Fireflies Page 6

  In the shouting, no one had heard her enter the room. Patrick seemed relieved to be excused and bolted upstairs to his brother's bed side.

  “Yer father will be right down. Everyone take a seat until he joins us,” she ordered, walking to her red wing backed armchair near the hearth, never taking her eyes off of Teagan.

  Teagan began to feel the thick tension rising in her chest. She sat with her hands clenched together and only opened them to slide them down across her lap to dry them. The young men all sat quietly, each with their own thoughts of what state their father would be in and then they heard his footsteps coming down the stairs and entering the doorway of the sitting room.

  “Now, before things are spoken, let us all bow our head in prayer that whatever happens here, we can all find peace and support in the Lord for our family,” Owen prayed, as he took his seat opposite Sarah, facing the room full of concerned yet bewildered eyes.

  “Dear Lord, our family needs your strength and guidance. Watch over us today as you always do and give these children the will and the purpose to speak the truth and help us as we move past this, from this day forth. Amen.”

  “Teagan, speak now and start at the very beginning, when you started down the trail with Eli,” said Owen, raising his head and with that gesture, all eyes turned to Teagan.

  “Da, Eli and I were walking and talking and I lost my – well Liffey's ribbon. Ennis wanted to walk down to the stream next to the foot bridge and toss rocks. Eli and I were standing on the bridge talking and I realized I didn't hear Ennis tossing rocks anymore so we ran down to see what he was doing and there we found him, lying on the ground. Then, I heard the rattle of the snake and I turned and it was just behind me. Eli took Ennis in one arm and reached out and pulled me up and the snake got 'hold of my skirt,” she said, turning and pulling her skirt to show Owen the small tear where the snake had grabbed hold, then turning back to finish. “Somehow I shook it off and we ran up the hill screaming for help. That's my whole story, Da.”

  Teagan breathed deeply as she had barely drawn breath while telling her story. She was also relieved to have set the words free.

  “Eli?” asked Owen, waiting for Eli's version.

  “Exactly what Teagan said, sir,” was Eli's response.

  “Eli? Can ya' please tell me what you saw?” asked Owen sharply.

  “Doctor Whelan, I saw the very same as Teagan. What she said, it's all true but...” Eli stopped as Teagan glared at him.

  “But what son?” asked Owen, leaning forward, so as not to miss a word.

  “But...neither of us actually saw Ennis get bit is all I was gonna’ say,” said Eli, his conscience straining under his loyalty to Teagan.

  “Connell, what did you see that made you believe Ennis was bit?” Owen asked, now turning his attention to him.

  “Da, I pushed Ennis' trousers up and saw no bites. I looked in the obvious places like you taught me. Then, his hands and when I pushed up his sleeve, I saw the bite with a little blood. Ennis himself said he was nipped. That's how I knew,” Connell explained, while giving Eli his own suspicious stare.

  Eli was very uncomfortable and wished Teagan had never come to him with her stories of the bird and knife the day before. He knew more than he cared to know and the only thing keeping him pressed onto his chair was that loyalty – maybe more. He was very concerned about Ennis but he already believed Ennis would be fine, the same as Teagan did, long before anyone else.

  “Well, this sounds to me like a coincidence. Most times rattlesnake bites would kill a boy of Ennis' size. However, since there is no bite or scratch, obviously, in all of the panic, you made an honest error Connell.” Owen exclaimed with a hard slap on his knee.

  “But what about the snake and Teagan's dress?” said Connell, now on his feet, still defending his diagnosis.

  “Son, I've been a doctor for over twenty-five years and once in a while I still make a mistake and I always pray it's in the favor of me patient,” said Owen smiling. “All right, that's enough. Ennis will recover and there's still plenty of this God given day left to enjoy so I say, let's all go help yer ma prepare the Sunday supper and maybe Liffey will grace us with some music on the piano.”

  Owen always had a way of making the children feel safe and was a master of redirection away from things which weighed them down.

