On the way to school, Jonathon looked out the car window feeling awful as he thought of Helen. Within the week, the invitation to Billy's birthday dance would arrive at her home. Ever since dinner the previous day, he'd agonized about whether he should warn her about it ahead of time.

As he imagined the uncomfortable conversation that would follow, about how she'd be expected to wear a party gown, and her having to admit she couldn't afford one, his stomach churned. He didn't want to have that talk with her. But if he said nothing, it wasn't going to stop the inevitable. With nothing to wear, she'd have to decline the invitation, and Mother would be outraged.

He'd been trying to think of a way to keep it from happening, but it was useless. Once Mother felt slighted, Helen would no longer be welcome at their home, and that would doom his future with her.

James pulled the Duesenberg up to the curb, and after Billy climbed out, Jonathon followed. He headed towards the entrance with his eyes on the pavement, not wanting to talk to anyone.

"Hey, Johnny!"

Hearing familiar female voices, he turned to face the girls with a sigh.

"I heard about the hot dog roast this weekend," Edna said with a big smile.

"Yeah, it should be a swell time," he replied half-heartedly.

As the girls continued to chatter about the hot dog roast, he examined each of them more closely. He'd known these girls his whole life - and there wasn't one thing about any of them that appealed to him.

It wasn't that they weren't attractive. Their curls were still fresh from the previous night's pinning, and they always dressed well. Being the daughters of wealthier families, they had money for the latest fashions. But they seemed drab, dull, the products of their small town upbringing.

Helen was something else entirely. She was smart, and funny. Almost every time he'd talked to her, she'd caught him off guard. He liked it when she challenged him. And she'd lived. She'd gone through things that Jonathon could only imagine, and it had changed her, given her depth.

But what did all that matter, thought bitterly. As soon as his mother opposed him starting a relationship with her, these would be the only girls left for him to date, and eventually marry. Anger surged through him at the thought. He didn't want any of them.

"Listen girls," he said loudly, and they immediately quieted. "I'm seeing Helen Anderson now." Their mouths dropped open and he could almost hear a chorus of disappointed 'oh's' coming from them. "You should give the other fellows a chance. Go talk to them," he said, indicating his friends who were standing some distance away. "I'll see you this weekend at the hot dog roast."

Before any of them could speak, he turned away. As he continued down the sidewalk, it hit him what he'd just blurted out. Why had he said he was seeing Helen? Because I want it to be true. He wanted it so badly he could taste it, and it would probably never happen. White hot anger flared up inside him again. It wasn't fair that he couldn't have her for his girl.

"Hello, Johnny."

He lifted his head and his heart skipped a beat. Helen was standing in front him, bathed in the morning light. And she was smiling at him, her blue eyes lively. Her cheeks were flushed pink against her pale skin, and he wondered if she'd just arrived at school on her bike. She was so beautiful, it took his breath away.

"Why so down in the mouth?" she asked with her eyes twinkling.

Her smile was infectious, and he couldn't help returning it. "What?" he asked with confusion.

"You seem to be missing your entourage," she said, looking around for the girls. "Is that what's making you sad today?"

She was teasing him, but he didn't care. He could stand there and listen to her tease him all day, as long as she kept smiling at him like that. Then he remembered what he'd said to the girls and realized he'd created a big problem. She was going to hear it from someone before the end of the day if he didn't confess. "I told them I was seeing you now," he said with an apologetic shrug, hoping she wouldn't be too angry.

Her eyes widened, and her mouth opened and closed for a moment, seemingly speechless. Then she recovered. "Isn't that a little premature? I mean, we're not seeing each other."

In spite of her declaration, there was amusement in her voice and he laughed with relief. "Well, I was kind of hoping..." He leaned closer while raising an eyebrow.

"Not so fast, buster!" she said with a laugh, giving him a small push. "You said we'd try being friends first. I feel like I barely know you yet."

