The Understorey, Book One of The Leaving Series

  Everyone started to agree and assured us they meant no harm when Caroline came to our rescue and diverted the attention from us.

  “Whew!” I aimed at Jules.

  She smiled, shrugged her shoulders and rolled her eyes.

  “Never been so happy to see Caroline,” she murmured.

  I reached over the counter top and grabbed her hand. My little instant anxiety relief flickered through my arms and I got a double dose in my fluttering heart as it coasted to an easy rhythm. I let go of her hand and we both sighed in relief.

  “Let’s take a walk together,” I offered.

  “What an excellent idea. I need to get out of here.”

  We mentioned what we were doing to Jules’ mom and headed out the door. We walked around her aunt’s neighborhood at first and found a main street that lead us onto a charming street chock full of creative little businesses. We stopped into a little novelty store where we bought a little flip book of a woman from the twenties wearing a bathing suit that went to her knees. When you flipped the book, she did a little dance, it was hilarious. Jules and I laughed for five minutes.

  Then we stopped at a little organic coffee house and had a small cup of coffee and chatted for at least an hour, though it felt like five minutes.

  Afterwards, we stopped at a local art gallery and Jules gushed over all of the art with the curator. Invariably, Jules was asked to send a painting, constant as ever. We left the gallery and began walking back toward Jules’ aunt’s home.

  We passed a window full of wedding dresses and I jokingly nudged Jules’ ribs. She rolled her eyes at me, put her fist up to her mouth and pretended to blow an imaginary dart at me. Not one to be shown up, I grabbed my neck and dramatically wavered until I fell onto a nearby park bench. We caught an older couple laughing at us and Jules bowed.

  “Come on,” I said dragging her back toward the main street, “you win.”

  When we finally got back to the house, it was time for lunch. Her aunt made this really indulgent salad with homemade dressing and I stuck to that to please Jules after this morning’s disaster.

  Everyone piled into the theater room afterwards and there were so many of her family members there weren’t enough seats so the older kids sprawled out on to the floor in front of the screen with pillows and blankets. Jules and I picked the darkest area in the far right corner.

  Before the film started Jules jumped up to use the restroom and when she came back she said she couldn’t see where I was.

  “We’re invisible over here,” she said.

  “Let’s talk then,” I said.

  “Good thinkin’. Honestly, I’ve been meaning to bring this up to you but didn’t know when a good time would be.”

  “What’s on your mind?”

  “I’ve a sinking feeling we haven’t seen the last of Taylor or Jesse. I know you said that we should wait and see if anything comes about but I’m just not comfortable waiting for something bad to happen. I’d rather take the offensive.”

  I sighed.

  “Jules, Jules, Jules. After all the heat that’s been put on those two we’re not going to hear a peep from them. I’m certain of it.”

  “I don’t know Elliott. Anyone who would go so far as to break into another’s home is seriously deranged and I don’t think a little thing like a pep talk from the Principal or the local sheriff is going to derail them.”

  She shuddered as if she was cold. I brought the flannel blanket up to her waist for her.

  “I’m not cold,” she said, “I’m scared.”

  “Oh Jules, now, you see this is why I should have just knocked Jesse out at school the next day. That would have taught him.”

  “No!” She said too loudly then brought her voice back down to a whisper, “that would have made it worse. That kind of stuff just adds fuel to their already blazing fire.”

  “Well, what do you want to do about it?” I asked.

  “Well, we could approach them,” she suggested.

  “No, that would be inconceivable!” I joked.

  “You keep using that word. I don’t think it means what you think it means,” she said along with the film.

  I paused and tried not to smile.

  “You’re so cute,” I said.

  “So are you,” she said and went in for a kiss.

  I pulled back.

  “Uh, uh, uhh, your dad’s right there Jules!”

  “Oh yeah. I forget sometimes. You’re so distracting. You don’t realize what I go through,” she admitted.

  “I don’t realize?” I almost shouted.

  “Okay, okay. Shhh. Back to the subject,” she breathed.

