Ed opted to ride a coach to the Vaughn Household on Sunday, and I obliged because she was paying for it. It was also because I didn’t want to carry the basket of eggs all the way there. My mother always gave the Vaughn household eggs when the tray at home filled up. Yes, there was a poultry pen at home. It kept Jerry busy.

I had worn a cream coloured long sleeved dress. It had a square neckline and patterns of green branches over it. I also wore my brown strappy sandals. Ed had worn tweed trousers with braces plus a white button-up shirt. She also wore a tweed beret over her head and brown laced up boots. I’d chosen some golden bangles and pearl studs as accessories while she only wore black studs coupled with her wristwatch.

We chatted during the ride until the coach came to a stop. Ed stepped out first and took my hand to help me down. She then paid the coachman.

The Vaughn house was a simple grey and white two storey building with a small front yard barricaded by a white picket fence. There weren’t any trees up front, but there was a flowerbed on the right side of the lawn. A stone path led up to the terrace, but also split sideways into an attached shed where the bicycles were kept.

“Maybe we can ask to ride their bicycles later,” Ed suggested as we walked along the path.

“Don’t even joke about that,” I warned her.

The last thing I needed was Callum’s parents finding out we were criminals. That is, if they didn’t already know.

I really hoped they didn’t. No parent would want their child to be friends with a girl who had been in lockup.

We had just climbed up the terrace steps when the doors opened and a red haired woman stepped out – Mrs. Vaughn. She wore a checked apron over her beige dress, and a small pale yellow scarf tied back over her wavy fiery red hair.

“I heard the coach arrive and figured it must be our guests for the day,” she chirped with a big smile that made her green eyes sparkle. “Welcome!”

“Thank you, Mrs. Vaughn!” Ed and I replied at the same time, then exchanged greetings. I made to take off my shoes, but Mrs. Vaughn assured us it was alright and let us come in wearing our shoes.

I handed her the basket of eggs and she looked at me with eyes of sentimental gratitude.

“Tell your mother we’re always grateful for the helping hand,” she said softly.

I smiled back. “You know it’s no problem.”

“Make yourselves at home while we finish up the lunch preparations,” Mrs. Vaughn ushered us into the sitting room, then at the top of her lungs, she hollered, “Boys! Our guests are here!”

She was definitely louder than Ed.

Mrs. Vaughn gave us one last sweet smile before heading off into what I presumed was the kitchen. Ed and I sat on a settee while I observed the photographs hanging on the walls. Not long after, two young men came down the stairs and into the room.

They were both gingers and about the same height, except one had long hair in a bun and a stubble, while the other had short hair and a clean shaven jaw. They looked just like Mrs. Vaughn except for their prominent muscular build. It was evident from their fitting long sleeves and trousers.

Abraham was the one with long hair, and the eldest son. He worked as a cobbler and shoe maker at ‘The Reginald Boys.’ Benjamin, the second born, worked with his father in carpentry. He was the one I usually found at the shop.

“Well lookee here,” Abraham boomed in his deep voice. “The tomboy and the flower.”

Ed and I stood up to greet them.

“I’m Ed,” Ed introduced herself as she took turns shaking their hands. “I don’t think we’ve officially met.”

“No, we have not.” Benjamin flashed her a smile. “I’m Benjamin and this is our eldest, Abraham. Ben and Abe, if you will.”

Ed beamed. “Nice to meet you.”

“Hello, Rose,” Benjamin and Abraham greeted at nearly the same time.

“Hello,” I replied and gave each of them a handshake, except Benjamin lifted my hand to his lips and placed a kiss on my knuckles.

“Always a pleasure to see you, Rose,” he expressed, green eyes boring into mine.

“You too,” I replied half-heartedly, because my eyes kept darting elsewhere, searching.

Where was Callum?

“Our little brother’s in the kitchen with mother,” Abe pointed out, as though he’d read my mind.

I looked at Abe in surprise and he returned it with a cocky smirk. “You’ll see him soon.”

I was speechless and a tad embarrassed so I just sat down like everyone else.

“So Ed,” Abe began. “Is Ed an abbreviation?”

“Yes. For Edward.”

Here we go.

“Your name is Edward?” Abe asked, surprised.

Ed wore a smug look on her face. “No, it’s not. I only answered your questio-”

“Her full name is Edna!” Mrs. Vaughn’s voice called out and I looked up to see her standing across from us, behind a sofa.

Ed let out a dramatic gasp and I stifled laughter.

“Way to spoil the fun, Mrs. Vaughn!” Ed whined. “And no one is supposed to call me by that name anymore. I strictly forbade it a long time ago!”

“It’s still a great name,” Mrs. Vaughn defended.

My friend huffed. “Ed sounds much more awesome. Doesn’t it, Nkwanzi?”

I nodded in agreement. “It does.”

She then gave the ginger brothers a threatening look. “And you two better address me as nothing else but Ed, alright?”

“Your wish is my command,” Ben obliged.

“We’ll keep your secret, tomboy,” said Abe.

