Rebel Soul (6 page)

CHAPTER TEN

Wed 13th June

Oh God I wish he would quit yelling at me, Emily was in big trouble, grounded, she felt like her dad had been yelling at her for hours. Breakfast that morning had been hell, not only had she been yelled at the night before, which was bad enough, but this morning, her brothers had glared at her, her Mom had glared at and her Dad’s yelling wouldn’t stop. Her head hurt and all she wanted to do was lay down. She wanted to shout at them shut up, shut up, shut up but she knew that would only make things worse so she just shouted it in her head. That wasn’t working either though and she just continued to get angrier and angrier.

“I don’t know what’s got into you” Jack yelled “Taking off like that and staying gone, where did you go Emily?” She held her breath, holding back the anger, not answering him. She wanted to shout at him tell him she would go where she wanted and do what she wanted, but knew better. Someday though, someday I will leave.

“Answer me Emily” He shouted again “You smelled like a liquor factory when you came home last night, who were you out with Emily?”

She still didn’t say anything but just sat there and stared at him, “Well, you aren’t going anywhere today. You are staying home and helping your Mom wash the windows.” Emily rolled her eyes, and ran toward the bathroom. “Don’t roll your eyes at me and where are, you going young lady, don’t walk away from me when I’m talking to you.”

She turned around and glared at him, trying to fight him with her angry eyes, “To the bathroom, I can still go there can’t I?” She slammed the door and quickly text Billy “I’m grounded, maybe I can sneak out after I help my Mom wash the windows.”

“Good luck and I love you Babe” She smiled at his text, and sent back. “I love you to.”

Emily stomped out of the bathroom then walked into the kitchen and loudly pulled out a bucket and filled it full of water, splashing it everywhere as she carried it out the door. I’m not bothering to clean that up she thought.

The ladder was already waiting on her next to the house, Oh great, you got that for me she thought as she climbed the ladder. She was fuming mad, I’m old enough to do what I want. She took the rag and hit the window as she started washing. One window after another as the hot sun bored down on her and she felt like she was starting to burn.

      She watched as Joe walked around the side of the house, he was laughing and pointed a finger at her. She loved Joe but didn’t exactly see the humor in this that he did.

“Your grounded Hu, what have you been up to lately anyway?” Joe shouted up at her.

She was frustrated with everyone’s questions, “What does it matter? Just trying to live my life Joe” She shouted as she threw water, out of the bucket at the window.

Joe laughed “Whoo such anger, you want to do something with me later?”

Stupid question she laughed, “I’m grounded, right Joe.”

He laughed “Sure Emily, you know how long that will last, don’t you?” Still looking up at her.

“Fuck” she yelled as she climbed down the ladder, “I hope not long, this house has an awfully lot of dam windows.” They slapped hands as they laughed, then she went in the house and ran upstairs to text Billy again, I hate washing dam windows, she sent.

“LOL” he text back.

  I need so noise she thought and grabbed her iPod, then went to the kitchen to get a fresh bucket of water.

“Lunch will be ready soon Emily” Judy told her.

“Good” Emily tried to smile at her as she walked out the back door and turned her iPod on.

“You might say Emily’s a dreamer,” she sang changing the words to (John Lennon’s Imagine) and danced a small flowing circle in time with the music.

    Thoughts of Billy flooded her mind as she listened to various songs and furiously scrubbed the windows. Every time they were together she had so much fun and knew she would sneak out to see him later, somehow. She couldn’t stay away from him, her thoughts were clouded with him, drawn together by some kind of magnetic force field.

Joe walked by her again laughing and he was waving his arms in the air trying to say something to her she couldn’t hear him for the music from the iPod, “What” she shouted as Joe motioned for her to remove the head phones and took them off.

“What” she shouted, loudly as if she still had them on and laughed at herself, when he jumped.

“Mom says come and eat lunch” he cupped his hand at his mouth and yelled.

She climbed down the ladder and playfully kicked Joe as she followed him into the kitchen. The family was already sitting around the table eating, and to Emily’s relieve she noticed they were almost finished. Thank God, I don’t feel like hearing another lecture, she thought and joined them avoiding her father’s stare. The men soon left heading to the fields to work except Joe, who had somehow wiggled out of working today. “How did you get out of working today?” Emily ask him.

He laughed, “I didn’t disappear yesterday and come home smelling like liquor.” Tossing a piece of bread at her.

”Oh Emily when you are finished with the windows I want you to vacuum that living room you lied to me about yesterday” Judy told her.

    “Dam it” Emily said when she was sure her Mom was out of ear shot.

