I Love to Write
Capricorn in Aquarius - Part Two
As we rounded the curvature of my street that dipped close to home, Johnny came closer to me and took my hand again. I thought he was going to apologize for being a beast, but he gently but firmly squeezed my fingers in his. I whined in protest.
"Sh-sh!" he whispered. "Look ahead."
I looked where he pointed; my heart sank ten feet. Mom was on the street, looking anxiously for me. I realized for the second time that night just how late it was.
"Let ME do the talkin'," Johnny whispered as we continued down the block. He held my hand tightly. Mom saw both of us and who I was with. She came rushing to meet us.
"Where have you BEEN?" she demanded of me.
Johnny smiled a treacly smile. "It's all right, Mrs. Christensen. She's okay now. I saw her fall on the street and went to help her. She has a few scrapes and marks, but I did the gentlemanly thing and cleaned her up a little bit -"
It was plain Mom didn't buy his explanation. There was still fire in her eyes. But Johnny, to his credit, didn't turn one hair.
"- so I told her I would bring her home and explain why she was so late," Johnny finished.
Mom looked us both over searchingly, then decided, apparently decided the best punishment was to humiliate me in front of Johnny. She turned to me. "You get into that house right now. You take a bath, then go to your room and go to bed immediately. You hear me?"
Johnny secretly released my hand, then wheeled and left without another word. I hoped Mom was mad enough at me to miss the liquor still on his breath.
Later in the tub, I burned in humiliated anger and confusion. Did I still love Johnny? Yes. Did I want to marry him right away, now?
(To Be Continued.)
As we rounded the curvature of my street that dipped close to home, Johnny came closer to me and took my hand again. I thought he was going to apologize for being a beast, but he gently but firmly squeezed my fingers in his. I whined in protest.
"Sh-sh!" he whispered. "Look ahead."
I looked where he pointed; my heart sank ten feet. Mom was on the street, looking anxiously for me. I realized for the second time that night just how late it was.
"Let ME do the talkin'," Johnny whispered as we continued down the block. He held my hand tightly. Mom saw both of us and who I was with. She came rushing to meet us.
"Where have you BEEN?" she demanded of me.
Johnny smiled a treacly smile. "It's all right, Mrs. Christensen. She's okay now. I saw her fall on the street and went to help her. She has a few scrapes and marks, but I did the gentlemanly thing and cleaned her up a little bit -"
It was plain Mom didn't buy his explanation. There was still fire in her eyes. But Johnny, to his credit, didn't turn one hair.
"- so I told her I would bring her home and explain why she was so late," Johnny finished.
Mom looked us both over searchingly, then decided, apparently decided the best punishment was to humiliate me in front of Johnny. She turned to me. "You get into that house right now. You take a bath, then go to your room and go to bed immediately. You hear me?"
Johnny secretly released my hand, then wheeled and left without another word. I hoped Mom was mad enough at me to miss the liquor still on his breath.
Later in the tub, I burned in humiliated anger and confusion. Did I still love Johnny? Yes. Did I want to marry him right away, now?
(To Be Continued.)
61-69, F
