In Other Words
By: Agent Newbeau
Once upon a millennia, or maybe twice, there is born a love so strong
that it can survive the test of time and everything else. To say that
such a love is rare is an understatement. To deny the existence of such
a love is to have never felt anything that powerful. Such a love does
exist. It doesn't happen everyday, but when such a love does happen,
nothing, not even time or distance, can stop it.
Johnny and Kathie first met in Ms. Kleg's fourth grade class. They
didn't become friends right away. They didn't even talk to each other
until they were in high school. She sat in front of him in math. Years
later he would say that she was the reason he almost failed math that
year. In the twelfth grade they had English together and worked on a
project about Marc Antony. Those things weren't as important as what
happened at the prom.
The weather man said that it was supposed to be tropical that weekend,
which fit in perfectly with the Tropical Paradise theme for the Senior
Prom. It was a beautiful, clear night, perfect for an event such as a
prom. The prom was being held at the ballroom of the local country club
which was decorated with fake palm trees and sand representing islands.
Johnny thought it was tacky, but his opinion didn't matter to anybody
else.
Johnny (whose real name was Jonathan, but nobody ever called him that)
didn't even want to be at the Prom. He would much rather be home working
on his truck or maybe at the garage he had worked at for the past two
years. He would have rather been anywhere but in that ballroom with the
tacky fake palm trees and sand and all those people that he never wanted
to see again. He wouldn't have been there if his friend Nate hadn't
forced him to be there.
He tried to tell himself that the reason he didn't want to go to the
Prom was because it was tacky and he didn't like the people who would be
there, but the real reason was that he didn't want to see Kathie there
with Alex Franklin. Johnny and Alex had never gotten along. In fact,
they had gotten in a fight on Johnny's second day in Ms. Kleg's class.
Alex had started the fight for no real reason other than to try to prove
he was tough. It didn't work. Johnny had given him two black eyes and
would have been suspended if Nate hadn't stuck up for him. They had been
best friends ever since.
Johnny stood in one corner, holding a cup of really nasty red punch and
staring out at the couples on the dance floor. He longed to be out there
with them, but only if he were with the beautiful blond girl who was
dancing with the person that Johnny referred to as That Stupid Jerk
Football Player. "She deserves better," he mumbled to himself.
"Talking to yourself is a sign of a big problem."
Johnny looked over at Nate. "The problem is that you dragged me to this
stupid thing. You knew I didn't want to come."
Nate shrugged. "Sorry, Johnny. I didn't think you were this crazy about
someone you've only talked to a few times. Did you ever consider asking
her out?"
"That, my friend, is the most ridiculous question I have ever heard.
Why would I ask her out? I'm not a fan of rejection."
"You know what you're problem is Johnny? You're too damn pessimistic.
You never know what she would have said. She might have said yes. She's
a nice girl."
"Which is exactly why I didn't ask her out. A nice girl would never go
out with someone like me. But she does deserve someone better than Alex.
I wonder why she came with him."
"Probably because you were too chicken to ask her out."
"You're lucky you're my friend. The last person that talked like that
to me ended up getting busted in the face."
"That was a lucky shot," Nate said, laughing. "So, have you danced with
anybody tonight?"
"No. I can't dance to stuff like this. I wish they would play some good
music. Then maybe I would consider getting rid of the evil prince and
rescuing the beautiful princess from an evening of misery."
"Dare to dream, my friend. I must go. Jen's waiting for me somewhere
and I have to find her. Good luck with your princess." He smiled and
went to find Jen.
Once again Johnny was left alone in the corner. He could see Kathie and
Alex out on the dance floor. She looked so beautiful in her green dress
that brought out the color of her eyes. Alex was smiling at her, but she
didn't appear to be looking at him. Maybe she wasn't having a good
time. That was the least that he could hope for.
The evening seemed to drag by slowly, like a slug carrying a weight on
it's back. At least that's how it felt to Johnny. He danced a few times,
once with Jen because she felt sorry for him. "Cheer up, Johnny," she
told him as they danced. "The evening is almost over. Besides, she
doesn't seem to be having a very good time."
He looked over at Kathie. True, she didn't seem to be having a very
good time. In fact, she looked like she would rather be with anyone than
Alex. As if she could feel his gaze, she looked over at him and their
eyes met. He smiled at her, wishing he could get up the courage to ask
her to dance. All he wanted was to hold her in his arms just once, to
feel her body next to his, to just once let her know how he felt. It was
just a crazy dream and dreams didn't come true for people like him.
The song ended and she looked away from him. He looked back at Jen, who
was smiling at him. "You know what, Johnny? You're crazy."
"I've been told that before so I guess there's some truth in it." He
took her hand in his and kissed it. "It was a pleasure dancing with you,
my lady. You must go now for your prince awaits."
"And your princess waits for you," she said and then turned and left.
He had no idea what she meant by that. Glancing at his watch he noticed
that it was almost time for the last song and he had no one to dance
with. Then he looked up and saw Kathie standing all alone in the corner.
This was his one chance.
"It's now or never," he told himself, gathering up all his courage. He
walked up to her. "Hi," he said.
She looked up at him and he could see the tears forming in the corner
of her eyes. "Hi."
The music began to play. He instantly recognized the song as one of
his favorites. It was as if fate was handing him the very thing he
wanted most and it was his forever if he would just take it. "I, uh,
know you're here with someone else, but would you like to dance?"
She didn't say anything at first, then she smiled and said, "I would
love to dance with you. Thank you."
He took her hand in his and led her to the dance floor. He put his arms
around her waist and held her close to him. "Do you know what this song
is?" he asked.
"No, but it's pretty. Do you know it?"
"I grew up listening to this song. It was one of my father's favorites.
It's 'Fly Me to the Moon' by Bobby Darin."
"I like it," she said.
"I'm glad. It's a good song." He couldn't believe this was actually
happening. They were actually dancing and it was one of his favorite
songs. Now he knew what heaven must be like. Heaven was being with the
person you loved most in the world. He did love her. There was no other
word to describe how he felt about her.
He hated for the song to end, but it did. Reluctantly, he let go of her
and wondered what he should do next. "What happens now?" she asked.
"I don't know. I've never been to a prom before. I really didn't want
to be here, but Nate made me be here. Now I'm glad I came."
She smiled up at him. "Me too, Johnny." She took his hand in hers. "Why
don't we go outside? The parking lot is going to be crazy so I thought
we could wait there until things calm down a bit."
He silently followed her through the crowd of people to the garden
outside. They sat down on a bench.
"I love it out here," she said. "I like to come out here when Mom and
Dad drag me here to one of those social functions. I can't stand being
with all those people for so long. All they talk about is their money
and how to make more money. It's disgusting."
"I wouldn't know. I don't attend things like that."
"Consider yourself very lucky." She was quiet for a minute, then she
said, "I'm really glad you asked me to dance. It makes it all
worthwhile."
"What do you mean?" She looked so beautiful in the moonlight,
surrounded by the many varieties of flowers. She was a rare beautiful
flower in a sea of weeds.
"I didn't want to be here, especially with Alex, but when he left, it
hurt. Then you asked me to dance and I forgot how I felt with Alex.
Thank you," she said. Then she leaned close to him and kissed him on the
cheek.
Johnny was grateful that it was dark so she couldn't see him blush.
"I'm glad I made you feel better," he said, once he regained his
composure. "Uh, it looks like the parking lot has cleared out some. Do
you need a ride home?"
"Thank you. I came with Alex and he's gone, so I do need a ride home."
On the ride to her house, neither said a word. He was just happy that
he had danced with her and talked to her.
He soon arrived at her house. As she was getting out of the truck, she
said, "I would have said yes if you had asked."
He couldn't stop smiling as he drove home.
The next few weeks were busy with the usual rush of teachers trying to
teach everything they felt was necessary to learn. The students,
especially those who were graduating, became bored, just wanting it all
to end.
Johnny saw Kathie in class everyday, but they didn't really talk. She
did seem to be nicer to him, but maybe that was just wishful thinking.
He hadn't told anybody what she said to him that night. That was his to
treasure, no matter what happened. If he never talked to her again,
never again saw her beautiful smiling face, he would have that one
moment in time to remember her and how she made him feel. Of course,
that was not what he wanted.
The last few weeks finally ended. Final exams were over and the Seniors
were looking forward to graduation and the party afterward at the lake.
Johnny planned to attend the party only because he knew Kathie would be
there and he wanted at least one more chance to talk to her. If he was
lucky he might get up the courage to ask her out.
The graduation ceremony went smoothly. Nate's parents had given him
$100 and a nice watch. They were the only presents he got. He had lost
contact with his father and that side of the family long ago and his
mother's parents were both dead.
