I Just Got a Letter from Allyson Pringle Page 13

  When the phone rang about twenty minutes later, I grabbed it fast.

  “Hi, Kenny,” said my mother, almost breathless. “I don’t have long to talk, but I just wanted to make sure you’re doing okay. Did you get the bridesmaids’ dresses to your sister? Oh, and have you been getting in the mail?”

  Even though I’d hoped it was Mrs. Carru, it felt good to hear from my mother. I missed her and Dad. “Yeah, no worry on both counts. I got the stuff to Lynette’s a couple of days ago. That lady she knows was going to start work on the dresses Saturday.”

  “Oh, good, good.”

  “As far as the mail, we’ve mostly gotten ads and a few bills. I’ll take care of the business ones.”

  “Okay,” Mom sighed with relief. “I’m glad you remembered to get those dresses to Lynette’s. But then, I knew you would. How are things going otherwise? How’s my boy?”

  “How are things going over there?” I asked, sidestepping.

  “Oh, Kenny, this is such an incredible place!” my mother raved. “We visited Rockefeller Plaza this weekend and went to church near the temple. While Dad made some calls, I explored a little. There was an area of nice little shops not far from the hotel and I found some things we hadn’t picked up yet for the wedding, and guess what else I found?” She began describing some buttons that JoAnn’s fabric store in Kalamazoo had run out of. Next she told me about some tips the shopkeeper, who’d once been a seamstress, gave her that she knew would help with the lace trim she’d been struggling with on the wedding dress. “I really think this was meant to be because this woman once lived in Ann Arbor and when I told her I was from nearby she was very friendly and helpful. So some people might look at that as a coincidence, but I know better. I’m so glad I came with Dad. I almost didn’t come with him because we’re so close to the wedding and I told him it was ridiculous for me to go, but I’m so glad I did. Dad was completely right that I needed to take a break for a day or two and now that this has happened, well, I always said your father is inspired when it comes to these kinds of things. The only thing is, I keep wishing all you kids were here. We’re going to try to get into a Broadway play tonight with the Talbots who live in Palmyra and are driving over here. They know the locals’ secrets on getting into plays. For sure we’ll come again when you can come. In fact, I want all you kids to come when the business is doing better. Would you like that?”

  “Now, what?” I realized I’d tuned out.

  “Are you okay, Kenny?”

  The phone beeped before I could answer. Not that I had any intention of telling her my problems right now when she was so up about life and this little trip. But mothers tend to read your mind, even at long distances. Besides, I needed to talk to Mrs. Carruber. “Uh-oh, there’s the other line,” I said anxiously. “I’m glad you’re having a great time.”

  “All right, honey, but are you sure you’re okay? You’ve got enough to eat, haven’t you?”

  “Yeah, yeah, there’s plenty.”

  “Okay, then. You take care of yourself. Love you. ’Bye now.”

  “Okay, Mom, love you too.”

  I quickly pushed the flash button then, but it was too late.

  When the phone rang again two seconds later, I could see that it was Arnold. I stared at it as it rang, but didn’t press the answer button. I really didn’t want to talk to my friend right then. Maybe he wouldn’t come right out and say the words I told you, but I’d know he was thinking them. Lynette called next, and again I didn’t answer. She’d said something on Friday about joining them for family night, but I didn’t think I was up to it. I wasn’t up to much of anything.

  I went back upstairs and turned on the television again, immediately recognizing a character from one of the CSI shows. Since I really wasn’t in the mood to look at any dead bodies, I clicked the channel again and then again. Lucky Duck, who still seemed confused that I wasn’t following normal procedure, let out a tiny whine of concern. Or was he hungry? I forced myself off the couch and checked his bowl in the kitchen, which looked like it still had plenty of food in it. “Go downstairs if you’re tired,” I said, collapsing back on the couch. Lucky just stood there staring at me, still whining softly. “Okay, fine!”

  Forcing myself off the couch again, I dragged down the steps, then threw myself on my bed without even bothering to take off my boots. A few seconds later I heard Lucky’s feet on the stairs, and the sound was almost comforting. “I’m not doing so great, Duck,” I said when he flopped down on the rug next to the bed.

