Love & Light (13 page)

“Gotta go,” I say to the guys. I push my chair back and pick up my tray.

“Yep. Whipped. Definitely whipped,” Jaden says, laughing.

I roll my eyes. “Whatever. See you guys later.”

Ashland is only ten minutes from Plymouth, so I have just enough time to change clothes and scope out a bag before Kori arrives.

“Hey. Thanks for meeting me,” she says.

“Are you kidding? You’re my favorite sparring partner.” I greet her with a kiss. “How’d everything go at home?”

“Good,” she says. “It’s always nice to see my dad and my brother.”

“I bet.” That wasn’t really what I meant, though. “What about your doctor’s appointment? How’d that go?”

“Fine,” she says. “He thinks I’m doing much better, which I am. Thanks to you.”

“I haven’t really done anything,” I say. I mean, I hope I’ve helped and all, but I’m not taking the credit. I think getting over hurt and grief is an internal thing. No one else can make it happen. Sure, they can help, but in the end, it’s inside.

I search Kori’s face for some clue that she’s putting on a front, that all is not as good as she lets on, but I can’t detect anything. Her smile seems real, unforced. And that makes me smile. “Ready to go, Lucia?” I tease, taking on a boxing stance.

Kori laughs. “Sure, just a minute. I need to ask you something first.”

“What’s that?” I ask, curious.

“My brother’s in a play at school next week.
The Crucible.
Anyway, they want to meet you, so I thought I’d see if you want to come to the play... and if it’s too much, too soon, feel free to say no.”

It doesn’t feel like too much, especially since she’s met my folks already. It feels like the next logical step. “I’d like that,” I say. “It sounds like fun.”

~Landon~

I
’m nervous about meeting Kori’s family, especially when I find out it’s not going to be just her dad and kid brother, but also her aunt and uncle from Colorado. Still, when she offers me a chance to get out of it, I refuse to take it. If I’m going to be in a relationship with her, I have to meet her family someday. Now seems like as good a time as any.

“Should I have worn a tie?” I ask as we leave for the high school, which is actually in Plymouth.

“To a high school play?” Kori looks at me and laughs. “No. You’re fine.”

“Okay.” I look down at the khakis I’m wearing, combined with a blue shirt. “I want to make a good impression.” My palms are already sweating and I rub them on my pants.

“And you will,” Kori assures me. “Remember, the last guy I dated turned out to be a total jerk. And more than anything, my dad just wants me to be happy again.”

“Are you?” I ask her. “Happy, that is?”

Kori looks my way for a second, then returns her attention to the road. “When I’m with you? Yes, I feel happy when I’m with you.”

It doesn’t completely answer the question. Sure, I’m glad she’s happy with me. Thrilled, really. But what about other times? What does she feel then? I don’t press it, though. This isn’t the time or the place.

“I really like you in that shirt,” she says, changing the subject. “It matches your eyes.”

“Thanks. And I’m glad I didn’t wear a tie,” I say. “I hate those things.” Maybe I need to get a job where I don’t have to wear one, whatever that is.

“You’d be out of place,” Kori says. “It’s not church.”

“Right.” Just a high school play. “So what role is your brother playing?”

“Judge Danforth,” Kori says. “And he’s pretty excited about it. I talked to him the other night, and he was saying his lines to me over the phone.”

“That’s cool. Maybe he has a future in theater or acting.”

“Maybe,” Kori says. “More than anything, it’s just good to hear him excited about something.”

I get it, because I was about the same age when I lost my mom, but something else strikes me. How Kori looks out for her kid brother, almost like she’s taken on the ‘mom’ role with him. It says a lot about her, and makes me like her even more. But it also makes me wonder if it puts too much pressure on her. After all, she’s still grieving too.

We get to the high school, and someone waves to us as soon as we get inside. Right away, I see the family resemblance and know it must be Kori’s dad, and that the couple with him must be the aunt and uncle.

“Are you ready?” Kori asks me.

“Absolutely,” I say and I reach for her hand as we head in their direction. She takes it, but releases it as soon as we get there to give everyone hugs.

“This is my friend, Landon Grayson,” she says. “Landon, this my dad, Joe Walsh, and my aunt and uncle, Alison and Paul Morgan.”