Oh, but you will, he thought, but he held back from saying it out loud. He didn't want to go too far. "I'm happy with just being friends," he said, and when her body relaxed, he knew it had been the right thing to say. "Where's Annie?" he said, deciding to change the subject away from them while it had ended on good note.

"She wasn't feeling well so she stayed home today."

"Oh, that's too bad," he said, making a serious expression, but on the inside he was joyous. Finally he got to have Helen alone. Maybe Annie would still be sick when it was time for the hot dog roast and he'd actually get to spend the entire evening with Helen without her tagging along.

The first bell of the day rang loudly, and the mass of students surrounding them automatically moved towards the entrance.

"Is it alright if I walk you to your class?" he asked.

"Yes, it's alright. Friends do walk to class together," she teased.

While they headed to the front steps, he stole glances at her. She'd brushed out her blonde curls so that her hair fell in waves past her shoulders. It was held back with a navy blue ribbon that matched her navy blue sailor dress.

He took hold of the open door from the boy in front of him, and stepped aside to allow her to go first. As she passed him, he drank in her features. What other girl could compare to her?

But then he thought of his mother, and his happiness evaporated. The connection they had already was undeniable. But when she received that stupid invitation, it would ruin everything. What could he do to stop it?

"I'll talk to you later, Johnny," Helen said, and he realized they'd reached her classroom door.

I'll talk to you later. His heart clenched. She was looking forward to talking to him again. "Sure thing, Helen," he said, smiling against the pain.

He stepped back and continued down the hallway, not wanting her to read anything in his expression. While he moved through the crowd of students, he felt desperate. Helen was the only girl for him.  He had to figure out a way to convince his mother. He couldn't let her slip away.

~~

"Would you like to collect sticks to roast the hot dogs with me?" Jonathon asked Helen.

They'd been sitting on the log next to the pond, watching the other boys and girls swim. Jonathon had been hoping Helen would talk. But it had been a half hour already without her saying a word, and he'd decided they needed more privacy. Hopefully, she'd be more forthcoming then.

She straightened, looking at him as if she'd just realized he was there. "Oh, uh, sure, Johnny." She stretched as she stood and he started towards the path through the tall grass that led back to the woods.

He'd been delighted when he saw Helen riding her bike down his drive alone. Annie hadn't been able to shake the flu that had kept her out of school for the week, Helen had explained. But from the subdued way she'd spoken to him, Jonathon knew something had changed since he'd seen her Friday at school. It wasn't too difficult for him to guess the reason – she'd received his mother's invitation in the mail.

He was still determined not to bring it up. It would be obvious he knew she couldn't afford a dress, and that would be embarrassing for her. But that meant she had to be the one to bring it up. All she had to do was say something, and that would give him the opportunity to help her come up with a reasonable explanation, one that would appease his mother. But she wasn't talking.

When they reached the edge of the forest, he held aside the thick growth for her, and they continued down the path. A young maple tree was growing in a spot of sunshine, and he stopped.

"These look to be about the right size," he said, pulling his pen knife out of his pocket. He began sawing one of the small branches, then noticed Helen smiling at him in an amused way. "What's so funny?"

"I'm just surprised, that's all," she said, laughing. "I never would've thought Johnny Blackwell carried a pen knife."

He went back to sawing while he grinned, pride swelling inside him. "I guess that proves there's a lot you don't know about me."

"I guess it does."

"You want to strip the leaves off?" he asked, holding out the cut branch to her.

"Sure."

He was looking at the tree, deciding which branch to choose next when he felt her hand brush his as she took it. He tried not to react, working on a new branch, but on the inside he was dying. It was the first time, she'd touched him, that he'd felt her skin, and he longed for more.

He cut off more branches and handed them to her, but was disappointed when she didn't take the opportunity to touch his hand again. Perhaps it had been by accident. "We shouldn't take too much off this tree since it's so small," he said. "We can find a lot more in the clearing where the cabin is."

"Okay."

