Young Love in Old Chicago

  Chapter Eighteen

  Three weeks later.

  I zipped up my dress in the back and ran my hairbrush through my hair before I went to look out my window at Mason’s house. We had a routine now where I got ready for school and went over there to wait until he was ready to go to work. Then he took me to school on the way. But today I slept in late, so I was checking to see if he was waiting beside his car or coming over. When I leaned against my bed to look outside, I saw neither.

  At least the sun’s shining. That’s a good sign. Today was a big day, and I needed everything to go exactly right.

  I went downstairs and grabbed my books and the lunches I’d made for Mason and me before I headed for the door.

  “Don’t you want breakfast?” my mother asked, leaning out of the kitchen.

  “I’m too nervous to eat anything,” I said. Mason’s father would finally be getting to Chicago that evening, so Mason and I were putting on a housewarming party across the street and having all his new neighbors over to meet him.

  “You have to eat something. I’ll just grab a few pieces of bacon for you. Wait here.”

  I waited for her to come back with a big handful of bacon. “I can’t eat all that,” I said.

  “Just give Mason whatever you don’t eat.”

  “All right.”

  I tried to go to the door, but my mother stopped me by giving me a big hug. “Sweet, sweet, Alexandra,” she said in a shaky voice.

  “Mother, are you all right?” She had been overly emotional and sentimental the last few days.

  “I’m fine. I just—can’t believe how fast you’ve grown up.”

  “Well, you’re still my mother. That will never change.”

  “I know.” She smiled at me through teary eyes.

  “I’m sorry, but I really need to go.” I felt kind of bad as I hurried outside and across the street, eating a piece of bacon along the way, but I didn’t want to be late.

  Mason’s door opened and he came outside dressed in his untidy work clothes, just as I started up his walkway. I would always prefer him this way, messy and masculine. “Hey,” he said when he saw me. “I was just coming to see if you were sick or something.”

  “Sorry, I got up a little late.”

  “That’s okay.” He turned around and locked his door before he came to put his arm around me and walk me to his car.

  “My mother said to give you whatever I didn’t eat. Should I put this in your lunch?” I asked, holding the bacon out to him.

  “I can always eat.” He took half the pieces from me and said, “You can put the rest with my lunch. Thanks for making it for me again. I always appreciate it.” He shoved three pieces into his mouth at once as he opened the car door for me.

  “You’re welcome.” With my hands free, after setting my books on the floorboard, I opened Mason’s lunch pail and wrapped the bacon in the napkin that was inside.

  Mason climbed into the driver’s seat and pulled out onto the road. “Looks like you’re not the only one having a late start,” Mason said when we turned at the corner, seeing Emmaline climbing into the car Hayden had gotten from his father for Christmas. Hayden waved to us as he shut Emmaline’s door.

  “You look upset. What’s wrong?” Mason asked, glancing over at me.

  “I’m just nervous about the party and your father, I guess.”

  “Why?”

  “I don’t know.” I didn’t want to say how afraid I was of his father not liking me out loud.

  “You don’t have anything to worry about. My father’s going to love you,” Mason said, reaching out for my hand. It was amazing how he always read me so well. I took his hand, scratched and stained by hard work at Swatches, in both of mine, feeling its warmth and power.

  “Will you still be able to get my ring back today?” I asked, remembering when I looked at my hand that he was supposed to be getting it back that day. Mason had insisted on taking it to the jewelers to get it cleaned on Monday, two days before, and I was really missing it.

  “Yeah, I’ll pick it up on break and get it back to you tonight.”

  “I keep reaching for it with my thumb without thinking and realizing it’s not where it’s supposed to be. I can’t wait to have it back.”

  “Me neither.” He brought my hands to his mouth to kiss each one as he pulled up in front of my school and put the car in park.

  I could already feel the spectators watching us through the classroom windows, and see out of the corner of my eye the bodies walking across the schoolyard stopping to stare at us. It was the same thing every morning. Everyone wanted to get a good look at Mason Algoth.

  Mason leaned over to kiss me, so I gave him a quick peck before I leaned away. “What was that?” he asked, raising an eyebrow and giving me half a smile.

  “I’m sorry. I just hate the way they’re always staring.”

  Mason sat back in his seat as he looked out his window and laughed. “Look at all those jealous guys, wishing they were me.”

