The Fourth of July was a huge celebration in Summerset. It felt like the entire town turned out for the festivities. It always started with a parade down Main Street that circled what was considered the town center.

People would come early to leave folding chairs, umbrellas, and even canopies to stake out their spot to watch the parade from. We were no exception. There were only a few spots on the parade route that had alleys, and we always snagged one of them as our spot.

Even before doing our chores, Cole drove Seth's car and followed me in my truck. The streets were mostly deserted with the exception of the handful of people setting up their items, meant to hold their tiny bit of real estate for the first of the day's events.

The streets were decorated with U.S. flags on every light pole and building. While other people used chairs and coolers to hold their spot, we used my truck. I turned into the alley and parked the truck with the tailgate facing the street. We drove back with Seth's car to get the work done before the parade and barbecue began. It was a great incentive to breeze through our chores.

I considered telling my brothers of the grim secret I'd learned the day before but decided it could wait another day. No sense ruining one of the best days of the year with bad news. There was no new information about the motorcycle gang, and for the life of me, I couldn't understand how a group that large, on loud bikes, could continue to slip under the radar.

It was only a matter of time before their luck ran out and they'd be arrested for assaulting Seth and threatening Harmony and me. There was little concern that they'd show up today. Too many witnesses—the entire sheriff's department was milling about to ensure a peaceful celebration.

Breakfast was ready when we returned and there was an excited buzz around the table. "I can't wait to buy one of Mrs. Brown's chocolate cream pies," Cole said as he grabbed the last two pieces of bacon.

Mrs. Brown won the baking contest every year, and for good reason. Her baked goods were well known around this part of the state. She'd even won the blue ribbon in the Kentucky State Fair once. It was the sort of food you'd have dreams about. It was that good.

"Better get to her booth early. They go fast." Pa took out a twenty-dollar bill from his money-clip and handed it to Cole. "Get one of her cherry pies, as well. Your ma loved cherry pie." Cole took the bill and smiled at Pa.

Seth was smiling at the conversation but was uncharacteristically quiet this morning. When he returned from the hospital, he went to his room to rest and didn't come out until the evening meal.

"You're healing nicely, Seth," I said, passing him the last piece of toast.

He shook his head. "Yeah, the doc said I was the fastest healer he'd ever seen." His words didn't match his demeanor.

"You okay?" I asked.

"Yeah, I'll be fine. My head has been hurting and I've been feeling sick to my stomach since they beat the crap out of me." He looked at me then. "And I've had some bad dreams the last two nights. Maybe that whoop'n shook me up a little." Seth almost looked embarrassed to admit it.

"Don't worry about it. That was a serious ass kicking. They could have killed you. Nothing to take lightly," I said, reaching over to clasp his shoulder. He didn't flinch this time.

"What did you dream?" Cole asked, totally oblivious to Seth's discomfort about the topic.

Seth hesitated. "It was weird shit."

"Seth," Pa warned.

"Sorry, Pa." Seth looked at me. "It was all jumbled up and most of it didn't make a lick of sense, but I remember one thing I can't get out of my head."

For some unknown reason, I was tense to hear that Seth was having bad dreams. "What?" I pressed.

"An enormous wolf with green eyes." Seth was staring at his coffee like he was back in the dream.

"That don't sound scary," Cole said as he began to gather the dishes.

"I have to agree with Cole," Pa said, joining the conversation from behind his newspaper.

"I didn't say it was scary. It was sad. The wolf was sad, broken-hearted, even."

Pa lowered his paper and watched Seth, who was still staring at his empty coffee cup. "Why was the wolf sad, Seth?"

"She had to leave her cubs."

I stared at Seth. His dream sounded warning bells in my head. But why?

Cole walked over from the sink, wiping his hands on a towel. "How do you know that she was sad or that she had to leave her cubs?"

Seth looked at each of us in turn. "It was like she spoke to me, but without any words." He shook his head. "I can't explain it. But it really got to me for some reason."

When he realized how intently we were staring at him, he cracked a typical Seth smile and got up from the table slowly. "It's probably from those pain meds the doc has me on. I should stop taking them. Pretty sure I could do most of my chores today."

"Not so fast. You'll take it easy another day, and then we'll see what the doctor says. Liam and Cole will do your chores until we get the green light from your doctor." Pa drank the last sip of his coffee and stood up.

"Better get at it, boys," Pa said as he left the kitchen. "And don't forget the rule about staying together at the celebration."

Cole rolled his eyes and Seth shook his head. Hanging out together was fine for a few hours, but then we all had different friends and interests that would pull us in different directions. I certainly didn't want these two clowns hanging around Harmony and me the entire day. We'd have to find a compromise that didn't totally break Pa's rule about staying together—maybe stretch it a bit.

***

When the cows and horses were fed, the last water line was repaired, and the resting field was somewhat plowed, Seth and I showered and dressed in clean jeans, t-shirts, and boots. Cole wore sneakers and cut-off denim shorts. Pa said he'd make an appearance at the barbecue, but then he'd come back home. He wasn't much for big parties anymore.

The three of us piled into Seth's car and headed into town. It was a fast thirty-minute drive. Most of the roads were narrow and winding through thick canopies of trees that hung over the road, only allowing bits of sunlight to stream in like laser beams as we drove.

Closer to town the trees fell away, offering a more open view of scattered farms, fields, barns, and houses. Even closer in, the farms disappeared, and the housing became denser.

***

We had a cooler with beer and soda—beer hidden under the ice and sodas on top in case anyone looked. Pa never condoned getting drunk, but he had no problem with us having a beer or two. Maybe that was why we rarely overindulged. If we abused the privilege, Pa would have taken away the option, along with any free time that allowed us to get into trouble in the first place.

