by Jessica Loft
Dark had already fallen when they finally parted for the day. Looking longingly after her as she walked away, Jackson made it clear he was not done with her yet, and that he looked forward to seeing her again.
She could tell her parents were home when she arrived. She knew she would get in trouble for having stayed out too long. But at this point it didn’t matter, she could no longer just pass off what she had with Jackson. However, she did not expect what awaited her when she walked into the house.
She tried the knob, and again the door was locked. Her father opened the door this time when she knocked. Looking angrier than she had ever seen him, he beckoned for her to follow him to the study immediately. Once the door was closed behind them, he motioned at the couch, before clearing his throat to make his thoughts known.
“Where have you been?” he thundered at her. Surprised, as she had never heard him speak to her that way before, she looked up with wonder.
“I asked you where you’ve been! Have you lost your voice?” He was no longer the calm, Pastor she knew, and suddenly realizing that she needed to explain herself, she made an attempt to.
“I went for an evening walk, that’s all,” Her father’s face contorted, as if in pain at hearing her explanation.
“By walk you mean messing around with that boy in the Amish mafia, right? Do you have any idea what you are getting yourself into?” he roared, making her wish she could shut off his voice.
“I’m not messing around! And he is not a bad person. He is Amish, they have values not so different than our own. There’s nothing going on between the two of us. We’re just friends, Dad,” she said, attempting to reason with him. He heard none of it, but went on with his diatribe.
“Your mother and I have repeatedly warned you away from your involvement with that boy. You have chosen to disregard our advice, continuing to see him behind our backs, nevertheless. We have decided you will not bring shame to the family, and will be taking you to live with Aunt Jane in Indiana.” He marched out of the room, leaving her on her own to digest the information.
She lowered her head and wept. She was cornered and she knew it. She either did what she was told, or risked losing her relationship with her family. That was a tall order, considering they had been so good to her. It would probably help to get away for some time to think things over. Otherwise, she might end up making a mess of herself in the end.
Dinner was a quiet affair, as both parents sat quietly eating. When they were done doing dishes, her mother decided to break even more news to her.
“Your father has decided to drive you to Aunt Jane’s place first thing tomorrow. You will be leaving right after breakfast. I am sorry it has come to this, Sally. I hope you will understand that all we want is to shield you from making a terrible mistake.” Putting on a brave face she nodded, feeling crushed at the decision. It meant she had no time to even say goodbye to Jackson. He would be concerned about her sudden disappearance, so she would have to call him as soon as she could to explain.
Silent tears flowed from her eyes as she lay in bed that night. Flashing back to the time spent with Jackson, she felt her heart drop at the knowledge that she would not be seeing him any time soon, or at all. Aunt Jane lived in another state which was a six hour drive away. That meant Sally could only see him if he managed to travel the long distance to meet her.
Why won’t my parents understand that I love that boy? Is it wrong to see someone who is a little different from us? How long do they plan on keeping me away from him? Will he forget about me while I am gone?
The questions kept running round and round in her mind, until, too tired to think anymore she fell asleep. Her parents woke her early the next morning not even giving her time to pack her clothes.
Chapter Eight
From the moment she arrived at Aunt Jane’s home in Indiana, Sally knew she was done for. Her parents must have issued strong instructions about her, because her every move was monitored upon arrival. Thank God she had some company here, as her aunt’s kids still lived at home. They were much older than her; being adult sons, but atleast she wasn’t alone all day.
It had been a week since she got arrived, and she still had not had an opportunity to call Jackson. The family phone was well guarded and she had nearly no access to it. Even when a chance arose there was always someone around, making it difficult for her to make the call. Feeling desperate, she made a plan to go make the call at the mall.
“I would like to go get some personals at the mall, would this afternoon be okay?” she asked her aunt, careful not to seem too anxious. The older woman looked up at her, smiling. “I think you’ve earned some monitored time outsides of the house, dear.” She replied.
“You can go. I’ll ask Mike to show you around, as I’m sure you don’t know your way there,” she told her. None of which surprised her, as it seemed her parents had done a thorough job of instilling the need to be extra careful with her, which was humiliating to say the least.
“Thanks, I’d really appreciate him taking me there, and I’ll be back in no time at all,” she promised.
The drive to the mall proved interesting, with many sites to see. Mike was enthusiastic about pointing out places as they went. She didn’t know much about him, but had noticed that he seemed distant from everyone else. Perhaps it would not be difficult for her to slip away to make the call. The chance availed itself after she was done shopping. Excusing herself for a bathroom break, she made off to the nearest phone booth. Quickly dialing his number, she anxiously waited for Jackson to pick up. His voice came through at last, sounding far away to her.
