GROUNDHOGS AT TERABITHIA

or

KING OF TERABITHIA'S ROW

by

Mad Tom


CHAPTER 2

He left his backpack on the Burkes' doorstep, and then got in the back seat of the Volvo. "You can ride shotgun, Leslie!" he told her.

He'd experienced deja vu a few times in the past, and this was definitely something much more. Once they got past the ramp on the freeway which was the farthest from home he'd ever been before the day Leslie "died", it was all clearly familiar. He even recognized some of the same vehicles on the road going in the opposite direction, but earlier on the trip than he'd remembered. Of course, they would pass by earlier; we started late because we got Leslie.

Miss Edmonds herself was chatting up a storm on pretty much the same subjects, only this time it was Leslie who did most of the responding. Jesse was perfectly content to ride in the back seat and say very little. He'd had his day sitting up front alone with Miss Edmonds and it ended in a way more horrific that he could have imagined. This time around-- and it was still "this time around" to him-- he was perfectly happy just being in the car with his two favorite people in the whole world.

His feelings for both were different now. Miss Edmonds was still the very much adored teacher, still one of his favorite people, but his crush was gone. And Leslie... Just watching the back of Leslie's head, her hair, the curves of her cheek and neck and shoulders, listening to her voice as she and Miss Edmonds bonded and made "girl talk", was enough to make his eyes tear up.

They pulled off at an exit and had breakfast at a Pancake House, the first major deviation from the "first time" other than Leslie being there. Throughout the meal, Jesse continued to let the two females dominate the conversation. When the check came, Miss Edmonds noted that she needed change for the tip and told them that she'd be right back. It was the first time all morning that Jesse was alone with Leslie. He looked at her, then slowly slid his hand along the tabletop toward hers, just wanting a brief touch.

"You okay, Jess?"

"Yeah! I'm fine," he smiled, his hand stopping in place. "Better than fine!"

"You sure aren't acting the way I would've expected!" Leslie grinned. "Just the two of us with Miss Edmonds, I thought you'd be a lot chattier!"

I can't tell her! She'll think I'm nuts! "Let's... Let's just say I've kinda sorta been there, done that."

"Really? When?"

"A long, long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away," he laughed nervously. It felt that distant now, but yet at the same time even more real than sitting here with Leslie very much alive.

She grabbed him by the wrist. Her soft, warm hand was just the touch he needed to prove she was real. "Have you been visiting some other kingdom besides Terabithia?" she asked with a mock accusitory tone.

"More like I got kidnapped and dragged off to one."

"Oh! Like an alien abduction!"

"Something like that," he nodded.

"As long as it wasn't voluntary!" she smiled. "The King still owes loyalty to his Queen and their subjects."

"Believe me, I'd never volunteer for something like that!" He paused, then added, "And the King of Terabithia would never ever be disloyal to his Queen!"

Leslie smiled, shook her head and then stroked the back of his hand.

The sense of unreality returned as the drive resumed. The rest of the route, the Washington Mall, the entrance to the National Gallery were all as he remembered them from the "first time". When the admissions desk stamped the backs of their tickets and handed them back, he looked at the date: April 16. He really was back in time, living that day over, and he'd fixed it! Leslie was there with them.

She was a lot more excitable at the displays than he thought she would be, but then again, her dad had pointed out that there were a lot of changes since she'd been there last. Several times, she would see an interesting display and grab him by the hand and pull him ahead, leaving Miss Edmonds figuratively eating their dust.

"I should've worn sneakers!" Miss Edmonds said breathlessly after catching up the third time. "I forgot I was taking the two fastest kids in Fifth Grade!"


The sun had been out a while when they returned to the Volvo, so that Miss Edmonds had to turn on the air conditioner as they drove off. Jesse remembered it getting sunnier and warmer the "first time", but not the air conditioner. Then he remembered that they'd parked in the shade the first time.

"So. You two have a good time?"

"The best!" Leslie smiled back. "Thanks for inviting us, Miss Edmonds!"

"Yeah! Thanks, Miss Edmonds," he echoed.