  “I think they see you the same way everyone sees your father.”

  Mason gave me an odd look as he shook his head. “No. I bet every single guy is wishing they were the one in this car with you, getting to kiss you every morning.” I smiled as Mason put his arm around me and leaned closer. “But I’m never going to let you go. So I say, let ‘em watch and keep on wishing.” He pressed those silken lips of his against mine, and this time I let him kiss me, resting one hand against his cheek as he did the same to me. “I love you, Alexandra.”

  “I love you, too, Mason.” I savored his words as he got out of the car and came to open my door for me. He must have said them a hundred times by then and I still felt the same infinite happiness that I did the first time I heard him say it.

  Looking outside, I could see students still looking back at Mason and me as they walked into school, and feel the prying eyes watching us through the windows. It was creepy, so I watched Mason, nearly to my door now, instead. Just seeing him took all that away.

  The door opened and I got out with my books and lunch pail. “I’ll be here right after school to get you,” Mason said as he gave me a hug.

  “I can’t wait.”

  I heard my door shut as I walked around the car and up the walkway to the school building. When I reached the main doors, I stopped and turned around to see Mason sitting in his car, still watching me, just as he did every morning. We waved to each other as Jack walked up behind me and opened the door.

  “Let me get that for you,” he said, holding it open for me. He had been unusually nice to me since the truth about Mason’s father came out.

  “Thank you, Jack.”

  “Hold it,” Katy’s voice came from outside as he let the door go. He pushed it back open for her. “I know I’m not Mason Algoth’s girlfriend, but I am his girlfriend’s sister.”

  “Sorry, Katy. I didn’t see you coming,” Jack said.

  “Well look closer next time.” She stalked off to her classroom as Jack and I went to ours.

  “Don’t feel bad. It’s just how she is,” I said.

  We wouldn’t have had that run-in if Katy would have just ridden to school with me each morning. Mason and I tried it on the first day back to school after Christmas break, but by the time we got there and Mason leaned over to kiss me, Katy said she would vomit if she had to spend another minute alone with us and she refused to let Mason drive her to school ever again. Mason and I didn’t mind her coming with us, but honestly, we preferred it this way.

  “Hey, Emmaline,” I said, sitting down beside her. “We beat you and Hayden here, but I didn’t even see you come in.”

  “That’s because you were so busy with Mason.”

  “Yeah.” I smiled to myself as I looked down and realized I’d grabbed Mason’s black lunch pail instead of my silver one. “Oh no, I took Mason’s lunch.”

  “So? They’re the same, aren’t they?”

  “Yeah, except that I put bacon in his and I don’t want to e
at that for lunch.”

  “I’m sure someone will eat it if you tell them it’s Mason’s.” Emmaline put the back of her hand against her forehead dramatically. “Like the lunch of a movie star.” We both laughed. It was ridiculous the way the kids at school thought of Mason.

  “Good morning, class,” Mr. Web said as he entered the room and made his way to the front of it. “So, I hear Mr. Sydney Algoth will finally be joining us in Chicago this evening. Is that right, Miss Alexandra?”

  I wondered where he’d heard about it as I glanced uncomfortably around the room, since everyone was turning to stare at me. “Yes, sir.”

  “Oh, good, good. If you get the chance, you should bring him to school with you one morning. I would be honored to meet him.”

  I nodded, but knew I couldn’t ask him to do that.

  “We’re having a welcoming party for him tonight, if you’d like to come,” Emmaline piped in. I stared at her in surprise, mentally willing her to take it back.

  “Really?” Mr. Web’s face filled with expectancy.

  Emmaline caught my look, but pressed on. “Sure. Mason said the more the merrier, so bring a friend if you want. He really wants his father to feel welcome here in Chicago.”

  “Why not invite the whole class while you’re at it?” I whispered, trying to sound sarcastic. She didn’t catch on.

  “Good idea. You’re all invited to come and bring your parents. I’m sure Mr. Algoth would love to meet them. It’s almost exactly across the street from Alexandra’s house, the yellow one. He should be getting there about five-thirty, so come a little before that.”

  “Splendid. Thank you, Miss Alexandra and Miss Emmaline. I will certainly be there. And we can’t very well have any homework with something so important happening tonight,” Mr. Web said, giving us a heavily mustached grin. A few students cheered. I groaned inside. “So, let’s take out our American History books and turn to page three hundred and eleven.”

