A Boy, the Moon, and the Open Road

Sheridan threw a log on the fire and sparks lit up Josiah’s face. All week he’d been dropping hints about something important he had to say and if it was what she thought it was this spot was perfect, nestled in the middle of a pine forest, moonlight shining through. The perfect place to get engaged, that is if his old friend Chrystal had not shown up. 

Half-drunk before she’d even got there Chrystal blocked Sheridan’s view of her boyfriend with her ample backside. “Care for a beer, Joe?” Josiah took the bottle and stashed it under his chair. Chrystal’s date, a second cousin named Bobby, sat apart from the others gazing at the stars.

           Josiah leaned close to the flames rubbing his hands together. Most boys Sheridan knew had dirt permanently stuck under the nails, the skin always rough and scarred. Josiah’s were smooth and white like a college professor or concert pianist, the kind of hands she imagined sliding a diamond ring on her finger. But it was the last night of spring break and Chrystal insisted on seeing Josiah before he headed back to school. Sheridan hadn’t paid attention to the reason, something she had to get off her chest.

Chrystal had introduced her to Josiah. They’d been going together until she’d left Bible college abruptly last December, after he’d dropped her and taken up with Sheridan.

Sitting like a prince on his lawn chair throne, Josiah filled the silence which had become a little awkward. “You’re not from around here, are you, Bob.” 

           A little attention is all the kid needed to pop back to life. “Come off it, man! Chrystal, did you go and spill the beans?”

           “No, Bobby. I didn’t. It must have been your accent. Why are you sitting way over there?”

           Bobby scooted his chair a few inches closer. He was trying to fit in but Chrystal sure wasn’t making it easy. Neither of them should be there, it was Sheridan’s night to be alone with Josiah, moonlight breaking through the treetops. 

“Josiah, as I’m sure you figured, I’m not from New York. Up from Tennessee for a visit.”

           “Ah ha. I would have guessed the south.”

             “How about you? No offense but you sure talk funny. I hear tell your parents were missionaries or some dang thing?”

Sheridan winced. Josiah hated being introduced as a missionary, and especially as the son of missionaries. “Yes. I grew up in South Africa.” He kicked a clot of mud in Chrystal’s direction.

           “Wow. The other side of the world.”

“Just about.”

“Don’t tell me you’ve seen the Southern Cross?”

           “You mean the constellation? Of course. At Cape Hope. It’s amazing. Are you into astronomy?”

           “My daddy had a telescope—not much else.” His laugh high-pitched and desperate. “Something about the Blue Ridge Mountains makes you want to look up.”

           “I lift up my eyes to the hills from whence my help comes.”

           “Say, what?”

           “It’s a scripture, Bob. A psalm about prayer.”

Sounded like Josiah was winding up to preach. Normally, Sheridan wouldn’t mind. Her boyfriend was, after all, headed toward the ministry. And not that the fate of this stranger’s eternal soul wasn’t important, but there was a time and place for everything and Josiah launching into a sermon would ruin the mood she’d been trying to create. She threw another log on the fire.

           “Chrystal told me you were a Jesus freak.”

           “She did, eh? Sounds like you really did spill the beans, Chrystal—all over the place.” He reached over and pulled Sheridan into his lap.

           Sheridan noticed Chrystal tossing her and Bobby’s empties into the woods. Alcohol wasn’t allowed at Camp Hickory Hill, neither were unchaperoned parties. As part-time staff, Sheridan would have to clean up all evidence of their little campfire. Chrystal knew this but apparently couldn’t care less. She’d changed, a lot. Sheridan hoped it wasn’t because of Josiah, but what else could it be? Chrystal claimed that him dropping her in exchange for Sheridan had nothing to do with her leaving school. Sheridan didn’t believe that for one second.  

           Bobby got himself another beer. “See that big one straight overhead?”

           “Polaris? Pure north.” Josiah pushed Sheridan to the side.

           “That’s the first one I learned to pick out on my own. Then the dipper…”

           “Ursa Minor.”

           “How about Cassiopeia, or better yet, Aries? He’s a special friend of mine.”

           Rolling her eyes, Sheridan suggested that she and Chrystal go for a walk and Chrystal whispered, “Beats this.”

           Neither of them had a flashlight and even in with the full moon and sky full of stars the path was hard to find. “Over here, Sheri. Unless you want to bush-whack it.”

           “What’s the matter with you, Chrystal?”

