“Well, you’ve seen the kitchen and family room,” said Dakota, leading him through the house. “There’s a bathroom down that hall,” she said, pointing with one hand, while holding her cocoa in the other. “My father’s study is in here,” she added, opening a large oak door.
“Wow!” said Billy, peering into the immaculate study. The room had a rich feeling to it, with dark wooden furniture and matching bookshelves full of thousands of books. The bookshelves reached from the floor to the ceiling and were so tall, that a rolling ladder was needed to reach the books at the top. In the center of the study was a large wooden desk with a silver engraved letter opener and a decanter full of scotch resting on top. The hardwood floors complimented the interior of the room and appeared to have just been polished. “Have you read all of those books?”
“Oh heavens no!” said Dakota. “I doubt that my father’s even read half of them.”
“What a waist,” observed Billy.
“Would you like to borrow one?” Dakota offered, extending her hand as an invitation to enter the room.
“Really, do you mean it?” Billy was an avid reader, but the few books that he’d been able to get his hands on had always been hand-me-downs, or they’d come from the local library.
“Of course silly,” said Dakota. “Take your pick!”
Billy walked back and forth along the bookshelves, reading the various titles printed in gold on the bindings. He ran his fingers gently over the leather bound covers, marveling at the intricate amount of detail put into each book, and those were just the covers.
“Well, what it’ll be?” Dakota asked, after watching him for a few minutes in silence.
“It’s hard to pick just one,” admitted Billy, longing to read them all.
“Well why don’t take one with you today and pick out a different one when you bring it back,” she suggested. “It’s not like they’re going anywhere.”
“Thanks!”
“Here,” Dakota pulled one of the books from the shelf and handed it to Billy, “start with this one. It’s one of my absolute favorites!”
Billy turned the leather bound book over in his hands, handling it as though it would disintegrate if he wasn’t careful. “Thanks,” he said, staring down at it, as if it held all of the answers to life. He read the title of the book out loud, “A Savage Romance. Is this a romance novel?” He asked, his voice laced with disappointment.
“Oh yes,” said Dakota, full of excitement. “It’s the first of a three part series, but don’t worry, I have books two and three as well.”
“Oh good,” said Billy, less than enthusiastic. He enjoyed reading, but romance novels had never really been his thing. “Thanks.”
“You do like to read, don’t you?” asked Dakota, noticing his hesitation.
“I love to read,” confessed Billy. “I could read all day!”
“Well then,” said Dakota, smiling, “since I can’t pay you for chopping the firewood, perhaps you’d accept a free library card to my father’s study? I’m sure he wouldn’t mind.”
“You don’t owe me anything,” said Billy.
“I know, but I’d like you to come,” insisted Dakota, as they left the study and closed the door behind them.
“Well, alright,” agreed Billy. “Thanks.”
“It’s my pleasure! This door,” she added, placing her hand on a large wooden door, “leads to the basement.”
“What’s down there?” asked Billy, noticing the French tip manicure on Dakota’s fingernails.
“There’s a movie theatre, game room, laundry room and a bar,” she said. “We usually use it when entertaining guests. Come on,” she added, taking Billy’s hand in hers, “I’ll show you upstairs.”
Dakota didn’t realize she was holding Billy’s hand until they’d reached the top of the stairs, and feeling a little embarrassed, she quickly let go. Billy noticed, but said nothing.
“Most of the bedrooms are located on this floor,” she explained, as they walked down the hall together.
“How many bedrooms are there?” asked Billy, shocked by the pure size of the house. Never in his life had he been in a house so large and lavishly furnished.
“Twelve,” answered Dakota, “eight on this floor and four more upstairs. Ya wanna see my room?”
“Sure,” said Billy, gazing at an original Van Gogh painting hanging in the hall.
Dakota led Billy to her bedroom and was suddenly embarrassed when she realized that she hadn’t cleaned it in weeks. There were clothes scattered everywhere, but what was most embarrassing were the bras and panties that she’d left lying about. It was now her turn to blush.
