ASHWOOD ACADEMY

Chapter 5: DREAMS, REALITY

They reached a small clearing in the middle of the woods, the only place that didn't have the heated lights.

There was a circular wooden bench, with a firepit in the middle. It was already blazing.

They all sat down. There was enough room that they could space out a bit, which most of them did. Jazz sat next to her cousin.  Fred sat close on the other side, and Nathan sat next to Anita.

"Now," B said as she sat down. "I'm going to tell you why I'm not married."

"When I was a girl, I went to a white school out of this state... I met a boy there, by the name of uh, Samuel Hines."

She paused to sip her hot chocolate.  "He was white. Everyone in school thought I was too. They had to so I could attend there. My mother passed as well. But my father, though fair-skinned, could not. So, they hid their marriage. Father stayed in an apartment in town, while mother lived in a small house outside of it."

She sighed as she continued, "We grew fond of each other as we got older and I enjoyed his company, very much."

She looked off then, as if caught up in the memory. "During my senior year in high school, my family was outed as colored. Sam said he didn't care, but I did... Far too much.  You see. I made the decision for him that he couldn't handle it."

She glanced at Anita. "By the time I'd realized how foolish I'd been, our family had moved...Well, mother had moved. The outing destroyed their marriage."

She looked down, clearly hurting from the painful memories.

"Oh, I've dated since then. White and black, but none could handle my color. Of course, I never gave Samuel the chance to. I didn't realize how big a mistake I'd made until I'd grown too old for marriage... And by then, my business was my love.  So, kids, I just want you to know this. Love, -real love, is not common enough to be taken for granted. When you find it. You treasure it."

She looked down at her withered hands, her eyes wet.  "...Oh, boy look at me, bringing you down. Who wants some more hot chocolate? My men are bringing out marshmallows, chocolate, and graham crackers, as well!"

The butlers passed out the food and everyone thanked them, politely.

They all sat quietly by the fire, enjoying the heat and comforting crackling sounds. And then everything got still.

Huge nickel-sized snowflakes fluttered to the ground, eliciting a big, 'ooh' and 'aw!'

Thomas jumped up and yelled, "It's snowing!"

Having come from Florida, it was his first time witnessing it in person.

"It's beautiful." Anita said softly, and let her hand fall to the bench.

Nathan gently took it in his own.

"I think we'd better be getting back in, it's really picking up now..." B said, fearing a whiteout.

"Let's go!"

Everyone got up and did a fast-walk back to the waiting carriages. The blankets really came in handy then.

This time, Janine moved to the front carriage, leaving Anita, Nathan, Fred, and an all-too-curious Thomas fidgeting and trying to see every falling snowflake.

"Come on everybody! I have roasted duck, braised carrots and asparagus..."

Miss B. kept rattling off all the wonderful food as she slyly herded the kids in from the snow.

She watched as Nate and Anita lingered behind on the porch and gently closed the unlocked door behind herself.

They stood by an ivory pillar, watching the snow pour down.