  After finding the right page in my book, I began scribbling feverishly on my slate. I was only joking about the class. I wasn’t planning to feed that many people, and what will we do with them all? I pushed it over to Emmaline.

  Her eyebrows wrinkled as she read. Then she wrote on her slate and pushed it over to me. Mason said he wanted his father to make friends and feel at home here. Hayden and I can pick up more food right after school and bring it over.

  Okay, I mouthed, hoping Mason wouldn’t be too upset.

  Reaching into my pocket, I pulled out the little note I knew would be there. Have a great day. Love, Mason. He usually wrote something to that effect on the notes he left in my pocket every morning when he dropped me off, and they always made my day brighter. I definitely needed that one.

  As Mr. Web droned on, I went over everything for the party in my head. Mason had arranged for a taxi to pick up his father at the train station and bring him home. We had snacks and drinks in his fridge and on the counters, ready to be served. Emmaline would have to bring enough to double what we already had to make sure we had enough. My mother was bringing over extra plates and glasses. Mason and I had everything unpacked that we’d brought over from his house in Shilling with the help of my father and Hayden. Every room in the house was clean and ready for his father.

  “Miss Alexandra, it’s your turn to read,” Mr. Web’s voice broke into my thoughts. Emmaline’s eyes widened when she looked over at my book. I realized I wasn’t even on the right page. She put her finger on her book to indicate where to start reading, so I kept my head low and faced my book as I read the three paragraphs from hers. Then she picked up on the next three. I tried again and again to focus on school, but my mind refused to stop wandering to the party.

  At lunch, Hayden said he and Emmaline would be happy to pick up more snacks and come over after school. At least half of the class came over to where we were sitting under a tree to let us know they would be at the party with their parents unless something came up, each one adding to the pressure I already felt. It seemed that every adult in Chicago was dying to meet Sydney Algoth, so it was unlikely any of their parents would pass up the opportunity. I hoped Hayden realized just how many refreshments they would need to bring.

  Stress continued to build throughout the day. I usually spent every minute I was in school looking forward to Mason picking me up (even on days when he had to work late, he took a break long enough to come get me after school), but today I didn’t want afternoon to come.

  It did come, though. The jolting ring of the bell sent a rush of fear through my body as it stiffened. Hayden came around to our desk and picked up Emmaline’s books before they left, talking about which deli to head to.

  Outside, I was met by a heavy north wind that caused me to put my hand against my skirt to keep it from blowing up too high.

  And the instant I saw Mason standing beside his car, I began to feel better. His face lit up as he strode quickly toward me, reaching me before I could get very far across the crowded schoolyard. He wrapped his arms around me, his coat protecting me from his grease-covered clothes, and held me there for a full minute, at least. It felt so good. “Ready to go?” he asked when he released me, taking my books and lunch in one arm and putting the other one around me.

  “Yeah.” I laid my arm against his and held the hand he had on my waist. “But I have to tell you something, and I really don’t want you to be angry with me, because it’s not my fault.” I glanced nervously at him.

  “Oookay.” The apprehension in his voice was evident.

  “Emmaline invited our teacher, and everyone in our class, and their parents to the party for your father. I’m really sorry.”

  He opened the door for me as he let out a loud breath. “Goodness, Alexandra. You really had me scared. Why would I be mad about that?”

  “Because now all these people you don’t know will be coming over to your house. I can’t believe she invited them.” I sat down in the car, still feeling guilty in spite of what he said.

  “It’s okay.” Mason shut my door and walked around the car before he got in on his side. “It’ll be good for my dad to meet all those people. I really want him to like it here in Chicago as much as I do, and they’re only going to be there for an hour or two.” He twisted his neck around to look behind him before he pulled out into the street. “Besides, it’ll give me a chance to size up that guy who was holding the door for you this morning.”

  “Jack? Why would you want to size him up?”

  “That’s the second time this week he’s held the door for you. He’s got a thing for you, Alexandra. I can tell.”

  “No, he doesn’t. He’s just being nice because he feels bad for being so mean to me that Monday after the dance.”

  Mason looked over at me solemnly. “You didn’t see the way he was looking at you when he was watching you go from my car to that door, or the way he ran halfway across the grass to hold it open for you.”

