Everyday Witches

Nobody knew exactly what the Gaia was. It just was. It was sometimes speculated that the Gaia was the collective life force of the witches who had been; considering the faces that always appeared in the fire when the Gaia was called upon and active. But it was definitely something else too. An all pervasive force, the life blood that flowed through all life, sentient and not. It didn’t have its own singular consciousness but it was able to assess a situation and deliver a verdict.

Ricky’s ceremony had gone well, because the Gaia had accepted him into the fold and allowed him to become a part of the magical community. After the deliberation, which is what Marge figured the faces must be about, the Gaia had matched his aura for a short time to signal its acceptance of him. But it could have gone the other way. There had been odd occasions when, for whatever reason the Gaia had chosen not to accept a witch candidate; and things had not turned out so well. Whatever the case, the Gaia made some kind of assessment and came to a decision, but the method of determination was a mystery.

It was undeniable though, that the Gaia governed all life, in some way. Witch historians had noted over time that any time man appeared to be getting too big for his britches, the Gaia would respond by allowing a blight on the food sources or a plague of some sort that eventually brought the triad of the magical creatures, the nonmagical creatures, and the green Earth back into balance. And in times when the magical creatures had been overstepping, there might be a huge surge in witch or human births or a spate of weather related events that would realign the power structure. It was the way of things as witches knew it. Somehow, the Gaia ultimately worked to determine the proper balance of all life; shifting in directions that would maintain the whole when things became inharmonious. It was why the witches always vowed to respect and maintain this order when addressing the Gaia, and why in cases such as Tom’s, the witch in question was brought before the Gaia to decide. If a witch were to take matters into their own hands in a case like this, it might bring the balance even further out of line and may only invite further retribution.

In any case, Marge had complete trust in the Gaia’s wisdom, and even though she didn’t relish the idea of having to go through with it, she was glad that they were here and would soon have an answer to their problem. Since Jeff had been forced to bail out on the ceremony and James was helping Jason with preforming it Marge and Maria sat together in a pair of faded lawn chairs, listening as Jason delivered his initial assessment of the situation.

Marge didn’t usually allow herself to drink much, because her father had been quite the drinker when she was growing up. Being a war veteran came with a particular set of hardships and left him oftentimes angry at the world and looking for a quick fix. So he had spent a lot of time with the bottle and hadn’t always the nicest, because of it. Even though he had managed to kick the habit eventually, Marge had vowed early on not to take the same path. Tonight though, since Jeff had taken the car and she wouldn’t be driving anywhere, and because of the grim ceremony they were about to witness, she had allowed herself one wine cooler.

It had immediately gone to her head, and now she had missed the opening remarks, reminiscing about the nature of the Gaia and her own past. She glanced over at Maria and saw that she was staring raptly at Jason as he continued explaining the situation. Jude and Callie sat to one side of them, hand in hand and grim faced. At the far end were Cammie, Juan, and Gage, sitting very still and completely engaged in the ceremony.

“And although,” Jason was saying. “Witches may make mistakes, we must be held accountable for those actions that are intentional, and that cause harm to others or to the balance of life that serves us all.” He looked around Tom to nod at James and together the two men turned to face the fire, nudging Tom so that he would have to turn along with them. Marge couldn’t hear the words but she knew that James would be reciting the invocation that would invite the Gaia to manifest fully once again.

His hands moved in a swift circle in front of him and suddenly the aura that surrounded the circle of stones surged into a deep green color; becoming more tangible, almost like a thick cloud of smoke. The fire flared brightly, the flames rising higher as if blown by wind although the night itself was still. Presently, the shifting montage of faces reappeared within the flames.

Still facing away from the onlookers, Jason addressed the Gaia’s manifestation in a loud voice. “Mighty Gaia, we stand here with Tom Delaney in an effort to seek justice for his crimes. His actions caused the death of one man and also the imprisonment and eventual death of several magical creatures. His greed and self interest lead us to believe that, left to his own devices, more suffering would occur. We humbly call upon you now to determine the course of action that will deliver appropriate punishment and restore balance to the green Earth and its inhabitants so that each may live in peace.”

The fire began to crackle loudly, the flames whipping about as if they would burst from the circle and consume the whole field. It was only an illusion of the Gaia, but it startled Marge nonetheless and she reached for Maria’s hand that rested on the arm of the chair beside her. The fire flared again and she blanched, tightening her grip until Maria squirmed in her seat.