We picked up Harmony and her friend Lisa. It was tight in the Civic with three good-sized guys and the two girls, but it was a short drive from Harmony's house to the downtown area.

"What the hell happened to you?" Lisa asked Seth, once we started driving.

Harmony must not have told her. "He got jumped by the same motorcycle gang that threatened Harmony and me in the diner the other night." I attempted to relax the tension in my neck from the mere mention of what had occurred.

"That's terrible. I hope they catch those losers," Lisa said, frowning.

"I don't think they have, but hopefully they've left town. That's what the sheriff said," Harmony replied.

Seth didn't say a word. He hadn't been himself since it happened. Can't say I blamed him. I wasn't over it, myself. Protecting those I loved had become a preoccupation with me the last few days.

After parking a few blocks away in the Walmart parking lot, we walked to where we had left my truck. The streets were filled with people.

We had to evict some middle school kids who had taken up residence in the back of the truck. They pouted and threw a few insults over their shoulders as they went. Cole acted like he was going to chase them, and they ran away. The look of fear on their faces gave us a good laugh.

There was country music over the loud-speakers and people dancing in the roped-off sections of the streets while we all waited for the parade to pass by. Seth and the girls sat on the tailgate with their legs swinging back and forth. Cole and I stood, talking to different people we knew as they passed by. We kept our beers and sodas in snuggies so people had no idea what we were drinking.

Kids with their faces painted and waving flags or water pistols were everywhere. I was squirted at least ten times in a one-hour period. By that time the sun was directly overhead, and it was starting to get hot, so I didn't mind the water. Cole got smart and started encouraging kids to shoot him with water.

The mood was festive, everyone was smiling, and the parade wasn't half-bad this year. At least none of them fell over. Even Harmony seemed happy. I was worried that she would leave me, cold-turkey. I let her know when I asked if she still wanted to go with me, that I wanted to talk about everything that was going on.

The day of the celebration, she looked like a country boy's dream. She had a snug-fitting red and white checked blouse that dipped low on her chest, but just enough to stay classy. Her cut-off denim skirt was short and showed off her long muscular legs from years of running track in high school.

When we picked her up, she was wearing cowboy boots, but she'd already switched them out for a pair flip-flops. I knew she'd put the boots back on for dancing that night.

After the parade passed, Cole took Lisa to get an iced tea, because the beer and soda we had wasn't good enough. Seth was talking to a group of seniors from his graduating class, so I sat next to Harmony and held her hand. She leaned her head on my shoulder. "I'm going to miss this," she said.

"About that." She raised her head to look at me. "I don't want to lose you, Harmony."

"And I don't want to lose you. So, what are we going to do about it?" She smiled at me with those full cherry lips of hers.

I kissed her, long and deep. She responded to the kiss by wrapping her arms around my neck and pulling me closer. It had always felt this right, this perfect with Harmony. I believed there could never be another person in the world who could make me feel this way. How could I let that go?

She broke our kiss but held my face in her hands. "I'm leaving for California in a few days. I want you to go with me." She pleaded with her eyes.

"I want to be with you, but I can't leave that soon. I still need to talk to Pa, help him make arrangements, and run the farm until it sells. That's assuming he'll go along with it."

"Then do it. Start the conversation with him. You can come to California as soon as it's settled." She stroked my cheek. "But I won't wait forever, Liam."

"I know. I'll speak to him tomorrow." I released her and watched the crowds dispersing.

"Promise?"

"Promise."

Volunteers were taking down the yellow barrier tape and others were scooping up animal crap from the streets. The barbecue had already started, but there was always more than enough food.

Cole and Lisa walked up, with her holding a large generic paper cup. We looked at her. "It's sweet tea! So good. Want some?" She held out the cup and we shook our heads.

Seth made his way back to the truck. "Let's go before all the food is gone."

Nobody was worried about that, but Harmony and Lisa got into the cab of the truck with me, while Cole and Seth climbed into the back and sat on the sides of the truck's bed, holding on to the roof of the cab.

We drove to the Summersport Park where the cookout was held. After purchasing our tickets, we meandered, as a group, to various booths to sample everything our tickets would allow. Since the girls didn't use all their food tickets, Seth and Cole went back for seconds.

Somehow, we ended up in a water balloon fight where everyone, but Lisa were soaked. When her ex-boyfriend showed up, we didn't see her for the rest of the day. Cole and Seth were playing on teams in a bean-bag-toss competition across the field and Harmony and I laid on a blanket she had brought in an effort to dry off in the sun.

Mostly we just kissed and messed around. Life was good and for the first time in the last year, I felt lighter and freer than I had in a while. Yes, I would talk to Pa. I'd get him back on track with selling and retiring, Seth would go to college to play football and get his education. Cole wouldn't have the weight of the farm on him while he finished high school and decided what he wanted to do with his life. I would start a new beginning with Harmony.

I'd always wanted to be a firefighter, but Pa advised me to get a degree first, then pursue that career, if I still wanted to. I agreed. If worse came to worst, I could try to get on with one of the fire departments in California to help pay for Harmony's education while I took classes part-time.

It could all work out.

*Thank you for reading, voting, and sharing Ashes.

R.K. Close

 RED DREAM (book 2 of the Vampire Files Trilogy) is Free the first week of December 2018. https://www.amazon.com/Moon-Vampire-Files-Trilogy-Book-ebook/dp/B01NCB37GQ/  

copy & paste the link into your browser

RED NIGHT (book 1) is only 99 cents during the same week. 

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B075SPXKWR/

copy & paste the link into your browser