One of These Days (Prairie Town Book 4) Read online

  One of

  These Days

  Prairie Town book 4

  By T.E. Ridener

  ©Copyright T.E. Ridener, 2016

  Author’s Note

  These stories are works of fiction. Names, places, characters, and incidents are either products of the author’s imagination or used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

  ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

  This book contains material protected under International and Federal Copyright Laws and Treaties. Any unauthorized reprint or use of this material is prohibited. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system without express written permission from the author.

  Cover by Double J Book Graphics

  Editing by Lindsay Errington, LTE Editing

  Table of Contents

  Title Page

  Copyright Page

  Acknowledgements

  A note to the readers

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Thank you!

  Acknowledgements

  My Double J’s- you’re both nearly another year older and you’ve grown so much. Though I wish I could freeze time and keep you little forever, I know I can’t. My heart bursts with the love I have for you, my darlings.

  To my street team and readers – y’all are some amazing people. Thank you for your faith in me and for loving my work. There are some days in which I want to give up and walk away, but then I remember you’re waiting for these stories and I keep going. I write them for me, I write them for you.

  To the beta readers for this story- you guys are the greatest. Thank you for volunteering your time to read over my words and giving me your feedback. It is truly priceless to me.

  This book is dedicated to

  Kelli Rush, Dawn Utter, and Kathryn Thomas

  &

  In loving memory of the Goblin King

  A note to the readers

  As you return to Prairie Town, I hope you will keep an open mind and an open heart. Remember that on the inside we are all exactly the same.

  No matter your reason for reading this story, I hope you know how wonderful and special you are as an individual. Never let anyone tell you otherwise.

  Trans Lifeline: (877) 565-8860 (USA)

  (877) 330-6366 (Canada)

  Welcome back!

  Chapter 1

  Ags

  The beautiful town of Prairie Town, the town she’d fallen in love with from the moment she’d first set foot upon the bright green grass, was dark and quiet.

  There was sadness in the air, and understandably so; the townspeople were in mourning for the great loss they’d suffered – no thanks to the asshole tornados that decided to pay a visit to them less than three hours beforehand.

  As she turned down the street that led to Lydia’s house, she was greeted by the same sight she’d seen everywhere else, thus far; tons of damage to beautiful homes; people sorting through the wreckage, trying to salvage what they could; people preparing to start over.

  Just like her.

  Thankfully, Lydia had convinced her to come to her house before the tornado hit. The town hadn’t received much warning as it was, but even if the sirens had gone off sooner, there was no way in hell she would have survived if she’d stayed put.

  The apartment complex she’d called home was no more.

  And that’s why she was driving to Lydia’s house. She lived on the outskirts of Prairie Town and luckily, so very luckily, the tornados hadn’t made it to her doorstep.

  So few could say the same.

  Glancing in her rearview mirror, she saw the Tahoe following close behind. It was Callum – good ole Callum – carrying a couple of pieces of furniture that had been worth saving.

  “But not my damn bed,” she muttered, gripping the steering wheel. Why hadn’t her bed survived? Of all the things, it had to be her bed.

  Callum, Lydia, Jeb, Laney, and Benji had helped her sort through the mess left behind. Though the building itself had been completely destroyed, tenants had managed to find a few personal possessions scattered about in the parking lot. Among those possessions, she’d found a couple of articles of clothing, a couple of books that narrowly escaped a horrible death, and her safety deposit box.

  Thank God she’d invested in that stupid thing; it contained some pretty priceless stuff within.

  Thinking about the contents inside, her mind immediately reeled back to her childhood. Her uncle Ryan, one of the greatest human beings to ever exist, smiled in her memories.

  “I want you to have this, Ag-a-boo,” her uncle stated. “I think it will help you.”

  “What is it?” She asked curiously as he pulled something from his pocket. “A necklace, Uncle Ryan?”

  “Mhm, but it’s not just any necklace. It’s a very special necklace, and only a special person can wear it.”

  “You mean a weird person,” she mumbled sadly, dropping her head in shame. “I’m not special.”

  “Hush your mouth now,” her uncle scolded gently. “I better never hear you say something like that again, Agatha Reed. You’re as special as they get, kiddo.”

  “I don’t feel special. I feel odd. I don’t fit in anywhere.”

  “Well, maybe that’s because you were meant to stand out. Would you like to know the story behind this necklace?” He held the chain up in the air, letting the small turtle figurine twirl round and round.

  “Yes, please.”

  “I thought so. Okay, so you see there is a tribe that exists in the Native American world. You like hearing about those, don’t you?”

  “Are you kidding me?” She stared at him as if he’d grown a third eye. “I love everything about Native American history. I wish Mom let me stay at that reservation we visited last summer. They wanted to keep me, you know.”

  “So I’ve heard.” He chuckled, rolling his eyes. “But we would have missed you an awful lot, kiddo. I don’t think I like the idea of you being anywhere else but here.”

  “I know, but it would still be cool, right?”

