Jessica wrapped her arms around herself as she felt the breeze swirl around her. The trees that were circled around the forest clearing all seemed to be swaying. For a summer season, June was awfully beginning to look like Spring all over again. Tucking a strand of golden hair behind one ear, she turned to her cousin Sara, who was busy admiring the ladybug that was crawling on her hand. “You know, this reminds me...I was going to let you have these Ked shoes with ladybugs all over them to wear with your capris,” Sara retorted, walking over to a tree and letting the spotted bug go. Jessica grinned. “What? Sara is being generous?” she replied. “Hehe, yeah, I am so you better take advantage!” she said, throwing a stick at her older cousin. “Watch out, Sar, you might start a war with the boys over there...” Jessica said, still grinning, “speaking of which, what are they doing?” The two girls looked across the clearing to where Jessica’s two younger cousins were. They were busy looking into a hole in the bottom of a tree. “Hmmm...well, if I know my brother, they are probably up to something...” Sara replied. The girls looked at each other and shrugged. “Oh, well,” each said.
Jessica wondered over to the tire swing that had been there since before she was born. Sitting down, she could see the sunset in the distance. She sighed. Just knowing that she was going to spend an entire summer on the ranch made her extremely happy. Who cares if she had to baby-sit about 10 kids almost every day? The atmosphere in itself made up for it. She only hoped that it didn’t move too fast.
“Hey Jess?” Sara asked behind her, busy making a tiara of dandelions. “Yeah?” Jessica replied, turning around in the tire swing. “Did you get a Christmas card from the Hanson’s last year?” she asked, twirling a stem into a knot. “You mean the people who are coming?” Jessica asked. “Yuppers,” Sara answered. “Maybe..I don’t remember. Why?” she asked, curious. “Oh, no reason...” Sara responded, finishing the tiara and placing it on her blonde curls. Jessica narrowed her eyes. “Why, Sar?...” Sara sighed dramatically and placed the back of her hand up to her forehead. “Because I just wanted to know if you knew how extremely gorgeous the Hanson boys are!” She giggled. “You really need to get out of your Juliet mode, dear...that play is over,” Jessica teased. Sara pretended to be hurt. “That wounded me, couz, it really did,” she whined. “Okay, okay, I’ll play along...how gorgeous are they?” Jessica asked mockingly. “Gorgeous, gorgeous,” Sara replied, grinning, “well, okay, actually, we got the card three years ago, so I don’t know how much they have changed, but, girl...” she continued, “let’s just say blonde angels from heaven.” Sara tilted her head toward the sky and lifted her arms. Jessica laughed hysterically. “You know, your just about as bad as Jen!” she exclaimed, once she stopped laughing some. Sara’s smile disappeared. “Oh...her,” she muttered, teasingly. Jessica laughed again. “Don’t like Jen, Sar?” Jessica asked her, pulling the flowers off of Sara’s head. “Hey! I was wearing that thank you!” Sara said, starting to take it back. Jessica held it out of her reach. “Fine,” Sara said, crossing her arms, “do you take things away from Jen too?” Jessica flung the crown at her. “Yes, actually I do,” she said, “but I don’t always give them back, so think of yourself as honored.” Sara just grunted. “You know, I did say I was sorry about that you know,” Jessica said. “I know,” Sara said, arms still crossed, “ and I’m not mad. It’s okay to think of me as just a friend because I’m only 13. It’s okay. I mean, we can totally forget those years we were cousins in we want to.” she finished. Jessica sighed, but still smiled. Her cousin was known to over act sometimes. “Okay, Sar, you are my new best friend, k? Are you happy now?” she asked her. “Maybe...” Sara said, looking at Jessica from an angle, “so what is Jen?” “Errrggggg,” Jessica groaned, “she’s a friend! How many times do I need to go over this? And why do you need to hear the word, best, so often, huh?” Sara snickered. “Just to piss you off of course,” she said sweetly. “Give me the flowers,” Jessica said, holding out her hand. Sara eyed her. “No,” she said, putting her hands behind her back. “Hey, girl, I beat you up in fourth grade, and I’m not afraid to do it again, k?” Sara just laughed at this, while Jessica was trying hard to control her’s. “And who threw you down the stairs and broke your arm when they were only 5, huh?” Jessica burst out laughing. “I fell, and you know it!” she exclaimed, getting back on the swing. “Hey, um...no!” Sara yelled, while still laughing. “Yes!” Jessica responded back. “No!” Sara yelled again. Both girls were rolling, remembering the time. For years they had argued over the same thing. Earlier the fighting had been serious, now it was just plain funny.