Turning to look at her with concern, Maria’s dark, almond shaped eyes narrowed. She reached over and pried gently at Marge’s hand until her friend loosened her grip on her other hand. Not wanting to speak and interrupt the ceremony she dug a finger into her friend’s ribs instead, getting her attention. When Marge finally turned to look at her, Maria noticed that her eyes were a bit glassy and she looked frightened. With a sigh, Maria reached for the wine cooler bottle that was nestled in the cup holder on Marge’s chair and moved it to the far side of her own. Then she put an arm across Marge’s shoulder and drew her in close, patting her hand gently with her free hand. These things could definitely be a bit nerve wracking to watch, and especially with Jeff being out on duty right now; but Marge was usually tougher than this. That alcohol must be amplifying things a bit too much.

As the two women huddled together to watch the remainder of the ceremony the faces within the flames suddenly faded away. Immediately they were replaced with the image of a spartan landscape and a rustic looking fortress. The ice prison in Russia. It was an option, but not a definite verdict yet. The image wavered and flickered for a few moments, the glow of the Gaia pulsing along with it, and then it faded away too. Soon, the image was replaced with a full body image of Tom himself, large as the fire was tall. The Tom-image shrunk rapidly until it was very small and then in the background, images of trees and fairies appeared. The magical creatures leaped and pointed and then ran away from him, leaving his image alone in the fire once again. The unbinding ceremony. It was one of the most dreaded ceremonies a witch would have to face. No one who had been attuned to the Gaia in their youth would want to have to live with being forcibly unbound from the magical essence of the Earth. It would be like losing a limb or a sense organ. Again, the image faded until it disappeared. Then another image of Tom reappeared within the flames, similar to the previous. This time the Tom-image looked back over each shoulder and then, turning his face the onlookers, he opened his mouth in a large silent scream. His body began to shake and little flecks of blackness broke off, as if he were dissolving around the edges. The form continued to break down until eventually all that was left was a fine dust that drifted off into the air until disappearing, leaving behind only the fire itself. Marge and Maria both gasped at the same time and Marge huddled in closer to her friend’s side. The final image had represented death, an option that they hadn’t even realized was on the table. Sure, Tom had killed a man, but it had been unintentional. Surely the Gaia wouldn’t choose that particular fate.

All the strength went out of Tom and he sagged suddenly between Jason and James. He would’ve hit his knees and possibly fallen into the fire but the two men each maintained a firm grip on his arms. His head lolled to the side as if he might have passed out but then he lifted it back up. Slowly, he got his feet back under himself and rose, straightening to his full height once again. The manifestation within the flames began to rapid cycle between the three options of fate, like some grotesque game of slots, with a man’s fate held in the balance. Tom whimpered and James turned to say something harsh to him, causing him to quiet down again.

A loud buzzing sound came from Marge’s purse, which she had tucked in beneath her lawn chair for the duration of the ceremony. Having exhausted themselves with Ricky’s initiation, the fairies had opted to sit this one out and had been napping in the comfort of the little haven Marge had created there for Annabelle. There was something brewing in there now though and they were stirring. Leaning over to reach for her purse, Marge fought off a wave of dizziness. She held very still for a moment and then made a second attempt. She dragged the purse unceremoniously out from under the chair, instantly regretting it. She had probably just gotten an awful grass stain across the bottom of her favorite purse. No matter though, she wanted to see what was going on with the fairies. Settling the purse in front of her feet, Marge pried the top open and peered into the depths where Annabelle and Price sat arguing. She couldn’t understand what Price was saying but Annabelle’s tinny voice carried far enough.

“You can’t go up there,” she was saying crossly to Price, her hands balled up and resting on her hips. “Look at how it affected you earlier! And this ceremony is even more serious.” Price brushed past her and tried to fly out of the top of the purse but she grabbed one of his hands before he could make his escape. He turned back and let out a fierce tirade but she held on tightly. Maria nudged Marge with an elbow and when she looked over, her friend was pointing at the fire. The rapidly shifting images were gone and in its place was the image of a fairy. In fact, it looked just like Price. Marge looked over at Maria, who shrugged. She glanced back into the purse where the fairies were still duking it out.

