have any idea what the note says?”
“Of course not. It’s folded in the shape of a boat.” Then I added, “Would a stalker or serial killer take the time to make a little paper boat?”
Mom frowned. “I don’t know.” She poured vinegar and then some olive oil into a bottle. “It’s just that Lily might be a very lonely woman. Her judgment could be clouded when it comes to men. Are you sure you should deliver this note?”
The oil and vinegar bubbled as my mother shook the bottle. “I already said I’d deliver it later tonight.” I paused. “I think I should keep my word.” But was it my word or my date with Brian that I was really worried about keeping?
I waited until I saw the Harringtons’ car leave the garage before I bounded downstairs and out the kitchen door that evening. Brian was already outside, bouncing a basketball on the driveway.
“Good timing,” he said.
I smiled. It’s easy to have good timing when you’ve 122
been waiting for forty-five minutes by your bedroom window.
Brian dribbled a few more times and tossed the ball against the backboard. It ricocheted and headed my way. I caught it and passed it to Brian. He passed it back. “Take a shot,” he said. “We’ll do a little one on one.”
I dribbled a few times and shot from the side. My
“sweet spot.” I knew nothing about sports but somehow when I played basketball with my brother, I was always able to make a basket from that angle. “Yes!” I shouted as the ball went through the hoop.
“Not bad,” Brian said. “A girl who can shoot a basket. Maybe Grams was right.”
“What do you mean?”
Brian took a few more shots. “She said you were the perfect girl for me.”
I caught the ball on the rebound and dribbled. Be cool. Be cool. Dribble the ball like you’re not totally losing it. “Do you believe everything Grams says?” Brian stole the ball from me and laughed. “Almost.”
“So,” I stammered, changing the subject before I made a complete fool of myself, “is Grams waiting for us?”
Brian hesitated. “I didn’t mention it to her. I really wanted you to come over tonight, but I’m still not sure it’s a good idea to give Grams the note—maybe 123
we should read it first.”
I’d been all for privacy before, but Brian seemed nervous. “Okay,” I said. “I guess we could—just to make sure it doesn’t say anything that could upset her.” I took out the note and unfolded it. It had gotten dark so Brian and I stepped onto the porch. The frogs, hidden away in the night, whirred around us as we stood under the lamplight. Brian’s shoulder touched my cheek lightly and I tried to keep my hands from trembling as we read:
Dear Miss Lily,
I am wondering if you would do me the honor of joining me for dinner next Sunday. Please, if this is acceptable to you.
Your admiring fan,
Captain Miguel Velasquez
We stood there for a long time, as if we each had to sound out the words syllable by syllable, neither of us breaking apart. I felt the warmth of Brian’s breath on my arm as my blood raced through me. It was as if nothing else existed—like it was just Brian and me, reading the note inside one of his parents’ snow globes.
“Awww,” I finally said in a whisper. “That’s so cute.
He’s such a gentleman. Shall we give it to her now?” Brian shrugged. “I guess it’ll be okay if he took her 124
out to dinner. It’s her decision anyway, right?”
“Right.”
Once we were all in the cottage, Brian relaxed a little. Lily poured us some green tea. “What brings you here again?” she said.
“We delivered your note to the captain,” I answered.
Lily’s eyes sparkled. “You did? And what did he say?” I produced the note that Brian and I had been unable to refold into its original boat shape but had just neatly folded into a square. Lily took it and read aloud to us, her voice cracking at the end. “How lovely,” she said. And then she folded the note in half and put it
“Of course not. It’s folded in the shape of a boat.” Then I added, “Would a stalker or serial killer take the time to make a little paper boat?”
Mom frowned. “I don’t know.” She poured vinegar and then some olive oil into a bottle. “It’s just that Lily might be a very lonely woman. Her judgment could be clouded when it comes to men. Are you sure you should deliver this note?”
The oil and vinegar bubbled as my mother shook the bottle. “I already said I’d deliver it later tonight.” I paused. “I think I should keep my word.” But was it my word or my date with Brian that I was really worried about keeping?
I waited until I saw the Harringtons’ car leave the garage before I bounded downstairs and out the kitchen door that evening. Brian was already outside, bouncing a basketball on the driveway.
“Good timing,” he said.
I smiled. It’s easy to have good timing when you’ve 122
been waiting for forty-five minutes by your bedroom window.
Brian dribbled a few more times and tossed the ball against the backboard. It ricocheted and headed my way. I caught it and passed it to Brian. He passed it back. “Take a shot,” he said. “We’ll do a little one on one.”
I dribbled a few times and shot from the side. My
“sweet spot.” I knew nothing about sports but somehow when I played basketball with my brother, I was always able to make a basket from that angle. “Yes!” I shouted as the ball went through the hoop.
“Not bad,” Brian said. “A girl who can shoot a basket. Maybe Grams was right.”
“What do you mean?”
Brian took a few more shots. “She said you were the perfect girl for me.”
I caught the ball on the rebound and dribbled. Be cool. Be cool. Dribble the ball like you’re not totally losing it. “Do you believe everything Grams says?” Brian stole the ball from me and laughed. “Almost.”
“So,” I stammered, changing the subject before I made a complete fool of myself, “is Grams waiting for us?”
Brian hesitated. “I didn’t mention it to her. I really wanted you to come over tonight, but I’m still not sure it’s a good idea to give Grams the note—maybe 123
we should read it first.”
I’d been all for privacy before, but Brian seemed nervous. “Okay,” I said. “I guess we could—just to make sure it doesn’t say anything that could upset her.” I took out the note and unfolded it. It had gotten dark so Brian and I stepped onto the porch. The frogs, hidden away in the night, whirred around us as we stood under the lamplight. Brian’s shoulder touched my cheek lightly and I tried to keep my hands from trembling as we read:
Dear Miss Lily,
I am wondering if you would do me the honor of joining me for dinner next Sunday. Please, if this is acceptable to you.
Your admiring fan,
Captain Miguel Velasquez
We stood there for a long time, as if we each had to sound out the words syllable by syllable, neither of us breaking apart. I felt the warmth of Brian’s breath on my arm as my blood raced through me. It was as if nothing else existed—like it was just Brian and me, reading the note inside one of his parents’ snow globes.
“Awww,” I finally said in a whisper. “That’s so cute.
He’s such a gentleman. Shall we give it to her now?” Brian shrugged. “I guess it’ll be okay if he took her 124
out to dinner. It’s her decision anyway, right?”
“Right.”
Once we were all in the cottage, Brian relaxed a little. Lily poured us some green tea. “What brings you here again?” she said.
“We delivered your note to the captain,” I answered.
Lily’s eyes sparkled. “You did? And what did he say?” I produced the note that Brian and I had been unable to refold into its original boat shape but had just neatly folded into a square. Lily took it and read aloud to us, her voice cracking at the end. “How lovely,” she said. And then she folded the note in half and put it
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