“You know, we really shouldn’t have eaten that whole batch of grandma’s brownies,” Jessica said, wiping away the tears that were trailing down her cheeks from laughing so hard. “Hey, that was mostly you, girl, don’t blame that on me,” Sara said, finally throwing the flower tiara at her. “It’s chocolate. What can I say? It controls me sometimes,” Jessica said, placing the crown on her head. “Hey aren’t we supposed to be doing something right about now?” Sara asked her, looking around the suspiciously silent clearing. Jessica pretended to think. “Um...now what is that word? Oh, yeah! Baby-sitti...” she trailed off as she suddenly realized the quietness also. The two girls looked back at where the two boys, Jacob and Chase once were. They were no longer in the clearing. The two girls looked at each other. “Uh, oh,” each muttered. “I’m thinkin they went down to the pond, what do you think?” Jessica asked, pushing herself off the swing. “Yup, that’s what I’m thinkin,” Sara said, standing up from the grass and dusting off her cargo shorts.
The pond they were talking about was a pretty short distance away, but it was still far enough so that the girls couldn’t stop the boys and their tricks. Earlier on, Jessica and Sara had left the 7 girls down at the pond to collect flowers by the waters edge. They knew they would be safe, and besides, they were being watched by Angela, a girl the same age as Jessica who was staying at the ranch for the next month. Actually, the girls had just decided to stick her with the job. First meeting Angela the day before, Jessica wasn’t that sure if they were going to be the best of friends. An unfriendly “hi” and a cool once-over was all Jessica had received from her so far. Jessica was sure that instead of enjoying the calmness of the pond, Angela was busy filing her manicured nails or working on her already golden tan.
“This is going to be bad...” Jessica said, turning toward the direction of the pond. “Yup, it definitely is...do you think Angela can handle this one?” Sara asked, amusingly arching an eyebrow at her cousin. Jessica grinned. “Nope...but I think she may need the practice...we’ll just wait and see what happens.” Sara laughed. “Sounds good to me!” she replied. Seconds later, screams erupted from the pond area, filling Jessica’s eardrums. Amongst them, she was sure she could decipher Angela’s. Amid the screaming, she could also make out a splashing noise. Jessica could feel a giggle crawl up her throat. She knew getting even with someone wasn’t funny, but Angela had to learn that snobbish behavior wasn’t cool either.
“Well, here comes the brigade...” Sara announced with a huge smile on her face. She had dealt with Angela the entire week before. She knew what kind of person Angela was way before Jessica had. Just then, the screams fully erupted into the huge clearing. One by one, the girls started running toward the ranch house. Beside Jessica, Sara was laughing hysterically. “Did you see the look on Misty’s face?” she asked Jessica, talking about her 4 year old sister, “that is SO hilarious!” Jessica was smiling, but she wasn’t sure if it was that funny. She had begun to get worried about that splash she heard. Kara, her youngest sister, hadn’t come out yet. “Um, Sara, I think we better go see what happened. Something could be wro...” she started. But just then, Jacob and Chase came tearing out of the trees, and not far behind was Angela. A soggy, mud covered Angela that is. Jessica had to cover her mouth with her hand to keep the giggles from spilling over. Thoroughly, Angela had begun to know what kind of disasters the O’Donnells were known to have.
Although the scene was funny, Jessica was still worried about Kara. Anything could have happened to her in just those two seconds. Jessica started toward the pond, but as soon as the two mischievous boys saw her coming, they headed straight for her, hoping for some kind of cover from the steaming Angela. Jessica was almost knocked down as the two boys reached her and held on to each of her legs for dear life. “I had no idea that girls cussed that much!” Jacob said, in awe. “Jess, please don’t let her hurt us!” 7 year old Chase said, holding on to her leg even tighter, “it was just a stupid frog. It wasn’t going to hurt anybody.” Two seconds later, the mud drenched Angela appeared in front of Jessica. “So are you just going to stand there????” Angela asked, wiping some mud out of her eye. “Do something! They’re YOUR stupid cousins! Do you know how much deep conditioning IS at the salon??” she said, holding up her now brown locks. Suddenly, Jessica didn’t think it was funny anymore. “And what exactly do you want me to do?” Jessica asked calmly, “they’re just boys...they do that sort of thing.” “Yeah, you tell her Jess!” Jacob retorted, standing up. Jessica shot him a look, and Jacob instantly fled back down. “What do you mean, they do that sort of thing??? Who cares! They should have their ***es beat! And let me tell you this...everything that I’m wearing is going to be paid for, or else! I don’t even care if YOU have to pay for it! If it’s ruined at all...” “Oh, I’m sure that won’t be happening...” Jessica said coolly, “you can use the washer and dryer like the rest of us. And you know, I can bet that you won’t be using those choice of words around little kids again, right?” she said, giving her a stare. Angela just looked back at her, but eventually started walking towards the house. She was sure she heard an expletive said under her breath. Jessica just shook her head, and turned to the situation at hand. She HAD to find Kara.
