The Apple Of My Eye (10 page)

“Don’t do this Ed. Please don’t do this. Just go back to the house and we will all forget this ever happened,” Hayes pleaded with his uncle, inching his way towards the old man.

“Keep back Hayes. I warned you what would happen if you interfered. This damn thing is coming down. I don’t care how sweet your little whore’s sex is.”

Michelle gasped, the old man’s words hitting her like a physical blow. She could hear Betsy’s angry squawk echo over the lawn.

“How dare you.” Hayes took another angry step forward and another. “How dare you call her that? Michelle is a good woman. She is kind, loving and generous. I’m falling in love with her. You aren’t fit to look at her, you miserable old crackpot.” His fists curled at his side, but his forward momentum froze as Ed brought the blade closer to tree.

“Please don’t do this, Mr. Olson. Please don’t hurt Gran’s tree. She loved her apple trees.” Michelle’s voice was a sob, tears streamed down her face.

The old man turned to stare at Michelle, his visage furious. “Oh yes, Violet loved this tree didn’t she? Just like she loved Adam, that bastard never deserved her. Now I’m going to destroy her precious tree, the way she destroyed me.” Ed swung the chainsaw back. Just as the blade began to swing forward, a blaze of golden fur bounded into the old man, sending the chainsaw flying.

“Get him, Sandy!” Kara’s voice crowed triumphantly from where she had been crouched in the Turner’s yard. Standing up, Kara held up the clip which had secured Sandy’s chain to its tie down stake.

Hayes ran forward pulling the old man off the ground and away from the dog. Sandy had knocked him down and now stood growling next to him.

“Ouch, my hip. That dog broke my hip. I’m calling my lawyer, I’m…” Ed’s tirade stopped abruptly as his Great Nephew shook him by the collar.

“You are going to shut up and go back in the house. You are going to pray that Michelle doesn’t decide to call the police and press charges. You are going to leave her, and that tree, and me alone.”

“And if you don’t Edward Olson, you are going to answer to me, and to Katie.” Betsy Turner had walked up to the pair, waving a cordless phone in front of her. Michelle hadn’t even noticed that she had been carrying one. She plastered the white phone up against the old man’s ear.

After a moment, Ed seemed to deflate. Defeated he turned from group and walked back across the alleyway. Without a word, he slipped back inside the yellow house. Kara crossed the lawn to turn off the dangerous saw.

Hayes picked up the white phone from Betsy Turner, listening for a moment and nodding his head. “Okay, mom. No, she’s okay… No he didn’t manage to touch the tree.” Hayes was silent again for a moment. “Okay, yeah, I’ll ask.” Hayes turned back towards Michelle. He put his hand over the receiver. “My mother would like to apologize for Ed’s behavior. She was wondering if you wouldn’t mind coming over for dinner at my folk’s house tomorrow. Apparently they’re both eager to meet the woman I’m going to marry one day.”

“I’m sorry… did I miss a proposal?” Kara asked, perplexed.

“You can tell her I’d love to come to dinner.” Michelle smiled, as she walked towards her man.

“Mom? Yes, she’ll come. Dinner’s at six? Okay. I will let you know, as soon as I know.” Hayes hung up the phone. “So I realize that we haven’t officially been on our second date yet.” He bent down, one knee on the cool, wet ground. “But I think all things considered, that maybe you’d be willing to look past that. Will you marry me after we've dated for awhile, Michelle?” His quirky smile made her laugh.

Michelle looked down at the handsome man who knelt before her. For a moment, she was back in that sunlit yard, the scent of apples swirling in the air, the light pressure of a familiar set of hands on her shoulders. “Yes Hayes, I will marry you once we've dated awhile, Hayes.”

Hayes stood and picked Michelle up, spinning her in his arms. He kissed her soundly as Kara and the Turner's clapped.

Kara walked up to the happy couple and tapped her friend on the shoulder. “Ummm, not that I want to butt in on the celebrations, but can we get a dog now? 'Cause Sandy was awesome. Somehow I don’t think Mrs. Turner wants me stealing her though.”

Michelle laughed. “Yes, Kara, we can get a dog. How do you feel about collies?” The three headed back inside the kitchen, laughing and talking, bathed in the warm glow of love and the infinite possibilities of a bright, happy future.

In the back yard, Betsy Turner sighed, watching the youngsters walk away. Slowly, stiffly, she approached the old McIntosh. She put a hand on the trunk of the old tree, looked up through the branches at the stars winking down from the heavens. “Well, Violet seems like we did okay after all. That poor man never did get over his broken heart. I know you forgave him a long time ago, but I don’t know if he will ever be able to forgive himself. Still, those two young people have found each other, and they’ll be happy together. That’s as it should be. You just keep watching out for them up there, and I’ll do my part down here, until the time comes for me to rest too.” The old woman patted the trunk of the tree and turned away. Deep in the heart of the McIntosh, the first of the spring leaves began to unfurl.

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