by Claire Fogel
Right after school, Kevin and I drove to her house to see her. For the past two days, we’d only spoken to her over the phone. We were both looking forward to a full-fledged reunion of what we used to call “the three musketeers.”
When Amy opened the front door, we were immediately enveloped in a three-way hug with Amy actually hopping up and down and laughing. Her mom was laughing too as she invited us in and promptly sat us down in the den, placing warm apple strudel in front of us.
“Cara, Kevin, you must be hungry. Please eat and I’ll bring the coffee in.” She bustled back into the kitchen, returning with a fresh pot of coffee. I could smell the cinnamon, her secret ingredient. Everything smelled wonderful.
Amy and Kevin just grinned at each other, holding hands until I cleared my throat. “I hate to break up this little reunion, you two, but hello! There are three of us here, you know.” I couldn’t help giggling; they were so transparent.
“Cara, I’m sorry,” Amy said with a laugh. “I hope you know how happy I am to see both of you. And I know we have a lot to talk about, but first, apple strudel. Mom just took it out of the oven, so dig in!”
Despite the big smile that covered her freckled face, Amy had lost quite a bit of weight while she was in the hospital. I was sure Mrs. Strauss would get her back to her fighting weight quickly, especially if she continued to bake apple strudel.
“This is delicious, Mrs. Strauss, thank you.” Kevin’s mouth was too full for him to speak so he just nodded and winked at Amy’s mom. She laughed and returned to the kitchen, giving us some privacy to talk.
When we were finally able to put our forks down, Amy said, “Cara, I have to thank your father. It was as though I was dreaming, one dream after another, until I heard his deep voice. When I heard his words, I knew I had to wake up.” She laughed. “I guess I can finally understand how you felt when he began speaking to you mentally. His voice is so great, you know, like velvet. He is totally amazing.”
“Yeah, he is. And now you know that you’re a Halfling too, like Kevin and me. No wonder we’ve always been drawn to each other. Even at five, we must have unconsciously known we were alike.”
Amy nodded. “When Mom told me about my biological father, I wasn’t really surprised, you know? So many things began to make sense. But I love my dad even more now. He’s loved me and taken care of me since the day I was born, even though he knew he hadn’t actually fathered me. He’s such a good man.”
I smiled. “Yeah, both your parents are exceptional, Amy. That’s why I’ve always loved spending time here. Well, that and your mom’s baking!”
Kevin added, “You really hit the jackpot with your parents, Amy.”
I knew he was thinking of his own situation at home, which really needed improvement. As far as I knew, his mother was still not speaking to his father, who was living in the woods at my father’s camp just to be closer to Kevin.
Grinning, Amy asked, “So when can I visit Elvenwood, Cara? You know I’ve been dying to see the village, especially the old-fashioned kitchen with the huge fireplaces.”
“Well, we might have to wait until spring, especially after all the snow we’ve had. But I promise to take you the first non-freezing day we have.”
She was wearing an evil little smile for a minute or two. She met my eyes and then winked. I knew she was thinking of Neal, the Elven bodyguard who had ended their friendship because of his parents’ prejudice against “human” girls. I was sure Kevin was aware of it too.
He glanced at me, smiling, and added, “His loss, my gain.”
Amy blushed. Her voice was soft as she squeezed Kevin’s hand. “He doesn’t hold a candle to you, Kev.”
Amy would be back in school the following week, just in time for our mid-term exams. When she realized how much time she’d lost in school, she began to panic, but Kevin assured her he would help her catch up, starting that very day. He had all of her school books and the homework she’d missed.
“With Kevin tutoring you, you have nothing to worry about,” I told her. “Remember, he’s the one responsible for that “B” I got on my Trig exam last year.”
Her eyebrows went up. “Yeah, that’s right. You thought you were going to flunk Trig.”
Kevin gave her a one-armed hug and grinned. “You’re in good hands now, Red.”
I just smiled. All was right with my best friends again. And that was more important than anything else.