  I thought it was sweet that he worried so much, even though I knew he was wrong. I scooted as far as I could to the left side of my seat and laid my head against his arm. “It doesn’t really matter, because I love you,” I said. He kissed the top of my head and reached up to put his hand on the cheek I didn’t have against him, running his fingers back and forth over it.

  When the car pulled up in his driveway, I had to take a deep breath and try to calm down. People would begin arriving in a matter of hours.

  “I should probably go wash up. You can wait downstairs if you want to. I’ll be fast,” Mason said before he got out.

  “I think I’ll help my mother carry the dishes over here.”

  “I can get them if you wait a few minutes.”

  “We’ll be all right.”

  “If you’re sure. Just be sure and leave the chairs for me to get, okay?”

  “Okay.” I picked up both of our lunch boxes and my books as Mason came to open my door for me, giving me a kiss before we went our separate ways.

  By the time he was finished,
my mother and I had a fresh tablecloth on the serving table in his living room and were stacking all the plates and glasses beside a punch bowl we would fill with cold juice just before guests began to arrive. Mason carried the trays of food from his kitchen to the long table and several chairs over from our house to put around his living room. After that, he took a stack of puzzles and a small folding table from the hall closet and set them against the wall for kids to play with when they came over.

  “That’s all we can do for now,” my mother said when we were through. “Your father will be home soon, so I should probably go fix him something to eat. I’ll be back in a little while.”

  “Thank you, Mother.” I was glad to see her go, since she kept stopping to smile and stare tearfully at me.

  Mason and I sat on the cream-colored loveseat with a folded purple quilt his mother had made hanging over the back of it, as we admired the finished room. My eyes rested on the ‘Welcome Home’ sign hanging just above the three framed pictures that were resting on top of the fireplace. My favorite of the three was the one of us together at the dance. The picture in the center was of Mason and his parents when he was about twelve years old, and his parents’ wedding picture sat on the other side of it.

  “I got something for you today,” Mason said, drawing my attention to him.

  “My ring?” I asked hopefully.

  “I got that too, but I was talking about this.” He reached into his shirt pocket and pulled out two tickets. Red hearts were stamped on either side of the words Valentine’s Day Ball on the end of each one.

  “Tickets to the ball! Thank you, Mason.” I took one to look over.

  “It’s only a month away, so maybe we could go get you a dress next week.”

  “Okay.”

  He put his arm around me and pressed it against my back, so I would have no choice in kissing him, as if I ever had one. But someone knocked on the door, interrupting our kiss.

  “I hope that’s Emmaline,” I said, standing up. “She’s supposed to bring over more food since she doubled the number of guests today.”

  “I’ll hold onto these until the ball.” Mason took my ticket and put both back in his pocket.

  When we opened the door, we found Emmaline and Hayden standing on the porch, each holding a stack of five snack trays from the deli in their arms. “There’s ten more in the car. Will that be enough, Alexandra?” Emmaline asked me.

  “That will be more than enough. Thank you for bringing them.”

  “No trouble at all,” Hayden said. “Where should these go?”

  “Just put them on the counter. They won’t all fit on the table, so I’ll figure that out later. Mason and I can get the rest of it.” We went out to Hayden’s car and got the other ten, then met Emmaline and Hayden in the kitchen.

  “Do you want us to help with anything else?” Emmaline asked.

  “There’s not much else to do,” Mason said. “But no one’ll be getting here for another hour and a half at least if you just want to stay till then.”

  Hayden and Mason had become good friends, strangely enough, over the last few weeks when we’d all four gone out or stayed in together.

  “Okay. Do you want to, Hayden?” Emmaline asked.

  “Why not?” So we sat in the living room and talked about school and the ball and this and that. But I had the same problem I had at school, my anxiety over the party calling my attention away from everything else, so I missed a lot of what was said.

  It was just that so much could go wrong—spilt juice or snack trays, Marcy reverting to tormenting me in front of everyone, too many guests to fit inside the house…or worse, no guests at all—I just wanted it to be over with.

  My parents and Katy came over at about five o’clock to be ready to greet the guests when they began to arrive. My father took my seat beside Mason when I got up to carry a few of the snack trays to the table and they began talking about a car he’d seen earlier that day. My mother and I barely got the juice poured before someone knocked on the front door, sending my nerves into overdrive as I pictured my classmates’ parents, whom I’d never even met, coming over and me having to meet them all at the door. Suddenly Mason’s father didn’t seem so scary.

