When We Were Wildflowers

Chapter 24 - The Reckoning

Alicia, Poppy and I approach Luke's house like a of band of well-trained ninjas under the cover of darkness, or at least that's what I hope we look like, but I'm also praying no will ever see us. With our heads and faces covered, and Poppy carrying a backpack full of 'weapons,' we are poised and ready to attack. My belly quivers under the black Rolling Stones t-shirt I borrowed from Alicia and I wipe my clammy palms on her black leggings as we embark on this risky quest to balance the scales of justice and make Luke pay for his crimes.

Although Poppy stands in front, Alicia is the one in charge, whispering commands based on the plan we crafted in the safety of her room. "See that tree in the front yard? That's where Poppy and I will start with the toilet paper."

Poppy nods and reaches into the backpack to pull out all four rolls, two of which she passes to Alicia.

"Just toss it over the tree limbs and then we can move on to the bushes." Alicia points to the front of the humble one-story home. "Violet, you squirt the pancake syrup on the garage door, and if you have some left, you can spray it on the mailbox or the cars. Then we move to phase two."

"Should I write something with it or just make a mess?" I whisper as we cross the street and duck behind a parked car.

Alicia smiles. "I like the way you think. What should she write, Pops?"

"Um, how about something like 'How could you be such a heartbreaking, shallow dip-shit, dirtbag who throws away an amazing woman?" Poppy grunts. "Too long? Maybe just shorten it to 'Luke is a dirtbag.'"

"I don't know, I feel like 'dirtbag' sounds like something my mom would say. Maybe it should have more of a punch like, 'Fuck you, Luke'?" Alicia whispers and adjusts her face mask. Then she takes out her phone for a quick selfie.

I swallow the lump in my throat. All this profanity is making me have second thoughts, not to mention a nosy neighbor could call the cops on us at any moment.

Where is my fiery courage and thirst for vengeance?

"Surprise us, Violet." Poppy winks and hands me the bottle of pancake syrup. "Are we ready?"

"On three, and remember to be completely silent until the big finish." Alicia's counts down with her fingers in the air. One. Two. Three. Then, she points at Luke's house and we storm his front yard and jump into action,

My heart is thumping faster than when I got called into Principal Evans' office that first week of school and I'm so scared could pee my pants. Why is it that when I play hide and seek (or, in this case, vandalize private property) the urge to use the bathroom is all I can think about?

Poppy and Alicia make quick work of decorating the towering oak tree at the center of Luke's manicured lawn while I struggle to open the pancake syrup. It's a new bottle and we forgot to remove the protective seal. It's so dark and my sweaty fingertips are slipping and sliding all over the slick plastic. I try screwing off the wrap and, of course, the entire lid pops off and disappears underneath the SUV parked in the driveway. Poppy is putting the finishing touches on the mighty oak, which is now sparkling like tinsel on a Christmas tree, and Alicia is coloring the green bushes Charrmin white when I finally find the lid. By then, I have accidentally squeezed the bottle and syrup is oozing from the opening, down my hand.

"Shit." I wipe it all over Alicia's leggings and focus on what to write. I decide on a hybrid of Alicia's and Poppy's suggestions (without writing a single swear world) and smile under my mask because I am so clever.

When I finally start squirting the words onto the white garage door, my hands aren't nearly as shaky as before, and I'm actually having fun. I stand back and admire my handiwork, nodding my head proudly. It's legible, written in perfect block letters: F U DIRTBAG LUKE.