Billy saw her face turn several shades of red, but pretended not to notice. “Nice room,” he said, looking around.
“Thanks,” smiled Dakota, as she franticly gathered up some of the clothing, including all of her panties and bras. She carried the pile of clothes to her closet and dumped them on the floor inside.
“You missed one,” teased Billy, holding up a white bra that had been hanging on the back of the doorknob.
“Oh,” gasped Dakota, snatching the bra from Billy’s outstretched hand. “Thanks. Sorry about the mess.”
“Don’t worry about it,” he said, with a smile. “No matter what, it’s cleaner and nicer than my room.”
“I, I normally keep my room clean,” explained Dakota. “But not so much lately. I guess it’s because I haven’t had any company for such a long time.”
“Forget it,” grinned Billy. “You’ve got a nice place here.”
“Thanks,” smiled Dakota. “How’s the hot chocolate?”
“It’s delicious, thank you! I haven’t had any in a really long time. Speaking of which, how are you doing on food and supplies?”
“I’ve got plenty of water. My dad had a well with a manual pump installed a few years ago. As for food, I’m getting a little low. I guess maybe I shouldn’t have thrown those parties after the Vanishing,” she added, her gaze avoiding Billy’s. “If I hadn’t, I’d have plenty of food still.”
“Are you warm enough?”
“For the most part,” answered Dakota. “I keep the fires going all day.”
“Yeah I see that,” said Billy, disapprovingly. “Your firewood would last a lot longer if you’d only burn a fire in the room you’re occupying.”
“But it’s so cold downstairs when I don’t leave the fire in the family room burning all night.”
“So start a new fire when you wake up. You’re not just wasting the logs,” pointed out Billy, “it’s also a fire hazard. A spark from the downstairs fireplace could land on a rug or something and start a fire. The whole house could go up in flames and all while you’re sleeping upstairs.”
“I’ll take it under advisement,” said Dakota. She wasn’t accustomed to being told what to do, and she didn’t like it very much. Even her parents had always let her make her own decisions.
“Another thing,” continued Billy, “I noticed that you leave all of the bedroom doors open.”
“Yeah, so what?” asked Dakota, growing irritated. Who was this guy to come into her home and start criticizing her lifestyle?
“So,” said Billy, “your heating rooms that you’re not even using. You need to close the doors and vents to all of the extra rooms that aren’t being used.”
“Who are you to tell me how to live,” hissed Dakota. “Just because you’re the guy chopping the firewood, doesn’t give you the right to tell me how to use it!”
“That’s not what I meant,” said Billy. “I’m just trying to help.”
“Well I don’t need your help Billy Higgins! Why don’t you save your advice for someone who actually cares?”
“I knew this was a mistake,” he said, setting his cup of hot chocolate down on the dresser. “I never should have come inside.”
“No you shouldn’t have,” shouted Dakota. “At least not until you’ve learned some manners!”
“I’ll show myself out,” said Billy, as he turned and left the room.
Dakota stood there trembling with fury until she heard the back door slam shut. She then turned, ran to her window and looked out. She watched Billy as he stormed across the yard, creating a new set of tracks in the snow. He’d left in such a hurry, that he didn’t even bother to take his axe with him. She watched until he was out of sight, wondering if he’d turn to look back, but he never did. Once he’d disappeared into the forest, Dakota turned away from the window and began crying uncontrollably. Billy had been her first and only guest in weeks, and she’d scared him off. Now who would chop her firewood?
Billy headed straight home, fuming with anger. As he marched through the forest, he replayed their conversation over and over again in his head.
How dare she accuse him of being without manners! Nobody else had even offered to help her, and why? Because she’s a spoiled little brat, born with a silver spoon in her mouth, that’s why!
He thought of all of the things he wished he’d said, but realized it was probably better that he hadn’t allowed his anger to get the best of him, saying something that couldn’t be taken back.