“Such language” Joe laughed as he set his glass down “What’s with you anyway, man, I don’t know what you’ve been doing but, you’re not acting yourself.” He looked at her concerned.

Emily finished her lunch then she looked at Joe “Have you got a joint Joe”

“What Emily, when did you start smoking pot?” He ask as he dusted bread crumbs from his hands, over his plate.

“I don’t know, I smoke a little every now and then, and I have a horrible headache” she answered and stuck out pouty lips.

Joe laughed “You wouldn’t have a headache if you hadn’t of been drinking yesterday, but sure, we can go around the corner of the house, let’s go” he whispered.

They slipped to the side of the house and Joe lite a joint, “Have you been seeing somebody Emily” he asked her as they smoked the joint. Emily looked up at the sun, she didn’t know if she should talk to Joe about it or not.

“Why do you ask” she had been wondering if someone had seen her in the truck with Billy.

“I don’t know it just seems like, something is on your mind lately, and you seem preoccupied” He stopped talking a minute then continued, “We’ve always been close Emily, but I don’t know you just seem different.”

“Joe,” she took a long drag of the joint, and smiled seeing Billy in her mind, as she talked, “my dream guy, is tall, dark, and handsome,” she set down on the grass, and looked up at Joe “If I were to be seeing someone that’s what he would look like, he would also, be charming,” She smiled with the words “He would be unpredictable, wild, and sensitive, he would love me and we would be drawn together as soul mates.” She watched as the crooked smile spread across Joes face,

“Jesus Emily, you dreamer, if those are the requirements I guess you’re not seeing anyone in Chestnut County.” he laughed.

Emily stood, she wanted to get the windows finished, “Help me with the windows Joe”

“Sure, smoke my pot, then make me your slave” Laughing they got another ladder, and begun washing the windows.

Emily and Joe had always been the closest of the Canton siblings, all their lives. She hated keeping secrets from Joe, but, well it just wasn’t the time yet, but she knew one day she would have to tell him.

Aero Smith begun blaring in her ears through the head phones, as she swayed her body dancing while she washed the windows. She looked at Joe and smiled, and stuck one of her headphones in his ear sharing the song she was listening to, (Dude looks like a lady). They both sang and danced up and down, It was fun Emily thought as she watched Joe, wiggle his but as he danced down the ladder, then she would wiggle hers and dance up the ladder, then at the end of the song then both fail to the ground laughing.

“Well if this ant a sight for sore eyes” They looked up at their Dad and laughed even harder as he shook his head and walked into the house.

Finished with the window, Emily vacuumed the floor, then helped her Mom with supper, silently, as her Mom glared at her, she knew her Mom had something on her mind but Emily tried to avoid her, she had to she couldn’t tell her Mom the truth, not now and maybe never.

After a very quiet supper, Emily thought she might be able to sneak out, so she went upstairs to her room and send Billy a text.

“I miss you, I need to see you.”

Her phone quickly vibrated “Can you meet me by the creek? I need to see you to.”

“Yes” She typed in, and glanced around the room like someone might be watching, then laughed at her silliness.

Emily ran down the stairs and swiftly toward the front door, hoping no one was around. ”Were are you going Emily?” Jack ask firmly as she reached to turn the door knob.

Her nerves stiffened her, she lied “Outside Dad.”

“Don’t leave the yard, young lady.” He said as he continued to read the newspaper.

“I won’t Dad” she lied again, and quickly walked out, toward the path near the creek disappearing into the woods. Relieved that she hadn’t been stopped again but worried she still might have been seen. This relationship could get very stressful she thought.

Billy was already waiting on her, it was near dark, and he was leaning against a tree.

Her heart leaped at the sight of him. He’s so handsome, standing there all confident and smiling.

“Hey handsome” she smiled at him, and laid her hand on the tree he leaned against.

He was smiling at her, “I have missed you today, beautiful” he pulled her to him kissing her, a very passionate kiss, it moved her, the yearning inside her begged for more. Not till you know you can stay with him Emily, her soul whispered.

“Wow” he said as he lit a joint, “You want to help me transplant some plants tomorrow.”

“Sure, it’s a little late in the year ant it? To be transplanting plants I mean.”

“Yeah, these are some I’ve had in pots in the back yard for a while, they are my personal stash, not the crop. I moved them out to a field today. Thought you could help me” he smiled and licked his lips. His hand moved forward, touching her hair, as he pulled the hair band out, letting Emily hair flow down her back. He smiled, its soft silky even. Emily looked into his eyes and seen his desire speaking to her. I need you Emily, she thought she heard them say. She gripped the ground she set on holding herself back, as she seen his hands tremble as he gently stroked her hair. He leaned forward, Emily did the same their lips softly meeting, his hands playing gently with her hair, passionate, long, and gentle. They slowly pulled away.

