The Understorey

“A little,” she said. “I was just witness to the feast you treated yourself to. If I wasn’t already aware of your intimidating self control I’d think you’d had none.”

Everyone got really quiet, reading too much into what she had just said. I felt the color drain from my own face and travel over to Jules’ red hot cheeks. Suddenly, everyone burst into laughter. All, except Jules father, but I could live with that. I mean, technically I was being accused of being a prude. That was okay with me. Jules, on the other hand, had just labeled herself the opposite.

I jumped in trying to save her, “Well, I can take it. I do work out a lot with the team. I burn a lot of calories running up and down the field.”

“And not to mention it relieves frustration,” someone said under their breath. I’m guessing one of the sarcastic cousins.

Another burst of laughter, but this time it was my cheeks that got their color back and then some. Jules’ dad intervened and surprisingly came to our defenses.

“Okay, okay. Everyone calm down,” he said. “They’re two very good kids and we don’t want to weaken their beliefs by letting them think what they’re doing is too old fashioned.”

Jules’ aunt Isabel chimed in to back up Jules’ dad, “That’s right Julia and Elliott. You’re light years above people twice your age and I’m waiting for the amazing thing that will inescapably come of you both.”

Everyone started to agree and assured us they meant no harm when Caroline came to our rescue and diverted the attention from us.

“Whew!” I aimed at Jules.

She smiled, shrugged her shoulders and rolled her eyes.

“Never been so happy to see Caroline,” she murmured.

I reached over the counter top and grabbed her hand. My little instant anxiety relief flickered through my arms and I got a double dose in my fluttering heart as it coasted to an easy rhythm. I let go of her hand and we both sighed in relief.

“Let’s take a walk together,” I offered.

“What an excellent idea. I need to get out of here.”

We mentioned what we were doing to Jules’ mom and headed out the door.  We walked around her aunt’s neighborhood at first and found a main street that lead us onto a charming street chock full of creative little businesses. We stopped into a little novelty store where we bought a little flip book of a woman from the twenties wearing a bathing suit that went to her knees. When you flipped the book, she did a little dance, it was hilarious. Jules and I laughed for five minutes.

Then we stopped at a little organic coffee house and had a small cup of coffee and chatted for at least an hour, though it felt like five minutes.

Afterwards, we stopped at a local art gallery and Jules gushed over all of the art with the curator. Invariably, Jules was asked to send a painting, constant as ever. We left the gallery and began walking back toward Jules’ aunt’s home.

We passed a window full of wedding dresses and I jokingly nudged Jules’ ribs. She rolled her eyes at me, put her fist up to her mouth and pretended to blow an imaginary dart at me. Not one to be shown up, I grabbed my neck and dramatically wavered until I fell onto a nearby park bench. We caught an older couple laughing at us and Jules bowed.

“Come on,” I said dragging her back toward the main street, “you win.”

When we finally got back to the house, it was time for lunch. Her aunt made this really indulgent salad with homemade dressing and I stuck to that to please Jules after this morning’s disaster.

Everyone piled into the theater room afterwards and there were so many of her family members there weren’t enough seats so the older kids sprawled out on to the floor in front of the screen with pillows and blankets. Jules and I picked the darkest area in the far right corner.

Before the film started Jules jumped up to use the restroom and when she came back she said she couldn’t see where I was.

“We’re invisible over here,” she said.

“Let’s talk then,” I said.

“Good thinkin’. Honestly, I’ve been meaning to bring this up to you but didn’t know when a good time would be.”

“What’s on your mind?”

“I’ve a sinking feeling we haven’t seen the last of Taylor or Jesse. I know you said that we should wait and see if anything comes about but I’m just not comfortable waiting for something bad to happen. I’d rather take the offensive.”

I sighed.

“Jules, Jules, Jules. After all the heat that’s been put on those two we’re not going to hear a peep from them. I’m certain of it.”

“I don’t know Elliott. Anyone who would go so far as to break into another’s home is seriously deranged and I don’t think a little thing like a pep talk from the Principal or the local sheriff is going to derail them.”

She shuddered as if she was cold. I brought the flannel blanket up to her waist for her.

“I’m not cold,” she said, “I’m scared.”

“Oh Jules, now, you see this is why I should have just knocked Jesse out at school the next day. That would have taught him.”

“No!” She said too loudly then brought her voice back down to a whisper, “that would have made it worse. That kind of stuff just adds fuel to their already blazing fire.”

“Well, what do you want to do about it?” I asked.

“Well, we could approach them,” she suggested.

“No, that would be inconceivable!” I joked.

“You keep using that word. I don’t think it means what you think it means,” she said along with the film.

I paused and tried not to smile.

“You’re so cute,” I said.

