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At the end of a long, winding highway lives a small, sleepy town. Little houses pop out of the woods and farmland, barely a blip, before they disappear again. Little people live in these little houses, and they go about their day just as everyone else in the world: they eat, they work, they play, they sleep, and they love.With a population of just over three hundred, it was barely more than a village. With that comes a kind of closeness very few will ever experience, but these people cherish. Sometimes it got difficult, a lie here, a rumor there, but at the end of the day, the town was made up of their own people and that meant something.It also meant keeping their best secret: Amelia Finn. She was the local healer most of her life and had a wicked good green thumb. She helped any and everyone in their town when they were sick or when their plants tried to give up on them. Anyone else would call her a witch, but everyone in town knew better. Witches were evil, and there wasn’t an evil bone in Amelia Finn’s body.Amelia and her mother had hoped to keep the family line going, to keep their special form of magic, but her first and only child, Mary, didn't seem to have the same gift. While she could keep a plant alive, it didn't prosper like Amelia’s did, and healing didn't interest Mary in the least.As she grew, Mary came to resent the way her mother looked at her, with eyes full of pity and sadness. How sad it was that their magic hadn’t been passed to Mary, and how sad it was that their family legacy would die with this child. Bitter and resentful, Mary moved from her mother’s house the moment she could, and once she was out, she never went back.Mary was the only person in town that didn't attend her mother’s funeral.Her relationships in town were tense after that, but Mary Finn was still one of theirs, so they tolerated her.When she married, it was only his family that sat in the pews behind them.Her first child’s birth was announced in the paper with every other child born that day, but there were very few people who stopped by to give their congratulations.When he passed six months later, unable to make it through the winter, most of the town stopped by to bring food and offer condolences. Mary would sit, staring into the fire, wondering if this was her mother’s doing while her husband dealt with his own grief, crying on the shoulders of his friends and family that stopped by.A second child blessed their life a year later, a small little girl that Mary smiled at more and more each day. She was afraid to let herself get close again, the bitter voice in her head muttering that her mother might yank her child from her again.Two winters passed with not so much as a sniffle from the hardy child. But Mary was thrown when that spring, her daughter caught some fever and rash. The town doctor did all he could, but she passed away in the night, curled in her mother’s arms.Mary had raged, screaming about her mother and curses and children. No one had been able to console her, not even her husband, who just watched with tears in his eyes as his wife fell apart at the death of their second child. He didn't understand why they hadn’t been able to save the children, why God would do something like this to them, but he still firmly believed in God’s plan. All would be right. Eventually…It was three years before Mary and her husband shared a bed again. The resentment that had grown sharp between them faded as Mary’s anger ebbed into despair. Her husband held her and comforted her, and they hesitantly welcomed a third child into this world.She was born as the spring flowers hesitantly poked their way through the barely melted snow, early spring light softly sparkling outside the dark room. Her green eyes were startling against her pale skin, little honeyed curls already lifting off her head, flying everywhere. While her father had been ecstatic, Mary had quickly handed the child off. She was afraid of losing her too.When he wasn’t in the fields, her father watched her religiously, holding her close. Mary was still indifferent to the baby in the cradle, and local women traded off watching the little one during the day. Mary was so sure she would lose this one just as surely as she’d lost the last two. There was no reason to get attached to it.Summer came too fast but it brought the bouncing baby girl with it, whose laughter brightened every darkened corner of her father’s heart. She grew like a weed, her hair wild and tangled all the time and always in her face, her little eyes sharp as they looked around the room. Her mother was still distant, wary, but she helped care for her daughter now and then, became more herself again.As winter approached, the little girl welcomed a new little brother, one that Mary clutched to her bosom. She toddled through the house on unstable legs to wreak havoc as her father chased after her, ignorant to her mother’s distance. As the days grew lighter, it brought brighter days and more smiles.Her first birthday came and went with a small celebration, and a new sibling a few days later. Three children now filled the house with light and love and laughter, and Mary finally felt that her mother’s curse had been lifted. She felt free from her mother for the first time in her life.It was easier after that. More children came, equalling six in total. The eldest loved her little siblings with her entire heart. She helped out around the house and in the fields with her father. Mary loved her, but her relationship with her oldest daughter was strained. She was wicked smart and excelled in school. She charmed her family and the town with her smile and sweet curls and the little spark behind her eyes that made the oldest in town understand why her mother cared not one whit for her.She looked too much like her grandmother.
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Jenny grew up wild. Her mother had little to do with her upbringing, so it was her father who carried her out to the fields and taught her everything he knew. When she wasn’t in the house or fields helping, she and the other children ran through the fields, chasing dogs and laughing carelessly. They played games in the endless light of summer days, smiling in the sunlight that darkened their skin and brought out a spattering of freckles.Summer days passed in a blur of laughter, light, and water; winter days dragged their feet while Jenny and her siblings played in front of the fire. Her days were fun and free, playing whatever games captured their attention that day. Bouncing between house chores and farm chores, Jenny’s first ten years passed by in an idyll of sunlight and love.Jenny knew there was something different about her. It was hard not to. She knew there was something that had driven a wedge between her and her mother long before she could remember, something that made the town whisper in reverent tones about her. She had never really thought too deeply about it. She was only a child, after all.But at the age of eleven, Jenny discovered there was power that thrummed through her veins.It had been an accident, really. She had been playing at the edge of the forest away from the other children when someone had cried out in pain, for help, from deep inside the woods. Without a second thought, Jenny took off running. She didn’t know where she was going, she just knew she had to get there. The sound of the cries led her to a clearing full of lumberjacks. As she burst into the clearing, crying out stop!, she heard the large oak tree give one final scream as it fell to the ground with a loud thud.Jenny followed it, and her world faded to black.The men had rushed her home, afraid she had been hurt somehow when the tree fell. No one understood why she slept for days. There had been no physical injury, and Jenny wasn’t one prone to dramatics. Her father fretted by her bedside while she slept, afraid this is what would yank her away from him again. Mary pretended nothing was wrong, caring for the other five children like Jenny had never existed.A few days after the tree incident, Jenny woke up to the sound of her father praying. He cried as he hugged her, calling out to Mary to let her know the good news. He expected everything to return to the way they were before, but Jenny was different now. Before, she had been bright and bubbly, her personality radiant and evident to everyone she met.But in the aftermath, the brilliance was hidden; she was a somber child. Quiet. Strange. Now, while the other children ran through the fields, laughing and playing, Jenny sat at the edge of the woods. She listened to the secrets the trees whispered to her, listened to the songs of the flowers. They told her stories of her ancestors, the one she’d never known. They told her of the power she wielded and what she could accomplish with it.Armed with this new knowledge, Jenny went back to the spot where the oak had been felled and replanted another acorn. She silently begged it to grow again, to ease the ache of grief she felt in her heart.Jenny’s mother, Mary, stressed about the time she spent in the woods and gardens, whispering to the plants. Of course this child has her mother’s abilities. Of course she did. Mary muttered angrily about it as she baked bread and washed dishes, angry that this child, the first to survive, was like her mother of all people.Naturally, her mother wasn’t the only one who noticed Jenny’s new and odd behavior. Everyone in town now thought Jenny was strange, but she had always been polite and helpful, so it was mostly overlooked. The oldest of the town remembered Amelia Finn, and by example, they taught the youngest how to keep and protect Jenny from the outside world.When Charlie, Jenny’s best friend, had fallen deathly ill, she had gone and collected herbs from her garden that broke his fever before the doctor could knock on the door. No one in town fussed, but the pharmacy did offer her a part time job.When the fields prospered when Jenny spoke to them, the town looked the other way. They’d beaten their rivals at the county fair, so it was worth it. Jenny may have been strange, but she was still