by Carla Rossi
Now you’re getting it, he said, and thumped the side of his head. Now you’re thinking like a youth leader.
But I’m not a youth leader, and I’ve never done anything like this before.
It doesn’t matter. You have a gift. It’s obvious, everyone can see it. They gravitate toward you.
I don’t know.
He put his arm around her and drew her closer. Look, you said yourself you’re comfortable with that age. Remember? You said all they needed was good conversation, mutual respect, and physical activity. Those were your words. So what’s the problem?
The problem is that saying it and doing it for a whole weekend are two different things. It’s a lot of responsibility.
And you’re one of the most responsible people I know.
She snuggled in closer and absently traced circles on the front of his shirt. Are you going?
Yep. Me and Danny and Melissa’s dad will have the boys, and you and Kim and Melissa’s mom will have the girls.
Melissa’s gonna love that, Marti snickered .
See how good you are at this? You just pick up on everything.
She pushed herself away from him. All right. Enough schmoozing. I’ll think about it.
Good. You’re responsible for the Saturday morning opening prayer and devotional, and you and Kim have the campfire discussion Friday night after we arrive and get settled.
So you’ve already planned all this.
Yes, and Susan Curry is going to check on your grandma for you.
Who’ll be in the pulpit Sunday morning?
Our missionaries from Zimbabwe are visiting. The hospitality committee is taking care of that. They’re speaking next Sunday morning.
With the mention of missionaries and distant lands, she pulled both legs up under her and attached herself to his side. Like a bundle of warm silk, she molded herself against him and struggled to get even closer. She snaked her arms around him and held on tight enough to take his breath away .
What’s the matter?
It’s nothing, she mumbled into his shirt. Like you said the other night, I have a lot on my mind.
But there was more and he knew it, and he was sure it had to do with her parents. Have you heard from your dad? he asked softly, and stroked her hair .
No.
Clingy turned to distant again. She left the swing abruptly and padded to the opposite end of the porch to gaze out across the moonlit meadow .
He joined her at the rail and placed his hand on her shoulder. What is it?
I don’t want to bother you with it, she said, and turned around to lean against the banister. It’s about my parents, and I hate to complain about them when there are people like you and Lily who have real parental issues.
You can tell me what’s on your mind. That’s how it works. You tell me stuff, I tell you stuff...
I know. It’s just that my grandma said something about my parents that threw me for a loop, and I can’t stop thinking about it.
Tell me.
She turned to face the meadow again and rested her fingertips at her lips. You know, I always accepted my parent’s absence. When they missed me winning two state track titles, I understood. When my dad didn’t come for the father-daughter social in the tenth grade, I didn’t complain. When they barely made my high school graduation, I blew it off.
But I thought they were in the states while you were still in high school.
That’s what I mean. She paced back to the swing and sat down. Isn’t that a little unusual? He was on active duty, but all they had to do was get permission and get on a plane. How is it they missed almost everything? She put her elbows on her knees and folded her hands in the air in front of her. Two giant tears welled in her eyes, and then escaped down her cheeks.
Jim tried to comfort her. She jerked away and took off pacing again. You know how I told you I begged my parents to let me stay here so I could go to the same high school all four years? That wasn’t exactly true. I didn’t even have to ask them twice. She paused on the opposite rail again .
Listen, Marti, what you’re describing are feelings of rejection. You hid them away as a teenager, and now they’re back--along with anger and resentment.
Don’t you think I know that? she snapped, and pressed her fists into her eyes. That’s why it’s so upsetting. I didn’t know I felt such anger toward my parents. And with all that bottled up anger and rejection, it’s no wonder I turned to the first--
She stopped abruptly and covered her face. When he started to close the distance between them, she held her hand up as a signal to stop .
C’mon, Marti, you can tell me anything, he begged .
She started back across the porch, but ran out of steam half way to the swing and collapsed on a lawn chair instead .
Jim waited .
You know what else?
He moved to stand in front of her. What.
Yesterday when I was spending time with Lily, all I could think about was how alone she was without her mother. I barely know her, and I don’t want her to pick out prom shoes alone. Watery eyes gazed up at him. And my own mother, who’s alive and well, wasn’t there to do it with me.
Jim tugged on her arm and led her back to the swing. He pulled her back into his arms where she belonged, and held her against his chest. It’ll be all right.
I know it will. I just wish this great revelation hadn’t come while I have so much other stuff going on.
I know, he chuckled. It’s amazing how these deep-seated issues unearth themselves at the most inopportune times. And someday you’re going to have to work through this with your parents.
If I ever see them again.
You’ll see them, and chances are, they have no idea how these things affected you.
The thing is, my parents are great people. You’ll love them if you ever get to meet them. They’ve made a difference in thousands of people’s lives. They just weren’t there for me .
But like me, you had other people in your life who stepped in. In your case, you have your grandmother. It doesn’t get any better than that.
She lifted her head and smiled. You’re absolutely right, she said, and pressed tiny little kisses on his face. Thank you.
Jim’s stomach bottomed out each time her lips made contact with his cheek. Don’t thank me, I didn’t do anything.