“So are you,” she said and went in for a kiss.

I pulled back.

“Uh, uh, uhh, your dad’s right there Jules!”

“Oh yeah. I forget sometimes. You’re so distracting. You don’t realize what I go through,” she admitted.

“I don’t realize?” I almost shouted.

“Okay, okay. Shhh. Back to the subject,” she breathed.

“We can approach them but it would have to be at lunch on an A day and we don’t have an A day until the Thursday we come back because we’re off Monday and Tuesday and Wednesday is a B day.”

“If an A day is before a B day and Wednesday is a B day and since we’re off Monday and Tuesday we’d have to wait until Thursday?!” She asked mockingly.

“Shut up!” I laughed. “You’re the one who wanted to talk about this.”

We both laughed loudly but it was at a part of the film that was conveniently funny for all and we recovered nicely.

“Nice,” I said and we silently high-fived.

“Alright Elliott, so we’ll approach them Thursday, but what should we say?” She asked.

“Well, I think we should just tell them that they don’t scare us and they don’t have a chance in hell in breaking us up, so give it up.”

“Add a ‘get your own life’ in there too!”

“Shut up!” I chuckled.

“And a ‘you better check yourself, before you wreck yourself’,” she jested.

“How about we close with a ‘your mama’s so fat’?”

“Yes, classic. Classic.”

“Are we done?” I asked.

“Yes, we’re in too playful a mood to do this.”

“Alright, let’s watch the film and annoy everyone by reciting every line,” I said. “You’re Wesley and I’ll be Princess Buttercup.”

“Such an awesome name,” she said.

“It’s so funny that they had a somewhat normal name coupled with such a cutesy one.”

“What are you talking about?” She said. “He’s The Dread Pirate Roberts!”

“Ohhhh, that’s right. They’re doomed. They’re kids are going to be named something stupid like Princesses Alstroemeria and Delphinium.”

“What is wrong with you?” She laughed. “How do you even know the names of those flowers? That’s it. I forbid your reading to reach such subjects that allow me to immediately ask for your man card. Your reading shall be limited to the sciences, mysteries, really anything manly, and that is all.”

We laughed pretty hard.

“Shhhh!” Everyone said in unison.

That sent us into a frenzy and we had to flee the theater in fear we’d be flogged. We ran and sat at the top of the stairs trying to catch our breath from our stupid banter. I grabbed Jules’ hand but that didn’t help. The current was only soothing if we were anxious, scared, or sad. If we were already happy it just magnified the feeling.

We started laughing so loudly we decided to hide out in the kitchen. We realized that memaw Joan E was in there cooking up a storm so we found a retreat inside Isabel’s and Rocky’s garage.

“Wow!” I shouted. “Look at all these cars!”

“Nice huh?”

“Uh, yup.”

More laughing.

“That wasn’t even funny,” I could barely speak.

“I know. You’re so much fun and for no reason at all.” She became serious, “That’s one of the things I love about you.”

She leaned in for a kiss and this time I gave it to her.

“I think we’re going to love Philadelphia,” I said.

“Dude, I think so too. It is such a fun city. The music Elliott! The music! That’s the best part! Imagine all the live music! Mwua ha ha ha ha!” She dribbled her fingers      together.

“Mwua ha ha ha ha!” I joined in with her.

That’s when Jules’ dad entered the garage to check on us and caught us acting like fools. We burst out into laughter again.

“You kids,” he tossed up his hands.

I was confident that Jules’ dad officially liked me. He never quite warmed up to me on account of the night I accidentally spent with Jules, but I think this week convinced him of my intentions toward Jules and that made me very happy.

The next day was Thanksgiving and while the dinner was being prepared all the young cousins spent the day in the game room, after we put up all the cots of course. Jules and I had begun a game of darts before her mom came up looking for her.

“Come on Julia, all the women want to talk to you. You’re a well enough cook to make a difference in the work this year,” she said.

“But ma’? What about Elliott?” She asked, deep concern in her eyes.

“He’ll be alright sugar,” she said, smiling at me.

“Go on Jules,” I said. “I want to catch up on some reading anyway.”

“Okay,” she said and began to follow her mom down the stair case.

She peered up through the bars and I puckered my bottom lip.

“Don’t do that,” she mouthed.

I shooed her away and smiled. I grabbed my book from my bag and went downstairs to the sitting area. The entire downstairs was one large industrial looking space with concrete floors but rugs everywhere. I chose a chair near the kitchen but not too near so as I didn’t appear to be eavesdropping, but much to their disappointment I’m sure, I could hear everything they were saying as clear as a bell. Unfortunately, I didn’t get to hear the beginning and by the sounds of what I had stepped into, so to speak, it would have been so pleasurable to hear.