theirs. And they protected their own; it was the best way to survive. So Jenny’s secret was safe.But nothing could stay the same forever. Times had changed rapidly around them as they watched Jenny grow up and into her powers, and their town had started growing just as rapidly. There were grumblings in the town about some new development up the road. There were new roads, and they were taking up farmland to be built. The people moving into these expensive developments had more money than God. For years now, the town had watched these people build their big ugly houses on farmland and grumbled under their breath at the dime store about it. On the surface, they just seemed like grumpy, old country bumpkins who didn't like change.And they didn't, especially when it negatively impacted their way of life, but there was an undercurrent of worry about Jenny. What would happen if someone decided to look a little closer into their town, at her?As the newcomers encroached closer and closer to town, unspoken rules were put into place in regards to Jenny’s safety. No outsiders talked to Jenny. There was to be no mention of Jenny or what she could do anywhere in public where anyone could hear them. The monthly dances were open events, but only townspeople could dance with Jenny. Jenny was to become invisible in her hometown, which really suited her just fine, though no one had ever asked her what she thought.Jenny was more than content to hide among the trees and listen to their secrets than participate in “normal” society. There was so much to learn, and now that she’d basically been given permission to not follow all the normal rules, took full advantage of her newfound freedom.She got better at healing, practicing on small animals and whoever the pharmacist would let her heal. Her control grew, and she could now heal little things, like colds and fevers and stomach bugs. Her work at the pharmacy helped keep their town healthy during the flu season. When she wasn’t there, she was in the fields helping the farmers whose crops wouldn’t grow like they should. The crops told her what they needed and she relayed the messages to the farmers. A quick and easy job that she loved, but it was only seasonal.And when she wasn’t harassing farmers into caring for their plants or healing the townspeople, she was working in the family garden to help earn some extra money. She grew what exotic things she could like saffron, bird’s eye chili, and star anise in her herb boxes and fruits like pomegranates and figs in the greenhouse, and she sold them to the bakery, the cafe, and the local restaurants. All appreciated the variety and the incredible taste of the impossible-to-grow-locally produce.Things may have been changing but Jenny enjoyed her life as it was. She never wanted to give it up. But she couldn’t ignore the whispers that surrounded her, warning her of some danger coming.✦ ✦ ✦
danger, the trees whispered as the sun shone through their leaves. there is danger in the air.
beware, little one, the flowers murmured in the night. someone comes.
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Lanterns swung high in the rafters, and their light filtered down to the floor like the sun through the leaves. In the warm light of the barn, a few guys placed a large plywood square off to the side as a dance floor. The band had already arrived and was tuning up while people meandered in through the wide open doors. Once it looked like most of the town was there, the band started playing their fiddle song.When Jenny and her family arrived, people were swinging each other around it wildly to the fiddle band playing off to the side. She and her mother set down the food and tea they’d brought while the youngest kids ran off to do who knows what. Jenny smiled as she watched the the people dance. There was laughter and bright, excited chatter filling the barn, and Jenny sighed, thinking, I never want to miss this.Jenny’s father caught sight of his daughter’s wistful look and shooed her off. “Go on, Jenny, go have some fun,” he said with a fond smile. She hugged her father before dashing into the crowd to find her friends.Though these dances were far from formal, the girls often brought out their newest dresses, just to show off a little. Tonight, Jenny wore her new flour sack dress that she’d gotten at the dime store earlier that week. It was softer than anything else Jenny owned and was covered in delicate blue flowers.As the banjo kicked up another song, one of her friends spotted her. Jenny laughed as her friend dragged her onto the dance floor, swinging into the dancing crowd seamlessly. She tried to lose herself in the music and laughter, she really did, but as she danced around the barn, the hairs on her neck stood on end as if the air were crackling with electricity. Trying to ignore it, she went back to dancing merrily with her friends, pushing the feeling away.Jenny’s little blue flowers spun in graceful arcs with her as Charlie twirled her across the dance floor. She smiled at his wife as she laughed from her spot in her father’s arms on the other side of the barn. But as Jenny spun around and around, her eyes drifted again and again to a man in a gray suit, who leaned against the barn wall at the back, a glass of whiskey in his hand. He brushed away anyone’s offer at socialization, instead choosing to let his dark eyes follow Jenny as she danced.The merriment came to a jarring halt when a chilling gust of wind rattled through the barn. Jenny stiffened in Charlie’s arms, her eyes going distant. He swiftly waltzed them to the edge of the dance floor, asking what he could do. Goosebumps marched up her arms while her body shook as if it were the dead of winter instead of the height of summer. Charlie rubbed his hands up and down her arms, trying to rub away the goosebumps while Jenny tried to collect herself. But Charlie just watched helplessly as her eyes glazed over with tears as she listened to the whispers around her.✦ ✦ ✦Beware, the trees pleaded.✦ ✦ ✦The next few days saw Jenny looking over her shoulder constantly. The hair on the back of her neck stood up all the time, like a storm was blowing in. The trees and flowers tried to reassure her, but Jenny worried. Something bad was coming.✦ ✦ ✦The storm hit without warning, much like a tornado, blindsiding Jenny. The day had started like any other: Jenny in the garden, Mary in the kitchen, Pops in the fields, and the siblings running wild in the backyard. As morning shifted into afternoon, Jenny looked up to see her mother through the back window, covered in flour from baking that morning but hurriedly wiping her hands and fixing her hair as she watched someone walk up their little dirt path.By the time Jenny had cleaned up and made her way inside to see what the commotion was about, Mary was trying to keep their blue tick hound, Annie Lace, from going after the man in gray who now stood on their dilapidated porch. He didn't come in, letting the screen door stand between them.“Jenny, there’s someone here to see you!” her mother stage-whispered, excitement evident in her lined face. Mary finally pushed Annie Lace into the bathroom and shut the door forcefully, ignoring the whining of the penned dog. Jenny had been distracted by the racket but her mother’s words caught up with her, echoing hollowly in her ears.Someone is here to see you. People didn't come to the house to see Jenny, not anymore. She turned around to take in who had come to see her and went still at the sight of him through the screen door, blood running cold in her veins. Distantly, she heard the flowers on the windowsill screaming beware, but her body refused to move until her mother forced her to sit at the kitchen table with a heavy hand, a tight smile on Mary’s face while she whispered, “Behave.” The man in gray finally stepped through the threshold once things had settled, ducking his head to fit through the doorway, his nose wrinkled slightly at the tiny, plain kitchen. He looked too large, too clean to be there. He sat at the too small table as Jenny’s father came downstairs, having washed off the evidence of that morning’s chores.There was little small talk, the man in gray jumping right into the business at hand. Jenny listened as if she was underwater as her mother and father negotiated the price for their marriage. Her hand in marriage for money to save the farm. It was over before Jenny could fully understand what happened. The negotiation was sealed with a shake of hands, and the man left their tiny, plain house, a swagger in his step.Jenny stood as the front door shut, her chair clattering to the floor as she ran from the kitchen to the garden. She collapsed next to her neat little rows, sobs clawing their way out of her throat. Her beloved plants cried with her, their leaves wilting with her grief. Several moments passed, her sobs the only sound in the garden. But as her sobs started to abate, anger sprouted in its place. Yes, her town could be old-fashioned, but Jenny never conceived that this would be her fate… Her own mother selling her off to some man she barely knew, just to save the farm. Anger burned in her chest, forcing her to sit up and dry her eyes. Jenny wasn’t just going to sit there and wallow, she wasn’t the kind.Her mother sighed, watching her daughter be dramatic from the backdoor, rolling her eyes. She let her sit for a few moments before walking out to her and sitting in the grass next to her.“Jenny, you have to understand…” she started, placing her hand on Jenny’s shoulder, but she jerked away from her, childishly turning her back on her mother. “We want the best for you, and that man offers it. He’s got more money than God, and he wants to take care of you.”The money used to buy her hand in marriage goes unmentioned.Without a word, Jenny stood and stalked to the far back corner of her garden. She reached down as a plant gently reached up to give her its stem. They always knew exactly what she needed. She gently plucked it from the pot and held it tightly in her hands. Jenny marched past her mother, carelessly dropping the white anemone into her lap. As Jenny slammed the garden door behind her, Mary sighed heavily.
