Lifetimes

Anna

I smile as I walk up to him watching him wipe the dirt and sweat off of his face as the sunlight sparkles in his Green eyes and they catch mine I don't know if its this Tennessee heat or the infatuation I have for this man but my heart skips a beat as he covers his forehead with his hand to get a better look and he says Ms. walker you ain't supposed to be out here, I fold my arms as I say now Jimmy how many times do I have to tell you to call me Anna?, Ms. Walker is my mama. He shakes his head as he says well either way you know if you are caught out here talking to me your daddy is gonna have your head and possibly mine, I shrug and say well the war is taking up most of his time and Mr. Johnson is taking up my mama's so I think I'm safe.

He chuckles a bit as he shakes his head and asks you just can't stay out of the trouble can you? I smirk as I sit down on the swing he just finished building overlooking the river on our estate and say in a questioning tone stay out of trouble? What fun would that be? I pat the seat next to me as I say come on, come enjoy your hard work. I watch him hesitate, My Daddy had a rule for not only for me but the people he "employed" that we were not to fraternize with each other, I was to not befriend the "help" as mama and daddy called them because we were better than them just because a little bit of money lined Daddy's pockets. Daddy didn't see them as people, not many in our circle saw the poor as people but me and Jimmy from the day we saw each other we were both done for and we knew it.

I watch him weigh the risks in his head as he rubs the back of his neck and looks around to see if we were being watched and finally decided the risk was worth it as he sat down next to me and we begin to swing. We watch as the sun's rays dance across the lake and he asks me have you thought anymore about Mr. Author's proposal? I cringe as the words leave his mouth, Mr. Author's first name is Cole but he likes for people to call him Mr. Author because it makes him feel like he has some type of power and control, his family owns the only bank in town and he spends his daddy's money whenever he gets and has never heard the word no a day in his life and I was supposed to be his wife.

I shake my head as I say oh god no! Jimmy tries not to chuckle as he he nods and we let the silence hang between us. I lay my head on his shoulder and I feel him take a deep breath as he finally relaxes and he softly kisses the top of my head. We both know this thing we have won't last as both of our lives have already been planned out because even though Things are peaceful around here for the most part and Daddy and his soldiers are keeping the union at bay there are still talks of a draft that linger in the air and that has everyone on edge.

Jimmy knows for his family he won't have a choice, he is an only child his daddy is too old to serve and as far as me? Well my mama and daddy basically had me married off before I could even walk and even though I continue to say no, if this war doesn't end soon I may not have a choice. I feel Jimmy wrap his arm around my shoulder pulling me closer and I slowly turn to him just to catch him already looking at me like I'm the most rarest jewel on this planet as I ask what? He smiles as he says I've just never seen someone so gorgeous as the woman sitting on this swing with me, I turn away bit as my cheeks turn red. He softly grabs my chin and pulls me to his lips as I rest my forehead on his and he kisses me softly.

We both live for these stolen moments where time seems to freeze just for us to have a minute with each other, in those moments we are just Jimmy and Anna, two kids in love, there is no rich status or poor status, there is no rules, there is no stares if I laugh too loud at his jokes, there is no one to stop us in these moments where we can love each other. I close my eyes as I sigh softly soaking up every bit of this time as he whispers we can leave right now, just me and you, you know that? We can leave Tennessee behind us move up north and be together ain't that what you want?

I feel the tears start to form as I lift my head from his forehead to meet his eyes as I whisper of course it is, a life with you will forever be what I want, He takes my hand as he gets up and says then lets do it! lets go! I sniffle as I say Jimmy you know we can't. I watch as he looks at me with defeat in his eyes as he says Anna if we don't go now I don't know if we will ever see each other again! My eyes widen as I ask Jimmy what do you mean we won't see each other again? He sighs and hands me a letter, I ask what's this? His eyes drop as he says its a letter from your father, my eyes widen in shock as I softly take it from his hand and I read the contents. I stand up in protest as the tears now drop from my eyes and say no! He nods as he says your father found out about us and is drafting me into his platoon as punishment.

I shake my head and yell HE CAN'T DO THIS! ITS ILLEGAL!! Jimmy's hand covers my mouth as he pulls me to the shed and closes the door behind us darkness coats the room as he whispers well so are we love, but that didn't stop us. I shake my head as panic sets in and I say Jimmy we can't run away you'll be considered a deserter! He looks at me with dread in his eyes as he says I would rather spend my life with you than to die in a war that I don't want to fight. He slowly walks over to me taking my hand softly as he bends down on one knee and says Anna lee Walker, I can't see this world without you, I can't breathe without you, will you marry me and run away with me? I feel the tears falling down my face as I stand there and look at the ring and back at him both of us just there in silence until we hear my mama yell ANNA LEE!!!

My eyes widen as he pops up and closes the ring in my hand as he whispers you don't have to answer now but if your answer is yes meet me by the willow tree at the end of the lake tonight ok? I sniffle and nod as he wipes my tears and kisses me deeply as she yells again and Jimmy gently pushes me out the shed door as I suck up my tears and try to compose myself and act like my life didn't just change,

Like I don't have a choice to make, become like my mama and stay and marry Cole Author and live like her and daddy do where he would rather spend more time either hitting her, cheating on her or trying to fight the war than he did actually loving her and where she would rather sneak behind daddy's back and play house with her true love while daddy is gone always hiding and never truly able to live happily or choose my own path and run away and marry Jimmy and be happy with a man I see a life and future with but possibly be on the run for the rest of our lives. for the first time in my life I have choices and I've never been more scared.