  But it was Mr. Web we found standing on the front porch when Mason and I opened the door. “I hope I’m not too early,” he said jovially, leaning back slightly so that his round belly poked out even farther.

  “Not at all, come in,” I said. “Mason, this is my teacher, Mr. Web. Mr. Web, this is Mason.”

  “Yes, the fellow I see you leaving with every afternoon. It’s nice to meet you, Mason.”

  “You, too,” Mason said, shaking his hand.

  I looked outside as Mr. Web walked past me and saw Mr. and Mrs. Abbey coming over from next door with their little boy. A dark blue tint was already beginning to settle over the world outside. The Abbeys waved when they saw me, so I stood at the open door and waited. “Hello, Alexandra. I brought these for your get-together.” Mrs. Abbey held out a plate of brownie squares.

  “How thoughtful, thank you.” I took the plate from her as we entered the living room. “The Abbeys are here,” I said.

  “Hello, Caroline, Mitch,” my mother said, coming to say hello.

  I moved some things around on the table to make room for the brownies as Mason picked up a puzzle with the Eiffel Tower on the front. “Hey, Mikey, you want to do a puzzle with me?” he asked the Abbeys’ son.

  “Okay,” Mikey popped out of the chair he was sitting in with a burst of energy and sat on the floor in a corner of the room with Mason, just as another knock came at the door.

  Elise was there with her parents and little brother. I did my best to be friendly and welcoming, even though Elise and I were anything but friends.

  As more and more guests arrived, my nerves began to calm down. Elise’s brother decided to help Mikey with the puzzle, so Mason was able to stay with me beside the door. It felt natural to welcome each person and thank them for coming when he was standing beside me. It was so much easier than what my parents were doing in the living room, having to carry on conversations with each person as they entered the room. And the more guests that came, the more successful the party felt.

  Luckily, Marcy and Jack never showed, even though nearly every other student in my class came, each one staring obsessively at Mason as they walked past us.

  After the Smiths came over at about five twenty-five, the traffic finally stopped. Everyone stood or sat in the living room, dining room, or kitchen, talking happily to each other.

  Mason and I went to stand in the living room and wait. “So, old Jacky decided not to come?” he said, giving me a smile. “I guess that means you’re all mine tonight.”

  “I’m all yours forever.”

  His smile slowly faded as he stared fixedly at me. “Really?”

  “Yes.” For the first time I didn’t feel embarrassment or regret for something I’d said that I knew was way too forward.

  He wrapped his arms around me and kissed my forehead. “Thank you, Alexandra. Knowing that will make tonight a whole lot easier.”

  “What do you mean?”

  The room was suddenly flooded with light coming in through the window, reminding me that I should be watching for the guest of honor. Mason and I looked through the window and I felt the familiar hot rush of fear when I saw a taxi. “That’s him,” Mason said loudly to the quiet now filling the room. “If you’ll all just wait here, we’ll go and get him.”

  Mason held my hand as he walked to the door. I wished he would have just left me behind. It would have been so much easier to meet his father while I was surrounded by others who were desperate to do the same.

  Outside, the orange setting sun hung over the man pulling his suitcase out of the back of the taxi, which was stopped in the middle of the road, unable to park with all the cars along the sidewalk and in the driveway. It was strange to see this man as more than a picture. He turned around when he heard our footsteps
coming.

  “Hey, Dad,” Mason said, letting go of me to hug his father. The taxi drove away behind them.

  “Mason, it’s good to finally be here.” His father looked around at all the cars. “I wasn’t sure if I was in the right place with all these cars here. It looks like someone’s celebrating something.”

  “We are. We’re celebrating you getting home by having the neighbors over to meet you. But first, I want you to meet Alexandra.”

  His father fixed the same stony gray eyes on me that Mason had so many times before, only slightly darker than his son’s. They reflected the dying sunlight as tears began to form in them. He reached out and hugged me. “Thank you, Alexandra, for taking such good care of my son when I couldn’t. I know his mother is just as grateful, somewhere.” I couldn’t come up with a response, since it felt as if Mason had always taken such good care of me, instead of the other way around. Mr. Algoth took a step back to smile at me. “I’m so glad to finally meet you.”