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“Oh, Jenny, wipe that sour look off your face. This is the happiest day of your life! Act like it.”Jenny ignored her mother’s words to stare blindly into the mirror. The dress shop had called and asked her to come in for a fitting. Confused, Jenny had explained that she hadn’t picked out a dress yet. She planned to come into town that weekend to look. The consultant had kindly explained that her husband had already chosen a beautiful gown for her. All they needed were her measurements to make it perfect.“You look so beautiful, Jenny,” her mother said, tears choking her words. Jenny watched the girl hemming her dress with disinterest. She guessed she did look beautiful.The long, lace sleeves highlighted her tanned and toned arms, making them look delicate and dainty. The bodice was tightly fit, showing off Jenny’s trim waist, wrapped in lace. The dress flared out sharply from her waist into a smooth chiffon layer with layers and layers of tulle underneath to create the princess ballgown look. The back had delicate silk buttons and a little lace trail that followed all down the back of the dress. It was elegant and gorgeous and Jenny hated all of it.✦ ✦ ✦Excited to go cake tasting, the only good part of the wedding, Jenny stepped into the cake shop. The chef informed them that Kenneth had already made all of the arrangements for the cake. Jenny forced a smile and swallowed hard, telling him it was okay. It didn't really matter.Looking at how crestfallen she was, the chef quickly put together a few samples for her to take home and enjoy. Jenny hid her relief and her tears while taking the carefully packed box. This was the one thing she had looked forward to, and he had taken it from her.If he didn't let her choose the floral arrangements…✦ ✦ ✦The florist gave an apologetic smile when Jenny came in with samples from her own garden of what she wanted.“Your husband said this is what you wanted, dear,” the florist said, showing her the flowers that made up her bridal bouquet. Deep crimson roses and white candytuft stared at her, almost mocking her.“It was an unusual bouquet, for sure, but it does look quite lovely together…” Jenny gave a sharp nod in response and turned on her heel and stalked out of the little shop. One thing, she just wanted one thing to choose herself.✦ ✦ ✦The day of the wedding arrived bright and sunny, but Jenny only felt stormclouds in her heart. Her family bustled around her, gathering outfits and cramming last minute breakfast into their faces before the car came. Jenny just sat patiently in her chair in the kitchen, picking at the oatmeal her mother had prepared.As the fancy car rattled up the drive, jumping around with the gravel, her mother hollered through the house to find a sixpence and that hairpin Mrs. Holland had lent them. Jenny’s littlest sister pulled it from her babydoll’s head and handed it to their mother sheepishly. Mary gave her a dirty look before hustling everyone out the door and into the limo that sat in their dusty drive.“Everyone on your best behavior today, you hear me?” Mary scolded as each little one climbed into the limo. Jenny climbed in last and sat next to her father. She curled up against his side, fighting back tears. Who knows when she’d get to see them again? He wrapped his arm around her and kissed her head like he’d always done, and Jenny let her tears fall, just for now.✦ ✦ ✦At the church, in the back room reserved for brides, Jenny stepped into her big, poofy dress and stared back at nothing in the mirror as the women finished all the silk buttons up the back. A large diamond necklace was clasped around her neck, two hefty diamond-encrusted bracelets were clasped around her wrists, and heavy diamond earrings were hung from her newly pierced ears. Her honey-blonde hair was pulled up into an intricate set of twists and curls, wisps of hair made to fall gracefully down by her ears.She felt like a doll as her new husband’s people finished her makeup.“It’s your wedding day,” one girl said as she painted Jenny’s lips bright red. “You should be smiling!”Jenny hummed an absent response. She stared at the stranger in the mirror, watching as everything that was Jenny was buried underneath ungodly amounts of makeup. Even if she wanted to smile, she wouldn’t have been able to.✦ ✦ ✦Jenny paced in the entryway of the church as she waited to walk down the aisle. She was trying to not think about what was getting ready to happen. Over and over, in her head, she thought, sixpence in my shoe, something borrowed, something blue. Right as the music was about to change, Jenny realized she didn't have her something blue. She turned to her bridesmaids, panicked, when her grandmother slipped through the doors.“You almost forgot your something blue, Jenny Lee,” she said with a sad smile. “I saw it this morning growing right under your window. Never seen something so pretty in my life. Didn't see any else growing, so I’m guessing God grew it just for you.”Jenny couldn’t formulate a response as her grandmother gently tucked a spring of monkshood into her hair pin. As the music swelled into the wedding march, her grandmother gently lowered her veil, and Jenny swallowed tears. It was time.Her grandmother darted back into the chapel through a side door while Jenny lifted her chin, trying to hide the tears. Jenny started down the aisle, listening to Canon in D straining up to the top of the vaulted ceiling, the little monkshood feeble as it whispered, beware. She just couldn’t believe it, she was only eighteen. How did she end up here? She couldn’t feel herself breathe, tears clouding her vision. Jenny felt like she was looking from a distance, standing in the background, just watching herself walk down the aisle.Tears slipped down her cheeks and she repeated to herself, This can’t be happening me, this is just a dream…Kenneth lifted her veil when she got to the altar, and if he noticed the tear stains, he didn't say anything. The preacher started the ceremony, and Jenny barely listened. She blankly repeated what the preacher said when she was supposed to and blandly kissed her new husband when she thought she heard those words. Jenny only snapped out of it when the music began to play again, signaling she and her new husband should leave the altar.As they made their way out the church, the bells rang out somberly. Even they seemed sad today. Jenny found none of the usual happiness and warmth in their sound. She listened to their song as they drove away, trying to tell herself everything was gonna be alright.✦ ✦ ✦At the reception, Jenny avoided her husband as much as she could, only performing the expected duties as a new bride. The first dance, the toasts, listening to all of the speeches from people she didn't know. False smiles and empty eyes met the congratulations of everyone.Panic clawed its way up her throat everytime she passed the frozen flowers on the table inaudibly crying beware. But she couldn’t do anything. Her parents needed that money, and she was a good daughter. She wanted to shush the flowers, scream at them that this was her only choice, beg them to help her.Instead, she allowed herself to be swept away into another round of dancing. It felt nothing like the fun, upbeat dancing she was used to. This waltz was stiff and boring, as was the man that was currently her dance partner. He laughed at a joke he heard in passing, and Jenny just stared ahead without seeing anything. What more could she do?
