I drove Jamie er t nig first I sure o be , I didnt knoly me. Granted, s Id ever received, and even t and read it like s ype of person o a stranger s reet, if exactly sure o make of it.
Jamie old me once t s a dim, and I guess I finally came to t s. S . . .
but s ting on t a miracle, I guess salking specifically about me.
, I remembered, came into talking about it, but o say. Old been ely, at least as far as I could tell. Oill on till talked about tors, but lately er t in trange look would come over hing sad.
I didnt knoo make of it, being t I really didnt know well.
And Jamie, o describe someone else entirely.
I could no more imagine he sky.
So anyed tood up ears in didnt even seem to realize I old
to tco continue ly been t spiritual kid in tion, but I still found of odd.
As I , I glanced at Jamie sitting beside me. S t far a time. I smiled. Maybe s me. My arted scooting across t closer to before I reac, Jamie broke the silence.
quot;Landon,quot; surned to;do you ever t God?”
I pulled my hand back.
No God, I usually pictured ings Id seen in c e robe, ing -but I knealking about t. Salking about t took a moment for me to answer.
quot;Sure,quot; I said. quot;Sometimes, I reckon.”
quot;Do you ever urn out they do?”
I nodded uncertainly.
quot;Ive been t it a lot lately.”
Even more ted to ask, but I didnt. I could tell so say, and I stayed quiet.
quot;I kno sometimes, I just dont understand ever o you?”
S about all time.
quot;ell,quot; I said, trying to bluff, quot;I dont t to understand it all time. I t sometimes o h.”
It ty good ans. I guess t my feelings for Jamie tle faster tell s my answer.
quot;Yes,quot; s;youre right.”
I smiled to myself and c, since talking about God t of t made a person feel romantic.
quot;You kno; I said casually, quot;it sure onigting by tree earlier.”
quot;Yes, it ; sill elsewhere.
quot;And you sure looked nice, too.”
quot;thank you.”
t oo well.
quot;Can I ask you a question?quot; I finally said, in to me.
quot;Sure,quot; she said.
I took a deep breath.
quot;After comorroer youve spent some time ; I paused and looked at ;ould you mind coming over to my mas dinner?”
Even till turned to outlines of a smile as soon as Id said it.
quot;Yes, Landon, I very much.”
I sig believing Id actually asked ill s mas lig City Square. A couple of minutes later ook o complete t evening, s pull it away.
of s in till on and I could see beains. I supposed ing up because ed to at t, or ed to make sure I didnt kiss er on tep. I kne of thing.
I t-o do of tarted to and content at time, and I t Id asked o come over t day. Since s enougo figure out maybe s enougo figure out tuation as time Id actually asked o join me of my oion.
Just as to eps, I sa from beains and pull s, like Angelas, for instance, t meant t anote or so before t gave you botime to sort of bat your eyes at eaco actually kiss. It usually took about t long.
No kno, I actually doubted t s ty, onig to miss tunity if it came up. I could feel ttle butterflies already starting to form in my stomac opened the door.
quot;I ; ly. sallo ired.
quot;; I said dejectedly.
quot;; Jamie said er. quot;I wisonig was wonderful.”
quot;Im so glad for you.quot; o gat.
quot;Ill give you a bit to say good nighe door open for you.”
urned around and back into t doo be reading, t see w was in his hands.
quot;I ime tonig; Jamie said.
quot;So did I,quot; I answered, feeling s eyes on me. I wondered if he car ride home.
quot; time somorro; she asked.
s eyebro a little.
quot;Ill come over to get you. Is five oclock okay?”
S;Daddy, ed s tomorrow?”
brougo arted rubbing them. he sighed.
quot;If its important to you, you can,quot; he said.
Not t stirring vote of confidence Id ever it was good enough for me.
quot; s; s radition to al question.
quot;You dont need to bring anyt; I ans;Ill pick you up at a quarter to five.”
e stood t saying anytell tle impatient. turned a page of tanding there.
quot;Ill see you tomorro; she said finally.
quot;Okay,quot; I said.
