True Love

by Lurlene McDaniel

  She raised her chin, willing it to stop trembling. “When you tell Steve and Jason the truth, what will you say? How will you describe me? Don’t answer. I know what you’ll say. It’s what everyone who ever sees me says. You’ll tell them that my face is a wreck.”

  “Can a plastic surgeon fix your face?”

  “Just this past week I met one who thinks he can. Funny, huh? If you and I had met two years from now, I’d be much more acceptable. Bad timing, Kyle.”

  He pulled open the door.

  “By the way,” she called. “I release you from your invitation to your school’s Valentine dance. Believe me, it wouldn’t be much fun for you with everyone staring at your date.”

  “It wouldn’t be any fun being with a girl who didn’t want to be there,” he tossed back.

  “This isn’t my fault,” she said stubbornly. “I gave you what you wanted: a pretty girl who kept your mind off your pain and problems in the hospital.”

  “You haven’t even got a clue about what I want, Carley. And the sad part is that no amount of my telling you will make you know.”

  “Go away,” she said. “I don’t want your pity. And I don’t need your charity.”

  He nodded curtly, stepped through the doorway into the busy bookstore, and was gone.

  Nineteen

  Carley moped for days after Kyle’s visit. Secretly, deep in her heart, she hoped that he’d call. Not that she’d given him any reason to call her, but nevertheless she still held on to the hope that he might. But as the week passed and he didn’t call, she abandoned hope.

  She experienced a profound sense of nostalgia as the middle of February crept closer. She missed her days in the hospital when Kyle had “seen” her through the eyes of imagination. She thought about Reba and called her.

  “How’re you doing?” she asked. “Wonderful!” Reba fairly bubbled into the receiver. “I was thinking about you and wondering how you were doing. Did you and Kyle ever connect once you got home?”

  Carley couldn’t bear to go into the whole mess, so she simply said, “No. But I told you before I left the hospital nothing would come of us.”

  “Too bad. He was a nice guy and I thought he liked you a lot. I went to visit him after you went home, and all he did was talk about you.”

  The news twisted like a knife in Carley’s heart. “But he’d never seen me,” she reminded Reba. “Seeing me would have spoiled all his notions about me. Don’t forget, Reba, love and beauty go together.”

  “Maybe not. I have a boyfriend and I’m no beauty.”

  “You do!” The news drew Carley up short. “Tell me about him.”

  “His name’s Mike and he has cerebral palsy. We met at school, in our special ed. class. He’s really super and he likes me, Carley. He’s come over to my house and he’s coming on Valentine’s Day too. We’re going to watch a video.”

  Carley felt a twinge of jealousy. Reba was in a wheelchair and she had a boyfriend. Jealousy quickly passed as she recalled what Reba’s life was like. She said, “I think that’s terrific,” and meant it.

  But after she hung up the phone, Carley felt more alone than ever. Wait till I get my surgery, she told herself. But it didn’t help much. It might be two years before she looked more normal and by then high school would be over. And Kyle would go away to college. Their paths would never cross again and he would never get to know her without her scarred face.

  What does it matter? she asked herself. She’d ruined any chance they might have had anyway. Still, she knew she would never forget him. Never. He was the first boy who’d ever treated her as if she were attractive. He was the first boy she’d ever loved.

  Janelle was especially nice to Carley on Valentine’s Day. She bought her a big box of chocolates in the shape of a heart. And her parents gave her a card with a gift certificate to her favorite department store. But so what? she thought. They were family and they always tried to make her feel better about the one holiday of the year she hated most.

  Even Jon came through with a card for her. She told him thanks, but decided that he’d only done it to rack up brownie points with Janelle. Jon gave Janelle a dozen red roses, two cards, and a gold bracelet with a miniature gold heart dangling from it. It was pretty and Carley told Jon so when she sat with him and Janelle in the atrium during lunch break.

  Students milled around the sunlit garden area waiting for the class bell to ring. “Want to come with us to the Mudpie after school?” Janelle asked.

