by Ann Herrick
"Uh, sure." I started the car and pulled away. "Where'd you like to go?"
"Anywhere. Just away from here."
"Okay. Umm ... how about my house? Come for supper. Mama and Papa would love to see you, and you know there's always plenty of food."
"Sounds good, if they won't mind seeing me in my Saveshop uniform."
"They won't mind." It's better than you looking like an always-in-black beatnik, I thought, though of course I didn't say that.
Mama and Papa not only didn't mind that I brought Caprice home for supper on short notice, they were thrilled.
"It's been too long since we've seen you," Mama said, as she and Papa greeted her with open arms. They fussed over her all through supper, and Mama must have told Caprice at least three times she would have to come to the party for Karl, which was now set for Sunday afternoon. I don't think I'd seen Caprice smile so much since the last day of sixth grade, with summer vacation at our feet and junior high on the horizon.
When I drove her home, she jabbered on about Mama and Papa and the good food and Karl's party. Her face was so lit up, it reminded me of when she won first prize for a fire-prevention poster in seventh grade.
As I pulled up to the curb in front of Caprice's house, she said, "Oh, good. That car is gone. Guess it's safe to go in. Thanks so much for having me over for supper! I had such a cool time."
"You're welcome," I said. "See you."
When I got home, Mama and Papa were still beaming. "It was so nice to see Caprice," Papa said.
"Jâ," Mama said. "I'm so glad she'll be coming to Karl's party. I know he'll be thrilled to see her. Ever since she stopped coming around, he was always asking about her. He thinks a lot of that girl."
That was news to me.
Chapter Six
It was the day before the big party for Karl, and I had managed to duck out of the planning and preparations long enough to go to meet Nolan at Nicki's for a little while, with the excuse that I needed to go to The Party Shop in Monroe to get some special balloons for decorating. It was easy enough to make a quick stop for the balloons and still have time for a few minutes Nolan. He said he was swamped with stuff to do that day anyway, so a few minutes was all he had.
When I pulled into the parking lot at Nicki's, I spotted Nolan's motorcycle. My pulse skittered and I practically skipped inside to meet him. He was sitting in a booth. Standing next to him with menus in one hand and her other hand resting on his shoulder was the Barbie-doll waitress who'd taken our order the first time Nolan and I met there.
She said something to Nolan, and his face split into a wide grin. She brought her hand up to stifle her giggles, then brought it down and rested it on his arm. The scene was entirely too cozy for my taste, but I kept my cool, plastered a smile on my face, and uttered a cheery, "Hi, Nolan!" as I slid into the seat across from him.
"Hi, Vija. You remember Bethany," Nolan said with a nod toward the waitress.
Well, of course I remembered that she'd been our waitress before, but I sure didn't know that her name was Bethany, and was surprised and annoyed that Nolan did know. I nodded in her direction. "Hi."
"Hey, there," Bethany said to me. Then to Nolan, "Now that your lady is here, you ready to order?"
"You bet. Two coffees and two pieces of that apple pie I saw in the display case on my way in."
I was about to say I didn't need any pie, but before I could open my mouth, Bethany said, "You got it." She winked at Nolan and, with a springy bounce, walked over to the counter.
"Bethany's got a great tan, doesn't she?" Nolan said, more than asked.
With all her other attributes, I hadn't really noticed her tan until he asked, but I said, "Yes." I glanced down at my own arms, and wished I could get as coppery brown as Bethany.
"Here you are." Bethany oozed oomph with every word and motion, as she placed the pie and coffee in front of us.
"Thanks, Bethany." Nolan exchanged a smile with her.
"Oh, you're welcome." She touched his arm again.
I dumped a mountain of sugar and an ocean of cream in my coffee.
"Mmm, this pie is great." Nolan smacked his lips.
I sipped my coffee.
"How's your coffee?"
"Fine."
"Try the pie," Nolan said. "You'll love it."
I picked up my fork and cut off the tiniest piece possible.
"Well ...?"
"It's good," I said. "But I'm not very hungry."
"You okay?"