S for a moment, t me. quot;t; she said.
it, surned around and smile playing gently across as it to close.
t day I picked on sco see t er Id given like shed promised.
Bottle surprised a big deal-whenever my dad was around, my mom would have helen, our cook, make enough food for a small army.
I guess I didnt mention t earlier, about t only because my family could afford t also because my mom test at making sandimes ain ake least to get over it. it ing burned masatoes and crunceak. My fath us since before I was born.
t, it a palace or anyt e living quarters or anyt. My fat ts orical value. t teresting to someone like me, it, ution. Spaigside of Ney miles up t
it still afforded my fats in t ted to leave. In a made me sad, because no matter w op old Ric.
orical events like signing titution come along only once every feer , debating farm subsidies for tobacco farmers or talking about t;Red influencequot; o cut it.
Even someone like me kne.
tional oric Register -still is, I suppose-and till kind of ac, had scored before I did.
e stuffy or anyt. My parents and Jamie carried on t marvelous conversation-tried to inject my o really go over too least as far as my parents as a good sign.
After dinner I invited Jamie to er and noter putting on our coats, epped outside into ter air. I could see our breat in little puffs.
quot;Your parents are ; so me. I guess s taken s sermons to .
quot;t; I responded, quot;in t.quot; I said t only because it rue, but also because it kids said about Jamie. I t.
Sopped to look at ticks, and I didnt see hem.
quot;Is it true about your grandfat; s;tories t people tell?”
I guess s get my .
quot;Yes,quot; I said, trying not to sment.
quot;ts sad,quot; s;to life than money.”
quot;I know.”
S me. quot;Do you?”
I didnt meet ask me why.
quot;I kno her did was wrong.”
quot;But you dont to give it back, do you?”
quot;Ive never really t about it, to tell you truth.”
quot;ould you, though?”
I didnt ans ticks again, and I suddenly realized t sed me to say yes. Its it.
quot;?quot; I blurted out before I could stop myself, blood ruso my c;Making me feel guilty, I mean. I t. I just o be born into this family.”
S and touc;t doesnt mean you cant undo it,quot; sly, quot;unity.”
o me, and deep do t decision, if it ever came, o my ant t back to somete to better.
quot;Does your fat; I asked. I ed to knoo see her again.
It took a moment for o answer.
quot;My fat; s; me.”
quot;Dont all parents?quot; I asked.
S , to turning back to me.
quot;I t s different from most. But my fat it makes me o see you. ts o your onight.”
quot;Im glad ; I said, meaning it.
quot;So am I.”
e looked at eac of a moon, and I almost kissed t surned a too soon and said somet sort of threw me.
quot;My fat you, too, Landon.quot; t-it and sad at time-let me kno it simply because I I used to rees and call I er family.
quot;; I asked.
quot;For t I do,quot; s elaborate any furt t s s tell me, somet made it until later t I learned .
Being in love a doubt trangest t only about before toget t in t like being time I ill kissed Jamie. I even aken o Cecils Diner or even to a movie. I done any of t I normally did somehow Id fallen in love.
till didnt kno me.
Oions, and I missed t t me ely somet exactly sure of o take t step.
aken er Cmas dinner, Id asked if it ime to time, and s s exactly , too-quot;t ; I didnt take tendency to talk like an adult, and I ts h older people so well.
to ticed s car in t to ask her if I could come in.
quot;; s o see me.
Again ook tive sign.
quot;; I said casually.
Sioned to t;My fat on the porch if youd like. . . .”
Dont even ask me ill cant explain it. One second I anding t of ing to o t second I . Instead of moving toook a step closer to ook it in mine and looked rig a little closer. S exactly step back, but a little, and for a tiny, flickering moment I t Id done ted going any furt of tilting my o t t silting oo, and t our faces ogether.
It t long, and it certainly t it s o t is t ouc forever.