A Hidden Truth

Juniper's Birthday: Mid-day

[Juniper]

    A couple hours later, there was a knock on my door. I got up and answered it when no one came in. Remy stood in his Sunday suit with a flower from Mama’s garden. He looked very serious so I tried not to grin at how absolutely precious he was.

    “Miss Juju, may I take you to ice cream for your birthday?” He said with a bow where he held the flower up in front of him.

    I accepted the flower. It was one of my favorite of Mama’s roses. I could see Hank hiding around the corner watching. Mama was clinging to his arm, giving him away as she leaned to see.

    “I would love to go to ice cream with you Mr. Remy. How about a hug, too?” I asked kneeling down.

    He looked up with a huge smile and practically knocked me down when he jumped to hug me. I was really going to miss him while I was at school. I held him tightly enjoying the feeling of my squishy little brother still loving me like this.

    Remy pulled back. “Okay! Let’s go!”

    “Whoa, there.” I said. “I promised my friends I’d have lunch with them. If I have ice cream now, it’ll ruin my meal and they’ll be sad. How about if we go at two-thirty?”

    “Aww. I want ice cream now.” He pouted.

    “How ‘bout I take you out for ice cream and lunch on your birthday. Just me and you. Then we can go to the lake and play. To make up for having to wait a whole three hours for ice cream. Sound like a deal?” I offered. I knew I spoiled him, I couldn’t help it. He was just too cute.

    “YES!!!” He practically screamed. Remy loved the lake. I knew he’d agree.

    “I have to finish my work now. You go try and stay clean. I’ll only allow a gentleman in a fine suit to be my escort today.” I smiled and chucked him under the chin.

    “Yes, ma’am!” He cheered and ran off to where Mama and Hank were standing.

    They praised him and congratulated him on being so good. I waved and closed my door again as he was telling our mother how he was going to need a remote controlled boat for his birthday to use on the lake when I took him. I shook my head and went to put the flower in water before returning to my work. 

    Twenty minutes later, I finally finished my tutoring plan and packed some homework into my purse in case Kelly wanted to look it over while we were having lunch. Tammy called me to let me know they were past the gate and headed down the drive. I went to the mirror to check my makeup and ensure that my dress was still sitting right. A quick rummage in my closet later, I had my white sling-back kitten heels on and was making my way to the stairs.

    I heard Remy excitedly telling my friends how he was going to take me for ice cream and mama was going to buy him a boat. They made impressed noises and asked him what color his boat was going to be, how big it was, and where he was going to sail it.

    My love for my brother was pretty well known by the entire town. My friends always indulged him, too. It was a nice change from the girls I used to hang out with. They saw younger siblings as an annoyance.

    When I came down the stairs, Amber looked up and squealed. She was always trying to get me to dress in more form fitting clothes and wear makeup. 

    Amber was the only one of my friends who was shorter than me. She was 5’2”. Her hair was long, wavy, and naturally blonde. She was also the girliest of all of us, her hair and makeup routine had made us late to many events. Today, she was in a gauzy floral print skirt and pink button-up blouse with short sleeves and a sweetheart neckline. 

    She hugged me and gushed over the dress making me twirl around for her. Tammy came up and put her arms around Amber’s waist, resting her head on Amber’s shoulder. There was no cuter couple in the whole school.

    Today, Tammy was dressed in blue. It was my favorite color. She would do things like coordinate her outfit for whatever she was doing. She had on loose fitting dark blue carpenter pants with a bullet belt to hold them up, a black under shirt and a medium blue bowling shirt over it.

    Kelly came up beside her. She was actually wearing colors today, which was surprising. Normally, Kelly was all in black and wore her dark brown hair down and over her eyes. Today, she was wearing black jeans, a maroon knit top, and her hair held back with a maroon headband. 

    “My goodness, Kelly. Did your mom take all of your black shirts again?” I asked.

    “Apparently, it’s important that my friends not think I’m in mourning while celebrating a birthday. Because… I don’t know… life or something. Let’s go eat. I’m dying. She has me on a diet again.” Kelly whined.

    Her mother often put Kelly on diets, even though she wasn’t really all that big. The first place she gained was her chest. Much to Kelly’s chagrin. Whenever she started to get a little extra on her hips, her mom flipped and the whole house went ultra-bland for a month or two and daily walks were mandated. Her mom, Emry, was super controlling.

    I called out that I was leaving and we headed to Tammy’s Camry. It was nice to be leaving the house and my friends were the best people to hang out with. I relaxed more and more as we drove away, feeling fully like myself again by the time we were on paved roads.