The graduation party was much like Prom in that it started out boring
and ended better than Johnny could have ever hoped for.
Everybody was talking about how great it was to finally be out of high
school and their plans for the summer and beyond. Most of them were
going to college or something. Johnny had no real plans except to
continue working at the garage and save as much money as he could. He
wanted to get his own place. Ten years with just his mother was more
than enough. Maybe if his father were still around, then things might be
better.
He was beginning to regret coming to the party. Kathie was so busy
talking to other people that he didn't think he would ever get a chance
to talk to her. A few times she looked at him and smiled, but she went
on talking to somebody else. All he needed was five minutes. Maybe a
little more. He just wanted to talk to her one last time.
He gave up waiting and sat down by a tree. He figured that if she
wanted to talk to him, she could come looking for him. He closed his
eyes and soon drifted off to sleep.
The next thing he knew, someone was calling his name. He glanced up to
find Kathie looking down at him, smiling. "When did you take over the
role of Sleeping Beauty?" she asked, laughing.
"I got tired of waiting for you to finish the social hour." He held up
his hand to her. "Help me up and then maybe we can find a place to
talk."
She took his hand and helped him to his feet. "We can talk right here.
Nobody is going to listen to what we have to say."
"I hope not. That's the way rumors get started, princess. What would
people think if they saw you talking to a nobody like me?"
"Most of them saw us dance together at the Prom. Besides, I don't think
you're a nobody."
"Thanks for the vote of confidence, but I would rather not be seen by
these people. I really don't think most of them remember Prom. Why do
you think the punch was really strange tasting?"
"Okay, we'll go somewhere else. How about over there? Lots of trees so
it might be hard for people to see us."
"Good choice," he said, leading her to the spot she had pointed out.
"You know, things like this party can sure be depressing."
"What makes you say that, Johnny? I've had a wonderful time."
"You would. People like you actually have something to talk about at
parties like this. All this talk about going to college and good jobs
and money. It just reminds me of all the things I don't have."
She took his hand in hers and looked into his beautiful dark blue eyes
which betrayed his every emotion. Tonight they were a mix of fear and
sadness. "Why aren't you going to college?"
"I don't have the money or the grades. I would love to go, but it just
wouldn't work out. At least I have an okay job. I just wish-" He stopped
talking and looked down at the ground.
"Wish what? You can tell me. I'm your friend."
"I just wish that things were better. I wish I knew where my dad is. I
was only eight years old when he left. Two years later I moved here with
my mother. I wish I could forget the two years in between. Things aren't
so better now. She's hardly ever home and when she is, she's always
drinking. Sorry. I shouldn't have said those things to you."
"It's good to talk about it. I'm glad that you trust me enough to tell
me those things. Life is not a bed of roses for me, either, but I
realize that there is very little I can do about it and I just have to
make the best of what I have. Are you listening to me?"
"Yeah," he mumbled, still looking down.
"Then look at me," she said softly. "I know what people say about you
and what they say about your mother. I know a lot of those people out
there don't like you for no real reason other than they don't want to
take a chance to get to know you. That's their loss. Personally, I think
you are a nice person. You're smart and very talented. Sophomore year
you practically built the whole set for the play. Lots of people can't
do stuff like that."
He smiled and the fear and sadness left his eyes. He touched her cheek
and he could feel her tremble beneath his fingertips. "Thank you," he
whispered. He leaned forward and kissed her. Then he pulled away. "I'm
sorry, Kathie. I shouldn't have done that."
She smiled as she put her arms around his neck. "Shut up, Johnny," she
said, moving as close as possible to him.
He forgot all the bad things he felt, all the bad things that had been
said. All he concentrated on was the girl in his arms, the softness of
her body next to him, the sweet taste of her lips against his and he
didn't say anything for a long time.
Afterward, they sat under a tree, holding hands and gazing up at the
stars. Much like Prom Night, he didn't want it to end. But it had to.
Her brother, Bobby, showed up to take her home.
"I had a wonderful time," she said to him as she got ready to leave.
"I did, too. I was, uh, wondering if maybe you would like to go to the
movies with me tomorrow?"
"I'd love to. Give me a call. My number's in the book." She kissed him
one more time. "Good night, Johnny. Sweet Dreams."
As he watched her walk away, he whispered to himself, "It's guaranteed,
sweetheart."
The next day was Saturday and, luckily, he didn't have to work. He did,
however, have to go in sometime and pick up his check. He could use all
the money he could get. The sooner he got his own place, the better.
He slept a little later than usual, but he hadn't gotten to bed until
well after midnight. He had slept well, though, so well that he hated to
wake up and stop his dream. He finally dragged himself out of bed and
into the bathroom for a cold shower.
After dressing, he went to the kitchen to fix himself something to eat.
He had mastered the basics of cooking long ago. It was either learn to
cook or starve to death. As he was not a fan of starvation, he learned
to cook. He wasn't the world's greatest cook, but his food was edible,
which was more than he could say for his mother.
He was just finishing up his breakfast of eggs and toast when the phone
rang. "Hello?"
"I'm glad I caught you at home. Are you busy today?" Nate asked.
"A little. What's up? You sound a little upset."
"I'm glad you noticed, but I think I'm beyond being a little upset. Or
maybe I'm back to that stage. It's been a rough night. Jen broke up with
me."
"I'm sorry, Nate. She was a nice girl. I liked her."
"Yeah, so did I. And so did Willy Linderman. She dumped me for him."
"That's bad. I'm really sorry. It must be tough getting dumped on
graduation night."
"Yes, it is. I had no idea anything was wrong. She gave me the long
distance relationship speech and then she told me that she wanted to
date Willy. To top it all off, she gave me the we can still be friends
speech. Prom went great. Graduation was going okay. I just don't believe
it."
"Yeah, Prom was pretty good. Graduation was, too. At least for me."
There was a pause on the other end. Then Nate said, "Why do I suddenly
have this feeling that you're not telling me something important?"
"Maybe because there is something I'm not telling you."
"I am your best friend and I want to know. I tell you the important
stuff that happens to me."
"That's true and I tell you important stuff, too, but I really don't
think this is the right time. You're obviously very upset and what I
have to say, if I choose to say it, might affect your mental state even
more."
"I don't care about my mental state. Just tell me."
"Okay. Just remember that you wanted to know."
"Just tell me. It's not that hard. What's the big news?"
"I have a date with Kathie tonight. We're going to the movies."
"That's great. So you finally rescued the beautiful princess from the
evil prince. The ugly prince stole my princess and I don't think I have
a chance of getting her back."
"Maybe it's all for the best. Maybe Jen wasn't the girl for you.
Somebody better will come along. Just be patient."
"That's easy for you to say. You got the last good girl."
"She's not mine yet. It's just one date. Nothing too serious."
"The way you two were all over each other last night, I'd say it's
serious. It's a wonder you didn't suffocate," Nate said, laughing.
"You certainly sound better. Next time, just don't watch. It just isn't
right. I never watched you and Jen."
"I didn't watch. I just happened to see you and Kathie last night. It
was an accident. It won't happen again."
"I'm glad to hear it. Try to cheer up. Somebody better will come
along."
"Thanks, Johnny. I'll keep an eye out for her. Have fun tonight, but
not too much fun."
"I'll try. Goodbye," he said and hung up.
Glancing at his watch, he realized that it was almost ten o'clock. He
had a lot of things to do before tonight. He didn't even know what time
to pick Kathie up. He thought about calling her, but she might not be
awake yet and he didn't want to upset her by waking her up. He would
call her after he got back. Right now he needed to get his check.
"Good morning," he greeted his boss, Clark. "I'm here to pick up my
check and while I'm here, I need some advice."
"I don't think I'm very good at giving advice, but I think I have
perfected the art of paying my employees over the years." He reached in
his drawer and pulled out the check. He handed it to Johnny. "Try not to
spend it all in one place."
"I don't think I could. This is $100 more than usual."
"It's a graduation bonus. That and a raise. I've decided to use you
full time now. I need the help and you need the money. You can start on
Monday."
"Thanks. I really need the money."
"I'm glad to hear it. Now, what do you need advice about?"
"Women. I have a date tonight and I'm not sure what to do. I've been on
a few dates before, but this is different."
"I don't know much about women. Where are you going on your date?"
"The movies, but I don't know what's playing. Where did you and your
wife go on your first date?"
"We went to the movies. We had nothing else to do, so we went to see On
the Waterfront. Great movie. Of course she was a great girl."
"This is one of those times were I wish I had my dad to talk to,"
Johnny said to himself.
"What?" Clark asked.
"Nothing. Just thinking about my dad. Nothing important."
"Believe it or not, I understand. I was fifteen when my mother died and
nineteen when my father died. I wished a million times that they had
been around to help me with stuff and with my own children. I had them
longer than you had your father, but most of that time they were both
busy. But let's not dwell on the sad things. Tell me about this girl."