Mid-terms would begin in exactly four days. Because of basketball practice every afternoon, Sean had to do his studying at night. I hadn’t even started. Our plan had been to study together, but life—and basketball—had gotten in the way. I didn’t really think I’d fail anything, but my grades wouldn’t impress anyone either.
As soon as my daily trips to the hospital ended, Sean asked if I’d like him to come over in the evenings so he could help me cram for mid-terms. I agreed immediately.
Mom and Dad stayed out of the kitchen so that Sean and I could study at the kitchen table. With only three nights left before our exams would begin, I needed all the help I could get.
“You don’t remember any of the recent material?” he asked, obviously surprised.
I shook my head, embarrassed. “I wasn’t able to think about anything other than Amy and Kevin during our classes.” I snorted. “Multi-tasking isn’t one of my talents.”
“Okay. My notes will help.” They were, as usual, thorough and detailed.
I muttered, “I don’t know how I’m gonna get through the course work in Art school without you. Your notes are so complete.”
He smiled. “Too bad Barrett doesn’t have a baseball team.” I had to laugh.
I tried to discipline my easily distracted brain. I’d be visiting The Barrett Art Institute’s Dean of Students later this month, and I didn’t want her to decide that I was talented but dumb. My GPA was not going to knock her socks off.
Our mid-term exams weren’t as bad as I’d expected, thanks to Sean’s notes. I managed to score B’s and one surprising A in Environmental Science! The A in Art was a given, of course. Mom invited Sean over for lasagna to celebrate.
Our celebratory dinner was fun, especially because Mom and Dad were so pleased with the two A’s I’d received. This was not a common occurrence for me. I had to give Sean most of the credit for my better than usual grades.
When I walked Sean to the front door later that evening, his hugs were tighter, his kisses more passionate, and I realized I’d let his feelings for me go on for too long.
Despite the fact that he knew I wasn’t in love with him, I suspected he might think my attraction to him would turn into love eventually.
I knew it wouldn’t. My heart belonged to Adam Wolfe. That would never change.
My appointment with Barrett’s Dean of Students was for the last Friday in January. Mom and Dad weren’t thrilled when I insisted on going alone.
“Mom, I don’t want the people at Barrett to think I’m not capable of doing anything without my mother by my side!”
“Cara, you’re still only sixteen. I know how you feel about this, but you’re not an adult yet!”
“But I want to be thought of as an adult when I’m studying at Barrett. I won’t even be gone all day; I’ll leave here before lunch and I’ll be home in time for dinner.”
My parents looked at each other rather helplessly.
“What if I go with you?” my dad asked.
“Dad, I’ll still feel like a child. I think I can handle one afternoon away from home.”
He shook his head. “But you’ll be more than a hundred miles away from home. What if you have car trouble? What if it snows?”
I sighed. “I have triple-A for car trouble, and there’s no snow forecast. Dad, you and Mom worry too much.”
Reluctantly, they finally agreed I could make the trip alone. When I told Sean, he made the same face my father had made.
“Cara, I’d go with you if I didn’t have a game Friday night.”
�
�I’ll be fine. You all worry too much. I’ll have to take a day off from school, but I should be home in time for dinner. I might even make the game.”
Friday I set off for Syracuse alone, feeling like an adult who was certainly capable of handling her life away from home. It was a heady feeling, and I was really excited.
At two o’clock I met with Mrs. Barrett, the granddaughter of the founder, as well as the Dean of Students. I liked her immediately. Gray-haired and cheerful, she went through my portfolio of drawings and paintings slowly, finally looking up at me.
“Cara, this is excellent work. I think our art instructors will have their hands full trying to challenge you.”
“Mrs. Barrett, I’ve just begun working with watercolors. I have a lot to learn. Most of the work in my portfolio was done in pencil and pen and ink. The watercolors are the newest. I’m still developing my technique with paint.”
Nodding, she smiled. “Well, you could make a career with just your pen and ink drawings. They’re exquisite. Where were they drawn?”