“Hello,” came the familiar drawl.
For a moment she remained speechless. It was what she had longed for and gone to bed thinking about each night. Now that she was actually hearing it, she was mesmerized. Then catching herself, she answered him, hearing the excitement in his voice as he recognized hers.
“Hello, Jackson. How are you doing?”
“Sally, is that you? Thank Gott! I have been quite frantic, trying and trying to reach you. Are you okay? Where are you? Can I come see you?” he went on and on. Feeling tears of relief at hearing his voice, she went ahead and explained, conscious of her limited time passing quickly.
“I’m so sorry, Jackson, that won’t be possible. After our walk together, my parents realized I’d been seeing you. Early the next morning they loaded me up and sent me to live with my aunt in Indiana. I’ve been watched closely ever since, and had to lie and hide to even try to call you,” she told him.
“What the hell? What did they do that for? Distance will not keep me away from you. They should have sent you to the other side of the world, then.” She laughed at the determination in his voice.
“I have to go now, my cousin is waiting to drive me back, and if I don’t turn up soon he’ll figure out I’m not really going to the bathroom. I miss you. I only wish you knew how much, she went on.
“I miss you too, love. My life is not the same without being able to see you. Make sure you call me again soon, and then we’ll come up with a plan of how I can come see you,” she smiled into the phone then hung up and quickly left.
The ride back home was a happy one as she had accomplished her mission and spoken to Jackson. It was funny how small things meant so much to her, now that she could no longer see him when she wanted to. Hearing his voice, although far, made her realize that things might still be okay between them. She had needed confirmation that he cared for her, despite the distance, and she had gotten it.
“You must have had fun, you seem so happy,” Aunt Jane observed, looking from one to the other.
“It was fun. Mike kept pointing out stuff to me as we drove. I had no idea there is so much to see here,” she lied.
“Did you like the view? I can have Mike take you to see various places if you like. There is so much for you to see, including the Indiana Dunes. Let me know when you would like to go on a tour.”
“Sounds exciting! I would love
to go.”
After that, life settled down, especially since she had no anxiety over Jackson. She missed her family too, talking to them regularly on the phone. Mother sounded relieved that she had settled in so well and promised her that she would come visit soon.
“We only want what’s best for you, darling,” her mother said, during one of their telephone conversations.
Chapter Nine
Mike was happy to see her enjoying herself so much. Just like she promised, Aunt Jane organized several trips to local attractions for her. There was indeed a lot to see in the state, and Sally didn’t waste any chance she got. This was definitely much better than sitting at home by herself back in Ohio.
The visit to the zoo was an especially exciting adventure, as there was so much to learn. Mike had become her constant companion and tried his best to educate her on the details of the surroundings and sights they saw. In addition to pointing out places of interest to her, he also let her have the much needed opportunities to make calls to Jackson.
By the middle of July, both of them had gotten used to being far away from each other, but she still missed him so, and constantly wondered when she would get the chance to see him again. He had promised to come see her and she was holding on to that. As usual, with her thoughts trying to wander off thinking about Jackson, she tried to keep her mind on what was going on around her. The zoo was a great chance for her to watch different animals, and she could not get enough of it.
“Look at that!” Mike called out, as a peacock strutted by in full glamour. It was nothing like she had ever seen before and Sally leaned forward to watch.
“That is beautiful! To think a bird could have so many colors and be able to show them off so well.”
“I always found time to come over here as a kid. My friends and I could stay and watch the birds for hours on end,” Mike told her. They stood watching the majestic bird for a while before moving on to something else.
With time, the two had become quite close. It was Mike who had willingly made himself available to take her places, and she recognized that. Getting used to Aunt Jane’s household had been easy, because Sally found her easier to get along with then her own parents. She was not too rigid, and her sons were rather protective of Sally. Even Uncle Sam preferred to stay out of her affairs, keeping busy with his accounting business. Overall, she was enjoying living here, except for missing the one person she had been forbidden to be in contact with.
“Do you think we should do one more round and then leave? It’s quite a drive back home and I don’t want us to get back too late,” Mike asked, snapping her out of her thoughts. Sally answered him fast, cutting short her wandering musings.
“Sounds like a good idea. I would love to take a quick look at some of the animals again before we go,” she told him. About half an hour later, she felt ready to leave, having had a last look around. She wondered if she could come back soon, since it was one of her favorites of all the places she had seen.
“We have to leave now, but I can see you love it here,” Mike said, as he ushered her out to the car.
“This was exciting! I never would have thought I would ever get to see some of the animal species in there,” she told him.
