CHAPTER 12
Paul, though friendly, kept his distance at practice. Numerous times Katryn saw him teasing with Anne, Mary and the others. He said almost nothing to her, however. Katryn began to wonder if he had only come to softball because he had missed the team. Not because of her, at all.
Tom was hitting infield practice while Katryn caught the in-coming balls.
“Are you going to tell Paul?” he asked again.
“No.”
“Then I will.”
“Please don’t...” Katryn begged, turning to argue with him. She heard her name called at the same time she felt the ball slam into her right shoulder. Everyone stopped, waiting to see if she were hurt.
“Are you ok?” Tom asked, quickly dropping the bat and going to her. He lightly touched her arm and she grimaced.
“I’m fine,” she lied. “Please don’t embarrass me by making this a big deal,” she whispered. “Please keep hitting to the infield. I’ll live, I assure you.” Tom started to hit balls to the infield while he apologized.
“If I hadn’t been arguing with you about telling Paul,” he told her, “You wouldn’t have gotten hit.”
“I’m ok, honest. So, please, drop it.”
“All right. I won’t tell Paul just yet. We’ll talk about this later.”
After practice Paul did not even offer to help Katryn with the equipment, leaving it to Tom and Anne to help. He stood back, seeming to watch her until the two new women caught up to him. They wanted to know if he was going for a coke. He left with them.
Confused and hurt, Katryn thanked Tom and Anne for helping get the equipment in her car. Tom made her promise to go for a coke before they left.
Tom and Anne waited at the door to the Stagecoach for Katryn. Tom offered to buy Katryn’s coke if she would save a table for everyone. Since there was a bit of a line to order drinks, the rest of the team had not gotten to order yet. Katryn picked out a huge table and sat towards the middle wondering where Paul would sit. Though there were seats all around her, Paul moved to the end of the table. The two new women sat with him.
Tom, Anne, Bob, Mary, surrounded Katryn. It was almost as if they were trying to protect her from Paul. It was a crazy thought, she knew, since they could not possibly know how he was hurting her. A little while after their food had come; Ed and Ken had gone to play video games. Anne excused herself to go to the ladies’ room, and Bob and Mary said they had to leave. Paul, April and Donna got up, too, and soon Tom and Katryn were alone.
“Why won’t you tell him?” Tom asked when it was safe.
“I don’t think he cares anymore,” she admitted. Tom saw the hurt in her eyes.
“Why not let him decide that?” Tom persisted.
“Please, Tom. You saw him. He didn’t seem at all interested in me...”
“He came back,” Tom reminded her.
“Maybe he just missed the team. Maybe he’s already over me and just wants to be with the team. You have to admit he was pretty busy with April and Donna.” Tom would not admit how surprised he had been at Paul’s behavior. He tried one more time.
“But what if he does care...”
“And what if he doesn’t? What if it no longer matters to Paul ... If I no longer matter to Paul? Tom, please.” She reached over and took his hand. “Please don’t. Can’t you understand? What if you tell him, in essence, that I’m available, and he says ‘that’s nice - maybe I could hunt up another guy from transit.’ I couldn’t take it, Tom,” she pleaded.
Anne came out of the restroom to see Paul standing near the front door. She had thought he was leaving, but realized he must have just walked the ladies to their cars. She saw that he was watching Katryn and Tom. She could tell by the look on his face he was reading the situation wrong. When he turned and stormed back out the door, Anne followed him.
When Anne finally joined Tom and Katryn, Katryn was ready to go. She was near tears, and needed some time alone. Tom offered to walk her to her car, but she refused.
“Thanks, anyway. I’ll be ok,” she told him. He was going to protest, but Anne caught his eye. She shook her head slightly, hoping Katryn would not notice. She would explain when Katryn was gone.
Katryn was just a few steps out of the restaurant when Paul caught up to her.
“We need to talk,” he told her
“I’d rather not...”
He picked her up and carried her to his car. She did not bother fighting. Maybe she needed to hear whatever he had to say. His car was parked behind the restaurant in the corner. He deposited her in the back seat and slid in beside her.
