“I have an idea,” Jason said with a smile. “Just give me a few minutes.” Jason got out of the driver’s side and went around to the door in the rear. Soon he had flattened out the back seats and spread out a sleeping bag that was in the rear area. He then came around to the passenger side door and opened it. “This way, babe. Let’s relax in the back for a while.” He led Laura around to the back door and climbed inside with her. “These SUVs have many great features, babe,” Jason said as he put his arms around Laura and began kissing her.
After an hour of intimacy in the back, the two were lying side-by-side talking. Laura began fingering the puka shells on Jason’s new necklace. “This looks so good on you, Jason. I’m glad you like it.”
“Thanks again, babe. It’s a beautiful little trinket. I wish we were on a Hawaiian beach now instead of in the rain.”
“And thank you for again for this little red chuck keychain,” Laura responded as she held it in her hand. “Now I’ll always have a little part of Jason with me wherever I go!”
A few minutes later, Jason looked at his watch. “We should get started back home. Remember my parents have invited you over for dinner, and then we are going to see a movie.”
“This has been such a special day already, despite the weather,” Laura remarked.
Jason smiled. “You can say that again. But then any day spent with you is a special day,” Jason said as he turned to Laura and gave her another kiss.
Chapter 10
A Song of Love
(February 13)
Sundays were the Holmes family’s day to relax and do family things together. Six days a week Gary and Melinda Holmes worked hard at the accounting, tax, and financial planning business that they ran from the front of their house. Clients would be coming in and out, or they would go out for appointments at their clients’ homes and businesses. Melinda had been raised as a Catholic, and often they would go to mass late Saturday, after their last appointment. It was convenient because they were already dressed up. Then on Sunday they could dress casually and enjoy the day without any formal obligations.
One of their family traditions was to have a Sunday brunch together, usually around eleven o’clock. Melinda Holmes was an excellent cook, and enjoyed having an opportunity to prepare elegant meals for her family. Today they had invited Diana to come over and share brunch with them. Melinda had decided to make eggs Benedict, country potatoes, and a fruit salad. When she accepted Melinda’s invitation, Diana said that she would like to bring over a dessert they could enjoy at the end of the brunch.
When the doorbell rang at 10:45, Daniel hurried to answer the front door. Daniel greeted Diana and gave her a quick kiss. She was carrying a foil wrapped pie dish. “What did you bring, Diana?” Daniel asked.
“I made this little fruit tart,” Diana answered.
After Diana greeted Daniel’s parents, she brought the pie dish into the kitchen and removed the foil wrapping. “This looks wonderful,” Melinda said. “Did you bake this yourself?”
“Yes, Mom has been teaching me how to make different types of custard dishes, and I liked making this the best,” Diana replied. The tart had a pie crust filled with yellow custard and was covered with slices of strawberry, kiwi, mandarin orange, and grapes.
Because their formal dining room was one of the rooms that they had converted into office space, and they had a large spacious kitchen, the brunch was served in the kitchen. After everyone was seated, Melinda served the fruit salad along with cups of coffee for her and Gary, and glasses of milk for Daniel and Diana. Then she brought plates containing the eggs Benedict and country potatoes for everyone.
While they were eating, Gary asked Diana how her mother’s catering business was doing.
“Mom seems to have plenty of work right now. Even when the economy is tough, people still have to eat. Mom says that a lot of her corporate clients will just schedule events at their own offices, and then hire her to provide the food. That ends up saving them a lot of money, I guess.”
“Your mother is starting to get a very good reputation around town,” Gary continued. “One of my investment clients works for a company that hired her for one of their gatherings and everyone raved about how good the food was!”
Diana smiled at the compliment. “Mom has been teaching me a lot about how to cook, and do catering jobs. After I graduate from Merriam High, I plan to go to a cooking academy and then work with her in the catering business.”
“I think you have a very good start, Diana,” Melinda said. “That tart you brought looks wonderful.”
About ten minutes later, everyone was finished with the main course, and Melinda brought Diana’s tart over to the table along with small plates, a knife, and pie server. “Would you like to do the honors, Diana?” she asked.
Soon Diana had served out slices of the tart to everyone. “This is delicious,” Melinda remarked after taking a couple of bites.
“Yeah, there is nothing like a good custard dessert,” Gary agreed.
“I get the tough job of trying out things Diana bakes all the time,” Daniel added. “I am really getting spoiled when it comes to good eating!”
Again Diana smiled at the compliments. “Good food plus good eating equals good times! That’s the formula for success! And I shouldn’t be getting all of the praise. Those eggs Benedict were great too, Mrs. Holmes.”
After they finished eating, Daniel and Diana excused themselves and went up to Daniel’s room. “You made a big hit with your fruit tart,” Daniel told her.
“I like your parents. They are always nice to me when I am over, and pleasant to be with. Of course you might have another opinion!”
“My parents are okay. We are getting along pretty good these days now that we don’t keep secrets from each other any more. I know that they really like you.”
“How do you know that?” Diana asked.