  Connell, however, still wasn’t convinced such a thing could have happened to him. Still, he would not let this one incident sway him from his course to become a doctor and he was pleased with himself that he didn't act disgruntled. Instead, he’d humbled his pride to his father's loving advice and continued on with the day.

  As they filed into the kitchen one by one to offer their hands to their ma, Owen hung back and watched as Teagan walked Eli to the door and out onto the front porch. He waited a moment but then slowly opened the door and unsuspectingly stepped over to his chair and sat down.

  “Teagan?” he spoke.

  “Yes, Da?” she answered, turning back from the bottom of the steps to look at him from where she stood speaking to Eli.

  “Is Eli staying for supper?”

  “Are you staying for supper, Eli?” Teagan asked him, gently tugging on his shirt sleeve.

  “I need to get home, Doctor Whelan, but thank you all the same for the invitation.”

  He couldn't convince himself to spend one more minute under those eighteen Whelan eyes. Eli didn't understand the Whelans, though. When Owen said 'what's done is done,’ they obeyed and moved on, even if the thoughts lingered in the back of their minds. He believed that at some point, the subject which had already made him so uncomfortable would come up again.

  “Da? Can I walk with Eli a bit?”

  “Yes you may,” answered Owen with a wink.

  Teagan and Eli walked side by side in silence for a long five minutes, before Teagan finally spoke.

  “I'm very sorry you were pulled into all of this. I promise, I'm gonna’ tell my da everything because all of this is much too far above me for my mind to reach.”

  Eli stopped in his tracks and turned and stared over at Teagan.

  “I'm glad. I think it's the right thing to do,” was all he said and continued on, putting several paces between them.

  “Eli, are you still my friend?” Teagan asked, jogging to catch up to him and taking his arm.

  “What if I said I don't want to be your friend any longer?”

  Eli stopped yet again and spoke without looking at her but rather staring blankly ahead at the East Meadow.

  Teagan was stunned. How could Eli let all of these years of friendship go, over this inexplicable last twenty-four hours? Surely they could get past this in a few days and they would someday laugh about it and speak of this as a childhood memory which somehow became a fable, as if it never really happened.

  Tears began welling in her eyes for the second time today and started to roll in streams down over her cheeks until she could taste them.

  “Fine, then!” Teagan spoke with more hurt than anger.

  She slowly closed her eyes and began to release her grip on Eli's forearm. She slid her arm from under his when she felt his right hand touching hers, sliding around it gently. As Eli turned to face her, still holding her hand, he reached up with his left hand, slightly trembling and placed it on her cheek, brushing the tears away with his thumb.

  “Please don't cry,” said Eli as Teagan took a deep breath and laid her cheek in his open palm.

  With a tenderness Teagan had not yet seen, Eli released her hand and cradled her speckled face, now wiping the tears from both sides.

  Teagan's eyes remained closed and she stood perfectly still. The sun hung high above their heads as they barely cast one shadow in the grass beneath their feet, separated by only inches of sunlight. Teagan found the strength to open her eyes and look up into Eli's, so loving. He didn't show any sign of disdain for her at all as she had feared. She knew Eli to be a good and righteous friend and had never known him to be cruel or hurtful towar
d anyone, yet she had been deeply wounded by his statement. Within a moment, she understood what she was seeing in those deep brown eyes and she wasn't the least bit afraid or repulsed by it as she had always imagined she'd be.

  A rush started down in her stomach and spread from there out to every nerve ending in her body and a buoyant sensation replaced the heaviness in her heart she’d felt only moments before.

  She was ready.

  In this silent declaration of their hearts to each other, Teagan's mind still raced. She instantly realized somewhere deep inside of her, she had always dreamed of this moment but denied herself the pleasure of imagining it and she understood her anger toward Liffey and her peculiar fascination with Fagan and Mary. But one thing wasn't quite right: Eli was still wearing his hat.

  By the time she had completed the thought; Eli had leaned down and placed a tender albeit swift kiss upon her lips. It happened so fast she hadn't even had time to close her eyes.

  “That was all wrong!” she thought to herself, as she reached up and pulled off Eli's hat, tossing it to the ground and kissed him back. This time, they both had their eyes closed and it was perfect. It was more than perfect. It was like cake and kittens and even lemonade.

