Free Loving Liza Jane by Sharlene MacLaren

whoever passed had no idea she was even inside; thus, asking would bring about undue embarrassment. No, it was better that she wait things out. In time, they were sure to move on. Besides, who would linger long in this rain?
    But as the minutes ticked away and she continued to hear scuffling sounds and quiet movement, it appeared whoever was out there was up to no good. They seemed to be running around the outhouse and every once in a while tapping against it.
    “Hello?” she finally called out, standing and straining to find a crack in the wall where she could get a bird’s-eye view. Unfortunately, they’d built the structure in such a way as to ensure total privacy. Liza found herself cursing the good craftsmanship. “Who’s there?”
    Rain continued pelting the roof, but it didn’t blot out the stifled giggles and guffaws coming from the other side of the outhouse. She knew without a doubt that some kind of plan was in the making. She also knew it was the sort she wouldn’t approve of.
    “What’s going on out there?” she demanded. Still no verbal response, just quiet laughter, the kind that came from rascally boys. Somewhat afraid for her safety, yet confident someone was playing a simple, harmless prank, she pushed at the door, intending to face the troublemakers head-on. However, the thing refused to budge.
    “All right, this has gone far enough. Open this door,” she said, exuding all the authority she could gather.
    More spurts of laughter.
    “Apparently you find this funny,” she said. “I can assure you I will not punish you if you simply let me out. In fact, we’ll all have a good laugh. How does that sound? Are you my future students?”
    No answer. Even worse was the pounding of retreating footsteps and continued distant laughter.
    “Hey, where are you going?” she called out, as if they would pay her any mind. “Come back here.”
    Frenzied, she pushed and pounded on the door, even called out to anyone who might be passing by despite the rain. Although embarrassed by her situation, she did not relish the thought of spending the night here. Surely, someone would come along.
    As the perpetrators’ laughter disintegrated, she found herself standing in stunned silence, the onslaught of rain somehow lending to her sense of isolation and despair.
    With a frown, Liza closed her eyes to ponder her situation and then spun in a circle as if to stir up her thinking capacity. But thinking was not that easy in the confines of her odor-filled environs.
    ***
    “Will Miss Merriwether be at Miss Browning’s Boardinghouse, Papa?”
    “I would think so, pumpkin. It’s well after supper. Unless she’s gone out calling.”
    “Has she made lots of friends?”
    “I wouldn’t know.”
    With the rain coming to a stop, Lili had talked her father into allowing her to ride into town with him to gather up a few supplies. Molly bounced happily on his knee as they rolled along. In her finagling, Lili had also managed to convince him to take her to visit Miss Merriwether. If it hadn’t been for the fact that the sun had peeked out, the air had dried and cooled considerably, and Molly was in chipper spirits, he’d have frowned at the notion. However, he did need more roofing nails for the cabin, additional screws, and some different hinges for the new door he was installing. He just hoped old Mr. Johansson was still open for business at the mercantile. The man kept the strangest hours.
    “What color is her hair?” Lili asked out of the blue.
    “What?”
    “Miss Merriwether’s hair.”
    Uncomfortable with trying to explain the teacher’s fair looks, he said, “You’ll find out soon enough.”
    “Don’t you even know?” she asked, eyes filled with disbelief. Molly sang a happy tune of her own making as the wagon took each bump and curve in the well-traveled road.
    Ben kissed Molly on the top of her blond head and smiled down at Lili. “I told you everything I’m going to tell you, sugar. You will have to