Katryn closed her eyes and steeled herself. She imagined that Paul wanted to give her rules on how their friendship would work. At the thought of his affecting her during softball season, she suddenly became claustrophobic.
‘No, I can’t take anymore’, she told herself and she quickly reached for the door handle to escape. She took Paul unawares, and was almost free before he could react.
Reaching for her, Paul grabbed her shoulders to pull her back inside. She let out a yelp of pain. It was the last straw for Katryn, and she gave up. Tears streamed down her face. She allowed Paul to pull her back into the car while he apologized again and again for hurting her.
Seeing her tears, he cursed himself. Turning Katryn around he carefully raised the sleeve of her t-shirt to expose her upper arm. He cursed himself again when he saw the huge round purple-black bruise there. He realized the ball had to have been thrown pretty darn hard to cause her arm to darken that quickly. He bent over and softly touched his lips to the bruise.
“I’m sorry, Katryn, I didn’t mean to hurt you.”
The tears doubled and she wondered if he had any idea how badly her heart was bruised. Paul folded her into his arms, being careful not to hurt her arm again, and let her cry herself out. He waited till he was sure she was calmed down before he began.
“Katryn, I know you probably hate me right now, but please let me try to explain. I came to softball today because I’d finally decided I wanted your friendship. I’d missed you while I was gone.” Katryn’s heart skipped a beat as she heard him go on. “I was doing fairly well at first. It was nice being with everyone, and seeing you again. I even tried to kid with the others and have some fun, hoping my feelings wouldn’t show.
“But you and Tom were working so well together. First, during batting practice, when he pitched and you caught. Then during infield practice, when he was batting and you were catching. I guess I got a little jealous. You two seemed so close, that I began to suspect you had gotten together once I left.” Katryn tried to protest, but he kept on.
“Then, when we went for cokes, I purposely sat with April and Donna. I wanted to see if you’d be jealous. It didn’t work, so I walked them to their cars and came back in planning to talk to you.” He paused for a moment before he continued. “When I came back I saw you alone with Tom, having a rather intimate talk. I saw you reach for his hand, and I guess I jumped to the wrong conclusion. I stormed out and decided I’d never see you again. When I got to the car, though, Anne caught up with me and had a few things to say.” Katryn wondered if Anne knew about Julie, and whether she would have told Paul
“I owe you an apology, Katryn. Anne told me she and Tom are to be married, and that you and Tom are just good friends.” He stopped again, holding her close. Then he pulled back and tipped her face up so he could look at her.
“Katryn, I have to admit I’m even jealous that you and Tom are good friends. I know it won’t be easy, but I’d like us to try again to be friends. I’m still not sure I can measure up, but I’m willing to try.”
Katryn was a little confused, and it must have shown. If Paul did not know about Julie, them his offer of friendship meant everything to Katryn. If he did know, it could only mean he wanted nothing more than friendship from her. She was not sure she could handle that now.
“What is it? Am I asking too late?” Paul asked quietly. Katryn shook her
head. “Then what?” he was becoming as confused as she was.
“You mean friends only?” she asked, tentatively.
“Yes.”
“Nothing else?” she turned away.
“I promise.”
“Paul,” she asked, inspiration making her bold, “Have you talked to Larry lately?”
“No. He avoids me like the plague.” Suddenly his heart stopped. Was Larry avoiding him because he was dating Katryn and had somehow found out about Paul? “Why?” Paul turned her face towards him as he repeated, “Why?”
“He didn’t tell you he’s going to be married?” she had to know.
Paul dropped his hand from her face and looked away. So that was it. She and Larry were going to be married. The bile rose in his throat and he was unable to speak. Katryn flinched at the look on his face. Praying she was interpreting correctly, she reached up and forced him to look at her.
“Paul, Larry’s getting married. He’s marrying Julie.” Paul’s eyes widened in disbelief and he took her by her shoulders.
“Don’t tease me Katryn.” She winced at the pressure he applied to her right arm. Dropping his hands immediately he apologized again. “But Katryn, I have to know the truth. Who is Larry marrying?”
“Julie.” she answered with a wry grin.