  “Mom’s taking me to get this cast cut off,” Carley reminded her. “Tomorrow I have to go to Rehab and really start working to get my leg back in shape.” Carley was glad to turn down Janelle’s offer. The last thing she wanted to be was a third wheel on Valentine’s Day with Jon and Janelle.

  Jon leaned back on his elbows. “No more Rollerblades?”

  “Naw. I’m switching to bungee jumping.”

  Jon and Janelle laughed.

  As they walked out of the entranceway door, they saw a crowd of students. “There’s a plane buzzing our school,” someone called.

  “No way!” a boy shouted back.

  “I’m not lying. It’s dive-bombing us.”

  “Get on out here,” Janelle called to Carley.

  Carley sighed and hobbled along.

  “I don’t see anything,” Jon said.

  “He’s coming around for another pass,” a boy reported. “Just wait a minute.”

  “If this is your idea of a joke …,” someone else said.

  “I’m telling you, the plane’ll be back.”

  Carley heard the buzz of a small engine moments later. She gazed heavenward, and all at once saw the single-engine plane swooping down from the west.

  “There it is! See, I told you,” the boy shouted.

  Fascinated, Carley watched along with the crowd of students as the plane dipped lower and lower.

  “What’s that guy doing?” Janelle asked.

  “Beats me,” Jon answered.

  Carley continued to watch along with everyone else. Trailing behind the plane, she now saw, was a sign in big red letters.

  “He’s got a sign,” Jon announced. “What’s it say?”

  “This must be some dumb advertising gimmick,” another kid said in disgust.

  As the sign unfurled behind the small plane, Carley couldn’t believe her eyes. “ ‘Carley, Be Mine. K.W.’ Who’s Carley? Who’s K.W.?” someone asked.

  Carley’s heart skipped a beat. She remembered what Kyle had said about his uncle and his own love of flying. Had he somehow persuaded his uncle to buzz the high school and fly the banner? Was Kyle in the plane with him? She read the banner again and laughed as she heard a girl say, “That’s the most romantic valentine I’ve ever seen or heard about!”

  On the other side of her she felt Janelle take her elbow. “You hate Valentine’s Day? Kyle and you are through, huh? My, my, baby sister, remind me never to believe anything you tell me again!”

  Carley stood speechless, watching the plane pull the long sign across the sky directly over the school.

  “Are you saying this is the work of that guy, Kyle, from the hospital?” Jon asked, unable to disguise his disbelief.

  “And very good work it is,” Janelle cooed. She turned to Carley. “So what do you say now?”

  Carley couldn’t speak. A lump the size of a fist was clogging her throat. Kyle truly cared about her. Why else would he have gone to so much trouble and expense? Why else announce to the world he wanted Carley as his valentine?

  “Actions speak louder than words,” Janelle said in Carley’s ear. “If I were you, I’d make one very important phone call as soon as you get home from the doctor’s office.”

  Behind them Carley heard someone ask, “Who’s Carley?”

  She wanted to shout, “I’m Carley! Me! The girl with the messed-up face.” But of course she didn’t. The whole school would discover the identity of Carley. Janelle would see to that.

  Elated and overwhelmed, Carley ma
naged to answer Janelle, “I think I will make that call. I’d hate to leave the guy hanging.”

  Janelle groaned over Carley’s bad joke, but Carley scarcely heard her. She looked up to see the plane cut a wide circle, dip its wing as if in greeting, and head off. The sign fluttered behind it in the wind, the large crimson letters stamped across the face of the sky, bright as the flare of a rocket.

  A Rose for Melinda

  This book is dedicated to

  Trevor Clark McDaniel, a lamb of God.

  My deep appreciation to Dr. Mary Duffy—

  thanks for sharing your expertise!

  Blossoms

  WELCOME TO MRS. BARBER’S

  1ST-GRADE CLASS

  ROOM 105, BEN FRANKLIN

  ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

  RULES:

  Raise your hand to ask a question.