“Let me walk you to the end of the creek.” His voice trembled.

Jesus Emily thought.

CHAPTER ELEVEN

Thurs 14th June

Emily woke up before daylight, she listened at her bedroom door and didn’t hear any sounds from downstairs. She walked over to her desk and picked up her laptop, carried it to her bed and opened up Facebook. Billy had changed his profile pic, Oh my God, she giggled at the picture of him showing off his muscles with his shirt off. What the hell am I doing? Do I see a life with him or not? She questioned as she stared at him. She decided to go ahead and get dressed so she could make a quick exit as soon as breakfast was over. After hearing the clanging of pots and pans from the kitchen she headed down stairs.

“You need help cooking breakfast Mom?” Emily ask smiling at her, deciding to play nice.

“Sure turn those pancakes” She helped with breakfast, then got herself a cup of coffee and set down to eat.

“You left the yard last night, where did you go?” Jack ask as soon as her butt hit the chair.

He don’t miss a beat she thought, “For a walk down by the cemetery,” Emily noticed the stare from Joe out of the corner of her eye and wondered what he knew. She wasn’t sure that she cared what he knew, she was beginning to get tired of sneaking around.

Emily set silently still till everyone was finished with breakfast, then started clearing the table. Once finished with the dishes she quickly made a run toward the back door.

“You ready to go to town Emily?” Jack glared at her.

Shit, this is Thursday, what do I do? “Not today Dad, I-I” she stuttered trying to decide what to say, think quick Emily. “I have plans.”

She watched him stand up from his chair and felt like a small child in his presence, “Really, what kind of plans Emily?” He continued glaring at her, like he knew something. But how could he? She wondered.

“I was going to plant some flowers, out by the pond. Bye” She waved and ran out the back door and snuck around the back way toward the creek.

“I’m on my way to meet you” she text Billy. Then began running trying to put as much distance as she could between herself and her house.

“Heading out the door” he sent back.

She felt excited about the day ahead of her. Billy had ask her the night before if she would help him transplant his pot plants. She used to help her Grandpa garden and hadn’t done more than plant flowers in years, not since her Grandpa had died.

She ran to Billy when she seen him waiting on her, he picked her up, swinging her around in the air and kissed her. They both laughed as he cradled her in his arms and carried her part of the way, through the woods.

     As they reached the spot, Billy had picked for his plants, Emily was amazed when she seen the beautiful, green, strong plants in front of her, “Wow look at these plants Billy they are gorgeous, Jesus they are big,” she laughed "Can we even get these in the ground?”

“Sure, I’ve already plowed and I have this post whole digger, we can set the pots in the ground.” He used his hands to show her as he talked. “And cut them away without tearing the roots, we just need to be careful not to break the plant, and if we do, hell we will smoke it.” He widened his eyes then winked at her. “Let’s smoke first, I also brought some shine and an ice chest, we have food.”

Billy reached to turn the boom box on. “You thought of everything.” Emily laughed and opened the shine then took a drink, while Billy lit the joint.

The music of Tom Petty blared from the boom box as they listened to the local Rock station and transferred plants. (Last Dance with Mary Jane) came on the radio and Emily started sing

      “Oh my, my,” Emily laughed “Oh hell yes” Then she stood behind one of the plants pretending to dance with it, and laughed. Billy laughed with her and smiled when the song was over, “Your amazing Babe.” Then opened the ice chest,

“I’m hungry, let’s eat” he pushed her hair away from her face, as he had the night before. “You are so Beautiful Emily Canton, I am so happy you agreed to go out with me, and how have I lived this long without you. I want to be with you always.” He pulled her into his arms, his kiss left her breathless, her connection to him was strong. Soul mates she thought melting into his arms, soul mates.

Billy pulled away from her staring into her eyes, “Emily, I love the way you make me feel, you are my heart.”

      Emily stood up and started dancing  “Let’s get to the point” Billy laughed as he rolled a joint tilting his head smiling at her showing her the pot “roll another joint.” She sang as she danced sexy for him, amazed at her sudden bravery.

“Oh Baby” he said as he pulled her into his lap and kissed her. “You are so sexy and you have a great singing voice to.”

“I love you Billy Johnson” he kissed her again.

They ate and finished the joint then went back to work. The day was hot, sweat dripping off both their bodies and were covered with mud. Billy looked at her and smiled as he wiped some dirt from her face, “Let’s go swimming in the creek, there’s an area down a little further that is deep enough to get in.” Billy told her.

