Authors: Kelly Clark
Josie looked around the kitchen. There was a
pile
of washing up in the sink, and dirty clothes hanging everywhere. ''When dad
was alive he would have killed
you if you'd left the kitchen in this state. Now start tidying it up,'' she said. The two men looked at her and tutted as they rose from their seats. ''If I'm to
live,
here again, I want to live in
a nice
house, so be warned.''
It took Josie a day to clean the kitchen but when she'd finished it was like new. When her brothers came in for
dinner,
they treated the place with respect.
Josie ignored her voice mail for a few days and even considered changing her number. Whenever she
looked,
there was a new call from
Beezee
.
''Is he bothering you?'' Guthrie asked when he heard her phone vibrating for the third time since he'd been sitting at the table.
''No. Its' okay. He just wants to speak to me.''
''I'll pick up and tell him to fuck off if you like.''
''No it's okay. I don't want you and Patrick interfering in my affairs anymore.''
Guthrie finished his meal and sat back on the pine chair. ''We're going
to a
barn dance on Saturday, why don't you come. You'll know a lot of people.''
''Maybe. I'll give it some thought.''
When Saturday
came
Josie dressed in a tight pair of jeans, a gray sweater, put her hair up and sat in the truck as Patrick drove them to the dance.
She used to get
so excited
when there was a barn dance. She remembered as a fifteen-year-old how she'd danced with all the local farmers sons and how a lot of them had tried to grope her. Some of
it she
'd enjoyed, a lot of it she hadn't.
The barn was
actually
a tractor shed that had been cleaned out for the occasion. There were a lot of flowers hanging from the walls and a stage at the back where a band
was seated
.
''Hi Josie. Long time no
see
.''
''Josie turned around and looked at the man who'd spoken to her. ''Sorry do I....''
''It's Vince, don't you recognize me anymore?''
''Vince. Jeez, you've changed. Wow, the last time I saw you, you were a scrawny kid. Now look at you.'' Vince was two years younger than
Jodie,
and they'd played together as kids. His father had sold the
farm,
and they'd moved away when he was fifteen. ''What brings you back here?'' she asked.
''You'll never guess, but I've bought the farm back.''
The band began to play a cover version of We Are The Champions. ''How have you managed to do that.''
''Gran left me a fortune. I had to pay way over the odds to get it back, but I've always regarded it as my home. I hated dad for selling it.''
''Well done. So we're neighbors again. Great.''
''I'll get us a drink, it would be great to chat some more with you,'' he said.
''Yes. I'd like that.'' Josie couldn't believe how he'd turned out. He was very handsome. Broad and strong looking, he
obviously
took great pride in his appearance. She's always marveled at his
eyes
but now they were more beautiful than ever.
''Here, a cold beer,'' he said.
''Thanks.''
''It's so
nice
to see you.
You're so pretty,'' he said.
''Much
prettier
than when we used to pretend the hay loft was our marital home.''
''Ouch. Yes, those were the days. I was a
really
bitchy
wife, I
seem to remember.''
''Yes you used to make me sweep the floor every day. I spent my entire summer vacation being ordered around by a savage wife, and all that at the tender age of nine.'' There was a brief pause in the conversation. ''So what are you doing these days?''
''I qualified as a kindergarten teacher. Then I had a relationship that went
bad
and ended up back at the farm. And you? Are you involved with anyone?''
''No. Free and single. I had a couple of girlfriends at agricultural college but nothing
heavy
.''
''Will you dance with me, Vince? It's so
nice
to see you. Let's make a nice evening of it.''
''Okay. I'd like that.''
They danced and chatted and had a great time remembering the old days and deliberating about the future.
''When I got old enough to like girls, I liked you above all the others,'' he said when they were having a break.
''You were only fifteen when you left.''
''Fifteen's old enough to have sexual feelings,'' he said. ''You were a beautiful
seventeen-year-old
. You
were fully developed,
and I was full of puberty hormones. I fancied you terribly.''
''And we never even kissed,'' she said.
''We could put that right
now
if you like.'' He moved a little closer.
''Sorry Vince. Maybe soon I'd like to. But I'm far too fragile to go straight into another relationship now. It wouldn't be fair on you.''
''Okay. I understand. But I'd love to date you if you ever want to.''
''I'll think about it.
Really I
will. Thanks for a great evening.''
On the way home, Josie thought about Vince and their
evening
. Maybe she should settle down with him. It would make for
an easy
life. His farm was lovely and the house far nicer than the one she
lived in
. He was also darn handsome. But it would seem a little strange to go to bed with him with a head full of childhood memories.
''I'm pleased to see you were getting on well with Vince,'' Guthrie said. ''He'd be perfect for you.''
''Finally, a man that you think would be
good
for me,'' she said.