  After a few seconds, their lips parted once again and Eli took Teagan's hands in his and folded his fingers between hers at his sides, pulling her toward him. He gazed down at her sweet, blushing smile as they broke into a light hearted laughter.

  “No one will believe this. I’m not quite sure that I do,” Eli said, never breaking her gaze.

  “I suppose they won't have a choice,” Teagan replied, throwing her arms around Eli's neck and kissing him once more, harder this time until Eli pulled back and pushed her to arm's length.

  “Um, Teagan, I don't think this is how we're supposed to go about courting.”

  “Well, you kissed me first,” Teagan giggled, still sniffling from her tears.

  “I think I should walk back to your house and ask your father if it's agreeable to court you,” Eli said with concern.

  “I suppose you're right. Let's go,” she replied, taking Eli by the hand and turning in the direction of the house in the distance.

  “Teagan, can I ask you something?”

  “Of course, Eli!” said Teagan. Her voice filled with laughter.

  “Are you still going to become a doctor?” he hesitated.

  “I certainly am. Why do ask?” said Teagan, sounding confused.

  “How long will we have to wait to get married?” Eli said, stopping hard in the field.

  “Why don't we just talk to my da first and we'll work out the rest later?” Teagan said reassuringly. “Besides, now you can still kiss me whenever you want until we get there.”

  Chapter Six

  Ennis was awake before Doo even made a sound. He had crept down the stairs and into the kitchen and was attempting to pull the buttermilk from the ice box when he heard Sarah’s voice behind him and her shadow fell over him lightly, from the hint of sunrise coming in the kitchen windows.

  “Well, look who’s all better,” she said as she reached over him to take out the buttermilk and poured him a cup.

  “Oh, Ma, I’m starving.” Ennis replied as he climbed into his chair at the table.

  “Well you’re just in time to help me make breakfast,” Sarah said, as she kissed his unruly curls and draped her apron over her dress.

  “Me?” Ennis exclaimed. Ennis had never helped with breakfast or any other meal in the Whelan house before so he was thrilled to finally be able to touch anything in the kitchen other than his plate and spoon.

  “First, I’ll need you to take this basket, and run out to the coop and pick me two dozen eggs. Now you have to be very careful Ennis not to drop the eggs. Are you feeling up to it?” Sarah gave her instruction with the deepest, sweetest love in her voice. She usually saved this side of herself for moments like this with Ennis. She realized at some point she’d have to stop treating him like that frail little baby but for just a while longer, she’d allow herself that pleasure and also allow herself to be reminded of her youth; a youth she saw every time she looked in Ennis’ eyes.

  Sarah went about pulling a large ham from the ice box, slicing it thinly on the cutting board to fry for breakfast. She mixed the biscuit dough and kneaded it on the table, laying it out for Ennis to cut the biscuits when he returned from the coop.

  “Ma! Can you open the door for me?” he called from the porch.

  Sarah pushed open the door and watched as Ennis carefully placed the large basket filled with fresh eggs onto the table next to the rolled out dough.

  “Ma! Are you gonna’ let me make these here biscuits?” he shouted.

  “Shhh…Ennis. Let’s not take Doo’s job away from him son and wake the whole house,” she replied, placing a long finger to her lips.

  Sarah was in her glory this morning. She showed Ennis how to cut the biscuits and place them on the pan but she lit the stove and she placed them on the heat.

  Upstairs, the usual aroma of her home cooking was beginning to travel down the hallway and float beneath the sleepy noses of the rest of the family. A few seconds more and Doo was at work, calling them from slumber.

  Teagan hadn’t spoken a word to Liffey before bed about why Eli came back for supper nor why he had sat with their father on the porch before he went home. Liffey was waiting for morning hoping that Teagan would enlighten her.

  “Good morning Teagan,” said Liffey with a smile as she stood over her sister who was just opening her eyes.

  “Lif! What on earth!”

  “What?” asked Liffey as she jumped back a step.

  “What are you doing lingering over me as I sleep?” asked Teagan sitting up quickly.