  Take turns.

  No hitting, no shoving, no talking.

  Bring notebook to school every day.

  Be kind to each other.

  September 7

  Dear Melinda Skye,

  Thank you for sharing your snack. You are very pretty.

  Signed,

  your friend,

  Jesse Rose

  September 7

  Dear Jesse Rose,

  Thank you. I have new shoes. Do you like them?

  Your friend,

  Melinda Skye

  October 1

  Dear Melinda,

  I don’t like school. But I like you. Do you like me?

  Your friend,

  Jesse

  October 1

  Dear Jesse,

  I like you. But I like school. Reading is the best part.

  Your friend,

  Melinda

  October 2

  Dear Melinda,

  The best part of school is seeing you.

  Your very good friend,

  Jesse

  P.S. I like baseball. I want to play for the Braves. They are my favorite team.

  October 3

  Dear Jesse,

  I like ballet. I take classes and want to be a real ballerina. I will be famous.

  Your friend,

  Melinda

  October 21

  Dear Mr. and Mrs. Rose,

  I’m afraid that Jesse must be placed on an “in-room” suspension from recess for the next three days for fighting on the playground. Although he has assured me that he “only socked Toby Gillman in the nose because he shoved Melinda Skye off the swing,” as his teacher, I can’t allow physical attacks on fellow students to occur. Please understand that I think Jesse is a good child. He has never disrupted the class until this unfortunate incident. As you are aware, this school system has a zero-tolerance policy regarding physical violence, and therefore Jesse must be punished for his aggressive act toward another student. Please call our principal if you have any questions regarding Jesse’s suspension. Be assured that Toby is receiving the same punishment for shoving Melinda.

  Sincerely,

  Nancy Barber

  October 22

  Mrs. Barber,

  Jesse has told his father and me that he will not hit Toby again “UNLESS Toby hurts Melinda.” We’ve always tried to instill a sense of right and wrong in our son, and he knows that hitting others is wrong. For some reason, Jesse has formed an attachment to Melinda and feels a need to defend her—like some kind of mini-Lancelot. We understand and accept his punishment and are confident that he will behave in the future if Toby behaves.

  Sincerely,

  Ann Rose

  Dear Jesse,

  Thank you for punching Toby for me. I am sorry you have to miss recess, but I will sit with you at lunch all next week because you are my hero.

  Friends forever,

  Melinda

  December 4

  Dear Melinda,

  I made this picture for you. It’s me playing baseball and you watching. Do you like it?

  Jesse

  December 5

  Dear Jesse,

  I like the picture a lot!!!!! I put it in my room.

  Melinda

  An Invitation

  To: Jesse Rose

  From: Melinda Skye

  Date: December 16, Friday

  Time: 7:30 P.M.

  Place: Memorial Auditorium

  Jesse—Melinda wants you to come watch her dance in the “Nutcracker Suite” next weekend. She is one of the cherubs in the dance company and will be in the front row. Perhaps your parents will bring you, and after the performance, you can all come backstage and say hello.

  Elana Skye (Melinda’s mom)

  [Transcript from the VCR of Leonard and Elana Skye. Scene of backstage bedlam as girls dressed in tutus and leotards scurry around shrieking and giggling.]

  OFF-CAMERA VOICE OF LEONARD SKYE:

  Slow down, Princess. There’s somebody here to see you.

  [Camera swings around to show Jesse and his parents. Jesse walks over to Melinda, hands her a pink rose wrapped in tissue.]

  JESSE: I liked … I mean, you danced real good. I stayed awake the whole time!

  MELINDA [giggles]: A rose? For me? [Glances up at camera] Look, Daddy, Jesse brought me a rose. A rose from a Rose. [Giggles again]

  ELANA [Steps into camera shot, bends down]: This is just beautiful. How thoughtful, Jesse. [Looks up] Thank you for bringing him.

