Forget Green Gables

Truth Shall Set You Free

"Where did Mr. Gilmore put the sparkling cider?" Danny asks as he attempts to set up the beverages for the Cast/Crew party in the choir room following a very successful opening night.

"I'm not sure. I'll check the loop. You know how Mr. Gilmore is with leaving things everywh-" my voice trails off as I come to a halt. Jessie, still in her stage makeup and hair, stands against a wall in the props' room. Carl has a hand on the wall on each side of Jessie's head, essentially pinning her there. Jessie's arms are glued to her sides, her eyes shut tight in a manner that reminds me of a little kid hoping that if they cannot see their fear then their fear cannot see them. Carl's face is only inches from Jessie's, but she does not seem to be enjoying any of it.

Danny approaches behind me and then, realizing that Jessie does not want Carl so close to her, exclaims, "hey! Back off!"
Carl steps back and Jessie immediately bolts for the exit. I follow right behind her. Jessie stops suddenly in the hallway in front of her locker.

"Rebecca was telling us the truth about what happened after the Winterfest Dance," Jessie starts, her makeup smudged from crying. With the amount of stage makeup she is wearing, the effect is a little macabre. "She didn't kiss Carl; Carl forced himself on her."

"I know," I say. "Want me to call my dad and have him come get us?"

Jessie, tears dripping, nods and falls onto my shoulder.
"I'm so sorry," I whisper, rubbing Jessie's back and her hair, sticky with so much hairspray. "It'll all be okay."

Jessie lets go of me and then resumes crying. We duck into a bathroom and try our best to clean up the horrifying streaks of our stage makeup, but I just want to get home and shower it all off. While our stage heels clicky-clack on the tile floors on the way back to the stage area, Jessie links her arm through mine. "I'm so glad you're the Anne to my Diana."

In the back classroom, Mr. Gilmore explains something to a school security officer. Danny sits between Felix and a senior who is the boyfriend of the senior playing Marilla. Felix sports a bloody lip. Danny holds an ice pack on his left eye, and the senior rubs a swelling jaw.
"What the hell happened?" I exclaim before I can get ahold of my tongue.

The senior speaks. "We saw you and Diana-"
"Her real name's Jessie," Felix jumps in.
"Oh, sorry Jessie. Anyway, we went to see what had happened. That techie SOB was shoving Danny, then decked him in the eye. He managed to deck me and bloody Felix's lip before we handled it. Mr. Gilmore heard the commotion, got back there, heard our stories, and sent the jackass home. Asshole. You okay, Dia-Jessie?"
Jessie starts when she realizes he means her. "Um-I think so." She crosses her arms over her tiny body, and I stand a little closer.

"I'm calling Dad and we're going home," I inform my twin.
"Already called him. Jessie, Danny, he said he'd take y'all home as well."

"So much for our cast party," Danny says, collecting his possessions.

"I can't wait for this production to be over," Mr. Gilmore grumbles as he begins to reset the costume room. "Don't leave before you give me your costumes back."

Dad takes Jessie home first, and if he's confused as to why Jessie's back, he does not say anything. I walk Jessie to the door, giving her a huge hug before saying goodnight.

"It will all be okay," I solemnly swear as I hug Jessie tightly, looping my pinky in hers.

"Are you going to tell Jamie?" Jessie asked.

I nod. "First thing tomorrow. I'd call her tonight, but the last time I called after 11 Mrs. Asburn threatened to ground both of us."

Jessie giggles a little bit. Mrs. Sloan, wearing a tee shirt and shorts and clearly still half asleep, opens the door.

"Oh, hi Cheyanne. Jessie, I wasn't expecting you home for another couple of hours. How did it go? What's wrong?"

Jessie squeezes my hand and smiles at her mom. "Mom, I'll tell you the entire story. Cheyanne's gotta go but she's going to come over soon."

"Absolutely," I answer. "Goodnight, Mrs. Sloan. Goodnight, Jessie."

I kiss Danny goodbye in front of my father for the first time. Dad averts his eyes as Danny pecks me on the mouth and then hops out of the vehicle, thanking my dad for the ride. When Danny is safely inside the house, Dad backs out of the driveway and shakes his head. He seems to be waging some sort of internal battle, wondering what to ask about first. Finally, he decides that there is no benefit in fighting with me about my boyfriend.
"All is well with the Voices?"

I shake my head. "No, but we've found the cure, I think."

"Time and the truth?" Dad asks.

I tilt my head to the side and consider it. "And willingness to actually hear and believe that truth. Jessie and I are okay. The rest will come, I hope. I just need to talk to Jamie tomorrow."

"Well, I hope it all works out," my dad stats, turning into our driveway. "I'm glad things are better."

"How are you going to tell Jamie?" Felix asks from the doorway of my room, as I toss dirty clothes into my hamper and brush my hair up into a high ponytail. Our mother remains in her room and refuses to come out and talk to us, which does not bother us even remotely.

"I don't know. I need to sleep on it, I think."

"I'm glad things are looking up," Felix offers in an oddly sincere manner.

"Me, too," I answer.
"I mean, you need your friends. Can't have you cramping my style hanging around all the time."

"Oh, shut up, Butthead."

He is oddly serious for a moment. "Cheyanne," he says.

I look up. "What?"

"You've gotta forget Green Gables. That's never going to be our life. Mom's just...too far gone."