He picked up the stripped branches she'd set on the ground and they made their way deeper into the woods. It hadn't been exactly true, the small tree had plenty of branches to spare, but he wanted to prolong his time with her.

Long shadows stretched across the clearing when they reached it, the evening sun dipping low in the horizon. There were plenty of trees to choose from, and Jonathon cut branches and handed them to Helen. It was wonderful to be alone with her, quietly working together, but he couldn't enjoy it because he kept thinking of the invitation. Was she not going to bring it up at all?

"What do you use the cabin for?" she asked, finally breaking the silence.

"My grandparents lived in it when the house was being built. The highway isn't too far in that direction," he said pointing with his pen knife. "There used to be a road, but it's overgrown now. After they moved out, my grandfather used it for hunting and fishing. Grandmother didn't want him bringing animals to the house to clean and dress."

"I used to hunt with my dad," she said quietly. She was looking at the cabin, then she turned her attention back to him. "Does your family still use it for hunting?"

"Uh, not for a long time," Jonathon said, turning his back to her. "Father is too busy with the mine to hunt or fish.

While he attacked another branch with his knife, a memory came to him. The first, and last time Father had taken him and Billy hunting. It was before the fence had been completed and game had been a lot more plentiful on the property. That day had been bitterly cold, and they'd gone out in the morning, leaving before the sun came up.

Crouched in the rushes next to the pond, Jonathon was miserable. He shivered uncontrollably, the dampness of the ground having seeped into his wool trousers. Next to him, Billy looked equally miserable, wiping his running nose with the back of his mitten. But both of them knew better than to complain to Father.

Then Jonathon heard a rustling noise in the distance. Three deer appeared, tentatively making their way through the field of dead grass. They were wary, clouds of moist air coming from their noses as they sniffed the air between steps. Father had been smart, though. He'd made sure they were downwind. Satisfied they were safe, the deer continued to the water.

When they began drinking, Father slowly lifted his rifle and took aim. Jonathon held his breath with excitement, and then the shot rang out, louder than anything he'd heard before. Both boys covered their ears, but it was too late. Jonathon's ears were ringing when he dropped his hands. He wished Father had warned them it would be so loud.

"Come on," Father grunted, hoisting himself up.

Feeling the stiffness in his legs from crouching on the cold ground for so long, Jonathon hurried to stand and then helped Billy up. They followed Father to the spot where the deer had fallen. But when they reached it, Jonathon had to work hard to hide his horror.

The doe was large, lying on its side and breathing heavily while blood flowed from a small hole in its chest. Shouldn't it be dead already?

Noticing them, the deer began kicking in an attempt to get up. It was horrible to see it flailing like that, suffering and scared. Billy made small noise like a whimper and Jonathon stepped closer to him.

"Take this," Father said, thrusting his rifle at Jonathon, and then he pulled out a large knife. As he approached the deer, it thrashed more, and Jonathon closed his eyes, not wanting to see what he was going to do.

"Father, wait!" Billy cried, and Jonathon opened his eyes. Billy looked up at him, his eyes wide with terror, and Jonathon put his hand on his shoulder.

The deer was still now, blood pooling on the grass under the gash in its neck. Father wiped his knife clean on its fur and stood, looking down at it. At that moment, Billy began sobbing.

Father looked over at them, and as his expression turned from shock to rage, Jonathon tightened his grip on his brother's shoulder, willing him to be quiet.

"Stop it!"Father shouted, stalking towards them, his face turning purple. Jonathon let go of Billy's shoulder and stepped back just before Father slapped Billy's face. "Stop it this instant!"

Billy let out another sob and then was quiet, but his body shook as he took in great gulps of air.

Father grabbed his chin in a tight grip, forcing his face up. "I don't ever want to see you cry again, do you hear me?"

"Yes – sir," Billy hiccuped, and Father let go.

"I won't have a sissy for a son!"he spat with disgust while Billy wiped his face with a shaking hand.

"What's the cabin like on the inside?"

