leave.
Gabe was more still and silent than any human being she’d ever encountered. “ Sshhhh .” And after a pause to let John get well away, said, “I’d better get out of here. Try to scoot back to the reception, and I’ll call you tomorrow.” He kissed her briefly once more, saying, “Ha! I snuck in another one.” Then he was gone.
Even though she’d let him go, Kate felt bereft. Tears filled her eyes and her throat closed in an effort to stave them off. She was irrationally hopeful and profoundly disappointed at the same time. On one hand, she was thrilled she would see Gabe again and to know he cared for her. But she was devastated to think of the next two years without his companionship or any answers to the riddles he’d just posed. And what if he met someone at boarding school? She consoled herself with the reminder it was an all-boys’ facility. As she wound her way around the building to the entrance, John and Cara found her.
“Kate! Where did you run to?” Her mother seemed far too concerned.
She knew she sounded defensive when she answered her. “I just came out for air.”
John became suspicious, scrutinizing her face. “Did you run into Gabe on your way out?”
She didn’t have the guile to lie well, so she told the truth. “I did see him as he was leaving. And I’ve been up since forever, and I just got a little hot and tired. It felt good to get away from all the noise and the crowd. We should get back to the reception, though.” She hurried past them through the door.
John and Cara followed silently, and in Kate’s opinion, flung silent accusations. She raced into the reception hall to avoid a full-on inquisition.
Chapter 9
True to his word, Gabe called the day after the wedding but seemed to be under the watchful eye of one or both of his parents because they didn’t talk long and Gabe’s conversation seemed guarded. He promised to call or text from time to time . She told him to try and have fun and to hurry back. “I’ll miss you,” she settled on after a brief silence where she struggled to say something that didn’t make her sound as needy as she felt.
His response was too light. “I’ll miss you too, Kate. We’ll get together at Thanksgiving, okay?” And that was the end of their talk.
She left later in the week for Philadelphia to stay with Will and Dana, grateful for the change in scenery and the distraction her camps and cooking obsession afforded her. She sent Gabe an e-mail about her classes and experiments in the kitchen. He responded they ran like slaves at his new school. He couldn’t wait to try some of her concoctions personally.
I’m not supposed to write to you too much, Kate. If you don’t hear from me, please know you are always in my thoughts.
XXXXXX!
Gabe
Kate was happy to be in his thoughts, because goodness, he was certainly in hers. And she was confused as to why he wasn’t allowed to communicate with her. By whom? His parents loved her like a daughter, and Cara and John thought just as highly of Gabe. Why all the secrecy?
When she returned home from Philadelphia, she touched on the topic with her mother. Without revealing any details about her exchange with Gabe at the wedding, Kate told her about Gabe’s e-mail. “Do you have any idea what he meant?”
“A little bit,” Cara hedged. “I’m sure everyone would be very happy if you and Gabe end up together, Kate. We just want to make sure you both get through school first.”
Kate was incredulous. “Am I the only one to notice tons of people date and do other things in life at the same time? Don’t you and John date and each hold down jobs, for example?”
Her mother avoided her gaze. “Well, of course you’re right.” When she faced her again, her expression was apologetic but her tone was firm. “Honestly, you need to try and put it out of your mind for a while. There are very, very good reasons not to get involved right now.”
More half-answers and mysteries. Kate
Gabe was more still and silent than any human being she’d ever encountered. “ Sshhhh .” And after a pause to let John get well away, said, “I’d better get out of here. Try to scoot back to the reception, and I’ll call you tomorrow.” He kissed her briefly once more, saying, “Ha! I snuck in another one.” Then he was gone.
Even though she’d let him go, Kate felt bereft. Tears filled her eyes and her throat closed in an effort to stave them off. She was irrationally hopeful and profoundly disappointed at the same time. On one hand, she was thrilled she would see Gabe again and to know he cared for her. But she was devastated to think of the next two years without his companionship or any answers to the riddles he’d just posed. And what if he met someone at boarding school? She consoled herself with the reminder it was an all-boys’ facility. As she wound her way around the building to the entrance, John and Cara found her.
“Kate! Where did you run to?” Her mother seemed far too concerned.
She knew she sounded defensive when she answered her. “I just came out for air.”
John became suspicious, scrutinizing her face. “Did you run into Gabe on your way out?”
She didn’t have the guile to lie well, so she told the truth. “I did see him as he was leaving. And I’ve been up since forever, and I just got a little hot and tired. It felt good to get away from all the noise and the crowd. We should get back to the reception, though.” She hurried past them through the door.
John and Cara followed silently, and in Kate’s opinion, flung silent accusations. She raced into the reception hall to avoid a full-on inquisition.
Chapter 9
True to his word, Gabe called the day after the wedding but seemed to be under the watchful eye of one or both of his parents because they didn’t talk long and Gabe’s conversation seemed guarded. He promised to call or text from time to time . She told him to try and have fun and to hurry back. “I’ll miss you,” she settled on after a brief silence where she struggled to say something that didn’t make her sound as needy as she felt.
His response was too light. “I’ll miss you too, Kate. We’ll get together at Thanksgiving, okay?” And that was the end of their talk.
She left later in the week for Philadelphia to stay with Will and Dana, grateful for the change in scenery and the distraction her camps and cooking obsession afforded her. She sent Gabe an e-mail about her classes and experiments in the kitchen. He responded they ran like slaves at his new school. He couldn’t wait to try some of her concoctions personally.
I’m not supposed to write to you too much, Kate. If you don’t hear from me, please know you are always in my thoughts.
XXXXXX!
Gabe
Kate was happy to be in his thoughts, because goodness, he was certainly in hers. And she was confused as to why he wasn’t allowed to communicate with her. By whom? His parents loved her like a daughter, and Cara and John thought just as highly of Gabe. Why all the secrecy?
When she returned home from Philadelphia, she touched on the topic with her mother. Without revealing any details about her exchange with Gabe at the wedding, Kate told her about Gabe’s e-mail. “Do you have any idea what he meant?”
“A little bit,” Cara hedged. “I’m sure everyone would be very happy if you and Gabe end up together, Kate. We just want to make sure you both get through school first.”
Kate was incredulous. “Am I the only one to notice tons of people date and do other things in life at the same time? Don’t you and John date and each hold down jobs, for example?”
Her mother avoided her gaze. “Well, of course you’re right.” When she faced her again, her expression was apologetic but her tone was firm. “Honestly, you need to try and put it out of your mind for a while. There are very, very good reasons not to get involved right now.”
More half-answers and mysteries. Kate
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