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The day following their wedding, Jenny was taken shopping for more “appropriate” clothing. She followed her husband’s assistant around the large box stores in town, watching as she picked up stiff, itchy clothes that smelled like the store and not like home. Reluctantly, she tried on the outfits, blandly waiting for the assistant to approve or deny them. They were nothing like what she normally wore, so she had no opinions on them. She just wanted to go to their house and get away from all the hustle and bustle of the very loud city.When they returned home, the assistant ordered her husband’s staff to put the clothes away for them while they ate lunch. Over the course of three hours, Jenny went from having only two drawers of clothes to a whole closet full. Dresses and pantsuits and flowy shirts and pants and heels of every kind filled the walk-in closet off of their bedroom. The assistant had given herself a pat on the back, telling Jenny with a smile, “Now you’ll look like a real lady.”Then, on a self-assigned mission, the assistant went looking for Jenny’s old clothes. Jenny had had to quickly distract the assistant with some made up story about missing an article of clothing in the closet to hide her old clothes. No one would think to look in a basket with tampons covering it.When the assistant returned, giving Jenny a funny look while informing her that the shirt was in there, tucked away with all the others. Jenny just gave her a forced smile and asked if she wanted some tea downstairs.✦ ✦ ✦Adjusting to her new house was tough for Jenny. There were always new things to learn, and Kenneth barely gave her time to adjust before throwing another rule at her. Dinner was had at the country club at six-thirty every night. She was to arrive no later than six, and she was to look presentable. Jenny hated the country club and their bland cooking. She missed home cooked meals and real conversations. Everything here was vapid and always some piece of gossip and whoever their target was this week.The women Jenny saw regularly corrected or made backhanded remarks about her “quaint” accent until Jenny stopped speaking altogether. She responded only with smiles and nods now, and everyone seemed pleased.When Jenny wasn’t at the country club, she was in her husband’s huge house with nothing to do. She wasn’t even allowed to tidy things. The house was cleaned regularly by a staff, something Kenneth mentioned on more than one occasion.“You don’t need to clean, Jenny, you’ll ruin your soft hands. We have people for that.”And there were no gardens for her to tend. All of the plants in the house were plastic and Jenny ached to hear plants once more. She desperately wanted to ask for a greenhouse, but knew he wouldn’t give it to her. He would just try to hush her with kisses and blanket promises.It’s not like he was home that often anyway, always off on some business something or other. When he was home, he reeked of whiskey and other women. Normal women would have been jealous, but not Jenny. No, she was bitter. Her mother had sentenced her to this bland life. No plants, houses too close to the fence, and a husband that didn't care. She didn't give a rat’s ass if he loved her, he barely knew her, but he didn't try to learn anything about her. All he did was change her.“Wear something presentable for once, Jenny. You have all these nice clothes I spent so much money on,” Kenneth told Jenny one night when she came down in her beaten flannel to beat the chill. She had bristled and stalked upstairs, slamming her door shut. She didn't go back downstairs.Three months into their marriage, Jenny finally mustered up the courage to ask for a greenhouse, just a small one. Kenneth had laughed at her, looking down his nose at her. “What do you need that for? You’ll just get your hands dirty. You’re not a country hick anymore, Jenny. You’re a high class lady now. Start acting like one.” Anger rose like bile in her throat as she regarded her husband. If he’d wanted a lady, he shouldn’t have married Jenny.But still Jenny started learning of all the hobbies high society women had, biting her tongue and channeling all of her anger into painting and needlepoint.You’re a high class lady now. Start acting like one.✦ ✦ ✦Kenneth came home late one night, reeking of whiskey and wine. He’d tried to kiss Jenny, but she pushed him away, disgusted by the smell on him. She could see lipstick marks on his shirt and neck, and she swallowed the acid in her throat. Jenny turned to go upstairs to bed, let him detox on his own, but he’d grabbed her arm.“You don’t walk away from me,” he hissed, his whiskey breath invading Jenny’s bubble, making her wince. “Now. Give me a kiss.” Kenneth yanked her closer, laying a lazy, sloppy kiss on her. Jenny went still in his arms, forcing her mind to go blank because the rage she was feeling would surely burn the both of them.When he pulled away a little, Jenny pushed him so she could run up the stairs. He tried to follow, but he stumbled on the stairs. She ran into one of the guest rooms she’d slowly turned into hers, some quilts from home she’d managed to get, a small potted plant that tried to cheer her up. The lock clicked into place as Jenny leaned against the door. The cold wood helped calm her trembling, but she still sat awake most of the night huddled on the bed, wrapped in her grandmother’s quilt. There wasn’t another peep from her husband all night. As the sun started to creep over the horizon, Jenny fell asleep.✦ ✦ ✦When Jenny woke up only a few hours later, she was stiff and cold. She climbed from the bed and quietly unlocked the door to peek down the hallways. When there was no sign of Kenneth, she left her room and headed down to the kitchen for breakfast. Her husband had left for the day, according to the cook. On the counter sat a bouquet of yellow carnations with a note that had a bland apology written on it. Jenny tossed it aside with a roll of her eyes and went to help the cook put together breakfast.When Kenneth came home from work, he had a bouquet of yellow roses and a necklace dripping with diamonds and sapphires. He gently kissed her cheek and murmured an apology and promised it wouldn’t happen again. Jenny hummed in bland agreement before walking upstairs to get dressed for dinner at the country club again.Jenny was all smiles, showing off her new necklace while hanging on the arm of her husband. Everyone cooed over it and how in love they looked, but no one knew about the devil living in his eyes.✦ ✦ ✦Three months went by without an incident. Jenny thought that maybe it really was a one time thing. That he wouldn’t do it again.They were out celebrating their six month anniversary at some high end restaurant that Jenny hated. Jenny was picking at the rich food while her husband heartily enjoyed his steak and whiskey. She eyed him warily, highly aware that he was drinking way too much. When their meal was over, Kenneth pushed the receipt towards her, his eyes too bleary to read the price. Swallowing her shock over the price, she left a large tip, larger than he would have left, and signed off on it. She was aware of the looks everyone was giving them as she helped him up and out the door.Jenny was grateful when he fell asleep in the car, thinking she could just slip away to her room and let him pass out wherever he wanted to.The chauffeur helped her husband into the house while Jenny hurried up the stairs.