Angela's Hope (Wildflowers) (18 page)

Angela looked at the clock on the mantle to see 2:45. -- Bradley!

She stepped fast and light across the floor and opened it before he knocked again and woke up Silas.

“Shhh…” Angela said in a hushed tone and mouthed the words ‘the baby is sleeping.’

Angela pointed for him to go back and down the stairs. Angela grabbed her coat and joined him.

When they were downstairs she led him out to the back fenced area. She needed to feed and check on the birds.

“We will need to keep our voices down but I am glad you came.” Angela sat on the bench and gestured for Bradley to join her. He had been wearing a silly grin since he arrived. It was completely distracting Angela.

“I told my parents today. I was too excited to wait.” Bradley blurted out.

“You have news?” Angela went along with it but was wording in her mind how she was going to be frank with him about her lack of feelings.

“About our engagement, Angela darling.” Bradley grabbed her hands and kissed the top of each one.

“Our… Engagement?” Angela forced her voice to stay at a loud whisper. She wanted to yell all of a sudden. “You didn’t tell you parents that we are engaged. Why would you lie like that?”

“Angela, I told you my intentions a few weeks ago. We have an understanding.” Bradley’s face was perfectly serious for a moment.

“I have an understanding that you are out of your wits!” Angela pulled her hands away from his and paced around the yard.

“I would agree, I lose my senses whenever I think of you, my pet.” Bradley’s voice was syrupy and he reached for her to pull her back to the spot on the bench next to him. She stayed out of reach. He frowned for a half-second.

“You have no right to call me darling, Angel, or my pet, Bradley. Let me speak clearly. I …am…nothing… more… than… a… friend…to…you…” Angela felt good for saying it but when she saw the silly incoherent grin on his face her hopes failed.

“I understand Angela, I have not proposed properly, but I will. I promise.” He jumped up and grabbed her hands again, she failed to escape and he tried to hug her. She ducked in time and twisted away from him.

“I think you better leave, Mr. Henderson. You are taking advantage and I do not appreciate it.” Angela was so mad she could scream.

“I will come back soon. I am sorry to be so forward today. I promise not to tell anyone else about our understanding until I have asked you properly.” Bradley gave a wave and left Angela alone in the yard with her chickens. She threw her arms up in a shrug and fed the chickens. She told them all about Bradley.

“You just met him… Yes I know. He is a bit dim.” She filled up the water contraption and spread feed around as the birds clucked and pecked at the ground near her feet.

“Do you always talk to your chickens?” A familiar voice said from the back doorway. “I came to see you but I saw I was not the first. Bradley Henderson passed me as he was leaving.” Ted was leaning on the doorpost looking handsome in his black wool coat. His blond hair had been recently trimmed.

“Yes Bradley was here, being a nuisance.” Angela threw a handful of seed on the ground harshly. Perhaps a little too harshly, she grimaced a little.

“One shouldn’t pelt the chickens with the feed like that. They won’t lay eggs if ya scare them.” Ted’s chuckle took her mind off Bradley’s idiocy and she acted like she is about throw seed on Ted. He held his hands up in mock surrender.

“Thank you Ted, I will try and be gentle from now on.” Angela said sarcastically. She was feeling more and more comfortable around Ted. He was the kind that listened. She appreciated that about him.

“Come, they have enough now. Come tell me if I need to teach young Bradley how to stop being a nuisance.”

“Well I am not sure I should say. Is it gossip to share news about someone being foolish?” Angela had a frown for a moment to think on it.

“Well, is he being foolish in a way that can harm someone?” Ted asked.

“Well, no… maybe. I mean it’s complicated. I am not sure to be honest. Perhaps I can tell you in confidence if you promise under threat of…”

“Death?” Ted filled in her pause.

“You know I wouldna’ kill anyone…” Angela smiled and pretended a slug into his shoulder.

“Then how about I just say that I keep it to myself, but I will give you advice if you should tell someone else.” Ted said thoughtfully, Angela nodded and decided to share. Ted was good listener anyway.

“Well, Bradley is interested in me, romantically.” Angela said, realizing how bad of an idea this was instantly.

“That is not foolish at all.” Ted said and grinned very slowly.

Angela swallowed hard and muttered. “It isn’t?”

“No, I know a few folks wise enough to have that same issue?”

Angela felt a heat coarse through her and hit her stomach. She felt a strange ill sensation for just a moment.

She somehow forgot what she was saying then began to blurt out everything.

“Well, he, uh… he told me a few weeks ago when he asked me to dinner with his family that he wanted to take me to Sacramento. But I told him I only wanted him as a friend. But he wouldn’t listen and then told me we were getting married. I said no again and asked him to take me home. Then today he said he told his parents we are engaged, and I told him he was out of his mind and asked him to leave. I think he is going to buy me a ring now.” Angela blurted it all out in one breath.

“I see.” Ted said quietly. Angela wasn’t sure how the next moment actually happened but in a moment he reached out to her shoulder and he took one step and then she was in his arms. His kiss was warm with the breeze from the bay brushing past her, his arms around her shoulder and one hand in the hair at the back of her neck.

Then the kiss was over. Angela was briefly sad as she stepped forward toward him but then teetered back when her senses returned.

She stared at Ted who suddenly was wearing a look she had never seen. Was it happy, or passionate or perhaps a bit cocky?

“You look pleased.” Angela said suddenly.

“I am.” His grin made her stomach dance a jig again.

“So when did you decide to do that?” Angela asked boldly.

“Well, I’ve been thinking on it for a while now.” Ted blushed and the cocky look faded a bit, replaced by the shy Ted she has seen a lot lately. “Did I scare ye off?” he asked, a hint of vulnerability was back in his voice, but he kept his eyes on Angela, not looking away.