  “Right. But let me get back to the story before you distract me, huh? I’ve got a one-track mind.”

  “Okay.” Easing down beside her uncle, she placed her hands on her lap and watched the small wire turtle as it slowly spiraled round and round. It was mesmerizing.

  “Have you ever heard of tw0-spirit people before?”

  She slowly shook her head. “No, I can’t say that I have.”

  “Well, allow dear ole Uncle Ryan to educate you for a minute,” he said, grinning. “The Navajo tribe firmly believed that a person could, in fact, be both male and female.”

  Perking up immensely, she stared at him with wide eyes. “Really?”

  “Really, really. They believed in people like you, Aggie, and they were loved and accepted within the tribe. The term they used, and forgive me if I’m mispronouncing it, was Nádleehí. Would you like to know what that means?”

  “Two people in one person?”

  “Sort of, but no.” Her uncle laughed. “It transl
ates to ‘one who constantly transforms’. That’s you, isn’t it?”

  She mulled it over for a moment, nibbling at her lower lip as her eyes moved back to the necklace. As the turtle spun around again, it was only then she noticed how one side of it possessed a coral colored stone and the other, a turquoise one.

  It was quite possibly the prettiest, most magnificent thing she’d ever seen.

  “Aggie, I know that who you are isn’t easy. I’ve watched you struggle every day for nearly your whole life. You’re different and that’s not bad. Don’t ever think that, okay?”

  “Isn’t it though? The other kids make fun of me,” she admitted, frowning. “I’m not allowed to like boy things like I like girl things. I’m not supposed to wear boy clothes. But I like wearing them sometimes. I like doing all the things boys do; I like doing all the things girls do.”

  “And there’s not a damn thing wrong with it, kid,” her uncle insisted. “Here,”—he unclasped the necklace and nodded to her—“turn around and let me put this on you. It’s going to give you the courage you need.”

  “I have courage. I have lots of courage,” she replied, turning so her uncle could clasp the necklace around her neck. “Mom makes sure I have courage. She wants me to punch them all in their stupid faces for the things they say to me.”

  “And rightly so.” Ryan chuckled. “But we both know violence doesn’t solve anything, right?”

  “Right.”

  “Besides, your education is really important and if you spend all your time fighting, how will you ever learn anything?”

  “I don’t know. Maybe Mom can homeschool me?”

  “That’s wishful thinking. Your mother isn’t patient enough to homeschool you. She enjoys those few hours of quiet time she gets during the week. When you’re older, you’ll understand.”

  “I already do understand,” she insisted, turning back to face him. “I’m a handful – I know. It’s not easy for mom to do this on her own.”

  “Hey now, you’ve got me, too. I’m not going anywhere.” Ryan gave her his best smile, causing the dimple in his right cheek to appear. “You’re a two-spirit, Aggie. There’s nothing wrong with you. You are perfect just as the gods made you.”

  “You better not let Mom hear you talking like that,” she warned, glancing around nervously. “You know how she feels about your ‘gods’ talk.”

  “Oh, please. I’m not afraid of your mother. If she can have her god and bible, I can have my gods and nature. That’s why we live in America, right?”

  “I suppose,” she mumbled, cocking her head to the side. “Why do we live in America, Uncle Ryan? Why didn’t we stay in Barbados with my dad?”

  His smile disappeared as Ryan shifted uncomfortably, running his fingers through his long, dark hair. “Kiddo, that’s a conversation I’m not really supposed to have with you. Talking about your father is off limits.”

  “Aw, come on. I won’t tell if you don’t tell.”

  He chuckled and shook his head. “Now I know you’re trying to get me in trouble. Why do you want to talk about him?”

  “Because I want to know more about who I am, where I came from. Maybe I inherited some stuff from him.”

  “Ah,” Ryan said, eyeing her closely. “You want to know if he’s also a two-spirit.”

  “Maybe.” She shrugged her shoulders and dropped her gaze to the floor.

  “That I don’t know. I only met the guy once and that was enough for me. But,”—he reached out to pat her knee gently—“would you settle for knowing there are others out there—others like you?”

  “Really?” Her heart fell into her stomach and did somersaults as she met her uncle’s gaze, a rush of excitement dizzying her. “People just like me?”

  “Just like you. They are just as rare and beautiful as you, pal, and I bet they’re hoping you’ll cross paths someday.”

  “But where are they?”

  She couldn’t help but want to meet them, all of them. Where were these people who were so much like her? What answers could they give her about why her mind worked the way it worked?

  “Everywhere, Ags. Close by. Far away. You just have to wait to meet them.”

  “When?”

  “When the time is right. You can’t rush fate, kiddo. You have to wait for the right moment.”

  “But I don’t want to wait,” she whined, scrunching up her nose. “I want friends now.”

  “And friends you will have,” her uncle reassured her, standing from his seat. “You’re starting a new school year next week. I’m sure you’ll make some awesome friends.”