“Jenny…” Kenneth said. Jenny stopped cold on the steps, fear making her blood run cold.“Come on, sweetheart,” he crooned. “Come stay the night with me… My bed’s so cold without you.”“Your bed is never cold,” she said before she could stop herself. Jenny was well aware of the string of women he pretended to sneak in and out of the house. She wasn’t jealous, but she hated to hear Kenneth pretend he had any feelings for her as his wife. She was a trophy, that’s all.“What the fuck did you just say to me?” he said, his voice low. Swallowing hard, Jenny turned to face him from her place on the landing.“Your bed. Is never. Cold.” She tilted her chin defiantly at him, watching him, waiting.“How dare you?!” he roared. Jenny could see exactly what was going to happen but couldn’t make her feet move. She just watched, disembodied, as Kenneth loomed over her. The devil stared back at her and she just closed her eyes and waited. The slap that came knocked her to the floor. Jenny bit her tongue, knowing she couldn’t cry or he would win. The pain made her eyes and nose sting with tears, but she tried to keep them away.“You bitch,” he said, spitting at her. “You don’t speak to me like that.” Jenny waited until his steps had receded and the door had shut to stand up. She wiped tears and blood off her face and took the stairs one at a time up to her room.In the vanity mirror, Jenny stared back at a stranger. A bruise had already begun to form along her cheekbone, the dark purple hiding her almost-gone freckles. It stung when she moved her face, but she rarely talked or smiled or laughed anymore anyway, so she guessed it didn't matter. With gentle hands, she haltingly cleaned her face up, wiping blood and tears from her face. Wouldn’t do to be ugly. Once she was done, she crawled into her bed, pulling her grandma’s quilt around her. She drifted off to sleep singing herself to sleep with old lullabies and dreams of getting her life back.✦ ✦ ✦The next morning, Jenny found a bouquet of dark purple lobelias sitting on the counter. There wasn’t a note this time. The cook cooed over how pretty they were, but Jenny threw them in the trash as she walked past, not looking back to see the shock on the little old woman’s face.✦ ✦ ✦After that, the drinking and the beatings came more and more often. Jenny quickly learned to hide the bruises when she heard the women at the country club whispering. Her face was always covered in makeup, her sleeves progressively grew longer, and she was never seen without her big, dark sunglasses.Five more months passed with the same routine. Wander around the house and entertain herself with hobbies she doesn’t really enjoy, dinner at the country club, a beating, bed, rinse and repeat. Jenny desperately wanted out by any means necessary. She was at a breaking point, and she needed advice, so she turned to the one place her family always found comfort and answers: church.✦ ✦ ✦Sunday morning dawned bright and cool. Jenny dressed gradually, wincing as the bruises twinged as she moved. She covered her bruises with deft hands as she stared at herself in the mirror. Jenny missed her tan. Her freckles had all but faded into her now-porcelain skin. Her bright green eyes had dimmed and now had deep bags under them that she didn't know how to get rid of. Everything that had been Jenny had been beaten out.Shaking herself and the thoughts from her head, Jenny shoved on her big, dark sunglasses, took one last look in the mirror, and made her way down to the driveway where their driver was waiting.“Where to, miss?”Jenny simply handed him a piece of paper that had the directions to the edge of town. She climbed into the back without a word, leaving the driver to stand beside the car. He hesitated before quietly saying, “Yes, ma’am.”Jenny watched suburbia give way to smaller houses and brighter gardens and swaths of farmland through her window until they’d reached the edge of the only home Jenny’d known.The closer they got to the middle of town, the more Jenny got nervous. She started picking at her fingers, taking deep breaths to try and steady her heart. Once she saw the familiar stores that made up downtown, she indicated to the driver that he could let her out on the corner. She handed him another slip of paper with a time to pick her up at.Once he was gone, Jenny meandered down the street to where she knew the one and only taxi in town was going to stop. She closed her eyes, tilting her head up to enjoy the sun on her face. The old car rolled to a stop in front of her, and Jenny opened her eyes to see a familiar face. “You going to church today, Jenny Lee? Looks like you might need it,” Charlie said as he pulled her in for a tight hug. Jenny forced away tears she didn't know she’d been holding in as she buried her face in his shoulder, her hands clutching his shirt. Charlie rubbed her back in slow, gentle circles, waiting for Jenny to pull away.After a few moments, Jenny took a stabilizing breath and pulled away. She gave Charlie a tight smile as she climbed into the church taxi. Charlie climbed into the front seat and started off down Main Street. He kept glancing in the rearview mirror to see Jenny staring out the window. If he didn't know Jenny better than anyone else in the world, he wouldn’t recognize the young woman sitting in the back of his car.“It’s good to see you, Jenny Lee. You gonna stay a while, or are you just in for a visit?” he asked, glancing back at her to see if she’d respond. She didn't. She just continued staring out the window. Charlie sighed, but let the conversation be. He knew better than to push her.The drive was much shorter than Jenny wanted; all too soon, Charlie was pulling up in front of the church and opening the door for Jenny. Before she walked away, Charlie tugged her back and said, kissing her forehead, “I hope you find whatever it is you’re looking for.” He gave her a small smile before getting back in the taxi. He still had a few more people to pick up, anyway. Jenny watched him pull away and disappear around the corner before turning to face the church. She stared up at the little, white church and took a shuddering breath before walking into the church she’d been raised and married in. She thought about Charlie’s words as she walked through the foyer. Why was she here? What was she looking for? Permission? Forgiveness? Absolution?Contemplating the answer, she made her way through the foyer clogged with people. Knowing almost no one sat in the back, Jenny tucked herself into the furthest, darkest corner. She watched as people filed in, gathering in groups to talk while they waited for the last stragglers. Charlie came in ten minutes later with the last small group of people, and everyone quieted and found their seats. Jenny didn't look up even when the preacher started, so she didn't see the worried glances Charlie kept sending her way or his wife whispering reassurances to him, holding his hand tightly.The service lasted an hour and a half. Jenny had hoped she would find something in today’s sermon that would soothe whatever it was sitting in her heart, but it was received with indifference like it usually was. When the plants whispered the earth’s secrets to her, why would she listen to out of context quotes from a dusty old book? But the choir always seemed to understand her. When they stood, and the piano started, Jenny closed her eyes to listen. Their songs resonated in her chest and always made her feel better.That Sunday, in the back pew, listening to the choir, Jenny realized what she had to do.
