Gathering of Blackbirds, Page 2

  Chapter Two

  Before I could squeeze anymore information out of Jimmy, the door pounded with knocking. It was David. My heart jumped into my throat and my palms began to sweat. Jimmy only looked at me steadily.

  “Go answer it. I am right behind you.” He got up as I went to the door.

  I stepped out, Jimmy stood behind me with a bag of trash in hand. I stood there for a moment as David only glanced between me and Jimmy.

  “Well, are you coming?” David asked.

  “No, I’m not. I don’t want to go out with you tonight…or ever again.” My words were calm and precise. “I had enough David.” I tilted my head implying the bruise he had given me.

  David glared at me as Jimmy stood like a protective shadow and shuffled his feet in the loose gravel like a bull readying to gore the red caped bullfighter.

  “But…You can’t…” David looked more at Jimmy than me.

  “Move on skippy!” Jimmy blurted out. “You heard the lady.”

  David huffed and looked at me with his eyes that felt like ice cutting me in half. I knew that stare, and it was more than just a look, it was a warning.

  David got in his Mustang and sped off into the blackness as distant thunder rumbled.

  “Do you want to stay with Alice and me tonight?” Jimmy’s voice was soft as lightening flashed illuminating the cumulus clouds.

  I only shook my head as a lump formed in my throat. He padded me on the shoulder and I suppressed my tears. I wasn’t sad my relationship with David was over, I was scared.

  Jimmy’s house was a simple ranch style house, one level with a basement and a one car garage. To me it was a palace. The walls were thick to the outside noise, and painted in calm colors of soft yellows and off whites. The yard was well kept, even though the grass had gone dormant from the extreme heat.

  Alice greeted us like she had been expecting me for some time. She was a tiny woman, thin and delicate looking with short, bobbed, grey hair and light blue eyes. Her voice was soft and she made chocolate chip cookies while I sat in the living room.

  “You did let your dad know that you are here.” Alice’s voice echoed from the kitchen to the living room.

  “Yes,” I replied. I didn’t wake him when I grabbed a few clean clothes to take. The note on the table would suffice.

  We ate cookies and drank lemonade. I felt like a kid visiting my grandma’s house, which I never did since I never knew them, but something felt iconic about the whole situation.

  “Jimmy says you’re a good worker and the customers like you,” Alice said pouring more lemonade.

  “Yeah, I guess.” I wasn’t sure what to say to that.

  Jimmy only smiled at me as he lifted the newspaper to read it.

  “Jim! We have a guest. I think you can read the paper later.” Alice scolded.

  I only smiled as I took a sip of lemonade.

  “Oh come on, she sees me about every day.” Jimmy looked at me and shrugged his shoulders.

  “Really its O.K., I am just glad you let me stay here for tonight. Thanks,” I said as Alice smiled and tilted her head to the side like she was going to cry.

  “It certainly is no bother, and it is nice to have you here.” Alice excused herself to go and do the dishes.

  Jimmy continued to read the paper as the clock on the wall ticked the minutes by. My thoughts drift back to the two guys in the trench coats.

  “Are you going to tell me about those two guys that came in tonight?” I asked.

  “No,” Jimmy said and didn’t even put down his paper.

  I looked at Jimmy as he only flipped the pages of the newspaper.

  “But something is going on. People like that don’t just stop in St. F to visit, and you said it was more important that they didn’t come back. Why can’t you just tell me?” I asked looking at his newspaper right about where his head would be. “Why is it so important that you can’t tell me? What are they spies or something?”

  “They’re enemies of a secret alliance to protect all things of magical qualities. They went against the rest of the alliance and now are considered traitors.” Jimmy’s tone was flat.

  I sat and only looked at him. Jimmy gave me a blank stare and then shrugged his shoulders and continued with his paper.

  “What?” I say in disbelief.

  “You asked for an answer and I gave you one.”

  “Yeah, but that one is a little stretched, isn’t it? And, not to mention, made-up,” I said.

  He let the page roll down so I could see his expressionless face. “Believe what you want then.” His voice had a little humor in it as he snapped the paper.

  “Ah, come on, why won’t you really tell me?” I continued to prod.

  “That’s my story and I’m sticking to it,” Jimmy said as Alice came into the room.

  “Let me show you to your room. I’m sure you are tired.” Alice almost seemed overly eager that I was at their house.

