Free With the Wind | A Short Novel by Judith Cropola

once.”
                  “Wait Daniel.  Give this to him.  It does not belong to me anymore.”
                  Misty handed Daniel her engagement ring.  Daniel gave it to Wilson.
                  Wilson glared at Daniel, thought better of his intentions and backed off.
                  “Misty, honey.  Don’t throw your life away.  Not like this, not with this bum.”
                  “Be careful who you’re calling a bum, Daddy. I love Daniel.”
                  “You bastard!”  Wilson’s face was bright red.
                  “I love your daughter, Mr. Buffett.  She does not love Wilson.  She never did.  In time you will …”
                  “I’ll what?  Thank you?  Enough.  Get off my property right now.”
                  “I will leave as you ask.”
                  “I’m leaving with him,” Misty declared.
                  “The hell you are!”
                  “Be sure of one thing, Dad.  I’m not marrying Wilson.  I don’t love him.”
                  “This is how you repay me?  After a lifetime of devotion?”
                  “I love you father, but you do not have the right to tell me who to marry.”
                  “I did not tell you to…”
                  “Yes, you did.  Why lie about it?”
                  “I don’t recall ever…”
                  “If you love Wilson so much, why don’t you marry him?”
                  “I’ve had just about enough of this fool…”  Wilson reached out and tried to grab Misty.
                  That was a mistake.
                  In a sure and swift motion, Daniel hit Wilson with straight left and followed up with a punch to the gut.
                  Wilson hit the ground, writhing in pain.
                  “Do not touch Misty,” Daniel said, in a remarkably calm manner. “I will not allow that.”
                  “That’s assault.  Now I’m calling the police.”
                  “If you do that Dad, you’ll never see me again,” Misty warned.
                  Anthony put the phone down.  Wilson got up.  Daniel watched him very closely.
                  Wilson picked up Daniel’s camera that was lying on the hood of the Jeep.
                  He smashed the camera against a tree stump.  It broke into pieces.
                  “Feel better?” Misty asked.
                  “You are a liar and a cheat.  This behavior is inexcusable.”
                  “Wilson, I have been lying to you.  But you’ve been lying to me too.  You don’t love me.  I can tell.”
                  “I love you very much, you have broWilson my…”
                  “I must apologize as well,” Daniel said.  “To you, Mr. Buffett.  I love Misty very much, but I go about it wrong way.”
                  “Mr. Novikov, get off my property.  I will call the sheriff if you do not leave right now.”
                  “That is your right.  I will leave.”
                  “We are leaving.”
                  “Misty, how can you do this to me?” Anthony begged more than asked.
                  “All I am doing is choosing the man I love.  Why can’t you just accept my choice and be happy for me?”
                  “Baby, please.  We can talk…”
                  “Don’t ever call me ‘baby’ again, Wilson.”
                  Daniel and Misty climbed in the Jeep and sped away, leaving behind them two men whose scheme was now