  “We can approach them but it would have to be at lunch on an A day and we don’t have an A day until the Thursday we come back because we’re off Monday and Tuesday and Wednesday is a B day.”

  “If an A day is before a B day and Wednesday is a B day and since we’re off Monday and Tuesday we’d have to wait until Thursday?!” She asked mockingly.

  “Shut up!” I laughed. “You’re the one who wanted to talk about this.”

  We both laughed loudly but it was at a part of the film that was conveniently funny for all and we recovered nicely.

  “Nice,” I said and we silently high-fived.

  “Alright Elliott, so we’ll approach them Thursday, but what should we say?” She asked.

  “Well, I think we should just tell them that they don’t scare us and they don’t have a chance in hell in breaking us up, so give it up.”

  “Add a ‘get your own life’ in there too!”

  “Shut up!” I chuckled.

  “And a ‘you better check yourself, before you wreck yourself’,” she jested.

  “How about we close with a ‘your mama’s so fat’?”

  “Yes, classic. Classic.”

  “Are we done?” I asked.

  “Yes, we’re in too playful a mood to do this.”

  “Alright, let’s watch the film and annoy everyone by reciting every line,” I said. “You’re Wesley and I’ll be Princess Buttercup.”

  “Such an awesome name,” she said.

  “It’s so funny that they had a somewhat normal name coupled with such a cutesy one.”

  “What are you talking about?” She said. “He’s The Dread Pirate Roberts!”

  “Ohhhh, that’s right. They’re doomed. They’re kids are going to be named something stupid like Princesses Alstroemeria and Delphinium.”

  “What is wrong with you?” She laughed. “How do you even know the names of those flowers? That’s it. I forbid your reading to reach such subjects that allow me to immediately ask for your man card. Your reading shall be limited to the sciences, mysteries, really anything manly, and that is all.”

  We laughed pretty hard.

  “Shhhh!” Everyone said in unison.

  That sent us into a frenzy and we had to flee the theater in fear we’d be flogged. We ran and sat at the top of the stairs trying to catch our breath from our stupid banter. I grabbed Jules’ hand but that didn’t help. The current was only soothing if we were anxious, scared, or sad. If we were already happy it just magnified the feeling.

  We started laughing so loudly we decided to hide out in the kitchen. We realized that memaw Joan E was in there cooking up a storm so we found a retreat inside Isabel’s and Rocky’s garage.

  “Wow!” I shouted. “Look at all these cars!”

  “Nice huh?”

  “Uh, yup.”

  More laughing.

  “That wasn’t even funny,” I could barely speak.

  “I know. You’re so much fun and for no reason at all.” She became serious, “That’s one of the things I love about you.”

  She leaned in for a kiss and this time I gave it to her.

  “I think we’re going to love Philadelphia,” I said.

  “Dude, I think so too. It is such a fun city. The music Elliott! The music! That’s the best part! Imagine all the live music! Mwua ha ha ha ha!” She dribbled h
er fingers together.

  “Mwua ha ha ha ha!” I joined in with her.

  That’s when Jules’ dad entered the garage to check on us and caught us acting like fools. We burst out into laughter again.

  “You kids,” he tossed up his hands.

  I was confident that Jules’ dad officially liked me. He never quite warmed up to me on account of the night I accidentally spent with Jules, but I think this week convinced him of my intentions toward Jules and that made me very happy.

  The next day was Thanksgiving and while the dinner was being prepared all the young cousins spent the day in the game room, after we put up all the cots of course. Jules and I had begun a game of darts before her mom came up looking for her.

  “Come on Julia, all the women want to talk to you. You’re a well enough cook to make a difference in the work this year,” she said.

  “But ma’? What about Elliott?” She asked, deep concern in her eyes.

  “He’ll be alright sugar,” she said, smiling at me.

  “Go on Jules,” I said. “I want to catch up on some reading anyway.”

  “Okay,” she said and began to follow her mom down the stair case.

  She peered up through the bars and I puckered my bottom lip.