    After hitting the bank downtown, we went to the bistro Tammy’s parents owned. Every birthday since we all became friends had been celebrated there. Cole, the oldest of Tammy’s three younger brothers, was the host for the day and he guided us to the private little booth in the corner that we liked. It was created so that Tammy could spend time with Amber without people bothering them. It was the 21st century, but still a smallish Texas town. Even though it was more accepting than others, it wasn’t always healthy for them to just hang out wherever.

    After we placed our orders and got our drinks we started talking about school, prom, our families, and our plans for the summer. This was last summer we would all be together. Tammy and Amber were going to college in Washington, where Tammy’s family was from. Kelly was going to the community college in town so she would stay here, and I was headed to Texas State. We were realistic in our chances of actually all being together again and had big plans for the five-year high school reunion.

    Our food came and we picked off each other’s plates. Each of us had something we didn’t like and we shifted things around so that we could enjoy our meals. Mainly, that meant that Tammy, Amber, and I got Kelly’s salad and veggies while we gave her part of our fries.

    While we were talking and eating someone came and stood by the booth. When they didn’t say anything, I looked up. It was Clayton.

    “Umm. Can we help you?” Tammy said with a scowl.

    “I just wanted to come say happy birthday to Juni. You’re lookin’ real pretty today, Juni.” He smiled.

    It was weird. I found I liked Jaxon’s smile much more. Clayton had always melted me a little, but now, it was like he was nice to look at… and that was it. I was a little surprised. No warm feeling, no tingles, nothing. I was fully disconnected.

    “Thank you, Clayton. You better move along before Becca comes after me again. And please, stop talking to me. I mean that with all the kindness in my heart.” I smiled tightly and returned to my meal, effectively dismissing him.

    The table was quiet. Kelly had just kept eating while he was talking. She didn’t tend to talk to anyone but us when we were out. Tammy was still staring him down. Amber was looking at me from the corner of her eye. This was going to be a ‘topic’ for a while.

    “Can I talk to you for a second, alone? Becca’s at her aunt’s house this weekend helpin’ get it ready for the baby.” He said.

    I sighed and looked up at him with a scowl. “Clayton Reed. You leave me alone right now, before I call your mother and tell her you and your girlfriend have been harassing me.”

    “I know you act like this ‘cause you like me, Juni. Your brother told me.” He hissed.

    My friends all turned and stared at me. No one in my life, at all, knew I’d had a crush on Clayton. I most certainly wouldn’t tell my brothers… except that I apparently talk in my sleep. Damn it.

    I laughed. “And which of my brothers told you that? It seems like someone’s messin’ with you, hon. I was serious when I told you and Becca yesterday that I don’t stare at you, I don’t want to steal you, and I am really not interested in this drama.”

    “I’ve never even seen her look at you sideways.” Tammy glowered.

    “We’re with her practically all the time. She’s never even said your name around us until today.” Amber told him, crossing her arms.

    His confidence was wavering. I was going to knock Teddy into next Tuesday. Why would he even hunt Clayton down to say that? It didn’t make sense. Maybe he was starting drama so I’d admit I liked Jaxon.

    “It was Carson. He said you get mean when people catch you lyin’. That was why you made fun of me yesterday.” Clayton pouted.

    “Hmm. I see. So you’re going to trust my brother, who hasn’t seen me in four years, to tell you how I currently act in certain situations? That’s the most idiotic thing I have ever heard. If it were Teddy, you could rely on that information. Carson knows nothing about me! He knows nothin’ ‘bout my behavior! I am a completely different person! Now, you stop messin’ up my birthday or I’ll beat what little sense you have outta you, then right back in!” I was standing, leaning over the table and shouting at him. My accent slipped, but I was really too angry to care.

    Tammy’s brother and father came up behind Clayton.

    “Is there a problem, girls?” Her dad asked.

    Tammy got up from the table and flexed her hand like she was getting ready to punch something. Her lip curled and her nostrils flared. She was just as pissed as I was. My friends didn’t like seeing me upset. We all looked out for each other.

    “Clayton Reed, you leave my family’s restaurant and never, ever, come back. If I see you so much as breathe in Juniper’s direction I’m going to beat you until even your mother can’t recognize you. Do you understand?” She threatened in a low tone.

    “Let us show you to the exit.” Her brother, Cole, said as he and his father grabbed Clayton’s arms and pulled him away.