Coming Attractions

by Robin Jones Gunn

  Katie’s mother looked away. But before she did, Katie was certain she saw something she never had seen before on her mother’s face. A tiny smile like a crescent moon was accented by a silver tear coming toward that moon.

  If Katie had never believed in the beauty or the power of love when it was birthed from grace, she believed in it now.

  24

  You do know that we almost gave up on you and went on to the party.” Aunt Marti made it clear she was in quite a snit by the time Katie joined the group on the field. Many families already had dispersed, including Nicole’s and Rick’s families. Doug and Tracy were still there, jostling little Daniel between them.

  “She’s here now,” Bob said. “Go ahead and present her with the lei. I have the camera ready. Then we’ll take some group shots.”

  Todd and Christy presented Katie with a beautiful orchid lei. She sniffed at it, but it didn’t have a fragrance. Over the past few years, leis had become a symbol of honor for many Rancho grads. The school website had a picture of a graduating student from Hawaii who was being congratulated by his family that had come from the islands. Many leis were stacked up to his chin. After that photo was posted, graduates wanted to share a taste of what it was like to be congratulated with a fragrant or colorful circle of flowers.

  “It’s a wonder this didn’t shrivel up and dry out completely.” Marti had a rose and carnation lei looped on her arm. She placed it over Katie’s head and made a kissing sound next to Katie’s ear.

  Katie couldn’t blame any of them for not wanting to get too close. She still was warm from running out to the field after helping her parents board Eli’s cart. Her face felt glowy from perspiration. Not to mention the scrub job she had done, trying to rub the dye off her cheeks.

  Christy touched Katie’s cheek. “So what was that about? I didn’t get it.”

  “Can you still see it?”

  “Just a little. Not like when you were on stage.”

  “Smile!” Uncle Bob called out.

  “What was it supposed to mean?”

  “Nothing.” Katie gave a big grin to the camera. “I didn’t do it on purpose. The dye came off of this ridiculous robe.”

  “Why was it only there, on your face?”

  “I was crying. My parents came, Chris. That’s where I was just now. Talking to them in the gym. Can you believe they came?”

  Christy threw her arms around Katie and hugged her tight. “Katie, that’s wonderful! I’m so happy for you!” Pulling back, Christy did a double take to make sure the robe hadn’t rubbed off on her clothes. It hadn’t.

  “Yeah, it was good that they came. It’s really, really great that you guys came. Thank you so much. I’m sorry I kept you all waiting.”

  “Understandable,” Uncle Bob said. “Glad to hear that your parents made it. Congratulations, Katie.”

  “Thank you.” She beamed her best smile, as Bob raised his camera and took the shot.

  The photo-taking then began in earnest. Katie with Christy, Katie with the entire group, Katie with just Daniel, who squirmed and stretched out his arms for his daddy to take him.

  The moment was much like she had dreamed it would be, only so different since her parents had come and gone. She was with her people. Except Nicole wasn’t there. Or Rick.

  Or Eli.

  Katie could feel the perspiration dripping down her back and from her forehead. “Do you mind if we finish with the photos and then find water somewhere? I’m burning up. I want to take off this robe.”

  Bob obliged, and the group headed back to the gym. Doug gave Katie one last hug and said they would see her over at the Doyles’.

  “I have to pick up something from my room before I go to the party,” Katie said. “From Nicole’s room, actually.”

  “We’ll meet you there.” Marti decided. “We have a map. Come, Robert. We parked over this way.”

  Christy and Todd kept in stride with Katie as she went in the side door of the gym and took a long drink from the nearest drinking fountain. She unzipped her robe and, took off her cap. “I’m burning up. Do you guys want to go on ahead too?”

  Christy and Todd looked at each other. Todd shrugged.

  “We’ll wait for you,” Christy said. “You can ride over with us, if you like. I have something I want to give you, and I’d like to do that before we get to the house.”

