One night, a night of pureness, filled with the most brightness yet softest moonlight. A girl was born into a family that was well known. She was the forth daughter of Lily and Frank. They named her Summer, for her immense brightness. Though she was of high-class she was always a well behaved and nice girl. Every year she went on a boat trip with her family. Hey parents would only be strict when they needed to be. The girl's older sisters were the most beautiful of the entire town. Martha, Hope, and June. Her sisters would never go out into the town without a car, unless it was an urgent matter. Summer would always go into town and greet everyone. She would give anything to the people who asked her with kindness. She was called Sun in town. No matter what happened in town, horrible or beautiful she would be there to spread sun and kindness.
One night her parents visited the Mayor and made a grave mistake. They had disrespected the Mayor's son, who was of much higher class. "How dare you?!" screamed the Mayor, "Disrespecting MY son is the worst mistake you and your wife can ever make! I will not tolerate people like you to do such thing!" "Please Mayor, we are sorry! We did not mean to do so!" Lily had said falling to her knees. "We'll do anything to all of us to make this mistake disappear!" Frank pleaded.
The son had remembered seeing Summer walk in the town, he had thought how beautiful she was. "I will only forgive you if you let me marry one of your daughters." said the Mayor's son. Everyone turned their face toward them. "I have heard that you have 4 beautiful daughters. The only way I would forgive you if I marry one." "But sir, our daughters do not accept arrange marriage. We let them choose." Lily marked. "I will let them choose. But if neither of them choose, I will choose one."
"WHAT!?" screamed Hope to the top of her lungs. "The mayor's son is a big deal! He is the most handsome of all. We must not let this pass!" Martha said excitedly. "I don't want the Mayor's son. He is greedy and he does not care for the people. He only manipulates and lies. He is not worthy to be a husband to any of us!" Summer explained angrily. "Dear, you must enter the race. If neither of you choose him then he will choose one of you." her mother said holding her hand. "My sister's want him. I rather choose a man who is worth it." she stood up and left the room. "Martha, Hope, June, I suppose that it's between you three." They all squealed with happiness and went to get their best dresses.
Two days later The Mayor's son went to their house. "Martha!!! Hope!!! June!!! He is here! You must come down now!" Summer walked in seeing her sisters race to the living room. Instead of sticking around she left of to go into town through the back.
He walked in and sat down. The three girls lined up looking their best. "Sir, I plead you to choose me, I will heed your every need and I'll even bring you great joy!" Martha said happily, with some excitement in her voice. "Or me! I am a good cook and I can give fantastic massages!" Hope said, mixing her voice with excitement and fear. "I am quite the most perfect, I clean, and cook, massage, and I can give you
the most beautiful children." June added. He looked for the forth one. "Where is Summer?" he said angrily. "She has chosen not to participate. She was mostly the most independent." Lily answered.
"If she does not participate then I choose her!" he screamed. "But you said..." "IT DOES NOT MATTER! I only said this because I wanted Summer and if she refuses to participate then I expect her to be MY WIFE!" He stood up. "Sir, please!" Frank was worried for his daughter. "Summer is still in school. It is best to choose one of my other daughters. They will help you when you become mayor." He was furious, but then he thought, if he marries one of her sisters then he can easily take her and lock her up. Maybe he can blame her for something very cruel. "Very well. I choose Martha. She is practically my age." Martha squealed. Hope and June were happier for their sister.
Summer walked into town with her luggage. "I must not stay here. He will find any way to get to me." she thought. The confidence and the love the people had for her was all the Mayor's Son needed to have the dominance. She pleaded one of her good friends to take her far away to be safe from the next Mayor. The entire town found her a fast car and chose the best driver in town. In the minimum of 10 minutes she was gone.
