The Understorey

“Wait,” I said.



“Elliott, I already told you, I have to contact them.”



“I know, but please, let me tell them? In person?”



I looked at my parents and they kindly agreed it would be the best plan.



“Danny?” My mom asked. “Can you take him?”



That was my mom’s way of making sure I was safe and that I wouldn’t take a much wanted detour to the Thomas house.



“Sure Shelby, of course I will,” he said.



We got to Jules’ house and I willed my heavy body up her mountainous front porch steps. I knocked on her door with a deafening thud.



The door opened and an exuberant Jules jumped in my arms. “Elliott?” She asked in slow motion.



“Jules,” I said peeling her off of me, “I need to tell you something.”



The terror that was in her eyes was enough for me to die inside a million times over. Her smile faded into sheer terror. Her lips were shaking as she’d ask questions. I stood to support Jules while she relayed everything to her including everything that had happened before then.



Jules’ mother had to be supported and taken to her couch. All their lovely family from Pennsylvania stood motionless, aghast at what they’d heard.



“We’ll have to send her to Mauch Chunk with you Isabel,” Jules’ dad finally said.



His words panicked my heart. It began to beat irregularly. I felt empty and she hadn’t even left yet.



“No,” Jules said calmly.



“It’s not permanent Julia,” her mom said. “It’s just until we resolve whatever it is that’s going on here.” The tears began to fall softly down her cheeks.



Jules held my hand and the weight of our predicament began to melt off. This immediate medicine was going to be leaving me when I probably needed it most, but this was the price I would pay to keep her safe and I wanted nothing more than her safety.



“It’s only a matter of time,” I whispered. “I’ll get you back here before you know it love.”



“If you think this is best,” she said to the room. “I’ll pack tonight.”



I’ll pack tonight. Three words. Three daggers into my thumping chest. I could go with her, I told myself, I could go with Jules. I’m sure Isabel wouldn’t mind.......but your Jesse’s target, I reminded myself. Could he follow me? Would he do that? Yes. He would. I would have to wait until I could expose him for what he was and that would clear the path for Jules to come home. The sooner, the better.



“Danny?” I asked my uncle under my breath.



Everyone shifted uncomfortably in their own skin as they buzzed about the house getting themselves ready to leave earlier than they’d planned.



“Hmm?” He asked.



“What do you have in the way of video surveillance?” I asked not expecting much.



“We’re one hundred and nineteen people in this tiny town Elliott. I hadn’t even had to dust for prints in over five years. We have nothing,” he said, confirming my suspicions.



“I’m gonna’ go to Charleston then,” I said.



“Wouldn’t hurt to try,” he said, shrugging his shoulders. He didn’t look hopeful.



“Mr. Jacobs?” Danny said and began a private conversation.



I snuck into Jules’ room to visit while she packed. When I walked into the room she was alone, it was against the rules, but under the circumstances no one would care. She stood fearlessly at her window. The very one Jesse uses to invade her home and stared darkly through the hundred year old glass. I rested my shoulder against the jamb of the door and gazed upon her.



She was no longer a girl anymore. She had thinned out so much lately and although Jesse was definitely to blame I couldn’t help but think she was also shedding her youth a little bit. In contrast though, her hips were a bit rounder, her neck and face no longer, her bones had matured.



She was a young woman and that made me wonder if I had matured alongside her, unaware, as she most likely was, of the invisible progression. I hoped I looked every bit the man I felt like right then because I knew, just by looking at her, that we would be married and shortly after graduation. I felt it in my rapidly matured bones.



“My dad said they’re leaving the day after tomorrow, early,” she said, having seen my reflection in the glass.



She turned her face toward mine and I could see the tears sink into her blouse.



“Oh Jules,” I said and with two strides I had her in my arms. “It’s not forever Jules.” Though it will feel like it to me, I thought.



“It will feel like it to me,” she said, speaking my thoughts aloud.



I sighed. I couldn’t argue with her but I could at least try to make her feel better.



“It just feels like it might,” I lied, “because there’s not a definite time frame.”



“Maybe,” she said, trying to appease me.



It was pathetic trying to keep up appearances with a person who knew your every thought.



“This is stupid,” I laughed. “It’s gonna’ suck, big time, but it’s beyond us right now Jules and it’s something we have to do.”



I stopped because I knew I’d just end up begging her to stay if I continued. I couldn’t help but be selfish sometimes. I changed the subject to save myself.



“Let’s spend the day tomorrow, just you and me and get our absolute fill of each other.”



We knew that was impossible but we could try.



“Of course babe. I need a lot of you to tide me over. You know? It’s funny but the more I touch, and kiss, and just be with you the greater my need for you is. We’re a catch twenty two. I’m damned if I do indulge myself in you and damned if I don’t. You’re the very worst kind of addiction, the most dangerous,” she said.