She twisted around and put her back up against him so she could rest her head on his shoulder and prop her legs up on the end of the swing. Yes, you did. I feel a hundred percent better just saying it out loud.
Good.
I know one thing, she said, as she twisted a strand of hair around her finger and stared off into the distance. If in some bizarre parallel universe God ever trusts me enough to bless me with children I would never leave them. Even when I’m working, I’d find a way to do special things once in a while, like be there with milk and cookies when they got home from school.
Milk and cookies...home from school... ? Upon hearing his own words to Danny spoken back to him, Jim slipped into shock. He slipped back out again when the John Philip Sousa-like cymbal crashes started going off in his head. Or maybe it was the little cartoon guy in his brain with the hammer that was making all the noise. Either way, there was so much crashing and banging he could hardly hear himself think. Was this a joke? Could Danny have blabbed his secret? No way .
Okay, he had to be calm...he had to act like it was no big deal she just mentioned the milk and cookie ideal that served as a symbol of the traditional family life he longed for .
Then it hit him .
Whoa .
This was it . The ‘big sign he couldn’t mistake.’
If he were in the privacy of his own home, he could do some sort of happy dance or something and celebrate. But he got the news while she was snuggled up beside him and all reflective. And since he wasn’t yet sure if she were on board with the idea, he had to act like nothing happened and just try to confirm what he thought .
What kind of cookies?
he asked nonchalantly, and flicked away an insect that landed on his pants .
What?
Okay, maybe it wasn’t the ‘big sign.’ She’d already forgotten. The cookies you mentioned. What kind are they?
She turned to look at him as if he were crazy. What do you mean, ‘what kind?’ Sheesh! There’s only one kind of cookie to eat with really cold milk after school--warm chocolate chip, of course. She resumed her gazing posture. It’s not like I can bake them, though. I guess I can get them from the store...
A little pyrotechnic guy joined the hammer guy and the cymbal guy in his head. Seems they were rejoicing .
Jim moved just enough that Marti’s head slipped off his shoulder and she flopped backward into his lap. He caught her in his arms .
Hey. You should warn a girl when you’re gonna—
He covered her lips with his, thereby ending all conversation .
She wrapped her arms around his neck .
Oh yeah, she’s the one .
Limited Light
Chapter Nine
She’s the one.
Jim stood at the entrance to the transmission bay at Danny’s shop. Did you hear me? I said she’s the one.
Danny swiped his forehead with a bandana, and then stuffed it into his back pocket. That’s great. How’d you find out for sure?
God sent me the ‘big sign.’ The one I couldn’t mistake.
Does she know?
No.
Danny continued to look up at the car perched on the lift. I don’t know what Robbie’s done to this thing, he said, and shook his head. I’ll come back to it later. Let’s go inside where it’s cool.
While Danny washed up, Jim pulled two bottles of water from the mini fridge and retrieved the folding chair from the corner .
Danny plopped down at his desk. Are you absolutely sure it was the ‘big sign’ and not just wishful thinking?
I’m sure. She said something that reflected a longing deep inside me that only God knew the significance of. And only God could have used the simplicity of cold milk and warm chocolate chip cookies to make a point.
Danny took a long drink and nodded in agreement. Sometimes He uses The Beach Boys.
Excuse me?
The Beach Boys. That’s how I knew Kim was the right one. Especially after I almost married the wrong one.
Jim was almost afraid to ask, except if he didn’t, he might miss one of Danny’s few deeply profound observations. I don’t think you’ve told me this story.
You know I love The Beach Boys, right?
Jim thought of the countless hours he’d had to listen to the Endless Summer CD because of Danny. Unfortunately, yes.
Well, when Kim and I met, I had a whole box of Beach Boys eight-tracks I found at a garage sale. I had an eight-track player and thought I would put it in an old car I was fixing up. You know, nostalgia.
I know.
I had no idea at the time that she also loved The Beach Boys and had an eight-track tape player in the old Chevy her grandfather gave her. Her parents offered to put a new radio in it with a CD player and everything, but she opted to keep the eight-track and listen to old Beach Boys tapes.
And neither of you knew this about the other.
No.
So what happened?
We’d been dating for a while, I was crazy about her. I kept thinking she had to be the one, but I’d already made one mistake and didn’t want to hurt anyone else. So I asked God for the ‘big sign’ and told Him it had to be something only He could show me. Something only I could see the importance of.
And?
And...one day she came to pick me up, ‘cause my car was being painted. When I got in her car and saw that giant tape player mounted below her dash with big metal brackets and a Beach Boys tape sticking out, I just knew. I practically proposed right then.
Jim downed the rest of his water and sat there a bit stupefied. It wasn’t exactly milk and cookies. Then again, maybe it was .
Danny tossed his bottle across the room, narrowly missing the trash can. All I’m sayin’ is that I know God uses those things to talk to us. When He used The Beach Boys, He was speaking my language. I was amazed then, and I’m still amazed. People our age shouldn’t even know what an eight-track player is. Kim had to be the only woman in Texas who had one in her car.
