The Write Place

Under the Fruiting Tree: Chapter 24 – The Write Place
Under the Fruiting Tree: Novella Table of Contents – The Write Place

The tree swayed gently in the moonlight.  Its red and purplish buds broke up the bluish light of the moon. Between the tree and the church building a tan colored car crept along the paved road.  The car’s lights lit the tree as it stopped almost up against it.  The inched forward, the sound of the parking brake clicking into place was followed by the headlights going dim. The locks released on the doors.  The doors then opened, permitting a male figure to exit out of the driver’s side.  As he got out of the car, his white t-shirt and jeans were heavily obscured by the dark of the night.  His hair was rather well kept, short and brown.  There was an eager hustle in his steps as he walked around the front of the car.  He stopped by the passenger side and opened the door, allowing a feminine figure to emerge.  The man carefully closed the door behind her.  Her long blond hair bounced in the moonlight night as she moved.

“Car smells really new, doesn’t it?” the woman observed.  Walking around the side of the car, the collar of her beige blouse shifted with her steps. 

“Lincoln Continental.  Got it myself.  Lots of hours working over the summer.  Know the dealer, too.  Actually, it’s my uncle’s dealership,” the young man said in response.  A touch of pride flavored his words.  He was pleased with himself, and he didn’t want to be the only one.

“Nice to not have to call shotgun,” she added as she hopped up on the hood scraping the cuffs of her bell bottoms on the hood as she jumped onto it.  She lay back, gently crossing her Chelsea boots, smiling at the beauty of the night sky.
“Must be a nice change, coming from a big family,” he said hopping up and joining her on the hood of the car.  

“Sure is.  My mother usually goes through 10 names including the dog until she gets to Sharon,” she replied with an amused smile, joined by a knowing laugh born of years of experience. “You can laugh, or you can cry, laughing is more fun.”

“Well, I won’t confuse you for the dog,” he added gazing at her with a smile of his own.  

“Thanks Robert, that means a lot,” Sharon added, her smile widening.  She shifted her body over to join his. “Definitely bodes well for this relationship!” Robert took her hand and they both lay on the hood of the car, their eyes meeting the heavens.

“Beautiful night out.  The stars are marvelous through the trees.  Rather lovely, aren’t they,” Sharon observed as she turned her head to the left toward the tree line.  The glistening of the stars through the darkened shape of tree on an especially clear night.

“Well, you’d know, lovely,” Robert remarked putting his hands behind his head.

“Flatterer,” Sharon said through a delight filled smile.  “Looking up at the stars makes me feel part of it all,” Sharon said with a touch of wonder in her voice.  Robert, joining her gaze, turned to face the sky.

“Ever wonder about beauty?” Robert asked with an inquisitive expression.  Robert turned to Sharon, measuring her and anticipating her response.

“No, I just enjoy having it,” she answered to an amused laugh from Robert.  “Why do you laugh at the idea of me and beauty?”  Sharon shifted herself to stare playfully at Robert, who raised a playful eyebrow.

“Beautiful and funny.  Don’t know why you’re going to prom with me,” Robert replied, defusing the situation with his sincere flattery.
“Slim pickings,” Sharon said, adding to her reputation.

“I’ll take what advantage I can get,” Robert responded.  “You settled on a dress yet?”

“I can tell you the color, but you aren’t going to see it first.  I want that to be a surprise,” Sharon said in a playfully authoritative voice.

“It’s not our wedding.  As far as I know.  Unless you’re planning something…” Robert replied with playful suspicion as he took Sharon’s hand.

“Well, I can tell you, it won’t have bell bottoms. Though it’s a dress so kinda one big bell bottom already,” Sharon said.  Sharon squeezed Robert’s hand and nestled her head onto his shoulder.  Robert gently leaned his head on top of hers, sneaking a sniff of her hair.  ”Aha! You give yourself away.  A dress with a skirt,” Robert said, riding the high of the moment. “Anything else you care to give away?”

“It’s a powder blue, like the vest you showed me.  I’m pretty excited to wear it.  First that’s not a hand me down,” she said, smiling into Robert’s shoulder.  “You’ve got a tux and that’s the way it is.  I guess guys are all the same, is the thinking.”

“I am not a standard model male,” Robert responded with a wave of his hand.  “You know that.  After all, how long have you known me?” 

“Long enough to know there’s nothing standard about you.  Nothing normal.  You’re completely abnormal,” Sharon said, shaking her head facetiously, greatly enjoying her own wit.

“Thank you for those kind words,” Robert said, returning the comment in sarcasm.  “I can’t think of more of an insult than being called normal.  Better be different than normal, that is just boring,” Robert said. “You settle on a college yet?  They’re kinda going crazy right now.”  Robert’s voice hid a poorly veiled sense of worry that appeared also on his face. 

“I was thinking of it.  Still leaning towards something for art like I said before.  I don’t know what kind of career for sure I could get into since there’s a lot of competition with it,” Sharon said.  Sharon tilted her head to the sky again. “Hope to paint something like this.  How about you?”

“I’d hope to paint something like this too, but stick figures are a challenge,” Robert grinned amused at himself.  “Philosophy.  Seems to be something I can’t avoid doing.  I ask myself why, and I like to wrestle with the question.  And then I think, why is that?  Just a good fit,” he said, satisfied with his response.

“Isn’t that test tomorrow?  You ought to be studying,” Sharon asked furrowing her eyebrows deep in thought.

“Oh it is, and I should,” said Robert. “But what is a test?  Why study?  Why Test?  I think I got a handle on it, as you can see.  In any case, I stand by my decision to be here.  Or lay by it, on the hood of a car with a pretty girl,” Robert placed his arm around Sharon, who sunk into his embrace once more.  Robert winced deeply at her touch.

“What is it? Sharon said, picking her head up.  She looked at Robert with deep worry.

“It’s nothing,” Robert replied, shaking his head dismissively. He hadn’t thought about it, and now it had found them.  Sharon without asking or hesitating, lifted Roberts’s shirt part of the way up, exposing a sizable, fresh bruise that had formed on his ribs.  Sharon let out a quiet gasp. “Your father did this, didn’t he?” she asked into Robert’s ear almost under her breath.

“He’s done lots of things over the years,” Robert said with angry, pained tears welling up in his eyes.  His body tensed rigid as a board; his breathing became labored.  The spot was still sore.  The memories were sorer still.  He gently pulled his shirt back down to cover his abdomen.

“That’s why you don’t want to be home, or one reason,” Sharon observed, tears in her eyes.  Robert looked at her.  

He took her hands into his own and gazed deeply into her eyes. “It’s not why I’m here. I’ll do all I can to get away from him, but I’ll do more to be here with you.”

“Not the point Robert.  You need to do something about this.  Leave, call the cops,” Sharon pleaded with him.

“And go where?” asked Robert. “It’s only a few more months.  Then I’m out of that house.”  Sharon looked away trying to hold back her tears. 
“Come here,” Robert offered, opening his arms. The peaceful chirping of the crickets filled the air. Sharon returned to Robert’s arms.  This time she gently laid her head on his shoulder.  They locked hands as both gazed at the stars and the trees through teary eyes.

“Let’s just stay a while,” Robert offered as they lay side by side.  Listening to the songs of the night.