  “Well, I was hoping you were going to talk to me this morning about Eli,” she replied, placing her hands on her hips and giving Teagan a frown.

  “Well, better to live in hope than to die in despair,” said Teagan smartly as she swung her legs out of bed and stood toe to toe with her elder sister.

  “Oh you can’t be serious. You know you’ll tell me. I’m your only sister for goodness sakes,” said Liffey in defeat as she backed away and sat back down on her own bed, folding her arms.

  “Well….” Said Teagan, now finished toying with her poor sister.

  Teagan dashed to Liffey’s side and sat down with a thump on the bed.

  “Eli wants to court me,” said Teagan plain and fast.

  “Court you?” Liffey asked, raising an eyebrow as if she didn’t believe a word of it.

  “Yes me. Why would you say such a thing?” Teagan asked, turning her back swiftly to her sister and throwing her a hurt look over her shoulder.

  “Well just yesterday morning you said…”

  “I know! I know isn’t it queer?” Teagan interrupted. “But something happened yesterday after, well, when I was walking Eli halfway to the fence. He just asked.”

  “Teagan, did he kiss you?” Liffey asked reluctantly but was hanging on Teagan’s every word.

  “Hmmm…let me see…”

  “Oh you mean sister, you!” said Liffey leaping from the bed to her feet.

  “Yes. Yes and yes. Maybe more yeses but I kind of lost count,” Teagan burst into laughter covering her mouth with her hands.

  “No!”

  Liffey flopped back onto the bed next to Teagan.

  “Yesterday, here we were wondering about kissing a boy and today…” Liffey’s voice trailed off as her mind seemed to wander to more questions.

  “Well, on the lips?” Liffey whispered.

  Teagan began nodding her head in frenzy; her pig tails bouncing up and down on her shoulders.

  “I know I shouldn’t even be talking about this but you won’t tell will you Lif?”

  “No, I won’t tell,” said Liffey, looking slightly sad.

  “What’s the matter, Lif?” Teagan asked as she took Liffey’s hands in hers.

  “Well, I’m older than you. I guess I kind o
f' hoped I’d have my own beau by now.”

  “Well, is there a boy you like?” asked Teagan. “I could find out if he likes you too if you want,” she added, trying to cheer her sister.

  “To tell the truth, I haven’t even looked at another boy besides Eli. I always thought they were supposed to look at us first and come and ask Da if they could court us.”

  “Lif, this is 1881. If you like a boy, you can at least look at him for goodness sakes,” Teagan laughed and Liffey laughed along with her.

  “Don’t you think Ma and Da will be angry if they knew you had already been kissing?” Liffey asked with a hint of fear in her voice.

  “What they don’t know won’t hurt them and besides, kissing really isn’t a big deal.”

  Teagan lifted herself off of the bed holding onto the post, swinging herself around to the foot of the bed. “I mean, it definitely tells you that the boy loves you but other than that, it’s mostly just like holding hands.” Teagan giggled. “All right, well, not really.”

  “Do you really think Eli loves you?” asked Liffey with excitement.

  “Of course he does! He wouldn’t have told me he didn’t want to be my friend anymore and then kissed me if he didn’t. Boys just don’t go around kissing girls they don’t love on the lips.”

  “So if they kiss your cheek, they like you but if they kiss your lips, it’s love for sure then?”

  “Absolutely, and you had better learn that right now so you can tell the difference!” said Teagan as she headed to her chifferobe to find something to wear.

  “So when is Eli going to come calling?”

  “Today. He can’t wait another minute!” Teagan giggled.

  “Do you love Eli then, Teagan?” Liffey asked reluctantly.

  Teagan stopped dressing and stood still for a moment asking herself the very same question.

  “Well, I wasn’t sure how to measure love to be honest. Then, I thought about what you told me yesterday before church and I didn’t tell you this but I was awfully jealous. I had this funny feeling in my stomach and to tell the truth, I was downright angry at you. So, when Eli told me he didn’t want to be my friend anymore, I got to crying and that’s when I sort of' knew.”