Mrs. Vaughn then ushered us into the dining room, where Mr. Vaughn stood waiting. We exchanged happy greetings, although neither my eyes nor heart was settled because I hadn’t seen him yet.

I was about to take the seat shown to me, which was nearest to the head’s (Mr. Vaughn’s) when Mrs. Vaughn looked up behind me. “Oh Cal, you’re back. Did you find any?”

“Yes.” The familiar voice that responded from behind me made my heart dance in my chest.

I felt his presence behind me and from the side, his arm brushed mine as he placed a bowl of freshly picked red chilli peppers on the table. I turned my head and found he was already looking at me, and when he flashed me a dimply smile, I couldn’t help but smile back.

“Hello, Rose,” he greeted in a voice barely above a whisper.

“H-hi!” I ended up mouthing the words because my voice had seemingly got stuck in my throat. So I cleared it up and repeated, “Hi, Callum.”

His gaze lowered as his face brightened with colour, and then he took the seat right next to me.

Yes!

Mrs. Vaughn said the prayer and lunch officially began. It was nice eating with the Vaughn family and Ed was excited because pork had been prepared.

Conversation ventured from favourite dishes to LightHouse and to stories about the boys – both the embarrassing and the funny kind. I was eager to hear what Callum’s family had to say about him. It looked like while his brothers were spirited and outspoken like Mrs. Vaughn, Callum was reserved.

Mrs. Vaughn said he never threw tantrums as a child, and that it was hard to figure out what he wanted because he never said anything, not even when he was hungry. She’d know only when his stomach grumbled, and he’d run and hide because he was embarrassed.

“But he was always helpful,” Mrs. Vaughn added. “Fetching things for us around the house, then helping in the garden and at the workplace, and now he helps me in the kitchen.”

I looked over at Callum, who had slumped in his chair, his fork lightly picking at the peas on his plate. His face was flushed from being the centre of attention.

“He definitely makes the eggs better than mother,” Benjamin spoke up and earned a glare and slap on the head from Mrs. Vaughn. The table filled with laughter.

After lunch, Mr. And Mrs. Vaughn opted to wash the utensils. Callum wanted to help but Mrs. Vaughn practically ordered him to stay with us instead. I internally thanked her since she was right to do so. We had come to visit him after all.

The rest moved into the sitting room to chat but since I had to use the lavatory first, Mrs. Vaughn directed me to where it was upstairs.

Once I was finished, I headed back downstairs but found the sitting room empty save for Callum, who was seated in the sofa right next to where I stood.

“Where did everyone go?” I inquired, confused.

“They went out to see the orchard and garden,” Callum replied, looking up at me. “I was waiting for you so we could go together.”

I smiled. “Then let’s go.”

I quickly moved forward at the same time he stood up, and we ended up bumping into each other. He stumbled back into the chair and I stumbled right after him so I ended up sitting on his lap.

Oops.

It took me a moment to register how inappropriate it was, and once it did register, I rushed to get off him. Except his hands gripped my waist and pulled me right back down on top of him.

A surprised gasp escaped my lips as my mind plagued with why he would be so bold to do something like that! Had his personality suddenly switched up?

But then I saw Mr. Vaughn pass in front of us. He was carrying a stool on his shoulder on his way to the door.

Ohhhh.

Suddenly, Callum’s breath and hushed voice was right at my ear. “You would have bumped into him as well.”

It made me shudder, goose bumps forming on my skin. I turned my head to the side and froze at the close proximity of our faces. A little inch closer, and our noses would brush.

“Thank you,” I whispered. “You can...” I cleared my throat. “You can let go of me now.”

His eyes widened in realisation and he released me at once. I got to my feet and so did he, yet I could still feel the warmth of is touch on my waist, lingering.

And I didn’t think I would forget it.

*****

There was a short fence that separated the backyard from the orchard and garden, and we had to pass through a bar gate in the fence. Mrs. Vaughn grew many kinds of vegetables, including tomatoes and green pepper. It was easier for her to grow them than buy them from the market. The orchard had some mango trees, orange trees and an avocado tree.

The boys talked about the crops and Ed cracked a few jokes. She got along with them quite well, which was saying something because not a lot of people got along with Ed right off the bat. They always judged her by the way she looked. Of course the boys did ask her about her choice of dressing, but they were open and accepting about it. They must have liked her bubbly jumpy personality.

While Benjamin, Abraham and Ed were arguing about which kind of hat was best, Callum said to me, “I need to go and wipe the utensils.”

I faced him, amused. “You need to?”

“Mother usually forgets them once she finishes washing,” he explained, “the same way she forgets the clothes on the hang lines. So I retrieve them instead.”

I wanted to tell him to just either remind her to do it, or that he could do it later but instead, I said, “Then I’ll help you.”

“But you don’t need to-”

I simply pranced by him and headed towards the gate, leaving no room for argument. He followed me silently afterwards.

Callum and I fell into conversation while we wiped and stacked the dishes.

