* * *
Bess had never been so upset. She’d cried into her pillow almost all night long. In the morning, when she looked into the mirror to comb her long, red hair, she saw swollen eyes with big dark blotches under them. She wiped her fingers across the puffiness, and then shook her head. She asked herself again, why did this have to happen? Where ever we move to is bound to be far away. Darn those blasted mooncussers for ruining Pa’s business! If not for them, we could stay right here. I could keep Sam and my friends in my life. How am I ever going to tell him that I’m leaving? It’ll break his heart just like it does mine.
There was a light tapping on Bess’s bedroom door. She opened it to find Jack standing there, still in his night shirt. “I thought I heard you moving around in here… Bess, are we really going to move to some other town? I don’t want to,” he divulged, and a tear formed in his eye.
Putting an arm around her little brother, she led him to the bed, and they sat down. Bess had never seen such a sad face. It made her feel like crying all over again. Instead, she pressed her lips together and inhaled deeply. “Sometimes people have to do things they don’t want to. Pa tried to make a living here. He did real well until other stores started under-pricing him. The folks around here want to save money, so they don’t buy much here anymore. We can’t stay if we don’t have any money. I don’t see how there’s any choice for us, and it makes me miserable too.”
Jack turned to put his arm around her waist and leaned his head on her shoulder. If Bess says it’s so, it has to be. But moving to some strange place seems so awful. I’ll have to go to a different school, and I won’t know anyone there. I’ll never see my friends again, he thought dismally.
When Bess and Jack got home from school that afternoon, they found their parents taking things off some of the higher shelves and packing them in boxes. If it didn’t seem real before, it sure does now, Bess realized. She turned on her heel and left the store. She walked to Sam’s farm. She didn’t see him right off, so she waited. Eventually he stepped out of the barn. “Sam, over here,” she called, waving her hand so he would see her.
As soon as he spotted her, he hurried down the hill. “Bess, what are you doing here? Is something wrong?”
“I have some terrible news,” she answered, looking him in the eyes. Then she turned her head, unable to look at him when she said, “My parents are packing up the store. We have to move.”
“No, you can’t go!”
“We have no choice. Pa says the mooncussers have put him out of business. People don’t buy from us when they can get the same goods for less money somewhere else. Pa says the mooncussers can sell their stolen goods lots cheaper than he can sell things. We’ll have to move inland where he can do business.”
“Where are you gonna go?”
“I don’t think Pa knows. He’ll have to take a trip and find a likely place. Then make arrangements to have everything hauled to a new location. Everything’s up in the air right now.”
It sure as hell is, Sam thought. How did my life fall to pieces, all in a just a few days? To Bess he said, “We’ll think of something. Try not to be upset.” He wrapped his arms around her and held her tight.
Walking Bess back home, Sam’s mind was reeling. He thought hard; most of the men who live anywhere near here are thieves and murderers. They protect each other with stealth and secrecy. An honest merchant, like Mr. McGregor, doesn’t stand a chance. He really has no choice; he’s gonna have to leave. I don’t want any part of the goings on around here either.
His eyes traveled over Bess’s sweet face. “Your Pa’s right. He can’t make a decent living here. He’s going to have to move on. But I can’t let you go without me. When your family moves, I’ll follow. I’ll find work, and we’ll be married as soon as we can.” Having made his decision, a heavy burden lifted from his shoulders. He looked tenderly into Bess’s eyes and squeezed her hand.
With a mixture of hurt and happiness in her heart, Bess wrapped her arms around him and held him close. This is going to be a hard change for all of us, she thought, but with Sam at my side, I know it’ll be all right. Taking a step back, she locked his eyes with hers and gave him a smile of love and understanding.
Two young people who had been children yesterday, walked on as young adults today, looking toward a future they would create together.
THE END
GHOST INN
by Cynthia Collins
https://www.cynthia-collins.com/