"She's very pretty and she's very nice. Her dad owns the bank."
"Oh, so she's a rich girl. I married a rich girl. Good luck. Watch out
for her father, though. They can be very protective, especially when
their little girls are dating guys like us."
"I will. Thanks. And thanks for the raise. I'll see you Monday."
Next he went to the bank and then to lunch. Passing by the cinema he
noticed that for some reason A Streetcar Named Desire was playing. Maybe
Kathie would like to go see that movie.
The phone was ringing when he got home. "Hello?"
"Hi, Johnny, this is Kathie. I've been trying to call you for a long
time."
"I had some things to do in town. What's up?"
"I was just wondering what time you'll be picking me up. My parents
want to meet you."
"The movie starts at 7:30 so I thought maybe 6:30. We cam get something
to eat afterward."
"That sounds good. What are we going to see?"
"A Streetcar Named Desire is playing. We can go see that if it's okay
with you."
"Fine with me. I'll see you at 6:30. 'Bye, Johnny."
"Goodbye, Kathie," he said and hung up. He was definitely not looking
forward to meeting her parents.
The afternoon dragged by slowly. His mother got home a little after
six, just as he was getting ready to leave. "Where do you think you're
going?" she asked.
"To the movies. I have a date tonight. I guess I forgot to tell you.
Are you going out tonight?"
"I'm just getting in."
"I didn't notice. Goodbye," he said, walking out the door.
"I wish I had never had children," she muttered to herself as she fixed
herself a drink.
Nervously, Johnny walked up the steps to Kathie's house and rang the
doorbell. The door was answered by a boy who looked about fourteen.
"Hi," Johnny said. "I'm Kathie's date. She's expecting me."
"Dad said to let you in. He's in the den. Kathie's not ready yet. Girls
always take forever in the bathroom. I don't like girls."
"One of these days you'll feel different. One day you'll be glad you
have a sister. I wish I had a sister or brother."
"I wish I didn't. You're lucky. Oh, by the way, I'm J.T." He held out
his hand.
"I figured you were," Johnny said, shaking his hand. "I'm Johnny, your
sister's date."
The house was impossibly neat. Neatness was a strange concept to him.
His own house was never clean because of his mother. Even Nate's house
was never totally clean. It was almost as if no one really lived there.
It was unnatural.
Kathie's father, Frank, was waiting for them in the den. "Dad, this is
him," J.T. told him when they entered the room.
Johnny shook Frank's hand. "Hello, sir. Kathie said you wanted to meet
me."
"You got a name, son?"
"Uh, yes sir, I have a name. It's Jonathan, but everybody calls me
Johnny."
"That's nice. How long have you known my daughter?"
"Well, uh, I moved here about eight years ago, but I really didn't get
to know her until a few months ago. She's a nice girl."
"And just what are your intentions?"
"Excuse me?" He couldn't very well tell the man that he had been in
love with Kathie for two years and he had a lot of plans that included
her.
"What are you two doing tonight?"
"Oh, that. I thought we would go to the movies and then maybe get a
burger afterward. That's about it."
"Good. Have her in by midnight. Not one minute after. And don't get any
weird ideas. Kathie's a good girl."
"Yes, sir. Thank you, sir." Get me out of here, he thought to himself.
"Are you done with him, Daddy?" Kathie asked from the doorway.
"Yes. Have a good time."
"I will. Are you ready, Johnny?" she asked, smiling at him.
"Yes. Let's go."
She took his hand and led him outside. "I hope Daddy didn't scare you.
He does that to all my dates."
"It's okay. I understand. You look good," he told her when they were
outside. She was wearing a nice white blouse and black shorts, but
anything looked good on her.
"Thank you."
He didn't remember much of the movie. Just sitting next to her, his arm
around her was enough for him. The movie ended and as he turned to ask
her where she wanted to go next, he noticed she was crying. "What's
wrong?" he asked, wiping away a tear from her cheek.
"It's so sad what happened to her. I played Blanche sophomore year, but
it's different seeing her like that. everybody let her down."
"I never thought of it like that. I promise you that I will try my best
not to let you down."
"Thank you," she said, wiping away her tears. She kissed him on the
cheek. "You're so nice to me."
He wasn't sure what to say next so he just smiled and then led her
outside.
They got burgers and went to the park to eat. There were few people
around so it was pretty quiet. "I love it when things are like this,"
Kathie said. "It's so peaceful. I used to come here a lot at night by
myself. But that's not safe. I had a wonderful time tonight, Johnny."
"I'm glad, but the night's not over yet. We still have an hour. What do
you want to do?"
"Let's just stay here at the park. There are swings not far away. No, I
got it. The rocket."
"Rocket?"
"It's a model of a space rocket. It's very cozy. Are you game?"
"Let me get this straight. Me and you in a rocket. Is that it?"
"Yes."
"Let's go."
The top of the rocket was cramped so she had to sit on his lap. Neither
really minded. He held her while he listened to her talk about her plans
for the future. He didn't say anything. He was happy just to hold her
and listen.
"What are your plans?" she asked suddenly.
"My long term plan is to get a better paying job. I like my job, I just
don't want to do it forever."
"And your short term plans?"
With one finger he gently traced her delicate jawline. "Kiss you," he
whispered. And he did. Slowly, carefully he kissed her. He could have
kissed her all night, but after awhile the metal bars against his back
became uncomfortable. He pulled away from her and said, "How did you
like my plan?"
"I like that one."
"Good. We'll have to do it again. Right now it's time to get you home."
It was five minutes to midnight when he go her home. The house was dark
except for the porch light. The street was dark and quiet except for an
occasional dog barking.
"When can I see you again?" he asked as they stood on the porch.
"Are you busy Monday?"
"I have to work, but maybe we can meet for lunch or something."
"I'll see what happens. I had a wonderful time tonight, Johnny.
Especially the rocket."
"Yeah, I enjoyed that, too. We'll have to do it again some time. Has
anybody ever told you how beautiful you are in the moonlight?"
"No, I don't think so."
"You are," he said, taking her hand in his. "You are the most beautiful
girl I've ever seen. I wish that this night would never end."
"Me, too, but my dad is going to kill both of us if I don't get inside.
Give me a call and we'll think of something else to do."
"Okay." He kissed her goodnight.
She stepped away and turned to go inside. He watched her go and then he
left. It had been a pretty good first date and he hoped many more
followed.
The next few weeks were more of the same. Johnny and Kathie went to the
movies on Friday nights, baseball games on Saturday afternoons, and more
often than not, spent lunch time and evenings in the rocket. They had to
be careful when spending lunch time in the rocket because other people
were around. There weren't as many people in the evenings.
One evening they lost track of time and it was 12:45 when she got
home. "I'm sorry it's so late," Johnny said as they stood on the porch.
"You dad is probably going to be mad at me."
"I don't care about that. I had a wonderful time tonight. I always have
a wonderful time when I'm with you."
He put his arms around her waist and held her close. "You're a
wonderful girl. I don't know what I would do without you."
"You'll live a lot longer if you get your hands off my daughter!"
They both looked up to see Frank standing in the doorway and he did not
look happy. "Hi, Daddy," Kathie said. "I know we're late, but the movie
was longer than we thought and then we went to get something to eat.
There were a lot of people so it took a long time."
"Don't lie to me. I called the theatre. The movie ended at 10:00. It's
almost 1:00 in the morning. Where have you two been all night?"
"I wasn't lying to you, Daddy. We went to the drive-in and the movie
didn't end until 11:30. It was double feature."
"I'm sorry, sir," Johnny said. "I guess I just didn't realize how late
it was. It won't happen again."
"I wasn't lying to you, Daddy. We went to the drive-in and the movie
didn't end until 11:30. It was double feature."
"I'm sorry, sir," Johnny said. "I guess I just didn't realize how late
it was. It won't happen again."
"Of course it won't happen again. You are not allowed to date my
daughter again until the both of you show responsible behavior. It is
probably for the best. I have always suspected your intentions are not
entirely honorable."
"Sir, I'll have you know, my intentions are honorable. I would never do
anything to hurt Kathie. I love her. I love her more than anything in
the world and there's nothing you or anybody else can do to make me stop
loving her."
Kathie looked at her father and then at Johnny. Her father had hardly
ever shown her any kind of affection. Most of the time he acted as if
she didn't exist. Johnny, on the other hand, had always been nice to
her, even before she had really known him. And he had said he loved her.
No matter what, she would always cherish those words. "Daddy, Johnny
hasn't done anything he shouldn't. Please just let him go. It was my
fault we're late.I'm the one that wanted to go to the drive-in. I'm
sorry."
