“Oh, uh, I see. Well, that’s nice, Lauren,” I murmured, feeling once again like a fool. I don’t know why I thought Abby could ever see me as anything more than a bumbling idiot who had no concept of anything modern or hip.
“Can I ask you something?”
“Sure, but I doubt I’ll know the answer since I’m always clueless,” I said.
Abby gave me a strange look. “I really want to go to homecoming, but I don’t have a date. Would you go with me?”
“Me?” I gasped.
She nodded.
There was nothing in the world I wanted more than to take Abby on an official date, but my throat closed up at the mere thought of dancing. “Uh, well, um…”
Abby leaned forward in her chair. “I’ll be too pregnant when prom rolls around, so it’s really important I go, you know, since it’ll be my last school formal and all.”
“Oh Abby, I don’t know….”
“Please?”
I didn’t know why I bothered arguing with her since I was completely incapable of telling her no. “Okay, sure, I’d love to go with you,” I relented.
Abby squealed with pleasure. “Oh Elijah, you make me so happy!” She threw her arms around my neck and squeezed tight. When she pulled away, she cocked her head and grinned. “I really should slap you instead of hugging you because for minute there, I thought I must be utterly repulsive since you didn’t want to go with me.”
I shook my head. “No, it’s not that. It’s just, uh, well….”
“What is it?”
Shifting in my chair, I tried to form the words in my mouth. How could I explain to her I was totally inept at dancing, and that I would probably make a fool out of not only myself, but her as well. “I, uh, I really don’t know how to…to dance,” I admitted.
“Oh, is that all?” Abby waved her hand dismissively, not fully comprehending the true magnitude of my dilemma. “I can teach you.” She walked over to her bag and took out her iPod. Then she put it on the docking station on the patio table. After she picked out a song, she turned back to me. “Ready?”
The color drained from my face so fast I was sure I looked like a corpse. “R-Right now?”
“Sure why not,” Abby replied.
Glancing around the patio at the others, I shook my head. “No, I don’t think that’s a good idea.”
“Oh come on. It’ll be fun.”
I fought the urge to protest, “Oh, no, it won’t!” But I didn’t. Instead, I let Abby turn on the music.
“You’re way too prepared for this, you know,” I grumbled as I got to my feet.
Abby grinned. “I’m a cheerleader, remember? We’re always up for dancing.”
Rafe suddenly appeared in the doorway with Chaz. “Is that music I hear?”
“Yeah, we’re just about to have a dance lesson,” Abby replied.
He met my gaze and began to snicker. “You’re going to teach Elijah to dance?”
“Sure,” Abby said.
Rafe turned back to Chaz. “Oh man, I gotta see this.”
Chaz laughed and followed Rafe out onto the patio.
Abby started moving effortlessly to the beat of the music. I slowly tried following her. But I didn’t know what was more unnerving: her dancing so close to me or trying not to look like a fool.
At the sound of Rafe and Chaz’s laughter behind me, I spun around in mortification. “What?”
Rafe grinned as he put his arm around my neck. “Jay-Jay, it ain’t called doing the Frankenstein.” Then he mocked the way I had been dancing by putting his arms straight out in front of him and lunging back and forth.
Blood rushed to my face. “That is not what I was doing!”
“Yeah man, it was.”
I shook my head. The last thing I needed was Rafe on my case. So I took my wounded pride and started to walk away, but Rafe grabbed me.
“Oh, come on. You just gotta loosen up.” Striding over to the docking station, Rafe flipped through several songs. “Aha!” he said. He spun around to the pounding drums and hip-hop Caribbean flair of Shaggy’s Angel. He then winked at Cassie and me before shimming his shoulders. “Now watch the master and learn.”
Rafe moved even more effortlessly than Abby. The music flowed through his body the same as the blood in his veins. Chaz joined in. “Not bad man!” Rafe complimented.
“Yeah, I got moves even off the field,” Chaz joked. He then smiled at Cassie. “Come on. Join me.”
“Sure, why not,” she replied. As they began dancing, they let the beat of the music drive their movements. I surveyed what they were doing. In theory, it didn’t seem so hard. I didn’t know why in the world I couldn’t do it.