“Um Annabelle,” Marge said, uncertainly. “I think you ought to let him go.” Her fairy familiar looked up at her, visibly upset and pointing an angry finger at Price. “I mean it, I think he actually needs to go up there,” Marge added. Annabelle blinked and stepped back rapidly, dropping Price’s hand and letting her own arms fall to her sides. Price immediately lifted off and sped towards the center of the concentric circles, where the fire was. Annabelle looked after him and then rising more slowly, she flew up to hover between Marge and Maria.

This time Price didn’t make any out of control circles around the fire, but stopped to hover just above the spot where Tom and his guards stood. When he was in position he gestured emphatically to Annabelle and the other fairy pointed a surprised finger at herself in question. Price nodded vigorously. Annabelle sighed and, brushing a tiny hand across Marge’s cheek regretfully as she passed, flew off to join her other friend. When she reached the group, she flew up beside Price and turned around to face the gathering along with him.

“The Gaia has determined what will be the fate of Tom Delaney,” Price said, in a voice that rung out clearly across the camp site. He looked at Annabelle in surprise and the witches began to squirm, looking at each other in wonder. The Gaia could be mysterious, however, and they settled down quickly to listen to the fairy, whom they were hearing clearly for the first time.

Price cleared his throat and continued, one hand balled into a fist and held across his chest. “The Gaia values life above all else, and while there were some in this situation who did not receive the same fate, the Gaia has settled on rehabilitation. Tom will be given a second chance, but he will be remanded to Nakopytelnaya Yomkost, or the holding tank; the Russian prison where he will be allowed to live and possibly redeem himself. He will not be separated from the Gaia, but the icy landscape will prevent him from harming anyone else while he is there. And his fate will be further determined based on his actions after this point.” The fairy turned to Annabelle and nodded and the two of them flew back across the stone circles to where Marge sat with Maria. They chattered softly together as they settled back into the purse at Marge’s feet, and she noticed reverently that Price’s voice was once again too highly pitched and unintelligible.

With the reading of the verdict Tom’s head had dropped to his chest in defeat and he stood half crumpled and loosely supported by James and Jason once again. Jason pulled sharply on the arm that he held to and Tom’s head reflexively popped up, his posture straightening out once again. The prisoner gazed out past the witch audience with a haunted, unfocused stare. James looked over at Jason and together the two men began to shuffle Tom forward, towards the observers. As they passed the outer ring and filed between the group of waiting witches, they were showered in scattered sage leaves as the ceremony’s observants tossed them towards Tom; the sweet scent blossoming and hanging in the air as they passed. Sage had been used by witches for endless generations- for instilling wisdom, cleansing, protection, and grounding; and it was often used at ceremonies such as these to assist in carrying out the Gaia’s decrees. When the little procession had passed, the remaining witches got slowly to their feet.

Holding the last bit of sage that remained, Marge rubbed it between her hands and then tossed the leaves into the air. The herby aroma hung thickly on the warm summer air. She glanced up at the full moon, relieved to have the ceremony over with and to be able to just enjoy the summer night once again. “It is finished,” she said, taking a deep breath and then exhaling heavily. She turned to Maria and gave her friend a quick hug. “Thank you,” she said, chuckling sheepishly. She reached for Maria’s hand and held it up in front of her, inspecting it closely. She held it gently and said, “I don’t know what came over me. It’s just been hard lately, and then with Jeff gone, and the alcohol…” She shook her head, sending her curls bouncing around her face. “Anyway, I hope you didn’t break a nail or something.” She released Maria’s hand and dropped her own hands to her sides.

“It’s quite alright, my friend,” Maria said in her lilting Spanish accent. She smiled and her delicate face lit up angelically. “I know you’re made of sterner stuff, but we all have our moments.” The cough of the golf cart starting up got their attention and the pair turned to where it sat idling across the field. James was in the driver’s seat again and Tom sat in the back beside Jason. The prisoner’s head lolled on his chest again and Jason had a hand planted firmly on the back of his neck. The golf cart began to back slowly around and then it turned and made its way across the field towards the house.

The grass was going to be the worse for wear after all those trips back and forth, Maria thought crossly. But it had been inevitable, and she and James would never dream of holding out on their friends when their farm was needed. A sudden prickling sensation began crawling up her neck, and she turned to look at Marge in surprise. Marge, who was also wide eyed, reached a hand up and began to rub gently at the back of her own neck. The two women stared at each other for a moment and then suddenly the bonfire began to crackle loudly again, increasing in volume and pitch until it was nearly roaring. Marge spun around to look and saw that the normally bright green aura of the Gaia’s manifestation had muddied and become a mottled mix of green and brown. The fire, which had begun to die down, was raging once again and there were unidentifiable images rapid cycling within.