  Once again something reminded me that it wasn’t my dog I needed to be talking to. But I couldn’t bring myself to move off the bed and get down on my knees. Maybe I just didn’t have the faith that even He could help me at this point. Maybe I’d come to believe that some problems were hopeless and that this was one of them. But then I remembered something, and I glanced over at the quote on my bulletin board, which I’d copied from the board in seminary earlier in the year: “The times you feel like praying least are the times you need to be praying most.” It was right next to the petal Alysse had given me at Halloween and my dried boutonniere from the winter dance. I snorted softly. The dance. It was hard to believe it had been less than two weeks before that Alysse and I had had such a good time at the Winter Wonderland dance. It seemed more like eons ago in some other life.

  I pushed myself off the bed to the throw rug on the floor next to it and knelt there for a long time, unable to form words. Finally I remembered that God hears all prayers, verbal or not, and I began to plead soundlessly, wordlessly for help. I felt a little better after I got back up—better enough anyway to get out my Spanish and English books so I could stare at the covers.

  The next morning I woke up so late that I realized I was not only not going to make it to any of seminary, but I wouldn’t even make it to school early enough to talk to Mrs. Carru or Mrs. Millenstein like I’d planned. It was generally my turn to drive on Tuesdays, but Arnold had told me we’d need to be on our own because he had an appointment with his math teacher about his grade. I barely had ten minutes to get dressed and out the door. Man, had I messed up! I rushed to the bathroom, patted down my hair, grabbed my toothbrush and some toothpaste, then threw on my clothes.

  “Keeping late hours studying, huh?” said Mrs. Cavanaugh about fifteen minutes later. “Well, you’re in luck, sailor. I haven’t sent the cards to the office yet.”

  I made it to my seat but I couldn’t bring myself to look around and was glad when Mrs. Cavanaugh handed me the customary work sheet so I could concentrate on that.

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Alysse was already at her desk by the time I got to Spanish. I couldn’t see her face because her hair was draped over it, and she was once again digging through her Minnie Mouse bag. “Alysse?” I touched her shoulder. “I’m really sorry about what happened in history yesterday. I thought I’d figured it all out. I had no idea Thorndike would react that way.” I paused for several seconds. “I’m . . . I’m . . .” I was feeling like I might throw up.

  Alysse lifted her head, pushed back her hair, and attempted to smile. But even though she was wearing her standard red glasses, I could tell the smile hadn’t made it to her eyes. “Hey, don’t worry about it, Archer. It’s no big deal.” She was trying to sound light and unaffected, but she was clearly faking it.

  “So what happened after class?”

  “Not much. Mr. Thorndike and I have an appointment with Mrs. Millenstein later this afternoon, so I guess I’ll be finding out more then. I don’t know how Thorndike’s feeling today, but he wasn’t Mr. Happy yesterday, was he?”

  “You know I didn’t want anything like that to happen. You know I would have taken a fist in the gut before I would have had this happen.”

  She widened her eyes. “Whoa! Hey, we’ve got to get you back up there on a stage! Such drama!”

  “No, I—”

  “Listen, I said don’t worry about it, okay? It doesn’t matter.”

  But it did ma
tter. It mattered to me, and I could tell it mattered to Alysse. In fact, her mentioning the stage sent additional concern stampeding through me. The play! I hadn’t thought about that. Heat rushed to my head. Could she get tossed from Bye Bye Birdie as well? What if there was a citizenship requirement of some kind? I didn’t want to go there. I couldn’t go there. It was terrible enough that she could possibly be ousted from her office. That alone was unthinkable.

  “What do you think they’ll do to you?”

  “I’m hoping that at the most Millenstein puts me on probation, but if I’m booted from my office, then I’m booted.”

  “Don’t say that.”

  “Hey, Thorndike’s right. I’ve been asking for it.”

  Daphne, who’d apparently been listening in on our conversation, flipped around at this point. “Well, maybe Alysse is going to be nice about this,” she spat out, “but you don’t want to know what the rest of us think of you.”

