Chapter Twenty-Five
Sarah
SARAH FOUND HERSELF at Joey Raspoli’s house three days of the following week. He was annoying, but Zach insisted she come with him to play video games and get to know his best friend, and she complied. They did grow closer, the trio, and Sarah practiced her Spanish with the housekeeper, Rosie, who happened to be related to Zach’s favorite waiter Eduardo’s cousin. Rosie had been a somewhat successful poet who moved in with the Raspolis when they arrived in town, primarily because she needed extra cash to support her son’s dreams of attending college in Tennessee.
By the end of the week, Sarah and Zach began spending more time at the Raspoli household than their own house. Sometimes Sarah lounged in the turquoise pool while reading a book, and her brother and his best friend played video games upstairs. Other times, the position switched, and Rosie joined them. Always, by seven o’clock, though, they left, so that they would never run into Joey’s parents, whom the boy claimed to be “straight as rails.” Sarah did not know what this meant.
By that Friday night, on their walk home to their house, the birds chirped in chorus nearby, humming a familiar tune. Zach blurted, “Joey wants to ask you to the church dance.”
“What?”
“I was afraid you’d be terribly mad, but I’m going to tell you anyway. He’s been sending you flowers. He spends his own cash on them, which is pretty nice.”
“Joey has been sending me flowers?”
“Well, who did you think was sending them? I mean, it was anonymous…”
Sarah covered her mouth with her hand. She remembered the poem on the first batch of flowers.
Girls like you are one in a million,
Boys like me are a billion in a billion.
You’ve captured my heart,
Like a poison dart.
Dance with me?
Please?
She slammed her eyes shut and bit her lip.
“So, anyway, he’s super in love with you, Sarah, and I told him he would scare you away. But he was too scared to ask you in person, so he was going to invite a mariachi band with Rosie’s help and all, but…”
“A mariachi band? How old is this kid? Twelve, or twenty-eight?”
“But… I’m the lousiest friend ever for telling you. I just couldn’t keep it hidden any longer.”
“Joey’s going to ask me to the dance?” Immediately, she bit her lip, drawing a little sliver of blood. She swallowed it and gagged, although her mind was still wrapping itself around the fact that if she accepted Joey’s invitation, she would be at an event where Joel was also present. How could they hide in the middle of church?
Zach nodded. “I’m going to ask Eliana from the Mexican restaurant. I think she’ll say yes.”
“She’s older than you, Zach!”
He shrugged. “Like Joey’s asking you out doesn’t prove how old you are? C’mon! This is a church thing. The whole ‘Leave room for Jesus’ shtick. Don’t worry. We’ll keep it PG rated.”
As they entered the house, Sarah coughed. “Are you twelve, or twenty-eight?”
“Just working on my game.”
He disappeared, and Sarah discovered a bouquet of orchids on the front porch. As she opened the seal to a little gold envelope, she hummed and clutched the invitation to her chest, thinking about how she’d want to look nice for someone.
Joey popped out from a bush, his green eyes piercing. “So, my dear Sarah.”
Sarah jumped. “Gosh, Joey!”
“I just need your answer now, my dear Sarah.”
“Your answer is yes. I will take you to the dance.”
Joey’s eyes widened and a hint of youthful innocence appeared on his usually mature mien. “Yes! I knew you loved me too.”
“Let’s not take this too far, Raspoli.”
“Of course not, Lady Sarah. You see, I will show you the most class of any man you’ve ever met.” He approached her and kissed her hand, stroking it gently. Then he was gone like a thief in the night.
Sarah rolled her eyes and smiled.
WHEN HELENA GATHERED word that her daughter had accepted a twelve-year-old’s hand at a church dance centered around middle school and high school-aged individuals, she cried out. She’d spent the past week walking on eggshells around her daughter. Not once had anyone mentioned Olivia since that fateful night, and Alison did not come to dinner either. Instead, life chugged on like normal. Helena and Scott doted over their daughter and sang her praises.
But now, Helena was speechless. “Joey Raspoli? As in Joey, Zach’s best friend? Sarah, don’t you think that’s a little weird? Shouldn’t you take your own brother?”
Sarah shook her head. “You see, Mom, Zach’s asking someone, and Joey asked me. I would feel terrible to break his little heart. I’m only nineteen. It’s only a seven-year age difference.” She popped a grape into her mouth as she emphasized only.
“So, you’re willing to spend a few hundred dollars on a formal dress, and hours on makeup and hair…”
“It’s not going to be that big a deal.”
“Sarah!” Helena cried out, her voice sharp. “Have you forgotten who is hosting the event? Our kind pastor and his son. Tom will be there…”
Sarah rolled her eyes.
“C’mon, you must see the goodness in Tom, right? He would be a perfect match for you.”
“Except for the fact that I’m not attracted to him in the slightest.”
Now it was Helena’s turn to roll her eyes. “You are the most pigheaded person in this universe, and I feel there is something you aren’t telling me. You’re always running around, and you were never like that before.”
“What can I say? I’m partly a grown-up now.”
“Well, I do have to say I’m excited that this means we’ll get to go shopping together. We don’t do that nearly enough.” Helena’s familiar blue eyes sparkled. “We could invite Alison—but I know how you guys act toward each other. It’s a shame.”
Sarah gulped. It explained why Alison hated her. Alison looked at Sarah as a replacement for a child who could never be replaced. Plus, it was no secret that she was the favorite child. If Alison had pulled a stunt like running away to a drug dealer’s house, she would have been locked in her bedroom for two years without parole.
Sarah nodded. “I guess so. It’s in a week, so we’ve gotta go shopping soon.”
Helena took a sip of her coffee. “Well, I’ll just leave work early tomorrow, okay? We can head to town and get to work. I’m thinking navy would really compliment you. Are you up for it?”
Sarah nodded. “Absolutely.”
For the first time in a while, Helena smiled, because things were looking up. Her baby girl was—for once—acting like a lady.