Jim took his turn at tossing a bottle toward the trash can. It didn’t land any closer than Danny’s. Boy, for two people who play basketball as much as we do, we can’t hit the broad side of a barn.
Danny laughed. What’s your next move with Marti?
I was hoping things would progress naturally. Fast , but naturally.
Rose is getting better every day. One day soon, Marti’s gonna get tired of this little town and remember what she was doing before the stroke.
I know. Jim let out a long, heavy sigh and stretched his legs out in front of him. I know she needs to work, but there’s nothing for her here. Not at the level she’s used to, anyway. And she’s still dead set against working in Houston .
If God’s in it, it’ll work out, Jim.
I guess so, but I worry about making her happy. I’ll never make the kind of money she’s used to.
Why don’t you let God handle that part? And in the meantime, what have you been doing this week to make yourself irresistible? You’ve still gotta make her fall in love with you, you know.
Uh...I sent her flowers two days ago, and tonight I’m taking her to a nice restaurant north of Houston for dinner. We even saw a movie this week. The whole town is talking about us, so we must be doing something right.
Ignore them.
We are. Hey, what time tomorrow?
Everyone’s meeting after school in the church parking lot. I rented two fifteen-passenger vans and Kim’s calling today to confirm with the camp. The only thing left for us to do is come up with some good practical jokes to play on the women.
Are you crazy? We’re up against two of the world’s finest. As it is, we’ll have to sleep in shifts.
Where’s your sense of adventure?
I have all the adventure I need in trying to convince Marti to marry me.
Word on the street is you’re a good kisser. That’s gotta count for something.
Jim headed for the door while Danny trailed behind, making obnoxious kissing noises .
I don’t even want to know who’s discussing that part of our courtship.
Aw, c’mon, Danny teased, that’s a good rumor. You don’t want to be known as a bad kisser, do you?
I’m leaving.
Danny presented his cheek and tapped it with his finger. Can I have a little bit of that sugar everyone’s talking about?
Knock it off, Jim said, and slammed the door .
Judging by the muffled groan from the other side, Danny got just what he asked for.
****
Marti pressed her hand against the hot metal side of the van to keep her balance and tried to knock dirt off her foot .
I hope you have more sturdy shoes for camp, Jim said from behind her .
I do. These flip-flops are just for the ride.
He slammed the back of the van closed. Okay, everyone circle up.
After a brief prayer, twelve girls and nine boys settled in for the trip. The adults gathered behind the van for a final check .
Melissa’s parents, Charles and Natalie, approached. Like Melissa, they were tall and slim, each with round, wire-rimmed glasses and mousy brown hair. Between the matching cargo shorts and well-worn hiking boots, Marti could tell they’d done this outdoorsy thing before. Probably had matching kayaks at home in the garage. And Melissa was right. They were downright nerdy. Sweet, but nerdy.
Okay, Charles said, I’ve got all the medical forms, permission slips and all the signed Good Behavior Contracts. Everyone who said they’d be here is here.
Natalie held up two plastic bags. I’ve got all the medicine. She handed the boy’s bag to Danny. Except for the inhalers and the EpiPens. They’ll keep th
ose on them at all times.
Marti leaned in to whisper to Jim. I think I’m in over my head here. It never occurred to me one of them might have an asthma attack.
Don’t worry, he whispered back. These four really know what they’re doing. I think we’re just here to watch in awe.
High-pitched squeals and laughter floated from the vans. They rocked back and forth as the kids jockeyed for the perfect seat and pushed and shoved each other in the process .
Marti leaned in again. Do you suppose anyone remembered to pack a tranquilizer gun? They’re already out of control.
No, but I did see a hand-held cattle prod at the feed store yesterday, and it did cross my mind to buy it for this trip.
A bark of laughter escaped from Marti’s lips. What were you doing at the feed store?
Danny’s loud Ahem... got their attention .
It would be nice if all the adults would join this conversation, he said sternly. This is important.
Marti snickered and bowed her head. Sorry.
She didn’t know what Jim was doing, and she couldn’t look. To do so would guarantee a snort of laughter, and she was already in enough trouble .
Okay, Charles said and grinned. What else?
Danny motioned for the group to move further away from the van. Here’s what I have so far. Robbie and Kyle are passing around a bottle of deer musk, so watch out for that.
Everyone nodded .
Jim scratched his head. Deer musk? What are y’all talking about?
Charles hooked his thumbs in his pockets. It’s deer scent. You know, deer urine.
Yeah, Kimmie added. They’re gonna try to put a drop on someone’s shoes, or sneak a dab onto someone’s blanket.
But what they’d really like to do, Natalie added, is get a hold of one of the girls’ spray bottles of something and put it in there. That way, someone gets a face full of deer pee. Not pleasant.
Marti watched Jim’s face contort. Obviously he was a stranger to this prank. Either that, or he’d just imagined the smell of deer musk .
I’ve got one, she chimed in. The girls have two bags of Oreos. One has definitely been tampered with.
Jim gave her a questioning sideways glance .