With a deep breath, I started again. This time it seemed to be easier.
Rafe nodded in approval. “Much better!” he called over the music.
“Uh, Cassie,” Chaz began.
“Huh?” Cassie shouted over the loud music.
Chaz exchanged a glance with Rafe who bobbed his head encouragingly. “I, uh, I was wondering if you might wanna go to the Homecoming Dance with me?”
I could feel Cassie’s surprise. I also knew Rafe must’ve orchestrated this. He knew Chaz needed someone responsible to go to the dance with—someone who would help him on the road to sobriety, not drag him to all the after parties.
Finally, after what I’m sure was a painful eternity for Chaz, Cassie nodded. “Yeah, sure, I’d love to go with you.”
Chaz grinned and tried to covertly exhale the breath he had been holding. “That’s awesome.”
My gaze was brought to the doorway where Sophie stood with books and paper in hand. “Do you guys mind?” she asked. Hannah peered from behind Sophie, a curious expression etched on her face. Then her face broke into a wide grin, and I sighed with relief when I saw it was Rafe’s antics amusing her, not mine.
Rafe danced over to the doorway. He leaned over and grabbed Hannah’s hands in his. “Come on and dance with me, Hannah-Banana.”
She glanced skeptically back at Sophie. “Go on,” Sophie urged, with a grin.
Rafe lead Hannah to the center of the deck. I noted with envy that Hannah moved just as easily as her sister. She and Rafe shimmied and swayed to the music. He then started doing crazy movements, and her grin widened. “Do the Sprinkler!” he called. Hannah kept right up with him through more ridiculous dance names like the Grocery Cart and the Lawn Mower. Her laughter started softly at first. Then it grew until she threw her head back, her chest heaving with tears filling her eyes.
At the sound of Hannah’s laughter, Abby stop dancing. When I turned to look, Chaz had also stopped mimicking Rafe’s crazy moves. They both stared open mouthed at their sister. I raised my eyebrows in surprise at Abby. “It’s the first time we’ve heard her laugh since mom died,” she said.
Tears sparkled in Sophie’s eyes. The music faded, and Rafe spun Hannah into his arms and then dipped her. “Man, you sure make an excellent partner. You wanna go to the Homecoming Dance with me?” Rafe asked.
Hannah’s eyes widened, and then she giggled as she nodded her head enthusiastically.
None of his children sensed David’s presence, but all of us guardians knew he was there. He stood framed in the doorway, staring at Hannah in astonishment. Tears spilled down his cheeks as Hannah’s laughter filled the air around him.
Abby stiffened as David stepped out onto the deck. He walked over to Hannah who was still giggling in Rafe’s arms. He reached out and gently touched her cheek. “That was music to my ears, sweetheart.” Hannah smiled at him.
He turned to Abby. “Can we talk?”
“Okay,” she murmured. She took my hand in hers before she started inside, pulling me behind her.
David sat down on the couch. He didn’t question my presence at Abby’s side. She and I sat across from him on the loveseat.
He stared down at his hands and cleared his throat. “Abigail, I want to tell you how sorry I am about the other night. I’m ashamed of the way I treated you
. Not only am I disappointed in myself, but I know how disappointed your mother would have been in me.”
“It’s all right, Daddy,” Abby said, softly.
“No, it’s not, but I promise I’ll make it right.” He then smiled at me. “I want you to know how much I appreciate you and your family standing by us.”
“You don’t need to thank me,” I said.
David shook his head. “Yes, I do. You’ve been so kind and supportive to Abby. Also, Gabriel talked with the deacons, and they’re not asking for my resignation.”
“I’m so glad to hear that,” I said.
Abby nodded.
“I think I have some good news for you, Abby. You know the Peterson’s at church?”
“Yes.”
“Well they’ve been struggling for several years to have a child. When they heard of your pregnancy, they expressed a wish to adopt the baby.”
Abby’s distress rocketed through my chest. I gripped the edges of the couch until it subsided.
