Taken by Storm by Angela Morrison

LOG—VOLUME#8
     

    Leesie’s dad’s pig has a bunch of new babies. Or a bunch of pigs have a new baby. Something like that. She’s psyched over piglets down at the sow barn. When i take her home, instead of making out in Gram’s car like we usually do, we leave it parked by the front steps, and she drags me down the gravel road.
     
    Leesie slips her hand in mine. “Only two weeks to the dance.” She flashes her smile. “It’s going to be so great to go with you.”
     
    “i don’t think i can.” We’re walking past their big barn. The pigs huddle together in a perfect circle. “That flyer you gave me says semiformal. i just have jeans.”
     
    “Nice try.” She hangs on to my arm now, too. “In LDS-speak that means Dockers, cords, anything like that, and a dress shirt. Let’s go shopping next Saturday. You need a winter coat, too.”
     
    “You’re getting way too bossy.”
     
    She stops walking, steps in front of me so she can kiss me. “Please,” she whispers, “it’ll be fun.”
     
    “Only if we can buy some slinky tops that show you off better.” i reach under her jacket and caress her back.
     
    “Like that even exists.” We kiss until it gets too cold standing in the road. Maybe i do need a warmer coat.
     
    Leesie pulls her leather jacket tight around her slender body. “Hey, what happened to my turtleneck?”
     
    i put my arm around her. “i burned it.”
     
    She scowls and leads me to the barn. It’s about half a mile from the house, a long metal building shaped like those houses you learn to draw in grade school. Low and ugly, nothing like the soaring wooden barn close to her house. It sits next to a tiny, murky pond.
     
    Leesie sees me eyeing the pond. “Don’t get any ideas.”
     
    “Gross, Leese. i’m not a sewer rat.”
     
    “That pond is totally clean. The ducks love it.”
     
    The pond’s surface is barren. “What ducks?”
     
    “The ones flying south.”
     
    We linger at the edge of the pond waiting for ducks. i stand behind her with my arms around her middle, my face in her hair. “Speaking of diving—”
     
    “We weren’t—”
     
    “i called the dive shop in Spokane. They run trips over to the wrecks near Vancouver. Advanced heart-pumping stuff.” i hug her.“How far is Vancouver?”
     
    She tenses up. “How can you want to dive a wreck?”
     
    “Probably too rough this time of year. Summertime, though. We should check it out.”
     
    “You’ve totally lost me. What am I supposed to do? Paddle around in my canoe?”
     
    “Learn to dive. Scuba is so easy, babe.” i nuzzle her neck to get her to relax. “Your fear of the water will disappear after the first day.” She’s still uptight. i try rubbing her shoulders, but she shrugs away. “i know there’s still a fish swimming around inside you.”
     
    “Did the doctor change his mind?” Why does she go there?
     
    “i need to dive.” That comes out too harsh. “i never realized how hard it would be.” i try to keep my voice in coax mode. “If you go with me, it makes it all easy.”
     
    “But I can’t keep you safe.”
     
    i’m hanging on to playing nice by a strand of her gorgeous hair. “i’ll keep you safe.”
     
    She shakes her head. “The doctor said—”
     
    “Come on, babe.” i lean over and kiss her temple. “Dive with me,” i breathe into her ear. “i need something from you.”
     
    She twists in my arms so she can scold me eye to eye. Her face drifts deep into frown territory. “I’m doing my best.”
     
    “Shopping trips and dances? i’m not a chick.” i capture her lower lip and suck on it. “Learn to dive.” i kiss her again and whisper, “Be my buddy.”
     
    She settles her face on my neck. “You’ve got yourself convinced diving will make your parents’ deaths go away.”
     
    Now i tense up.
     
    She strokes my face. “It won’t. Nothing will. You need to open up. Talk to me. Cry.”
     
    i push back from her. “Like i really need a