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The driver tapped his crossed arms nervously as he leaned against the side of the car. He stared into the wooded area where Jenny had disappeared between the trees the moment they had stopped, chewing his lip nervously. It was edging towards three in the afternoon, and her husband would be home soon. She wasn’t exactly forbidden from leaving the house, but that didn't mean he liked it when she was gone without his permission.He noticed that she’d been a little strange when he’d picked her up from the church, when she told him where she wanted to go next. He knew Jenny was a little odd; he’d heard the townspeople talking when he went down to the dime store every so often. But she’d been so demure since she’d moved into the house, he thought they just meant she was a little simple.Rustling leaves drew his attention to the edge of trees, where Jenny came out cradling a few white flowers gently in her hand. Something rushed through his body as he looked at her. Fear, he decided as he took in her wild hair, the dirt smudged on her arms and face and dress, and the barefeet. He didn't say anything, just hurriedly helped Jenny into the car and sped off towards their home. Simple wasn’t the word to describe her, but he didn't know if he had the right words to describe what he just saw.In the back of the car, Jenny listened to the columbines whisper their secrets to her with a soft smile.✦ ✦ ✦Tuesday night, after he’d returned from yet another so-called business trip, Jenny presented Kenneth with a homemade meal of umptuous steak, baked red potatoes with olive oil, and green beans coated a special spice blend. He ate dinner with gusto, asking for seconds as Jenny picked at her first plate. All the while, she watched him closely, a small smile playing at her lips.When he decided he’d finally had enough, Jenny served him a chocolate peanut butter cake with the special blend of Tennessee whiskey she’d picked up just for him, and he greedily consumed them too. Jenny just watched, her small smile growing into a genuine smile, the first one in months.Her smile faded, though, when Kenneth gasped and clutched at his chest, reaching out for Jenny to help him. When he looked her in the eyes, gasping out why, she unhurriedly stood up and walked around to stand next to him, whispering in his ear why this was his fate. He couldn’t hear the white columbines sitting in the pretty vase in the windowsill singing beware, but Jenny could, and she happily relayed their message.After he’d collapsed, Jenny calmly gathered up the dishes and threw the food into the garbage disposal. She scrubbed the plates clean and wiped up the counters and table, cleaning up the drink he’d had sitting on the table. She poured him a fresh one from an older bottle before pulling the empty whiskey bottles she’d been collecting for a while out from under the kitchen sink. She set a few on the table in various arrangements and knocked his half empty glass over, watching as the amber liquid spill across the cherry table and drip down onto the plush rug underneath. Once she was done setting the stage, she burned the cloth napkin she’d used to arrange the table in the blazing fireplace. And then she went to bed.When Wednesday morning came calling, the sky was clear and the sun was bright and Jenny felt free for the first time in almost a year. She called the EMS, in hysterics, after she’d gone downstairs because her husband was unresponsive in his chair. They calmly told her to wait for EMS to show up, and that they would wait on the line with her until they did.Within an hour, the EMTs, the police, and a detective had showed up. The EMTs took her husband’s body off to the hospital for an autopsy and she gave her statement to the police, though it was barely understandable through her sobs. One of the cops stayed with Jenny while his partner took her statement over to the detective that had come to the scene.“Here’s her statement, Detective Bielby. Said she went to bed while he enjoyed a drink. Woke up this morning to find him like this.” The cop paused, looking up at the detective who was sipping coffee from a small cup. “Detective?”“A country bumpkin marries one of the wealthiest oil men in the state, and almost a year later he turns up dead? Smells funny to me.”“Bielby, the man had a drinking problem,” the cop said with a roll of her eyes. “You saw the bottles on the table. His wife said he drank a bottle every two days. And he wasn’t a spring chicken, that’s for sure. A little too much celebration and his heart just gave out, by the looks of it. She’s inconsolable, too. We’ve never met a killer that cries that well.”“Maybe you’re right… Just seems weird…”“You’re watching too many cop shows, Bielby. Not everything is always weird. Sometimes a death is just natural.”✦ ✦ ✦They held the funeral a week later in the same church Jenny and Kenneth had been married in. Jenny sat in the front pew, her back straight, her face hid behind a black veil. Most people assumed it was a puffy face, red from crying, that she was hiding. But really, it was a smile. She finally felt free and that relief couldn’t be contained.Once the ceremony was over and everyone had said false words about her husband, Jenny moved to stand beside the closed casket to receive condolences. She shook hands and accepted hugs and sniffed occasionally to pretend she felt some kind of sadness. Her parents had come, and she stoically accepted their condolences but said very little. She was still so angry she’d been placed in this situation in the first place. Her mother would wilt if she knew just what her little Jenny Lee had done.Charlie had come, too, with his very pregnant wife. They both hugged her and told her she was welcome anytime. Jenny held back real tears when Evie had held her close, finding comfort in the young woman’s hug, as she whispered, “You can come live with us, if that big house gets just a little too big.” She gave Jenny’s hand one last squeeze before waddling away with Charlie helping to steady her.The funeral ended rather quickly, and people filtered out of the church and into their cars. Everyone was headed back to Jenny’s parents’ house for the reception after changing into more casual clothes and grabbing the casseroles left in the warming drawer.Jenny was the last one to leave the church. She removed her veil and breathed in the crisp, spring air. Her eyes closed as she let the last year melt away for the moment. The church bells sang out into the clear blue sky, their song a happy one today. Jenny walked across the parking lot and climbed into her grandpa’s old truck, the one Charlie had driven up for her. She couldn’t wait to get out of the stifling funeral clothes and into some jeans. She’d dropped her clothes at her parents house, so she could drive straight there.The reception would be more of a party, anyway, and no use in being uncomfortable while she’s dancing. The best part about her community’s funeral receptions was there was no crying. Everyone always said, “There’s time for crying later. For now, enjoy what’s been left behind.” And Jenny would be damned if she wasn’t going to do just that.