“Soon after we started going steady, Mom wanted to have one of those parental talks with me, about being responsible and all. Then she said, ‘I am so happy for you Daniel. You have found some really true friends and they are helping you change for the better. It’s nice to see you come out of your shell and be more outgoing. Hang onto Diana. She seems real down to earth and sweet!’ I know that Mom wouldn’t say something like that just to be nice!”
“Well, now I like your mom even more!” Diana said with a laugh. “But what about us, Daniel? Are you still worried about our future together?”
“No, I have put the future aside for the moment. Mom is right, you are down to earth, and you help set me straight. My life isn’t very practical most of the time. I live for music and the work of my band. Then there are all of those crazy adventures that I have with Jason. Throw in schoolwork and the many Merriam musical performances and I don’t have much time for down to earth reality, except when I am with you!”
“My goal is to have as much fun and pleasure as we can, Daniel. That’s all we really need to be concerned about when we are together.” She held Daniel’s hands and looked into his eyes. “When I look at you I don’t want to see so much concern in your face. I want you to enjoy life whenever we are together.”
“I’m sorry if I seem too intense sometimes, Diana. But occasionally that intensity results in some good things. I’ll show you what I mean.” Daniel let go of Diana, got up, walked over to a corner of his room and picked up an acoustic guitar.
Daniel sat down in the armless wooden chair that he used to practice the guitar. He began strumming a few chords, and adjusted a couple of tuning pegs.
“This is a new song I have been working on”, Daniel said. “See what you think.”
With a few simple chords as an accompaniment, Daniel sang an introduction.
When I’m lost in the grind of every day
And I worry over what my friends might say,
Or I’m stuck in a world of too much to do,
That’s when I’m so glad that I am with you.
As Daniel finished the word
“you”, he broke into a timed accompaniment. After vamping a couple of times he sang the main part of the song.
Diana, your happy smile leads the way
Diana, I love you and so I pray
That you always will be with me wherever I go
Giving me your warmth and your golden glow.
Diana, da de da,
You’re the one for me, la de da,
Diana, don’t ever go away,
I need you by my side every night and day
The song continued with a few more choruses. As Daniel was singing he got into his performance mode, basically shutting out the outside world so he could concentrate completely on his singing, guitar playing, and of course the words and music. When Daniel finished, he then looked up and over at Diana. There were tears in her eyes.
“You wrote that song for me, Daniel?” she said in an emotional voice. “It’s so beautiful! I am overwhelmed! No one has ever written something for me before, much less a song about me!”
“Happy Valentine’s Day, Diana,” Daniel said with a big grin on his face.
Diana hurried over to Daniel and gave him a hug and kiss. “You have so much musical talent, Daniel. I just know you are going to succeed as a professional musician. Some day I’ll be able to tell people that I knew Daniel Holmes when he was just starting out.”
“I hope I will be sitting beside you when you do, Diana,” Daniel replied.
Outside Daniel’s bedroom door they heard some applause. When the clapping finished, the door opened and there stood Daniel’s parents.
“Sorry to intrude,” Melinda Holmes said, “but when we heard this wonderful music coming from your room, we had to come and check it out!”
“Did you write that song, Daniel?” Gary Holmes asked. “I don’t think that I have ever heard that music before.”
“Not only did he write the song, he wrote it about me!” Diana exclaimed. “I am so flattered and thrilled. Except when I am crying!”
“I was just trying to think of a special Valentine’s Day present for you, Diana, and then I got the idea for this song. At our band rehearsals we have been working hard to get some original songs composed, arranged, and recorded. One day the idea for this song just popped into my head.”
“Your song is very beautiful, Daniel,” Melinda went on. “Won’t you please play it again. I know that your father and I would really like to hear it all the way through and without the door closed!”
“Yes, play it again, Daniel,” Diana begged. “I can’t wait to hear it a second time!”
So Daniel played his song “Diana” again. When he had finished with the performance everyone applauded. As his parents were getting up to leave the room, Melinda put her hand on Daniel’s shoulder and said, “We are so proud of you, Daniel. You really are becoming quite a musician!”
After his parents left the room, Daniel and Diana continued their conversation but mostly they just held each other and necked. An hour later it was time for Diana to go.
As they were holding hands and walking to the front door, Diana said, “This has been a most wonderful time, Daniel. I can’t believe that you actually wrote a song for me. I’m sorry I can’t spend more time with you today, but I have a ton of homework and I promised Mom I would help her get ready for a catering job she has tomorrow. But speaking of tomorrow, that is the real Valentine’s Day. I know I am going to do everything I can to make it special for you.” Diana put her arms around Daniel, gave Daniel a passionate goodbye kiss, and then was out the door.
Daniel smiled to himself, pleased that Diana liked his song. Sometimes it pays off big to sweat the details, he thought to himself. He couldn’t wait to tell his band mates about it at their rehearsal later that afternoon.
Chapter 11
A Party To Remember
(February 13)
It was around 4:30 PM Sunday afternoon. For most of the day, Jason had lounged around the house, although he did spend a couple of hours completing homework and studying for a test that would be given later in the week. Now Jason was starting to get ready for Laura’s party that evening. He was thinking about what to wear when his mother, Edith, came up to him with a couple of large bags in her hands.