Micheal, the driver, left her in a small village that would probably need her sunshine. She took all her luggage and tried giving Michael some money as thanks. "I don't accept this from you. Only a smile helps." he said...smiling. She couldn't help smiling back. She looked for a home where they would take her in, and for her luck the first house a kind boy answered the door. "Sir, may I please stay in your home tonight? I promise to leave before breakfast." Summer asked in her soft voice. The boy still a bit stunned by her beauty. "If you want, you can stay her for as many nights. I only live with my mother." he mentioned still a bit shocked. "My name is Summer. Then I guess that you can take me in as a maid. I don't want any payment." "Well, you can do as you want. My name is Peter." he smiled. He was even more shocked when she smiled, "So beautiful" he thought.
The next morning Summer was up before anyone. She started to look in the fridge to cook something for breakfast. After a few minutes she heard an alarm clock go off. Creeeaaak. Thump, thump! She was relieved to see it was only Peter getting ready to go to work she guessed. "Good Morning." she said softly with a smile. He gasped. "Am I dead?" he asked. "Oh my! Of course not!!! Why would you say that!?" He thought carefully. "Oh, that's right. Sorry Summer." "It's ok."
"Where do you work?" she said putting the plates on the table. "Peter works at the tool shop two doors away. This village doesn't really buy much tools but the people from a close by city buy their tools here." his mother said with a wide grin on her face. Probably like one of those mothers who think that their child is planning to get married soon. "Oh, I see." "What about you Summer, where do you come from?" She looked up shocked. "I come from a town about two hours from here...." "That town!" Peter interrupted "I heard the Mayor is an evil man. He does nothing for HIS people. Not even those bratty daughters of Frank and Lily Norton do anything to help!" Peter said with a bit of anger. Summer Jumped up. "Well then sorry for being a brat!" she said tears flowing. She walked out to grab her luggage. Peter noticed his mother staring at him with fury. He walked after Summer.
"I'm sorry Summer. Please don't go." "No, brats should be this way shouldn't they?" her voice shaking along with the rest of her body. She tried to grab her other things and she tripped. He caught her before she could hit the floor face-front. He looked shocked once again. "You’re so light. Do you eat?" She was immobile. "Summer? You're not that angry at me are you?" She was still not answering. He turned her around and saw that she fainted. Her face was like a tomato. "S-Summer!!" he laid her on the bed and tried to fan her. His mother came in, "What happened?" "She fainted! I think she has a fever!!" his voice worried, very worried. "You go to work; I’ll take care of her. Come back in your lunch break."
Summer opened her eyes slowly. She felt a bit dizzy but she could see it was night from out the window. She looked to her side, since she felt something heavy. Peter was asleep. His hands were blistered and very moist. Quietly she took off the covers and stepped out the door. His mother was in front of the TV sleeping too. She went to the kitchen. 12:30. She went to clean the dishes and then go back into bed. When she came in Peter was still sleeping. She never noticed how tall he was. His hands were kind of big. Compared to his hands, her hands were of a mere 12 year old. She slipped into her covers again and turned off the lights. After a few minutes Peter moved his head. Summer felt that he was cold. She took her covers and placed it on top of him. Like that she went to sleep, with no covers.
In the morning Peter woke up, he felt abnormally warm. He opened his eyes and saw that Summer was now shaking a bit. "Where the hells are the covers?" he asked himself. He got up and heard a silent thud. He turned around to see that it was HER covers. He picked them up and placed them back on top of her. When he did, she woke up. "W-w-w-what's wrong?" she stuttered from coldness. "Summer, these are your covers; don't put them on top of ME." "But when I woke up your body was c-c-c-cold. I couldn't leave you to f-f-f-freeze." "But Summer...." "N-no. Don't say anything." her coldness now going of because of how warm he left the covers, "I'm like that. I can't....leave someone...who needs something...." she fell asleep again.
When she woke up. Again... she saw Peter's mother next to her. "Is Peter at work?" she asked her.
"Yes, he comes by during his lunch break, it'll be in a few minutes."
"Oh, ok. Well, should I make a quick lunch?"