“Guys, go into the house, k? And just stay away from Angela all right?” she asked them, and again started toward the pond. She could hear Sara run the way to catch up with her. “Where you going?” she asked. “Kara wasn’t with the girls. I don’t know where she is,” Jessica replied. But sure enough, Jessica’s fears were put to rest. Just then, she spotted her sister coming out of the pond area, sporting a purse in her left hand. She seemed to be having some trouble carrying it, seeing as it were almost half her size. Jessica sighed with relief, and grabbed the purse out of Kara’s hand as she reached her. “Where did Angela go?” Kara asked in a small voice, after seeing the look on her sister’s face. “She’s in the house, now where were you?” Jessica asked her, taking her hand and beginning to walk home. “Angela left her purse,” Kara replied, swinging their arms in tune to their walking, and then grabbing Sara’s hand at the same time. “I had to get it for her. She was probably too scared off the frog to notice,” she said, looking up at her sister, “you know, that froggie was actually cute. I don’t know why everybody screamed.” Jessica and Sara just laughed at this. “Well, I’m glad you feel that way...” Jessica said, with a spark of amusement in her voice, “cause we decided we’re going to chop it up for dinner.” “EEWWW!” Kara said, and dropped their hands. “It’s true, babe,” Sara said, winking at Jessica, “the boys just went to give it to Grandma to make stew out of.” Kara screamed and starting running toward the house, hoping to catch her grandma in time. Jessica cracked up laughing, and Sara slapped her on the shoulder. “You are so bad!” she said, laughing also. “Hey, you kept it going, not me,” Jessica replied.
Finally reaching the end of the woods, Jessica could see the scene of the ranch house outlined by the disappearing light of the sunset behind them. Jessica had to turn around and go backwards for awhile, wanting to see the many shades of pink and purple in the horizon. “You know,” she muttered to Sara, “I swear you guys get a whole other sun in Ohio. You never see that in Tulsa.” Sara glanced behind her, and then around again, her gaze focused on something else. “Yeah, whatever you say...” she replied. Jessica giggled, knowing without looking that Sara had eyed the “gorgeous” Hanson boys already. “Okay, Sar, how gorgeous are they now?” she asked her, elbowing her in the arm. Sara sighed. “Extremely!” she uttered. Of course, Jessica then had to turn around to see herself. “Um...Sar? I can’t even see their faces, babe.” “Well, yeah, but I’m not looking at that,” Sara said, “I’m looking at the body...oooo, baby!” Jessica tilted her head. “Oh, yeah...” she said, understanding. “Jess! What are you doing?” a voice inside her exploded, “this is just the start!” Jessica shook her head. She couldn’t believe that she was acting like this. She knew that she shouldn’t be attracted to anyone like that. She hadn’t even met them yet!
Jessica and Sara were nearing the deck where the whole family was standing. As they grew nearer, Jessica could feel people looking at her and instantly she because self-conscience. But if wasn’t her family that made her feel that way. She was comfortable around them. This was another feeling, that started in her heart and ended in her toes. “Oh, my...” Sara whispered to her, “I was right, wasn’t I? They ARE angels!” When the weird feeling had begun to grow, Jessica had looked down at the ground as she walked while trying to sort out what it was. At Sara’s words, Jessica lifted her eyes, and almost had to grab hold of her cousin’s arm to steady herself. Looking straight into her eyes was probably the most angelic like human being Jessica had ever seen in her entire life. Even from the short distance between them, she was sure the color of his eyes were almost sky blue, and she could see his lips close slowly as he inhaled a breath. Strands of blonde hair hung around his face, having escaped the low ponytail in the back. Suddenly, she felt Sara poke her in the side. “Wake up,” she muttered, flinging Jessica back to reality and making her realize that they were on the edge of the deck, and she was staring helplessly into this stranger’s incredible eyes. Jessica quickly shoved her head down again, and felt heat coming up from her neck and entering her shocked face. “Jess, you are soo stupid, stupid, stupid...” she repeated over and over in her head. Even though her and the stranger had broke the connection, Jessica could still feel the feeling deep down within. She didn’t want to let it go...
