Chapter 16

The next day Mother and I spent it together. She asked a zillion questions about the dinner party. I told her what she wanted to hear. We went down a few of the blueberry paths and were happy to see the first signs of berries. For the next few hours, we discussed our crop and calculated what type of products we should make with the blueberries once they became ripe. It was a pleasant day. I danced around the house, happy that Javelin wanted me. Every time Trent popped into my head, I would push him away. I knew I would have to figure out what I was going to do, but for the moment I decided to enjoy the bliss I felt when I thought of kissing Javelin.

After Mother and I finished our blueberry plans, I walked a few of the trails alone. I carried a note pad and made calculations on when the berries would ripen, marking them down. One of the paths led me directly into Eva.

At first, she didn’t see me and seemed distraught over something. But when she saw me, she recovered herself and masked whatever it was that was bothering her. She blocked the path, standing with folded arms. “Did you have a grand evening at the Bow-Ridge house last night?”
My mouth involuntarily fell open. How in hell had she found out? I decided to go the direct pathway with her. “Yes, I did. Mr. Bow-Ridge invited me over for dinner. He wanted to express his gratitude for the painting that our art class gave to him.”

“You mean, the painting that Mr. Watts got rid of for you. You don’t have to pretend you aren’t in love with Little James. I know you are. And you can’t have both guys, Vivian. I’ve told Trent. He’ll be calling you soon. How are you going to get out of this one? Mr. Watts can’t rescue you.” She laughed and walked around me, not bothering to wait for a response.

I knew if I went home, Mother would tell me that Trent had called. I decided to handle this in person. It would be easier to plead my case that way than over the phone, where Mother might over-hear us. Trent was sitting on a log down by the lake. He was skipping rocks, something he did when he was upset or uncertain about something. I knew the something was me.

“Hi,” I said, casually. “Did you have fun last night with Paul? I bet you guys are plotting about how to break into the drag racing business.” I wanted things to be light between us, but from his expression, I wasn’t going to get what I wanted.

“Vivian, is it true you had dinner with Little James last night?” He went straight to the heart of the matter.

“Yes, but it just wasn’t with him. It was with his Grandfather too. The elder Mr. Bow-Ridge invited me. I still have the invitation at home, if you don’t believe me.”

“Why didn’t you tell me? Eva said one of the maids who works there saw you kissing Little James by the pool. Is this true? She said you were in love with him.” His pained expression made my heart sad. I didn’t want to hurt him. And how Eva knew about Javelin and I kissing by the pool remained to be seen. I felt a cold shiver run through me, as I wondered if she would stoop to stalking us.

I couldn’t lie to Trent. “We did hang out by the pool for a while. And...we did kiss. In a spontaneous kind of way. To be honest, I’m not sure what really happened, Trent. All I know is that I’m confused about a lot of things, Trent.”

He looked angry. “Did you have sex with him?”

“No! I can’t believe you asked that.” His accusation angered me. “Sex isn’t on everyone’s mind, Trent. Just because you’re obsessed with it doesn’t mean I am!”

He said words that I didn’t want to hear, words I had thought of myself. “Maybe we should take a break from each other, so you can get this guy out of your system, Vivvie. I can’t have you by my side until this is over. I’ll wonder if you’re wishing I was Bow-Ridge.”

“Oh Trent,” I cried out, tears coming down my face. I didn’t want to lose him, yet I couldn’t deny that I was attracted to Javelin.

“I’m upset and very unhappy about this, too, but I don’t see another way. Eva said I should give you some time to choose between me and Javelin. I think she’s right.”

The mention of Eva sent waves of rage through me. “Eva is causing trouble because she can’t have him to herself. Be careful, Trent. She’s after you too.” I couldn’t bear it any longer, I ran away, crying all the way home.

I stuck around the house for a few days. Trent didn’t call. Nor did Javelin. I wondered if he knew that Trent and I weren’t together. Part of me wanted him to call, but the part that cared deeply for Trent knew I needed to mourn our parting.

