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Jesse pulled the truck into a diagonal parking place in front of the movie house. Several kids were standing near the large poster displayed in a lighted glass front frame. It depicted a pensive blond looking back over her shoulder at a ghostly woman. Substantial white letters spelled out the movie's title: The Invisible Woman; the black and white film stared Virginia Bruce and John Barrymore.
The kids all waved and walked over when they saw Jesse get out and open Katy's door.
"Brice insisted on this scary science fiction film. I don't like scary movies. I don't know why we couldn't drive into Myakka City. Maybe the movie there would be better." Janice folded her arms across her chest and silently pouted.
"Hey, what's this? Jesse has a date? And isn't she cute." Brice walked behind her checking her up and down. Katy blushed.
Brice liked being a jock and strutted, rather than walked. At five-foot-nine he was shorter than the other two boys. Nonetheless, what he lacked in height he more than made up for in self-confidence. Hank, a burly six feet player on the school football team, was a mountain to be dealt with on the field, but off it he was a tender-hearted, gentle giant.
"Just ignore him," Janice told Katy, taking Katy’s arm and moved her away from the guys. Cora joined the girls. "He is the quarterback on our football team, and he likes to grandstand. I think he's been knocked in the head once too often. My name's Janice, and this is Cora. What school do you go to?
"I, uh... I don't go to school. I study at home," Katy said. She watched their expressions of shock and waited for the teasing to begin.
"Really? Wow! I don't know anybody that studies at home."
"I think it sounds like fun." Cora smiled easily and had friendly eyes.
"The movie is about to start. We'd better go," Jesse called to the others as he took Katy's hand.
"Is this Brice your friend?" Katy whispered to Jesse.
"I don’t know him that well. We share a couple classes, but that's all. Hank and I are close friends. We've been pals since kindergarten. I don't know Janice, but she seems pretty nice. She and Cora are cheerleaders.
Katy kept close to Jesse. Once in the theatre, he stood back to allow her in the row of seats first, and then he followed. Jesse didn't want her to end up sitting next to Brice.
The interior looked very glamorous with velvet drapes and small balconies lining the side walls. Kate observed that the balconies were not real, but they certainly added to the ambiance. The seats were puffy and comfortable and tilted back allowing more room to move past. This movie theatre had four chandeliers; the theatre back home did not.
As the theatre grew dark music began, and the Movietone News flashed on the screen with the voice of Lowell Thomas. When the movie started a black car pulled to a stop. An elderly man and a woman draped with a scarf over her face - actually, she's covered from head to toe - gets out. The man tells her to go behind them and undress. She says, Oh, let me go like this... and removes the scarf. She has no head! With a gasp, Katy grabs Jesse's arm. Then she chuckled. "Sorry, it just surprised me."
He squeezed her hand reassuringly... and neither let go.
After the movie, they walked outside.
"I thought this was supposed to be a scary movie. I thought it was funny," Katy said to Jesse.
"I thought it was about a woman who kept taking off her clothes," Brice grumbled.
"That's exactly what it was," Janice replied.
"You know what I mean."
"Yes, we all do," she said, and the others laughed. “Why don’t you have Jesse bring you to one of the football games? You can see us in action and maybe grab a soda with us after,” Janice suggested.
“I’d like that,” said Katy.
“Let’s stop at the ice cream parlor,” Brice said. “I’m hungry.”
“Sorry, I have got to get Katy home. You guys go. I’ll see you at school on Monday.
“Why? Does she have you whipped already? I bet you’re just going to go up to the point and get yourself a little.” Brice jabbed Hank in the ribs with his elbow.
“Brice cut that out,” Hank said. He was getting annoyed.
“That’s it, isn't it? Jesse is getting him some. Why else hang out with a girl like her? I bet she puts out for all her homeschooled buddies.”
Jesse turned on Brice so quickly he didn’t see it coming. He caught him with a right hook on his nose and Brice went down. Jesse stood over him, fists clenched. “Don’t you ever say anything like that about Katy!” He turned to her. "Come on, we’re leaving.”
Katy was stunned. She had never seen anyone get hit before. She had never seen Jesse mad.
Brice was seething. No one had ever stood up to him like that. No one had ever hit him, not even his father; no one.
“Janice, get in the car,” Brice barked. It was a liquid, raw sound. Actually, there had been two sounds: the first was a sound like the breaking of the wishbone on Thanksgiving, and the second was the muffled, nasal sound of a person holding his nose as blood dripped down his hand and sleeve. “Those two had better watch their backs. I won't forget this!”
Janice tried to approach him with a hanky to wipe the blood, but he brushed her off.
Cora asked as she and Hank got in their car. “What do you think Brice will do?”