  The long-time trio headed for the parking lot and slipped into Todd and Christy’s car so they could drive Katie to Crown Hall. On the way Katie told them how Eli came riding in on his white golf cart and saved the day for her and Nicole a few hours earlier.

  “Eli told us about the trip the two of you took up to the mountains yesterday,” Todd said.

  “Did you see any of the pictures?” Katie asked. “I posted some of them. It was beautiful beyond description. I’m so glad we went.”

  “I haven’t seen any of your pictures, but I’m thinking of taking some of the students from the youth group up there this summer,” Todd said.

  “If you do, I’d love to go with you,” Katie said. “As a matter of fact, I’d love to help out with the youth group this summer in any way you need help.”

  “So you’re going to be around this summer?”

  “I think so.”

  “What have you decided?” Christy asked.

  “You mean, where am I going to live and work and everything? That I haven’t figured out yet. I do have one more week in the dorm.”

  “Our offer still stands,” Todd said. “You can camp out with us anytime. As long as you don’t mind sleeping on an air mattress.”

  “I think I’ll rent my own place before I impose on you guys. But thanks for the offer.”

  Katie was perspiring like crazy in the warm car. She couldn’t wait to slip into the dorm, where it was bound to be cooler. She retrieved the master key from the front desk, went to Nicole’s room, and unlocked the door. Her purse lay on Nicole’s bed along with a note saying that Nicole had gone on to the party at the Doyles’ with her parents, but the mineral powder she had mentioned was on her desk with the application brush.

  Katie decided to leave her makeup untouched and just go on to the party. Then, taking a quick glance in the mirror on her way out, Katie stopped. She looked awful. Her face was pale and moist with perspiration except for her cheeks, which looked bruised. Her hair had a ridge from the cap that had been held securely in place with Nicole’s bobby pins. And her dress felt hot and itchy.

  Katie called Christy’s cell phone. “If you guys want to go ahead, it’s going to take me a few minutes here. I can drive over in my car.”

  “We don’t mind waiting. It’s your graduation party. You can be fashionably late if you want.”

  “I’ll be as quick as I can.” Katie dashed to her room. She grabbed what she needed for the shower and did a lightning fast wash-over. A facial scrub improved on the job the paper towel had started in the gymnasium’s bathroom. She quickly rinsed her hair, figuring it would air dry with the windows down on the way to the party.

  Applying an extra layer of deodorant, Katie was about to put her new dress back on until she caught a whiff of what her perspiration had done to the garment.

  “Great. What am I going to wear?”

  Opting for the first skirt and top she could find, Katie dressed. It might not be as stylish or cute as the dress, but the outfit was fresh and clean, and so was she.

  Right before she ran out the door, Katie grabbed her new tube of mascara with the intent of putting some on in the car. Noting the immunization card next to the mascara on the dresser, she realized the profuse perspiration and fever could be the shots’ side effects.

  Practically diving into the backseat of Todd and Christy’s Volvo, Katie said, “To the party, James. And I hope you guys don’t mind if we drive there with the windows open.”

  “Did you take a shower?” Christy asked.

  “Yes. Believe me, you should be glad I did. Could you smell me before?”

  “No.
”

  “Well, that’s good.”

  “Here, open this.” Christy handed Katie a wrapped package. “This is my graduation gift to you.”

  “It’s from both of us,” Todd said.

  Christy gave him an amused look.

  “Hey!” Todd returned her look. “I watched you work on it. And I told you what a great job you were doing.”

  Katie opened the gift. “A scrapbook? Christy, I love it! I can’t believe you did this for me. No one has ever done anything like this for me. I’ve always wanted a scrapbook. Thank you, thank you, thank you!”

  “You’re welcome.”

  “Yeah,” Todd echoed. “You’re welcome. Glad you like it.”

  Christy playfully gave him a punch in the arm.

  Turning to the first page, Katie burst out laughing. The photo was really old. Their high school friend, Janelle, had taken the picture of the two of them in their pjs at a sleepover. That was when Christy and Katie had met. It was also the night the group had gone out in the middle of the night and toilet papered Rick Doyle’s house in Escondido. That was the start of Christy and Katie’s friendship.