The way he tilted his head to one side and looked at me with real concern, warmed my heart. "I ... I'm fine. Just a little ... tired." I offered up a warm smile.
"I'm sorry you're tired." Nolan reached over and patted my hand. He knew just how to comfort me.
The pie was good, and I found myself finishing it off.
"That's what I like to see," Nolan said. "A girl with a hearty appetite. None of those picky, I'm-on-a-diet girls for me."
I couldn't help reveling in his open admiration.
"Say, I was thinking of heading over to Ocean Beach Park in New London tomorrow. Why don't we go early and make a day of it?"
"Um. Karl's coming home tonight, and tomorrow's the big party for him, remember?"
"So? You're going to see him tonight, he'll be home all week. Skip the party." Nolan's smile was sweet and full of enthusiasm.
"I have to help Mama. I have to be there." Then I remembered to use the phrase that Nolan used, that I thought he would understand—and accept. "I can't. I can't skip the party."
"Well, if you can't, you can't," Nolan said, but his mouth took on an unpleasant twist.
"I'm sorry."
"That's the way it goes." Nolan's expression was one of pained tolerance.
"I'm really sorry."
"Forget it. Maybe I'll just skip going to Ocean Beach."
I was about to tell him to not to skip it just because I couldn't go, but something held me back. For one thing, I had the feeling that while he meant what he said when he said it, by tomorrow he'd probably change his mind and go. For another thing, I'd told him about the party for Karl. He couldn't say he didn't know.
The silence hung in the air for a moment. Then Nolan said, "Well, I gotta get going."
"Me too."
Nolan paid the check and left a big tip for Bethany. He was very formal as he walked me to my car. He opened the door for me, but didn't kiss me goodbye. I smiled and said cheerfully, "Thanks for the pie and coffee."
"You know, you didn't even say 'thank you' when Bethany brought us the coffee and pie. That was rude." With that, Nolan hopped on his motorcycle and roared off before I even started my car. I was stunned. Me? Rude? Because I didn't say thank you to Bethany? I thought Nolan's thanks had been good enough for both of us.
Just as I started to pull out of my parking space, who should pull in next to me but Joel. He jumped out of his car and came over and said, "Hi, Vija! I thought you'd be getting ready for Karl's party tomorrow."
"I'm running some errands for it. I just stopped for … coffee."
"I didn't know you liked coffee."
"There's a lot you don't know about me." I winked.
"I'll bet!" Joel looked down the road in the direction in which Nolan had zoomed off. Then he leaned his elbows on the edge of the rolled-down window and grinned at me. "Some day I'll have to conduct an investigation and see just how much I can learn about the mysterious Vija Skalbe."
I laughed. "The only mystery is how upset Mama will be if I don't get home with the balloons for Karl's party real quick."
"You'd better go, then. I sure wouldn't want your Mama upset with you." Joel smiled. "I'm looking forward to that party."
"Me too. It's a lot of work getting ready for it—I think half the town is coming! But it'll be worth it."
"See you tomorrow," Joel said.
I nodded. "So long."
When I got home, I was too busy helping Mama with the party preparations to do much thinking. Then there was a knock
on the door, and in stepped Karl. "Seaman Skalbe, reporting for duty." It was kind of late, but enough time for plenty of hugs and kisses and teasing him about his haircut before he went to his room and crashed.
When I finally fell into bed that evening, I found myself really bugged about Nolan telling me I was rude because I didn't say thank you to the waitress. I mean, for one thing, she wasn't doing me a favor, she was doing her job. She didn't thank Nolan when he ordered our coffee and pie. And that was another thing! Where did Nolan get off ordering pie for me, when I didn't even want pie? Coffee would have been fine. Or maybe a donut. But did he ask me? No!
The phone rang, and I almost jumped out of my nightgown. I grabbed it, figuring everyone else was already asleep. It was probably Caprice. "Hi?"
"Hi, Vija." It was Nolan.
"Oh. Hi."
"I know it's kind of late, but I just had to call and say I'm sorry about criticizing you for not saying thank you to Bethany. I feel terrible."
"Oh, Nolan." The shadow immediately lifted from my heart. "That's okay."
