Twenty-one
After my mum left, my dad had little choice but to take me fishing with him and Harry. Much as I liked eating fish, I wasn't keen on the idea of catching them, so I used to take a book or a notebook and pen and sit wrapped in a blanket under a tree, or one of my dad's fishing umbrellas, until the day Harry brought me a friend to play with.
The boy was two years younger than me and had also been abandoned by his mother. I learned later that his father struggled with being a single parent and Harry was giving the man some space and the boy a friend who would understand his situation.
My phone started buzzing.
"Hey, Bella." His voice was deeper than I remembered, but otherwise exactly the same.
"Hi Paul! Sorry to hear about your dad."
"Stupid old fool was lucky he was with Harry when it happened or he'd be dead. He'd been having chest pains for months, but refused to go to the doctor."
"You sound angry."
"Too right. He should have looked after himself better."
"Are you staying with him?"
"Yeah. I'm making his life hell though, only allowing him to eat healthy shit and forcing him out of the house every day to do some exercise."
"What about your job?"
"Charlie didn't tell you, did he?"
"What?"
"I'm going to be his new deputy."
"You're replacing Steve? I bet Dad's over the moon."
"Something like that. How have you been?"
"So so. I'm sure you know by now that I'm living in my car, trying to make it as a writer."
"And travelling."
"Yeah, that's a recent development. I wasn't sure I had it in me to do it alone, by I'm really enjoying it."
"Why the big life change?"
"I met someone... someone really special. I wasn't happy with my life and needed to do something about it before it was too late, so I decided to try living like him."
"So, is the grass greener?"
"Huh?"
"You know, on the other side of the fence."
Was he being serious? "Yes. I don't know. Some days."
He laughed and it was such a familiar sound, despite our being out of touch for so long. We'd have to talk about that at some point.
I yawned loudly. "Sorry. I've done a lot of driving in the past few days and it's catching up with me."
"I'll let you go then."
"It was really nice to hear your voice, Paul. Thanks for contacting me."
"Can I call you again sometime?"
"If you like."
"Sleep well, Bella."
"You too, Paul."
...
I lay on my mattress staring at the roof of my car, thinking about what Paul had asked me. Was the grass greener living this way? It had seemed so when I was with Edward, but not so much without him. Did that make Edward the grass or the fertiliser?
Sniggering to myself, I drifted off to sleep.
...
I got up before the crack of dawn to eat my oatmeal and set off on the three hour drive to the Plantation Liendo in Hempstead. By the time I arrived, just before eight o'clock in the morning, I was already beginning to feel hungry again.
I scoured the reenactors parking lot for the red and blue trucks that Alice had instructed me to find. Every other damned vehicle was a truck, for crying out loud, and the majority of them were either blue or red!
Eventually, I spied a petite, dark haired woman in a long, pale green gown, jumping up and down and waving her hands frantically, between two appropriately coloured trucks. Once she'd moved out of the way, I turned my Chevy into the space and parked. My door was opened for me by a tall, blonde man in a Confederate uniform.
"Welcome to the past, ma'am," he said, offering me his hand.
"Good morning, Major Whitlock," I said, grinning as I let him pull me from the car.
His eyes lit up and his lips curled up into a devastating grin, but that abruptly disappeared when he was roughly shoved to one side.
"Get out of the way, Jasper! She's my friend!"
"Hello, Alice!" I said, as I felt her arms wrap tightly around me. It felt so good to be hugged, I didn't want her to let go.
"I'm so pleased you've made it, Bella," Alice whispered. "I think we'll be just what you need."
"I think so too," I whispered back, struggling to get a grip on my emotions.
"Come on, Alice! It's my turn now." Jasper gently tugged me toward him and into his embrace. He lowered his head and placed his lips close to my ear. "Thank you for coming, Bella. It means a lot to Alice to have you join us this weekend. I do hope you enjoy it."
As we let each other go, I looked at Alice again. She was quivering with excitement.
"If you'll excuse me, ladies," Jasper said, giving us a little bow before he walked away.
"Let's grab your stuff, Bella," Alice said. "We've lots to do before the public are let in. Have you eaten yet? Jasper made cornbread and there might be some left if we hurry."
...
The tent was set out like a workroom in the back of an old fashioned haberdashery store. Charlotte was sitting with a grey jacket on her lap, sewing on some brass buttons, while Alice was kneeling at my feet, adjusting the hem of the dress they'd made especially for me.
"I can't believe you did this just for one weekend," I said.
"You've got to blend in, Bella, you're one of us now," Alice said enthusiastically.
"Strictly speaking, you're both interlopers," said Charlotte, without looking up from her work. "Perhaps I should report you to the Major for spying."
"Oh, we've already played that game," Alice said, giggling.
"Is my jacket ready, Charlotte?" I turned my head to see a slim man with long, white blonde hair at the opening to the tent. I knew it was Peter, having studied his and Charlotte's photograph on Alice's blog.
My movement caught his eye and he swiftly stood to attention. "Oh, excuse me, ma'am."
"This is Alice's Bella," Charlotte said, as Peter strode forward and offered me his hand.
"Nice to meet you, Peter," I said, placing my hand in his.
There was a cheeky glint in his eye as he stepped closer. He paused for a moment, then, without warning, he wrapped his free arm around my waist and kissed me full on the mouth.
It was unexpected, but not unpleasant. Were all Southern men this forward?
"Why, thank you, Miss Bella," he said, slowly pulling away and turning back to his wife. Charlotte stood with her lips pressed firmly together, holding out his jacket for him. He slid his arms into the sleeves and left the tent.
My cheeks burned as I looked down at Alice. She had pins in her mouth, her eyes were watering and her whole body was shaking with laughter. I couldn't help but join her.
...
The morning was filled with various displays and activities. There was a mounted cavalry and military drill, an artillery demonstration and, much to my horror, the execution of a deserter.
Charlotte persuaded Alice and me to join her and model for the fashion show, after which we did our best to assist her with a quilt making demonstration.
When the battle reenactment started in the afternoon, we stood at a safe distance to watch and take photographs. I was relieved when Charlotte started to explain the sequence of events, because without her commentary I would have been clueless.
Shots were fired, plumes of smoke drifted across the field and the men ran here and there, following orders from their superiors. At the end of the battle, the ground was strewn with dead bodies and wounded soldiers and so the medical demonstrations began.
In the evening, we attended the reenactors dinner and ball in the plantation house. Though I declined several offers to dance, Charlotte eventually insisted I give her a break and dance with her cheeky husband. Peter was surprisingly patient and kind, keeping us off to one side while he taught me how to waltz. Alice and I then took turns to complete the foursome and dance as Jasper's partner in The Lancers Quadrilles.
I enjoyed myself far more than I would have ever expected.
The men returned to their own quarters and we ladies retired to Charlotte's tent, chatting and giggling like schoolgirls until we fell asleep.
...
Sunday was much the same as Saturday, but when the spectators left, the reenactors collapsed their tents, cleared the site, piled into their trucks and went home.
After we'd said goodbye to Charlotte and Peter - a process that involved more of Peter's hugging and kissing - Alice joined me in my car and we followed Jasper back to his home in Houston.