“Jessica and Sara...these are the Hansons,” her mother said to the girls as they neared the top of the stairs, “that’s Diana, Zac, Mackenzie, Avery, and Taylor,” she finished, pointing to each one. Jessica swore her heart had stopped beating altogether. “Taylor...” she thought wistfully. Realizing she was being rude and not saying hello, she began to talk. “Hi,” was all that see could squeak out though. She pushed a strand of hair out of her eyes, telling herself not to look into those eyes again. She didn’t want to fall...
“Oh, my gosh!” The woman who was introduced as Diana said, “I’ve seen pictures of you both but I guess film doesn't do you justice!" Diana walked up and instantly grabbed them both into a warm hug. Jessica could hear laughing in the background. “Don’t worry about her, guys,” her mother told them, after they had ceased the hugging, “she hugs every human she sees!” Jessica smiled. She didn’t mind. Now maybe she could be more comfortable around that one member of the family. “Probably never him though...” she thought. A warm kind of feeling came upon her then. “How does he do that?” she asked herself, knowing that he was staring straight at her. Or maybe her soul rather...
“So, girls, you want to help me make the frog stew?” her grandmother asked them, giving them a look. “No!” she could hear her sister shout from inside the screen door of the deck. Jessica couldn’t help but laugh at this, but instantly stopped when she saw the look on her mother’s face. “Sorry,” she said. Suddenly an evil grin appeared on her mother’s face. “Kara?!” she shouted inside, “how many legs do you want?” The group laughed, and all the women began to go inside. She could hear her sister shrieking.
“Your mom is really cool,” commented Zac from the chair beside Taylor. Jessica turned toward the chairs. Sara, of course, was already looking. By the way she was eyeing at the younger version of Taylor, Jessica knew that she was definitely hooked already. Making sure to just keep eye contact with Zac, she replied, “yeah, she’s pretty cool most of the time.” Jessica suddenly felt a warm little hand slip into hers. Looking down, she found yet another blonde to add to the list. Avery’s eyes were big as she asked, “are we really eating froggie for dinner?” in a small voice. “Oh, no, honey, of course not,” Jessica said, squeezing her hand. “K,” Avery said, squeezing her hand back. “Anybody could love this kid,” Jessica thought. “Taybear?” she was asking her brother, who was now standing up, “why do you look like that?” Jessica looked at him now, which of course was a huge mistake waiting to happen. His mouth was hanging open at what his sister had said. “What do you mean, Avie?” he asked her, embarrassingly pushing back some stray hair. “Just breathe...” Jessica warned herself when she suddenly felt lightheaded. “I don’t know...”Avery replied, “you just look weird, that’s all. Like when Ike does when he looks at...” “Well, Avery,” Taylor interrupted, “I don’t know. Let’s forget about it, k?” He gave his younger sister a look, but then immediately looked into Jessica’s. She swallowed. She could hear Zac and Sara snicker beside her, and then a “ouch” as Taylor elbowed his brother hard in the stomach. Jessica didn’t know how to react. Suddenly, the deck darkened as the last of the sun disappeared behind the distance. “It’s dark...” Jessica thought, her heart racing, “Brenden... No!” she told herself angrily. “Run away,” a voice in her head kept of repeating.
Jessica dropped Avery’s hand. “I....um...have to...” she stammered, “help fix dinner...” With that, she walked as fast as she could toward the door, hearing Sara’s calls behind her. Finally reaching “safety”, she pressed her head against the wall. She was breathing heavy, and she couldn’t seem to stop. “Make it go away,” she whispered, more to God than to herself.
Her emotions had been way too strong. She hadn’t felt like that in a long time. But has she ever felt like that before? No, she hadn’t. Looking into someone’s eyes had never caused her to go flying amidst the clouds. Something was happening, but she didn’t know what. He had only spoken a few words to her, and somehow all she wanted to do was crawl into his arms, and let him protect her. Jessica’s head popped up. “Wait a minute,” she thought. Wasn’t he the one she was supposed to be protected from? As Jessica thought more and more about it, it wasn’t him that she was afraid of. It was the memory of someone else.
Plates and silverware cracked together as the family and guests were fixing their plates in the room next to her. She couldn’t just not go in there. “Lord, help me through this,” she prayed silently, and walked toward the door. Reaching the door, and pushing it open, she muttered outloud, “Amen.”
****I am in no way associated with Hanson or Mercury Records. What you are reading is purely fiction. F-I-C-T-I-O-N.****