Marge and Maria both hurried over to the bonfire, being careful not to step into the innermost ring of stones this time. Since their ceremonies were finished and this was obviously something else, it wouldn’t be wise. Jude and Callie were right behind them and took up a spot beside Marge and the others followed closely behind.

“What do you think this is about,” Marge said softly, to no one in particular. She gazed at the fire and then turned to look at her friends. Maria shrugged and the others looked just as mystified as she felt.

“It’s gotta be some kind of disturbance in the Gaia,” Jude said finally, taking a final swig out of the warming bottle he held and then setting it gently at his feet. He turned to face Marge. “Remember, we had suspected that some kind of disturbance in the Gaia might be what drew the Quepie here in the first place, but we never had any confirmation. Dad was going to look into it, but he never said whether he found anything or not.”

Marge drew in a sharp breath and gazed thoughtfully at the fire. “You’re right. It could be connected. It wouldn’t have to be a permanent disturbance anyway. It could be that someone has been up to something that has been causing mini disturbances. It might’ve been enough to draw the Quepie here and also be causing whatever this is now.”

“We could try another ceremony,” Callie piped up, leaning forward to look past Jude to Marge. Her normally flawless skin was bunched up in worry lines. “Maybe we could figure out what’s causing this and then do something about it.”

“I don’t know,” Marge replied slowly, turning to look at the fire again. It was impossible to tell what was going on with the Gaia. During the ceremonies, the Gaia created predictable images that were relevant to the occasion and easy to discern. But this wasn’t their ceremony and whatever it was doing now wasn’t like anything she’d seen before. It was almost like watching static on an old TV screen. A flicker of a shoe followed by snow, a flicker of a silhouette, then more snow. Underneath it all was the crackle and roar of the flames.

Marge turned to look at the others, her arms wrapped tightly around her chest. “I really have no idea what’s going on with this. And I’m not sure if there is a ceremony that could determine it.” She looked questioningly at Maria.

Maria shrugged a delicate shoulder, the ruffles on her blouse shifting with the movement. “I really don’t know either,” she responded. “Maybe James will have a suggestion.” She glanced behind them, to the open field that connected the campsite with the main house. James was on his way back over in the golf cart. Marge nodded and the group waited uneasily until James had parked and made his way over to where they stood.

As he approached, James called out to them. “What’s going on guys? Did you do something to the Gaia? He scratched a hand at his beard, looking confused.

The other witches all began talking at the same time and finally they quieted down so that Jude could answer. “It just flared up on its own, Dad. We figured that there must be some kind of disturbance that’s causing it to act like this.” He cleared his throat and lowered his voice. “Did you ever find out anything after the Quepie incident?”

James pushed his cowboy hat further back on his head so that he could see better and stared intently at the raging bonfire, watching the rapid succession of jumbled images play out. “Um, I did create a few smaller manifestations to check the alignment of the Gaia but I never found anything.” He turned to look at his son. “I haven’t seen a large scale manifestation since the incident though. There was no need, until we were ready to have the ceremony. I’m pretty sure that a disturbance like this would’ve shown up either way though. It must not have been present at the time.”

Juan, who had been observing quietly up to this point chimed in. “James, do you think that there’s any way we can uncover the source of the disturbance? Is there a spell or something?”

James shook his head. “Unless the Gaia gives us a clear image, there’s really nothing to go on. And right now it’s just that repeating shoe, and the silhouette. We’re just going to have to keep our ears to the ground and see if we can find something out the old fashioned way.” He sighed and turned to Jude. “Let’s go ahead and put out the fire for now. I have to go to market in the morning, but afterwards we can start doing some digging to see what we can turn up.” Jude nodded and James went to get the bucket of sand that would be used to put out the fire.

“Jude,” Marge said, suddenly remembering. “You’re going to be ready for the kid’s lessons tomorrow right?” Since Ricky had come of age, he was slated to have his first lessons on being a witch and magical responsibility the next day. Catalina, Gage’s granddaughter would be joining them.

