Moonshine Hollow

Chapter Twelve

The next day was Sunday and Miss Rose let herself sleep in. She was exhausted from staying up so late the night before. Once they had finished dishes and sweeping up Forrest had driven her home. They rode the whole way in silence but it wasn't uncomfortable. Rose opened the window and let the cool night air blow in her face and for the first time felt free. Someone knew her, not everything about her, but someone at least knew her name. They knew she had been here, not just this persona she had created.

Rose skipped church and she had intended to sneak out of the boarding house before anyone noticed. She wanted to walk up to the store and see how Miss Lilly and Dan were doing. But Mrs. Hudson was already serving breakfast to the after church crowd when she crossed the main hall.

"Miss Rose," Mrs. Hudson called after her. "Breakfast is hot."

She debated continuing on her way, but didn't want them to think she was any less of a lady. She had certainly lost ground by skipping church. And while she was glad Forrest knew something about her she couldn't afford to let anyone else notice she was anything but what she said.

Putting on a demure smile she went into the dining room and froze as she spotted Preacher Franklin sitting at the head of the table. Her resolve wavered and she glanced wistfully towards the door but Mrs. Hudson was blocking her exit with an expectant smile and a tray of food in her hands.  She sighed and trudged to the chair as far from Preacher Franklin as she could manage. Suddenly seeming like a rude, spoiled brat didn't sound too bad.

"Miss Rose," Preacher Franklin greeted.

Rose bent over her plate and tried not to draw attention to herself. "Miss Rose," Preacher Franklin called in a louder voice. Rose finally looked up from her plate.

"Yes, Preacher Franklin." She used to be better at keeping her impatience in check. The boys were getting to be a poor influence on her she thought unrepentantly.

"I wasn't sure that you had heard me." He said in his demeaning voice. "We miss you at service today." He said pointedly.

Rose took a large bite of her eggs, and silently calculated how long she needed to sit here to be polite.

"I hear you are still frequenting The Garrett's. Is that why you weren't in church today?" He steepled his fingers in front of his mouth and looked down his nose at her. "I couldn't live with myself if something happened to you Miss Rose. A god fearing lady like yourself doesn't belong in a place like that. Them boys-"

Rose slammed her cup down on the table, sloshing hot coffee over her hand and soaked her sleeve. "-have been kinder to me than anyone else in this town! And I'll not have you continue to speak ill of them."

"Just so," Preacher Franklin continued, ignoring Rose's out burst as though she were an unruly child. "'Many of satan's creatures are beautiful to look upon. And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light.' Corinthians 11:14. Just look what happened to that poor little girl."

Rose felt her eyes widen and her control on her temper snap. "Don't you dare speak on things you don't understand!" Rose leapt to her feet. "You claim to be a man of god and you claim to have known the Garrett's, then don't tell me you didn't know what their father did to them when they were young. Forrest was just fifteen and you did nothing! You are just as guilty in the death of that little girl as Mr. Garrett was. And if god really is the god you preach about you will not be forgiven you sins." Rose shoved back her chair and marched out of the house.

Rose's anger carried her out of town and up the hill. She was halfway up the hollow before she slowed her angry march. She paused and looked around herself. She had worked so hard to construct this persona. She had worked so hard living up to being who she thought all these people expected her to be and she had just thrown it all out. She started laughing and couldn't stop.

Peter and Arthur found her there, sitting at the side of the road, laughing hysterically. They stopped and climbed out of the car.

"Are you alright?" Arthur asked, already chuckling with her.

Rose nodded, though the confused look on Peter's face made her start up again.

Arthur turned to Peter. "I think she's thrown a wheel."

Peter stared at Rose for a long time while she and Arthur laughed together before he started chuckling.

After a few long minutes Rose was finally able to control herself enough to explain what happened at breakfast. Arthur chuckled lightly, "I can't believe you told him he would burn in hell"

Rose sniffed and wiped at her eyes. "Well not in so many words..."

"You probably shouldn't have done that," Peter said, his eyes dark with concern. "That Preacher Franklin will have the whole town thinking you are less than an upright lady."

Arthur chuckled again. "Well certainly, she spends all her time in our den of sin...did he quote the bible at you?"

Rose laughed again. "Yes he did, several times. Ones about sin and how Satan's minions are often beautiful and will lead me to ruin."

"I'm not sure I'm comfortable with Preacher Franklin thinking I'm beautiful." Arthur gave her his most handsome smile. Rose burst out laughing again. Arthur knew exactly how beautiful he was, and used it to his advantage.

"I'm serious," Peter said.

Rose sobered. She turned away from Arthur to stare squarely at Peter so he would know she was serious. "Peter, I don't care what the good Preacher thinks of me. You and your brothers have been kind to me. That's all that matters."

Both Peter and Arthur blushed at her sincere words. Arthur kicked at a rock on the road and for the first time seemed to be at a loss for words.

"Now that that's all cleared up," Rose said clearing her throat. "Where are you both headed?" She glanced at the back of the truck but there were no crates.

"We're headed to the next town over, have some shopping to do. Would you care to join us?"

Rose smiled, "I would absolutely love that."