Since it’s our birthday, I’m getting confetti cake yogurt.” Marianna pinched her thumb and finger. “Maybe a smidgen of red velvet, too.”

  “Not me.” Megan shook her head. “I’m getting my usual—coconut, pineapple, and pomegranate.”

  Marianna jumped out of the car. “I love this place. I don’t care if I do stink…. ”