Free Bitterroot Crossing by Tess Oliver

you at all.”
        I reached in and plucked off two more berries. “Well, I can’t go to school barefoot. And while I’ll never be a dancer, I do feel more graceful without shoes.”
        Instantly, Zedekiah was perched atop the berry bushes staring down at me from beneath the brim of his black hat. “And why should you never be a dancer?” He pointed down to a small, bundle of berries I’d missed on earlier inspection.
        I reached for them. “I doubt many famous dancers have legs of a different length. Hardly makes for a flowing movement. Although, I confess, that sometimes in my dreams, I’m floating across a polished dance floor with the grace of a ballerina. Then I wake up and my homely boots are staring at me from the corner of my room, and I remember I’m lopsided.”
        Zedekiah came down from his perch. The basket lifted off my arm and floated to the ground gently so as not to disturb the contents. There was a cocky gleam in his dark blue eyes. It reminded me a bit of his great-great-grandson. In fact, they had a lot of similarities. Only Nick’s hair was golden brown. Zedekiah’s was as black as a moonless night.
        “Ready?”
        “What are you up to, Zedekiah Crush?” I gasped and reached wildly for something to grab onto as my feet left the ground. I was floating several inches above the dirt, and suddenly it didn’t matter that one leg was shorter. It took me a moment to get over the shock of levitating above solid ground.  I took a step, then another. I threw out my arms and twirled as if I was skating on ice, or better yet, dancing across a polished floor. I could not stop from giggling excitedly as I pirouetted across the meadow with what I imagined to be the finesse of a ballerina. The scenery blurred around me and I was incredibly dizzy but I kept going. I didn’t stop until I could no longer catch my breath. I floated to a stop in front of Zedekiah. His face was smooth, beautiful, and otherworldly.
        My feet returned to solid ground, first the right, then the left. “Thank you. That was unbelievable.”
        “You move like an angel.”
        I laughed and picked up my basket. “And you, sir, are a practiced flatterer.”
        “It is not flattery when it’s true.”  
        After the experience of dancing he’d provided me with, I hated to bring up the admonition. But it needed to be done. “Zedekiah, I need to ask you a favor.”
        “Anything, love.”
        “First of all, please call me Jessie, not love. It makes me blush.”
        The brim of his hat lowered but I could see his mouth jut out in a pout. “You mustn’t appear at my school anymore. The principal will suspend both Nick and I if you do.”
        A swirl of black mist appeared overhead and his demeanor changed instantly. “Nick? What does he have to do with this?” He squinted down at me. “Do you have feelings for him?” Suddenly I felt as if I was being transported back into my great-great-grandma’s shoes. His jealousy was palpable.
        “I’ll keep my feelings private, if you don’t mind. But your presence at school will get me in trouble. The mayor already came to the farm today.”
        He brooded momentarily. “Fine, I won’t appear at school anymore.”
        The way he’d said it did not put my mind at ease, but for now, I had to trust that he would not show himself there again. His anger seemed to lessen and the curl of smoke vanished.
        I heard our screen door shut in the distance. “That’ll be Nana waiting for the berries.” I slipped on my shoes and hurried toward the house. I glanced back over my shoulder. Zedekiah watched me walk away.
        “Thank you for the dance. It was lovely,” I said and then picked up my pace. The dance was more than lovely, I thought, as I walked trying to imagine the feeling again. For a moment in time, I was balanced, graceful, and normal. I would not forget the feeling as long as I