  “I can’t believe you have this picture!”

  “There’s more. Lots of really good ones. It took me awhile to round them up. Wait till you see the ones of us from the Lake Shasta water-skiing trip.”

  “This is one from our yearbook, isn’t it?” Katie held up the book and pointed to a photo of her playing volleyball for the Kelley High team. “I remember this because you were on yearbook staff, and I was so into being with Michael that semester that I was late for the team photo. Or did I miss it altogether?”

  “I’m not sure. That was a rough stretch for our friendship, but we survived.”

  “Yeah, I was a little on the obstinate side back then.”

  “Back then?” Todd asked.

  Katie ignored his teasing and turned the page. “Oh, this is a good one. Did you take this on our ski trip or on a snow day?”

  “That was from the ski trip. Keep going. There’s a great shot of us from the Christmas you worked as an elf at the mall.”

  “You have one from that Christmas?” Katie turned a few pages until she found the photo of her wearing the pointy elf ears and equally pointy elf shoes. “This is hilarious! How come you’re not dressed up too?”

  “I worked at the pet store, remember?”

  “Oh, right. Hey, that reminds me. Do you think that pet store is still there? I need a dove. I was going to rent one, but turns out the guy only sells them. I think he’s charging too much. I thought maybe your old boss would give me a break.”

  “What do you need a dove for?” Christy asked.

  Katie told her about the plans she and Nicole were formulating for the secret compartment in the woman of honor bouquet.

  “Great idea,” Todd said. “Love the symbolism. We should have done that, Kilikina.”

  Even though Todd’s use of Christy’s romantic-sounding Hawaiian nickname seemed to soften his suggestion, Christy shot him another tell-me-you’re-joking look and made no comment.

  They were at the Doyles’ house by then. Cars lined the street, so Todd pulled up to the driveway and dropped the two of them off, saying he would go down the block to find a parking place.

  As Christy and Katie walked up to the front door, Katie complained that she had forgotten her camera.

  “I have mine. I’ll take some pictures for you. Did you happen to get a shot with your parents?”

  “Yes, Julia took a couple.”

  “That’s good.”

  “I know, but I wanted to get a picture of Eli. I thought he should have a photo to send his parents.”

  “Maybe Julia took one of him as well.”

  Katie wasn’t certain she had seen Julia snap any of Eli, but then Katie had been wrapped up with her parents at the time.

  “I’ll make sure I take some pictures of Eli here at the party,” Christy said.

  “It won’t be the same.” Framed in Katie’s imagination was the image of a grinning Eli in his cap and gown. First on the cart during their wild ride and then when he was leaving the gym in his act of kindness toward her parents.

  “The same as what?”

  “The same as when he had on his cap and gown. His hair was going every which way and he had that grin…”

  Christy stopped and put her hand on Katie’s arm. Her eyes were wide. “Katie!”

  “What?”

  “Hello!”

  “Hello to you too. What did I miss?”

  “Apparently quite a lot. Or maybe I was the one who missed it.”

  “What are you talking about?” Katie checked the bottoms of her shoes. “Did I step in something? Is the black still showing on my face?”

  “No.” Christy stared at her, a little smile playing on her lips. “All I have to say to you, Katie girl, is stay tuned for coming attractions.”

  Katie gave her an odd look in response. She remembered using that phrase with Rick months ago, although she couldn’t remember why.

  Hearing Christy say it now, Katie said, “That line sounds like it’s from the start of an old DVD or something.”

  “Oh, it’s the start of something, that’s for sure.”

  Christy turned and walked up the steps, leaving Katie standing in the Doyles’ driveway with both hands on her hips. Katie wasn’t tracking with Christy at all. But that didn’t surprise her. Her head and her heart were a bit on overload at the moment. Shaking off her friend’s odd behavior, Katie joined Christy at the front door.

