by Cheree Alsop
The thought made me homesick. I missed my mom. No matter what we had been through, she was a good mom and had worked hard to care for us. Now she was alone. I made a mental note to text her when I got back to the house, especially considering what tomorrow might bring.
“So Sparrow doesn’t have everything?” I asked Aunt Lauren teasingly when we reached the city.
She laughed, “Hard to believe, isn’t it?”
“We don’t go to the city often; when we do, we have to make it count!” Cassidy explained with a grin.
Her mother pulled up to a store aptly named “Sew Fabulous.” Cassidy skipped straight from the car to the front door. “Come on, slow pokes,” she called, hurrying inside.
“They might be sold out before we get there,” I told Aunt Lauren.
She laughed. “Oh, it won’t be that bad.”
I opened the door for her and we stepped inside to find Cassidy running up and down squealing, “I need to try on this one, and this one. Oh, and definitely this one! Wait until Sandy sees me!”
“Okay, it might be that bad,” Aunt Lauren said to me in an undertone. She gave a persevering smile and we followed in Cassidy’s wake.
I took a seat on a couch across from the dressing room. I assumed it had been placed there to accommodate weary parents, and was very grateful for such foresight. Aunt Lauren found me an hour later while Cassidy tried on dresses. “Success?” I asked.
She laughed tiredly and took a seat. “I guess we’ll find out.”
Cassidy came out in a red dress that fit a little too snug. I knew Uncle Rick would never let his little girl go out dressed like that.
“What do you think?” Cassidy asked. “It’s absolutely beautiful, isn’t it?” She glanced in one of the three mirrors. “Oh, and I should wear my hair down.” She hurriedly unbraided it.
Aunt Lauren shot me a worried look. I sat up and pretended to study the dress seriously when Cassidy turned back around, waiting for our words of approval. Her blonde hair now sat in wavy locks around her shoulders. I could tell by her expression that she loved the dress and would be absolutely crushed if we said anything to the contrary.
I swallowed my masculinity and cleared my throat. “Well, Cass, it is a lovely dress.” She grinned. “But . . . ” Her smile faltered. “You have such beautiful green eyes. It would be a shame if Jeremy didn’t notice them. Don’t you think it’d be better to wear something that accentuates them?”
She and Aunt Lauren both stared at me for a moment, then Cassidy’s smile erupted into a grin. “I know just the dress!” she exclaimed. She hurried back into the dressing room without waiting for her mother’s opinion.
Aunt Lauren let out a relieved sigh. “Thanks, Kel. I didn’t know what to say.”
“Uncle Rick would have sent all of us to the doghouse.” I paused. “Does Jake even have a doghouse?”
She nodded with a smile. “It would be a bit snug with the four of us.”
“I’ll bet Uncle Rick would let Jake take our place inside.”
She laughed. “I’ll bet you’re right.”
Cassidy came out in an emerald green dress a shade darker than her eyes. The result was striking and Aunt Lauren gasped, “Oh, darling, you look beautiful.”
The dress was form-fitted to the waist, then flared gently in a series of tiered layers to the floor. Uncle Rick would approve, even if her shoulders were bare. Cassidy spun around and the bottom of the dress twirled up. She giggled like a little girl and spun again.
“It’s perfect,” Cassidy said.
“That’s the one,” Aunt Lauren agreed.
Cassidy skipped over and hugged her mother tightly. “Oh, thank you, thank you, thank you! This is going to be the best night ever!” She hurried back to the mirrors and spun again.
Aunt Lauren smiled so big, she looked exactly like her daughter.
“You’re having a good time,” I noted with a smile of my own.
She nodded and admitted quietly, “Cass and I don’t have much girl time together. She’s been a tomboy since she was born. I have the hardest time buying her clothes she’ll wear.” She sighed. “I needed this.”
“You’re a good mom,” I said.
She squeezed my hand in gratitude.
A sales associate appeared around the corner. “A perfect example of loveliness,” he exclaimed. “And I have shoes to match.” He disappeared again.