Jude smiled. He actually really enjoyed working with the kids. And they seemed to love him too. “Yeah, Marge, I’ll be ready. I’ve got a lot planned for them actually.”

“Okay, great,” Marge glanced over at the raging bonfire and then back at Jude. “I’m sure we’ll figure this whole mess out eventually. But, in the meantime I’m definitely glad that we’ll be getting back to life as usual.” She patted Jude’s shoulder gratefully and then looked over at Cammie. “Are you guys almost ready?”

Cammie nodded, putting an arm around Callie and pointing towards the remnants of their celebratory dinner. “Yeah, let’s go ahead and get the buffet cleared while they’re putting out the fire and then when we’re done we’ll take you home on our way. Marge nodded gratefully, thanking her friend and the witches dispersed to get the area cleaned up before heading home.

**

The next morning Jude rose before the sun to get the animals fed and the stalls cleaned. It wasn’t glamorous, but it was a vital part of farm living and he enjoyed it. His head pulsed faintly in response to last night’s beers, but luckily the hangover was minimal. He climbed out of bed and padded barefoot across the hallway to the kitchen and got a glass of water from the sink. Leaning back against the counter he took a few long sips.

Last night had been good, all things considered. Tom was on his way to Russia and was no longer a threat. Ricky had been accepted by the Gaia at his initiation. And he and Callie had had a pretty good chat. It had been fun, really. If only he and Callie could come to some sort of compromise, they might actually be able to make things work. He thought about the way her shapely lips had looked from inches away. So close that he could almost feel her breath on his skin. His body reacted forcefully and he chugged the remainder of his drink, slamming the glass down on the counter. Then he hurried back down the hall to get dressed.

The sky was beginning to show a hint of pink at the horizon as he stepped out of the house and onto the porch. In a few hours, the summer heat would be raging, but right now it was still cool, and he turned up the collar on his work shirt to hold in some warmth. Tucking his hands into his pockets, he trudged across the field towards the cow barns. A little exercise this morning would be good for him. He needed to clear his head anyway. Right now they had thirty head of cattle that would need milking, and then he’d need to get the hay laid out in the byre for them. Then he could tend to the horses. If he played his cards right he should be able to get things done in time to have a few hours off before the kids showed up.

As he approached the byre, he glanced over in the direction of the camp site. An owl hooted in the distance and he slowed, looking around for the source. His mother’s Mexican heritage viewed an owl’s appearance as a dark omen and even though his father didn’t believe the same thing, it always gave him pause. ‘Wisdom and truth, Maria, that’s all it means,’ his father would say, rolling his eyes for Jude’s benefit and chuckling. Jude wasn’t so sure though.

A thin wisp of smoke reaching heavenward was still visible from the ashes of the campsite, and he wondered about the strange disturbance they had seen the night before. Had the Gaia shown it to them in hopes that they could remedy it, or had it been a potent forewarning? He had thought that all of the unrest was behind them, with the relocation of the Quepie and the justice delivered for Tom’s crimes. But then there was the strange appearance in the Gaia. Now it seemed like there might be more to it all.

He tried to shake the worry from his mind as he went about the day’s familiar tasks. Milking the cows, feeding them, and mucking the byre. He spent several hours with his favorite new stallion, working to gain his trust and to get him ready for riding and eventually breeding. He had named him Astro, due to a large star shaped spot on the horse’s forehead; and he was incredibly excited about the horse’s chances in the rodeo circuit and the fee he’d bring in at the breeder’s.

When he had finished with Astro’s exercise and halter training he brought the horse back to the stable to be brushed and fed. As he reached to hang the halter on its wall peg a little knock came from outside the stable door. He looked up in surprise, wondering who it could be that would feel the need to knock before coming in. A head peeked around the open door and he was even more surprised to see that it was Beth.

She grinned shyly and then stepped into the stable, apologizing for bothering him as she made her way down the narrow hallway formed by the stalls. Jude hadn’t seen Beth in months and seeing her now, right after the evening he’d had with Callie last night made him feel as if his heart might actually drop out of his chest. He glanced at her, fiddling idly with the halter on the wall peg as he fumbled for something to say. Her stone washed Wranglers were dusty from working in the fields but they hugged her form to perfection, and the faded button up top she wore was tied up around her waist in a little bow. Her blond hair streamed freely from beneath her cowboy hat and a few thin strands floated ethereally in the breeze that blew in from the field.