“I still can’t believe you wouldn’t speak up when you were hungry,” I expressed. “I would go crazy if I didn’t eat.”

Callum stopped wiping the plate and looked up, a faraway look in his eyes.

“Are you alright?” I couldn’t help asking.

“Back then, I didn’t think about how I was hungry,” Callum said. His tone was devoid of the light heartedness from earlier on. “We didn’t always have three meals a day, but even then, my father barely ate and my mother always served the biggest portion to my brothers and me. It wasn’t that hard to figure out they were struggling. I thought that if I didn’t whine, it would be easier for them. And that if I didn’t say I was hungry, there would be a little more to eat for the next meal.”

He looked down and chuckled with a wry smile. “Of course, that plan was foolish. It didn’t quite work because mother still fed me anyways. It’s the only thing she’s always remembered to do.”

My heart was touched with emotion.

“It wasn’t foolish,” I told him. “It was thoughtful and noble. You’ve been a great son to them, and I think they know that.”

Callum turned his head to me and I gave him an encouraging smile. His blue eyes brightened, and they drew me in like magnets.

I’d never met a boy quite like Callum – sensitive and acknowledging of his faults. Even though what he considered faults might have been a kind of strength.

Damn, I wanted to hug him.

Callum blinked and suddenly looked away from me. “There it is again.”

“What?”

He picked up a glass. “That look.”

“What look?”

He caught his bottom lip between his teeth and released it. “You know the look,” he murmured, wiping the glass. “That piercing look you give me.”

I recalled the time in the library and let out a light laugh. But it came to a swift halt when I wondered whether he could actually read the emotions in my eyes every time I looked at him.

“Well perhaps I look at you like that because I really like your eyes,” I blurted.

“What?” His head snapped up to me as his face registered surprise.

“Y-yes, they’re...” I stammered, now nervous. “Beautiful and perfect.”

Crap. No going back, Rosie.

His lips parted as he stared at me, and I stared right back. We just stood there staring at each other for a few seconds before the glass slipped from his fingers and hit the floor, shattering and scattering into pieces.

I jumped back, startled. “Whoa!”

In a flash, Mr. And Mrs, Vaughn were in the kitchen. I swear, they came out of nowhere.

“Oh my goodness, what happened?” Mrs. Vaughn exclaimed in terror and rushed to Callum, pulling him back by the arm. “Cal honey, step back. Watch the shards. Let me see your hands.” She took his hands and thoroughly inspected them. “Are you alright? Did you get hurt? Watch your feet, honey. Come this way.”

Callum could barely get a word in with all her gushing. “Mother, I’m f-”

“Broom! We need a broom,” Mrs. Vaughn stated in a panic and yelled, “My love, bring the broom!”

“Right here,” Mr. Vaughn calmly said, holding up a broom. He had been present the whole time. He told me to step away and started sweeping up the broken pieces.

“I’m sorry, I broke the glass,” Callum apologised.

“That’s alright, but what happened?” Mrs. Knight inquired, her brows furrowed with worry. “You’ve always been so careful, Cal.”

Callum? Careful? I must need to wash my ears seriously because I didn’t think I heard right.

Callum glanced at me and blushed all over. “I’m not that careful, mother.” He let out a little, somewhat forced laugh.

“Of course you are!” his mother argued. “Cautious and Careful Callum; that’s what we call you. You’ve always done things so meticulously and dexterously, so why break a glass now?”

I blinked.

I must have been hearing things. Dexterous?

I thought back to the times I’d seen Callum being clumsy. Perhaps he had just been having off-days?

“Is it something I should worry about?” Mrs. Vaughn pressed and Callum shook his head no.

“Are you sure, honey? Because this isn’t norm-”     

“Callum is fine,” Mr. Vaughn interrupted, finally speaking up. He had a small knowing smile on his lips. “He was probably just flustered, is all.”

He glanced at me, then looked at his wife who was still worried and confused.

“Flustered?” she echoed. “But by wha-”

Her sentence ended midway, and her gaze slowly shifted and met mine from across the room. The worry and confusion dissipated as a look of realisation crossed her face. “Oh. Okay.”

I didn’t know what to do or what that meant, so I just gave her a toothy smile.

Amusement twinkled in her eyes and she nodded, her demeanour much calmer. “I see now.”

What did she see?

I stole a long glance behind me in case a pirate’s haunting spirit had sneaked up on me, but it was merely a plain wall.

Huh.

“Okay,” Mrs. Vaughn said smiling.

Okay what? What was going on?

Callum, who suddenly had his back facing me, declared. “I’ll get a piece of paper to put the broken glass on.”

I stared at the back of his head as he hastily exited the room, stumbling a bit on his way out. This time his clumsiness seemed to amuse his parents, who then stared at me with smiles I could only consider as...creepy.

I felt awkward under their scrutiny so I just smiled back, even though I had no idea why we were all smiling.

“Hello,” I said, to fill the void in the air.

“Hello,” they replied simultaneously.

Okay.

A/N

A happy June to you all!

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