"Don't sweat it dreary. I already cooked something. You know, Peter has never really talked to much people in this tiny village. To be tell you the truth, the girls that are born here always go off into the city to marry rich men. It was a shock to us when we saw a girl come here. When Peter was a little boy he would always hide behind his father. Always scared, until he turned 12. He just shot right up. His father was also tall. It was always hard to keep up with him."
"I know this isn't my business, but what happen to his dad?"
She sighed.
"One night he went out to work at the same tool shop peter works at now. He was put in charge of the wood cutter. When he was slicing wood he misplaced his hand to lean and the wood slicer sliced his arm. He died due to loss of blood."
Her voice was cracking.
"I put Peter to work there and told the manager to not EVER put Peter in charge of anything sharp. He was better at welding anyways."
Summer looked down and heard the door open and close. She slowly got up to go greet Peter. "He..." "WATCH OUT!" Summer tripped on the little piece of covers that were on the floor and fell down. "Are you ok Summer!!??" Peter picked her up. To her, his arms were like steel. "Careful you break me more." she said sarcastically. He placed her back on her bed and his mom managed to slip away like a viper. "You shouldn't get so happy. I'm starting to learn that, you klutz." "I'm not clumsy! I just didn't notice that was going to happen." Peter chuckled and then started to laugh a little.
"My lunch break is only an hour long. I'd better go eat something." "What do you do in the tool shop?" "I weld the hammers and other tools that aren't sharp. I've been trying to get up to being able to slice the wood." "NO!!" Summer screamed worried and shocked. Peter turned to see that fear covered Summer's face. "What's wrong?" He said worried. She hugged him as tight as she could, "Don't work with sharp objects. Please." her voice muffled because she dug her face into his chest.
Her hugged her back then lifted her head. "Only if you promise me that you would stay. Stay here." He looked into her eyes and she looked back into his. They stared at each other for 2 minutes straight. "I want to kiss her so badly." thought Peter. "Maybe you should start eating." "Yea. I am super hungry. Did you cook?" Peter said serving himself and taking a fork. "It smells good." he put some chicken inside his mouth. "I didn't cook, your mom did." she said smiling. She looked at his face and he still had the fork in his mouth and he looked down. "Peter, is everything fine?" Summer was worried. "That's what happens to you when you think that slicing is a perfect job." his mother passed by. "What's wrong with him??" "I never fully cooked the chicken. Well, i did but I fooled him by leaving his favorite part of the chicken, not fully cooked."
"You...old...HAG!!!" Peter screams throwing the chicken away and spitting it out. "I love you too dear son." To Summer's surprise her mom wasn't worried if he would get food poisoned. "Holy cow!! Why don't you just put wasabi on the stupid chicken! Maybe that way I could throw fire!!!" "Peter calm down!" Summer said in a light tone. Once she put her hand on his arm he calmed down immediately.
He was quite for a while and then walked away. "I'm going to rest a while." he said with anger and calmness in his voice. Summer followed him. "Peter..." she reached out for him. He stopped walking and Summer bumped into his back. "What's wrong?" Summer said in her soft voice. She saw him shaking a little bit.
"Peter, do you see something?" He quickly turned around and Summer saw her red his face was. "Just, please...don't." Peter couldn't even speak. "Why are you so red? Do you have a fever?! I'll go get some cold water!" Summer turned around and Peter grabbed her hand and turned her back to give her a hug. "Peter?" "Just stay quite for a while. Please."
For the remaining of his break, he held her in his arms. "Peter, your break is over." He loosened her a little. “I’m sorry; I didn't even eat." he chuckled. "I'll cook dinner ok. A big one, to cover for lunch. Is that fine?" Peter pulled her closer to his face and he kissed her forehead. "Peter?" "Ok, i come home at six. 5 hours won't hurt."
Summer ran to her room and gave him a granola bar. "Not much but it will help. Welding sounds like it needs a lot of strength." she said softly. He took it and went out the door. Summer followed to see if he really did work just two doors down.