''He's a farmer, one of us. You know his
world,
and you would be comfortable in it. Much more comfortable than in the world of the cheating
rich
and famous.''
She thought about what Guthrie had said. To some degree it made sense, but she wanted more from life than to live on a farm. She wanted to travel and experience things.
*****
Josie was in the kitchen when there was a knock at the door. Her brothers were out on the farm.
''Hi, are you Josie?'' the woman said. She was in her thirties and dressed very smartly in a red suit.
''Yes. What can I do for you?''
''Do you mind if I come in? I have something I'd like to discuss with you.''
''Okay,'' Josie said. She offered the woman a seat in the kitchen and asked her if she wanted some tea, she refused.
''I'll come straight to the point.
Beezee
has asked me to come to see you.''
''Whatever happened between him and me is private,'' Josie said firmly.
''Of course, and I understand that. But he asked me to set the record straight. He feels you should know the truth.''
''Then why isn't he here?''
''He doesn't think you'll listen to him. He says you've refused all his calls.''
''Okay. I assume you've traveled a long way
so,
please tell me.''
''My name is Megan Davis. I have to
tell
you that that is not my real name. I am going to tell you something which I would ask you to keep to yourself for fear of endangering
my child and me
.''
''Of course.''
''How shall I begin? I am a person in hiding. I'm in a witness protection program.'' She stopped
for a moment
to see Josie's reaction, but there was none. '' That means I gave evidence at a trial which led to the conviction of someone very dangerous. Someone who may seek revenge.''
''I understand.''
''The person I testified against was the man that murdered
Beezee's
little sister.''
''Oh my God,'' Josie said putting her hand over her mouth. ''He never mentioned that to me.''
''Because he can't bear to talk about it. I have a son who is crazy about
Beezee
and his music, and
Beezee
visits me each week. He's been very good to us. Since I had to give up my job and go into the program, it's been a struggle, but
he's made
sure we are financially secure, forever.''
''So the child isn't his?''
''Not at all. The whole thing is a press fabrication. When whoever it
was saw
him visiting me, and playing with my son, they just assumed the kid was his. It's totally unfair.''
''Has your cover been blown?'' Josie asked.
''No. The press doesn't know I'm in the program. Only
Beezee
, the FBI and now you.''
''I've been a bloody fool, haven't I?''
''That's not for me to say. But if you left
Beezee
because you thought he
was being
dishonest then you weren't correct.
He's been so good to us, I can't tell you.''
''It's very kind of you to come and
tell me
this. I promise you, your secret is safe with me. I have made a fool of myself. I just wouldn't even listen to what he had to say. I
was convinced
I couldn't trust him. Josie put her hand on her forehead and rolled her eyes in disgust at herself. ''Do you know if he wants to see me?''
''He loves you, but he doesn't understand why you wouldn't at least hear him out. That's why I'm here.''
*****
There was no reply when Josie rang the bell at the house in Malibu. She walked around the front and saw him standing on the beach at the edge of the ocean.
''Hi,'' she
said softly
when she reached him.
''Hello. You came.''
''Yes. I had a visit from Megan Davis.''
''I know.''
''I'm sorry. I made a stupid
mistake, I
should have listened to you. All the news reports got to
me,
and I believed them over you, that was wrong of me.''
''You've learned something about the press and what it is like to be famous. You should also learn something about your family.''
''What do you mean?''
''Your brothers hired a private investigator to tail me. He saw me visiting Megan and her son. They came to the conclusion that he was my secret son. That was bullshit which they then fed to the press.''
''My God. How did you find that out?''
''I also have friends in the
press
, they are not all enemies.''
''
Shit.
They are assholes. Really. I'm sorry. What can I say?''
''It's not your fault.''
''Do you still love me?'' she asked.
''Yes. I want you to come back to me. You have seen how things work now. You have seen how
bad
people can drive a wedge between decent people. Don't let that happen to us again.''
''Never.
I'm so sorry.
Forgive me.''
''I have. All I want now if for you to bring all your things back here and stay with me.''
''Sure. That's what I want too.''
That evening they sat on the deck and watched the sun go down.
''Without you, my music has suffered greatly. Going solo has been much tougher than I thought,'' he said.
''You'll make it. What made your band so
popular
?''
''Good music and perseverance.''
''Exactly. You are still a great
songwriter,
and
performer,
and all you need to do
is
stick at it. You'll get there.''
''I need success, I can't live without it. It's like a drug. I don't want to be a has-been.''
''It sounds to me as though you have a confidence crisis. You are great, just keep writing and things will click into place. Look at all the famous guys who left groups and made very successful careers on their own.''
''You're right. I have lost confidence. I guess I was more worried about losing you than putting effort into my music. Now your back, all that will change. We are going to be great together.'' He leaned to her and kissed her. ''Come to bed, I've
really
missed you.''