Dancing in the Oaks

I Will Always Hold your Hand

I did not want to leave Nick at the hospital. It always hurts me when he feels bad. The trip home was a long one. It felt sad if the sky was crushing my body. It already felt that way, but the process was sped up. I could not just bear the stress anymore. I love him and who in the right mind would even think of hurting him? The stress and the pain of this whole thing. Everything has just become too much, but I persevere, at least I try. I ain't gonna surrender yet.

The moment I got home I walked into my bedroom and immediately noticed that my Bavarian dress was missing. I immediately walked around looking for it. Almost in tears, I found it on my parents' towel rack in their bedroom. It was hard to see it. I felt someone's eyes watching me as if they were stalking. As soon as I turned I bumped into my mom. "Mom! I'm so sorry! Hey, was it you that took this?" That scared me and I did not know what to say.

"It's not yours." Was all she muttered back. She was obviously quite irritated towards me.

"Listen If this is all about the family curse, then I don't have time for this. I don't care! This is crazy and I hate it. Look at this dress! I found it buried in the basement. It's awful mom! How can anyone just trash a dress like this." I said angrily.

"You're great grandmother, grandmother, and I all danced in that dress." She said.

I took the dress off the hangar. "You know what? So did I. I danced with Nick at the farmers market. I hugged Nick. I wore that dress, and I love it. This is crazy. I cannot believe this? Why do y'all shun German culture?" It felt better to get that question off of my chest.

"It's not the act of shunning, it's just that we never embrace it. We love it, but the Dales are another story. Fine you cannot have the dress." No matter how hard I tried it was not working at all. Stubborn.

"Why did you take it?" I asked very inquisitively.

She raised an eyebrow. "I cannot believe you are dating Nicholas. Why?"

"That's not your choice! I love him and I care for him. He does the same to me. I am not you, now please give me the dress back." I begged and begged. To no avail it did nothing.

Her mind was spinning in anger. "You can't make me. Norah, this is not yours."

"Mom! It was in my closet! Why were you going through my things? Why did you do that? I cannot believe that. How would you like me to do that to your closet?" I couldn't believe it.

I finally lost it and just left. I walked out of the door and just cried. I went back to the hospital because I just couldn't stay home anymore. It was quite sad because I love my family, but they just completely changed. I couldn't bear the new change. I just sat in the waiting room while waiting for an attendant to appear. When a young, black haired woman appeared she introduced herself as Kay. She took me back to see Nick. It was only obvious that Kay could tell something was up, but couldn't get the courage to ask.

"Norah, what are you doing back?" Nick asked.

I immediately just broke down and cried, "Well, it's kind of a long story. My family has been going through everything that is mine. They don't care about anyone else's stuff, but they went to go through mine. My mom took the dress out of my closet. I was so sad because she shouldn't have done it. I understand that it means something to her, but she could have asked to see it. That was not the case. It hurts. Then I found out that everything is apparently the Dale's fault. They blame everything on the Dale's. This and that and what more? The reason why we are where we are is because of the Dales. Okay, if then why did we move here? If my parents hated their guts, then why the heck would they even think about moving here. Who in the right mind... I'm so sorry. I brought you this." I tried my hardest to express my emotions without coming through as being rude.

He looked at my hands. "Oh, I don't.."

"Take it!" I said quickly as I made my way closer to him. His poor body layed there in the uncomfortable hospital bed.

His hands carefully opened up the box wrapped in black paper. I tried to wrap it perfectly. I used a red bow on top.

"Norah, you did not have to do that. Thanks for the belt buckle. It means a lot." He said with a big smile across his face. I got him a belt buckle with a nice four point buck on it.

I just gave him a smile, "yeah. You certainly deserve it. So I have something to tell you. My friend of fifteen years, MaryAnne, called me a week ago. She told me some vital points of this mystery. . MaryAnne said that Berry has an older brother. She said he's two years older than both of us, so two years older than Berry. MaryAnne dated him. His name is apparently Ryan. Maryanne said that he threatened to kill her. Nick! We have evidence. Her and her husband Jered are gonna be in town this week. They fly in tomorrow. If we can use MaryAnne as evidence and a witness to frame and catch the Dales then we would only have to deal with my family."

I could tell he was thinking about somethin'. "She dated Ryan Dale? How come this world is so small? Is MaryAnne's last name Wiedemann?" He set the box next to his water.

"Yep it was. I need to know, how do I catch my family? They will not divulge anything. It's almost as if they need an authoritative figure that will push for information. They won't listen to me because they don't want me to know for some reason. They won't listen to you because they don't like you. This world is too small. Why did my parents move here if they hate the Dales so much? It's beyond me. I just don't get what they don't get." The sun finally peaked behind the mountains.

"Catch your family? Officer Jackson or Mr. Moors could step in. I'm sure your parents don't know those two. They might be a little intimidated by the cop, but it might just work. You think they are in on something? Exactly, If your parents hated the Dales, then why on earth would they move here? If the Dales cheated their business, then why..." Exactly. We always seem to be thinking on the same page.

I chuckled a little. "That's my point. I mean, where do I go now because they pretty much kicked me out! I don't appreciate that one bit. I understand it's their home, but they came back with zero mortgage and zero loans. This town helped us pay that off. I feel selfish, but it's true. I'm going to buy a new car. I'm not using that truck if my brother is using it. The clutch will just get broken again and I will get freaking blamed for it. I don't understand why he has to be so bad at caring for things. I mean look at this! I'm so done! They had to have known about the bodies in the basement. Did they set that up?"

He gave me a dumbfounded look. "I get that all the way. It's not fair because we've worked just as hard as they have. So... you're saying that you think they are in on this? They knew 'bout the bodies?"

The hospital had the air conditioning on in the middle of fall. Who does that? "You know, it's cold here. Oh the window, the Air conditioner, and furnace. Oh Nick! They are trying to make us suffer no matter where we go! They were un phased when I told them about it. Wouldn't you be shocked if someone told you that they found not one, but 12 freaking dead bodies in the basement of your home? There's something wrong, Definitely wrong. I hate thinking about it. I mean, no emotion in their eyes. It was weird. I ain't crazy Nick."

"No, no I know that you are not crazy. You're a good woman with good judgment. Do you think that the Dales could have threatened them? If we can get the Dales gone first, then maybe they will confess. There's always a way out is what my mother taught me. She always said that. If your family is alive, then could my mom?"

"Didn't she have a funeral?"

"Yep, she was cremated. That doesn't mean anything."

"Right! Nick, lo... she has to be alive. The Dales? They have to have a basement thing going on. That's it. We've solved it, now we just need evidence. That's it!" Finally some possibilities.

"Norah, your parents can't talk because of the Dales threat! You can't talk because I'm not telling you to be quiet. This is all a part of the plan! Just trust me Norah. Do not talk to them, or anyone. We stay quiet and lay low, then maybe we can nail down some evidence. We've secured this to one pin point, and this is good."

I pulled the chair closer to the hospital bed. "It's gonna be alright. I think." I held his hand until he slowly dozed to sleep. He looked so peaceful, and I was at peace knowing that he was alive and well.