“Adopt the baby?” she asked.
“You weren’t thinking of keeping it, were you?” David asked.
“No, I don’t guess so.”
David raised his eyebrows. “You don’t sound very convinced.”
Abby stared down at her hands. “I guess I haven’t given it much thought.” Something about the ripple of her emotions made me think she really had been thinking about it—maybe not as much about giving up the baby as keeping it.
“There’s really not much to think about, Abby. Have you even thought about what keeping this baby would mean for your life? You’re supposed to go off to college next year. You couldn’t do that if you had a baby, nor could you keep your cheerleading scholarship.”
Abby picked at a thread on her pants. “I guess not.”
David smiled. “In the end, it’s the best thing for everybody, sweetheart. The Peterson’s will give the baby a loving, supportive home, and you can go on to college and make something of yourself. Then years from now when you get married, you can have another baby.”
I fought the urge to scream at David. He was making it sound so much simpler than it really was. Abby’s confusion and heartbreak about giving up the baby was palpable, and I wondered how even he couldn’t feel it, hanging heavy and dark in the room.
“All right, Daddy,” Abby murmured.
He leaned over and hugged her. “It’s going to be all right, sweetheart.”
But deep down I knew it wasn’t.
Chapter Twenty-Two: ELIJAH
Through a cloud of spray deodorant, cologne, and hair gel, Rafe and I holed up in Chaz’s bedroom getting ready for the Homecoming Dance. After I finished with my hair, I put on my tux. I slid the jacket on and glanced at myself in the mirror.
I didn’t look that different. I mean, I looked nice, but I didn’t look like some heart-throb. Was I supposed to have some great transformation or something?
I turned to Rafe. “Does this look okay?”
Rafe grinned. “You’re gonna knock ‘em’ dead tonight, Jay-Jay.”
“Really?”
“Oh yeah.”
I didn’t share Rafe’s confidence, but I supposed I looked good all the same.
For good measure, I glanced over at Chaz who seemed to be spending an inordinate about of time making sure his hair was just right. So, I decided I probably should spend a little more time on mine, too.
In the middle of slathering in some more goopy gel, I heard the back door close. With it came a burst of laughter and conversation. My heart jolted.
The girls had arrived from getting their hair and makeup professionally done.
“I guess we better get downstairs,” Rafe suggested.
I nodded, unable to speak with the sawdust that seemed to fill my mouth.
Chaz checked the clock on the nightstand. “Yep, I’m sure Dad’s gonna wanna take a buttload of pictures.”
When we started to the stairs, Rafe pressed his hand against my back. “It’s gonna be okay, Jay-Jay.”
“If you say so.”
“I know so.” He shot me a big grin and went on ahead of me. The Thomas’s living room buzzed with conversation. I took one final breath for good measure and then headed on down. My throat closed up at little when I saw just how many people were there. Gabriel had arrived since he was helping Sophie chaperone. David stood trying to figure out how to work the new video camera he’d bought. Rafe was busy complimenting Hannah, and Chaz was trying to keep his gaze on Cassie’s eyes, not the way she looked in her dress.
My eyes frantically scanned the room for Abby. My heart skipped a beat when I saw her. In her deep lavender dress and with her long hair swept back, she was literally breathtaking. I had to remind myself to breathe in and out. The moment our eyes met, she smiled broadly. “Elijah!” she cried, as she hurried over to me. She gazed up at me. “You look amazing!”
I ducked my head and turned the color of Cassie’s red dress. Finally, I found my voice. “I do?”
Abby nodded and smiled. “Yes, you look fantastic.” She reached her hand out and ran it down the front of my tux. “And very, very handsome.”
“Thanks,” I mumbled. I stared down at her and smiled. “You’re so beautiful.”
“Aw, thanks. You’re too sweet.”
“And that dress is amazing.”
“Purple is my favorite,” she replied, still smiling.
“It really brings out your eyes.”
“My eyes are blue, Elijah,” she teased.
“I know—it just makes them bluer,” I replied, lamely.
“Ah, I see.”