"It was my pleasure! Listen, don't let this go to your heads, but I can't think of any other student in the whole school who would have appreciated this as much as you two."

"Because we're geeks!" Leslie laughed, and Jesse laughed with her.

"You two are not geeks!" Miss Edmonds said, laughing as well. "At least if you are, then so was I when I was your age!"

"No way!" Jesse and Leslie chorused.

"Leslie, I've met a lot of kids in the few years I've been teaching, but I've never met a girl who reminded me of myself as a girl as much as you do." She paused before continuing. "Something of an outcast, only one or two close friends... only I escaped into my music, and you escape by writing stories."

It was just like the sunlight suddenly breaking through the clouds and into the stained glass window in church. Jesse saw it now: he'd been in love with Miss Edmonds because she was a grown up Leslie! The woman Leslie was going to become-- if this really was real and she was really going to live and grow up.

"And you have so much more talent than I did!" Miss Edmonds went on. "Both of you... you have so much promise. I see brilliant futures for both of you.

"You really think so?" Leslie asked.

"Just keep up your writing, Leslie. And Jesse, keep up your drawing and painting. You'll both find your niche."

"I will, Miss Edmonds," Leslie smiled, then looked back over her shoulder. "Hey, Jess, maybe I'll write books and you'll illustrate 'em."

"Sure!" he replied, fighting back the tears.

"The Kingdom of Terabithia," Leslie pronounced. "Written by Leslie Burke. Illustrated by Jesse Aarons." Jesse exaggerated his smile as a tear ran down each cheek, trying not to make any sound and hoping neither of them would notice.

"The Kingdom of Tera- what?" Miss Edmonds asked.

"Nothing!" Leslie said quickly, shooting an apologetic glance at Jesse for spilling their secret. "Just a name I made up."

"Well, if there's a story behind that, I want to read it someday!"

"It's a work in progress. Right, Jess?" Leslie winked at him.

"Right," Jesse nodded as the tears continued to drip.

"Then I'll be looking for it in a few years," Miss Edmonds said.

There were a few minutes of silence, then Leslie spoke up. "Miss Edmonds, may I ask you a personal question?"

"You may ask. Whether or not I answer depends on how personal it is."

"You said you had only one or two close friends growing up. What happened to them?... I mean, are you still friends with them?"

"That I'll be glad to answer," Miss Edmonds said. Sitting directly behind her, Jesse couldn't see her face, but could sense a longing in her voice. "I had only one or two close friends at a time. I guess I've had four over my lifetime. Betty Jean was my best friend up through Sixth Grade. Then she moved up to this small town near Albany, New York. We wrote each other a few times the first two years or so, and then lost touch. Then right after college, I was on a trip up to that area and decided to look her up. Her folks still lived in that town and told me how to find her in Buffalo, and we picked up right where we left off, as if the last ten years had never passed. And now we E-Mail each other a couple of times a month and exchange Christmas cards... After Betty Jean moved, Josie became my best friend. But we drifted apart during high school and then she got pregnant and dropped out in Eleventh Grade. She moved in with the baby's father, and he and I never liked each other, so that pretty much ended our friendship. Meredith was my best friend in college, we roomed together the last two years, and we're still friends."

"You ever have any guy friends?" Leslie asked while shooting an affectionate smile back toward Jesse.

"I was just getting to that. Brad's a very special friend. We were a little older than you two guys when he moved to my home town. Eighth Grade. He was into music, too, but he also got me interested in creative writing and literature, and we kind of discovered computers together."

"You said he is a very special friend," Leslie noted. "So you're still friends?"

"More than friends, really."

"So he's your boyfriend," Leslie prodded further.

"Even more than that. Brad and I are soul mates. We grew up and saw each other through a lot of tough times together, and we're going through some tough times right now."

"You don't think of him like a brother, do you?" Leslie wrinkled her nose, and then quickly added, "If you don't mind my asking."

"No," Miss Edmonds laughed. "I have two brothers, and I definitely don't think of Brad in that way! Like I said, we're soul mates."