  “Don’t do that,” she mouthed.

  I shooed her away and smiled. I grabbed my book from my bag and went downstairs to the sitting area. The entire downstairs was one large industrial looking space with concrete floors but rugs everywhere. I chose a chair near the kitchen but not too near so as I didn’t appear to be eavesdropping, but much to their disappointment I’m sure, I could hear everything they were saying as clear as a bell. Unfortunately, I didn’t get to hear the beginning and by the sounds of what I had stepped into, so to speak, it would have been so pleasurable to hear.

  “And you plan on marrying him Julia?” A random aunt asked.

  “Yes ma’am,” Jules said with confidence.

  The entire kitchen was quiet until Jules interrupted the silence, “I have never been so sure of anything in my entire life. I am unwavering on the subject.”

  “Well, she certainly is confident,” said memaw Joan E. “I see it in you child. I see what you so passionately proclaim. I also see it in him too. Of that, I’m sure.”

  Good old memaw Joan E, I liked her.

  “It’s awfully young to feel so certain,” an aunt said. “People change as they grow older and mature Julia.”

  “Let me ask the entire room a question,” said Jules. “My entire life, have I ever been hasty? Don’t I bide my time? Aren’t I careful when I make big decisions?”

  No one answered. That was a good sign.

  “Yes dear, but there is a first time for everything,” Jules’ mom said.

  Suddenly, I felt as if I was intruding. It was so ungentlemanly of me to be listening to this. I felt the urge to stand up and leave but my body might as well have been made of lead.

  “You’re right mama,” Jules said.

  What? Jules, what are saying?

  “But,” she continued.

  Whew.

  “But you forget, we’re not looking to get married right out of high school. We both have big college plans and we don’t want my getting pregnant to hinder them. We’ve decided to wait until we graduate university.”

  You’ve decided to wait until we graduate university.

  “Who knows,” said the same doubting aunt to the room, “as long as they plan on waiting, she could change her mind or he could.”

  “I have no doubts, but I won’t try to change anyone’s minds. I have made my choice and I am confident that he has as well. Time, in this case, is on our side. It will show you our devotion.”

  “Whoo! I like your spunk Julia!” Said memaw Joan E.

  All the women settled from the subject onto the next and I could feel the tension release from Jules’ body. I continued reading and eventually dozed off, my book in my lap.

  I awoke to the voice of an angel. Jules had gathered my book, saved my place and sat next to me on the loveseat.

  She spoke softly into my groggy ear, “‘The Writings of Abraham Lincoln, Volume One’? Now, that my dear, is manly reading.”

  I kept my hazy eyes closed but I could assemble a half smile for her wit’s sake.

  “Dinner’s ready,” she blew in my ear.

  I was awake.

  After grace, everyone sat, enjoyed the food and one another’s company. It was a lively evening that lasted well into the early morning hours. I became so familiar with each family member that they harassed me as one of their own and I loved it.

  After dinner, everyone lounged in the living room as we all decided if we should play a game or not. Isabel suggested charades and we all agreed.

  “Uh, I’m terrible at charades,” I said leaning into Jules.

  “No, you’re not. I hate false modesty,” she said. “Just admit when you’re good at something. No one will think any less of you unless you’re an ass about it. Repeat after me.”

  “Repeat after me,” I said.

  “No, stop.”

  “No, stop.”

  She waited for me to stop and I did.

  “I, Elliott Gray,” she said.

  “I, Elliott Gray,” I said.

  “Am super fantastic.”

  “I’m not saying that,” I said.

  “Come on! Am super fantastic.”

  I sighed.

  “Am super fantastic,” I gave in.

  “At kissing Jules.”

  “At kissing Jules.”

  “At bugging Jules.”

  “At buggin’ Jules,” I chuckled.

  “At touching Jules,” she joked.

  “I’m not saying that,” I said

  “Okay.....at matters of the heart,” she conceded.

  “At matters of the heart.”

  “At matters of the mind.”

  “At matters of the mind,” I said.