Helen's voice cut through Jonathon's memory and the image of Billy, his body slumped and shaking melted away. He smiled before he turned around. "Would you like to see?"

"Sure!"

He opened the front door and stepped aside so Helen could enter first. He followed her into the small living room and she spun around, her face glowing. "Why, this is charming!"

"You think so?" he said, laughing as he took it in again, trying to see what she was seeing. He'd always thought the place was dreadfully cramped and dark.

She looked in the small bedroom, and then headed to the galley kitchen. "It's very pretty," she said when she returned to the living room. "This fireplace–" She went to it and rubbed her hand over the river rocks. "I love the stone."

"I guess that is nice," he conceded. "I'm glad you like it." One day it will be yours, he almost added, but held his tongue. It would be too much.

Helen left the fireplace and went to one of the windows. "This is a lot like the house I grew up in," she said as she looked out over the clearing. "But it had two bedrooms instead of one – and it wasn't nearly this nice."

Jonathon was stunned. "I thought you said there were six in your family," he said, and then clamped his lips closed. He shouldn't have said that. Even if it was a shock to learn her home had been so small, it wasn't good to point it out.

"There were seven of us," she said quietly. When she left the window, her face brightened. "It wasn't as bad as you think. At least not until the last few years," she said with a light laugh. "Little sisters sure can kick a lot in their sleep. And with all four of us in the bed, there's nowhere to go to avoid it."

He forced a laugh, but she must have seen through it because her smile dropped.

"They kept my brother," she said, her eyes suddenly sad.

That was another surprise. She hadn't mentioned she had a brother before.  And then it clicked in Jonathon's mind, he was the seventh member of her family.

"I understand why mom and dad decided to keep him. He was just a baby, only a year old. He was too little to be separated from mom, but ... Ruth was little too, just three years old. I can understand why they sent us older ones away, but Ruthie–" 

She stopped and shook her head, blinking hard. He wished more than anything he could go to her, put his arms around her and make her pain go away. But it wouldn't be proper. "Maybe – maybe they thought it would be better for her," he offered gently.

"Maybe," she said.  Then she gave him a brilliant smile. "Gosh, I've been talking too much! Everybody's going to wonder what happened to us, and it'll be my fault."  In spite of her light tone, her eyes were still sad.

"They probably haven't even noticed we left. I think we have enough sticks, don't you?" he said, deciding they should leave the cabin so she wouldn't be reminded of her family.

She gave him a firm nod, and he gestured to the door.

They were quiet again as they walked back to the pond. The invitation still hadn't been mentioned, and judging from Helen's silence, he guessed her thoughts were on her family now instead of the dance.

Seven people living in that little cabin was hard for him to comprehend. And sleeping, four all in the same bed. It was worse than he'd imagined. Yet there was a dignity in the way she carried herself. Even though she'd grown up with so little, and after all the losses she'd suffered, it hadn't beaten her down. She was the strongest girl he knew. And it filled him with an even greater determination.

He was going to do whatever it took to keep Helen in Mother's good graces. He was going to marry her and make sure nothing bad every happened to her again. And nothing was going to stop him.

****

I'm very proud of this chapter and I think it gives a lot of insight into Jonathon, Billy, and Helen's characters.  I hope you enjoyed seeing Helen's reaction to the cabin.  There's lots more cabin time to come!  What will happen with the invitation to the dance?  Will Jonathon be successful in convincing his mother?  What about Jonathon's memory of hunting with his father and Billy?  I can't wait to hear what you think of it all!

On July 28th, I was one of the featured authors in the Wattpad Block Party - Summer Edition book.  My chapter answers the questions readers of The Boy in the Woods asked.  What inspired the story, the cast, the time period, Marty and Jess's families histories, and much, much more! Simply do a search for Wattpad Block Party - Summer Edition by KellyAnneBlount(you can also find it in my main reading list) add it to your library.

In the multimedia, my Helen, the actress Mona Freeman.

Cheers!

Katherine