"You better be. Now get inside and up to your room. I'll talk to you
later."
"Yes, Daddy," she said. "Goodnight, Johnny." Then, summoning up all her
courage, she turned to Johnny and kissed him. She didn't care that her
father was watching. She knew she would get in trouble for it, but for
those few brief moments of paradise, she didn't care what her father
thought.
Johnny watched her as she walked into the house, amazed at her actions.
From talk he had heard around town, no one defied Frank McCallister, yet
his daughter just had, right in front of him in a way that no one
involved would soon forget. Johnny loved her more in that moment than he
had ever loved anyone or anything. He was proud of her for standing up
to her father.
"Don't leave yet," Frank said, interrupting his thoughts. "I'm not done
talking to you."
"Yes, sir. I understand what you're about to say, but I don't think
it's fair."
"You don't know what I'm going to say and I think it's fair. My opinion
is the only one that really matters. I've been thinking about doing this
for some time now. You and Kathie have been dating for some time now,
and-"
"Three weeks, sir."
"What?"
"We've been dating for three weeks."
"Don't interrupt me. Where was I? Oh yes, you've been dating for three
weeks and I think it's headed out of control."
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"Do you think I don't know what's going on? I know where you and Kathie
go for lunch. I know where you go in the evenings. You say your
intentions are honorable. It's hard for me to believe that after seeing
what I have seen. I have one thing to say to you. I hear of you doing
anything to my daughter that you shouldn't be doing and I will file
charges against you. I can do things like that. If you don't believe me,
just try it."
"I believe you, sir. I promise it won't happen. It hasn't happened."
"I'm glad to hear it. Now get out of here. I don't want to see you
around here this late again."
"Yes, sir," Johnny said and left. He considered himself very lucky.
Things could have been much worse. He just hoped Frank went easy on
Kathie. It must be hard having him for a father. His own mother wasn't
much better, but at least she didn't bother him most of the time.
His mother was just getting home when he did. "Hi, Mama. How was your
date? I hope it went better than mine."
"Okay. Turns out he's married."
"That never stopped you before."
"You watch your smart mouth before I have to slap you."
"Yes, Mama. I'm going to bed now. What are you doing tomorrow?"
"Sleeping."
"Good choice. Goodnight."
She mumbled something and went to the kitchen for a drink. It seemed
that she never went to bed until she had a few drinks. Oh well, Johnny
thought. It wasn't his problem. He had more important things to worry
about.
He didn't sleep very well that night. He kept having strange dreams,
but he couldn't quite remember them. He didn't have to work the next
day, which was Sunday. He slept late and then went to Nate's house for
lunch. He had a standing reservation for Sunday lunch and he rarely
missed. Being with Nate's family always made him feel better, but also a
little sad. It showed him just what he didn't have.
A few days went by and he didn't hear from Kathie. She didn't come see
him at lunch and she didn't call him. He was worried about her and tried
calling, but he could never get an answer. That Thursday he saw her
brothers, Bobby and J.T. at the cafe. When he asked about Kathie, they
said she was in Dallas visiting cousins and would be back the next day.
Frank had sent her there to keep her away from Johnny.
The next evening, his first Friday night at home in a long time, the
phone rang. "Hello?"
"I'm back. Did you miss me?" It was Kathie.
"Of course I did, sweetheart. I didn't know where you were until
yesterday and Bobby told me. Did you have a good time?"
"It was okay, but I missed you. Daddy's gone for the weekend and Mama
said it would be okay for me to go out as long as I got in before
midnight."
"Where do you want to go?" He had an idea, but he wasn't quite sure if
she would like it.
"It's too late to go to a movie and there's a band concert at the park.
Where do you want to go?"
"I know a place. I'll be over in a few minutes."
"Where are we going?"
"It's a surprise. You'll know when we get there. I'll see you in a few
minutes. 'Bye."
She was waiting outside when he got to her house. He greeted her with a
kiss. It seemed like forever since he had held her like this, even
though it had been last week. "Don't leave me again," he whispered to
her.
"I won't, I promise. Where are we going?"
"I can't tell you. I told you it's a surprise. You'll know soon enough.
Now get in the truck so we can go."
They hadn't gone very far when she asked, "Did you mean what you
said?"
"What did I say?"
"Last week when you were talking to Daddy you said you loved me. Did
you mean it?"
"I'll tell you when we get where we're going. Don't distract me when
I'm driving. Don't sulk. It's been a long time since I've been here and
I don't want to get lost."
Ten minutes later he said, "I think we're lost. I should have paid more
attention the last time I was here."
Looking around, all Kathie saw were trees and fields. "Do you even know
where you're going?"
"I guess not. It's been so long. Maybe it's not even here anymore. I'm
sorry, Kathie. This isn't working out."
She reached out and touched his cheek. "I don't care where I am as long
as I'm with you. Anything is better than being stuck at home with my
mother. If Daddy wasn't gone this weekend, then I would probably be at
home."
"At least your mother is home a lot. If I see my mother at home she's
more than likely so drunk she doesn't know where she is. It's getting
worse."
"I'm sorry, Johnny. I had no idea how things were."
"That's okay. I guess I just have to live with it. Let's get out of
here. I'll find some place to go."
"Where are we?"
"Somewhere we shouldn't be, sweetheart. That's all you need to know. We
better get out of here before anyone sees us. We need to get somewhere
safe."
"Johnny, you're scaring me. What are you talking about? Where are we?"
"I'll tell you later. I just realized where we are and it's not
someplace to be after dark. It's not too safe in the daylight, either.
Let's just get out of here and forget we were ever here."
She didn't say anything. She was too scared. She knew something strange
had just happened and she knew it would be next to impossible to get any
information from Johnny.
They ended up at the lake that night. It was quiet and secluded. Most
people didn't like being at the lake without a lot of people around.
Parts of it were dark even in the daytime because there were so many
trees around. Johnny liked it for that reason. He sat against one of the
trees watching Kathie as she paced back and forth in front of him.
"Kathie, please sit down. You're making me nervous doing that. I promise
I won't do anything strange. I'm okay now."
She sat down beside him and took his hand in hers. "Whatever happened
back there really scared me and I want to know what's going on. I've
never seen you act like that. Tell me what happened. You can trust me.
This is just between me and you."
"What I have to say may not make much sense. It doesn't make much sense
to me, at least not now. Maybe it will make more sense after I tell you
about it. You have a right to know. After all, this concerns you as much
as it does me."
"What do you mean?"
"Just let me explain it. Just listen to me. This isn't very easy. First
of all, I did mean what I said last week. I love you. I've loved you for
a long time. Sometimes it seems like forever. Maybe that's because it
has. That probably doesn't make much sense right now. Just believe me.
Believe me when I say I love you. That's not something I would ever lie
about.
Ever since I was little, probably about three or four years old, I've
had these dreams. I'm older, probably about thirty and I live near where
we were tonight. It's a long time ago, probably the 1800s, maybe before
the war. I'm in the field trying to gather the cows up because there's a
storm coming. It's so real I can smell the rain. Anyway, I'm there and
these men ride up. They have guns. I try to get back to the house.
You're outside doing something and one of the men grab you. I try to
fight the men, but I don't have any weapons. Then the men shoot me and
you scream and that's usually when I wake up. I had that dream a lot
this week. That was the first time I had it in a long time, almost a
year."
"How do you know it was me in the dream?"
"At first I didn't because I didn't know you. It was strange. The first
time I ever saw you I recognized you from my dream even though you were
only ten. I think I know what it means. We've been together before,
Kathie, at least that one time. Maybe more. I think we're meant to be
together always. We've been soulmates since the beginning of time. That
dream is the end of our last life together."
"I don't know. It could be just a dream. You don't know if anyone has
ever lived there."
"Yes, I do and I know who it was." He reached in his pocket and pulled
out a folded piece of paper. "I went to the courthouse and looked it up.
This is a copy of the deed on that land from 1850. Take a look at the
name." He handed her the paper.
She could barely read the name in the moonlight. Christopher Jonathan
Daniels. Suddenly, she could see the scene he had described and she
could hear herself calling his name as he lay dying in her arms. "I
believe you," she said.
"I'm glad you believe me."
"I have no reason not to believe. I love you."
That was the only thing he needed to hear. He kissed her softly, then
said "It's time to get you home. I don't want to, but if we're late,
your mother will tell your father and then we'll be in big trouble again
and I don't think either one of us want that."
The next week went by as usual. They went out at night and spent the
Fourth of July watching the fireworks from the rocket. The next day
Kathie's parents left for a month long vacation in Europe. J.T. had
decided to stay with Bobby so Kathie was left alone, a fact that didn't
go unnoticed by Johnny's friends.
"I hear Kathie's parents are out of town," Clark said one morning at
work.