“I don’t know. I don’t know him well, but from what I’ve heard, he can be bad news.”
“I’m worried about Janice. She’s only dated him a couple of times, and I have a terrible feeling about Brice.
“Why don't you give her a call when you get home? Make sure she’s okay.”
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Jesse gripped the wheel of the truck so tightly his knuckles turned white. He had never been mad enough to hit anyone before. Brice had made him angry, and he was also mad at himself.
“Jesse, are you mad at me?” Katy asked.
“I could never be mad at you. Brice had no call to say what he did. I’m sorry you had to hear it,” Jesse took a deep breath and tried to relax.
“I don’t know what he was talking about, Jesse. It was like he was talking in code or something. I just don’t get what it was all about. I guess I'm just stupid,” Katy started crying.
Jesse pulled off the road and set the break. He pulled a handkerchief out of his pocket and handed it to her. “It’s clean. I didn’t use it."
Katy wiped her eyes and gently blew her nose. “I am so sorry.”
“It isn't your fault,” he began. “Brice is a bully. He was just picking on you because he could.”
“I love traveling with my dad, but I guess I missed out on a lot of things other kids know and talk about.”
“Katy that is one of the reasons I like you. You are kind and generous, you have a good heart, and you don’t try to be someone you’re not, just to impress people. You are who you are, and I like that.”
“But I feel so..." she shook her head. “What did Brice say that made you so mad?”
“Brice was saying he thinks the only reason I’m going out with you is for sex.”
“Oh, my God! What did I do to make him think that?"
“It’s nothing you said or did. You have nothing to be sorry about. Guys like him are all the same. All they want from a girl... and they think every other guy is after the same thing.”
“Poor Janice. Is he treating her like that?”
“Janice can handle him. Come here.” He put his arm around her and murmured until he felt her relax against him.
“I’ll talk to Cora at school on Monday. She’ll know. But it's really up to Janice, and she'll probably tell me to mind my own business.”
“I like those girls,” said Katy. “I don’t want anything bad to happen to either of them. I would like to have girlfriends.”
“That is another reason I like you,” Jesse said taking her hand. “We'd better go.” Jesse started the engine.
They were quiet on the way home, each lost in their own thoughts. But their thoughts were the same. What would it be like?
No one was on the porch when they pulled up. Jesse held the door while Katy got out of the truck. He held her hand all the way to the steps, then stopped. Jesse turned Katy to face him. He drew her closer. She knew he wanted to kiss her. Katy felt a strange sensation in her stomach as he leaned in and kissed her ever so gently on the lips. This was her very first kiss from a boy.
Jesse heard Katy murmur 'Oh, wow' and then hand in hand they entered the house. Doris and Jim were seated at the kitchen table. Jim walked over and hugged his daughter.
“Did you enjoy the movie?”
“Yes, it was funny,” Katy answered. “It was not a scary sci-fi. I don't think that would be my type at all. I like Jesse’s friends. Janice and Cora are very nice.” Katy avoided telling her father about Brice or the fight with Jesse. He might never let her go out again.
Doris gathered the coffee cups and put them in the sink to wait ’til morning and then they all walked out to the yard.
“Maybe you can stay over when you have more time,” Doris said. “I’d love to have another girl around once in a while. I’m kind of outnumbered here.” She stepped close to Katy and gave her a motherly hug whispering in her ear, “You know, dear, you can always talk to me if you need to. They tell me I’m an excellent listener.”
Doris watched Jim's truck grind and backfire off the drive and onto the road. Jesse was watching too, hands in his pockets and his mind and body creating images and feelings he’d never had before.
"Time for bed, Jesse. Your dad couldn't keep his eyes open and went up already."
What Doris didn’t tell was that she had seen Katy and Jesse kiss on the porch steps. She wasn’t spying. Her chair in the kitchen looked out on the steps. She was thankful Jim was in the opposite chair and didn’t see it. She wasn’t sure how Jim would react to seeing his daughter kissing her Jesse. Not because it was Jesse. He’s probably not ready to see his daughter kissing any boy. She walked down the hall to her bedroom. “Well, how did it go?” Ted asked as she got into bed.
“Very well, I think."
“There’s something you’re not telling me,” Ted rolled over and leaned on one elbow to look at Doris. “Come on, tell me. You know you’re lousy at keeping secrets.”
“Jesse kissed Katy,” Doris covered her face with her hands. She wanted to laugh. The kiss was so sweet... so innocent.
“Okay," was all he said. Now let's get some sleep, it’s late.”
They both lay awake thinking. In separate locations miles apart, Jesse and Katy were thinking too; thinking about holding hands in the dark theatre, about sitting close in the truck, and of course the kiss on the steps. These were new feelings, and neither was sure what to do with them.
