Page 22 of The Pact

We all turn to look at the newcomers, temporarily distracted from the task at hand.

There are three men and two women, they don’t look a lot older than us.

The men have a wooden sign they’re planting in the sand. I know immediately why Kelley noticed them. While the men are wearing plain blue jeans and white shirts, the women look like they’re straight out of those drawings in old textbooks. You know, the ones with the first Pilgrims, the puritans that came here in search for a new world.

That, or they’re ready for auditioning for a role as extras in The Handmaid’s Tale, or something like that.

They’re wearing dark blue bonnets on their heads and despite the muggy heat today, they’re covered from head to toe. High neck, long sleeved shirts that are buttoned up to their throats. Long skirts that drag on the golden sand of the beach, covering their feet.

Kelley marches toward them like a man on a mission. “What the fuck do you think you’re doing? This is a private beach!” The aggression in his voice is unmistakable and I don’t miss the way Ausra seems to shrink against my side. I wrap a protective arm around her while we observe the exchange. Shep and Ashton look ready to jump in if things get out of hand.

One of the two men, the one who isn’t holding the sign, responds to Kelley. His voice is kind and his stance firm but not threatening. “We aren’t looking for any trouble, sir. You’ll find that the private property you’re referring to ends two yards behind where you’re standing. This stretch has just been purchased by our church.”

My eyes go up to read the sign. It says “Construction site. Church of The Higher Self.”

Kelley sneers at the small group. “You call that fucking cult a church?”

The other guy intervenes. “We don’t wish to start a fight, sir. But we have every right to build our new facilities on the stretch of beach we just purchased. And we’d like to invite you to one of our services, so you can see for yourself what our message is about?”

The tension in Kelley’s shoulders is so evident that Shep and Ashton take a step toward him, just in case they have to break up a fight. My best friend’s fists are clenched tightly at his sides. “I can promise you two things, you fucking weirdo. First, I’d rather cut my balls off with a rusty butter knife than set foot at one of your services. Two, you better have every single permit you need, because if not, I’ll make sure you can’t come and pollute my fucking beach with your ‘church.’”

We all let out a collective sigh of relief when the five people decide to walk away from Kelley.

All of us aside from Ausra, who’s still standing rigidly by my side.

“Ash,” he barks as he walks back toward us. “Check with your dad how far his property extends. I’ll be damned but I’m pretty sure he owns it all the way down to the lighthouse on South Point.”

Ashton nods. “Sure, I can ask him when he comes back. He’s away for business for a couple of weeks.”

Kelley shakes his head, fury is still radiating off of him. “I’ll do anything it takes to stop that fucking cult from setting roots on our doorstep. Have you seen those women? Might as well put a fucking dog collar around their necks. It’s disgusting. I bet they cover up like that because they get beaten or something. They wouldn’t even meet my eyes.”

He stops talking when he meets Ausra’s gaze. She’s as quiet as she was last night when we drove her home. As if something was bothering her.

“Hey, are you ok?” Kelley takes a step toward her and she steps further against my side. It’s almost like a knee jerk reaction more than a conscious movement.

I have a feeling Ausra felt uncomfortable looking at those people just as much as Kelley but I don’t want her to dwell on it for now. I was asking her out, for fuck’s sake! And I’m not about to let Kelley sweep in and steal my date.

“So pretty girl, I’ll pick you up at seven?”

Her blue eyes flit between me and Kelley, as if she is waiting for him to object.

“Yeah see you then, Bode.” She stands on the tip of her toes and places a brief kiss on my cheek. It happens so fast that I could almost think that I’ve imagined it.

The only confirmation that I didn’t is the look in Kelley’s eyes when she walks away with a last glance in his direction.

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