anything?” I said crossly. If Parker was going to make up some cheap story about how Daddy was really having an affair with Ellen on the side, I would kill him.
“Dad and Mom got married when they’d known each other six weeks. Talk about falling in love on the rebound.Dad had been seeing Ellen for years. She was the first and only girl Dad ever dated. Dad worshiped Ellen. And less than three months later he’s married? Think about it.”
I thought about it. Bewildered, I said, “But, Parker, Mother and Daddy fell in love at first sight.”
Parker spoke to me slowly, forcing himself to be patient. “Kelly, Dad would have married Ellen in a heartbeat. Mother was his second choice. And only because she was there. All this time, Mother has never felt sure that Dad really loves her.”
“Ridiculous. He brings her presents every five minutes. She must have noticed by now.”
“Okay, don’t believe me. But there’s no romance in those gifts, Kelly. He just has to keep shoveling this junk at her in order to keep her happy. She’s a grown woman acting about fifteen. Wendy doesn’t act like that,” he finished contentedly. “I tell Wendy I love her, she believes me and that’s that.”
I resented his making Wendy sound better than Mom.
“Wendy and I,” said Parker loftily, “have an honest relationship. No pretenses like Mom and Dad.” He pranced off to his room, singing scraps of melody. Love songs to Wendy. I gathered up my quizzes. Lace, chocolate, laughter, candlelight, dancing … not romantic?
I rejected Parker’s theory.
Because if my parents’ romance was fake, then whose could be real?
Parker thought his with Wendy was real.
It had lasted three months.
But how long does love have to last to be real? If Daddy had loved Ellen for eight years and nothing came of it, then what
was
love anyhow?
Somebody made five hundred copies of my romance quizzes and passed them out in the halls the next day at school.
Public humiliation builds character, I told myself. I smiled when people teased. I agreed that
plaid
and
whipped cream
were pretty weird words on a romance quiz.
Parker pounced on me in the halls. Waving a quiz in his hand, he said furiously, “I cannot believe my own sister actually did this.”
“It seemed reasonable at the time.”
“Kelly, the whole school is—”
“I know, don’t say it. Just stand next to me in a supportive fashion like a decent old big brother.”
“It would be easier if you were a decent little sister. Do you know how people are laughing?”
“Yes, Park. I know.”
He relented. Park hadn’t been voted Nicest Boy for nothing. Putting an arm around me, a rare move for us, he said softly, “Good luck, Kelly. I think it’s going to be a long week for you.”
By the end of the day, however, teasing had tapered wayoff. By the final class, not more than ten or twenty people even mentioned the quizzes.
I stole a look at Will.
He was not stealing one at me. He was listening to the American history teacher. How can anybody concentrate on the Last Frontier when there are important things happening, like the girl next to you being totally humiliated, needing a new compliment? One she can put on the shelf next to
You have the smile of a pixie
.
Wendy came on with her soap.
I relaxed, thinking it would take some of the heat off me.
“It’s been a long sorrowful day for our beauteous Allegra,” said Wendy. “Allegra”—Wendy’s voice rose—“has taken”—Wendy’s voice became frenzied, as if Allegra had taken an overdose or a flight to New Zealand—“a quiz on romance. Her score is forty-seven. She has failed miserably. The entire world knows now that Allegra is totally lacking in romantic appeal.”
I stared at Will’s back. How could he have done that? How could he possibly have told Wendy about my score?
“Taking to her bed,” cried Wendy, “Allegra will eat nothing but classic SPAM. No whipped cream. No violins playing. In vain, Greg
“Dad and Mom got married when they’d known each other six weeks. Talk about falling in love on the rebound.Dad had been seeing Ellen for years. She was the first and only girl Dad ever dated. Dad worshiped Ellen. And less than three months later he’s married? Think about it.”
I thought about it. Bewildered, I said, “But, Parker, Mother and Daddy fell in love at first sight.”
Parker spoke to me slowly, forcing himself to be patient. “Kelly, Dad would have married Ellen in a heartbeat. Mother was his second choice. And only because she was there. All this time, Mother has never felt sure that Dad really loves her.”
“Ridiculous. He brings her presents every five minutes. She must have noticed by now.”
“Okay, don’t believe me. But there’s no romance in those gifts, Kelly. He just has to keep shoveling this junk at her in order to keep her happy. She’s a grown woman acting about fifteen. Wendy doesn’t act like that,” he finished contentedly. “I tell Wendy I love her, she believes me and that’s that.”
I resented his making Wendy sound better than Mom.
“Wendy and I,” said Parker loftily, “have an honest relationship. No pretenses like Mom and Dad.” He pranced off to his room, singing scraps of melody. Love songs to Wendy. I gathered up my quizzes. Lace, chocolate, laughter, candlelight, dancing … not romantic?
I rejected Parker’s theory.
Because if my parents’ romance was fake, then whose could be real?
Parker thought his with Wendy was real.
It had lasted three months.
But how long does love have to last to be real? If Daddy had loved Ellen for eight years and nothing came of it, then what
was
love anyhow?
Somebody made five hundred copies of my romance quizzes and passed them out in the halls the next day at school.
Public humiliation builds character, I told myself. I smiled when people teased. I agreed that
plaid
and
whipped cream
were pretty weird words on a romance quiz.
Parker pounced on me in the halls. Waving a quiz in his hand, he said furiously, “I cannot believe my own sister actually did this.”
“It seemed reasonable at the time.”
“Kelly, the whole school is—”
“I know, don’t say it. Just stand next to me in a supportive fashion like a decent old big brother.”
“It would be easier if you were a decent little sister. Do you know how people are laughing?”
“Yes, Park. I know.”
He relented. Park hadn’t been voted Nicest Boy for nothing. Putting an arm around me, a rare move for us, he said softly, “Good luck, Kelly. I think it’s going to be a long week for you.”
By the end of the day, however, teasing had tapered wayoff. By the final class, not more than ten or twenty people even mentioned the quizzes.
I stole a look at Will.
He was not stealing one at me. He was listening to the American history teacher. How can anybody concentrate on the Last Frontier when there are important things happening, like the girl next to you being totally humiliated, needing a new compliment? One she can put on the shelf next to
You have the smile of a pixie
.
Wendy came on with her soap.
I relaxed, thinking it would take some of the heat off me.
“It’s been a long sorrowful day for our beauteous Allegra,” said Wendy. “Allegra”—Wendy’s voice rose—“has taken”—Wendy’s voice became frenzied, as if Allegra had taken an overdose or a flight to New Zealand—“a quiz on romance. Her score is forty-seven. She has failed miserably. The entire world knows now that Allegra is totally lacking in romantic appeal.”
I stared at Will’s back. How could he have done that? How could he possibly have told Wendy about my score?
“Taking to her bed,” cried Wendy, “Allegra will eat nothing but classic SPAM. No whipped cream. No violins playing. In vain, Greg
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