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Caitlyn
The weather forecast warned of snow, but South Dakota could change her mind the way a girl changed purses.
After school, Zoe called Caitlyn and they decided to take a walk, meeting in the middle. Her house sat down the hill from Caitlyn’s, on one of the streets of big, newer homes. Once they met, they walked back and forth, up and down the sidewalks between their houses.
The chill in the air kissed Caitlyn’s cheeks and renewed her zeal for life, though her thighs burned as they reached the top of the hill for the third time.
Her eyes locked onto the playground across the street. “Let’s go sit on swings.”
“Okay.” Zoe strode into the street without looking first, though very few cars had passed them on their walk.
Caitlyn jogged a few steps to keep pace. “I’m surprised you’re not with Jarret.” A cloud drifted overhead, casting a shadow on them.
Zoe buttoned the top button of her coat and took a deep breath but gave no answer.
“Are you guys fighting?”
“Fighting? No.” After a glance at Caitlyn, she bowed her head and watched her feet while she walked. “You don’t see Keefe very often, do you?”
“I see him. He belongs to our Catholic youth group now, the Fire Starters.”
The playground had a green climbing fort with slides, one bench, and old swings. They headed for the swings. “I’ve seen him twice since he met my family. We worked at the food pantry together. And we’ll be planning a Thanksgiving dinner for the homeless.”
“Gee, that sounds fun.” Zoe sat on a swing and pushed it back but didn’t let go.
Caitlyn twisted her swing one way and then the other, her leg muscles appreciating the rest. “It is fun. I like working on things with him.” It was one of the courtship principles. Get to know each other by working together on group projects.
“Do your parents like him?” She swung forward and back a few times.
“I think so. The whole family had a great time when he came over for dinner. Dad said he could come by anytime.”
“Doesn’t he say that to everyone?”
Caitlyn shrugged. “I guess so. So, do your parents like Jarret?”
She smiled without looking up. “My mom does, I guess. My dad doesn’t. But I don’t think anyone would be good enough for his little girl. He’s very suspicious of Jarret.”
“He has a reason to be, doesn’t he?”
She stopped her swing and shot a glare. Then she leaned on the chain and spoke in a calm voice. “You’re never alone with Keefe, are you? If you only see him with groups, how will you guys talk and really get to know each other?”
“We talk. I guess there are some drawbacks to courting. We don’t talk about personal things. I would love to talk to him about a few things, but it never feels like the right time. Some things you just can’t discuss in front of people.”
She gave an understanding nod. “Has he kissed you?”
“No.”
Zoe’s mouth fell open. She blinked. “You’re kidding me.”
Caitlyn looked at the street to avoid seeing her shocked face. “No, I’m not. He’s never kissed me.”
“Why not? Don’t you want him to?”
Caitlyn shrugged. Of course she did. She was dying for her first kiss. She still clung to the idea that it would be from Roland, but she did like Keefe an awful lot. Maybe he wasn’t sure if people did that when courting.
“I know.” Zoe’s eyes flashed. “Isn’t your birthday coming up?”
“It’s this Sunday.”
“Let’s have a party.”
“A party? I’m not ready for another party. Mom will make me a cake. I don’t need a party.”
“Not a big party. A little one. Just the four of us, me and Jarret, you and Keefe, like a double date. You’re allowed to do that, aren’t you?”
Seeing movement out of the corner of her eye, Caitlyn turned toward the street. A red car drove by. It slowed, came to an abrupt stop, and backed up. The passenger-side window went down as the car neared the playground.
“Oh, there’s Jarret.” Zoe didn’t sound pleased.
“Zoe,” Jarret shouted through the window.
She got off the swing, stuffed her hands in her coat pockets, and strolled to him in no obvious hurry. “Hi, Jarret.”
“Where you been?” He sounded annoyed.
She twisted around to face Caitlyn then twisted back to him.
“Get in. I wanna talk to you.”
“No.”
“I don’t know what you’re so mad about.”
“Don’t you?”
“No. You don’t answer my calls. You avoid me at school. If we’re over, just tell me to my face.”
She stood with her head down, not replying.
Caitlyn leaned back on the swing, not wanting them to think she was listening.
The driver’s door flew open. Jarret jumped out and strode around the car to Zoe. He stopped a few feet away then cast a glance across the playground to Caitlyn.
“Hi.” Caitlyn tried sounding cheerful and she waved, wanting him to think Zoe hadn’t told her anything, which she hadn’t. Caitlyn had no idea what their problem was, this time.
Making no acknowledgment of her greeting, he turned back to Zoe. They both stood with heads down. He mumbled something to her. She nodded. He stepped closer while he spoke. She replied, peering up at him. He pulled her into a hug and kissed the top of her head. After saying something else, he walked around his car and got back in.
“I’ll see you later, then,” he said through the passenger-side window and took off.
Zoe sauntered back to the swings and sighed. “What am I going to do about him?”
“What’s the matter?”
She shook her head, twisted her swing, and stared at the ground. “So, what do you think about my idea for a birthday party?”
“I don’t know.”
“Well, we wouldn’t have to call it a date. You always spend your birthdays at my house. Remember last year?”
She remembered. Caitlyn had never spent the night before. They put their sleeping bags in the family room. Zoe’s mom baked tater-tots, shrimp rolls, and pigs-in-a-blanket. They watched movies and ate chocolate cake and snacks into the wee hours of the night.
“We’ll do the same thing this year, only with the guys, but not a sleep over, of course.”
“I guess that would be all right.”
“We’ll do it Saturday. My mom and dad will be out of town.”
“What! No. I can’t visit if your parents aren’t home, even without a boyfriend.”
“Well, you don’t have to mention that part. My mom will cover for us.”
“I don’t know. I don’t think Keefe would like the idea. He’s very honest.”
“We won’t tell him. In fact, just let me arrange it. You don’t have to say anything to anyone. Forget I mentioned it. We aren’t doing anything.” She grinned, a sneaky sparkle in her eyes. “Just don’t make plans for Saturday.”