Freedom Train

January 5, 1963

January 5, 1963

Annabeth pulled another damp sheet from the basket at her feet. The task was tedious, but at least it got Annabeth out of the house for a bit. The weather had warmed slightly, enough to where the little bit of snow had melted away and the ground had softened under her feet as she stepped back and forth hanging the wash to dry.

She couldn't help but think of her secret friend, wondering how two weeks could go by so darn slowly. She still had five more day until she was to meet Terry. It had already felt as if it had been months since the last time she saw him.

Perhaps, she thought, she had made him up in her mind. Perhaps he was just a figment of her over active imagination. Her Mama did always say that her head was full of butterflies and make-believe. Would it be inane to wonder if Terry was make-believe, too?

Annabeth was so lost in her own thoughts that she didn't hear Bobby sneak up behind her.

"Hey, Annabeth," he greeted.

Annabeth jumped, the sheet in her hand falling back into the wicker basket as she covered her heart with her hand.

"Jesus, Bobby. You scared me half to death!"

Bobby laughed lightly, shoving his hands in his pockets as he shifted his feet, digging into the mud with his boots.

"Sorry."

Annabeth and Bobby had seen each other a few times since their day trip to the library. He seemed to be making a habit of stopping by after supper for walks, or popping in during the day 'just to say hi'. The two of them had developed an easy friendship but it seemed to be nothing more than that. He hadn't kissed her again since New Year's Eve, nor had he made any effort to. Neither of them mentioned it to the other, either.

Annabeth was confused where Bobby was concerned. She was not sure whether she was disappointed that nothing more seemed to be coming from the two of them spending so much time together, or if she was relieved.

She had known Bobby her entire life. She had watched him grow from a child to an adolescent, to a man. Yet, it wasn't until recently that she felt as if she saw him for who he was. It was becoming more and more difficult to remind herself that he was the same kid she had spent her youth avoiding like the bubonic plague.

It was odd, new to her, how his presence began to affect her mood in a positive way. He continued to show up out of nowhere and she couldn't help the smile that spread across her face at the sight of him. What that meant, she wasn't sure, but she knew it was an exciting sensation all the same.

"To what do I owe this unexpected visit?" Annabeth asked as she picked up the cold white sheet again.

"Need some help with that?" Bobby asked instead of answering, nodding his head toward the fabric.

"Sure. If you don't mind my brother seeing you do woman's work," Annabeth teased, nodding her head toward where Ronny worked near the barn.

Bobby shrugged and reached for the other end of the sheet, pulling the fabric along the line before reaching toward Annabeth for a clothespin.

"That doesn't bother me none," he replied with a smile. "I've always believed that keeping house has no relevance to gender. When I get married, I hope my wife will tend to the pigs just as fast as I can tend to the wash and the children."

Annabeth smiled at him and handed him a towel and two more clothespins.

"You going to tell me what brings you by today or are we going to keep talking about laundry and domesticity?" she asked him again.

"You," he replied easily. "I just wanted to see you. You've become a real great friend, AB."

"So have you, Bobby," she smiled.

Annabeth hung up the last towel and picked up the empty basket, tucking it under her arm.

"I noticed the car wasn't home. Your parents go out for the day?"

Annabeth sighed, truly hating the truth about where her parents had gone.

"They went into Birmingham. Something about meeting with Wallace's people to see how they can help with the election."

Annabeth believed that George Wallace was nothing more than another bigoted and evil racist, with no regard for anyone other than himself and his views on how the world worked. He was a vile human being and Annabeth, for one, was hoping that he never had the chance to become the Governor of Alabama.

She held open the back door of the house with her hip as Bobby walked around her and into the kitchen.

"You don't sound so happy about that," he commented dryly.

"Not everyone around here agrees with Wallace."

"That's for sure," he agreed with a scoff.

Annabeth set the basket down on the counter and turned toward Bobby.

"You are anti-segregation?" she asked, knowing it sounded like an accusation than an observation.

Bobby leaned against the counter and crossed his arms over his chest defensively.

"Not that I should explain myself to you, Annabeth, but yes. I am anti-segregation. Contrary to popular belief, I am not an animal. I know in my heart that the way Coloreds are being treated is wrong. It's ungodly the things that I hear happening to those poor people. It's not fair that they aren't offered the same advantages as we are based solely on the color of their skin, and damn unconstitutional if I might add."

Annabeth was dumbfounded. Who was this boy?

"What?" he asked, starting to appear more nervous than defensive. "Why are you looking at me like that, Annabeth?"

He began to fidget uncomfortably under Annabeth's scrutinizing gaze.

"It's just... I don't think I've ever found you more interesting than I do in this moment."

A blush of color seeped into his cheeks as a sweet grin formed on his face.

"Oh," was his genius reply.

Annabeth smiled and took a step toward him.

Bobby slowly reached out toward her, tucking a piece of hair that had fallen from her ribbon behind her ear.

"In that case, I believe I'll take full advantage of the moment and ask if you'd like to go out with me again. This time, maybe you could check on the pigs before we go," he teased.

"When?"

"Tonight? Around 7?"

"I'll be ready," she replied easily.

Bobby nodded before backing away, leaving the house before Annabeth had a chance to change her mind.