“Do I look scared off?” Angela had a moment of triumph herself realizing he was nervous, about her.

“No, actually you are looking quite pleased yourself. I am thinking about kissing you again, now.” Ted took a step forward but Angela held up her hands.

“Now wait Mr. Greaves.” Angela gave him a questioning look. “I know you are a good young man, but I am not the kind of girl that goes around kissing a young man without knowing his intentions.”

“Ah, it is back to Mr. Greaves.” Ted took a nervous breath and then let it out slowly. “Come sit, Angie.” He led her back to the bench she so recently sat on with Bradley Henderson. “I apologize for what I said just now. I guess I’ve been feeling rather foolish lately and today was me attempting to overcome…” He struggled a moment to find his thought.

“Yer nerves.” This time Angie finished his sentence.

“Yes” His face was serious as he desperately tried to find what to say. “I am normally pretty quiet.”

Angela nodded her agreement. “There is nothing wrong with that. You are quiet but not dim-witted.” Angela smiled and liked the smile he returned.

“I don’t know if my words make any sense but I will just say what I mean and hopefully you can understand.”

“I am listening, Ted.” The way Angela said his name gave him the courage to speak.

“I think you are special. Not just pretty or smart, but something different and wise and confusing and…” He paused again and just shrugged. “I just enjoy talking to you more than anyone I have ever met. I guess the kiss was just my way to get past the words I don’t know how to say”

Angela was silent for a moment.

“Now have I scared you off?” Ted asked again. His hand on hers was feeling infinitely more intimate than it had while in Bradley’s hand.

“No, ye haven’t.” Angela just stared in his eyes and let the moment be intense between them. This blond quiet young man was making a good impression without saying much at all. 

They sat and watched the chickens for a few minutes without saying anything. Just letting the moment be quiet and wonderful on the outside while they both let the butterflies and nerves jump around on the inside.

“Just so you know I was listening about Bradley… I have a suggestion.” Ted said to break the moment up. The nerves were getting strong again.

“Oh?” Angie laughed.

“Yes, tell Clive. If Bradley cannot get some sense from Clive then there is truly no hope for him…Oh and one more thing. You should not be alone with him anymore.”

“You think so?” Angela lifted an eyebrow. Wondering suddenly if Ted was jealous of Bradley.

“Yes, anyone that optimistic scares me. Optimistic people are too capable of getting their way. I have my own foolish plans for courting you that would be very inconvenient if you were suddenly wed to him.” Ted said with a laugh.

“I can see how that would be inconvenient.” Angie laughed as he leaned in for another kiss, just a small promise; a peck really.

A throat clearing broke up the kiss almost before it began. The two young people both nearly jumped into the air when Clive strolled out into the backyard.

“Ted, you lost me five dollars.” Clive said then chuckled and slapped his leg. “The chickens are looking healthy.” He said to Angie. Ted and Angie were both recovering from the surprise of the interruption.

“Five dollars?” Ted said rubbing his hand over the back of his neck. His nerves were jumpy but he tried to hide it. His voice gave it away, though.

“Yes. I had you down for next month.” Clive winked at Angela, whose blush was purple across her cheeks.

Ted and Angela looked at Clive then each other, a question between the two but they were clueless.

Clive decided to finish the tease and fill them in on the joke.

“The warehouse has been running a bet about when you two shy kids would finally get over yourselves and start courtin’. Gabe wins. He is one lucky…” Clive shook his head and laughed again when he saw that Ted had his face covered with his hand and Angela actually had her jaw dropped.

“We all saw you two sparkin’ since November.” Clive laughed again and gave a punch in the shoulder to Ted. “Headin’ up to see everyone. You two coming up here in a minute?” His voice had the smallest amount of censure. Like they had been bad children and needed to behave themselves. Clive was gone a minute later.

“That was embarrassing.” Angela decided to speak first.

“Not any more than me acting like a tongue-tied fool just a bit ago with you.” Ted said, not quite as nervous now.

“You said just enough, Ted. I feel the same. There is something about you too.” Angela took his arm and gave him a nudge. They walked upstairs together.

“Before we go up I would like to ask something, perhaps a bit belated.” Ted took her hand in his.

Angela was silent and waiting, hoping her smile made him comfortable enough to keep speaking.

“Would you allow me the honor of courting you, Miss Fahey?” Ted said with all sincerity written on his face.

Angela could only nod, not trusting her voice just yet. They both arrived to the door with deep flushed cheeks.

* * * * *

The talk around the table first started with a good dose of teasing. The young people blushed attractively and Amber had to get Gabe and Clive to stop or the blushing would have gone on all night.

“I swear you men love your teasin’.” Amber said.

“They do, Mrs. Quackenbush but I do not mind so much. Being teased for courting is far better than being teased for doing something ridiculous or being bad at your work.” Ted said with a little wisdom.

“True, young lad.” Clive laughed. “Had a few of those moments myself as a lad. Took me a long time to live down a few things that happened around the school yard as a boy.”

Everyone was curious but Clive shooed away their requests. He said he had to keep a few mysteries, otherwise he would run out of stories.

“I guess perhaps now would be a good time to get some advice.” Angela said, she looked over at Ted, she was momentarily distracted by his blond curly hair but tried to shake it off. “Bradley Henderson is being a pest and I have tried all within my power to dissuade his advances but it has gone further than I know how to handle.”

She explained how he had told his family they were engaged then ignored her completely.

“Some young men are lacking in the brains department, it cannot be helped sometimes.” Clive said with a serious look on his face. “A pretty face makes them lose all listening skills. Bradley perhaps is lost in a land of delusion. He is like a moth and your lovely red hair, the flame.”

Everyone laughed at Clive as he fluttered his eyelashes at Angela, like a lovesick puppy.