"They went to Europe," Johnny told him. "They'll be gone all month."
"So Kathie's all alone in that big house?"
"Yeah, she is."
"Hmm. It looks like the odds are in your favor. Do you have any plans?"
"I don't think that's any of your business. I don't pry into your
personal life so don't pry into mine."
"So, do you have any plans?"
"Yes, and none of them concern you."
His only real plans were the same ones he always had. They went to the
movies, out to dinner, the park, and sometimes they didn't do much of
anything. He knew that Frank had people keeping an eye on Kathie, people
that knew just how Frank felt about Johnny. Johnny knew the rules, but
rules were made to be broken.
That summer was hot with little rain. The threat of brush fires was the
topic of conversation almost everywhere along with talk about crops and
of course there were rumors of what was going on at the McCallister
house now that Frank and Elaine were on vacation. People were betting
how long it would be before Kathie got herself knocked up by that no
good Daniels boy and everybody knew he didn't have the kind of money it
took to take care of a problem like that. People all over town were
talking about that the day it finally rained, the day things changed
forever for Johnny and Kathie.
The rain started sometime early in the morning and didn't stop
completely until that night. Clark closed the garage that day so Johnny
got the day off. He was sitting outside enjoying the rain and his root
beer when Kathie drove up. He was a bit surprised to see her. "Aren't
you worried that your father will know you came here?" he asked her.
"You sure know how to start a conversation," she said. "Whatever
happened to saying hello?"
"Hello, Kathie. How did you manage to escape the spies?"
"I took the long way here." She hugged him then pulled away and said,
"You're all wet."
"It's raining."
"I realize that, but we don't have to stand out here to enjoy it."
"I like it out here," he said pulling her close to him. Then he softly
kissed her. He kept kissing her and the rain came down harder. He didn't
care that it was raining. All that mattered to him was that she was with
him.
Finally he pulled away from her and said, "I think we better get inside
before we both get pneumonia."
"Where's your mother?" she asked, resting her head on his shoulder. She
was quite comfortable where she was and even though they were both wet
from the rain she could feel the warmth of his body through his t-shirt.
She could feel the smooth muscles of his chest, just one of the benefits
of hard work. He worked hard and he fought hard for everything. He had
come into the world fighting for even the simple things, things she had
always had. Realizing this made her love him even more.
"Mama's gone to work," he said. "She won't be home until this evening,
maybe not even then. We've got all day."
He led her inside the house and went to the bathroom to get them
towels. Visions of how they could spend the day together filed his head,
but he didn't want to push her into anything she didn't want to do.
When he returned to the living room, he was surprised to find Kathie
unbuttoning her blouse. "What are you doing?" he asked.
"My clothes are all wet," she answered, still unbuttoning her blouse.
"I find it easier to dry off without wet clothes on."
"I, uh, brought you a towel," was all he could say. He tried not to
watch her, but his eyes were drawn to her creamy white flesh. The fact
that she seemed intent on stripping in front of him did not help him
very much. He had often wondered what he would do if put into such a
situation, but now that such an opportunity presented itself, he didn't
know what to do.
She stood in front of him, her blouse unbuttoned and he could see that
she was not wearing a bra. She took his hand in hers and said, "I want
you to make love to me, Johnny."
For a few seconds he thought he was hearing things. Then he said, "Are
you sure?"
"I've thought about it and I think I'm ready." She moved closer to him
and gently placed one hand on his chest. "I think we're both ready,
wouldn't you say?" She was vaguely aware of the radio in the corner
playing a song about playing with fire.
He didn't say anything, just led her to his bedroom. He made love to
her softly and tenderly as the rain fell gently outside his window. He
didn't think about the rain or work or his mother or her father or
anything except what he was feeling at that time with her.
Afterward, as they lay content in each others arms, he said, "Not bad
for a couple of first timers."
"The word terrific comes to mind," she said. She kissed him and said,
"You were incredible."
"You were pretty incredible yourself. I love you, Kathie."
"I love you too, Jonathan," she whispered as she drifted off to sleep.
Something about the way she said that sounded strangely familiar.
Whatever it was, he would think about it later. He drifted off to sleep,
feeling happier than he had in a long time.
When he woke up the rain had stopped. Glancing at the clock he saw that
it was almost seven o'clock. If he was lucky, and so far that day he had
been lucky, his mother was not home yet. He looked over at Kathie. She
looked too beautiful laying there next to him that he hated to wake her
up, but he had to. "Kathie, it's time to get up. You need to get home."
"I want to stay here," she mumbled, snuggling closer to him. "I want to
stay here with you."
"As much as that idea appeals to me, my mother will be home soon and
things will be much easier on both of us if you don't greet her naked."
"Where are my clothes?" she asked, sitting up.
"On the floor. Did you sleep well?"
"Wonderful," she said, picking her clothes up off the floor. "I hate to
see this day end."
"We'll have to do it again sometime," he said and softly kissed her on
the cheek. "Of course, your father's going to kill me when he finds out
what happened today."
"He's not going to find out about today," she said as she dressed. "I
want you to promise me something, Johnny."
"Anything for you," he whispered, moving her hair to the side and
kissing her neck.
She almost forgot what she was about to say. The way he was holding her
and kissing her felt so good she didn't want him to stop, but she needed
to leave soon. "Johnny, I have something very important to say and I
want you to listen to me. I know how guys like to brag about things like
this. I don't want you talking to your friends about what happened here
today. It's none of their business and besides, I don't want my father
to find out. I'm not saying your friends would say anything to him, but
people have a way of talking and the wrong people overhearing. Promise
me you won't say anything, that you won't brag about what happened."
"I promise I won't tell a soul what happened here. It's nothing to be
ashamed of, Kathie. I love you so much that nothing your father could do
would ever make me love you any less. There's a bond between us that
goes back centuries, over many lifetimes, that can't be broken, not by
your father or anyone else. It's all we have, but it's enough for me."
"That's enough for me, too," she said. She kissed him softly, then
said, "I'll call you tomorrow. Remember the promise."
"I will, sweetheart. I would never break a promise to you."
She smiled, kissed him one more time, and left.
When she got home, the phone was ringing. "Hello?"
"Kathie, where have you been all day? I've been trying to call you for
hours." It was her brother, Bobby.
"Sorry, Bobby. I was with a friend."
"You don't have to lie to me, Kathie. I know where you were. Doug told
me he saw you head out to Johnny's place today. Dad's going to kill you
when he finds out."
Bobby didn't sound too upset, just the usual big brother concern.
"Daddy's not going to find out. I'm old enough to lock out for myself."
"Yeah, well, you better be careful. There's rumors all over town about
you and Johnny. Personally, I like Johnny. He's honest and hardworking,
but Dad doesn't see him that way and neither do a lot of other people in
this town. You better be careful, little sister." There was a pause and
she heard him take a deep breath. Then he said, "Kathie, just how
serious is this relationship?"
She didn't even hesitate before answering. "I love him. I love him more
than anything."
"I figured you did. I thought you were going with him for some reason
other than to piss off Dad. Be careful. I can't run your life for you,
but I'm still your big brother and I can give you advice. I don't want
to see you get in trouble."
"I know, Bobby. I can take care of myself. Please don't tell Daddy
anything."
"Don't worry, I won't. I'll see you tomorrow at lunch. Take care of
yourself, little sister."
"I will, big brother. 'Bye." She hung up, grateful that she had a
brother like Bobby, a brother that stood up for her and supported her
decisions.
The next few weeks went by pretty fast. Johnny and Kathie spent a lot
of time together whenever they could. They went out sometimes and
sometimes they stayed in. She would spend the night at his house
sometimes, but he never stayed the night at her house. It was too risky.
Frank and Elaine returned from their vacation in early August. Almost
as soon as they got back into town they heard rumors of what Kathie had
been doing while they were away. Upon hearing these rumors, Frank
decided something had to be done to stop them. He had to do something to
get his daughter away from that awful, no good boy. Finally, he came up
with what he figured was the perfect plan.
Kathie cried when her father told her his plan. She argued and pleaded
with him, but Frank stood his ground and wouldn't budge, not even one
inch. It was too late, he told her. Everything had been taken care of.
She would be leaving in a few days so she had better start packing.
The next day, while her father was at work, she called Johnny and asked
him to meet her at the park for lunch, that she had something important
to tell him. Johnny could tell by the sound of her voice that something
was definitely wrong. He agreed to meet her at the park at noon.
He got there before she did and as he waited for her, he wondered just
what she had to talk to him about that was so important. Something Clark
had said earlier, right after Kathie called, came to mind. He said the
first time his girlfriend ever had something important to tell him, it
was that she was pregnant. "I hope it's not that," he said to himself as
he waited for her at the park. They had been careful, but there was
still a chance.