           “It’s the last time we get to see Josiah for a long time.”

           “I know all about the internship. And I get that you guys are still friends. It’s just that I think he’s waiting for the chance to ask me, you know.” Oops. That had come out all wrong. Sheridan had practiced breaking it to Chrystal how serious things were getting between her and Josiah. She’d hope to be kind as well as clear but what she’d just said had been neither.  

If it hadn’t been for Chrystal, she and her soon-to-be fiancé would have never met. The tough part was that up until their breakup Chrystal thought God had given her a word that the two of them would marry—God’s perfect will for her life and all that. Too bad, Chrystal had heard wrong. An easy thing to do.

The girls made it to the parking lot without veering off the path. “Let’s keep going. Anything’s better than talking stars with Bobby.”

“Being a third wheel would be worse.”

“Not with Joey, I’m never a third wheel. I only brought my cousin because I feel sorry for him. Not much of a family in Tennessee. Watch out, Sheri. Did you see that dead deer in the road on the way here?”

“Yeah. Poor thing.”

“You’d think they’d learn not to run in front of cars.”

Still. Seeing a beautiful creature all mangled up like that made Sheridan want to cry.

The friends walked in silence, though the dirt road wasn’t lit, the sky was bright enough to see a few feet ahead. “Sheri, I’ve been trying to figure a way to say this, it’s going to hurt your feelings for sure, but if you think Joey is in love with you, you’re in for a big surprise.”

“OK. I know all about how you thought it was supposed to be the two of you. But you made a mistake. It’s OK. Hearing from God isn’t easy.”

She laughed loud enough to raise the dead. “Believe me, girl, I’ve chucked all that.”

“I’m glad to hear it, Chrystal.”

“Not just hearing from God.’ I mean God’s will altogether.”

“You mean you’re ditching your faith?”

“Not sure yet, but I don’t buy this waiting around for the perfect man to drop out of the sky wrapped in a box with my name on it anymore. The way I see it, if you want something, you go get it.”

“Sounds pretty crummy.”

“Whatever, Sheri. As usual you haven’t heard a word I’ve said. You’ve never been much of a listener. I’m cold. Let’s go back.”

The girls see a shadowy figure coming toward them—fast. Bobby. He was mumbling, every other word a cuss. “Chrystal, that you? Tell you what you can do with that old boyfriend of yours.”

“Where are you going, Bobby?” Chrystal put her hands on the boy’s narrow shoulders.

“To hell, according to him.”

“Let me get the car. I’ll take you home.”

“Nope. I know the way, thank you very much. Got Orion to guide me. Let go of…”

Sheridan interrupted. “People drive fast on this highway, Bobby, and there’s no shoulder. I’ll get the car.”

“Forget it. I got all the way to New York on my own, I’ll get myself to my aunt and uncle’s house.”

Josiah had moved to the chaise lounge when the girls arrived, hands behind his head, yawning. “Where have you two been?”

Sheridan took a thermos of coffee out of her picnic basket. “I’m surprised you even noticed we were gone. What happened between you and Bobby? You were like peas in a pod when we left.”

“Your cousin actually believes the constellations will determine his future. He reads his horoscope every day and follows it like instructions. That’s why he came tonight. Something important was supposed to happen, a meeting of major consequence or some other hogwash. I tried to set him straight.”

“Well, he’s probably turning onto 20A right now, all wobbly after chugging more beer than all of us put together. We’ve got to go get him.”

“If the boy wants to walk let him walk. He’s convinced his fate is in the hands of Aries. I’d let him work it out. Although it’s sad to watch.”

Sheridan rolled her eyes. “What’s sadder is a poor kid who’s had too much beer and hardly knows where he is stumbling down Rt 20A cars whizzing past at eighty miles an hour.”

“Even if I tried, at this point I doubt he’d get in my car.”

  “So give me the keys.”

“Sheri, I’ll do it. He’s my responsibility. You stay here. Word is you and Josiah two have some things to talk about, big plans in the making.” She bit her lips trying not to laugh.

Uncertain of everything anymore except the boy being in danger, Sheridan said “Chrystal and I will both go. You watch the fire.”

Racing through the woods Sheri shouted at her friend, “You know I don’t agree with most of you said tonight, but you could be right that I’m jumping the gun with Josiah.”

Chrystal’s face shone with sweat. “But Sheri, don’t take my word for it. Go after what you want. That’s my plan. Don’t let anything stop you. And do me a favor, watch out for that deer. Don’t want to hit it again.”