  The room was painted blue and had a twin bed with several boxes surrounding it. Alice apologized for the mess, which I didn’t think was messy. I showered and changed my clothes. I felt secure here and wondered if David went to my trailer tonight. Lightening flashed and thunder made the windows rumble.

  I couldn’t sleep so I went to the window and watched the parched earth soak up the rain that poured down. I then notice a shelf on the wall arranged with several pictures. I turned on the light and looked at them.

  All of them were pictures of a boy with dark hair and proudly displayed the fish he had caught. He was smiling in all of them, either by himself or a much younger Jimmy. Alice must have been the photographer since she wasn’t in any of them.

  Next to the pictures I found a newspaper clipping. It was an obituary that said the boy died and that Alice and Jimmy was his parents. His name was Thomas McVaine, Jimmy’s son. I felt like thousands of pins were pricking my skin. Jimmy, who almost felt like my adopted dad, had a son that I never knew about.

  Even though the house was a mansion compared to my trailer, I could hear the tense, hushed voices of Alice and Jimmy. I put the clipping back and went to the door to listen. I knew I was eavesdropping, but my curiosity was greater than my manners.

  “Are you sure they left?” I could clearly hear Alice as she passed by the door.

  “Leave it be. I have already contacted them and told them that they need to check it out.” Jimmy’s voice sounded agitated. “Look, it will be fine.” His words softened as he clicked the light off.

  They were talking about the men that came in the Wooden Nickel. They were more than just someone selling junk to Pandora and Jimmy’s explanation of them was farfetched. Jimmy wouldn’t tell me and I guess it really wasn’t any of my business, but I couldn’t help to want to know more.

  The next morning was bright and the air had an element that it hadn’t had in a long time-moisture. To me it smelled wonderful until I went into the kitchen and smelled Alice making breakfast.

  “I hope you’re hungry.” Alice sang out.

  “It smells wonderful.” I complimented.

  Eggs, sausages and pancakes stacked high surrounded by three glasses of orange juice and jars of syrup, jelly and butter nearly covered the table. I had never seen so much food at one time.

  I sampled a little of everything to please Alice, who I am sure went to a lot of trouble to make all of this. I felt kind of bad for her making a mountain of food and I ate until I felt like I was going to explode.

  “Did you get enough to eat?” Alice asked.

  “Yes, thank you,” I said felling bloated, but satisfied.

  “You know you made enough for an army. I don’t know how much you thought Em was going to eat.” Jimmy only shook his head as he piled three more pancakes onto his plate.

  “I wanted there to be plenty, and I wasn’t sure what she liked.” Alice smiled at me and started to clear the table.

 
I offered to help, but Alice wouldn’t let me. I knew I should be getting home and thought of the pictures I looked at last night. I felt like I should say something, but that would imply that I snooped. I didn’t say anything and thanked Alice again for having me and told Jimmy that I could walk home. I needed to after eating enough food for a work horse. Jimmy gave me my paycheck and I told him I would see him later.

  There wasn’t a cloud in the sky to interrupt the brilliant sunrays blasting St F. I could smell the moisture as I walked under the newly washed trees that were once nearly choked from layers of dust. Drops of water fell from the delicate leaves as I walked under the canopy of green.

  From behind I could hear a vehicle and stepped aside so they could pass when it slowed down beside me. I looked over and recognized the part white and part rusted truck of Gabe’s.

  “Hey Em,” he said with a smile. “I’ll give you a ride.”

  I hesitated for only a moment thinking David would see me and yell at me later for getting in Gabe’s truck, but then again, I had nothing to do with him.

  “Thanks.” I shut the door carefully.

  “It isn’t going to break.” Gabe reached across me and slammed the door shut. My heart raced.

  “I take it you’re headed home.” He put the truck into gear.

  “Yeah,” I replied trying to hide the bruise on my cheek.

  “Did Jimmy have you working early at the Wooden Nickel?” Gabe asked.

  Sunlight flickered wildly through the canopy of trees overhead as we passed. “No,” I said as there was no getting around the truth and I would only look like an idiot if I made something up. “David and I broke up for obvious reasons. I stayed the night at Jimmy’s.”

  Gabe cut through an ally behind the several ranch style homes with the now greening yards to the trailer court. I let out a sigh as I look at my pathetic tin can of a trailer.