When Billy arrived home he found his cousin in the back yard, harvesting his most recent crop. Cole was about ten years older than Billy and almost always in a good mood, a quality that had failed to rub off on Billy. Perhaps it was because he’d lived a harder life, or maybe it just wasn’t in Billy’s nature. Although the house belonged to Cole, it was Billy who took care of the upkeep. Cole spent most of his time in the greenhouse, cultivating his various crops.
Billy entered the greenhouse looking for Cole, not because he wanted to talk to him about what had happened with Dakota, but because just being around his jovial cousin cheered him up and made him feel better.
When Cole heard the glass door open and close, he glanced up at Billy and smiled. “What’s up dude?” he asked, before returning his attention to the plant in front of him.
“Not much,” mumbled Billy, sitting down on a nearby stool. He enjoyed watching Cole, as he tenderly cared for his plants. Billy had seen mothers give less love to their own children, his parents being prime examples.
“I thought you were going over to the Jennings’ place to cut firewood?”
“Yeah, I did,” answered Billy, the bitter memory still fresh on his mind.
“You’re back a little sooner than usual, aren’t ya? Did something happen?”
“Yeah, but I don’t wanna to talk about it,” answered Billy. One of the many things that Billy liked about his older cousin was that he never pushed. If Billy said he wanted to be left alone, then Cole left him alone. Even Billy’s mother had been more invasive of his privacy. “Ya need any help?”
“Sure bro, I was about to go into town and pick up some fertilizer, ya wanna come?”
“Okay,” agreed Billy, anxious for any type of distraction. He wanted to get his mind off of Dakota and the hurtful things that she’d said.
Walking down Main Street they noticed a large group of strangers gathered in front of the Daisy Mart. “Who are they?” asked Billy.
“More refugees,” answered Cole. “Major Conrad and his convoy of Marines brought them here from California. It looks like there might be a food shortage.”
“Oh,” mumbled Billy, thinking of Dakota and her dwindling amount of supplies.
“Come on dude,” smiled Cole, “what’s the matter? You’re more serious than usual. Did something happen out at the Jennings’ place? Did that girl finally talk to you? What’s her name again?”
“Dakota,” answered Billy, staring at the ground as they walked along.
“Yeah,” smiled Cole, “Dakota. Did she say something to upset you?”
“Nothing that matters,” mumbled Billy.
“Don’t let her get ya down little buddy,” said Cole, wrapping his arm around his younger cousin. “She’s just a spoiled and confused little girl. It may appear that she has a lot, but it just appears that way. In reality she’s lacking.”
“I think she’s scared,” replied Billy.
“She should be,” agreed Cole. “She’s lived a pampered life under the protection of her parents and that lifestyle has come to an abrupt end. Unlike you, she’s never been on her own. The smallest, most simply thing for you and I, might seem daunting for her. Just because you’re close in age, doesn’t mean you’re close in maturity.”
“She’s not that bad,” said Billy, thinking back to how she’d offered him hot chocolate and kissed his cheek. He remembered how she’d blushed when he saw her underwear scattered around her bedroom. “She’s just sad and lonely.”
“Well bro, if she’s lonely you’d think she’d treat her guests a little nicer,” pointed out Cole.
“She’s not that bad,” repeated Billy.
“No, I guess not,” smiled Cole. “Not if you’re willing to defend her after she hurt your feelings.”
“What makes you think she hurt my feelings?”
“Are you kidding bro? You wear your emotions like a badge of honor.”
“She doesn’t know any better,” said Billy. “Everything’s been given to her on a silver platter.”
“Well dude, perhaps she should learn to treat people better. The days of having everything given to her on a silver platter are over, and they aren’t coming back. She needs to learn how to take care of herself.”
“She needs someone to teach her,” replied Billy.
“And let me guess little dude,” grinned Cole, “you’re the one who’s gonna teach her?”
“I don’t know what I’m gonna do yet,” admitted Billy.