I stood up. “I guess I’ll head to the other side in an effort to salvage any masculinity I have left. Wish me luck.”
“Look for something in black,” Cassidy said. I shot her a look, and she grinned with her eyes twinkling.
“Here’s a pair of shoes that will match your dress perfectly,” the sales associate said. He knelt by her feet and slipped them on.
“I didn’t even tell you my size,” Cassidy said in surprise.
“I’m just that good,” the associate replied with a wink.
I couldn’t get away fast enough. The scent of heavy perfume and silk followed me from the women’s side of the store to the much-less-colorful men’s side. Apparently tuxedos didn’t come in emerald green or ruby red. I turned down a row at the end and stopped. Nope, I was wrong. Tuxedos definitely came in ruby or emerald.
I back-tracked quickly to the regular black and gray rows, grateful Cassidy wasn’t there to try to convince me that it would be cute if we matched. I needed to maintain some dignity.
“May I help you, sir?”
Why not. “Do you have a tux for rent that’s completely black?”
AT DINNER THAT NIGHT, Cassidy showed everyone her dress. “You look amazing,” Jaren said.
“You look like a girl,” Cole noted in disgust.
“I am a girl,” Cassidy shot back.
“Turn around,” Uncle Rick said. A frown of disapproval showed on his face.
Everyone fell silent as Cassidy turned slowly, then looked at her father. “What do you think, Daddy?”
He studied her carefully for a minute, and then his frown melted into a smile. “You look absolutely beautiful,” he said. She ran into his arms and he gave her a tight hug, then stepped back. “I’m going to wrinkle your dress.”
She smoothed the front. “It’s okay. I’m glad you like it.”
“I love it,” he said. He and Aunt Lauren exchanged a tender look. “I just can’t believe my little girl is going on a date.”
“Kelson will be there,” Cassidy said.
He nodded and looked at me. “I’m trusting you to keep her safe.”
“I will,” I promised.
Cassidy ran into the other room to change so she didn’t spill on her dress.
“When do I get to date?” Jaren asked.
“Girls are gross,” Cole stated.
“When you’re sixteen,” Aunt Lauren replied.
“But Cass is fifteen,” Jaren pointed out.
Uncle Rick pointed a fork at his son. “She turns sixteen next month, and Kel’s going along. If you have an escort and a pretty girl, we’ll talk about it.”
“What if the girl’s ugly?” Cole asked with a laugh.
Aunt Lauren shot him a look of disapproval.
Cassidy returned to the kitchen in pajamas and with a dreamy expression on her face. “One week. I can’t wait!”
“Maybe we can meet Jeremy at the Harvest Festival tomorrow,” Aunt Lauren said.
“That would be great!” Cassidy replied. She gave her dad a serious look. “As long as you don’t sic Jake on him or anything.”
Uncle Rick laughed. “First of all, Jake will be staying here. There’s enough going on at the Festival to be worrying about a dog. Secondly, if I’m going to kill him, I’ll wait for the day of the dance so no one else has a chance to ask you out.”
“Dad!” Cassidy exclaimed while Cole laughed so hard, he fell off his chair.
I PICKED MADELYN UP after dinner and we took a tour of the countryside on the four-wheeler. I stopped at the snow goose pond. The silence of the land around us filled
me with peace. Madelyn was my rock, my stable place. When I was with her, the whirlwind of my thoughts quieted and I could see everything clearly. I slipped my hand into hers.
“I know when and where the drop-off is going to be,” I said quietly.
“You told the sheriff?” she guessed.
I nodded. “He said that Magnum already called him about it, which surprised me, but it’s good. If things go wrong, we’re going to need more help than fourteen unarmed school kids. They’ll walk all over us.”
“I doubt that,” she replied. At my look, she smiled, “I’ve heard about the way you fight. How did Martin put it? Oh, yes. ‘He beat each opponent with the fluidity of water and the merciless fist of ice. His motions were so swift, they were down before they realized they had been hit. His movements were a deadly dance, a smooth explosion of force and grace, his black form a phantom of vengeance answering the cry of the meek and the oppressed.’”