  “I think you made a good decision. David is a jerk,” he said and gently placed his long finger under my chin. He made me look at him straight on, I didn’t resist him. “He doesn’t deserve you.”

  The sun shone on him like the heavens had opened and showered him in golden light. Gabe almost looked angelic as I gawked in awe at him.

  “No one has ever said that to me before.” I flushed, and realized I had spoken my thoughts.

  He smiled and then placed his hands back onto his steering wheel. I put my hand on the door latch as the phrase ‘I’m an idiot’ kept repeating through my head like the open sign at the gas station.

  “You deserve a lot better Emily Moore.” His words were the most sincere ones I had ever heard and I paused for only a moment before opening the door.

  “Thanks, Gabe Fairchild.”

  He shook his head and we smiled at each other. Even though I sounded like a complete idiot, I didn’t feel like one. Gabe made me feel different, like my existence mattered.

  He waved good-bye, put his rumbling truck into reverse and went down the road. Discretely, I watched him until I couldn’t see his truck anymore. Gabe was so sincere and…perfect. I was a piece of white trash I thought as I looked at my trailer. Gabe deserved better, he deserved a girl that could pay her water bill.

  I went inside to be greeted by two empty Jack Daniel bottles and my dad passed out on the couch. I try to wake him, but he only moaned at me.

  I went into my room instead, and plop on my bed to land on something small and round that pierced the middle of my back. I got up to see the bag my necklace had come in from Pandora’s.

  I had nearly forgotten about my necklace. I held it in the sunlight so it could sparkle. I had always been fascinated by old jewelry. Where did it come from? Who had it before me and what stories could it tell? I often fantasized that maybe a queen or princess owned it from some distant land and they were trying to find it and offering a handsome reward for its return. I often fantasized about get-rich-quick scenarios. But, still, the few items I had made me feel special and unique.

  I began to crumple up the bag my necklace came in, when I realized there was something else in it. I reached in and pulled out another necklace on a silver braided chain with a pendant that looked like topaz colored sand compressed together in a rounded tear drop.

  It was delicate and the pendant was about the size of the end of my little finger. Pandora must have accidentally put it in there, or maybe she didn’t even know it was in there. I had to return it, and would when I went to pay my water bill. I put it on so I didn’t forget it.

  I went into the kitchen to get the extra money I had in the cookie jar. It was empty. My stomach fell to the floor. I then look at the two Jack Daniel bottles and then my dad. I did the math; my dad used it to buy more booze. I felt so mad that my feet could have been two rockets waiting to propel me into space.

  I kick the couch and my dad barely stirs.

  “How am I going to pay the rest of the bills now?” I yelled. “You took the extra money to buy…your God damn booze!” I usually didn’t curse, but it just flew out of my mouth.

  My dad only mumbled and pushed at me with his feet.

  I stormed out of the trailer and headed for Pandora’s. I could hardly feel myself breathe. I then stopped, I had just realized something. It wasn’t my bills; it wasn’t my trailer, why was I worried about it? I wasn’t, not anymore. Just like with David, I wanted out. I needed help though. Jimmy was the only one who truly cared for me. If anyone could, it would be him.

  I tried to plan what I was going to say to Jimmy, when I noticed giant plumes of smoke billowing in the bright, blue sky. They came from downtown and I ran to see what was going on.

  Flames and smoke spewed out of Pandora’s. I pushed my way through the crowd and wondered if she was in there. I could only stand and watch helplessly.

  A fire truck from Thornbrooke zoomed by to help the few firefighters of St. F. I looked around for Pandora. I couldn’t see her in the crowd and knew she would have been opened for an hour by now. She must still be in the building. I decide to make my way to the front of the crowd and get the attention of Jake.

  “Jake, where’s Pandora?” I yelled to him.

  Jake in his heavy firefighter’s suit turned and looked at me as an explosion erupted from the burning building.

  “Everyone is going to have to leave!” Jake commanded.

  The curious crowd and everyone in the downtown area had to move two blocks away. I still looked for Pandora when someone grabbed my arm. I turned to see Gabe.

  “We have to find Pandora.” My voice bordered with panic.

  Gabe only smiled at me. “It’s alright Em, she left a note saying she would be away today for an auction. My dad had me call her.” Gabe’s dad was on the fire department.

  I sighed with relief as Gabe and I turn from the burning downtown.

