JERALD
F our dresses vanish from sight.
“Interested?” Hank grins.
“Am I? Hold on there, not so fast.” I flatten my hand on his chest. “Sound the alarms while you’re at it, Hank, come on.”
“Sorry. Wasn’t thinking straight. We can’t just run after them.”
“That’s right. Patience.”
Darren strolls back from hoofing it on the dance floor. “What’s buzzin’ cousins?”
Peter yawns, “We might be shoving off. Wanna come?”
“Already? Nah. You fellas go. Can’t run out now. Still got some dance cards with my name on them.”
Marvin asks, “More than two?”
“Don’t you?”
“Well, sure but…”
“You don’t, do you.”
Marv glances around our expectant faces, and shrugs. “Don’t feel much like dancing, is all.”
Hank throws an arm around his shoulder to include him in our group, calling to Darren, “So long!”
As soon as we’re out of earshot, he reassures his pal, “Didn’t want him to come anyhow, Marvin. You see there’s four of them and four of us. Darren would have made it five, right? And you know, Sable is there…”
Marvin perks up, and off we go on our adventure.
Outside, my brother chuckles, “There they are. Don’t know about you fellas, but I don’t think this is a smart plan.”
Peter gives him a wink. “Which of us is smart?”
“Not you.”
The dolls have spotted us, whispering to each other.
May’s chest rises quickly. I keep my gaze up as a gentleman, but I caught a glimpse and liked what I saw.
Peter is first to speak. “Say Lily, any idea how much trouble you could get in if you’re caught out here with us?”
A sassy smile is his happy answer.
May and I are staring at each other.
But the doll with glasses jumps on his warning. “Peter’s right, Lily, we have to get out of here!”
She gets swatted away with a perfunctory, “Sable, hush!”
“I mean out, out!”
Lily meets her eyes and realizes she had misunderstood. “This is why I love you!”
“What do you mean out?” Hank jogs his thumb back to the gymnasium building. “Don’t you mean in?”
Sable rolls her eyes. “Lily has a bright idea that’ll be my undoing, that’s what I mean!”
May’s pretty lips part and I stare at them as she says, “I didn’t get your name.”
“Didn’t you hear the Sister?”
“I would like to hear you say it.”
I tip my hat and give her a smile. “I’m Jerald Cocker. Nice to make your acquaintance, May.”
A smile grows that is so charming I can’t look away.
Gertie tugs on her dress. “May, we really should be going! Now!”
Lily throws her hand out, palm down, fingers graceful. “Listen boys, we’re taking this party to Sable’s house? You game?”
Peter shrugs like he could stay or go. “Sure, I don’t see why not. Lead the way.”
“You boys have a car, right?”
I’m about to offer mine, but Marvin beats me to it, holding his hand a little too high. “I do! I have one!”
He’s got eyes on the sourpuss. Must love carrying a bucket uphill.
That leaves the cute brunette standing next to May, for my brother. He knows it, too, because he offers his arm. “Shall we, Gertie?”
She lights up with surprise, and slides her hand through it while the eight of us stroll to the parking lot, talking amongst ourselves.
May is by my side, but we aren’t touching. I’ve got my greedy fingers in my pockets, and she’s turning a ring on her right hand. “That’s pretty.”
She smiles, “It’s my mother’s. She let me borrow it tonight. I wasn’t supposed to come here, you know.”
“Me neither.”
A creaking behind us makes us look back in time to see Sister Charlotte open the door to their gymnasium, the same two sisters just behind her. Positively horrified, she yells, “Girls!”
All eight of us break into a run.
“Girls! Get back here!”
Marvin hollers, “That one is mine!” pointing at a burgundy Chrysler Saratoga up on the far right. He, Peter, Lily and Sable make a dash for it.
Lucky for us, I parked a little closer. At Dad’s black Lincoln Continental, I grab the passenger door and tell May and her friend, “Get in!”
Hank stays by the door, last to jump inside while I race around to drive. He’s in the backseat with Gertie, and he reaches over at the same time May does, to shut the door. “Thanks!”
Sister Charlotte is in shock.
She and the other nuns are standing with their jaws dropped, blinking fast.
“I’m… I’m telephoning… your… your parents!”
May rolls down her window and hangs out of it while I drive. “Oh please don’t, Sister Charlotte! Why must you be so mean? Don’t you remember how much fun life was when you were just a girl?”
I chuckle to myself and stamp on the gas pedal, following Marvin to Sable’s house.
The legal speed limit of thirty-five miles-per-hour does not apply tonight, that’s for certain!
MAY
I ’ve gone and done it, haven’t I?
Sister Charlotte is probably dialing the operator right now. Connect me to the Kearns residence. Or perhaps she’s run to her office where her files are, searching for each of our phone numbers and the names of our parents so she’s more prepared. I’m in the worst trouble, especially because I can’t stop smiling.
From the backseat, Gertie says, “A convertible! What are you, the Mayor?”
Hank explains in a lower volume for just her, “Our Father is bigger than that. Did you hear the nuns saying our Pops is in Congress? He makes laws.”
As he launches into how the House of Representatives works, Jerald and I exchange a look that makes my body tingle. “You’re in the Navy?”
Pale green eyes fixate on me, and return to the road. “That’s right.”
He doesn’t offer more, so I’ll just enjoy the view for a moment. Mother would call his an honest jaw. I like that nose, too. If my blonde hair were naturally curly like his, I wouldn’t have to pin-curl it every night. It looks soft. I’m glad it’s not slicked down like some of the boys wear it. He’s such a confident driver, too. My father always drives with