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Two months after her husband’s death, Jenny finally sold the house. Some rich couple with a couple of brats was eager to buy it for almost twice what it was worth, and Jenny willingly let it go. With her husband’s life insurance and the money from his house, she was set for two lifetimes. But she didn't want that much money and she definitely didn't need it. Instead, she used it to buy her parents’ farm from the bank, to put away money to help her little siblings go to school and get a good education, and to build her own house.She spent those two months before the house sold working with a construction company to get the plans up and running. Evie and Charlie let Jenny stay with them while the house was being built once her husband’s house sold.Months of construction left her with a house in the middle of the forest at the end of the widest path. Nine huge hazel trees made up her front yard and unchecked woods made up the rest of her “yard.” The house wasn’t anything big, simply comprised of two bedrooms with a large greenhouse around the back. The kitchen was big enough and bright, her own room comfortable and cozy. Three bluetick hounds went with it all, just to brighten up her life a little.✦ ✦ ✦Life went back to normal for Jenny. The police sniffed around her for a few months, but when nothing turned up, and the autopsy came back with natural causes, they left her in peace. The town welcomed her with open arms and no questions. They let her return to her old jobs as if she hadn’t been married off for a year. The pharmacy welcomed her and her homegrown herbs, the diner was ecstatic to have her fresh fruits and vegetables at their disposal again, and the plants all sang their welcome when Jenny walked through the fields.She didn't realize she wanted anything else.✦ ✦ ✦“Charlie,” the nurse said, pressing her hand into his shoulder. He didn't look up from the little girl sleeping in his arms, tears drying on his cheeks. “Jenny Lee is here to see you.”The nurse took the baby from Charlie as he turned around to see his childhood best friend came in quietly through the door. She hesitated in the door, unsure of what to say. She didn't have to hesitate long because Charlie launched himself across the room to give her a tight hug, sobbing into her shoulder. Jenny rubbed his back, whispering reassurances as she cried too.“She’s gone, Jenny… And now, I’ve got this little girl to take care of…” He broke down all over again, squeezing Jenny tighter. “How-- How--?” His words dissolved into sobs and Jenny just held him and waited. They would figure it out later. Now, he needed to grieve.✦ ✦ ✦When Ivy Anne was two weeks old, they held her mother’s funeral. Jenny had organized everything for Charlie, and helped take care of Ivy when he couldn’t get out of bed.She held his hand and Ivy through the service, swallowing the lump in her throat. Evie had been such a good friend and the best match for Charlie. They’d been so in love… It wasn’t fair that he should be a widower. He’d loved Evie with everything he had. They should be celebrating their baby together, not standing at her graveside laying a rose down and throwing a handful of dirt into the deep ground.Jenny walked leisurely with Charlie through the cemetery after the service was over. It was a warm spring day, too pretty for the day’s events. Ivy slept in Jenny’s arms, blissfully unaware of what was going on around her.“Jenny, I know things have been rough for us both,” Charlie said haltingly. “And I know you won’t say it, but you need someone to lean on from time to time… What I’m tryin’ to say is that I would really appreciate it if we could help each other out. I can help around your house and help take care of your truck, if you’ll help me take care of Ivy.” Jenny squeezed his hand, letting him know she was listening. He took a deep breath, forcing back tears again at the looming idea that he has raise his daughter by himself.“I can’t do this alone, and I trust you more than anyone else. So, what do you say Jenny Lee? Wanna raise a kid with me?” Charlie asked, the barest hint of a grin showing up.✦ ✦ ✦“Sorry I’m late,” Charlie said one night as he came in the backdoor, kicking off his muddy boots. “Johnny’s horse went into labor and he asked me to stick around and help. Got a new foal named Persephone running around and already raising hell.” He hung his hat on the small hook on the edge of a cabinet, padding his way over to the small kitchen table. At Jenny’s indignant noise, he stood again and walked to the sink to wash his hands. She rolled her eyes fondly as she placed warmed up leftovers on the table for him. While he cleaned himself up, Jenny told him that Ivy Anne was asleep, and that she’d gone down like a champ. At five months, she was finally, finally starting to get a somewhat regular sleeping schedule.In the last five months, they’d developed a rhythm. Mondays and Thursdays, Charlie brought Ivy over to her house to spend the day while he drove to the next county for work. Tuesdays and Fridays, Jenny brought Ivy over in the mornings so Charlie could kiss her goodbye, and then the girls spent the day working in town. Wednesdays, Jenny and Ivy stayed home and worked around the house. And it worked well. Jenny loved the routine of it, and she could tell Charlie liked it too. Of course, Ivy didn't know any different, but the routine was good for her too.While Charlie ate and talked about his day, Jenny finished the little bit of cleaning she was doing. The kitchen sink needed cleaning, the dirt Charlie had tracked in needed sweeping up, and the dry dishes needing putting away before she bid Charlie a good night. Jenny kissed him on top of his hat, telling him she’d see him tomorrow for their day in the park. Usually she stayed later, but she’d been gone for most of the day. While her dogs were great, they still needed to be let loose every so often.With a bright smile in Charlie’s direction, she closed the screen door behind her and marched down the front stairs. Charlie watched her old truck kicking up dust as she drove off down the gravel path, a smile on his face.✦ ✦ ✦Their rhythm carried them across her second wedding anniversary, the first anniversary of her husband’s and his wife’s deaths, and Ivy Anne’s first birthday.They danced together at the get-togethers at the old tobacco barn, they shopped together at the dime store, they bickered constantly about silly things.She comforted him when he missed his Evie something fierce, and he held her when she drove over in the middle of the night, still feeling the sting of those bruises.✦ ✦ ✦Charlie groaned, rocking a still-crying Ivy while he paced Jenny’s living room. The little one was wearing a diaper and nothing else, her fever making even the lightest cotton uncomfortable.“Jenny?! How much longer?!” Charlie hollered, shifting to swaying the baby. She’d been sick since Wednesday. Now it was Sunday and her fever had yet to break. Jenny had promised Charlie she had the perfect remedy, but it would take time to put together. She told him in a stern tone that it would be ready when it was ready and that he better quit asking.A few minutes later, she walked through the door, a dropper in her hand and a small bowl of amber liquid in the other hand. Jenny settled the dropper and bowl onto the side table and took Ivy from Charlie. She settled onto the couch and hummed a lullaby while she dropped tea into the little girl’s mouth. Time moved like molasses as Jenny fed his daughter small sips of the tea. Charlie watched her, wringing his hands. His worry for Ivy had given him tunnel vision, otherwise, he might have described Jenny as ethereal; he might’ve noticed how her eyes glowed faintly as she hummed. Instead, his eyes flicked between Ivy Anne and Jenny constantly, hoping Jenny would give him a sign that he wouldn’t lose her too.As Ivy finished the tea over the course of an hour, Jenny felt her little body relax in her arms, the baby finally falling properly asleep. She passed Ivy Anne back to her father with promises that her fever would break in the night and all would be well by morning. Charlie sagged with relief, clutching his sleeping daughter close to him.“I couldn’t bear to lose her too…” he whispered, so quietly Jenny barely heard him.Seeing the exhaustion starting to consume Charlie, Jenny led him to her room. Without protest, he laid down on the bed. She carefully placed Ivy Anne beside him with a pillow between them. He was asleep as soon as his head hit the pillow.Jenny laid down next to Ivy Anne, turning onto her side so she could watch the two of them sleep. As she drifted off, she silently wished they would stay.✦ ✦ ✦The next morning, Charlie woke up early and made a big breakfast. It was his way to thank Jenny for last night, as well as for everything else she does for two of them. He and Jenny ate in relative silence while Ivy Anne slept through their meal.“She’ll really be okay?” Charlie asked around lunch. Jenny laughed and threw a rag at him, assuring him for the millionth time that she knew what she was doing. She had cured him of a fever once, a long time ago.His incessant questioning drove Jenny nuts. She casually mentioned she was hungry a few times around noon, hoping to shoo him off to the kitchen. It worked like a charm; Charlie made them lunch and brought it out to Jenny in the greenhouse. He sat on a stool while Jenny sat on the workbench, both of them munching on sandwiches and talking about nothing in particular. When they were done, Charlie cleaned up, Jenny checked on Ivy and they went back to their tasks at hand.Ivy woke up in the late afternoon while Charlie watched TV and Jenny was out delivering produce. When Jenny returned, Ivy was back to her normal self. There were toys everywhere and the sound of her laughter filled the house. Watching Charlie play with his daughter for a few minutes warmed Jenny’s heart. She invited them to stay for dinner without a second thought. It was only polite, after all. They’d been here all day, and Charlie had done most of the cooking for the day. Plus, it was nice having them over.Dinner was a messy affair. Babies love spaghetti and making messes more than anything else. Ivy, feeling much better, decided to make it bath night by spreading the tomato sauce through her dark little curls and smearing it across her arms. They couldn’t really be mad at her, since she seemed very impressed with her art. Jenny insisted she do the dishes so Charlie could give his baby girl a bath, and they parted ways.Washing dishes always gave Jenny time to think. Tonight, she thought about Charlie and the little girl that held so much of her heart. Her life wouldn’t seem right without them in it, not really. Jenny chewed her lip, methodically washing an already clean plate as she worried over how to ask Charlie and Ivy to move in with her.✦ ✦ ✦After bath and dishes, the three of them huddled on the couch to watch quiet reruns. The day’s work slowly caught up with Jenny in the warm evening. She leaned against Charlie so the two of them could hold and play with Ivy. Around the third episode of some sitcom, Jenny was fast asleep, snoring faintly. Charlie smiled sleepily as he looked down at them. His hand drifted first over Ivy’s curls, then reverantly down Jenny’s arm. He let out a contented breath, pulling them closer.“It really is too late to wake the baby up and transfer houses,” Charlie mumbled.
