The Boy in the Woods (2014 Wattys Winner, Wattpad Version)

Chapter 7 - It's Just a Matter of Time

While Jess ate breakfast the next morning, she chatted with Annie who was sorting laundry.  Jess thought it was going to be a good morning.  She was fairly certain she was going to see Marty, but even if she didn't, she wasn't too worried.  He wasn't going to stop visiting the cabin just because she might be there, she was sure of it.

"What on earth?" Annie exclaimed.  Jess looked over and her heart leapt in her throat.  Annie was holding up her dirty dress, the one she'd worn the day she'd gathered firewood with Marty.  "What were you doing that got your dress so dirty?"

While Annie looked at her expectantly, Jess tried desperately to think of something.  She couldn't tell her the truth, but she didn't want to lie to her again.  She already felt guilty for how many lies she'd told Annie so far.  Then Annie's face softened.  "I'm not mad, pumpkin," she said gently.  "I was just wondering, that's all."  It didn't make Jess feel any better.  She swallowed and took a deep breath.

"I – was in the woods, and – I was gathering wood – big pieces of wood," she added quickly.  "To – build a fort."  She'd decided to stick as close to the truth as she could, hoping the guilt wouldn't be as bad for this new lie.

"Oh, is that it.  I used to do that all the time in the woods behind my house with my sister and –."  Her face darkened and she turned back to sort laundry.  "I'm glad to see you're out doing things like other kids, but I wish you had better clothes to do it in," she said with her back to Jess.  "Maybe I should ask your uncle about getting you some play clothes so you don't ruin your dresses."

"Oh, okay," Jess said, relieved the subject had been changed, but she still felt guilty that Annie had believed her. 

Trying to distract herself, she looked out the window and thought about today's visit with Marty.  She wondered what they might do.  Would she get dirty?  She better have a good excuse if she did.  Then she thought about how every time she'd seen him, she'd had to cut her visit short because it got so late in the afternoon and she was starving.  A wonderful idea suddenly occurred to her.

"Uh, Annie," she said, interrupting Annie who was talking about the latest romantic movie she'd seen.  "Do you think I could pack a lunch to take with me when I go outside?  Sometimes I get so busy I forget about lunch."

"Of course!" she replied smiling. 

"Do you think – do you think I could have – two sandwiches?" she asked hesitantly, fearing Annie might catch on.  "I get really hungry," she added lamely. 

"I bet you do!  You don't eat enough already without being gone most of the day with nothing to eat.  I'll pack you a good lunch, but you have to help me hang the sheets.  Deal?"

"Deal," Jess said, smiling.  Now all she had to figure out was how to offer the extra sandwich to Marty, and get him to accept it, without letting him know she knew he went hungry.

Once she'd helped Annie get the sheets hung on the clothesline, she went back in the kitchen to collect the basket that held her and Marty's lunch.  She looked out the kitchen window and was delighted the garage doors were closed.  Going out the front door, she quickly went to the path and then slowed her pace, not wanting to rush off to the cabin.  If Marty wasn't there, she was determined not to be upset about it, but even so, when she entered the clearing and saw the door to the cabin open, a wave of relief washed through her.

When she reached the entrance, she saw Marty at the sink in the kitchen with his head down, washing something as his golden brown hair fell over his eyes.  She knocked softly on the door frame and he startled, turning towards her with wide eyes, a soapy mug nearly slipping out of his hands.  She immediately felt bad she'd scared him.