She saw him cross the street and walk about two yards and then she saw a big sign that said "Daniel's Tool Store". Peter walked in. Summer closed the door and turned around. Peter's mom was standing right behind her. "Oh um, Do you want to eat now?" "Don't worry Summer, I saw what happened. They boy almost melted." Summer tilted her head confused.
"I wouldn't be surprised if in two weeks you two would have stayed somewhere together." his mother emphasized the "together" at the end. "Oh, that wouldn't happen! At least I don't think."
"You’re too pure. That's what's melting him."
Summer was still a bit confused but instead of asking more questions she simply turned around and went to eat her lunch.
At exactly six pm, Peter came home anxious for dinner. "I cooked soup. Noodle soup." she smiled. He looked for his mother. "Where's my mom? Did she do anything with the food?" "Oh she left a few minutes ago with a black cape to the flower shop." Peter's face turned from a little happy to complete sadness. "Peter, is something wrong?" she couldn't help but use her soft voice. Peter turned around, "I'll just eat and go to sleep. I don't want the food to get cold." he walked into the kitchen and sat down. It felt like an eternity to Summer when they sat there, quite.
"Good night" he finally said.
"Peter can I ask you something?"
"Anything." he smiled. "Is it sad that your mother went to the flower shop?" He looked at her in shock. "It's nothing. Just, go to sleep." "But Pet...." "JUST GO TO SLEEP OK!" Summer jumped, then she narrowed her eyes, "Ok, I'm sorry for bothering you." Summer left with the tears starting to come out. Peter turned around and wanted to go after her but he couldn't.
The next morning Summer woke up early and cooked breakfast. She left, before Peter's alarm went off, to the city to buy a few things with the large allowance she saved up.
After an hour that Summer left Peter woke up. His heart feeling a bit heavy then it should have been. He smelled the food and went to go apologize to her. "Summer I... Mom? Where's Summer?" "She isn't here." she said calmly. "What?" "She left. I hope you regret this you know. She was such a nice beautiful girl. Poor thing was only curious." "S-sh-she left!!! Oh my god! Why?" he put his head inside his hands. "I wanted to come apologize, and now she..." "I WAS ONLY KIDDING! She went off to the city. She LEFT a note. I knew you loved her. You even shed a tear for her."
He slammed the wall. "Do you think that's funny!?" He grabbed his jacket and left.
In the afternoon he came back and saw Summer chopping. "Summer!" he hugged her from the back. "Peter? Careful you kill me." "I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to scream at you." "It's ok. I went to the city to buy a few things and take things out of my mind.I only met a cousin of mine that lives there! He offered me a room in his house!" Peter let her go, "What." "Yes, his house has the beautiful garden and he is letting my plant flowers!" Summer turned only to see Peter so sad. "Peter..."
She reached and touched his face, even though she had to tippy toe. He held her delicate hand, "If you want go live with your cousin. I'll visit you when I can." his smile was so empty.
Even though he was trying so hard not to do anything to harsh to her he fell to his knees and hugged her putting his head on her belly. "I'm sorry." his voice cracking. Summer held him and then he tighten his hug and that way picked her up. Her hair was touching his face, and she smelled his scent. She closed her eyes and fell on his shoulder. "Summer? Did you faint again?" he lifted her from his shoulder and turned to see her face. She only fell asleep, in other words I guess you can say she fainted. "Your a sicky aren't you." He once again left her on her bed.
For two weeks Summer and Peter connected more and more. Peter still was always sensitive around her and she was trying to be alert. Peter's mother was staying at one of her brother's house for three months. "I'm sorry, I always leave you all alone here. Maybe I should ask for a break so I can stay with you." "No, we need to pay the bills and then there is food to worry about!"
"It's ok. My mom always gets her pension every three weeks. Here bills aren't so expensive."
