Against the Stars

Chapter 45

Days passed she soon May had rolled in. All races of winter had vanished, leaving Virginia in bloom. Flowers sprung up in many places she everything was alive again, including people. More and more people were venturing other to see the world.

Except Ginny.

Her mother had decided on a new way to keep Ginny from tubing away and that was to watch her as a mother Bess may watch her cubs. Ginny scarcely found a moment when she wasn't under her mother's watchful eye. Cleaning the parlor, there was Mother. Making breakfast, there was Mother. After a week of this, Ginny lost her nerve.

Well Mother was at the store, Ginny pulled Nelly and Bess aside. She had feeling the little troublemakers would have a poem to save her.

She explained her predicament to the two little girls, who listened, all ears. The two girls conferenced for a moment, and then turned to Ginny, all smiles.

"We have just the plan for you," Bess said with a little lisp.. She had recently lost a tooth.

"You tell Mother you're going to Stephen's grave, she can hardly day no to that," Nelly put in.

"But I don't want to lie," Ginny said. She found herself lying to much and she was sick of it.

"You don't have to lie. So go to Stephen's grave," Bess said, jumping up and down from excitement.

"Mother's at the store, correct? Well she's bound to forget something since she's mother. I'll volunteer to go get what she forget. Well I'm at the store, I'll relay a massage to your beau..."

"He is not my beau!"

"Telling him to meet you at Stephen's grave," Nelly continued without missing a beat. "See it all works!" Nelly smiled widely, proud of her brilliant plan.

"That should work. Thanks Nell, Bess."

"You're welcome!" The two girls piped back. Nelly asked away, but  Bess stayed.

"Ginny, are you and Ben going to get married?"

Ginny had to laugh at that idea.  That would never happen for one reason or another. "No Bess, I don't think so."

Bess smiled. "That's good, I don't want you to leave." And with that, she walked away.

If Mother wanted to stop me from leaving, she should just sent Bess on me," Ginny thought. Ginny knew she couldn't leave Bess. Her younger siblings had already lost so much, they didn't need to lose anymore.

When Mother came home, Nelly ran embrace her. Sure enough, Mother had forgotten something and Nelly said she'd go get it. Mother agreed. Nelly was out the door with s smile. Ginny had a feeling she'd skip the whole way to the store.

Ginny knew that her part came next. She took a deep breath, summoned all her courage and went to Mother.

"Mother?" Ginny asked hesitantly.

"Yes Ginny, what is it?" Mother replied, her back still turned.

"Would it be all right if I went to Stephen's grave?"

That caused Mother to turn around. "You want to go to Stephen's grave?"

"Yes, it's May and there are real flowers blooming. I think I should put some real flowers on his grave."

Ginny could see tears beginning form in her mother's eyes. She took a deep breath, then said, "Yes. Yes you can go. Be back before dinner."

Ginny nodded. She felt bad, deceiving her mother like this, but at least it wasn't lying. She slipped in her cloak -May could still be chilly- her shoes, and was she was out the door.

The walk to the cemetery was neither long nor enjoyable. Though she was going to see Ben, Ginny couldn't help but remember she was going  her brother's grave. It was hard to believe that it had been four months since Stephen's death. It felt like it had been yesterday, yet felt like it had been a thousand years ago.

A light wind knocked Ginny's hair back and forth. It continued to get in the way she she wished she had tied it back. There was no time for that though. Ben was probably already waiting for her. Ginny found herself jogging soon after.

The cemetery came into view and Ginny slowed to a walk. She quickly roamed the headstones searching for the one. It was towards the back with the other newer headstones. Ginny found herself walking a little faster.

Ginny spotted a patch of blonde sticking up against the pale blue of the sky and the dark grey of the headstones. "Ben!" Ginny called out.

The blonde patch turned and Ginny saw a smiling Ben. Ginny began to run faster and before she knew it, she had fallen into his arms.

"I was wondering when you were going to show up," Ben Reid the two of them broke apart.

"Sorry. It seems you got Nelly's message."

"Yes, though I have to say I was surprised to receive it. And even more surprised when she told told me it was from my beau."

"Nelly!" Ginny cried, frustrated with her little sister.

Ben laughed. "Anyways,  why did she have to deliver It?"

"I've had a hard time escaping my mother. This was the only way I could see you."

"Oh. Your mother is still trying to face control over you then?"

Ginny nodded. "Without a break. She rarely let me out of her sight last week. Everywhere I went, there are her eyes, starring me down."

Ben grabbed Ginny's hand. "Hey, it's all right. We can do this," then he paused fire a moment, taking a big breath. "I need tell you something."

Ginny's heart began to race. That sentence struck fear like no other. Ginny's mind began to image everything that Ben could say, and none of it was good.

Ben took another deep breath. "I... I want to join the army."

"What!" Ginny cried, rising to her feet. "You want to do what?"

Ben nodded slowly. "I want to follow Nicholas. I want fight. From isn't just given Ginny, it had to earned and I want to earn it."

"Ben you're fourteen. Fourteen! You still have all much of your life ahead. Why not wait a few years then join?"

Ben sighed, starring at the ground. "I knew you wouldn't take it well."

Ginny sighed as well. "It's just... Ben I don't want anything to happen to you. I've lost so much already, I don't want to lose you."

Ben squeezed Ginny's hand. "I promise of if go I'll be careful. Besides I don't even know where I'd go or how I get there. I'm still here."

Ben pulled Ginny into his arms and for a moment, she was suspended in the. For a moment,everything didn't matter.

"Everything will be all right Gin."

Ginny smiled weakly. "You called me Gin?"

Ben nodded. "Honoring Stephen. You really miss him, don't you?"

"Yes."

"Would you miss me more?"

"I'd miss you as much as one person could miss another."

"You know Gin, I think I love you."

Ginny opened her mouth to respond, but no words came out.