Page 65 of Where It All Began
“This is important,” he said, lifting her up and wrapping her legs around his waist. “This is the only important thing.”
She heard the car coming down the drive and then another one and another one. “Are you throwing a party?” she demanded.
John spun, his hands splayed across her ass. “What in the hell is this?”
Elvira, Michael, and Hazel jumped out of the first car. “Phoebe!” Elvira jogged up, her face flushed and happy.
More car doors slammed and Mooners flooded the yard.
“You all missed the Sit-In!” Mrs. Nordemann huffed and puffed, dragging the elusive Mr. Nordemann along behind her.
“You were supposed to be the guest of honor,” Bruce Oakleigh said, crossing his arms over the drum kit he wore around his waist. Phoebe wondered how he got in the car wearing it.
“We like totally had a surprise for you,” Rainbow said, cracking her gum.
Reluctantly, John released Phoebe, setting her on the ground.
“Guys, we’re kind of busy right now,” he began. “We’re planning a wedding.”
“We all better be invited,” Mrs. Nordemann announced, putting a finger in his face. “Hazel!” She waved the sheriff over. “Do the honors, will you?”
Hazel stepped up between John and Phoebe and quick as a snake handcuffed them together.
“What the hell is this?” Phoebe demanded holding up their joined wrists.
Hazel cleared her throat. “Every year on this date, we host Blue Moon’s Annual Sit-In. And every year we choose a worthy cause that the whole town can agree upon. We host a community fair and donate all proceeds to that cause.”
“Hazel, seriously, now is not a good time,” John began again.
“Shut up, John,” she said amicably and pulled a wadded-up piece of paper from her pocket.
“This year, Blue Moon really stepped up. We raised—”
Bruce broke into a drum roll.
“Thank you, Bruce.” Hazel rolled her eyes. “We raised $21,732.”
Bruce stopped drumming and bumbled over to Hazel, the cymbals between his knees crashing. He handed something over with a flourish.
Hazel turned to Phoebe, grabbed her uncuffed hand, and slapped a check in it.
Phoebe stared down at it. It was made out to her parents.
“What? What is this?” Shocked, she slid down onto the porch step behind her, her cuffed hand hanging over her head. John tried to slip his arm around her and only succeeded in bending her arm behind her back.
But she couldn’t even feel the pain. Not with so much love, so bright and fierce like the sun, glowing inside her.
“We take care of our own,” Hazel said briskly.
Phoebe looked up at her. “I’m not one of you.”
“Oh, yes you are,” Elvira argued. “And it’ll be official as soon as you marry this one.” She jerked her thumb in John’s direction.
The crowd cheered.
“Did you know?” Phoebe whispered to John.
“Of course not. Do you think I’d let you drive away from meandtwenty thousand dollars?”