  “I’m glad to meet you, too.” Somehow the nervousness I’d dealt with all day wasn’t quite as overwhelming. He felt familiar because he reminded me so much of Mason.

  “Well, let’s get you into your new house,” Mason said, taking his father’s suitcase and patting him on the back.

  “It’s a fine house. You did an excellent job in choosing one,” his father said before he looked over at me. “I hope your parents are here. Mason told me what a help they’ve been in getting him into this house. I would really like to thank them.”

  “They’re here. They’re just inside with everyone else.”

  As soon as we opened the door, everyone inside began clapping. People moved forward to shake Sydney’s hand and thank him for what he did.

  Leaving the suitcase just inside the door, Mason took my hand and led me to the now empty kitchen. That way the guests could do what they came there for, and Mason could escape the never-ending stares from the kids in my class, which would probably be directed at his father now, anyway, I guess.

  “It looks like things are going really well,” Mason said as we looked back and watched my parents shake his father’s hand.

  “I think so, too. I’m going to take these trays out there and bring back the empty ones,” I said, taking the tops off of two dishes and picking them up.

  “I’ll get the old ones out of your way.” Mason went ahead of me and brought back a tall stack of empty plates and trays, leaning over to kiss my cheek when we passed each other. Everyone was so busy talking or listening to every word Mr. Algoth said that they didn’t even notice us. After Mason and I had put all the food on the table and carried the empty dishes to the kitchen, I turned on the water and began rinsing them off. Less work to do later.

  “You don’t have to do that,” Mason said, coming to stand behind me and putting both arms around my waist.

  “I know, but I don’t mind. My mother probably won’t leave until the mess from the party’s all cleaned up, so I’m just getting ahead.”

  I dropped the plate I was rinsing off in the sink when I felt him spinning me around to face him. The sound the plate made was terrible, but I hardly even noticed, because he pressed one hand against my back and the other behind my head, pulling me close and kissing me until my legs felt weak and my breath was short. “You’re so good to me. What did I ever do to deserve you?” he asked, gazing at me with heavy eyes.

  “No, what did I do to deserve you?”

  “Excuse me for just a moment,” Mason’s father’s voice came from the living room. A few seconds later he walked into the kitchen with Katy. We watched them move to the wall opposite the living room and sit down at the little four person table. “So, you want to know about getting your foot in the door with the mob. Have I understood you correctly?”

  “Katy!” I said. How could she embarrass me like that? I let go of Mason to walk over to his father. “I’m so sorry about this, Mr. Algoth.”

  “It’s all right. Mason prepared me for this, so I’ve been expecting it, really.” He turned his attention back to my sister. “I could tell you of the horrors I’ve seen and vicious natures I’ve encountered, the terrible fates of the victims who weren’t as lucky as I was, but it would be more than a lady could bear to hear. So how do I make you understand?”

  Katy threw her long hair over her shoulders and glowered at him. “I can handle it,” she said indignantly.

  He stared thoughtfully at her for a few seconds before he nodded. “All right, then. There are men—”

  “I can’t,” I said desperately. They both looked over at me. “I’m sorry. I would really rather not hear this.” Knowing that they were about to discuss the terrible pain and suffering inflicted on one human by another, I rushed away from the room and into the next one, where everyone still seemed to be having a good time.

  Once I located Hayden and Emmaline standing in a circle with a few of our classmates beside the snack table, I wound my way through the crowd and went to stand in between Emmaline and a boy named Jonathan. “Hey, where have you been?” she asked me, as Jonathan moved over to make more room for me in the circle.

  “In the kitchen, washing dishes.” I leaned closer and whispered, “Katy’s talking to Mason’s father about the mob.”

  “Sorry.” She gave me a sympathetic look.

  “Hey, thanks for inviting everyone to the party,” Jonathan said to Emmaline and me, the small scar under his right eye becoming more defined when he smiled. “My dad’s been kind of mad at me for something stupid lately, but I think after me getting him into this party to meet Sydney Algoth, he’ll get over it.”

  “So you’re having fun?” I asked him, wanting to know that they were having a good time.

  “Yeah, I mean, how often do we all get together like this outside of school?”