“Sure” she said as Billy took her hand and led her toward the deep area of the creek. It looked like a small pond to Emily, only smaller, maybe a little pool, she thought to herself, when she glanced over at Billy and saw that he was taking his clothes off. “Oh my God” she tried to hide her eyes. He laughed,

"Skinny dipping, baby" he laughed as he took his boxers off, leaving him naked.

“Really Billy” She laughed, feeling her cheeks turn red.

“Take it off Baby” he whispered in her ear, his breath sending tingling heat through her body.

Emily watched nervously as Billy’s bare butt dove into the water. Then she slowly began removing her clothes, leaving her bra and panties on.

“Hey” Billy said “No fair” and he stretched out his arms like, Why not.

Emily laughed “Because Billy” answering his unspoken words.

They swam and played as Emily continuously admired Billy’s body what a hunk she thought. She knew he was showing his body off for her, as if he was saying look here, look here Emily, and she couldn’t help but look, and she desired him.

Tired they both set down on the creek bank, Billy still naked, Emily still in her bra and panties. “I love you Emily, I want to spend my life with you." He told her, as he put his arms around her.

“I do with you to Billy but we have to deal with our families first, I want to give you my whole heart and soul, I really do.” They set for a while together, then dressed. Billy walked her almost home and kissed her good bye. “See you tomorrow baby” He said.

Emily walked to the house and set down on the old porch swing. It had always been one of her favorite places to set and think. The swing had been hanging on that porch for as long as she could remember. It had been repainted a few times, a few slants replaced over the years, but had remained as one of the main features of the front porch. Over the years Emily would set in that swing imaging older families setting their years ago thinking like her. As she set there that evening, swinging, thinking about her life, what she was going to do. How things were changing quickly with her and she was confused, her mind in a jumble of emotions.

Joe walked around the corner of the house and set down beside her. They set quietly for a while. Emily jumped when she unexpectedly heard the sound of Joe’s voice, and laughed at herself.

“Emily where have you been spending your time?” She saw that Joe, was serious and maybe confused at her actions. I am too she thought to herself.

“In the woods.” She answered him.

“You lied to dad, you wasn’t out by the cemetery, last night or by the pond planting flowers today.” He looked at her. Is he concerned she thought.

“I know” She said. The conversation was stranded Emily didn’t want to answer his questions, Joe could see right through her at times and the less she told him the better.

“Just don’t worry about it Joe.” she snapped.

She felt bad the minute the words left her mouth. He looked hurt. ”I’m sorry Joe, I didn’t mean to snap at you.”  Her nerves were getting the better of her and she was ready to get away, away from him, away from it all, life even.

She walked away without saying another word and ran to her room, then threw herself on the bed. The blue stuffed dog Billy had won for her at the fair stared at her with its pouty eyes, she pulled it into her arms, cuddling it close to her body. She ached, ached all over for Billy’s touch, and wished that they could just open up with their relationship. That everything would be alright but, she didn’t think that would ever happen. How could it? She cried softly falling to sleep on top of the covers.

* * *

Billy was frustrated when he walked into the house, “Where have you been all day son” Andy looked up from some paper work and ask as Billy headed toward the shower.

“Doing some gardening Dad.” Billy quickly answered, he was in a hurry, Emily was tearing his mind up, he needed to relax, and be alone with his thoughts, but Andy wasn’t finished,

“Billy have you been spending time with that Canton girl again?” Billy thought his Dad looked serious, worried even, but even so his Dads words angered him.

“Why Dad, you got a problem with her” Billy was also serious, he wanted a life with her and wasn’t about to give her up.

“Yes, not with her per say but with the situation, this relationship is going to cause problems Billy, and I’m afraid someone will get hurt or killed.” Andy looked upset. Billy opened his mouth to speak, then shook his head and walked past Andy and reached for the bathroom door, then turned around

“Dad I’m sick of what everyone else thinks is wrong and what they think is right. Then he walked into the bathroom and slammed the door behind him. He thought about Emily as he showered, how she had stolen his heart and no one else had ever, done this to him. He had never been in love before, it had always been her for him. He knew his Dad was right about the problems this relationship could cause. He stepped out of the shower and set down on the side of the tub then laid his head in his hands. Dam-it, they hadn’t even spend more than a few days together. What was he to do about her? Could he just walk away from this relationship now? Laughing at his self, that would be the answer, that would be the thing to do, right now, before things went even further. I’ll sleep on it he thought, see what tomorrow brings. He walked to his bedroom and reached under his bed and pulled out the jar of shine. I can just drown in the shine and maybe drink her away. He laughed, “I can’t drink her away, or smoke her away.” He lit a joint. “I’m hopeless. Hopelessly in love with Emily Canton.”