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“You ain’t right, Jude. Laughin’ about this.” She was one to talk; she was laughing, too.
“Eli’s little fat legs were kinda curved out back then.”
“Bowlegged they call it.”
“Yeah, bowlegged, and so he’d run kinda funny sometimes. Like a wobble. He went down hard ’nd fast. Plop! Right there in the grass. Face first!” Jude rubbed the tears of mirth from his eyes. “Mama, me and Cain was runnin’ to help, but the duck was on top of him by then, tryna get to his fingers, and squawking. Mama started fussin’ and cussin’, shooing the duck away with her purse, but Eli was never the same after that, even years later. He didn’t even wanna watch Duck Dynasty. He didn’t even wanna play Duck, Duck, Goose as a kid.”
“See, now you just makin’ up stuff, Jude!”
By now, they both were cackling, shameful as it was. “I think it’s their webbed feet, and their bills, too. Eli says their feet look icky. His words, not mine. He doesn’t like the look of ’em. Like I said though, if you wanna see him whoop and holler and show his complete lily-white ass, take him near some ducks, Iris. It’ll be the last thing you do.”
They kept on walking, sharing happy stories of their childhood.
“One time, Lily made me a doll…” She looked down at the ground at a leaf shaped just like that doll, bringing forth the memory. “It had on a little orange dress. I was not feelin’ good. Had a cold. I couldn’t play or eat—my throat hurt. I was just layin’ up in the bed, the television on, feeling miserable. She offered me some of her candy, then took some string and cotton balls, and other odds and ends we had around the house, and made me the cutest little doll. I still got it, too. Lily was the best sister ever when we were children, Jude. It ain’t right how she’s changed… It ain’t right.”
She hugged herself tight. Then, she felt Jude wrap her up in his strong embrace, and his warmth, his earthy, intoxicating scent, mingled with the smell of peppermint, musky cologne, clean mountain air, and cigarettes. All of this made her feel comfort in ways that she couldn’t even describe. He just kept holding her as she cried a little… broke down a little… missed her estranged sister all the more, too.
“You say she mentally ill?”
“We believe so. I told you I had that good talk with my mother.” He nodded. “Even after that, I don’t know why I still get upset about it every now and again, Jude. I think about the good ol’ days, and get down in the dumps. I don’t usually live in the past, but something about me and Lily I can’t shake loose. Maybe because when I look at Ayanna, I see my sister. They look so much alike. The Lily I grew up with is gone.”
Jude pressed his forehead to hers, and when he opened his mouth to speak, his deep voice rumbled straight through to her soul.
“She’s in there. The real her is buried beneath all the bullshit. Same with Cain. Just like with drug addicts, the true them is in there somewhere. It just takes will power, prayer, therapy, gumption, grit and know-how to get it back. If she wants to do the right thing, the people and tools are there.” She let him speak, unsure her emotions would let her have a word out right then. “She got more than some… because Lily has a sister and a mama who love ’er. You say she and your Aunt Blue used to be close, too. She got a daughter who, no matter how angry she acts, still loves her mama, or it wouldn’t hurt her so bad when Lily says the mean things she says to her.” He stroked her hair, kissed her, slid his thumb against her cheek and wiped her tears away. “Now, you stop talkin’ about this sad stuff. We can talk about it later on if you want, I ain’t tryna silence you, but at the same time, I ain’t bring you all this way for you to be all down in the dumps. We coulda stayed home for that.”
She smiled sadly at his words. “I know, I know…” She slumped. “I’m sorry.”
“Ain’t no need to be sorry, but uh, I hope you’ll be kind.”
“Be kind?”
“Mmm hmm… don’t embarrass me out here in front of all of these damn deer. They’re watching.”
“Jude, what foolishness are you talkin’ about?”
Suddenly, the man started fishing around in his oversized red and black plaid jacket, grappling with something in the pocket. He got down on one knee.
“Oh… no… oh my God…”
Jude took out a purple box, popped it open, and nearly blinded her when a beautiful, square cut diamond ring came into sight. His Adam’s apple bobbed as he swallowed, and his complexion deepened as he looked up into her eyes. When he grasped her hand, she noticed he was shaking, ever so subtly. Like a leaf that had caught the flirty kiss of a shy wind.
“Iris Danielle Ashford, queen of my heart, friend to my brother Eli, warmth in the middle of cold nights, light in my darkest days, would you be so kind as to become, Iris Danielle Cooper?”
She covered her mouth with her fingers. The tears wouldn’t stop falling now.
“Yes… yes! I’ll marry you, Jude.” Now she was shaking, too.
With a big smile on his face, he took the ring out of the box, which he placed beside him on the grass, and slid it on her finger. When he was back on his feet, he gathered her in a tight embrace.
“I’m in shock right now.” She laughed nervously. “I can’t believe it.”
“I don’t know what for. I told you some time ago that I was gonna make you my wife. I mean what the hell I say.” He kissed her then, nice and deep. Their tongues danced as he snuck his hand under her open jacket and caressed slowly up and down her body, over her hips, then higher. Sighing, she melted into his touch when he cupped her breasts, then slid his hands to her lower stomach while removing his belt, never breaking their kiss.
His breathing grew harsher, and when he pulled away, his monster of a dick stuck out through the slit of his boxers. Without a word, he undid the button and zipper on her jeans and pushed them down until they puddled around her ankles. She stepped out of them, then he wrapped his arms around her and kissed her again, his touch more intense, more passionate. Desire grew like flames dancing along the edges of gasoline-soaked paper.
“What if we get caught?” she whispered against his lips, then pulled back a little.
“Shhh…” He pulled her close again, her body flush with his. “Ain’t nobody over in this area this time of mornin’.”