  “Chill out, Daphne. I told you he didn’t know this would happen,” Alysse snapped back.

  “Fine, I’ll chill out for now,” Daphne said. “But if they don’t let you stay in as an officer, I’m sorry, but I’m not going to be chilling out.” Daphne continued glowering at me.

  For the rest of the class period, I had trouble concentrating. Not only Daphne, but Dee Dee, Rhonda, and several others threw me looks of disgust. I could feel Lakeesha’s eyes lasering into my back. Carlin glanced back once and he wasn’t smiling. After class Tallulah barely acknowledged me and Dansco, who just the day before had tapped my knuckles, now just nodded smilelessly in my direction. Word was apparently out there already—just like that, that fast. Maybe the yell leaders would end up doing that “Kick Kendall Archer” cheer Arnold had demonstrated.

  In the cafeteria Patrice snapped her head toward the far wall the second she saw me. It looked like I wasn’t her “Kenny” anymore.

  It was an odd thing, though. I wasn’t nearly as worried about how my classmates were reacting to me as I was about what was going to happen to Alysse, who even now was sticking up for me. I was desperate to think of a way to repair what I’d done. There had to be some way I could fix things.

  After lunch, Nate Manicox pushed into my shoulder just as I was about to turn into AB hall. I’d forgotten how huge this guy was. “Hey, I heard you snitched on Alysse, and you know what? This is what.” His breath in my face, he knocked into me again and my shoulder rammed against a locker.

  This was feeling all too familiar, bringing back memories I didn’t want brought back. Big or not, I pushed Nate back in what I’m sorry to say wasn’t your most Christian manner. “Fight!” I heard somebody yell behind me.

  I straightened my shoulders, stepped back, and lifted my hand. There wasn’t going to be any fight. “Look, I’m just trying to get to my next class. I don’t want any trouble.”

  “Oh yeah, maggot? Well, you should have thought of that before you fouled up Alysse.”

  Nate lunged into me once more—hard. I landed against the lockers again and this time banged my elbow. Okay, this wasn’t working. I felt myself jerk forward, my hands forming fists. I’m not sure what I would have done next, but I didn’t have a chance to find out because Alysse had come out of nowhere and was standing between Nate and me, or, I should say, prancing between us.

  “Hey, Manicox, you want a piece of somebody, you can deal with me!” Alysse taunted, punching into the air, her shoulders down. “I’m Laila Ali, baby; I’m Rockette Balboa.” Circling Nate, Alysse sucker-punched him softly in the stomach, then fake punched him with a right, then a left. A group that was gathering began whooping and laughing as, head down, she went after Nate with a barrage of air punches. When Nate lifted his head, I could see that he was trying hard not to laugh but wasn’t having much success. Snickering, he lifted his hand and backed away. Her job almost complete, Alysse shook her arms like a pro boxer and then fake punched him one additional time. “We’ll hang out tonight, okay, big guy, but only if you keep the testosterone in check. And you can tell Ren and the rest of your overgrown buddies the same thing.”

  Nate wasn’t laughing so much that he couldn’t give me a threatening look as he backed down the hall. He pointed at me as he turned the corner. “We’re not finished.”

  “You’re refinished!” she called after him.

  “So, you okay?” she asked me after Nate had turned the corner.

  I shook my head and stretched my arms as I tried to control my trembling. “I think I can take care of myself, thanks. You don’t need to put on any Rockella or whatever performances for me.”

  “Yeah, you guys are all overdosed on testosterone,” Alysse snorted. Straightening her red glasses, she grinned at the group still gathered. “Hey, I coulda been a contender, huh?” Turning toward me again, she said quietly, “Just watch your back.”

  “I’m not worried,” I said, my voice still not cooperating. I shook my head. “I mean, I’m not worried about your jock friends. I am worried about coming up with something to get you out of this mess I got you in. I’ve still got to find a way to fix all this, but don’t worry, I’ll think of something.”

  “That’s what they told Humpty Dumpty,” she replied.