Ignoring a prick in her spirit, a certain stirring in her heart that might be a heads-up from the Lord, Sheridan slid into the passenger’s seat. She hadn’t even closed the door before her friend barreled out of the parking lot.

“We’re going to make this quick” said Chrystal. “Then go back and find out what’s up with Josiah.”

What did she mean by that? What could be up? Granted, she wasn’t always so quick to catch on to things. “Listen Chrystal, if you’re saying you want him to choose between us, you’re going to embarrass yourself. Things have gotten serious with us. He told me he had something important to say. Why shouldn’t I think he might want to propose? People still do things like that, especially after graduating from Bible college. And something more, I don’t agree that life is all about grabbing what you want. What if you want the wrong thing?”

“Will you please wake up, Sheri? We make our own future. I’m not saying there’s no God up there but hanging around waiting for him to send down signs is for losers. I’m done with it.”

Approaching the end of the camp, Chrystal shoots out onto the open road, splattering gravel in her wake. “Sheri, I have a confession to make. I hoped it wouldn’t come to this, but the way I see it, you were going to find out sooner or later.”

Sheridan’s heart banged in her chest. What the heck was she talking about? “OK, but please slow down.”

“Me and Joey have been seeing each other.”

“What?”

“For a while now. He’s not the guy you think he is. He’s playing a game, Sheri, with both of us. I’m sorry I had to be the one to tell you.”

“I don’t believe you.”

“I don’t blame you. I’m not exactly the devoted sister in the Lord I used to be. But I promise I’m telling the truth.” 

“Stop the car.”

           “Oh my God. Look.”

           Out on the edge of Route 20A a boy’s body lay glistening under the moon. Bobby. Chrystal pulls onto the narrow shoulder. Sheri jumps out. “Oh my God, please don’t let him be dead.”

           “911. 911 I’ll get the phone.”

           “Bobby. Bobby…” Sheri sobs. Chrystal’s cousin’s head is twisted back, his arms and legs spread out in impossible angles, his skin coated with blood. 

           “The damn thing isn’t charged. I’m not getting a signal.”

           “Josiah’s got a phone. Go back. I’ll stay with him.”

           “Are you sure?”

           “Hurry. He might still be alive.”

           Sheridan knelt by the unfortunate boy praying that one part of his brain might still be engaged. “Oh Lord, have mercy on Bobby. Give him a vision of Jesus. You can save him in an instant. Please, Lord.” Cars continued to pass swinging wide, not concerned in the least with the tragedy playing out at the side of the road. When the ambulance arrived it was followed up by the state police.

“Are you Miss Sheridan Smith?”

“Yes, sir. This boy is—was my friend’s cousin.”

“You have a right to remain silent…” as the man rattled off his speech it dawned on Sheridan that she was being blamed for the accident. “Miss, breath into the tube.”

“What? I’m not drunk. What’s going on here? You guys think I did this? You’re wrong! We found him like this!”

“Miss, I advise you to wait for an attorney before saying anything that may incriminate you.”

When Chrystal finally showed up, she was with Josiah. From the backseat of the cop car Sheridan screamed, “What did you tell the police?”

   Her answer? A lie. Fantastic in scope. She’d told the cops Sheridan had been driving. That she’d been drinking and had hit her cousin from behind.

           After the hearing, Sheridan was acquitted of all charges since the car had no signs of damage or traces of blood. The accident was pronounced a hit-and-run and since neither of the girls had fled the scene, neither of them were charged. When Bobby’s family found out there’d be no money involved, they never bothered sending for the body. Chrystal’s parents had him cremated. Josiah Miller went back to Cape Town. Chrystal got herself in trouble for lying to the judge but after changing her testimony due to a lack of evidence, she got off with a year’s probation.

According to a text she’d sent Sheridan on Christmas Eve, their old friend Josiah was now engaged to the daughter of his parent’s associates on the field. She’d signed off with the phrase “Must be God’s perfect will for his life,” and an emoji laughing hysterically. 

Sheridan scratched her plan to transfer to Bible college in the fall, instead taking a job as a therapy aide, a great opportunity to work on her admittedly weak listening skills. After another prompting in her spirit, a phenomenon she would never again take for granted, she’d agreed to date an auto mechanic from church. He’d had no problem with her scrape with the law and plenty of dirt under his nails.