He realized suddenly that he had let the silence drag on too long and that his mouth was hanging open a little bit. He must look like a total doofus. Pulling himself together, he quickly moved towards her. He leaned over, reaching an arm around her shoulders to give her a little half hug and then he stepped back.

“Beth,” he said, his voice not sounding at all like his own. He cleared his throat and tried again. “How are you? What can I do for you?”

Beth smiled sweetly and took off her cowboy hat, thumping it gently against her thigh. “Hey Jude. One of our horses got a bit overextended this morning and I was wondering if you had an extra bottle of horse liniment? I’m going to make a trip into town later on, but I was hoping that you might have some right now.” She smiled again, looking a bit guilty.

Jude blinked a few times and then nodded. “Of course, I buy in bulk, so I’m sure I’ve got an extra bottle around here.” He moved towards the shelving unit at the back of the stable and began shifting around the supplies, looking for the liniment. Beth walked further into the stable, stopping in front of Astro’s stall. She patted his head gently and then stroked his neck, cooing softly to him.

“How’s Astro’s training going?” She turned to look questioningly at Jude.

Jude found the bottle he was looking for and carried it back over to Beth. “Good, it’s going really good. He’s living up to his pedigree and showing a lot of promise already.” He held the bottle out to Beth, reaching the other hand up to ruffle through Astro’s mane. Beth’s hand was still resting gently on Astro’s neck and he brushed up against it, sending a little thrill up his arm. They both pulled back quickly and Beth gave a little nervous chuckle.

Smiling radiantly, she tucked the bottle under one arm and popped her hat back on with the other hand. “Well, I’m sure he’s going to be great. You really have a knack for these things and I know he’s in good hands. I knew it the minute you rescued that bird we found on the playground in third grade. You remember, right? The one with the broken wing?” She tucked her free hand into the pocket of her jeans and smiled again. She had a dimple on one cheek that appeared when she smiled and Jude had always found it irresistible.

He grinned back at her, flattered and surprised that she would remember a little thing like that. “Oh yeah, I remember,” he said with a dry chuckle; running a hand through his hair to shift it out of his eyes. “Scott gave me hell about it for an eternity. Called me nursemaid Murphy for about a year. Geez!” He rolled his eyes and laughed at the memory. Beth joined in, her soft laughter almost musical. Jude looked at her tenderly, a smile twitching at one corner of his mouth. He couldn’t remember the last time he felt so relaxed. Just being in her company always made him feel so good.

Beth returned his effortless grin, her eyes still twinkling from the laughter. Then, like all good things, it faded too soon and her look grew more serious. “Hey,” she said hesitantly, drumming on the liniment bottle with two fingers. “Do you have a few minutes to talk? I mean, I know there’s work to do…”

Jude swallowed nervously. “Uh, sure,” he said, reaching a hand over to pat Astro again. “The little guy is going to need some attention at some point, but it can wait a bit.” He waited for her to continue, but she was staring nervously at a spot on the toe of one of her boots. She rubbed her other boot against the spot in agitation, avoiding his gaze. “So yeah, let’s get out of the stable, where there’s a little breeze and we can talk.”

Beth finally looked up and nodded. She reached a hand up to adjust her hat and then headed for the door. Jude followed along behind, thinking furiously. There had been an undeniable attraction between them for as long as he could remember. He just hoped that she wasn’t going to make him break both of their hearts.

Stepping out of the stables, he left the door ajar to provide some ventilation for the horses and then led the way across the field, towards the treeline that ran along the fence. The morning breeze drifted across the field and ruffled the corn, causing a strange but familiar whispering rustle. Kojack, who had been nosing around the field while Jude tended to the horses ran up to them, excited. The German shepherd was too well behaved to jump up on anyone but he circled Jude’s legs a few times and butted his head insistently against his hand. When he had gotten his fill of attention he moved over beside Beth, nudging her with his nose every few steps until she reached a hand down to pat at his head.

Reaching the fence line, Jude found a spot in the shade and plopped down in the grass, stretching his legs out in front of him. He laid back and propped his head up on his folded arms, his elbows sticking out at the sides. Kojack curled up beside him, resting his shaggy head on Jude’s leg. Beth looked at them hesitantly, the bottle of liniment still tucked under one arm. Then she took off her hat and set it and the liniment on the ground before picking a spot near Jude and easing herself to the ground. She laid back as well, folding her hands together and using them to cradle the back of her head.