  “That’s right. We’ve never done anything like this,” Tony said from across the circle. He was one of those kids who was always at the top of our class, grade-wise, but never let on how smart he was. But since he sat right in front of me in class, I saw his grades once in a while. “And it has been a lot of fun. Maybe we could get together at my house on Friday. Actually, I’ll go talk to my parents right now.”

  A hand slid over my back as he left the circle, so, thinking it was Jonathan, I jumped to my right, bumping into Emmaline. She managed not to fall over as I turned to ask him not to touch me, but I saw the arm extending from behind me and turned around to face Mason. “Oh, you scared me.” I smiled and moved closer to him, leaving the circle behind.

  “Sorry. I guess I thought you would have known it was me.”

  I leaned up to whisper in his ear, so he leaned over slightly. “How’s it going in the kitchen?”

  “Good, I guess. I think some of what he’s saying might be getting through to her. I’m glad you left when you did, though. It was definitely more than you should have to hear.”

  I noticed Mr. and Mrs. Smith making their way toward us, so I took Mason’s hand and turned to face them. “We just wanted to thank you for inviting us over to meet your father tonight,” Mr. Smith said to Mason. “Marjorie’s feeling tired, though, so I think we’ll head on home.”

  “Could you wait just a few more minutes? As soon as my father comes back in here, there’s an announcement I want to make, and I’d really like for everyone to hear it,” Mason said.

  I stared curiously at him, wondering what it could be.

  Mr. Smith looked to his wife. “Of course we can wait,” she said, reaching out to pat Mason’s arm softly.

  “Thank you.”

  They walked across the room so Mrs. Smith could sit down in an empty chair.

  “What announcement?” I asked Mason.

  “It’s a surprise.”

  “But I don’t want to be surprised in front of everyone.”

  “You’ll like this one.”

  I wasn’t so sure, though. And I didn’t think I could handle all those people staring at me. Maybe he could just make the announcement alone
. There was really no need for me to be there, especially since I didn’t even know what it was about. It was probably a surprise for his father, anyway.

  “Hey, Alexandra,” someone behind me said. I turned around and saw Tony motioning for me to rejoin the circle. I kept hold of Mason’s hand as I did so. “So everyone’s going to come over on Friday. I live just a block over from school. You wanna come, too?”

  I was a little surprised by the invitation, since no one aside from Emmaline or Hayden had ever offered me one. “I’ll be with Mason after school.”

  “He can come, too. You wanna come to a get-together like this one at my house on Friday?” he asked Mason, who was standing halfway in the circle between Jonathan and me.

  “I’ll be working.”

  “See, Alexandra. You’re boyfriend’s busy, so you’ve got nothing else to do. You should come.”

  Looking over at Mason, I could tell he didn’t appreciate the way Tony was talking to me. “I don’t know. He’ll still be there to pick me up after school.” I felt Mason’s arm go around me. Even if it was only for a few minutes, I would have rather been with Mason than anyone else. And it didn’t really sound like fun anyway, having to worry about what I would do and say at his house.

  Tony gave me a strange look. “So come over instead. Emmaline’s coming.”

  “We’ll see.”

  “Here comes my dad,” Mason brushed my hair aside to whisper. I looked at the kitchen door and watched every nearby adult swarm around his father as he entered the room. Katy scooted against the wall to get around them, looking extremely sobered by whatever he said to her. “Come on.” Mason tried to pull me away from the circle.

  “Mason, wait. Do you really need me with you to make this announcement?”

  “Yes, I really do…Trust me.” I stared into his alluring eyes and saw how important this was to him. My own eyes pled not to have this burden put on me, I’m sure, but I would have done anything for him. So I took a deep breath, hoping it would slow my racing heart, and let him lead me to the fireplace.

  “Excuse me, could I have everyone’s attention, please,” Mason raised his voice to say. The noise level dropped, but people in the back of the room continued to talk. “Could I have everyone’s attention, for just a minute?” he said, louder this time. People began shushing each other until everyone was silent…and then everyone was staring at us. I felt my cheeks burning. “Alexandra and I would like to thank everyone for coming to meet my dad tonight. I want to say how happy I am to finally have him home, safe and sound. I’m glad you could all share this important night with us. There is one more thing that could make this night even better, for me at least, and I wanted to share that with you, too.” Mason let go of my hand to reach into his pocket and pull a small white box out of it. He opened it, and inside—

  “My ring,” I said happily, reaching out for it. But Mason knelt down on one knee, taking it further from my reach. My hand went slowly over my mouth. Breath seemed to leave my body as I realized what was happening.