  “At matters of right and wrong,”

  “I’m not super fantastic at that but I guess I’ll say it anyway. At matters of right and wrong.”

  “And last but not least,” she said.

  “And last but not least,” I repeated.

  “At........eavesdropping on old women cooking Thanksgiving dinner in their kitchen.”

  “You knew I was doing that?” I asked coyly.

  “Of course, doofus. I almost thought about making it as miserable for you as possible but I would have freaked out my family if I had done that. Consider yourself lucky, I was going to say something like, he’s just a speed bump until I get to Philadelphia and find my real husband’. You know, things like that.”

  I almost died laughing.

  “You’re too competent to be with such a goof, Jules.”

  “Please, I’m intimidated on a daily basis by your intelligence. I think we make it work so well because that’s what God wants of us. So, I chuck it all up to Him. I’m pretty darn happy so I guess we’re doing something right.”

  “Me too,” I said.

  “Okay! This half of the room is on one team, this half, on the other,” said Isabel. “Julia, heads or tails?”

  “Heads.”

  She flipped the coin.

  “Tails.”

  “Aw, shucks,” Jules said.

  “It’s okay Jules,” I said.

  “It’s okay Jules,” everyone mocked and burst into laughter.

  A few made gagging noises.

  “Okay, okay! Head in the game ‘heads’!” Jules shouted.

  The game went on until two thirty in the morning. I could barely hold my head up but didn’t want to be the first to turn in. Jules’ family was so fun as well and I didn’t want to miss out.

  “We’ve got to get to bed,” said Jules, reading my body language. “We’re shopping tomorrow, remember?”

  The men groaned but the ladies cheered and with that, we all went to bed full and very content.

  Chapter Six

  Hindsight’s Twenty-
Twenty

  I am particularly practical when it comes to most things in my life. In my opinion, things are generally black and white. If you push A into B you get C, basically a proponent of the laws of nature. Jules, however, possessed a sixth sense about the grey area I knew nothing about. She had theories that supported the idea that pushing A into B could possibly get you C,D, and even E and being the blockhead I was, I grossly underestimated this talent of hers, until that is, we returned from our trip to Mauch Chunk.

  The day we left was a day of horrid goings on in Bramwell, West Virginia. Jesse Thomas, Taylor Williams, and a very desperate and empty Marisa Hartford crammed their tiny minds together and were plotting against Jules and I with adult size weaponry; ammunition that the experts in their associated fields handled with kid gloves, never mind two hateful humans and their idiotic apprentice.

  I wouldn’t even give Marisa that much credit. She was more of a minion of sorts. Though her involvement was minor, her part held the most excruciating effects and unfortunately she was too stupid to realize how deeply she was implicated in the entire process. That was, in my opinion, most decidedly by design on Jesse’s part.

  Marisa Hartford belonged to a family of equine veterinarians. Apparently, the intelligent gene skipped her generation as she was the only child and one of her family, knowing what I do about the Hartfords, lacking in the fortitude to weigh the pros and cons of assisting in a highly dangerous and highly illegal crime. I will give Marisa credit where credit is due though, she had no idea what Taylor and Jesse were doing with the help she afforded them, but I’m getting ahead of myself.

  The Hartford family is a decent family. They lived moderately and had no need or want for anything. It is definitely a possibility that they are one of the wealthiest families in Bluefield, but they are frugal. They don’t squander their profits like most families do and by far and away, excluding Marisa. They are a family of morals.

  Those morals were lost on Marisa. She chose to help the imbeciles against her better judgment and for what do you ask? For further social rank in a high school she was less than a year from never seeing again.

  Marisa worked two evenings a week, usually Friday and Saturday evenings, if she wasn’t cheering, to help out at her family’s equestrian practice. Here, she would answer phones and make appointments. Marisa, legally, along with her family’s careful practice and procedures, had absolutely no access to any of the medicines her grandfather or father kept on hand at their office. These seemingly harmless, yet potent glass viles were kept under lock and key and regularly inventoried.