Page 27 of Between Brothers

He laughed at me and stepped forward, putting an arms around my shoulders and pulling me in, pressing his lips to my temple and smacking a kiss there. “You’re a terrible liar,” he said next to my ear, following it up with, “I like that.”

I sort of liked how freely and casually he touched me. As if it were comfortable, and as easy as breathing. He walked with me, arm around me towards the entrance lined in hay bales, and the ticket booth beside it.

“Put your money away,” he said, “I’ve got this.” He winked at me and I inclined my head, slipping my little wallet back into my pocket, stripping off my gloves and shoving them into the other. He pulled his wallet out of his back pocket and paid the lady at the folding table under the easy up awning. She stamped our hands with a jack-o-lantern stamp and said, “Have fun!”

“Thanks,” Cell said and led me into the tall stalks of corn.

“Doesn’t really seem like much,” I said apprehensive, of course, just in time for a chainsaw wielding Jason Voorhees to jump out of the stalks, revving the machine. I jumped and screamed and, predictably, leapt right into Cell’s arms who was laughing.

I blushed furiously and climbed back down off his body, which was very nice, laughing nervously myself.

“Scariest corn maze in three counties,” he said. “Four and a half star rating.”

“It’s the middle of the day!” I burst out. “It can’t be that bad!”

“Eh, guess we’ll see. We have to find our way through, out the back to get to the other fun in store.”

“I can hardly wait,” I said rolling my eyes.

He laughed again, and it was a good sound. I started to relax, his hand warm and solid in mine.

We wound our way through the wide cut paths in the stalks. Clowns and creepy dead ghost children jumping out at us. Scary tableaus set into the dead ends with mad scientists, and serial killer’s burial grounds.

I laughed and ran my hand along the dry stalks, the whisper they made at our passing a light, airy sound that lifted my spirits even more. I turned around saying, “How much further do you think it is to the end?” but Duracell was gone. I was alone. I turned, my heart leaping in my chest. I turned, and spun, and looked this way and that, but nothing…

“Cell?” I called out. Several heartbeats and nothing.

“Cell?” I tried again, and same result. My shoulders dropped and I tried again.

“Cell, come on this isn’t – Ah!” A girly scream as he lunged out of the corn behind me with a cry. He scooped me up, arms around my waist and spun me while I laughed.

He set me down, one of my hands in his and spun me like a dancer so I faced him, his other arm hauling me up against his body. He laughed too and I shook my head.

“Alright, okay, you got me.”

“Yeah, yeah I did. I couldn’t resist.”

I giggled, both of us a bit breathless, “Pretty sure the exit is just up here,” he said and his voice was dusky, the moment hanging between us, just waiting for one or the other of us to capitalize on it. I thought for sure he would, but he smiled and stepped back, giving me a bit of room. I was half disappointed.

“Right! What’s at the end?”

“Ah, ah, ah… you just have to wait and see,” he teased. He took my hand and we plunged back into the maze. Three frights and one dead end later we burst free, into a clearing with food tents and market stalls, beyond them a great wide field full of pumpkins just waiting to be picked and carved.

“Hey! There they are.” I heard a woman call and I looked up. Several of the other Sacred Hearts members stood around with their women. Melody was the one who’d called out and I laughed.

“We’re about to go out there and pick pumpkin’s to carve, take them back to the club and carve them. You coming?” she asked.

“We’re coming,” Duracell assured her. “I just want to grab her some hot cider first. It was a cold ride and it’s chilly out here.”

“Already done, I have it right here.” I turned at Blue’s soft voice and took the steaming paper cup from his fingers that he offered me.

I smiled up at him and said, “Thank you.” He nodded and took another from the drink carrier he was holding and handed it to Cell.

“Good lookin’ out, man.”

He took the last and ditched the paper drink holder in one of the fifty-five gallon drums with the giant black trash bag flowing out of it, the recycling emblem spray painted on the side. He came back and joined us, putting me between them and I blushed, glancing quickly around at the rest of the club members to gauge their reactions.

None of them paid us any mind, there wasn’t any judgement on any of their faces, nor were any of them trying overly hard to not look at us. It put me at ease.

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