  “Alexandra, you came to me like an angel, full of light, in a dark and lonely city. You stood by me through impossible circumstances. It only took me a day to know that I belong with you…and you belong with me. I want to wake up beside you every morning. I want to spend lazy summer afternoons out on the porch with you and cold winter nights beside the fire with you. I want to spend the rest of my life with you, Alexandra. So, will you please marry me?”

  I wiped the happiest tear I’d ever cried away from my cheek as I nodded. There was nothing, nothing, in this world I wanted more than to spend forever with him. “Yes,” I choked out, wanting to say more, but not trusting myself to.

  Mason smiled as he reached out for my left hand so he could slide my ring back over my finger, where it sparkled this time with the promise of forever. Then he stood up and wrapped his arms around me as he kissed me. I rested my hands on the back of his neck as everyone broke out in applause. But I didn’t care about them, or the eyes fixed on us and our kiss. All I cared about was the man kissing me, the man I would marry, the man I would spend the rest of my life with.

  A few people came over to congratulate us, including Emmaline and Hayden, but the attention remained mostly on Mr. Algoth. The first chance he got, Mason led me to the kitchen, which was still empty, and wrapped his strong arms around me. We smiled at each other for a long moment. “Thank you,” he said.

  “For what? I should be thanking you, Mason.”

  “Thank you for agreeing to become my wife. You’ve made me happier than I’ve ever been before.”

  His wife…I loved the sound of that.

  “Remember when you said you didn’t know how you could give me anything for my birthday that would be better than the kiss I gave you?” he asked me.

  “Yes.”

  “I know what you can give me.”

  “Anything.”

  “My twentieth birthday’s the day after your last day of school, May fourteenth. You could marry me for my birthday. Nothing could top that. Then we could travel to Europe or get a cabin in the woods, if you don’t want to travel very far.”

  “Okay.” Going to Europe with Mason sounded perfect, actually.

  “Did I hear you right? Did you just say you want to get married this summer?” my father asked as he entered the room, followed closely by my mother.

  “She said yes. I knew she would, but…Oh, Ted, our little girl is getting married. I’m so happy for you both,” my mother said as she hugged both of us, then began dabbing at her eyes.

  “Thank you, Lillian,” Mason said.

  “I’m happy for you, too, as long as Alexandra finishes school next year. You didn’t mention how soon you would want to marry my daughter when you asked my permission,” my father said.

  “You both knew?” I asked my parents. My mother nodded and I began to understand why she’d been acting so peculiar lately, but my father continued to stare at Mason, waiting for a response.

  “I guess I should have,” Mason answered him. “I just don’t think I can wait another year and a half to marry Alexandra. But she can still finish school. I’ll just keep taking her every morning and picking her up in the afternoon like I’ve been doing.”

  “So, we’re having a wedding,” Mason’s father said as he came into the kitchen.

  “It looks that way.” My father reached out to shake his hand.

  “Maybe you two would let me take you house shopping.” Mr. Algoth winked at his son. “It’ll be a good way to get my feet wet in the world of real estate.”

  “Sounds good,” Mason said. “You don’t mind, do you, Alexandra?”

  “Of course not.”

  “And we’ve only got five months to plan the wedding,” my mother said excitedly. “We need to send out invitations so people can plan to be there. We can choose and order them this weekend so we can send them out as soon as possible. And a dress, I’ll have to help you select a dress, Alexandra. Oh, this will be so much fun…” She went on about the wedding as I smiled and leaned against Mason when he put his arm around me.

  And I realized for the first time how all the challenges we’d faced and the way our love for each other had been tested and proved had brought us closer and made our love stronger than it might have otherwise been. I knew, beyond any doubt, that what we shared would be able to withstand anything our future might hold.

  Mason planted his fingers in my hair, as our parents began talking about the grandchildren they would someday share, and leaned his head down against mine. “I love you, Alexandra…so much it hurts sometimes. And I will never stop loving you,” he whispered.

  I pressed against him as I wrapped my arms around his back. I knew exactly how he felt. “I love you, too, Mason.”

  So now, my only problem was how I would ever survive the next five months having to wait to be married to him.

 

  THE END