“Would you go back? Change it? If you could?”



“Not for anything,” she smiled up at me.



I squeezed Jules’ hand and asked her to call me in the morning, knowing I would barely sleep a wink.



The next morning, I felt like I was waking from a dream. I shuffled into the kitchen glancing at the mess that was my hair in the hallway mirror.



“Hey mom,” I said.



“Hi honey. Hungry?”



“Nope.”



“I understand,” she said and sat beside me. “What are the Jacobs going to do Elliott?”



“They’re sending Jules to Mauch Chunk, like I thought they would.”



“When can she come back?” She asked. “When they figure out who is doing this?”



“I know who’s doing it ma’. I just have to prove it now.”



This time she didn’t argue with me, whether it was because she started to believe it was possible that Jesse was responsible or that she didn’t want to ruffle my feathers, I’m not sure. The phone rang then and it was Jules.



“Come over,” she barely said, “let’s go to the rock bridge.”



That was all I needed to hear and I was as good as out the door.



I picked Jules up from her house and her eyes looked so tired, her skin was beginning to hollow on her even more now but her smile was still as warm as ever.



“I’ve missed you terribly,” she said softly.



“So have I dear. It feels like ages.”



We slowly walked our invisible path to our marble slab and were in absolutely no hurry. I was so grateful that Jules hadn’t seen the package. I tried to leave out as much detail as possible for her sake. It would have done nothing but worry her more and she was looking so frail these days.



I was dreading her departure but was hopeful that Jules would let the worry stop taking its toll on her. I jumped onto the face and turned to pull her up with me. I had a sickening feeling that this was our goodbye, albeit temporary, but a goodbye nonetheless and made the decision to savor every last second.



For hours, we sat side by side intertwined, talking. From little things like Maddy’s reactions to all the gifts to things like her concern that I not do anything drastic. In the end, I promised that no one would get hurt, at least not by my hands. Eventually we fell asleep. Neither of us had slept well these past few days, weeks really, and as we laid skin to skin we drifted off until the moon woke me.



“Jules,” I whispered.



“Hmm?” She said, not opening her eyes.



“It’s ten o’clock babe,” I said, sliding my pocket watch back into my pocket.



“What?” Her eyes popped open.



“Yeah,” I laughed, “ten, at night.”



“Oops.”



“Yeah, I think we should get you back home so they don’t worry.”



“Grrrr.”



“We have to. I don’t want them to call Danny or anything.”



“Okaaaay.”



We hurriedly walked to my truck, tripping over roots and whipping ourselves in the head with leaves.



“Why didn’t I bring a flashlight? We need to just keep one in our bags. They’re kind of useful, especially since we do stupid things like this. I’ve decided, from now on, I will have not one but two flashlights on me at all times.”



“You’re cranky when you first wake.”



“I know,” I laughed.



It was a solemn ride to Jules’ house. I didn’t even know when Jules was leaving because I didn’t ask. It hurt too much to think about.



“I’m leaving tomorrow morning,” she said, riding my wavelength.



I wasn’t expecting that.



“What? Tomorrow?” I asked in disbelief.



“Yeah, my mom isn’t comfortable with me being here any longer and it’s affecting her. My Aunt Isabel is taking me home with Rocky and the rest will follow after New Year’s.”



“I don’t think that’s wise Jules, so many will be on the road tomorrow. It wouldn’t be safe.” She wasn’t buying it. “Besides, you can’t leave before New Year’s, it’s the only time you’ll let me kiss you in front of your family and I get a secret thrill from it.”



“Shut up,” she laughed.



“No, but seriously Jules, you can’t leave before New Year’s.”



“I don’t have a choice Elliott,” she choked.



The remainder of the trip was agonizing because I knew this would be the last time I would see her for days, weeks, maybe even months.



The uncertainty was as painful as the separation itself. I wanted to kick myself for falling asleep. I should have kissed her until my lips were bleeding to get my fill of her. I should have drunk in the greens of her eyes, re-memorized the lines of her face over and over and burned them into my memory even deeper than they already were. I wasted so much time. I could have been with her, instead we were unconscious and I felt a bubbling fear rise in my throat.



When I opened my door, instead of letting her wait for me to get hers I slid her over my seat and brought her out of my door. I shut the door and pinned her against it.



“You can’t go,” I pleaded. “If you want, I’ll get on my knees.”



“Elliott, all my family is in there,” she peeked over the hood.



“Oh who cares! They can’t hear us anyway they’re all having fun in there, you can tell by the rumbling. They know you’re safe with me, wherever they think you are. Please don’t do this. You know this is what they want right? They want us separating. The best thing we can do is to have you stay but stay at my house, with me.”