This" on the radio as we floated into a slow dance. Joel's dancing was as smooth as whipped cream. But I kept thinking I should be dancing with Nolan at my brother's farewell party, not Joel.
Chapter Seven
When the last guest was gone, the last dish washed and wiped, I went up to my room and flopped down on my bed. There had been lots of hugs and farewell kisses for Karl. I got my share too, good-natured ones from his buddies. Caprice stayed to "visit" some more with Karl, so Joel and I had a moment alone when he said good-bye. "Great party," he said. Then he'd given me a little kiss on the cheek, quick enough to be a just-friends kiss.
"Hey, sleepyhead, don't drift off. I need the keys to my car." Karl stood in my doorway, his face radiating good cheer.
I grabbed the keys and tossed them to Karl. "Going submarine watching with Caprice?"
Karl grinned. "Yeah, we might stop at the beach on the way to her house."
"Don't do anything I wouldn't do."
"That doesn't leave much." Karl laughed.
I looked for something to throw at his back as he left, but everything around me was breakable. Just as well. Though Karl was only teasing, I figured it meant he wasn't too worried about me and Nolan. And if he wasn't too worried, then he wouldn't say anything to Mama and Papa. If he were going to be around longer, I'd have time to explain to him that there was nothing wrong with Nolan. Mama and Papa would disapprove only because he was a folksinger who performed in coffeehouses. That was their problem, not mine.
I wished I could talk to Nolan, tell him about the party, hear about his day at the beach. Maybe he was miserable without me. Well, I could hope. But I would not be jealous. There was no reason to be. Nolan said so. How many times had he said my worrying about him and other girls was all in my mind. I just needed to remember that.
To avoid staring at the phone in hopes that Nolan would call, I decided to go down the hall to the bathroom to brush my teeth. It wasn't much, but I had to do it anyway. On the way, I saw that the door to Karl's room was open. His duffle bag sat on the floor and the contents were spread around all around the room, draped on the bed, the dresser, even the wastebasket. The Navy had not turned him into a neat-nik.
On the dresser, next to some loose change, I spotted a tiny box resting on a piece of torn wrapping paper. The gift from Caprice. I couldn't help myself. I had to snoop. I tiptoed into the room, picked up the box, and carefully lifted the lid. Inside was a thin silver frame with a picture of Caprice. Though I was still adjusting to the idea of Caprice and Karl, this seemed right to me. In fact, I thought, I should have a picture of Nolan, and him one of me.
As I put the picture back, I noticed a dime sitting in the box. I thought that was odd, but maybe when Karl tossed his coins on the dresser the dime landed in the box. I placed the box back on the dresser, tiptoed out of the room, and quickly brushed my teeth. I hurried back to my room and hunted through my desk drawer until I found the manila envelope that held the remains of my school pictures. It was pretty nice, as school pictures go, and I had a couple of black-and-white wallet-sized photos left. I wondered if I should give Nolan just the picture, so he could carry it in his wallet, or put it in a frame. I decided I would give him only the picture. That way I could be casual about it. Oh, here, I had some extra photos and I thought you might like one . He would smile, thank me, and immediately slip it into his wallet. He would promise to find a special picture of himself to give to me. I put it in my wallet, so I'd be sure to have it the next time I saw him.
Just then the phone rang. Nolan! I answered on the first ring.
"Hello, Vija, it's Mrs. Kukk."
"Oh. Hello." I struggled to keep the disappointment out of my voice.
"Could you baby -sit for the boys tomorrow evening? About seven? It'll be just two or three
Chapter Seven
When the last guest was gone, the last dish washed and wiped, I went up to my room and flopped down on my bed. There had been lots of hugs and farewell kisses for Karl. I got my share too, good-natured ones from his buddies. Caprice stayed to "visit" some more with Karl, so Joel and I had a moment alone when he said good-bye. "Great party," he said. Then he'd given me a little kiss on the cheek, quick enough to be a just-friends kiss.
"Hey, sleepyhead, don't drift off. I need the keys to my car." Karl stood in my doorway, his face radiating good cheer.
I grabbed the keys and tossed them to Karl. "Going submarine watching with Caprice?"
Karl grinned. "Yeah, we might stop at the beach on the way to her house."
"Don't do anything I wouldn't do."
"That doesn't leave much." Karl laughed.
I looked for something to throw at his back as he left, but everything around me was breakable. Just as well. Though Karl was only teasing, I figured it meant he wasn't too worried about me and Nolan. And if he wasn't too worried, then he wouldn't say anything to Mama and Papa. If he were going to be around longer, I'd have time to explain to him that there was nothing wrong with Nolan. Mama and Papa would disapprove only because he was a folksinger who performed in coffeehouses. That was their problem, not mine.
I wished I could talk to Nolan, tell him about the party, hear about his day at the beach. Maybe he was miserable without me. Well, I could hope. But I would not be jealous. There was no reason to be. Nolan said so. How many times had he said my worrying about him and other girls was all in my mind. I just needed to remember that.
To avoid staring at the phone in hopes that Nolan would call, I decided to go down the hall to the bathroom to brush my teeth. It wasn't much, but I had to do it anyway. On the way, I saw that the door to Karl's room was open. His duffle bag sat on the floor and the contents were spread around all around the room, draped on the bed, the dresser, even the wastebasket. The Navy had not turned him into a neat-nik.
On the dresser, next to some loose change, I spotted a tiny box resting on a piece of torn wrapping paper. The gift from Caprice. I couldn't help myself. I had to snoop. I tiptoed into the room, picked up the box, and carefully lifted the lid. Inside was a thin silver frame with a picture of Caprice. Though I was still adjusting to the idea of Caprice and Karl, this seemed right to me. In fact, I thought, I should have a picture of Nolan, and him one of me.
As I put the picture back, I noticed a dime sitting in the box. I thought that was odd, but maybe when Karl tossed his coins on the dresser the dime landed in the box. I placed the box back on the dresser, tiptoed out of the room, and quickly brushed my teeth. I hurried back to my room and hunted through my desk drawer until I found the manila envelope that held the remains of my school pictures. It was pretty nice, as school pictures go, and I had a couple of black-and-white wallet-sized photos left. I wondered if I should give Nolan just the picture, so he could carry it in his wallet, or put it in a frame. I decided I would give him only the picture. That way I could be casual about it. Oh, here, I had some extra photos and I thought you might like one . He would smile, thank me, and immediately slip it into his wallet. He would promise to find a special picture of himself to give to me. I put it in my wallet, so I'd be sure to have it the next time I saw him.
Just then the phone rang. Nolan! I answered on the first ring.
"Hello, Vija, it's Mrs. Kukk."
"Oh. Hello." I struggled to keep the disappointment out of my voice.
"Could you baby -sit for the boys tomorrow evening? About seven? It'll be just two or three
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