The next day I woke up completely full of energy and ready to take on the world. I prepared myself for the day and made my way into the kitchen to make breakfast for everyone. As usual, nobody was awake yet, so that gave me a head start. I tidied up the mess my siblings left for me in the living room, began to boil the tea and some milk for porridge. Most of the soldiers in the barn didn’t have any teeth so porridge sounded like the best thing. Slowly, one by one, each of my family members woke up from their blissful slumber to the smell of hot porridge and delicious tea. As all the kids sat down at the table, awaiting their breakfast, I made my way to the barn with a tray carrying five bowls of porridge and tea. Most of the soldiers weren’t awake yet. Including James. However due to the ruckus I was making, all the remaining eyes shot open in surprise.
“No! I give up! Don’t shoot!” shouted Mr. Cummings.
“Mr. Cummings, do not worry! I’ve never handled a gun in my life, odds are I won’t shoot you,” I replied and stared into his hazy eyes. As reality hit him, he realized he was no longer in the war, but in a barn being cared for by the enemy. He sighed and I smiled.
“There you go…” I whispered and handed him his breakfast.
“Thank you, darling,” he muttered and set his porridge on the floor. He had to eat with one hand since his other hand was blown off. I made my way around the barn passing bowls and cups to everyone when I finally reached the one I actually wanted to see.
“Good morning, Rose,” he greeted me. His sparkling blue eyes were full of life and hope that you’d have never guessed those eyes ever witnessed a harsh lifestyle. Such as one in the war.
“Good morning,” I replied setting the bowl and cup down by his feet. He looked at me with such an intensity that an unwelcome blush was bound to make an appearance.
“How are you this fine morning?” he asked.
“I’m fine. And yourself?”
“Better, now that you’re here.” My blush deepened and I couldn’t help but notice the sudden change in temperature in the barn. It was -10° Celsius but I felt like it was 100° Fahrenheit.
“Right well, v-very good to know! As much as I’d love to stay and chat, I have to go…to go…help my brothers with their homework!” I said all in a rush to get out. While I was having my ridiculous rant, I was taking steps back towards the exit, however I wasn’t paying much attention to my surroundings and knocked over a cabinet full of my father’s tools. I screamed as they all came crashing down to the floor. Poor Mr. Cummings and Gilly Boy lost their senses when they heard the crash, mistaking it for a bomb.
“They’re coming! Hide! Hide! Take cover!”
“Evacuate the building! We have to leave!” I ran over to them and tried to soothe them back to earth.
“My apologies, I didn’t mean to make such a noise! You are no longer in the war! Pleaase believe me! You’re currently residing in my barn due to your injuries! Don’t make such sudden movement for your wrappings will come undone!” I explained. Suddenly, my father came running into the barn to see what all the noise was about.
“Rose! What’s wrong?” he asked, out of breath.
“Nothing! I wasn’t looking as to where I was going and knocked over the cabinet. Now Mr. Cummings and Gilly Boy are scared!” He shook his head and walked over to the two men screaming at the top of their lungs. I quickly ran out of the barn, right into someone’s arms.
“Oh, Rose! What on earth are you doing?” I recognized that voice, mocking yet friendly.
“Caleb! What are you doing here?” I asked, surprised. He flashes me a huge smile and put his arm around my shoulders.
“Well, nice to see you too. It’s clear you missed me?” he said and laughed. I was being completely rude. Here he was, my best friend in the entire world, somehow away from the army and I’m questioning why he was here? I smiled and wrapped my arms around his neck tightly.
“Of course I missed you, idiot! But I was just wondering how you got away?!”
“I just left. My mother kept begging me to come home, so I asked my officer if I could leave, I had to pay a price, but it was worth it to see the smile on my mother’s face.”
“Oh, Caleb you should have seen her. I’ve never seen her so upset in my life. She didn’t even come out of her house to work in her garden. All her flowers have wilted away…”
“I know I saw. Hopefully, now she’ll resume her work. Home isn’t home without her flowers.”
“Exactly!” I released him out of my death hold and took his hands in mine.
“I’m so happy you’re back! I’ve been so bored…”
“Have you really? Didn’t quite sound like it in there,” he said and pointed to the barn. “What were you doing?” As I explained to him our new living circumstances and the new Acts put on us by England, I noticed his posture went from relaxed and serene to angry and frustrated.
“You mean…they’re in there. Right now? And you have to sit there and baby sit them? That’s ridiculous! Rose you must stay away from them. They are the enemy! They could hurt you, this could be a trick! We have to get them out of there, NOW,” he barked. He began to stomp his way towards the barn when I got in his path.
“No, Caleb you musn’t disturb them. The officers came by my house a couple days ago and warned us that if we don’t do as they say, we’ll have to die. Now unless you’d like to prepare a funeral for me and my family, I suggest you not do anything hasty.” At the sound of my funeral, he grimaced and shook his head.
“Rose you don’t understand. These men are dangerous. They’re the ones who fought me, shot at me, without even looking back. I can’t just let you or your family be around them. They deserve to die.”
“They’re not all bad, Caleb…” Once those words escaped from my lips, he took a step back from me.
“What?” he asked.
“They’re not all bad! They’re just a bunch of injured men, with lost hopes and limbs. They’re defenseless and in pain…” I snuck a peek towards James, to see he was staring at me with a confused look on his face. Caleb followed my stare and frowned.
“Rose, do you fancy him?” he asked angrily, pointing at James. I don’t know what hit me first, how fast Caleb knew about James, or the fact that I actually did fancy James.
“Of course not, Caleb!”
“Don’t you lie to me, Rosemary. I know when you’re lying to me. Let’s not forget that I’ve known you your whole life…”
“Caleb! Stop being so stubborn. I do not have any feelings towards that man nor any other man in that barn!” I shouted in frustration. He stared into my eyes for a couple of seconds, and then his face softened in relief.
“Okay…I’m truly sorry for not believing you,” he said. I nodded my head and crossed my arms across my chest.
“It’s fine. I know you just want to protect me…” I mumbled. He pulled me in for another embrace, which I gladly accepted.
“Come on, let’s go see how big your siblings have gotten since I left!” He wrapped his arm around my shoulders and led me to my house. I looked back behind me and saw James, with hurt in his eyes, watching in sorrow, as I walked away with Caleb.