"You're my woman, and I don't want to say or do anything that would hurt you."
I was so dizzy with joy, I felt airborne. "Don't worry about it, I know you didn't mean—"
"I knew you'd understand. We all make mistakes sometimes."
"Of course ...."
"You have fun at your party tomorrow. I'll think of you all day when I'm at Ocean Beach Park."
"Thank you, Nolan. You have fun too."
"Don't worry about me. I always have fun."
"Uh. Yes." I pushed back a tiny bubble of jealousy. After all, I was going to have a good time at the party. Why shouldn't Nolan have a good time at the beach?
"Love ya."
"Oh, Nolan, I love you too!" I felt a surge of elation—until I heard Nolan hang up. But then, I told myself, Nolan was not one for long goodbyes. He'd called to apologize, he said he would never want to hurt me, he told me he loved me. I repeated that over and over until I finally fell asleep.
***
"Karl, eat your breakfast! Stop sampling the iejavputra! That's for your party," Mama scolded, as she pulled the dessert of sliced dried apples boiled in yeast water away from him. "Besides, it needs more honey before I can serve it."
"And get away from the birch juice," I warned him. "Papa must have spent a week brewing that!"
"I even made a little birch champagne," Papa said.
"Ah!" Mama said. "You are such a skilled maker."
"Birch champagne? Now where have you hidden that, Papa?" Karl rummaged through the refrigerator.
"Where you can't find it!" Papa said. "Now do as your Mama said. Sit down and eat your breakfast. There will be plenty of time for the specialty foods at your party."
Karl sat down and spread a dollop of poppy butter on a thick slice of saldskabmaize. "It's so good to have real food again, after that Navy chow."
"Oh, my poor Karl." Mama pinched his cheek. "They don't feed you right!"
"Yeah, poor starving Karl," I teased. "You left skinny as a rail and now you look as if you could lift all three of us with one hand."
Karl grinned. "Just go through basic, and you too can look like Superman."
"Power and beauty, that's you!" I kidded.
Karl reached over and rubbed my head. "Vija, the one girl I could never impress."
"That's because I know you so well!" I laughed, but I felt my throat swell. I still couldn't quite believe that by the end of the week my brother would be on the other side of the world.
The rest of the morning was a blur of last-minute cooking and cleaning. Papa and Karl struggled with a rented canopy Mama insisted they set up in the back yard, "in case it rains." Never mind that there wasn't even one tiny little puff of gray in the sapphire-blue sky. Mama would worry about the possibility of rain until the last guest left and the last plate was carried in and put in the sink.
I waited until the last minute to get myself ready. I freshened up, then changed into a white pleated skirt and a white satiny blouse splashed with yellow roses that I bought just for Karl's party. I took down my ponytail, and brushed my hair until each strand was as shiny as glass. A touch of baby-pink lipstick and a splash of Mama's lilac cologne, and I was ready.
Right at noon the first of the guests started to arrive. Mrs. Kukk was first, with Brendan, Daniel, and Stephan in tow. After a roll-on-the lawn, rough-house greeting for Karl, they immediately scurried up the old apple tree that stood next to the canopy, and swung from its branches. I could just imagine the three of them tumbling right through the canopy and landing on the food-laden tables below. But they were as sure-handed as chimpanzees.
Rod, Pete, Bill, and Ray, Karl's friends from school, all piled out of Ray's jalopy, one of many the now-mechanic Ray was always working on. They slapped Karl's back, punched his arm, and kissed me on the cheek as they kidded Karl about how his "beautiful" little sister had gotten all the good looks in the family. I'd almost forgotten how much they liked to tease me, so they could be rewarded by my intense blushing. I could see the friendly amusement in their eyes as my face grew red and hot.
"What would we do without our little Vija to pester?" Ray said, rubbing my head in the same brotherly fashion that Karl did.
More friends, many neighbors and several former teachers flooded our back yard. I greeted everyone, pointed them toward the plates and tableware, and encouraged them to eat. I also tried to direct traffic, naming side streets where there should still be places to park. A horn sounded, and I turned and saw Joel's car. Caprice was sitting in the passenger side. She leaned out the window. "Hi! Where do we park?"