It seemed like forever before her car pulled up beside him. She did not
look happy as she got out of the car. "I'm glad you're here, Johnny,"
she said. "I really need you right now."
He took her in his arms and held her close to him. "It's okay,
sweetheart. Whatever it is, we can make it. Nothing can keep us apart. I
told you that before."
"Maybe this can. Let's go find a table, preferably away from other
people."
They found a nice table in the shade, away from the others. "Johnny,
I'm afraid I have some bad news," Kathie said. "My father is making me
go to college in Georgia. He has friends over there and he got me in. He
says that if I don't go to Georgia, he won't pay for it. I don't want to
go, Johnny. I don't want to leave you." She had told herself she wasn't
going to cry, but she couldn't help it.
"What about our plans? Did you try to explain them to him?"
"I tried, but he wouldn't listen to me. He said it was for my own good
to get away from you. I think he knows more about what's going on than
he should. I didn't tell him anything."
"I didn't, either." He gently wiped away a tear from her cheek and
asked, "When are you leaving?"
"Tomorrow morning. We're flying and the plane leaves at 8:30. I don't
want to go."
"I know you don't, sweetheart. I don't want you to go, either, but it
looks like we don't really have any choice in the matter. I guess all we
can do is make the best of what time we have left. Meet me at the shop
at 5:00 and we'll go out or something. I can have you home early enough
so your dad won't be too upset. I'm not going to let you go without
spending some more time with you." He kissed her and then said, "You
better go get ready for tonight. I want this to be an evening we'll
never forget."
The rest of the afternoon went by very slowly. It was the longest four
hours in Johnny's life. Finally, it was 5:00. Kathie met him at the shop
as promised and from there they went to his house.
After lunch he had called Nate's mother and asked her to fix dinner for
him and Kathie. She was a wonderful cook and her specialty was Italian,
Johnny's favorite partly because his own family was Italian. She cooked
lasagna and garlic bread for dinner and decorated the dining table with
a checked table cloth and candles. As a final touch, she had a Bobby
Darin album playing on the radio.
They ate dinner and afterward they sat on the couch and listened to the
music. As a familiar song began to play Johnny got up from the couch and
held out his hand to Kathie. "My dear, may I have this dance?"
"Yes, you may," she answered with a smile.
He took her hand and pulled her into his arms. He held her close to him
as they danced. She felt so good next to him that he didn't want to let
her go when the music ended. This was his last night with her for a long
time and he wanted it to be a memorable one. He leaned down and softly
kissed her. After a few seconds the kiss grew more passionate and he
forgot all about the things her father had done. All that mattered was
what they were feeling now.
Finally, he pulled away and silently led her to his bedroom. Slowly
they undressed each other and they made love slowly, exploring each
other's bodies so they could remember this night later, to remember the
love they shared.
Later, after a much needed rest, he took her back to the shop where her
car was. She couldn't stop the tears as they said goodbye. "I'll write
to you, Johnny," she said. "I'll come home for holidays. I'll call you.
I'll never forget you. I love you, Jonathan, forever."
"I love you too, Kathie, my angel. Nothing could ever stop me from
loving you. We've been through too much for something like this to stop
us. I promise I will write to you."
"I have something I want to give you." She took off her ring and handed
it to him. "Take this to remember me by. It means a lot to me and so do
you."
He took the ring from her. It was just a simple birthstone ring, but
too him it was more precious than gold. "I don't have anything to give
to you, except my love," he said.
"That's all I need."
For a few brief seconds more they held each other close, then, with one
last kiss, she was gone. He watched her until she was out of sight and
then went home. It was his first Friday night in a long time without
her.
After a few lonely hours, he came up with a plan. Maybe, just maybe,
there was some way that Kathie could stay. Somewhere he had his
great-grandmother's engagement ring. It was in a box of stuff his father
had given him before he left. He could give the ring to Kathie and ask
her to marry him. It was a crazy plan, but it just might work.
After finding the ring, he drove to Kathie's house. He parked down the
block and walked to the house. He entered the yard through the back
gate. It was late, but the light was still on in her bedroom. As he was
searching for pebbles to throw at the window, her dog, Waterfront, came
up to him. He petted the dog, hoping he would keep quiet. Waterfront
somehow recognized Johnny and remained quiet. So far, so good, Johnny
thought.
He threw a few rocks, but only one hit the window. Just as he was
getting ready to throw another rock, the dog from next door, Rocky,
suddenly appeared. He did not like Johnny and begin barking. Johnny
tried to hush him, but it didn't work. Johnny could hear Frank inside
the house, angry at being roused from his sleep by a barking dog. Not so
good, Johnny thought.
Suddenly, Frank appeared on the porch wearing only his underwear and
carrying a shotgun. Uh-oh, Johnny thought. Now I'm dead. "I thought it
might be you," Frank said. "You better get away from here before I call
the police."
"Please, sir," Johnny started to say. Then he felt a sharp pain in his
ankle. Looking down he saw Rocky firmly attached to his foot. Time to be
brave, he thought. Don't let either one of them see your fear. "I just,
uh, wanted to see Kathie one more time, just for a minute, if you would
allow that."
Frank just laughed. Then Kathie came outside. She was so beautiful,
Johnny almost forgot the pain. Rocky was still making a late night snack
out of his ankle, but he couldn't feel it. The only thing he was aware
of was Kathie, his princess, his angel, standing there.
"I'll give you to the count of five to get out of here or I start
shooting," Frank said. "One."
Johnny didn't hesitate. He kicked Rocky away, looked at Kathie and
said, "No matter what, Kathie, always remember that I love you." Then he
turned and ran as Frank started shooting. Frank was a pretty good shot.
Bullets whizzed past Johnny as he ran, trying to avoid both the bullets
and the sharp branches of the small trees in the back yard. Running made
his whole leg hurt, but still he ran. Finally, he reached the back gate.
He opened it and didn't stop running until he reached his truck. He had
made it out alive. He just hoped he stayed that way.
In the weeks that followed, his ankle got much worse. The
infection grew worse until he could barely stand the pain. The medicine
was almost as bad and he spent many days in bed, unaware of where he was
and what had happened. Several times he called out for Kathie and
whoever might be with him had to come up with a quick excuse for where
she was.
When he did sleep, he had nightmares from that night, dreams full of
pain and blood and dying. It was not much better when he was awake. For
a long time all he could remember from that night were little bits and
pieces.
While he was sick, he got a letter from Kathie. She said she was doing
okay, but she missed him very much. Her roommate, Sarah, was very nice.
She said she hoped to hear from him soon and would probably be home for
Thanksgiving.
He wrote her back, but didn't tell her that he had been sick because he
didn't want her to worry. Weeks went by and he didn't hear from her.
Thanksgiving came and went and she never came home. Finally, around
Christmas, he got another letter from her. She said her family had gone
out of town for Thanksgiving and would probably be gone at Christmas,
too. She still missed him and loved him. That was the last letter he got
from her.
One day in May he took the ring she had given him, which he had been
wearing on a chain around his neck, and put it away in a box along with
the diamond ring. There it stayed, along with his St. Christopher medal,
a purple heart, and a Colt .45 pistol.
He began dating again, but it was never the same as it had been with
Kathie.
Meanwhile, back in Georgia, Kathie was wondering why Johnny didn't
write to her. She hated that her family never stayed home for holidays
so she didn't get to see him. Sarah told her to forget about him and
date somebody else. Sophomore year she begin dating Jeff and although he
was nice and her family liked him, she never felt anything with close to
what she felt for Johnny. She broke up with Jeff shortly before
graduation.
After graduation she and Sarah got an apartment together. Sarah worked
at a day care center and Kathie worked at the bank. She hated her job,
very rarely went out, and spent more and more time listening to sad,
romantic music and wondering about Johnny. Finally, after living in
Atlanta for five years, she decided she wanted to go home. Sarah decided
to move back with her and they arrived in Texas that fall. As her plane
landed, her one thought was that the worst five years of her life were
over.
She was back in town a week before Johnny knew. He heard the news one
morning at work and wasn't sure how to react. What does one say to an
old girlfriend you haven't seen in five years? Hello didn't quite do
enough and go to hell was just a bit more than he wanted to say.
He managed to avoid her, but he thought about her almost everyday. He
wondered about what she had done in Georgia and was she seeing anyone
else. He tried to tell himself he really didn't care, but deep down, he
knew he did.
One day he couldn't avoid her or how he felt any longer. That was the
day Nate announced he was getting married to Sarah, Kathie's friend.