Her friend. I wonder if she felt the same uncertainty about how to introduce me as I did a few weeks ago when we met Taylor and Colin. Either way, I’m not gong to take it as a slight. After all, she asked me to be here with her. She wanted me to meet her family. That says a lot to me. “It’s nice to meet you,” I say, and shake hands with all of them. “Thank you for inviting me.”

“It was my son’s suggestion,” Mr. Walsh says, “but a very good one. It’s nice to meet the boy who’s making Kori smile again.”

I feel the heat rise to my cheeks, but I don’t know why I’m embarrassed. It’s not like he said anything bad. Still, I’m not sure what to say in response. “Oh, well...”

“Where is Noah?” Kori asks, coming to my rescue. “Backstage rehearsing already?”

“Yep,” her dad answers, then looks at me. “You’ll get to meet him after the play. I know he’s looking forward to it.”

“Me too. Kori talks about him a lot.”

~Kori~

Landon’s a good sport, coming along to meet my family and even handles it well when my dad tries his best to put him on the spot. First, I tell him that I’m happy because of him, then my dad gives Landon the credit for me smiling again. We’re either going to really embarrass him or give him a big ego.

The freshman class does a great job performing
The Crucible
, and Noah totally nails his role as Judge Danforth. He remembers all of his lines and is animated when he delivers them, and I’m so proud of him. It’s also a little bittersweet, because I think about how much I miss my mom and how much better this would be if she could be here with us. I know she’s watching, though, and that she’s proud of Noah. I hope it also makes her happy to see that I’ve found a little piece of happiness too.

We hang around after the play is over, waiting for Noah to join us, and when he does, he’s still wearing his period costume. “Hey. Nice wig, buddy,” I tease him.

“Oh, funny.” He pulls off the shoulder length gray wig and looks like my brother again.

I tousle his real hair, which is a little damp from being underneath the wig. “You did a great job.”

He grins. “Thanks, Kori.”

“Noah, this is Landon,” I say, introducing them, and watch as my brother’s eyes light up.

“Is it true you play college baseball for the Panthers?” he asks.

Landon nods. “Yep. I’m a pitcher. I’ve won my last three starts too.” It doesn’t even sound like boasting when he says it, and I can tell Noah is impressed.

“That’s so cool.”

“Yeah, I like it,” Landon says. “Your sister’s been coming to my games. I think I’m turning her into a fan. You should come watch us sometime too.”

“That would be awesome.” Seeing Noah’s excitement at the possibility of going to one of Landon’s baseball games makes me wish I’d thought of it myself. I know it’s something he’ll enjoy.

“Kori, do you and Landon want to join us all for dinner?” my dad wants to know. “Or do you have other plans?”

I look to Landon. I’m going to leave this one up to him. Dinner out with the whole gang might be more than he’s ready for, and if he wants to leave, we will.

“No other plans,” he says, giving me a smile. “Right, Kori?”

“Right. Dinner sounds great. Where do you want to go?”

We throw the names of a few places around and finally settle on Noah’s favorite restaurant. After all, this is his night.

Landon walks ahead with Noah as we leave the high school auditorium, and I know my brother’s pestering him with baseball questions. He doesn’t seem to mind, though, and it gives me a chance to talk to my aunt a little as we tag along behind the rest of them.

“Landon seems very nice,” Alison says. “I like him.”

“I do too. A lot.” It seems natural to admit that now.

“I can tell he’s good for you. You seem much happier since the last time I saw you. More alive.”

It sounds like a funny thing to say, but it’s true. I am more alive these days.

“Aren’t you glad I persuaded you to give him a chance?” my aunt continues.

I laugh. “Of course you want to take all the credit.”

“Of course.” She laughs too.

She’s right, though. I’m very glad she gave the kick in the rear I needed to take a chance on Landon. In a short time, he’s already given me so much.

~Kori~

I
can’t recall the exact turning point, but it happened. I’ve turned into a baseball fan. I don’t just come to watch practice because Landon wants me to be there or because the weather is nice and my doctor thinks it’s good for me to spend time outside. I’ve become a serious fan.

I sit with Landon’s parents at all of the home games and I cheer just as loud as they do. I understand pitch counts and fastballs and switch hitters and I could probably give batting averages too. Noah’s come up for a few games and he teases me about being a baseball groupie, if there’s such a thing for a college team.