Her hand self-consciously rested on her abdomen. I leaned in and lowered my voice. “You can’t see it, so stop worrying.”
Her eyes widened. “See what?”
I smiled. “The baby bump you’re worried everyone is going to notice.”
“Really?”
“I promise.” I swept her hand away from her stomach and took it in mine. “All anyone is going to see is how beautiful you are.”
Her bottom lip quivered a little bit. “Sometimes I can’t believe how you always think of the sweetest things to say.”
“Oh, I have something for you. Wait here just a second.”
“All right.”
I hurried into the kitchen and grabbed the corsage box off the counter. Abby stood waiting patiently for me. I opened the box and took out the flowers. As I started to slip it on Abby’s wrist, I dropped it. “Oh no!” I cried. When I bent over to pick it up, Abby did too, and we bumped heads. “I’m sorry,” I said.
She laughed. “It’s okay.”
I couldn’t believe what an idiot I was. We hadn’t even left for the dance yet, and I’d already managed to do something stupid. When I dared myself to peek at Abby, she was grinning.
“Stop beating yourself up, Elijah. I’m not so fragile a little bump on the head is going to do me in.”
“Uh, it’s not t-that,” I stammered.
“Then what?”
I sighed. “I just want this night to be perfect for you, Abby. I mean, it’s your last formal and all. I don’t want you to regret going with such a klutz.”
Abby reached out and touched my arm. “Stop selling yourself short. You’re not a klutz.”
“Yes, I am. I’ll probably end up tripping and mowing out the refreshment table.”
Abby shook her head. “I won’t let that happen.”
I gave her a skeptical look.
“I promise,” she said.
“Whatever,” I grumbled.
“And tonight is going to be perfect. Okay?”
“Okay.”
As I stood staring at her, she smiled. “Now about the corsage…”
I closed my eyes before quickly bending down and grabbing it. I slipped it on her wrist and then peered shyly at her from underneath my hair.
She held it up, turning her wrist back and forth to admire it. Then she let out a squeal of delight. “Oh, it’s beautiful, Elijah!”
Before I could say anything, she leaned up on her tip-toes and kissed me on the cheek. My entire face pulsed with electricity.
“Thank you.”
“You’re welcome,” I murmured.
“And now it’s time for your boutonniere.”
“My what?”
Abby giggled. “Your boutonniere. You get a flower, too.”
When I raised my sleeve, Abby bit her lip. I raised my eyes to the heavens. “Let me guess, it doesn’t go on my arm, right?”
She shook her head, fighting back her laughter. I cocked my head at her. “Go ahead and laugh. I know you’re dying too!”
Her shoulders shook while she clutched her stomach. I was just starting to wish I hadn’t given her the green light when she straightened up. She took a white rose out of box. “I really suck at doing this. I guess I come by it naturally because Mom was terrible too. Whenever we had Homecoming Week at church and Daddy had to wear a boutonniere, he’d put all this padding on his chest, so Mom couldn’t stab him,” she said. Her face suddenly fell.
“Abby?”
“I’m sorry, Elijah. I shouldn’t ruin our night by talking about my mom.”
“You’re not ruining our night, Abby. Besides, I always want you to feel free to talk about your mom. Talking about her keeps her alive.”
Without another word, Abby fell into my arms. She squeezed me tightly. “Oh Elijah, what would I do without you?” Her muffled voice echoed around my chest. Her words pierced through to my heart, and I wondered what I would do without her. It was something I couldn’t bear to even consider.
We were interrupted by David clearing his throat. “All right guys, let’s take some pictures.”
Abby pulled away. “Shoot, I gotta hurry up with this thing,” she said, as she put the rose against the lapel. Slowly, she slid the needle in.
“Ow!” I cried.
She gasped. “Oh did I get you?”
I grinned down at her. “Nah, just kidding you!”
She playfully swatted my arm. “That’s not funny, Elijah!”
I didn’t think I had ever had my picture taken so much in all of my existence. By the time we got ready to leave for school, we staggered from blindness because of all the camera flashes. Somehow we managed to make it to the cars. Abby and I climbed in with Rafe and Hannah.