“Blackthorne Forest. The forest begins where my backyard ends and I’ve spent most of my life in those woods.”
She smiled. “You’ve given those woods a mystical, romantic look. They’re charming. Do you have a mentor?”
“Well, yes. An old friend of my father’s has taken a real interest in my artwork. Both he and my Art teacher have encouraged me to work with watercolors. His name is Francis Sullivan.”
Her eyes widened instantly. Then she laughed. “Well, there’s nothing like starting at the top, Cara. You couldn’t have a more talented mentor. I have always loved his work.”
We left her office and she took me on a mini-tour, stopping in all the various art classes, specializing in oils, watercolors, and acrylics, and then their photography studio. The instructors in each class came over and introduced themselves, all of them seeming surprised that I would be a new student in the fall, and all of them asking my age.
When we walked out of the last class, Mrs. Barrett smiled and explained, “Cara, you don’t look old enough to be out of high school, but when they see your work, I think they’ll quickly forget how young you are.”
I hoped she was right. During the past twenty minutes, I had gone from feeling quite adult to feeling like a child!
At three-thirty I left her office and walked to my car parked behind the administration building. The sky showed a heavy gray cloud cover, and I began to worry.
At three-forty, it began to snow, my windshield becoming a solid sheet of white in seconds. I turned on my windshield wipers, which succeeded in allowing me to see only a few feet ahead. There was almost no visibility. I saw a van ahead with its flashers on so I pulled over to the curb behind it and parked, sighing deeply. My parents had been right to worry. There was no way I’d be making it home tonight.
I called Mrs. Barrett on my cell and asked if there was a decent motel nearby. She was obviously surprised at the sudden change in the weather and told me to come right back to her office. Thankfully, I had only driven a few blocks from campus when I had to stop.
The van I’d parked behind turned off its flashers and pulled out right in front of my car, which at least gave me another vehicle to follow. I couldn’t see further than the van in front of me so I hoped he was going in the same direction. We turned a few corners, passing houses and signs I remembered seeing on my way to Barrett, which was reassuring.
He stopped at the next corner, his headlights shining into Barrett’s parking lot entrance, and I breathed a huge sigh of relief. My unintentional Good Samaritan turned left and I drove straight into the parking lot, stopping in front of the administration building. Outside my car, everything was white with only a few lights showing in the distance.
I saw Mrs. Barrett standing in the doorway waving at me, so I guessed it was okay to leave my car parked there. I got out and sprinted to her office door where a sudden gust of wind practically blew me in.
“Cara, it’s a good thing you didn’t get very far. I’m sure we can put you up for the night in one of our dorms. A number of our students left early for the weekend. I just hope they all made it home before this storm hit. I wouldn’t want any of you out on the roads tonight. I’ll go get my coat. You’d better call home and let them know you’re safe.”
While she returned to her office, I called Mom. The storm hadn’t reached Thornewood yet, so she was surprised to hear that I couldn’t make it home.
“Mrs. Barrett says I can stay in one of the dorms tonight, so I’ll be fine. Please don’t worry. I’ll drive back as soon as the roads are open tomorrow.”
Mom spared me an ‘I told you so,’ and just said, “Be careful, dear. Stay as long as you have to. We want you home in one piece.”
As Mrs. Barrett walked me to the nearest dorm, we passed the bookstore, and I asked if I could purchase a few things I’d need overnight. She said she was sure I’d find what I needed.
The bookstore was really more of a general store, stocking toiletries, t-shirts, art supplies and stationery. There seemed to be only one person taking care of the store, but I quickly found a toothbrush, toothpaste, deodorant, and an extra-large Barrett t-shirt. I thought that would hold me for one night.
When I walked to the register at the front of the store, the young man who seemed to be the only employee looked at my items and smiled at me. “You must have been caught by our typical winter weather. Staying overnight?”