Unfortunately, the regular season is over, and the only games left will be in the Little East Conference tournament. It’s the last practice before the team leaves for the tournament, which this year is hosted by Southern Maine. I’d love to make the trip to Gorham and watch the team play, but my dad vetoed that, saying I’ll miss too many days of classes. With finals coming up, he’s probably right that it would be a bad idea, but it’s going to be strange having Landon gone after getting used to spending so much time together.

Today’s a gorgeous spring day, and there are more people than usual watching practice. It’s so different from the start of the season, when the snow had just melted and the team first moved outside and I was the only the one sitting in the bleachers. Now the team’s doing well, there’s excitement about the tournament, and being a Plymouth State baseball fan is the cool thing on campus. It’s silly, but it makes me feel good that I was here before it became ‘cool.’ It’s probably the first time in my life I’ve ever been cool at anything, and it all happened by accident.

Even with more spectators in the stands, I still like to keep to myself. I don’t hate people. I don’t deliberately try to avoid them anymore. But I also don’t deliberately seek them out to spend time with them. Today, though, someone seeks me out, and it’s not someone I care to interact with.

“Hi Kori,” Amanda says, plopping herself down beside me. “How’s it going?”

Better until you got here.
“Pretty good,” I say with a shrug. “How about you?” We’re not friends, and I’m skeptical why she suddenly seems to want to act like we are, but I try not to be deliberately rude to people.

“Great,” she says, giving me the fake smile. “Busy, of course, with finals coming up, but fortunately we have a great study group with the sorority.”

The sorority again. Like I care? I nod. “That’s good for you, then.” I don’t really have a study group, other than Landon for Psychology, so I’m pretty much on my own for finals. That’s one drawback of spending half the semester being anti-social and depressed.

“Are you going to Maine for the tournament?” she asks me, and I shake my head.

“No. I don’t want to miss classes. Are you?” I’ve heard from Landon that Amanda’s kind of dating his buddy Jaden now, but I’m not sure it’s serious. I don’t care, either, as long as she stays away from Landon. It bugs me a little that he slept with her, but I know it was just a one-time thing and he’s not really interested in her. Still, she’s never going to be my favorite person.

“No, I’m not that into baseball,” Amanda says. “I just figured you might be going, since you’re such a big fan. And to keep an eye on your guy, of course.”

Keep an eye on Landon? I frown. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

Amanda shrugs, but it doesn’t look casual. “Oh, you know. Boys will be boys, and all that. Especially athletes, when they’re away in a different city. Tournament time, lots of girls around from different schools. I’m sure you get the picture...”

I do, and I can’t say I like it. “Landon’s not like that.”

“Oh sure. I wasn’t trying to imply otherwise...” She waves her hand as if it’s nothing, but I know better. That’s exactly what she was trying to imply. “You guys seem to be pretty serious.”

“We are, yes.”

“Then of course you have nothing to worry about. Landon’s true blue. It’ll be fine.”

“That’s right,” I say firmly. I’m not going to let her prey on my insecurities.

She doesn’t say anything else, and we sit there in silence for a few minutes, until it looks like the team is finishing practice. Amanda stands up. “I’m going to go say hi to Jaden,” she says. “It’s been nice talking to you, Kori.” She gives me the fake smile again.

“You too,” I lie. It’s been anything but nice.

~Landon~

As we’re finishing up practice, I notice Amanda sitting in the bleachers next to Kori. After the last time, I’m always a little wary when I see them together, afraid Amanda might start something again. Hopefully now she’s too focused on Jaden. Things have been going so good with Kori and me that I don’t want to invite or imagine trouble where it doesn’t exist.

I like where things are with our relationship, which is both serious and progressing slowly. We spend most of our free time together, but I don’t want to press Kori for anything she’s not ready for. I’m happy to be with her in any capacity, and she seems to feel the same way. I love the support she gives me at all our games, sitting in the stands with my parents, and lately her brother Noah has been tagging along too.

I wish she could come along to Maine when we go play in the conference tournament, but her dad said no to that, wanting her to focus on finals. I understand it, even if I don’t like it. I feel like I play better when Kori is watching, so selfishly, I want her there, cheering me on. I don’t want her to fall behind in her classes because of me, though.