Waiting for Dusk (19 page)

“Hey, Katie. It’s been a long time since I’ve
been alone with you.” Ty sat on the bed.

Katie was glad she was at her desk. She slid
the stationery box back in the drawer, closed it and turned in the
chair to face him.

Tyson continued. “Homecoming’s Saturday.
Football game is Friday night. Jordyn made all the plans for us.
We’ll meet at the game, but we’re on our own getting there and
coming home. On Saturday we’ll meet here since I just live across
the street, then carpool from here to the restaurant and
dance.”

“Sounds good. Jordyn is great at these
things, remembering all the details. Hard to believe it’s October
and time for Homecoming.”

Katie’s phone buzzed. She looked down and saw
it was Carl. She quickly looked at the message and all it said was,
Update!!!

“Hey, Ty, can we do something quick tonight.
I need to get back here and touch base with Carl and then
Lindsey.”

“Sure, whatever you want to do.” Ty pulled
Katie over to her bed as she stood up. “I could just stay right
here with you.” He kissed her cheek and moved down to her neck.

Katie was still having a hard time with that.
In one way, she liked it but really wished he was someone else.
Katie decided that she would stick to the plan. Go to Homecoming
with Ty, gradually let him down and tell him being friends was what
she wanted. She hoped Erin was waiting in the wings for him. Katie
was pretty sure she was. Erin gave her the evil eye whenever she
saw Katie and Ty together at school.

“You seem distracted.” He got up and shut her
bedroom door. “I want all of your attention.”

“Ty, the rule is the door stays open.”

“I don’t think your parents would mind at
all. They like me. Plus hear that lawnmower? I think your dad is
cutting the grass. I heard your mom tell him she was going over to
Maya’s for a bit. The timing’s perfect.” Ty smiled at her. He took
off his shirt and lay back down on the bed. “Well, what do you
think?”

Katie was shocked. “Think? About what?”

“I’ve been really working out. Come on, give
me a break!”

“Oh, you look great, Ty. You always do,”
Katie couldn’t help but notice.

“And so do you.” He took her hand and pulled
her next to him. Katie couldn’t help herself. Ty was so cute, and
he did look good with his shirt off. She put her hand on his chest
and could feel his heart pounding. She let him kiss her until she
felt like she was drowning.

“I love you, Katie. I really do.” Ty’s voice
sounded like it was far away. She needed to come up for air.

“Ty, I’m sorry...” How could she say she
wanted to be friends after he professed his love for her? She was
caught in something that really confused her. For a moment she had
felt something too. Or was it just the feelings for Drew surfacing,
now that she knew he was real? All she knew was that she wanted
Tyson to leave. “I have a lot of homework.”

“Only if you promise to say you love me,
too.”

The shock of hearing Ty say he loved her was
overwhelming, but now he needed to hear it back. This was too much
to handle and she felt pressured.

“Ty, you know I’ve loved you since we were
eight. That will never change.” Katie thought she found a good
solution to answering his question.

“Not that kind of love. You know what I
mean.”

“I don’t think you should be telling me I
have to say it to you. That isn’t how it works, is it?” Katie felt
cornered.

“You’re right as usual.” Ty got up. “I’ll
wait for Friday night. Just teasing.” Tyson grabbed his shirt and
pulled it on. He brushed past her as he went to open her door and
left.

Katie paced back and forth. What had she
gotten herself into? Ty loved her! That was ridiculous. When did
that happen? She grabbed her phone and sent a message to Carl.

He says he loves me. She wrote it as ‘love’
not ‘l-u-v’ so he would get the point.

I’m coming home

No you’re not.

Then Katie’s phone rang.

“Okay, maybe I’m not coming home. But I think
that boy is getting serious too fast. I also think he’s a little
pushy and is good at making you do what he wants. He doesn’t let
you give any opinions or even give you a chance to make your
thoughts known. He just assumes. I don’t like it.”

“Take a breath, Carl. Give me some credit.”
Katie told him of her plan of what would happen after
Homecoming.

Before he hung up, Carl got very serious.
“Katie, you’re young. This is all new to you. Ty isn’t from the
1920’s. Just be careful.”