That evening, when he got home from work, Johnny took Kathie's ring out
of the box. He thought about all the good times they had and how strong
their love had been. He remembered how he felt the first time he saw
her, knowing, even at that young age, who she was and one day she would
be his. Maybe, just maybe, they could make it work a second time. He put
the necklace aside and took out the diamond ring. Something had brought
her back, he thought. And maybe, just maybe, that something was him. He
put the diamond ring back in the box, but he kept the chain. He begin
wearing it again.
He saw Kathie several times while planning the wedding, but they never
talked about them. By some silent agreement they decided that this was
Nate and Sarah's time to be in the spotlight and they wouldn't talk
about their relationship until a more appropriate time. That chance came
at the wedding.
The wedding was beautiful, but all Johnny could think about was Kathie
and how later that day he would get a chance to talk to her. After all,
he was best man and she was maid of honor. There was no way to avoid it.
The reception was held at the ballroom of the country club, just as the
Prom had been years before. Nate had hired a dj to play love songs old
and new, but mostly old. He, like Johnny, had been raised on the
classics.
"Okay people," the dj said, "Welcome to this party honoring the
marriage of Nate and Sarah. You're a beautiful couple and believe me, I
know beautiful couples. I hope this lasts longer than some marriages
I've seen. Okay, enough of my babbling. Time to dance."
The music started and couples danced. Johnny danced with Sarah one time
while Kathie danced with Nate. "You really should talk to her, Johnny,"
Sarah said.
"Talk to who?" Johnny asked, even though he knew who she meant.
"Kathie, of course," she said, laughing. "Do you honestly think I
haven't noticed how you've been watching her all this time? I know you
two had something special then. Maybe the magic is still there."
"It was a long time ago, Sarah. We were young and things have changed a
lot since then. We're not the same as we were then."
"It was more than just a summer fling and you know it. I lived with her
for five years and in those years I learned a lot about you and what
happened between you two. She told me just about everything. She told me
about the night in the rocket and the night you told her about the
dreams you had. Judging from that, I would say you have a chance."
"You really think so?" he said, looking over at Kathie and Nate
dancing. She was even more beautiful now than she had been years ago.
"Yes, but I think you should finish dancing with me first."
Nate was telling Kathie the same thing that Sarah had been telling
Johnny. "Kathie, I think you need to talk to Johnny. Just talk to him,
catch up on things."
"I want to talk to him, but I don't know what to say. It's been so
long."
"You can start with hello and progress from there. I don't know
everything that happened between you two, but I do know you meant a lot
to him and it hurt him when you left. The first few weeks were the
worst. He kept asking for you and I didn't know what to tell him."
"What happened to him? Was he sick?" The thought of not being for him
when he needed her most made her feel sick to her stomach. She looked
over at him dancing with Sarah and her heart went out to him.
"Better let him tell you about it," Nate told her as the song ended.
"Alright people," the dj said, "I'm afraid my time is almost up. I've
got another gig in half an hour so we only have time for one more dance.
By request of the bride and groom, the best man must dance with the maid
of honor. I'm told this song means a lot to both of you. Enjoy,
everybody."
They looked at each other from across the room. The moment they had
been dreading and anticipating was upon them and there was no way to
avoid it now. He walked up to her and said, "I guess I have no chance
but to ask you to dance."
"Then let's dance," she said.
He took her in his arms and the music began to play. They both smiled
as they recognized the song as "Fly Me to the Moon". "This sure brings
back memories, doesn't it?" he whispered. It felt wonderful to hold her
again, even if only for a few minutes. It was almost as if they had
never parted.
"We did have some good time together, Johnny. I think those few months
were the happiest time of my life."
"It wasn't all fun and games. We had tough times, too. Your father's
attitude didn't help."
"Don't think about that. This is a happy occasion. It's a wedding, not
a funeral. Think about the good times."
"I do, princess," he whispered. He looked into her beautiful green eyes
and said, "Sometimes that's all I have." Then he kissed her, softly at
first. He pulled her closer to him, deepening the kiss. Her lips tasted
just as sweet as they always had and until that moment he didn't realize
just how much he really had missed her.
Then the song ended and they moved away from each other. He wanted to
say something, but before he could, she turned and ran from the
ballroom. He ran after her, but got outside just in time to see her
drive away.
In the weeks that followed he didn't see Kathie, but he thought about
her a lot. He hoped he hadn't scared her but kissing her, but it felt
right. Nothing had ever felt more right than those few minutes with her.
It was about a month later, on a very hot October morning, that he saw
her again. A cold front was expected to blow in the next day so Johnny
decided to spend his day off preparing for the weather change. He knew
it was best to chop wood before it got too hot. Then he would do what
else needed doing.
The day had not started out as an ordinary day. Despite very little
sleep the night before, he awoke early, long before his mother ever
thought of getting out of bed, and went for a drive. He set out not
really knowing where he was going. He ended up at a field in the middle
of nowhere, the field which had haunted his dreams for years.
That morning, just after sunrise, he stood by the fence and stared at
the field, seeing it not as it was then, but as it had been many years
before, when a young family had happily lived there until it had all
been shattered by a bullet. It had happened a long time ago and there
was nothing he could do about it except learn to live with the
nightmares. It seemed that all he ever dreamed about were bullets and
blood and a beautiful blond princess just out of reach. Among all the
nightmares there had been one dream with no blood, no death, just him
and his princess. It was a dream he wanted to come true.
Without looking back, he got in his truck and drove home to begin his
day.
By noon the sun was hot and the wood pile was waist high. It should be
enough to last through the cold spell and most of the winter, if it ever
did in fact get cold. And of course there was always the possibility
that his mother just might go crazy and throw it at people or something
like that. She had been known to do things like that before, especially
when she had been drinking, which was most of the time. It seemed like
it was getting worse and the only thing he could do was stay out of her
way.
Kathie stood silently, watching him as he stacked the wood. Part of her
wanted to turn and run away just as she had at the wedding and part of
her wanted to stay and watch him stack wood. That part was currently
winning.
If she had ever forgotten what he looked like, which she hadn't, she
was being reminded. His bare, tanned chest glistened in the sunlight,
showing off his smooth, hard muscles. His dark hair was messy, but she
liked it that way. It made him look a little wild, different from the
other guys she had known. That was part of his appeal.
As if he could feel her gaze, he looked up and their eyes met. His dark
blue eyes gave away his feelings most of the time. She had seen his eyes
warm as a summer day or cold as a winter day in Alaska. And many times
his eyes had been full of love and desire unlike anything she had ever
seen. Now was one of the rare times his eyes showed little emotion.
"Hi," she said, smiling. "I was bored at home so I, uh..."
"You came out here," he finished for her. "Must have been really
bored." He had mixed emotions about seeing her. On one hand, he wanted
to talk to her about what happened between them at the wedding, but on
the other hand, she might be there to tell him she regretted what had
happened between them. "I guess you might as well come in. I got nothing
else going on today."
She followed him to the house, not really surprised at how rundown it
was. The house had once been white, but was now a weathered grey. The
porch was in danger of collapse if they stood still too long. The hinges
squealed in protest as he opened the door.
Entering the house, she noticed the inside was not much better than the
outside. Newspaper and magazines littered the floor and couch. Dirty
dishes and empty vodka bottles littered the floor around a broken
recliner. Lipstick stained cigarettes overflowed in the ashtray on the
table and on top of the television.
"Sorry about the mess," Johnny said, picking up some newspaper off the
couch and folding it. He laid it on the table. "I haven't had a chance
to clean up in here. This is my only day off and I had more important
things to do today." He was beginning to wish he had cleaned the house
instead of chopping wood. He hated for her to see this mess. It made him
feel like he was not good enough to look at her, much less kiss her and
make love to her. That was a long time ago, he told himself. Things had
changed since then. Yes, things certainly had changed, but not enough to
change how he felt when he looked at her.
Kathie was beginning to wish she had just stayed home. One look at
Johnny and she wanted to do more than just talk. In the six years she
had been away, she had never forgotten what it felt like to be with him
whether they were dancing, making love, or just talking. She always felt
safe and secure with him.
"Would you like something to drink?" he asked, interrupting her
thoughts. "I think there's a few root beers in the fridge."
"Cans or bottles?"
"Bottles, of course. Only the best for you."
"A cold root beer sounds great right now, especially in this heat," she
said, following him into the kitchen.
The kitchen, like the living room, was a mess. Dirty dishes were piled
high in the sink, along the counter top, and on the table. She could see
the fridge was almost bare when he opened it to get the root beer. How
could he live in these conditions?
"Here's your root beer. Enjoy," he said, handing her a cold bottle of
root beer.
"Where's the bottle opener?" she asked.
"Don't have one. Mama broke it. She threw it at one of her boyfriends
when she found out he was married. He was a nice guy. I would have
thought he would have more sense than to get hooked up with Mama."
