A Place To Stay

Chapter 20

Sheep Festival

The next day, Cliff and Claire were eating dinner. Claire was lost in thought, her face lined with worry. Cliff spoke up. “What’s wrong, honey?”

Claire swallowed a bite of food. “The Sheep Festival is in two days. I had really planned to enter Woolly, but she’s still pregnant. I hate to miss the opportunity. I’ve had her the longest, and she surely would have won.”

Cliff thought about this for a while, and then said, “Well, how about entering Fuzzy? I know you haven’t had her as long and she might not win, but it’s worth a shot. She was due to be sheared in a couple of days, so her coat will be just right for the contest. I’ll even give her a shampoo tomorrow.”

Claire beamed. “That would be great!”

The next morning, as promised, Cliff wrestled with the bleating animal, trying to get her all pretty for the competition. As he caught his breath, he hoped that not too much of the score came from whether or not the sheep made a lot of noise, because Fuzzy was loud. “We should have named her Ann,” he muttered to himself as he rinsed her off, his ears ringing from her bleats.

Claire appeared at the doorway of the barn. “Barley’s here!” she called. Cliff brushed Fuzzy a bit more, and led her out the doorway. Barley took over from there, taking the animal back to his farm to prepare for the competition.

The next day, Cliff and Claire arrived in Rose Square to (hopefully) see their sheep win. Almost everyone was there, and the couple mingled with the crowd as the competition got ready to start. They somehow ended up next to Ann and Harris, and made polite but awkward conversation. Ann and Claire were not exactly best friends after they had competed over Cliff last year, but they weren’t enemies either, so they tried to get along. As they talked, Claire realized that Ann really was an exuberant and friendly person. They had just really gotten off on the wrong foot.

Suddenly, they heard Manna’s voice rising high above the crowd. “Everyone! Everyone! Aja’s home!” she shrieked happily, hurrying into the square. Duke was right on her heels, and behind him, the mysterious Aja. She sauntered into the square. Aja looked like a younger version of Manna, except that there was a slightly cruel glint in her eye. Was that always there or did she get that while away, Claire wondered to herself. She couldn’t know, because Aja left Mineral Town more than a year before Claire arrived.

Aja’s cold glittering blue eyes turned on Harris. “Harris, darling!” she cried, rushing forward to him. He was so shocked, that he couldn’t even resist as she flung her arms around his neck. “I’m back, darling!”

Ann was so silent, it was scary. She just stared at the scene with no expression on her face. Harris managed to pull himself free from Aja. “It’s been a long time, Aja…why didn’t you write back to all those letters I sent you?”

Aja waved her hand carelessly. “I couldn’t, darling; you know I’m not good at writing down my feelings. But I’m back now. I’ve missed you,” she purred.

Harris stared at her for a moment, then backed away. “I didn’t hear from you for three years…Aja, I’ve moved on. I’m dating Ann now.” Ann just stood still, saying nothing.

Aja waved this away as well. “Oh darling, I expected you to have flings; I did as well. But that’s all over, I’m back now, and we can be together again.”

Harris’s expression darkened. “Fling? Ann is not a fling. I…I love her.” Ann’s face relaxed slightly, just a hint of surprise and happiness on her face.

Aja looked at Ann and snorted. “Stupid little Ann? The innkeeper’s daughter? Really…how can she mean anything to you? I’m the love of your life. You always said so…even in your letters.”

Ann’s face flushed for a moment, then her eyes welled with tears. Turning abruptly, she ran from Rose Square. Claire hesitated for a moment, then glared at Aja and ran after Ann.

As Claire ran, she realized how absurd it was that she was rushing to comfort the same girl that had caused her anguish last year. But this was definitely different. There was such hate and maliciousness behind Aja’s words. Ann had acted like a selfish little child, but there had been no malice in her actions.

Claire caught up to Ann, who had stopped against the fence in front of the inn. She was bawling her eyes out, struggling to catch her breath between her sobs. Claire rushed forward and wrapped her up in her arms, not caring if this was her former rival or not. All she could see right now was another human being in pain.

Ann didn’t push her away, just sobbed into her shoulder. Claire just softly murmured “Shhh…it will be okay.”

Ann caught her breath and said softly, “I always kind of knew that she might come back. I didn’t want to think about it, but I’ve always been afraid that he’s been waiting for her…” she broke off and started crying again.

“He said he loves you…and that you were NOT just a fling…” Claire reminded her.

Ann wiped her eyes. “I know,” she hiccupped, “But what if he was just saying that, because people were listening?” She looked at Claire wistfully. “I always seem to be the ‘other woman,’ huh? I should get used to being rejected.”

Claire shook her head. “No, this is very different. Cliff was just a crush you had. Harris…Harris is your boyfriend. You love him and he loves you.”

Ann nodded, wiping her eyes again. Just then, Harris barreled around the corner. He sighed with relief when he saw Ann. “Oh Ann,” he cried, rushing forward to her. “I’m so sorry that had to happen.” Claire let go of Ann and stepped away, so that Harris could scoop her up in his arms. “I used to love her, but that’s over now. All I can think of is you. You’re the only one I want. I love you.”

Ann clung to Harris, still crying softly. Claire backed away tactfully, and made her way back to Rose Square. Cliff was sitting on the bench waiting for her. Claire noted that Manna was loudly admonishing Aja for her behavior at the other end of the square. Aja was rolling her eyes, her arms crossed. Claire guessed that Aja would not be staying in town very much longer after this little scene. Claire sunk down on the bench next to Cliff. He smiled at her. “Wow, you are really something.” He poked her in the chest, through her overalls. “You must have a heart of gold in there, going to comfort Ann. I seem to remember you running off crying because of something Ann did once upon a time.”

Claire flushed, remembering Winter Thanksgiving. “That was just me being a drama queen. Big deal, she brought you a present. And…that was different because you and I weren’t a couple yet. I sure wanted us to be, but nevertheless, that was nothing like what Aja just did. That was hateful.” Claire trembled in indignation.

Cliff put his arm around Claire and pulled her in close. “Oh hey,” he remembered. “We still have to see if Fuzzy is going to win.”

“That’s right,” Claire smiled. She pulled Cliff by the hand back to the judging area. They waited anxiously as Barley judged the sheep. Cliff hoped that Fuzzy would stay quiet, and luckily she did, even as Barley patted her down and examined her hooves. When the judging was over, Fuzzy was the winner. Claire squealed happily and kissed Cliff, and they accepted the gold medal and prize of one year’s worth of fodder, to be delivered later.

Everyone congratulated them on raising such a healthy sheep. Elli made a point of nudging Claire and whispering that having sex in front of the animals didn’t seem to have traumatized them too much. Claire just rolled her eyes and shoved Elli away. She glanced over at the north entrance of Rose Square, where Harris and Ann were shyly reentering hand in hand. Claire quickly scanned the crowd and saw that Aja had left, and breathed a sigh of relief. She turned back towards Ann and gave her a little wave and smile. Ann smiled back.

Wow, we might actually turn out to be friends, Claire thought to herself. Wouldn’t that be ironic!