Happily, after two weeks of being at Aunt Jane’s, it was no longer necessary for her to sneak off or lie in order to make a call to Jackson. Sally and Mike had a silent agreement between them now, giving her access to the house phone. She called when she was home alone with Mike, as he didn’t mind. It was one of the reasons she liked having Mike around, too.
“I will be starting college in a few weeks. I won’t be able to show you around as much,” he had told her, well in advance. Wondering how life would be without him, she braced herself to try again to talk to her parents about finding something to keep her busy.
It was late afternoon one day and she found herself home alone. Mike had gone to fill out his college forms and would be back in a few hours. The house was quiet and feeling alone, Sally wandered to the phone. It seemed like the most natural thing for her to do because she was feeling homesick. But the number she dialed was not her mothers, it was Jackson’s. Hearing his voice each time gave her a high of sorts. It was as if speaking to him made him come alive in her mind, despite the distance between them.
“Hello,” he picked up at the first ring.
“Hello, Jackson.” A loud silence hung between them for a bit before they started a conversation.
“Great to hear from you, Sally! How are you doing?” Trying to keep her heart from thumping too hard, she updated him about her recent activities.
“You called me at a great time, Sally. I was just wondering how to give you the great news. A chance has come up, and I plan to come over and see you in about a week. Two friends and I will be coming over for a look around.” Sally was overjoyed.
“That is the greatest news I’ve heard in a long time. I can’t wait. Jackson, I have missed you so,” she said, practically shouting.
“And I have missed you too, love. Be sure to find a way to come out and meet me.”
They spoke a while longer and then she ended the call, promising to call back before his trip, to resolve the details. Letting out a happy dance, Sally bounced around the house, taking care of chores in record time. She was so excited at the prospect of seeing the man she loved again. She had missed him terribly, and the thought of his visit stirred up excitement in her belly.
The countdown began and the days appeared to drag along. Each waking day she found herself looking forward to the weekend when Jackson would arrive. Already, he had confirmed the motel he’d booked, and they had agreed where to meet. That Thursday evening, she got the break she needed for the weekend.
“I am going to be gone for the weekend to visit a friend,” Aunt Jane announced at dinner before she went up to go pack her bags. “You boys take care of Sally and ensure she is well entertained.” Her husband nodded at the sons, and soon, they all got up to go watch TV. As she cleared the dishes, she was left to celebrate the news alone in her thoughts.
What a break! It will be so much easier for me to get away without her around.
Chapter Ten
It was Friday night and she could hardly get to sleep. Knowing he was arriving the next day had her heart racing. Jackson was finally going to be here to see her and there was no describing how thrilled she was. When sleep finally won out over her nerves, she dropped off hard, worn out from the excited anticipation.
Morning sounds had her waking early the following day. Suddenly she remembered, what day it was, and jumped out of bed. They had agreed to meet in the afternoon to allow him time to travel, and get settled after the journey. By then, she would most likely be home alone with Mike, who didn’t care much about shepherding her around.
“You are up early for a Saturday morning,” Aunt Jane observed when she walked into the kitchen. Sally usually slept in on Saturdays, but this one was different. She had to think up an excuse fast, lest the older woman got suspicious.
“I thought you might need help since you’re trying to get going on your trip. I knew the boys will still be wanting breakfast,” she said, offering to help.
“How sweet of you. Don’t you worry yourself about my being away. You will be perfectly fine with the boys,” she heard her say.
“It will be lonely without you,” Sally told her truthfully.
The two of them had breakfast together, then Aunt Jane got ready to leave. When she finally emerged from her room, it was to bid Sally goodbye, promising to see her the following evening.
“Have yourself a good day.”
The rest of the family came down to breakfast shortly after. Uncle Sam had already left and by midday it was just Mike and Sally in the house again. She called Jackson, jumping excitedly when she heard his familiar voice.
“Hello love. I will be arriving at the hotel in less than one hour. I can hardly wait to see you.”
“And me you. You have no idea how much I have misse
d you,” she told him.
After she hung up the phone she all but ran to her room to get ready for her date. Already, she had told Mike a good excuse so he would drop her off to see him. Donning a white pair of pants and a turquoise blue top she regarded herself in the mirror, whipping up her hair above her head. When she finally emerged to leave, Mike let out a whistle.
“I could swear you are off on a date, except you don’t know anyone around here. What a waste that you’re only going to the library, looking like that!” Mike said to her. She laughed.
“Thanks Mike. Someday, I might actually get to go on a date and decided I better practice looking good once in a while before I forget how. I take it you’re trying to tell me I did ok?” she said, with a wink.
He dropped her at the library, waved, and then drove off into the distance. She had managed to convince him she would find her way back to the house on her own later on.