The two friends lay quietly for several minutes, neither one in a hurry to break the silence. The pair had spent many summers together just like this, when they were younger. But the frequency had dwindled considerably as they had gotten older and grown apart. The morning air was still relatively cool in the shade and the grass was soft and comfortable. Several dragonflies buzzed nearby, hunting for mosquitoes near a dandelion patch. A pickup truck trundled by on the road behind them and Kojack whined uneasily. Jude reached a hand over to scratch lazily at his ears.

“It’s okay boy, it’s just a truck.” The truck slowed to a crawl as it drove past and Kojack’s ears flicked in irritation. Jude was just about to turn around and look when it finally sped up and moved along. “So,” Jude said finally, and then realized that Beth had been about to speak as well. “I’m sorry, go ahead,” he said waving a hand dismissively. He saw Beth nod gently in his peripheral vision, but he didn’t turn to look.

Beth tapped the toes of her boots together, burning off some nervous energy and then said, in a rush, “I’m thinking about moving away. To Montana.” She stared at the leaves of the oak tree overhead while trying to gauge Jude’s reaction without being obvious. Jude gave a long blink and then turned his head to the side, facing her. He studied her profile unashamedly while she stared fixedly at the tree. Her dimple was in hiding, but a faint spattering of freckles graced her cheeks, adding an extra splash of color to her tanned skin. Her long hair fanned out around her face and shoulders, and he longed to run his hands through it. It was an almost palpable itch, and he rubbed his palms against his jeans legs instead. He felt like such a fool for loving this woman who would never be his and then trying to make things work with the woman who’s heart would probably never be his.

“Montana,” he said, finally. “Is that what you want?”

Beth turned to look at him, finally and her delicate face was carefully guarded. He wondered what was going on beyond that placid exterior. Did she feel bad about leaving? Was she mad at him for not making a move? He waited an interminable amount of time for her to respond.

Eventually, Beth said, “I’m not completely sure yet,” with a little quaver in her voice. “My family is here, and my whole life has been here up to this point.” She paused again for a maddeningly long time, letting the point hit home. She had to be waiting for him to protest. He wanted to, but he couldn’t. Instead, he let the silence drag on.

Eventually, Beth nodded, almost imperceptibly and then she brought her hands up to brush roughly across her face. She ran them up and down her whole face, but he couldn’t help but wonder guiltily if there were tears there that she didn’t want him to see. Her chest rose as she took a deep breath and then let it out slowly.

“Anyway,” she continued, her voice stronger now. “It’s a really good opportunity. You know, I got my degree in agricultural science last year; and I got a call from the owner of a huge farm in Montana who’s planning on retiring soon. He needs someone dependable to take over operations and I guess my name came up. And since my brothers can handle things on the family farm here… I guess there’s no reason not to.” The last few words were said so softly that Jude wouldn’t have been able to hear her if he wasn’t laying so close that they were nearly touching.

He wanted to roll over and grab her up in his arms. He wanted to tell her to stay. That he loved her. That he’d always loved her and always would. That no one understood him or cared for him as well as she did and that he didn’t want her to go. Instead he said, “Well, that sounds like an opportunity that’d be impossible to pass up.” He turned his head just enough to see her reaction from the corner of his eye, brushing away a few stray blades of grass that tickled his cheek.

Beth didn’t respond but lay very still, breathing in deep steady breaths. Jude watched the rise and fall of her chest from his peripheral vision. What if he just rolled over and kissed her right now, he wondered. One night. They could have one amazing night together before she left. Would the memory of it be enough, if he never found something like this again? But it wouldn’t be fair to her. She’d never understand why he couldn’t commit to her completely.

With a sigh he nudged Kojack off of his leg and got slowly to his feet. Brushing the grass off the back of his pants, he avoided looking at Beth and made his way over to the fence line a few feet away. On the other side of the fence was a wild rose bush that had cropped up some years before. Reaching a hand between the layers of barbed wire he plucked the largest, most beautiful rose he could find and turned back towards Beth. A rustling sound came from the other side of the hedge and Kojack barked loudly a few times, running over to investigate.