I stared at her. “You memorized that?”
She laughed. “It was poetic.”
“A phantom of vengeance?”
“My favorite is the explosion of force and grace, and I like that you answer the cry of the meek and the oppressed.”
I snorted. “He makes me sound like Robin Hood.”
She shrugged. “You could try black tights.”
“That would be the end of the Black Rider. Trust me.”
“Tights are a bit revealing.”
I laughed. “I already spent the day at a dress shop. I’m not about to give up all my manly dignity.”
She laughed. “Manly dignity? I’ll have to tell Martin to put that in his next article. I’m sure he would run with the inspiration.”
I rolled my eyes. “I don’t think he needs encouragement, but he might be a bit out of sorts after yesterday.”
Her brow creased. “What happened yesterday?”
“You were right. Magnum was upset about the article. I came in when he and the Bullets were giving Martin a hard time.”
“What did you do?”
I gave her a droll smile. “I let him rough me up so Martin could get away with his notes before they were flushed down a toilet.”
“Is that why you’re so sore? Let me see what he did.”
I hesitated, but the compassion in Madelyn’s eyes begged me to trust her. I let out a breath and lifted my shirt so she could see my back.
She was silent, and shock showed on her face. I had forgotten about the scars left there from the burns. I was about to pull my shirt down when her fingers touched my skin. She traced the scars gently. A tremor ran down my spine at the feeling of her fingers on my back. “Looks like the bruises hurt,” she said softly.
I lowered my shirt, grateful she didn’t mention the burns. “I’m starting to match.”
“Keep it up and you’ll be purple all over.”
“I hear purple is a becoming color,” I replied. “I think it’s one of the numerous options Cassidy was perusing at the dress store.”
She laughed. “I can’t imagine you shopping for dresses.”
I held up my hands. “Let’s keep it straight. Cassidy was the one shopping for dresses. Don’t you go spreading rumors or telling Martin otherwise. I don’t need him writing articles on the Black Rider’s taste in clothing.”
“Even black dresses?” Madelyn asked.
I pretended to consider it, then grinned. “You’re worse than Cassidy.”
“It’s too bad you’re not going to the Festival,” she said. “My mom’s best friend is coming to stay with us, so Dad said he’d take me.”
“Trust me—I’d much rather go with you.”
Her smile sobered. “I’m worried about what’s going to happen.”
I took her hand. “Don’t worry. The sheriff will be there. I’m sure I’ll be nothing more than a spectator.”
“Just be careful,” she said.
I nodded and led her back to the four-wheeler. “What’s the Festival for, anyway?”
“To celebrate when Sparrow was founded, and we also honor the original founders’ appreciation for the harvest. Everyone brings vegetables and home cooking to be judged, there are homemade goodies and blankets, and there’s cow and sheep judging. It really is a lot of fun.”
“Maybe I can catch the next one,” I said.
She smiled and climbed on the four-wheeler. “I think the farm life’s good for you.”
I sat in front of her and thought about it. “I think you’re right,” I agreed.
THE SCHOOL WAS BUZZING with excitement about the Harvest Festival. There was apparently going to be a talent show because students were practicing in the halls and in class. Just to get outside, I dodged a boy juggling curry combs, a girl twirling batons, and four students square dancing. All I could think about was what the night would bring. I said goodbye to Madelyn on the bus, then rode the four-wheeler to the junkyard.
Uncle Jagger was already at the Festival. I worked hard pulling car frames with the four-wheeler to line the west wall in an effort to keep my mind off the evening. By the time I needed to go, I felt calm and collected. Mick barked a lonely farewell from the shack as I climbed on the black motorcycle in my gear.
“See ya later, Mick,” I called.
I drove out of the junkyard and stashed the bike in the bushes near the Ashby house before I went inside. I grabbed a blanket and curled on my cot.
Aunt Lauren came in a few minutes later. “Kelson, are you all right?”