“Yes. I’ll have to stay in one of the dorms tonight. I hope I’ll be able to drive home tomorrow.” I heard a radio in the background and asked, “Have you heard the weather report yet?”
“Yep. It’s supposed to snow all night, clearing sometime in the morning. You should be able to hit the road by tomorrow afternoon.”
I smiled at him. “Thanks.”
We left and Mrs. Barrett led me to a dorm building situated right behind the bookstore.
We walked to the end of the hallway on the first floor, stopping to knock on the door of number 112. Mrs. Bennett turned to me and said, “While you were calling your mother, I called the S.A.—that’s our Student Advisor—and asked who had left for the weekend.”
The door opened and a tiny brown-eyed girl with a pale blonde pixie cut peered out at us curiously. “Hi, Mrs. Bennett. Who’s this?”
“Lily, this is Cara Blackthorne. She was here for a meeting with me this afternoon, and, unfortunately, has been stranded by this unexpected snowstorm. Since your roommate left for the weekend, I hope you won’t mind having an overnight guest.”
The tiny blonde grinned. “Not at all. Come on in, Cara.” She looked up at Mrs. Bennett. “You’ve brought me the perfect model, Mrs. B.” Turning to me, “You will model for me, won’t you?”
I shrugged. “Sure, I guess.” Then I had a disturbing thought. “I can keep my clothes on, right?”
Chuckling, Mrs. Bennett said, “You must have visited one of our Life Drawing classes on your first trip to Barrett.”
I nodded. She rolled her eyes.
Laughing, Lily said, “Don’t worry. Of course you can keep your clothes on. I really just want to photograph your face.” She moved around me, looking at me from several different angles. “Your face has a certain elfin quality, Cara, as though you might sprout wings and fly away at any moment.”
I could feel my face flush slightly when she used the term “elfin.” Hopefully, she hadn’t noticed.
Beaming, Mrs. Bennett said, “I think I can leave you in good hands, Cara. I hope you’ll enjoy spending the night with us. I live on campus so I’ll be in my office tomorrow. Please stop by before you leave for home.”
I said I would and she left, closing Lily’s door on her way out.
Lily grabbed a few pieces of clothing off the other bed and said, “Sit. Be comfortable.” As she pulled out a drawer built into one wall, she folded the clothing that had been lying on the bed and tucked it away. “These built-in drawers are how we deal with these tiny rooms. My roommate and I both
have to keep our clothing to a minimum, I’m afraid. Will you be moving into a dorm when you start attending Barrett?”
“No, my parents want to rent an apartment for me off campus.” I smiled. “I think the term, ‘co-ed housing’ scared them a little.”
“Not surprised. I hope you’re not as young as you look, Cara.”
“Sixteen. I’ll be seventeen in June.”
“Ah. You are as young as you look. Well, that may actually protect you somewhat. Most of the guys here won’t want to take advantage of someone your age, but there are always one or two with no scruples at all.”
“That won’t be a problem. I’ll be here to work on my art, not date. I’m not really planning on having much of a social life, Lily. I plan to go home every weekend, weather permitting.”
“Don’t you like boys?” she asked.
“Sure I do, but only as friends, nothing more.”
Looking confused, she asked, “Well, do you like girls?”
It finally dawned on me what she was getting at. I laughed. “I’m not gay. But, to be honest, there’s only one man in my life, and he’s not really in my life. I know that sounds weird, but it’s just that he moved away and I think he took my heart with him. I don’t want anyone else.”
She nodded. “Ooh, unrequited love? Sounds like a sad story.”
I wasn’t sure how I got on that particular subject since it’s one I usually avoided.
“I don’t really think it was unrequited. Just not approved of by my mother. He’s older . . . or I’m too young . . . or something.” I sighed deeply.
She nodded, looking sympathetic. But then she stood up, announcing, “For me, Cara, it’s out of sight, out of mind. I may try to convert you when you’re here in the fall.
“Now put your coat back on, we’ve got to go out to the Café and get something to eat. It’s dinner time!”