"I'm sorry about that, but how do we open the bottles?"
"Very carefully," he said, taking the bottle from her. He carefully hit
the bottle on the counter top, popping the top off. He handed it back to
her and opened his own.
Back in the living room she sat on the couch and he sat in the recliner
in the corner. He felt it was safer not to sit close to her. That way he
wouldn't be tempted to reach out and touch her, to make sure this wasn't
just another dream.
Once, a very long time ago, he had loved her more than anything in the
world. He had loved her enough to know that he wanted to spend the rest
of his life with her. There were times when he still felt that he loved
her.
"Do you plan on putting on a shirt?" she asked. Not that she really
cared. He looked great whether or not he was wearing a shirt. She would
just feel better if he was wearing something besides a pair of faded
Levis. Less temptation that way.
"Not anytime soon. Be comfortable. That's my motto."
"That's Stanley Kowalski's motto. And I'm not Blanche DuBois." Why did
he have to mention that? Their first date they had gone to see A
Streetcar Named Desire and then later, at the rocket...
"I don't know about that. I remember you did pretty good as Blanche
sophomore year."
"That was a long time ago. I've changed since then."
"Why did you come here?" he asked. Anything to change the subject. Too
many memories associated with Streetcar.
"I wanted to talk to you."
"We talked at the wedding. We danced at the wedding. We..."
"We kissed at the wedding," she finished.
"And then you ran. Why?"
"I don't know. I guess I just got caught up in all the emotions. It
just happened so fast."
"Maybe it was the song. That was our song and Nate knew it. You know
what I think, sweetheart? I think he set us up."
"Maybe, but that's not what matters. It happened. That was last month.
This is now."
"And you're acting like you want to forget it ever happened. That's not
an easy thing to do. Not after everything that's happened between us."
"That was six years ago. You said you would always love me. Do you
remember that?"
"Yes, I remember. That's not something that's easy to forget. Between
your father and that stupid dog, it's a wonder I didn't get killed that
night. Came real close, though." He reached down and pulled up the leg
of his jeans so she could see the scar on his ankle. "That's a constant
reminder of that night. It got infected. I wouldn't wish what I went
through on my worst enemy. The worst thing is, you weren't there. You
were never around when I needed you."
"That wasn't my fault. I would have been with you if I could have. I
was in Georgia."
"I didn't want you to go," he said softly.
"What did you say?"
"I said I didn't want you to go."
"Is that why you came over that night?"
"Yes. I meant what I said that night. Obviously it didn't mean anything
to you. If it had, you would have made some effort to write me."
"I did write to you. You're the one who never wrote to me."
"I wrote you after you wrote me and that was twice. I waited a year
before I finally decided you didn't care anymore. I was stupid to wait
even that long."
"I wrote to you all the time. I even tried calling, but your mother
said you weren't home. She said-"
"Never mind what she said. I think I know what happened."
"What happened?"
"I've got an idea. I'm sure my mother had something to do with this.
She's always considered me somewhat of an inconvenience. This could be
her way of trying to ruin my life more than she already has. It makes
sense if you think about it."
"Maybe, but tell me one thing. If you had gotten my letters, would you
have written to me?"
He didn't hesitate before answering her. "Of course I would have,
sweetheart. It's just that after a while, I thought maybe you didn't
care anymore. I tried to tell myself I didn't care anymore. I would be
out somewhere with some other girl and then I would hear some song that
reminded me of you. A few times our song would pop into my head. It
wasn't real, but I could hear it. Those were the worst times."
She didn't say anything. She just got up and walked over to the stereo
in the corner. An eclectic collection of tapes were scattered around.
She looked through them, but couldn't find the one she was looking for.
She pushed the eject button on the stereo and took out the tape. She
smiled to herself and said, "You've been listening to it, haven't you?"
He joined her by the stereo. He took the tape from her and put it back
in the machine. "The last time I checked, there was no law against
listening to Bobby Darin. A little something I learned from my dad." He
started the tape and then slowly slipped his arms around her waist.
"Would you like to dance?"
She looked up at him and smiled. "I guess I have no choice but to say
yes. It is a nice song to dance to."
He didn't say anything, just held her close to him. Maybe, just maybe,
things could be like they were before. He still loved her. Maybe she
still loved him. It was almost too much to hope for.
The music ended, but he still held her. For those few brief moments, it
was just the two of them. She could make him forget the pain he had
lived with far too long. Time to end it. "I got something I want to show
you," he said. "It's in my room."
He took her by the hand and led her to his bedroom. Unlike the rest of
the house, his room was neat. The bed was made and everything was in
it's place. The books were lined up on the bookshelf. Looking at them,
she was surprised to see many classic books, such as Shakespeare,
Hawthorne, and Poe. Most of them were just cheap paperbacks, but she
could tell that all of them had been read, perhaps many times. She
turned to ask him something, but she saw that he was busy. He was
sitting on the edge of the bed looking through a box. The memories came
rushing in like a tidal wave, memories of a rainy summer afternoon when
they had made love for the first time and how safe she felt with him. It
had been a long time since she had felt like that.
Sitting down beside him she asked, "Do you need any help?"
Without looking up he answered, "No. I know what I'm looking for. Hold
this." He handed her his St. Christopher medal and another chain with a
ring on it. The St. Christopher medal had been a present from his
mother's family when he was a baby. They had once been very devout
Catholics and hoped that he would be baptized into the Church, but his
father's family was Baptist and won the religion argument. Johnny didn't
think it really mattered what religion you were as long as you believed
in God. That's what he had told Kathie one time when they were talking
about religion. It didn't matter to her, either.
She put the medal down and looked at the ring. It didn't really
surprise her to see that it was the ring she had given him when she
left. He may have kept it in a box, but still, he had kept it. That
meant a lot to her.
"I found it," he said. He held out a diamond ring. "This is why I
really came to your house that night. I wanted to give you this. I kept
it all these years. Maybe I was hoping someday you'd come back and I
could give it to you."
"Don't you think we should think this over? I mean, it's been a long
time since we were together. Things have changed, Jonathan."
"Did I ever tell you that you're the only person who calls me Jonathan?
Just like before. You remember that, don't you? I was there this
morning. Just like you went to the rocket after the wedding."
"How did you know that?" she asked.
He reached up and touched her cheek. "I drove by there on my way home
and saw your car in the parking lot. I knew that's where you went. I
thought about going over there, but I figured I was the last person you
wanted to see then."
"I was thinking," she said. "Just thinking about the way things used to
be."
"You mean about us? Me too, sweetheart. I thought about it a lot. And
with all that thinking I did, I came to one conclusion. Ain't no getting
over you. In other words, I love you."
Before she could respond, he kissed her. Softly, tenderly he kissed her
and the world was forgotten. That was how she felt when she was with
him. No one else could make her feel the way he did. She moved closer to
him, wishing it could never end.
But it did. Unfortunately, it was his mother that brought it to an end.
"Just what I need right now," Johnny said. "It's early which means she's
drunk. You stay here. I'll be right back." Taking a deep breath, he went
out to confront his mother.
She was sitting in the recliner, a little dazed, but otherwise harmless
looking. Johnny knew looks could be deceiving when it came to his
mother. "Hi, Mama. I didn't expect to see you home this early."
"Boss sent me home. Said I needed some rest."
"Mama, somebody stopped by today. Kathie came by. In fact, she's still
here. She says she wrote to me, but I only got a few letters. I thought
maybe you would know what happened to them."
"You don't need that girl. I did what I had to."
"So you admit you did it?"
"Yes. If you leave, what will I do?"
"Learn to do stuff on your own. I've been around long enough. Too long,
actually. You should have let me go with Dad."
"I should have. You're just like him."
"Thanks, Mama. That's the nicest thing you've ever said to me. Now, you
go to sleep. I got things I need to do." He went back to his room where
Kathie was waiting for him. "She says she did. Now all I have to do is
find them. I'm really curious to see what you wrote."
"Why should it matter, Johnny? That was a long time ago. Things have
changed since then."
"Not everything, sweetheart. That's what today was all about. Think
about what I said. I meant it all."
As soon as she was gone, he set about to find the missing letters. He
hated going into his mother's room, but this time it was necessary. The
room was a mess. Bottles littered the floor along with cigarette butts
and dirty clothes.
He looked everywhere for the letters, but he couldn't find them. He
found a picture of him and his father on his eighth birthday. It had
been his last birthday with his dad and one of the last happy days of
his childhood.
He had almost given up when he noticed a box on the shelf in the
closet. Opening it, he found the letters inside. He took them back to
his room and read them. They were full of love and how much she missed
him. Reading them made him love her even more.
The next morning, as he was getting ready for work, the phone rang.
"Hello?"
"Do you still have that diamond ring?" Kathie asked.
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