  “And...maybe go on a date?” She felt like she was going to throw up just from the thought. Being twelve-years-old and completely clueless about dating was embarrassing. Everybody else at school had been on dates already.

  “Maybe.” Ryan winked. “Just wait for the right time, kiddo. Trust me. It’s already written in the stars.”

  If only she had put more faith in her uncle.

  Looking back on it now, the guy had been right about so many things. She did meet people that were like her. Perhaps they weren’t exactly like her, but they were close enough.

  Being a gender-fluid person with two very different frames of mind was often difficult for others to understand. Hell, even her mother had questioned her sanity when she began referring to herself as Agnes instead of Agatha.

  Her mother had never understood, and it became clear that she never would when she decided to take her to the doctor. Making her feel like something was wrong with her, after everything they’d been through together, still stung to this day.

  She remembered the day they visited a psychiatrist in Maine as if it had only happened yesterday. It would always remain fresh in her mind.

  “I’d like to speak with you about your daughter, Mrs. Reed. She’s—”

  “Miss,” her mother corrected. “I’m not married.”

  “Apologies, Miss Reed. As I was saying, your daughter seems to believe she is a boy at times. This is something I’ve dealt with before, and I’d be happy to help you get it sorted out.”

  Sitting by herself on the ugly green leather couch, she watched her mother shift her weight from one foot to the other. The way her lips thinned out was a tale-tell sign she wasn’t happy.

  “So there’s something wrong with her then?” Her mother asked, blinking back tears. “Oh, God. I knew it. I knew there was something going on in her head. How can we fix it, Doctor?”

  “The procedure itself will not be easy, Miss Reed. Agatha has somehow convinced herself that two different souls live in her body. Something called ‘two-spirit’. I don’t know where she got such information, but if it’s all right with you, I’d like to start therapy with her as soon as possible. She’s young and her mind is still developing. We can stop this.”

  “Two-spirit,” Miss Reed echoed, scoffing. “Damn it, Ryan.” She pinched at the bridge of her nose and sighed heavily, then lifted her gaze to meet Aggie’s. “You know I’m doing this to help you, right? I want you to be a normal fifteen-year-old girl, Agatha. You’re my daughter and I love you; I’m doing what’s best for you.”

  Rolling her eyes, she pushed the memory out of her mind as she put her car in park. Sucking in a deep breath, she glanced at herself through the rearview mirror.

  “You are normal,” she said softly, running her fingers through her platinum blonde hair. “And you’re fucking awesome. Remember that.”

  Okay, so maybe it was slightly weird to talk to one’s self, but if Tula could do it, so could she.

  She shut the engine off and got out, only to yelp in surprise when she turned around and collided face-first with a rock hard chest.

  “Whoa!” Jeb exclaimed, grabbing her before she had a chance to fall backwards. “Christ, Ags. I’m sorry.”

  “You scared the Bejeebus out of me.” She glared up at him, embarrassed. “What the heck are you doing?”

  “I came to see if you needed help getting anything out of y
our car. I’m sorry.”

  He gave her that lopsided grin of his and she knew she was a goner; there was no use in trying to be upset with him when he gave her that grin.

  Sighing in defeat, she smiled and shook her head. “It’s fine. You don’t have anything to be sorry for. But there’s not much in my car that needs to be carried in. I think I can manage it.”

  “Nonsense. That’s what I’m here for.” He flexed his muscles and smirked. “I could probably carry your car into the garage if you needed me to.”

  “Um...”

  “Hey, guys. What’s the hold up?” Callum asked as he passed by with a bag full of clothes. “Come on in, Ags. Lydia’s got a room set up for you already.”

  “She does?” She stared at him, surprised.

  “Of course she does. She set it up yesterday,” he replied with a chuckle. “You know how she can be when she gets something on her mind.”

  “Yes,” she said in unison with Jeb.

  “Sorry.” Jeb lowered his voice and nudged her shoulder gently. “But I totally know how she can be.”

  “A lunatic.” She giggled.

  “A raving lunatic,” he added, snickering. “Sometimes I wonder how we survived that wedding.”

  “Right? I thought she was going to have us all killed before the day arrived!” Upon hearing the soft squeak of brakes, she turned her head to see Benji’s dark green jeep bringing up the rear. Laney was already getting out, waving like a maniac.

  “Oh, God.” He sighed and took a step back, which she sort of hated. “Speaking of weddings...”

  “Ags!” Laney bounded towards her, arms open and ready. “I’m so glad to see you’re all right. Oh my gosh.” She shoved Jeb out of her way and wrapped her arms around her, squeezing tightly. “Are you okay?”

  “I’m...fine...Laney.” She was finding it difficult to breathe and glared at Jeb as he quietly laughed.

  You jerk.

  But he was a cute jerk, and that made it even worse.

  “I was so worried about you. Oh, the apartments. I can’t believe they’re gone,” she said, pulling back and wiping at her eyes. “But at least you’re safe. That’s what matters. So, you’re staying here with Lydia and Callum?”