“Julie? Why, that’s wonderful,” he blurted. It took a moment before he thought to ask, “How do you feel about that?”
“A little hurt, I guess. That’s why they didn’t go to Oregon, you know. Also, I’m a little embarrassed.”
“Embarrassed? Why?” he wondered.
“You were right,” she admitted and he saw the hurt in her eyes. “I ask too much...” He put his finger to her lips and he shook his head.
“I was wrong, Katryn. You don’t ask too much, it’s just that some of us don’t measure up.” He kissed her tenderly then continued. “Did you know I went to all the boys’ soccer games?”
“I knew about one.”
“I was at them all. Even when you were there, I was, too. Joe gave me the schedule,” he admitted sheepishly. “He also gave me the idea of standing on the opponents’ side so you wouldn’t notice me.”
“Did you put Timmy up to asking if you could come to our house for pizza?”
“Well, not exactly ...”
“You’re awful,” she teased.
“Your boys are special, Katryn. You’ve raised them well. Dottie and Joe think they’re pretty great, too, you know.”
“How do you know so much about Dottie and Joe, anyway?”
“We’ve become pretty good friends. In fact, we have dinner together every week.”
“Really? Since when?”
“Since Ryan broke his arm. They made all the plans for babysitting so you could go to Oregon, you know. Finding a way to encourage you to go, after you’d refused, was Joe’s idea,” he admitted with a sly grin. “They care a lot about you, too. They thought they were helping.”
“They must think a lot of you, as well,” Katryn surmised. Embarrassed, Paul continued.
“Dottie decided to turn the tables on your match-making, according to Joe...” Suddenly he pulled back. “Katryn, is there any reason ... I mean, I know I said best friends would be enough, but that was before ...”
“Why, Paul, I’d hate to lose you for a friend,” she answered, seriously.
“Don’t be cute,” he warned.
“Well, I guess having a friend to fall in love with ...”
“Katryn.” She stopped and looked up at him; saw her reflection in his deep blue eyes. “Katryn, I’ve already gone well beyond the ‘falling in love’ stage. I told you a long time ago I do believe in love at first sight, and I’ve known for quite some time that I’m hopelessly in love with you. But if you need more time ...”
“I don’t need any more time, Paul. I have no doubts about how I feel about you,” she told him honestly. “I love you.” He kissed her; to be sure it was not merely a dream.
“This isn’t exactly how I planned to do this. In fact, I’d thought the perfect place would be Clinkerdaggers’. In the soft candle light, on my knee. I’d have done this properly. But now I find I can’t wait that long. I have to know. Katryn, will you marry me?”
“Yes, of course.” He wrapped her in his arms again. It felt so ... right to her.
“Did you know Dottie and Joe originally planned to wed in June?” She shook her head. “They decided to postpone on the chance there could be a double ceremony if they waited until December. Do you think ...?”
“June sounds much nicer to me. For a double ceremony that is,” Katryn offered.
“And we’ll have two ring bearers for the rings. Ryan’s cast should be off by then?” Paul asked, and Katryn nodded. “Know what bothered me the most?” he asked after a few minutes. She again shook her head. “The fact that Tom understood. It still bothers me that it took me nearly a month to realize how much even your friendship meant to me. A month! Tom knew all along.”
Before she could answer, Paul tilted her chin up and began to kiss her. She felt herself respond to him, and she decided there would be time later, much later, to tell him Tom had taken six weeks.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Kerry is a single mother of 3 whose love of reading led her to an even greater love of writing. She spent many years enjoying the lives and people she discovered in her writing, and now would like to share those people and events with others who share her love of reading.
She makes her home in Spokane, WA (where a few of her books come to life), and sometimes wished she lived in Montana where there was even more snow (home of another book). She has spent many vacations on the Oregon Coast (home to still another book), and has finally been able to spend a couple vacations in Ireland (surely the home to another book soon?).
She hopes you find the people in her books worth knowing, and that their adventures are as interesting to you as they are to her.
Kerry would greatly appreciate hearing of your experiences with her books, so please feel free to leave comments and/or contact me on the link below:
www.facebook.com/kerry.kelly.7587
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