Chapter Twenty-Three

Friday was a
beautiful autumn day. The air was cool and crisp, perfect football
weather. When Katie got home from school, she spent time in her
room deciding what to wear to the game. She tried on a few outfits
and then finally collapsed on her bed. She felt like she was a
million miles and light years away from Drew. She wanted to see his
face because it was fading from her memory. She concentrated until
she pictured him again. Katie closed her eyes and then opened them
again quickly. Sitting in her desk chair, gazing at her with a
little smile on his face, was Drew.

“Come back to me, Kate. I’ll be there.”

She blinked, and he was gone. Tears filled
her eyes. I will be there too, she thought.

Katie had the confidence to get ready. She
decided she would have fun, and enjoy the weekend.

Tyson showed up at Katie’s front door with
car keys dangling from his hand. “I’m driving...no more mom.” As
they drove to the game, the sun was setting and glowing through the
autumn leaves on the trees.

“Do you know how you glow in this light?”
Tyson grabbed Katie’s hand. “You’re beautiful.” He kissed her
hand.

Ty and Katie joined Matt and Jordyn and Brian
and Lindsey at the game. There was so much going on, Katie was
relieved she didn’t have to talk to anyone. She was still concerned
over Tyson’s comments and this wasn’t the place to talk to her
girlfriends about them. They watched the festivities and cheered
for everything. Homecoming queen and her court were announced
before the game and there was a wonderful marching band performance
at halftime.

The guys left for a short time and Katie was
finally about to talk to Lindsey. “Ty wants me to tell him I love
him,” she whispered.

Lindsey looked at her and said, “You are so
not doing that. Do you want me to talk to him?”

“No, I can handle it. Let’s just keep busy
tonight.”

After the game they went for burgers, and sat
in the restaurant for a long time.

“I think Katie should run for Homecoming
queen next year.” Ty put his arm around her.

“I think I’ll let the Erins of the world do
that.”

Erin was part of the Homecoming court and was
in her element. She seemed to love all the eyes on her and the
special attention that came with it. Maybe it was a good thing
Katie didn’t make the cheer team. She could do without all
that.

“Oh, come on, Katie. Can’t you picture you,
me and Lindsey in the convertibles waving to the crowd?” Jordyn
joked.

The rest of the evening was light and
everyone was in a good mood as they left the restaurant. When Ty
pulled into the Roberts’ driveway, Katie jumped out of the car.

“See you tomorrow, Ty.” She waved and smiled
as she ran into the house. One down, one to go, she thought.

It was late and her parents were reading in
their bedroom when Katie went upstairs.

“Have fun?” her mom called out to her.

“Yes, Mom. Good night you two.” Katie stood
outside their door.

“Close our door now that you’re home,
sweetie,” her mom blew her a kiss.

Katie went down the hall to her room. As she
got ready for bed, she thought she heard voices coming from her
parents’ room. Her parents sounded like they were fighting again.
She tiptoed down the hall to see what she could hear. By then the
voices had calmed down but it still seemed like a serious
discussion.

“Shhh! She’s going to hear us! I told you
everything would work out. Katie has a boyfriend. In the here and
now. She’s distracted. Isn’t that what you wanted, Jackson?”

“I just want to make sure it stays that way.
You have that book under lock and key, don’t you?”

“Yes, I do. You are such a worrywart,
although I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

“Joanna, as I have said before, and I will
say again, you don’t take all this seriously enough. I don’t
understand that book at times. I don’t want to expose Katie to
something I’m not completely sure about.”

There was silence for awhile and then the
light went out under the door. Katie slowly walked back to her
room. Little do they know that I know what they are talking
about.

That fight they had in the summer was not
over the Mustang. It was over the trip she took back in time. Her
mother must have told her dad about it when he first got home. Or
maybe Jack Woods did see her and was really her father. She would
find out all the answers eventually. For now, she decided she would
work on worrying about the dance the next day.

When she got back to her room, her phone
buzzed. It was a message from Lindsey to call if she was still
up.

“Of course I’m still awake,” Katie said after
Lindsey answered. “What’s up? Must be important if it can’t wait
until tomorrow.”