Mavis called a few days later. “Girl, are you okay?” she asked. “I heard about you and Trent. Eva is telling everyone she comes in contact with. Does your Mother know?”

“Not yet, but I better tell her tonight. She’s gonna hate me.” I said.

“Throw out the Bow-Ridge name and it should take some of the sting away.” Mavis said. “Sorry, don’t mean to sound malicious but your Momma puts a lot of stock into you marrying into the Sawyer family. It might never happen. You know how those society people are. They want pureblood.”

“True. What has Eva been saying?” I asked.

Mavis cleared her throat, “That you and Javelin were seen kissing by the pool.”

“How could she know that?” I asked. “Mavis, I have a suspicion that she’s stalking him. We were far away from the house. I can‘t imagine any of their help telling a mere girl what goes on there. They all seem to love Mr. Bow-Ridge.”

“Girl, don’t you know her Momma works as a maid for Paul’s dad? Eva hate it. She thinks Paul looks down on her.”

“I didn’t know. It makes sense now. I’m sure the maid circuit likes to gossip. Paul doesn’t look down on anyone,” I said, defending him.

Mavis cleared her throat and then said, “Vivian, I’m sorry about you and Trent, but I think you should give Javelin a chance. Jerome and I went to the movie house with him yesterday. When your name comes up, his face lights up. Trent’s doesn’t. And he talks about you in a way Trent never has. That boy’s got it bad for you. And I have a feeling you feel the same.”

While we cleaned away the dinner dishes that night, I told Mother about Trent and I taking a break from dating; that is was his idea and not mine. She didn’t say anything, but her clenched lips spoke volumes. I went to my room as soon as we finished. For days, she gave me the cold shoulder and would barely speak to me.

When I needed to get away from Mother’s frigid silent treatment, I would slip away to my magnolia tree; hide there amongst its massive limbs. For days, I avoided everyone, especially Javelin. I didn’t take any phone calls. Poor Mavis called ten times one day, causing Mother to temporarily break her code of silence by asking me to either answer the phone or take it off the receiver. I took it off the receiver. Javelin finally called three days after our dinner. I was out checking on the blueberry production and missed his call, much to my relief. When I returned, Mother handed me a bit of paper that read “That Bow-Ridge Boy Called at 2:17 p.m.

Trent was right, I should get Javelin out of my system, but I knew deep inside that if I tried I would fail. So I avoided Javelin instead. A few days after his phone call, I was in my tree reading a science fiction novel, when I heard him calling, “Come out, Blueberry Girl, I know you’re here somewhere.”

I was so startled that I dropped my book. It crashed through the tree to land with a loud thump on the ground below. He let out a low chuckle, as I cursed under my breath for giving away my hiding spot. The tree shook as he climbed up it. I cried out, “There isn’t enough room up here.”
But he came anyway. “We’ll make room,” he said.

The branch I sat on wouldn’t hold both of us, so he settled on the largest limb below me, looking up at me as I looked down. He said, “You didn’t return my call.”

“I know.” I had no reasonable excuse to offer.

“I heard you and Sawyer broke up,” he said staring at my face for a reaction.

“I know.”

“Is that all you can say?” He asked.

“Looking down at him, I realized that there was no sanctuary from him, now that my secret place had been revealed. I could hide in other places if I wanted but he would find me. I replied, “No, I have other things to say.”

“Like what?” He asked, lighting a cigarette.

“Like, I hate it when you smoke and I’m sorry I didn’t return your call.”

He put out his cigarette on the tree branch. “Let’s get out of this tree.” We climbed out of the tree and into a relationship. The moment he took my hand, I became his girl. Javelin and I spent as much time together as could before the blueberries ripened.

We never saw Trent while we were out. From the grapevine’s whisper, I heard that Eva and Trent were joined at the waist. I wasn’t surprised. She wanted both Javelin and Trent, but settled on having Trent for now. I knew she hadn’t completely given up on Javelin.