Feeling overwhelmed with emotion, Jude ignored the dog’s distress and walked back over to Beth. He leaned down and held a hand out to her, the rose dangling from his other hand. She smiled softly, just a little turning of lips at the corners of her mouth that didn’t bring out her dimple. She reached for his hand and let him pull her up beside him. When she was firmly on her feet he gently let go of her hand. Then he reached up and grabbed a hold of her faded button down shirt, seizing one of the pocket flaps in between two fingers. He held the fabric away from her chest so that he wouldn’t make her uncomfortable while he threaded the rose through the button hole of her shirt pocket. She looked down at the flower and smiled again. When she looked up at him, her eyes were hazy but she didn’t allow any tears to fall.

“I’ll miss you terribly,” he said, the raw emotion making his voice sound rougher than usual. “There’s just things…” He let his voice trail off and then switched track. There was no use in trying to explain it all. “I wish you all the best in Montana though. You’re going to have an amazing life out there, I just know it.”

Beth nodded faintly. She brought the rose up to her nose and inhaled the sweet aroma before letting it fall back onto her chest. Then she leaned over to pick up the bottle of liniment and her cowboy hat that were both laying on the ground. She seated the hat squarely on her head and tucked the bottle back beneath an arm. “I’ll miss you too,” she said, ever so softly. She wrapped her free arm around his back. Jude wrapped both of his arms around her in return, turning her to face him and holding her more tightly than he’d ever dared. He could allow himself this one pleasure.

He leaned his head down and rested it against the top of her hat, marveling at the way her body seemed to fit against his, like pieces to a jigsaw puzzle he hadn’t even realized were missing. They stood that way for several long moments before Jude forced himself to pull away. Stepping back reluctantly, he whistled for Kojack, who had thankfully stopped the crazy barking.

Then he started back across the field towards the stables, walking slowly until Beth and Kojack caught up and fell in at either side of him. “How long before you have to leave,” he asked as they walked.

“Probably pretty soon,” Beth replied. “The farm owner is wanting to work with me for about a year before he retires, so that he can make sure I’ve got the hang of things before he hands it all over. And I think he’s pretty ready to get the process started. I’ve already started packing and looking into transferring things over. I just haven’t quite been able to wrap my head around it all yet.”

“Okay,” Jude said, his voice steadier that he expected it would be. “Well, make sure you come by again before you leave. I want to get you a going away present. And we can keep in touch…” He had reached the horse stables and he paused outside the door. He put an arm against the wall and leaned against it, trying to be casual as he waited for her response. A crow shot off suddenly from the depths of the cornfield nearby, cawing loudly as it ascended. Kojack ears perked up and he bounded joyfully towards the field to investigate.

“I definitely will,” Beth said, coming up to him and raising up onto her tiptoes. She kissed him softly on the cheek. Then she rocked back on her feet and reached up to pat his other cheek gently, letting her hand linger for just a moment. She gave him a smile that seemed to hold so many competing emotions that it could never be sorted and then turned to head back across the field towards the gate at the front of the property. Jude stood and watched as she made her way across the field, allowing himself to appreciate the gentle sway of her denim clad hips. Those Wranglers left nothing to the imagination, and he decided that when he did get a girl he could keep he’d buy her a pair of those first thing.

With a sigh he tore himself away from the view and plodded back into the stables. He wondered if he’d ever actually see her again. Shaking his head vigorously, he forced the thought from his mind and vowed to get back to work to keep from worrying about it. It’d be tough, but things would work out one way or the other. He went to the rack where they kept the grooming tools and picked out a brush. Then he moved over to Astro’s stall, reaching a hand over the top to brush at his glossy brown hair. He had gotten a few strokes in when a single panicked sounding bark echoed across the farm yard. He jolted in surprise and made to turn towards the door just as something swung towards his head, connecting with his temple with a loud crack. He crumpled like a rag doll and hit the floor in a heavy heap.

Kojack flew across the field towards the stable, making it to the door in a matter of seconds, but before he could enter the stable a woman emerged from the door and hit him with the tire iron. The first hit connected with his foreleg and he went down in a spinning tumble. The second hit knocked him unconscious as well. The woman stood over him, assessing the damage when a man emerged from the stable holding a length of rope. He had a pair of handcuffs attached to his belt loop and a roll of duct tape over one arm.

“Hold him tightly,” Chad said, his voice surprisingly menacing for someone so young. “We don’t want him waking up before we can get him bound. Once he’s wrapped up good, go ahead and take him out to the truck, and I’ll take care of Jude. We need to hurry though, James will be home soon.”