  Christy rang the doorbell, and Katie thought of how far all of them had come since the night she and Christy toilet papered Rick’s old house and then scrambled to run or hide in the bushes.

  Right now, hiding in the bushes sounded like something Katie wanted to do. She just wasn’t sure why.

  25

  Rick’s mom had once again outdone herself in throwing a first-class party. That was good because it meant that, due to the nice-sized crowd that had collected at the spacious home, Katie and Christy slipped in without its being obvious they were among the last to arrive.

  It also meant that Marti had cozied right up to Rick’s mom in a lengthy conversation about everything from appetizers to spa treatments. Katie could hear them chatting as she filled a plate with delicious nibbles from the dining room table, which was bubbling over with good things to eat.

  All seemed to be going great until Marti spied Katie. Changing the subject, Marti said, “Of course, when the time comes for Rick and Katie to make their special announcement, I would love to host a party for them at our home.”

  Rick’s mom looked stunned. She turned to Katie.

  Katie quickly moved over next to Marti and said, “We won’t be making any special announcements. Rick and I aren’t together anymore.”

  “What!” Marti’s exclamation shut down several nearby conversations, as half a dozen guests looked to see what was going on. “You and Rick broke up? When? Why wasn’t I told?”

  Katie was aware that a number of people were listening for her answer. She tried to choose her words carefully and kept her voice low. “We broke up a couple of months ago.”

  Marti looked enraged. “And you’re telling me now? Do you have any idea what I went through to secure the Newport Beach Yacht Club for you? I have them holding three separate weekends for you. Two in November and one in October.”

  “The Yacht Club? For me? Why in the world did you reserve the Yacht Club for me?”

  Marti pointed her finger at Katie. “When you were a guest in my home, you distinctly said you and Rick were waiting until after graduation to make your announcement. You said six months was a good length of time for an engagement. That means a fall wedding. I was right there when you said it.”

  “I never said that!” Now Katie was the one whose voice was elevated. “You were the one who said that. All of it. All those plans and dates were something you came up with in your own little mind. Rick and I never s
aid anything more than that we were going to wait until after the café opened and I graduated before we made any decisions about what was next.”

  “That is not what you said.”

  “Marti, no one asked you to make reservations at any yacht clubs for any reason!”

  Rick had appeared at Katie’s side and slipped his arm through hers. In his smooth, authoritative voice, Rick said, “We both would like to apologize for not communicating with you, Marti. We had no idea you were working on any arrangements for us. We’re very sorry for the inconvenience we’ve caused you. Isn’t that right, Katie?”

  She felt his arm tighten as he flexed his muscle.

  “Yes, very sorry.”

  Other partygoers had shuffled into the dining room area to find out what all the ruckus was. Rick kept his arm linked through Katie’s, as he turned to the extended crowd. “I guess this is my oversight. I apologize. Apparently, I have an announcement I should have made earlier. Since Katie is right here and since she and I are in agreement on this, we have an announcement to make.”

  Katie looked up at Rick with a skeptical expression and extracted her arm from his. Either he was finding a way to graciously take the focus off of Marti, or he was in league with her, and the two of them had come up with a plan to trap Katie into getting back together with him.

  She knew the second option was highly unlikely so she stood back and let Rick speak for both of them.

  He glanced at her, and she gave him a “go ahead, I trust you” look.

  “Katie and I have been friends for a long time. As a matter of fact, both of us have been friends with many of you in this room for a long time. We appreciate your friendships more than we can say. This is a time to celebrate a milestone for Katie, Nicki, and Eli.”

  Katie spotted Nicole and Eli in opposite corners, both looking at Rick, waiting to see what was going to happen next.

  “Nicki? Eli? Could the two of you join Katie and me over here?”

  Nicole and Eli made their way over to the table.

  Rick had the crowd under control. At least fifty people were filling up the large dining room area and spilling into the living room. All were turned to Rick with rapt attention. Even Marti.