“Jason, I bought you some new clothes to wear to the party,” Edith said as she handed him the bags.
“Mom, you didn’t have to go to all of that trouble. It’s not like this is some sort of dress up event! I was planning to wear my usual clothes, maybe a little nicer.” Jason opened up the bags. Inside was a long sleeve velour sweater-shirt with light blue and tan colors, a pair of tan gabardine slacks, and a brand new pair of red high top chucks.
After he laid out all of the clothing and examined it, Jason continued, “You didn’t have to spend all of that money! I have plenty of nice tops and pants in my closet, and of course lots of pairs of red high top chucks tops I could wear.”
“Oh, yes I did,” Edith replied. “It is very important that you make a good impression tonight, and I want you to feel that you are on an equal footing with all of the Friesen’s guests. When Dorothy called to ask if you were available tonight, we discussed a number of the people who would be there. There is a lot of money in her family, and there will be bankers, lawyers, business executives and their wives and husbands. People who are used to having a lot of money around and people who know how to use it to their advantage.”
“Mom, you know that money and power really doesn’t interest me! And Laura said that this was not some formal occasion but just a casual dinner party. Nobody is going to be dressed up, according to Laura, so I figured I could dress normally for the occasion.”
“Jason, you have to understand that their idea of casual and yours are two very different things. Sure some of them will be wearing jeans and sneakers, but you can be sure those jeans will be high priced designer models, and their sneakers will be top of the line $100 running shoes. And everything will be brand new! Now I know you want to be the “casual, kick-back Jason” most of the time, as you like to describe yourself, but I think you will be a lot more comfortable if you step things up a notch! That’s why I got you these clothes. Plus I think you will look great in them. I know I can’t talk you out of wearing your favorite red high top Converse sneakers, but you will be styling them in a brand new pair!”
Jason went over to his mom and gave her a hug. “Thanks for thinking of me, Mom. I really didn’t think that what I wore to this party would be a big deal, but I guess you are right. This will be a money and power type crowd.”
“You can be sure of that, Jason. And don’t forget that this occasion is very important to Laura. In a way, this is like her coming out. Choosing you for her boyfriend and going steady was her first big decision that she made on her own. Her whole family will be scrutinizing you very carefully to decide if she made a good choice or not. Remember what happened last time!”
“Trust me, that is in the back of my head at all times. But yesterday, Laura tried to smooth that whole incident over. She told me that her whole attitude about my outside work had changed, and now she is one of my biggest supporters! She even called me a hero!”
“Well, you are a hero to those people you have helped over the past year, and for what you have done to help people in general,” Edith continued. “And you are a hero to your father and me. We are so proud of what you have been able to accomplish both personally and through the Whatever Foundation.”
“Mom, I get all embarrassed when people start telling me stuff like that. Sure I will rise to occasion when someone needs help, but it’s not because I am Jason, superhero, but because it is the right thing to do! I am thoroughly convinced that money and power are not the keys to happiness, family and friends are!”
“Events in your life have forced you to grow up a lot faster than normal for a teenaged boy. Two years ago, you and Daniel were ninth graders, trying to figure out how to survive in the world of high school. Now look at you: a starter on the varsity basketball team, a successful detec
tive helping people in trouble, the head of a foundation devoted to helping crime victims, and going steady with a beautiful young lady. That’s a mighty impressive transformation.”
“As Daniel likes to describe it, Mom, it’s mind-boggling! I guess the reason that I have been able to successfully travel this whirlwind road I have been placed on is due a lot to you and Dad. I think you raised me right.”
“Jason, you are the most precious thing we have in the world!” Edith exclaimed. “From day one, we wanted to share our values and be there for you while you were growing up. We wanted you to enjoy your childhood. Unfortunately that was ripped away from you by those horrible kidnappers! The fact that you have rebounded so well from that experience is even more impressive!”
“Again you are right, Mom. My childhood was ripped away from me by those kidnappers! That is one reason why I am so devoted to waging a war against any predators I run across! And now Laura is finally beginning to realize how important that is! That is the latest exciting development in my life.”
“Get dressed now, and go enjoy the party,” Edith said as she started to leave the room. “I know you will make a favorable impression.”
“And it all starts with being dressed for success,” Jason said mimicking the voice of a television announcer as he held up his new sweater-shirt.
After Edith left, Jason took the sales labels off of his new clothing and got dressed. Then he laced up his new pair of chucks and put them on his feet. He combed his hair, and then went downstairs to say goodbye to his parents.
“What do you think, Mom?” Jason asked as he displayed his new clothing.
“I think you look very handsome,” Edith said. “Now put on your varsity jacket and go bowl them over!”
About ten minutes later, Jason was knocking on the front door of the Friesen’s house. Quickly the door was opened. Laura greeted Jason with a quick kiss, and then looked him over. “You look great! Is this new?” Laura asked as she examined his outfit and felt the soft velour of his new sweater.
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