  “We aren’t going to do anything here. Do you want to go on a ride with me?” he asked.

  “Sure, where to?” My heart fluttered with the invitation.

  “Well, I promised my dad I would take his strawberries to the farmers market in Thornbrooke since he is going to be here all day.”

  Strawberries and Gabe were suddenly my two favorite things. I agree easily and we leave St. F in his rusty truck with ominous black clouds as the backdrop.

  “Do they know what started the fire?” I ask thinking how much Pandora had already lost.

  “No, not yet, the main thing is to put the fire out and keep it from staring up again.” Gabe’s blonde hair fluttered in the breeze from his rolled down window. “With those old buildings, it was probably electrical wiring or something like that.”

  I look at him and slightly smile. Gabe had always been nice to me, and I to him, but things never materialized beyond that. He was always David’s friend and I was David’s, but the only thing is, I wasn’t anymore.

  “What are you smiling at…the insurance check Pandora will get?” He said trying to be funny.


  “No.” I looked away and laughed.

  “Then, what?” Gabe really wanted to know, but I couldn’t tell him what I was thinking.

  I look at him for a moment. His golden hair blew in the wind, arms tanned from the once scorching sun and his grey eyes that flickered with different colors that shifted with the light. He looked like an angel, the angel that saved me from David.

  The truck struck a pothole as our eyes entangled for that still moment. Gabe corrected the veering truck as I looked back at the strawberries.

  “Did any tip over?” he asked not taking his eyes off the road.

  “No, they’re fine,” I reply.

  Thornbrooke was a larger town than St. F. It had a large library, two gas stations, a swimming pool and the county courthouse that sat in the middle of the town square. The courthouse was massive in size and kind of reminds me of a medieval castle with its large grey stones and spires on each corner. A clock that chimed each hour sits high above one of the two entrances in the center of the building.

  Gabe parked under a massive oak tree, one of the many that dotted the now greening courthouse lawn. I helped him pull out a card table and set it along with other farmers selling their produce. We then get out the brilliant red strawberries and place them on the table.

  “What now?” I ask as Gabe pulled two folding chairs from his truck bed.

  “We wait for our customers,” he said as he placed the chairs behind the table.

  “My lady.” He motioned with his hand the seat beside him.

  I smiled and sat next to him as the other peddlers sat up all kinds of other produce until the whole west side of the lawn looked like a vegetable and fruit rainbow.

  “My dad came last week and sold out in about an hour and a half, hopefully we will do the same this time.” Gabe leaned back in the chair and stretched out his legs.

  He folded his arms. They were rippled with muscles, probably from tending to their huge strawberry patch, and tanned with a small dusting of freckles. His gold-blonde hair shimmered even in the filtered sunlight from under the tree. His eyes met mine. Our stare became entangled again.

  “What, do I have a booger on the end of my nose?’ He asked with a smile.

  “No,” I reply.

  “What then?” He turned, smiled faded and looked at me with his stormy eyes.

  I didn’t have pothole to save me now, I had to answer him.

  Suddenly, a strawberry hit me on the side of the head and rolled down my arm to the ground. I looked to see David standing behind the table.

  Gabe stood up and went to him as I lingered behind and wished the shadows of the massive trees would just swallow me up.

  “What are you doing?” David moved so he could see me.

  I stood frozen to the ground and looked at him like a cowering, beaten dog. My lips trembled, and then I remembered, I wasn’t his anymore and he had nothing to do with me.

  “I’m helping Gabe sell strawberries since his dad is busy with the fire.” I held my chin high and made my voice as stern as I could. “Not that it’s any of your business.”

  He only chuckled to himself as he set his jaw and glared at me like a snake ready to attack. David tried to step around Gabe who only stopped him with his hand to David’s chest. Gabe whispered something to David that only made his face deepen with rage.

  “Fine, Creed Leader.” I clearly heard David reply venomously as he continued to advance towards me.

  I stood where I was. David wouldn’t make a scene here, especially with Gabe behind him.

  “This isn’t over. I don’t let things go easily.” His voice was low and his words seemed to curl around me like a noose.

  “First of all, I’m not a thing, and second, it is over.” I let my voice try to sting him, but he only grinned.

  “O.K., I see the game here and if you want to play, that’s fine. I’ll play.” David took a few steps back and looked between me and Gabe.

  “There is no game David.” Gabe’s words were low and his eyes darted at him like a warning.