“I know this is short notice but do you think
you’ll be allowed to go to my aunt’s ranch in Arizona next weekend?
It will be Columbus Day weekend and we’ll get an extra day off from
school. Plus my mom is going to let me miss an extra day of school,
too. I have been begging to go back because it will be my
great-grandmother’s 100th birthday. I promised her I would come
back for it. The rest of my family can’t go because my brother is
in a soccer tournament. My mom really didn’t want me to go by
myself, even though I go in the summer alone. I asked her if she
would let me go if you came too, and she agreed. So?”

“Wow, I’d love to go. I’m sure my parents
will let me. I’ll ask them in the morning. Everyone is meeting here
at five, right?” Katie was more excited about going to Arizona than
the dance.

“Yes, I’ll see you then.”

Chapter Twenty-Four

The next day was
filled with a flurry of activities revolving around the dance.
Katie set out her jewelry. She’d be wearing Drew’s necklace. She
found some gold dangling earrings with imitation blue stones that
matched the necklace pretty well. Katie decided to wear her hair as
she always did with just a little more curl to it so she plugged in
the curling iron to start working on it. Her mother told her to
splurge on shoes since she didn’t have to buy a dress so she
practiced walking in them all day. Everything was set.

Katie’s mom knocked on the door. “Need any
help?”

“Sure, you can help me with the dress.”

“You know, you and Ty make such a cute
couple,” her mom said as she removed the hanger from the dress.
“You two could get married one day and live on this street with
your parents and in-laws. Wouldn’t that be great?”

“Mom! I’m only sixteen. Give me a break!”

“I didn’t mean now. I was thinking more down
the line, like after you graduate from college.”

Katie’s stomach flipped over. “I’m only going
to a dance with Ty. After college I may not even be here. Who knows
where I’ll live or who I will be dating.”

Katie knew her mom loved having her family
close by. That’s why she moved back to Ohio after Katie was born.
Her mom, dad, and brother Michael were close by. Her other brother,
Will, only lived an hour away. Plus, she had Maya next door.

Katie just hadn’t thought that far into her
future or wanted to. She thought it best to change the subject.

“Mom, Lindsey invited me to go to her aunt’s
ranch next weekend. Is it alright if I go?”

“The ranch in Arizona?”

“That’s the one. Please, can I? Or may I?”
Katie so wanted her mom to say yes. She needed the distraction. It
would make her feel closer to Drew. It would help her get through
the weekend.

“You’ll be flying? You need a last minute
plane ticket.”

“It can be my Christmas present. Oh,
please!”

“I’m sure it will be okay. I’ll talk to your
dad later. Make the final arrangements with Lindsey.”

“Mom, you’re the best.”

“You’re hard to say no to.”

They finally had Katie dressed and ready. Her
mom had tears in her eyes. “Katie, you are so grown up. When did
that happen?” She eyed the framed picture of Aunt Lucinda’s
wedding. “You sure do look like this Kathryn in the wedding party.
It’s unreal. But you also look like Grandma Rett. Those two girls
look like sisters more than Lucinda and Loretta do in this
picture.”

“That’s what Ru...” Katie caught herself. She
was going to say that Ruthie’s sister, Molly, had said the same
thing.

“Are you alright?”

“Yeah, look at my shoes!” Again, Katie
thought of a diversion. She was getting good at it. She’d have to
get better by Thanksgiving if she wanted to be gone for a few
days.

She took her shoes out of the designer
shoebox and held them up. They were polished gold leather dress
sandals with four-inch heels. Good thing that Tyson was tall.

“Those are great! I hope you didn’t spend too
much of my money on them.” Katie’s mom took a shoe from her
hand.

Downstairs, they heard her dad letting
Lindsey, Brian, Jordyn, Matt and Tyson into the house. The Roberts
had planned a pre-party for them. Champagne glasses were waiting to
be filled with sparkling cider, plus Katie’s mom had made
appetizers. The parents of all the kids were invited too. Suddenly
there were many voices drifting up the stairs.

“We better get down there!” Katie’s mother
left her room.

Katie took one last look in the mirror. She
had a quick flashback to Lucinda’s wedding day. She was so excited
to be in that wedding. She couldn’t wait for Drew to see her in the
dress. She felt like she was betraying them all. She would be going
to a dance in a dress that Lucinda chose for her wedding. Katie
would dance with the wrong partner. She stared into the mirror,
wishing she could step through it to her other life. Touching the
mirror, it just felt cold and hard.