The Farmer's Son

Chapter 24 Wheat and Fireworks

She held his head and kissed him fully, lips tasting of wine and barbeque, body warm and soft along his front, her perfume sweet and heady. She was everything men dreamed of. But though Alan's hands came up automatically to catch her, he held them away from her body, and his eyes did not close, but watched tears shimmering on her lashes like pearls.

She kissed him deeply, but at his unmoving lips and stiffened body, she slowly pulled away. Lashes fluttering, she opened her eyes, but looking up into his face, she saw nothing of her feelings reflected in the sugar-colored eyes. For the first time it hit her that they were truly over, and that she was never going to get him back. A gasp passed her lips as her heart broke completely, and she staggered back. This time Alan caught her, his hands coming up around her waist and arm. But before either could say anything—not that there was much to say—someone else did.

Because who should see them standing smack in the middle of the doorway but Holden, coming around the corner of the house.

"You get your hands off her!" Holden bellowed. Running towards them like a charging bull, he cocked back his arm for a roundhouse swing, and it landed with the smack of flesh on flesh—directly into Ray's hand.

From where Ray stood he had seen Holden coming, and darted out just in time to catch the punch, the impact of which reverberated up his arm.

"Holden!" Annabelle cried, sounding less alarmed at his presence and more annoyed.

"I should have known you'd try something like this!" Holden shouted. He attempted to charge Alan, but Ray caught and held him back. "The minute you saw her you realized your mistake and wanted her back. Well, you can't have her back, she's mine!"

"Holden, stop!" she said, her voice shrill and teary. "Don't hurt him!"

"Don't try to defend him! Move out of my way!" he shouted at Ray, pushing against Ray's hold like an animal being restrained, heels skidding and sliding in the dirt.

"I can't do that," Ray said, shoving him back with effort and standing in his way. "Maybe you should listen to what she has to say."

"Annabelle doesn't care about him anymore. She agreed to marry me, why would she—" As he spoke Holden looked at her, and the look on her face made him stop. His face, contorted in anger, slackened and fell. "Annabelle?" he panted softly.

She shook her head and lowered it, her long wavy hair falling forward as she covered her face with her hands, breath shaky, body trembling all over.

As the couple paused in their devastation, Ray glanced back at Alan. Only the outside lights of the garage were on, throwing a pool of bright yellow light down on their heads and vaguely lighting a few feet inside the door. Backing away from the confrontation, Alan stood in the gloom, hand raised to wipe his lips, his face shadowed by more than the lack of light. As Holden tried to get Annabelle to say something, Alan glanced at them, then walked around Ray and out the doors.

She looked up at his movement, her eyes wet and beseeching, lips parting to call for him. She even took a step towards him. But Alan didn't look back at her. Shaking off Holden, she turned in a swish of hair and dashed off in the opposite direction. Holden stood with his head down, chest rising and falling with deep breaths. Ray understood his hesitancy: should he chase after the girl who accepted his proposal while she was still hoping to win back her high school sweetheart?

With a last glance at Holden, not knowing what decision he would make in that situation himself, Ray quietly left.

Outside in the yard, around the corner from the garage, children played and fireworks flared, filling the night with the smell of smoke, sharp cracks, and laughter.