I nodded. “I just have a stomachache. I think it’ll pass if I sleep for a bit.”
“But you’re going to miss the Festival. Are you sure you’re all right?” She smoothed my hair from my forehead with motherly concern.
I gave her a smile. “I’ll be fine. Have fun with the others and don’t worry about me. I’m sure I’ll feel better by morning.”
She nodded with worry in her eyes. “Drink lots of water and try to sleep. If you need anything, call Cassidy’s cell phone.”
“Will do.”
I listened as the family piled into Uncle Rick’s truck and drove away. Then I threw off the blanket and got up. I grabbed my phone and my heart gave a little sideways lurch at the message sign flashing on the screen. I hesitated. Tonight might be the most important night of my life, a chance to change things and maybe make a small improvement in other lives, a chance for perhaps a small bit of redemption. I didn’t want to worry about my mom’s words and be distracted from what I needed to do.
I gritted my teeth and pushed the button. A brief message appeared. Just thinking of you tonight. Had a feeling you were going through something hard. Hang in there. I love you.
I stared at the message. Zoey’s death had reduced my relationship with my mother to text messages when before we had called ourselves the Three Musketeers. I let out a slow breath. When I lost Zoey, I lost my mother.
Yet tears rolled down my face at the message on the screen. My mother thought of me and somehow knew I was facing trouble tonight. She was pulling for me, even if she didn’t know what it was. I knew she loved me—mothers are supposed to love their children, right? But there was no requirement for them to care about the little things, the everyday trials that challenged them. My mother cared. In her own way, she pulled for me to succeed.
I ran my arm over my face to dry it and typed, I love you, Mom. Tonight is going to be rough, but everything is going to be all right. Your words mean more than I can say. Love, Kelson.
I slipped the phone into my pocket, pulled on my riding gear, and walked out the front door. Jake came running up to meet me. I patted him on the head. “Not today, boy. You’ll have to stay out of this one.” He whined and pushed his nose into my hand. My heart pounded in my chest. I dropped to my knees and hugged him. He stood there wagging his tail so hard that his hind end wobbled from side to side.
I rose and shook my head. “Look what I’ve turned into, Jake. I don’t even like dogs, remember?” He licked my hand and watched me from the porch as I crossed to the mo
torcycle. I pulled on my helmet and turned the key. I waved at the dog, then drove up the road.
I REACHED THE WATER tower at six thirty. The big S painted on the side glowed dark red in the light of the sunset. The Bullets stood in a silent group near the base. I pulled my motorcycle a few feet away from the thirteen other bikes and climbed off. I ran a gloved hand across my helmet shield to clear away dust and a few unlucky bugs from the ride.
“What’s he doing here?” the spikey-haired girl demanded.
“Want us to take out the trash?” one of the tall thugs asked.
Magnum silenced them with a look. “I asked him to be here.” They stared at him in shock. He ignored them and crossed the pavement to me. “Thanks for coming,” he said, holding out a hand.
I shook it. “Any word from them?”
“Not yet.” He looked worried.
I glanced around casually. None of the deputies were in sight. Sheriff Bowley was as good as his word.
“What do we do?” Magnum asked.
“Wait. That’s all we can do.” I put a hand on his shoulder. “It’ll be all right. We’re all walking away from this.”
He nodded and motioned for me to follow him back to the Bullets. I stopped a few feet away and pretended to ignore them, but watched them from the corner of my eye. I knew I could trust Magnum, but I had no doubt the rest of them wouldn’t hesitate to seek revenge for the beatings they had received. I couldn’t regret my actions because somehow they had brought me here, but I probably would have taken it a bit easier on them if I’d known we would have to be allies.
The sun sank behind the mountains, washing the town in a wash of orange and red. The sound of Festival revelry from the nearby parade grounds drifted over to us.
“I know where I’d rather be,” a tall, skinny boy with a shaved head said.
“Shut up, Thompson,” a thick-set boy with rings through his eyebrows snapped.