"Try a couple blocks down on the left, Maplewood Drive. I heard there are still spaces there."
"Thanks!"
Joel honked and waved, and slowly threaded his car down the crowded street. A couple minutes later he and Caprice arrived at the party. Though we'd told everyone the party was casual, most people had shown up in dressy, though summery, clothes. Joel and Caprice were no exception. Joel wore a tie as red as his hair, with a short-sleeved white shirt and chinos. Caprice was startling in a fanciful pink dress with a flouncy skirt and a flowing white scarf tied around her waist. She wore very little makeup, just a touch of pale pink lipstick and maybe some brown eyeshadow, and her hair was softly curled. I hadn't seen her look like that since junior high. I wondered if she and Joel had come as a couple, or if he'd just given her a lift.
"You look so nice!" I said to Caprice.
"Thanks!" She gave me a quick hug, then scanned the crowd. "Where's Karl?"
"I think he's over by the food, trying to out-eat his buddies."
Caprice fluffed her hair, and took off to find Karl. It was then I saw her pull a tiny box out of her pocket, look at it, and put it back. I wondered what it was. The party invitations had specifically said, "No Gifts."
"You look ... stunning."
"What?" I'd been so busy tracking Caprice that I hadn't even noticed that Joel was still standing there. I looked over my shoulder. "Who? Me?"
"No, I was talking to the lilac bush." Joel grinned. "Of course, you."
"Oh. Well." I knew I was turning from pink to scarlet to burgundy and back again. "Th-th-thank you. It is a special day."
"Yes. It isn't every day your brother goes off to ...." Lines formed on Karl's brow. "... the other side of the world."
I wondered why he had such a worried look, but then suddenly a smile took over his face.
"It's a beautiful day for a party. Not a cloud in the sky!"
"Yes, Mama was so worried it would rain. She insisted on renting the canopy. At least she doesn't have to worry about the food sitting out in the sun."
"Food? Did you say, Food?" Joel wriggled his eyebrows and rubbed his stomach.
"Ah, how could I forget to point you to the buffet table? Mama and I have been cooking for days!"
"We can't let all that effort go to waste, can we? And I say we because I bet you haven't had a bite to eat yet."
<
br /> "Now that you mention it, I haven't."
"Well, then ...." Joel offered me his arm.
I took it, and we marched off to the food table. I hadn't realized how hungry I was until I started loading my plate.
"There's enough here to feed half the town," Joel exclaimed.
"It's true," I said. "Latvians do serve food with a generous hand."
Joel wanted to know the name of each and every dish. I told him, and described each one in detail.
"I can't believe I took so much," I said, as Joel and I headed off to eat.
"Amateur," Joel scoffed as he examined my ragged piles of food. "Here's how a real pro handles it." He showed me his plate, carefully balanced with stacks of each and every item from the buffet.
"Oh, sir, I bow to my superior."
"I believe that was a curtsy," Joel said with a straight face, "but I'll accept the tribute."
"Thank you, kind sir."
"Well, milady, I spy a couple of empty chairs by yon tree. Shall we sup over there?"
"It'd be an honor," I said.
We settled ourselves gently on the rented folding chairs, so the legs would not sink into the lawn. There was a pleasant silence as we inhaled our meal. I could tell by the amount of food on everyone's plates, the melodious chatter, and the sparks of laughter that Karl's party was a success.
I was just finishing my last bite of kiselis, a dessert made with fruit, berries, flour, milk, and oats, when I saw Caprice and Karl strolling off together behind the grape arbor. Joel saw them too, and he had a funny little look of satisfaction.
"You know what would be nice," Joel said suddenly.
"If you say more food—"
"No, no." Joel laughed as he shook his head. "Some music."
"We thought about music," I said. "But even a small band was so expensive."
"You must have a portable radio or record player," Joel said.
"Well, I do have a small radio. But—"
"Come on. Let's get it. This looks like a crowd that would appreciate some music."
"Okay." Joel and I carried our plates into the kitchen. I went to my room, grabbed my radio, and rushed back downstairs. "It's kind of small."