by: Essy Jane

Later that night, I was standing on the porch at the Duke farm looking out into the horizon. Judd walked out and stood beside me. He watched me as I pulled away. “Nice night isn’t it?” He asked me. All I could do was snarl at him.

“Yeah, I am sure you would call it that,” I grumbled. He shook his head.

“Is this about Essy?” I rolled my eyes. “I knew it, you’re jealous of her.”

“I am not!”

“Nancy, it was over before it started with us.” I couldn’t believe he would say that. How could Judd be so cruel? We dated for two years when I worked down there.

“That’s why you kept leading me on when I was down there? Judd, you said forever…you said you couldn’t afford a ring.”

“Yeah and then you said you were moving to England.” I sighed and walked away from him. I didn’t want to look into Judd’s eyes. “I asked you if you wanted me to wait and you said no.”

“A girl never says what she means. I wanted you to come with me.”

“You knew that wasn’t possible.”

“England…”

“Was a chance of a lifetime for you, I know. When they called you to work there, I was delighted for you. I wished you would have said no but I knew that wasn’t an option.”

“You didn’t even ask me to stay! You didn’t come to the airport to say goodbye.”

“I did—but by the time I got there you were gone.”

“Yeah and now you’re engaged.”

“What happened between Essy and I—well it wasn’t planned. I still hoped everyday you would come back to me before I met her.”

“Yeah, before you met her! Now you’re getting married. You know what’s worse than you getting married?”

“What?”

“You didn’t even have the decency to tell me yourself. I had to hear it from someone else.” That’s about the time Bo walked outside. I straightened up and pulled myself together. I knew the emotions were all over my face. I had to get out of here but now I lived here. I was in between these two men, wondering what I was even doing here.

“What are we talking about?” Bo questioned.

“Nothing, this conversation’s over,” Judd grumbled. He walked into the house. You could hear him say, “Uncle Jesse, I’m staying at the boarding house, it’s too crowded here.”

After he said that, I walked towards the barn so I wouldn’t have to see him leave with Essy. Bo followed me. I took of my sandals once again, feeling the dirt roll between my toes. The wind rolled through my blonde hair. Bo laughed. He sat down on the ground and took his boots and socks off, following my trend.

“You know Essy-Jane isn’t that bad of a person,” Bo finally said. He looked up at the moon for a minute. “I dated her once upon a time and I’ll tell you, she’s one heck of a person. There isn’t any reason Judd shouldn’t marry her. I guess that’s why I’ll have to put a zipper to my mouth when I attend the wedding.” I laughed.

“You really loved her didn’t you?” I asked.

“And you loved him.”

“Yes, I really truly did. I guess we both need a zipper.” Bo’s head lowered, he looked at the soft ground.

“This is goanna be hard ain’t it?”

“You said it Bo, I don’t want to even think of the first time we met.”

“Well just for kicks, how did you two meet?”

“I answered a question right on the radio and won two tickets to see him fight. Oh I wasn’t a big boxing fan.”

“Until you met him, he kind of blew you away.”

“How do you do that Bo?”

“Do what?”

“Read my thoughts.”

“Don’t ask me.”

“Okay anyway, I went backstage to see him and…”

“He fell in love with you the second you fell in love with him.”

“I don’t know why, I mean I was so happy with him and all. We went for walks by the ocean. We talked until the sun came up. Two years of pure bliss.”

“When you got that call to England, everything changed.”

“I could say that again.”

“You know, love is a hard thing.” Bo finally walked into the barn and sat down. He looked into my eyes. “I think we both know how wonderful it is to find someone who is their match.”

“I don’t really know, I just find it so grueling that he had to give it up with me. I wanted him to give me a reason to stay.”

“You give him way too much credit.” I laughed. Bo looked at me as my eyes filled with tears. He put a hand on my shoulder and tried to comfort me. “Hey, it’s okay to be upset.” No it wasn’t. I’m a Davenport.

“When I saw him standing there with her, I wanted to know what was going on. Just for one minute I would like to feel like he loved me again. Once, he held me in his arms but now I know he’s getting married.”

“Nancy-Lou, it’s going to be okay, I know it is.” Essy stood at the door of the barn. She smiled.

“Hey Bo, can I have a minute with Nancy?” Essy asked. Bo nodded. He elbowed her on the way out. Essy-Jane shook her head. “Hey, I’m sorry I stole your ex-boyfriend but you’re treating me like I did something wrong. You don’t even know me!”

“I’m not blaming you, I’m blaming him.”

“Then why have you been giving me the silent treatment all night?”

“I don’t know you, what was I going to say to you?”

“Ah, you want to know me, okay, we’re going shopping tomorrow for the bride’s maids dresses. It would be an honor if you were one of them.”

“Are you sure you want me?”

“Hey, any friend of the Dukes or Cooter is certainly a friend of mine.” I had to smile. Essy was being so nice to me. “Besides, you can give me all the dirt on Judd.” I couldn’t help but laugh.