Irises by Francisco X. Stork Page A

working in the restaurants ever since I can remember. I know the business. And I’ll have a few months with my dad before I take over completely.”
    Aunt Julia was going to ask another question when M ary came in. “I think the pot roast is getting overdone. It looks dry.”
    Fortunately, Aunt Julia did not carry out any further interrogations during supper. Kate noticed that Mary’s presence mellowed Aunt Julia. It was as if Mary saw a softer side to her, and she responded to that.
    After they were finished with supper, Aunt Julia insisted that Kate and Simon go out to the backyard and enjoy the cool evening air while she rested and Mary did the dishes. She had gone back to her usual tired self.
    Kate and Simon sat next to each other in silence. The night was gleaming with stars, and Kate focused her gaze on them. Whenever she glanced at Simon, she felt as if he was mustering enough courage to speak. She wanted to ask him about the “pre-engagement” comment. It was presumptuous of him to say that to Aunt Julia before discussing it with Kate. On the other hand, she did not want to talk about their relationship. She liked Simon and felt closer to him than she had ever felt to any other boy, but they had never discussed what would happen after high school, and she had never told him about the application to Stanford. She knew that Simon assumed she would stay in El Paso and their relationship would continue. Now here he was, searching for words to ask her what she didn’t want to hear.
    â€œIs everything okay?” he finally said.
    â€œOkay? Like how?”
    â€œBetween us.”
    â€œSure.”
    She could hear him inhale deeply. “Maybe it’s time to make things more formal.”
    â€œThings?” She turned to look at him.
    â€œBetween you and me.”
    â€œMore than pre-engaged?” There was a faint note of sarcasm in her voice, but Simon didn’t pick it up.
    â€œI know we’ve only been going out for a year and a half, but we’ve known each other since we were kids, since my family started going to your father’s church. I’m one hundred percent sure about you. I’ve felt that way for ages. And . . .”
    â€œGo on.” Might as well have it all out. Simon put his left hand in his pocket, and for a second she thought he was going to take out a ring. Kate’s mind raced, trying to think what she would say if he did.
    â€œWell, this is a good time to make a decision about us.”
    She was relieved when he took his hand out of his pocket again and it was empty. She wondered why Simon would not just out-and-out propose to her, why he preferred to talk about decisions, formal or otherwise. He must be testing and prodding to see whether his proposal would be accepted. There was a part of her that wanted to make it easier for him by telling him to go ahead and just ask, and another part that wanted to make it as hard as possible so that she wouldn’t have to give any answers.
    She said softly, “Are you sure this is a good time to be talking about this?” It was the gentlest way to put him off, at least for a while.
    But Simon seemed determined to carry through with what he had to say. He took a deep breath and then said, “I want to be there for you. You need someone now more than ever.”
    She turned toward him, expecting to see affection or caring in his face, but what she saw instead was responsibility. The strong was offering to protect the weak.
    â€œAre you worried about me financially?” she asked.
    â€œThat’s not all. But I’ll take care of you, all of you. I’ll make good money with my own restaurant.”
    Kate rubbed her feet on the ground. The week before, she had sat with her father on these same chairs and he’d told her that the burden of taking care of the family would fall on h er. She knew by the way her father treated Simon that he wanted her to marry him, probably the