If Jesse had been made aware of this the "first time around", he would have been burning with jealousy. But now he was glad to hear it. Not just because he was happy for Miss Edmonds, but again it gave his own feelings a new frame of reference: he had four sisters, and he definitely didn't think of Leslie in that way. He now realized that he never did and was glad of it.

"Soul mates," Leslie nodded. "So you gonna marry him?"

"Well, he still hasn't given me a ring yet, and we have a few things we have to work out first. When it was time for college, I went to Georgetown and he got accepted to Annapolis, so we were able to keep seeing each other. But now he's serving out his time in the Navy. He's an electronic countermeasures officer on the missile frigate USS Savo Island-- which he says is the techno-geekiest job you can have and still be on board a US Navy warship, by the way!" They all laughed. Miss Edmonds continued, "The Savo Island's home port is Norfolk, so we see each other whenever he's home. But right now he's out in the Indian Ocean near the Persian Gulf. He still has at least another year to go, maybe more depending on how the war goes. Then we have to decide if he gets out and settles down with me, or if he makes a career of the Navy and I have to quit my job at Lark Creek, and follow him around the world and keep changing jobs, or if we just continue our long-distance relationship. They won't be easy decisions for either of us, but hey! When you've found your soul mate, making sacrifices for each other is part of the relationship."

Leslie reached back through the gap between the front seats, smiling as she stroked Jesse's hand.


Of course, instead of a bunch of police vehicles, it was still just the Mercedes in front of the Burke home when they got back. As Leslie and Jesse got out, Mrs. Burke stepped out the front door and waved at Miss Edmonds, then made a twirling motion with her finger. Miss Edmonds lowered her window.

"Thanks again for taking them, Candy!" Mrs. Burke called.

"My pleasure, Judy!" Miss Edmonds called back.

"Did Leslie behave herself? Sorry I can't speak for Jesse!" Mrs. Burke laughed.

"They were both perfect angels. Other than the fact that I should have worn sneakers to keep up with them. Or roller blades!"

"Want to come in for tea or coffee? Iced if you like, since it's gotten so much warmer."

"Thanks! I'd love some!" Miss Edmonds shut off the engine and got out of the Volvo.

"Jesse," Mrs. Burke said, "I brought your backpack inside. There was a really bad thunderstorm while you were out."

"Thanks, Mrs. Burke!"

"We'll be back for it later, Mom!" Leslie told her. She waited until her mother and Miss Edmonds had disappeared inside the house, then smiled at Jesse. "Jesse Aarons, were you actually crying on the drive home?"

"Yes, but it was happy crying," he smiled back.

"Over a trip to the museum? I know it was your first, but--"

"I'm just happy we were together."

"We're together all the time! As a matter of fact, I'm surprised you didn't try to talk Miss Edmonds into going without me!"

He snapped his head toward her, his jaw hanging open, goosebumps breaking out all over him. He stayed that way for several seconds.

"Earth to Jesse!" she said, waving her hand before his eyes. "Man, that must've been one heck of an alien abduction!"

He blinked. "Yeah, it was!"

"Well, I know just the thing to bring you back to Earth," she grinned. "We've got a lot of daylight left. Race you to Terabithia! READYSETGO!" She took off like a jackrabbit while he trotted behind her. "Last one to the rope is Osama Bin Laden!" she called back over her shoulder.

The rope! "Leslie! No! Wait!" he screamed, then kicked into a sprint. She'd already opened her lead to a good ten or twelve feet.

"Nuh, uh! It was a fair start!" she laughed.

"I'm not kidding! Stop!"

"Nice try, Aarons!" she giggled.

"Leslie!" he started a scream that turned into a wheeze. He realized he needed his wind to catch up. If he could.


Author's Notes:

The USS Savo Island, the ship on which Miss Edmonds' boyfriend is an officer, is fictional; many modern-day US Navy guided missile frigates have the same names as now-decommissioned/scrapped World War II/Korean War-era aircraft carriers, and reference my comments in the Preface, USS Savo Island is also the name of the fictional carrier in The Bridges at Toko-Ri. This may not be the last reference to that novel/movie. ;-)

Thanks for the reviews so far. Keep 'em coming!