  [Camera swings and shot widens to include Jesse’s smiling parents.]

  ANN ROSE: He saw that on television … you know, the part about giving an actress, or dancer in this case, a bouquet of roses after the final curtain. He insisted he bring roses for Melinda.

  JOHN ROSE: I took him to the florist and he bought it with his own money.

  VOICE OF JESSE: That’s why there’s just one. They cost a whole lot!

  [Camera swings around and zooms in on Jesse’s face as all adults laugh off-camera.]

  ELANA: What do you say to Jesse, honey?

  MELINDA: Thank you a whole bunch. [Throws arms around Jesse and kisses him wetly on the cheek. Adults laugh. Jesse’s eyes widen. Camera pulls back and kids wave at lens.]

  [Fade to Black]

  Memo

  To: All Parents

  From: Nancy Barber

  Date: May 20

  To commemorate the end of the school year, we will hold a small “graduation” ceremony on Friday, the last day of classes. All family members are invited to this ceremony, which will be held at 3 P.M. in the cafeteria. Please plan to attend if at all possible. I am proud of each student and want everyone to have a sense of a job well done!

  Report cards will go out within two weeks of the end of classes. Have a wonderful summer!

  May 23

  Dear Melinda,

  I will miss you very much all summer. I will write to you, OK? My mom said it is all right with her if your mom says I can. Will you miss me too?

  Jesse

  P.S. Can I be your boyfriend? Like a REAL boyfriend, not just a boy who is a friend?

  May 23

  Dear Jesse,

  Yes, I will miss you. Yes, let’s write. I am going to dance camp in July. I am going to visit my Grandma in Florida in August. I love her bunches and bunches. See you next year!

  Melinda

  P.S. My mom says I have to wait longer before I can have a real boyfriend. But thank you for asking.

  P.P.S. If I could have a boyfriend, I would pick you!

  Dear Mr. and Mrs. Skye,

  Melinda has been a pleasure as a student. She’s bright and outgoing with a delightful sunny disposition. Her love of reading and writing points to her being a stellar student with great success in the classroom. She is well able to express herself in writing, and if her dream of being a dancer doesn’t pan out, I think she’ll make a wonderful writer someday!

  Sincerely,

  Nancy Barber

  Dear Mr. and Mrs. Rose,

  Jesse is a kind and thoughtful boy with a big heart and a well-honed sense of caring. His test scores indicate that he’
s a very capable student, and I expect him to do well in the remainder of his school years. Although he can sometimes be shy and reserved, he knows what he wants and works hard to achieve his goals. I must say, he certainly has note-passing down to a science!

  Sincerely,

  Nancy Barber

  June 12

  Dear Elana,

  Since school ended, Jesse has been bugging me to invite Melinda over so they can play. He says he misses her and doesn’t want to wait until school starts before he sees her again. Can I pick her up Wednesday morning? Or, if you’d like, come for coffee around ten, and we’ll have a visit while they play. I so enjoyed your company in our shared room-mother duties last year and would like to catch up and talk about next year. Some changes are in the wind for the Rose family.

  Ann

  June 15

  Dear Ann,

  After our visit and talk the other day, I strongly wanted to write you some words of encouragement. Also, it’s so difficult to talk with the kids hanging around, and as you said, you really don’t want Jesse to know what’s going on just yet.

  First of all, every marriage has problems, so don’t think that the situation between you and John is hopeless. I’m glad you’ve found a good counselor. Perhaps, in time, John will join you in therapy. Few problems get solved unless a couple works hard on them together.

  Your getting a job when school starts seems like a good idea. I know it isn’t easy to return to the workforce when you feel “underqualified and undereducated,” but as you noted, we don’t always get to do what we want.

  Jesse is bright and so very nice. He’ll weather the change. And Lenny and I will be circumspect about you and John around Melinda so that she doesn’t ask Jesse questions he can’t answer.

  Remember, I’m here for you. Lenny and I will help however we can.