young boys, this was not Mrs. Robertson’s first encounter with the red badge of courage, and she brushed away Tammy’s apologies with apologies of her own. “I’m so sorry I’m late. My mother-in-law—the traffic—I hope the boys weren’t too much trouble— shh ! Jeff, Chris! Just hold the washcloth to it and press hard—I don’t care who started it—stop crying, Christopher, it’s just a little blood—didn’t I say no pointy things?—No one’s blaming you, Drew, so I don’t know what you’re yelling about—calm down, everyone—calm down—no, I really appreciate what a great week you and the other staff have put on—the boys have really enjoyed it—I’m coming, Chris—stop pulling on me!—can’t you see me talking to this person here?—Did you boys say thank-you to your counselor?—Yes, thank you again and sorry again that I was late—coming! Stop that, Jeff—Boys!— Boys! ”
Four car doors slammed and off went the Robertsons , Christopher getting shotgun because of his injury and Jeff cranking his window down so his stuffed dog could wave good-bye to us. In the meantime I had sidled over to my bicycle and flipped the kickstand up with my foot.
Tammy put a hand on my shoulder.
“I’d better go,” I said.
She was frowning and looked sorry for me. “Never mind all that stuff I said earlier about Jonathan. He’s an adult. He can look out for himself. Just pray he makes good decisions, okay?”
Good decisions like marrying Tammy ?
I nodded.
“And you, Frannie—” she hesitated. Forced a smile that became real after a moment. “I understand why you’re confused. You’re an intense kid. Without many other—people—in your life to care for, who care about you at the same level. It’s easy to mistake kindness for—” Another hesitation. And then, in a hearty voice, “I’m telling you—the junior high group is the place to be this summer. Invite Tanya and Minh. You know, Nelson doesn’t look so bad, now that he got his headgear off.”
“I’ll think about it.” My first urge was to get away from her. “Mistake kindness” for something else? I didn’t think Jonathan liked me back that way! I wasn’t that hopeless. Except for my huge, stupid mouth!
But after I pedaled off the patio into the parking lot, I turned to wave. Tammy was dragging her brown hair back into its banana clip, but she wasn’t looking at me. She had that faraway expression on her face again, and I wondered which of the day’s discoveries most occupied her thoughts.
Chapter 10
So consumed was I in tracking the progress of Jonathan and Caroline’s attraction—the growing rapport, the first casual touch, the first inside joke shared—that I didn’t realize my cousin Julie was making observations of her own. Not of Jonathan and Caroline, but of Caroline’s brother Eric Grant. I had ceased to pay attention to the guy, beyond thinking he was full of himself and awfully flirtatious for someone so unattractive, so Julie’s very different thoughts and feelings escaped my notice until she and Rachel got in a big argument one Sunday.
The morning began with a surprise phone call from Uncle Paul in Shanghai. Except for Tom, who was asleep, we were all getting ready for church. It was late at night in China, so the call only lasted long enough for Aunt Marie to express her complete befuddlement over the time difference and for everyone in turn to say their brief hellos. Jonathan talked to him the longest, stretching the cord into the utility room and half-shutting the door. I wondered what he had to share from the last few weeks—did he mention Caroline Grant? Julie was the last to speak to my uncle—barely more than a hello, Dad, and a yes, yes, uh-huh, uh-huh, yes, okay—but instead of hanging up afterward, she surprised me by holding out the handset: “Dad wants to say hi to you, Frannie.”
This unprecedented request took a second to sink in before I lurched up from the breakfast
Four car doors slammed and off went the Robertsons , Christopher getting shotgun because of his injury and Jeff cranking his window down so his stuffed dog could wave good-bye to us. In the meantime I had sidled over to my bicycle and flipped the kickstand up with my foot.
Tammy put a hand on my shoulder.
“I’d better go,” I said.
She was frowning and looked sorry for me. “Never mind all that stuff I said earlier about Jonathan. He’s an adult. He can look out for himself. Just pray he makes good decisions, okay?”
Good decisions like marrying Tammy ?
I nodded.
“And you, Frannie—” she hesitated. Forced a smile that became real after a moment. “I understand why you’re confused. You’re an intense kid. Without many other—people—in your life to care for, who care about you at the same level. It’s easy to mistake kindness for—” Another hesitation. And then, in a hearty voice, “I’m telling you—the junior high group is the place to be this summer. Invite Tanya and Minh. You know, Nelson doesn’t look so bad, now that he got his headgear off.”
“I’ll think about it.” My first urge was to get away from her. “Mistake kindness” for something else? I didn’t think Jonathan liked me back that way! I wasn’t that hopeless. Except for my huge, stupid mouth!
But after I pedaled off the patio into the parking lot, I turned to wave. Tammy was dragging her brown hair back into its banana clip, but she wasn’t looking at me. She had that faraway expression on her face again, and I wondered which of the day’s discoveries most occupied her thoughts.
Chapter 10
So consumed was I in tracking the progress of Jonathan and Caroline’s attraction—the growing rapport, the first casual touch, the first inside joke shared—that I didn’t realize my cousin Julie was making observations of her own. Not of Jonathan and Caroline, but of Caroline’s brother Eric Grant. I had ceased to pay attention to the guy, beyond thinking he was full of himself and awfully flirtatious for someone so unattractive, so Julie’s very different thoughts and feelings escaped my notice until she and Rachel got in a big argument one Sunday.
The morning began with a surprise phone call from Uncle Paul in Shanghai. Except for Tom, who was asleep, we were all getting ready for church. It was late at night in China, so the call only lasted long enough for Aunt Marie to express her complete befuddlement over the time difference and for everyone in turn to say their brief hellos. Jonathan talked to him the longest, stretching the cord into the utility room and half-shutting the door. I wondered what he had to share from the last few weeks—did he mention Caroline Grant? Julie was the last to speak to my uncle—barely more than a hello, Dad, and a yes, yes, uh-huh, uh-huh, yes, okay—but instead of hanging up afterward, she surprised me by holding out the handset: “Dad wants to say hi to you, Frannie.”
This unprecedented request took a second to sink in before I lurched up from the breakfast
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