  David only smiled as Gabe stepped close and whispered something in his ear. David looked towards the ground. His face whitened as if Gabe’s words were poison.

  When Gabe had said his message, he pushed David away.

  I folded my arms around me and David only glared at me before he smiled and took a carton of strawberries with him. Even though the air had so much humidity in it, I still shivered as David drove by and gave me a crooked, venomous smile before he turned the corner and out of my sight.

  I let out a sigh as Gabe finished with a customer and then sat back down as if nothing had happened.

  I sat in the chair next to him.

  “Well, you never answered my question,” Gabe said giving me a sideways glance.

  “What?’ My mind is still with David and his psychotic threat.

  “If I don’t have a booger on my nose, then what was it?’ Gabe looked at me steadily in the eye.

  He seriously was going to make me answer. Why?

  “You had an eye booger instead,” I said as quickly as the thought popped in my head.

  “A what?” He chuckled, evidentially amused by my reply.

  “You know sleep…the white stuff you sometimes get in the corner of your eyes.” I shook my head and smiled at him.

  “Well, that’s disgusting.” He wiped the corner of each eye.

  “Tell me about it, it’s even worse to look at,” I said as I got a carton of strawberries.

  “Those are three dollars a quart.” He half smiled at me as I popped a berry into my mouth in front of him.

  “That’s a rip off,” I said eating another one.

  He only shook his head and laughed and then got up to help a customer. I watched him as he helped the elderly lady. She had explained she didn’t want to drop the strawberries, so she would come back, but Gabe said he would help her to her car with them, so she didn’t have to.

  Gabe was a true gentleman, like the kind of fictional character that can only exist with words to describe them, not one of flesh and blood. I look at my ratty sneakers and wonder what Gabe saw in me. Was he just being with me out of pity? I am the little kitten in the tree and David was the tall tree holding me captive, while Gabe was the fireman with his tall ladder capable of reaching anyone in trouble.

  “Well, only a few more people to rip off, then maybe we can get home before it rains.” Gabe pointed to the cloud thickening sky.

  I look up and smelled the slight coolness in the air along with a distant rumble of thunder.

  Gabe sat back down and put the money that he had in his hand into a small metal cash box. I thought about David and the way he looked when Gabe whispered to him.

  “What did you say to David because he looked like a ghost when you were done and what did he call you…Creed Leader or something like that? What’s that supposed to mean?” I asked as Gabe bent over to shove the cash box under his chair.

  “I told him he wasn’t acting anything like a gentleman and that you told him how you felt and that he should accept that and move on.” Gabe’s words were dry and he didn’t smile, only glanced at me.

  “No, you didn’t say that.” I shook my head.

  “Well, that is what I said.” Gabe gave me a reassuring smile

  Suddenly, the sound of someone clearing their throat interrupted our conversation. I looked up to see the two trench-coat-wearing men. They stood side by side and looked at Gabe and me.

  “Hello sweetie, Em-Emily isn’t it?” The darker one said eating a strawberry.

  “What do you want?” Gabe stood up and in front of me.

  “Well, it seems to me that you are selling strawberries these days, so I guess I would like to buy some,” The one with the thick accent said shoving money into Gabe’s hand.

  “Go on then.” Gabe stood like a shield between them and me.

  “You’re awfully forward for
being a new leader aren’t you? Do watch your step,” The man replied.

  “Bye Em-Emily.” The darker one leaned over and waved playfully at me.

  I only sat there and watched them leave.

  “O.K., you’re going to have to explain that one because I know them,” I said as I got up and stood close to Gabe. “They were at the Wooden Nickel and Jimmy knew them, but he wouldn’t tell me who they were only that he hoped they didn’t come back.”

  I looked at Gabe who looked as pale as David did earlier. I felt my stomach drop.

  “Gabe, what is going on? I mean Pandora’s catching fire and these two weird guys walking around like F.B.I…. and threatening you who are evidentially some leader.” Gabe’s eyes met mine. “Tell me Gabe what is going on, because it feels like I’m in the middle of something.”

  Gabe paused for a moment and looked at the remaining strawberries. It looked like he was deliberating something to himself internally as he glanced around the square. I stepped in his line of view. His eyes then shifted to me with uneasiness.

  “You’re right Em, there is something,” he said finally. “Let’s go and besides it’s going to storm.”