Summer went to her room and started to undress for her pajamas. Once she had put them on she went to the fridge to get a glass of water. Outside the window she saw Peter arguing with a girl. "No Peter! You think that I'll just simply let go of this?! You love her and you left me! I thought I was your life!" "Layla, I ended it with you because you had a child of ANOTHER MAN!" "So! I thought you would stay, I thought you would forgive me! Peter I love you." she reached for him. "No Layla. Your priority now is your baby. I never wanted to leave but you made me. You were going to leave me." "I know you love that tramp! You always go home all anxious and happy. That girl isn't special. She will only leave you like every other girl. She doesn't want you. What has she ever done to show effection for you?" "Stop it Layla! It's none of your business! If I love her it's because she is something special. You aren't part of me anymore. Go and be happy with your husband in the city."
The girl Layla shifted her eyes and caught a glimpse from Summer. Summer jumped thinking that she was going to do something bad. Layla started to walk fast towards the house shoving Peter. She grabbed Summer's hair, "Look you dirty pig! If you lay ONE hair on him I won't hesitate to kill you. You..." Peter grabbed her mouth and pushed her away from Summer. "Leave. NOW." Layla looked at him and then back at Summer. "I will be back Peter Washington. Just you watch. And you will come back to me."
"Summer are you ok?" he said touching her hair slowly. "I'm fine. Who was she? I don't understand much of the things you two were talking about." Peter hugged her lightly, "Nothing. Just some girl that think she owns everything." Peter let go and then sat on the couch silently. Summer walked over and sat next to him. "Have you ever been confused of what to pick? Of what to say when you learn something that you thought wasn't true?" she asked. "I don't know. I know i've been confused, but that was when I was at the toy store and my dad told me 'ONE TOY!' I had to be careful of what to choose. But the thing about learning something you thought wasn't true, thats different." He laid his head back. Summer lightly put her head on top of his arm.
"Im not going to work for a week. That's all the manager let me have." Summer looked up and felt his face with her hands. "Summer no don't. I'm not that strong." "It doesn't matter." He put his big hands on her face and kissed her. For a while they stayed there together.
In the morning Summer woke up; she went to the kitchen and got some food to cook. She was cooking with as much love and happiness that her food would come out delicious. When she tasted the food it was better than anything. Peter woke up all washed and ready. "Morning, how did you sleep?" he said. "I slept fine, does your neck hurt today?" "Kinda does. But it will feel better in a while. What did you cook?" "Same old, eggs, bacon, and a fruit." "Pack it up, I want to take you somewhere." "Really!" "Yes but you have to wear this over your clothes." Peter handed her a not so pretty dress. "I don't want to br mean but, why do i have to look ugly?" "Anyone in this village sees you and they'll be like dogs. I'll tell you when to take it off."
As they walked out the door Peter tried to do everything in a hurry. Once they were a few miles away from the town they started to walk in the forest. "Welcome to the southern meadow." Peter said pointing to two big trees. She waled slowly between them and saw the most beautiful place. A fantastic view of the mountains and flowers spread here and there, a river was flowing too. "Peter this is, it's so...beautiful." Peter took her hand and started to kiss her again.
As Summer spread out their breakfast Peter went off to get some water. "There's a cottage by here. It's ours but we haven't used it in a few years. Summer," he looked into her eyes, "I want you to live with me there." "Ok." she said cluelessly. "Summer I mean as, as my wife. Live with me here with me as your husband. You can plant as much as you want and we'll raise our kids in this place." He was hugging her now. "But what about your mother?" "She's my step-mom. My real mom had left my dad when I was 2. She never liked anything in the village. My dad re-married when I was 3. She kinda raised me. She has been looking for a way to leave the village because t brouht her to many memories of my dad." he looked straight into her eyes and she saw how soft his eyes were. "I love you Summer. I really do." Summer looked at him with surprise and then started to shed tears. "Summer? Are you ok?" "You dummy, I love you too."
To bo continued....
