sky. Flowers decorated tables of finger foods, cake, and punch. Leigh
finally slipped off her black graduation gown and showed off her new coral dress, whose short skirt instantly brought her
mother’s disapproval. “Your skirt wasn’t that short when we bought it.”
Leigh gave her mother an innocent smile, admitting nothing. This was not the moment to thank her Grandmother Sinclair for
teaching her how to put in a professional-looking hem. Instead, Leigh turned to greet longtime neighbors and accept their
felicitations. Then Minnie was at her elbow.
“That Cherise seems very nice.”
Remembering all that Aunt Jerusha had said on the day JFK died—about Minnie raising Frank after his parent’s divorce, Leigh’s
nerves tightened another notch. “Yes, Cheriseis a good friend.” Leigh chose her words with care. “She graduates next year.”
Minnie nodded. “Frank tells me the three of you have been writing him.”
Leigh tried to analyze Minnie’s tone. She couldn’t, so she just nodded.
“I hope you have given up any thought that Frank will pursue you,” Minnie murmured under the cover of all the other voices.
“Or maybe I should say, I hope
you’ve
given up any idea of pursuing him?”
Leigh was blindsided. She’d never expected Frank’s grandmother to bring this up. Frantically, she weighed different responses
before finally saying, “Frank has made it clear that he isn’t interested in me as a girlfriend.”
Minnie searched Leigh’s face as if somehow matching her words against her intentions. “Frank is doing well in the military.
I think he will go far.”
“I’m glad for him.” Leigh’s heart sped up as if she were lying.
Then Mary Beth called out, “Come on. Someone take a picture of the three of us with our soldier before we have to leave.”
She claimed one of Frank’s arms. Smiling, Cherise took the other and Leigh stepped in front of Frank a little to one side.
Mary Beth’s father, whose hair had begun to grow longer over the past year, clicked away with the fancy Canon that hung around
his neck.
When he was done, Leigh turned and smiled at Frank. “I’m so glad you were able to make it. I hope we can have time to talk
in this crowd.”
“Oh, I wouldn’t want to monopolize the graduate,” he sidestepped her adroitly.
Leigh tried not to be put off by the rebuff. She wanted to touch his arm, but she sensed his grandmother’s hostile starescaring her back. Regardless, Leigh went on in a low tone, “Frank, I don’t want to put any pressure on you. 1 just want you
to know that 1 still treasure our friendship—”
“As do I.” His set expression, his terse words warned her away.
It was a stern warning she found she couldn’t ignore. Frustrated, she retreated to safer ground. “So you decided to re-up?”
“Yes.” He gave her an easy smile. “Alter my promotion to first lieutenant, I decided to for another hitch. I’ll he heading
to Nam soon.”
His news made her tingle with uneasiness. “Viet Nam? Oh, Frank—”
“Now, don’t worry about me,” he said dismissively. “I’ve already been through the wringer with my mother, the peacenik. I’ll
just be there as an advisor.”
Leigh pursed her lips. Viet Nam seemed a very long way away. But before she could say any more, Frank had turned slightly
to be introduced to Cherise’s mother. Me smiled down at Cherise, answering a question Leigh didn’t hear.
Leigh noted his special expression as he gazed down at Cherise and she froze. The expression was one of attraction and pleasure,
and Cherise studied Frank with something like wonder.
Frank had come to see Leigh, but he’d come as a soldier protected by impenetrable armor. A shield to keep her from reaching
him. But he’d lowered his mask for Cherise, who teased him with a nothing bunch of words, flirting effortlessly. He grinned
and looked entranced.
Watching this, Leigh’s heart squeezed together, nearly making
finally slipped off her black graduation gown and showed off her new coral dress, whose short skirt instantly brought her
mother’s disapproval. “Your skirt wasn’t that short when we bought it.”
Leigh gave her mother an innocent smile, admitting nothing. This was not the moment to thank her Grandmother Sinclair for
teaching her how to put in a professional-looking hem. Instead, Leigh turned to greet longtime neighbors and accept their
felicitations. Then Minnie was at her elbow.
“That Cherise seems very nice.”
Remembering all that Aunt Jerusha had said on the day JFK died—about Minnie raising Frank after his parent’s divorce, Leigh’s
nerves tightened another notch. “Yes, Cheriseis a good friend.” Leigh chose her words with care. “She graduates next year.”
Minnie nodded. “Frank tells me the three of you have been writing him.”
Leigh tried to analyze Minnie’s tone. She couldn’t, so she just nodded.
“I hope you have given up any thought that Frank will pursue you,” Minnie murmured under the cover of all the other voices.
“Or maybe I should say, I hope
you’ve
given up any idea of pursuing him?”
Leigh was blindsided. She’d never expected Frank’s grandmother to bring this up. Frantically, she weighed different responses
before finally saying, “Frank has made it clear that he isn’t interested in me as a girlfriend.”
Minnie searched Leigh’s face as if somehow matching her words against her intentions. “Frank is doing well in the military.
I think he will go far.”
“I’m glad for him.” Leigh’s heart sped up as if she were lying.
Then Mary Beth called out, “Come on. Someone take a picture of the three of us with our soldier before we have to leave.”
She claimed one of Frank’s arms. Smiling, Cherise took the other and Leigh stepped in front of Frank a little to one side.
Mary Beth’s father, whose hair had begun to grow longer over the past year, clicked away with the fancy Canon that hung around
his neck.
When he was done, Leigh turned and smiled at Frank. “I’m so glad you were able to make it. I hope we can have time to talk
in this crowd.”
“Oh, I wouldn’t want to monopolize the graduate,” he sidestepped her adroitly.
Leigh tried not to be put off by the rebuff. She wanted to touch his arm, but she sensed his grandmother’s hostile starescaring her back. Regardless, Leigh went on in a low tone, “Frank, I don’t want to put any pressure on you. 1 just want you
to know that 1 still treasure our friendship—”
“As do I.” His set expression, his terse words warned her away.
It was a stern warning she found she couldn’t ignore. Frustrated, she retreated to safer ground. “So you decided to re-up?”
“Yes.” He gave her an easy smile. “Alter my promotion to first lieutenant, I decided to for another hitch. I’ll he heading
to Nam soon.”
His news made her tingle with uneasiness. “Viet Nam? Oh, Frank—”
“Now, don’t worry about me,” he said dismissively. “I’ve already been through the wringer with my mother, the peacenik. I’ll
just be there as an advisor.”
Leigh pursed her lips. Viet Nam seemed a very long way away. But before she could say any more, Frank had turned slightly
to be introduced to Cherise’s mother. Me smiled down at Cherise, answering a question Leigh didn’t hear.
Leigh noted his special expression as he gazed down at Cherise and she froze. The expression was one of attraction and pleasure,
and Cherise studied Frank with something like wonder.
Frank had come to see Leigh, but he’d come as a soldier protected by impenetrable armor. A shield to keep her from reaching
him. But he’d lowered his mask for Cherise, who teased him with a nothing bunch of words, flirting effortlessly. He grinned
and looked entranced.
Watching this, Leigh’s heart squeezed together, nearly making
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