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Jenny cussed as one of the dogs broke another flower pot as they ran around, playing. Ivy shrieked and laughed, trying to follow the dogs. Charlie dodged the toddler and the three dogs to come help with cleanup.“Need help?” he asked with a chuckle. She made a face at him as she accepted the dust pan and brush. “I was planning on running into town for groceries anyway, want me to stop by the hardware store for a new flower pot?”Jenny yelled something from further in the greenhouse, where she’d gone to deposit the discarded soil. Charlie took it as a yes and kissed his daughter goodbye, yelling to Jenny that he’d be back in a shake.“They’re practically living together,” he heard an older woman whisper as he held the door open for her and her companion. Her words sounded malicious but when Charlie glanced at her, her smile was genuine.There were a few meaner comments as he made his way around the dime store (they killed their spouses to be together), and a few that were just out-dated (I’m so glad he has someone to take care of him and the baby now… a man really shouldn’t have to care for himself), but Charlie got the gist that the whole town now knew that he’d all but moved into her house. He quickly checked out of the dime store, hoping that the hardware store was relatively quiet. He needed room to think.“This is not good,” he mumbled to himself as he decided which flower pot Jenny would appreciate the most at the hardware store. Charlie thought that he loved Jenny, a lot like he loved Evie. It’d been a year and a half since she’d passed, and Jenny had been there every step of the way. It hurt a little, to move on, but he knew Evie was never the jealous type. She would want him to be happy, and she had loved Jenny just as much as he did.He took a deep breath, grabbing the basic pot from the bottom shelf. Guess he and Jenny had some stuff to talk about.✦ ✦ ✦It’d been five months since Ivy’s fever had forced Charlie over to Jenny’s place. Now, more than half of his closet was in Jenny’s room, and all of Ivy Anne’s toys were currently scattered about the house. After listening to everyone in town say that he and Jenny were a thing, Charlie knew they needed to talk now or he was gonna explode.Still, he hadn’t said anything when he brought the flower pot home for Jenny. He put away the groceries and scooped up Ivy from the yard to put her down for a nap. After she’d gone down, Charlie made his way to the kitchen to have lunch with Jenny.He stood in the doorway, watching her. She hummed as she worked, puttering around the kitchen to make a quick lunch for them both. Her wild hair was in a bun, to keep it out of her face while she worked. Her face was smudged here and there with dirt, her upper arms covered in small scratches and little patches of dirt where she fought with the thornier plants. His heart squeezed a little when he thought about how, even though he missed Evie with everything he had, he wouldn’t trade these moments with Jenny for anything.Charlie turned red when Jenny caught him staring and hurried to sit at the table. The meal went on in silence for a little bit. Charlie couldn’t think of the words he wanted to start this conversation. He mulled over it for a while. Then, halfway through lunch, he cleared his throat awkwardly to get Jenny’s attention. She looked up at him expectantly, her green eyes glittering with...something Charlie couldn’t quite put his finger on. Nervously, Charlie cleared his throat again.“Jen… I wanna ask you something. I hear a lot of people talking in town about us, and I want to define us so I can tell people off properly, if need be,” he said in a rush. He watched her carefully for any sign of a negative reaction. Jenny only hummed, taking a drink of lemonade, motioning for him to continue.“I know after your husband, you don’t want to be married again. And I totally respect that decision. This isn’t a proposal. But... I also see the way you look at Ivy Anne when she brings you her drawings. And I know that staying here feels right.” Jenny set her glass down. Charlie let out a nervous breath and hurried on, hoping to cut off whatever she was going to say.“I would never force you into anything you didn't want to do, Jen. You and I would be co-parents first and foremost. Anything else that happens… Well, happens. What I’m trying to ask is... can Ivy Anne and I move in with you? Can we make this permanent?”Silence stretched between them after Charlie finished talking, Jenny scrutinizing him with those sharp green eyes. It made him squirm.“Jenny?” he asked tentatively, his voice a little bit squeaky. Maybe he’d overstepped a boundary. He should start packing their things, he really shouldn’t have asked. He really didn't want to piss off Jenny—“Just as long as you name the babies and I name the dogs,” she said with a grin. Charlie laughed, his body sagging in relief. “Of course you can stay, Charlie. I thought you’d never ask.”“Okay, but you’ll be the pretty and I’ll be the funny, right?” he said, grinning back at her. He couldn’t keep that fond look of his face as she leaned in closer.“Whatever makes you feel better, Charlie Jack,” Jenny laughed, standing up to clear their lunch dishes away.✦ ✦ ✦Their life went on as normal. Charlie got Ivy up for lunch and Jenny went back to the greenhouse. Ivy played in the greenhouse until dinner under Charlie’s and the dogs’ close supervision. Then they all settled on the couch to watch TV like every other night. But now there was a new energy between Jenny and Charlie; they had always been friends, had always been fine with casual affection, but now… It was different.Once Ivy was put down for the night, Jenny climbed onto the couch. She tentatively leaned against Charlie’s chest, taking his right hand in her lap, twining his fingers with hers. Tears pricked her eyes as she thought about where she was two years ago, what her life was like. The thought of willingly choosing Charlie was scary. She knew she would have to tell him what happened between her and Kenneth eventually. It wasn’t a secret she wanted to keep the rest of her life.But she knew Charlie. She had known him her whole life. He would accept that just like he did the whole in-touch-with-the-earth-magically thing: in stride. He’d crack some joke at first and then wouldn’t say anything else about it. And they weren’t anything different, not really. Co-parents, like Charlie said. Nothing more… Charlie pulled Jenny closer, pressing a kiss to her wild hair. Jenny heard the quiet prayer he mumbled against her head: “My heart belongs to you, Jenny Lee.”As Jenny rubbed slow circles on his hand with her thumb, Charlie dozed off. After he’d fallen asleep, Jenny let the tears run down her face. She felt like she could finally be happy. Nothing stood in her way anymore, and Jenny was including herself in that.The pink azaleas on the coffee table sang triumphantly as she curled into Charlie’s side to fall asleep, their hands clasped tightly together.✦ ✦ ✦
Fold your hands and close your eyes. Everything’s gonna be alright.