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Keefe
Sunlight broke through the canopy of pine needles, making beams of orange light that illuminated clumps of wiregrass. Keefe and Roland made their own path, crunching over pine needles and strolling through well-spaced trees.
Keefe took a deep breath and pushed past the apprehension he felt, making himself say, “Roland, if you like Caitlyn, you can see her, too.”
Roland didn’t even glance.
“You guys hardly seem like friends anymore. And it’s not like we’re going steady. Besides, I get the impression her parents don’t want her hooked on just one guy.”
Head down, Roland kicked a pinecone. “What makes you think that?”
“Um, Mr. Summer said so. He wouldn’t even let me see her before we came out here.”
“You’re kidding.” He finally looked up.
“No, I’m serious. But I understand where he’s coming from. We’re just kids. Who knows what plans God has for us, right? No point in rushing things.”
“I guess.” Roland went out of his way to kick another pinecone. “I’m not ready to have a girlfriend. Maybe next year. I just wish Jarret would slow down. I can’t help but think I could’ve changed things if I would’ve told Papa earlier.” He pulled a black rosary from his front jeans pocket and let it dangle at his side.
“How long have you known?”
“I don’t know. Sometime in October. It was before the Halloween party. I caught Zoe in Jarret’s bedroom.”
“Mid-October?”
He nodded.
“Jarret said she’s almost seven months pregnant, so it happened before then. You couldn’t have changed anything. I’m guessing it happened when you guys went camping.” He remembered the phone call. Jarret had said he planned to make Zoe his first.
Keefe sighed. “If we had still been talking, if I hadn’t cut my hair and ruined our friendship, I could’ve stopped him. I could’ve talked him out of it.” He stopped and reached out for the scaly bark of a pine tree. The guilt hit him hard. Was there something he should’ve said or done differently? Could he have helped Jarret? Was he being selfish with his new way of looking at life?
“Nah, don’t blame yourself.” Roland stopped, too, and stared at his rosary beads.
“I guess you’re right. Papa always says Jarret needs to make up his own mind to do right. He knows what he should do. He’s just used to doing what he wants. Who knows what it’ll take for him to change?” Keefe pushed off the tree trunk and draped his arm over Roland’s shoulders. “You and I have to do what’s ours to do, even if it’s hard, and leave the rest to God.”
He sighed heavily and strolled on. Part of him rebelled at the truth. Love was tough. Sometimes it meant saying or doing something that the other wouldn’t like. It could even mean losing the other or accepting the other’s hatred for a while. That was the hard part. He didn’t want to lose Jarret. They had been close, uniquely connected since their first moment of existence.
“I’m glad Papa came to the motor home when he did.” Roland swung his rosary at his side. “Do you think Jarret’s telling him?”
“I don’t know. I hope so.”
“When we get Papa alone, should we—”
“No. Let’s give Jarret a chance.”
~ ~ ~
THE REST OF THEIR TIME in De Soto went peacefully. The rain had lessened and the work went smoother. Jarret and Roland hadn’t exchanged so much as a single rude word, not that they had been friendly either. Papa now took his meals with them or with the entire group of students and volunteers, rather than alone with Miss Meadows. The only one who showed signs of tension was Miss Meadows. She snapped at Papa once and threw him cold glances from time to time, for whatever reason.