  “Yeah, well, there’s gotta be something.”

  Mrs. Carru was actually my only real shot, I decided less than fifteen minutes later. Millenstein was so hard-nosed that getting through to her would be like trying to chisel through concrete. Alysse hadn’t said the exact time of her appointment, and I was wishing I’d asked. She also hadn’t mentioned if parents were involved.

  During my lunch hour I hurried to the office, but this time, the cheerful secretary let me know that Mrs. Carruber had had to go to a district meeting. I rushed back after school before a tutoring session only to find out that the meeting had apparently lasted too long for my former Primary leader to get back to her office. Sensing my anxiety, the secretary patted my hand. “We’ll get you taken care of, honey, don’t you worry.”

  “Yeah, well, tomorrow might be too late,” I muttered, heading out. I turned around, remembering my manners. “But thanks.”

  After clearing up some problems at Dad’s warehouse, I headed home, where again I let the dog out back. It had snowed while I was in school, and I went out with Lucky to find the shovel so I could hit the sidewalks. Five minutes later I was pushing it through the heavy snow. It felt almost good to have something to keep my body busy and exerted. But soon my hands and feet began to throb and I was glad to get the job done and head inside. Lucky seemed to feel the same and began licking the ice off his feet.

  Since I hadn’t done anything about my homework the day before, not even my Spanish, I had no choice but to force myself to head downstairs. There was a lot left to do before we left for Monica’s reception, and I knew it wasn’t going to be easy to concentrate. I’d barely begun my English when I realized I wasn’t going to be able to do any homework until I figured something out. I was so not with it that I was half afraid I’d leave my parents stranded at the airport. They were scheduled to arrive at 7:30, and I was to meet them at 7:50.

  Should I call Monica to see if she could think of anything I could do to repair the mess I’d made for Alysse? I lifted my eyes. What made me think she’d have time to deal with my problems when she was getting married at the end of the week? Lynette was out as well; she would be getting the baby ready for bed. Kip already thought I was a big dweeb and would tell me I worried too much. I couldn’t call Arnold, either. After all, he’d tried to warn me. No, this was my problem.

  I tried again to study, started flipping through an old Time magazine, and tossed it across the room. The phone was still in my room from the night before, and Mrs. Carru’s number was right there on my mother’s stick-on notepad. I wasn’t sure what good it would do to talk to Mrs. Carru if Thorndike and Alysse had already met with Mrs. Millenstein that afternoon, but I found myself dialing. Once again I got Carru’s machine, but I hung up before it had completed the message. But t
hen I found myself wishing I’d left her a message, so I pressed “redial.” This time when I got the machine I heard myself pouring out the entire story, my voice high and whiny. After I finally hung up, I couldn’t believe what I’d done, and I clenched my teeth and shut my eyes. Why was I pouring out my guts on a message machine? The woman had kids and grandkids! But I didn’t have much time to worry about it because when I glanced at the clock, I realized that I needed to get the heck out of there and hightail it to the airport to pick up my parents.

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  “How are things going for you, Kip . . . umm, Kendall?” Brother Aspen asked me after seminary the next morning. At least he was correcting himself faster now. “We missed you yesterday and you seem tired again.”

  It was actually a miracle I was in seminary. My parents’ flight had been delayed over three hours, thanks to a major storm in the New York area, and we hadn’t pulled into the driveway until midnight. They felt bad I’d had to sit there at the airport waiting that long and had been as happy as I was to finally get home and into bed.

  “Fine. Things are fine,” I told Brother Aspen. I realized I was lying to my seminary teacher and I repented immediately. “Okay, not fine.”

  “Have you decided if you want to talk about your problem?”

  “Maybe later. Right now I need to get to school.”

  “Well, I’m available, son.”

  I nodded. “Thanks.”

  He patted my shoulder. “And you know Who is always available to us anytime, anywhere.”

  I nodded again. “Yeah, yeah, I do.” And I did know who he meant, and it wasn’t Sister/Mrs. Carru. Nevertheless, I still wanted to talk to my former Primary president, just in case.