Leavenworth.
It sounded like one of the bad
words Mom and Dad forbade her to use. How ironic that this new town her parents
were determined to drag her to shared the same name as a prison. Because Jenna
might as well be going to prison. Her parents were ruining her life.
Especially her dad, with his
new job. That’s all he’d talked about for weeks now. He didn’t even have time
to talk about school anymore, or come to her softball games.
When she was still playing
softball. Which she couldn’t do anymore, because they were moving to
Leavenworth.
Just for spite she rolled the
word around on her tongue and muttered.
Leavenworth…Leavenworth…
Tears welled in her eyes as
she lifted her gaze to find Carter. Dark, shaggy hair spilled over his
forehead, highlighting the dusky pallor of his cheeks. In another month his
skin would glow bronze from hours spent in the sun while he helped his dad with
their lawn care business. He’d worked beside his father since the summer he’d
turned nine. He was fourteen now—nearly four months older than Jenna.
Carter swiped the tumble of
hair away, revealing eyes the color of rain-slicked river rock—gray with specks
of russet along the edges. She’d always loved his eyes. They were
one-of-a-kind.
Carter closed the trunk and
turned to face her.
“Don’t cry, Jen.” He grinned
ruefully as he jammed his hands into the pockets of his favorite pair of faded
jeans. She knew they were his favorite because he’d told her last week while
they were eating sundaes together down at Miller’s Ice Cream Parlor following
an afternoon of swimming at the community pool. Carter had said the pants
probably wouldn’t fit much longer, since he’d launched into another growth
spurt, but he’d make them last as long as he could. His folks would be tight on
money until the mowing season cranked up to its full stride in a couple of
weeks, maybe a month. “Everything’s going to be OK.”
“How can this ever be OK?”
Jenna’s lower lip trembled and she caught it between her teeth. “I might as
well be moving to Mars.”
“It’s not that bad. You’ll
see.” He shrugged, trying his best to lighten the moment. But his tone told her
he was just as miserable. “You can write to me and fill me in on all the fun
places on your side of the country.”
That sounded forever apart.
“I don’t think there are any
fun places in Leavenworth.” How could there be, with a name like that? Suddenly
her belly roiled like it had last weekend, when Carter jumped from the pool’s
high dive and then dared her to do the same. She’d climbed the ladder and
inched out to the end of the board. Then a glimpse down into the water had
stars dancing in her line of vision as she suddenly felt like she’d pass out.
But Carter had gently coaxed her from the pool’s edge, his voice low and raspy,
making her believe she could do it. So she did believe, and she squeezed her
eyes shut tight and jumped. For a beat of time the breath lodged in her throat,
then her squeal could probably be heard into the next county. The adrenaline
rush was so cool that, following a congratulatory fist bump from Carter, she
went back five more times.
But this whole idea of moving
cross-country didn’t feel cool. It just felt…awful. She didn’t want to go. She
wanted to stay right here, with Carter.
“Of course there are fun
places.” Carter’s eyes betrayed his words. Jenna had known him since they were
both in diapers, and right now his forehead was knitted into a frown, his eyes
stormy-dark. “You’ll find them. Then you’ll write and tell me all about them.”
“Like pen pals?” She placed a
hand on his forearm. His skin warmed her chilled fingers. “Sort of like passing
notes in class except we have to send them through the mail instead?”
They’d done a lot of note
passing over the years without getting caught. They were both good at it.
Really good.
“Yes, like that, only better
because we’re already…” He glanced down at her hand resting easily on his arm
and offered a sort of lopsided grin. “Best friends…and even maybe more.”
“More?” Jenna’s pulse did the
same weird sort of leapfrog against her throat as it had when Carter asked her
to dance the last slow song at their end-of-school dance. “Do you really think
so?”
“Um…yeah, I do.”
“Me, too.” Jenna’s eyes
brimmed with tears. “Will you write back?”
“You know I will, Jen.”
Carter drew his hands from his
pockets and fidgeted for a moment, as if he wasn’t quite sure what to do with
them. A mockingbird ran through its litany of calls as he took a step closer
to her and skimmed his thumb ever-so-gently over her cheek.
Jenna closed her eyes and sighed. This was one of his gestures she
loved. Her insides dipped and scrambled as if she’d just plunged over the first
huge crest of the Screaming Banshee coaster that she and Carter had ridden
together at last year’s Labor Day fair.
“I don’t want to go,” she
murmured on a sob as she opened her eyes again to focus on him. “I really
don’t.”
“I know.” His lips trembled.
“I don’t want you to, either. I’m going to miss you so much, Jen.”
“This can’t be happening.”
Jenna gulped back the lump in her throat as tears spilled over to trail down
her cheeks. “Tell me it’s just a bad dream, Carter.”
“I can’t.” The words were
anguished now. His voice cracked, as Jenna knew it tended to when he got upset.
“I can’t because it’s more real than a heart attack.”
As if to prove the truth in
that, Jenna’s parents shuffled from the house. Mom had a tote bag, stuffed full
of magazines and knitting supplies, slung over one shoulder. Dad carried a pair
of overnight bags. Unlike Jenna, they were both prepared for the journey ahead.
It would take six days by car to travel from Maple Ridge to Leavenworth,
considering the list of sightseeing detours Dad had tacked onto the trip.
Six days…a lifetime.
Her parents came down the
short flight of steps and, instead of heading straight for the car, went to the
side of the house. They disappeared around the corner to check on something.
Their voices drifted on the breeze.
Jenna swiped at her tears. She
had only a few minutes more with Carter. She could hardly bear the thought.
Time sped up just as she wished it would come to a screeching halt. She was in
a race car with no steering wheel, no emergency brake. The end of the track
rushed up to greet her.
Why had her dad agreed to take
the Chief of Police position in Leavenworth? Wasn’t the sergeant’s position in
Maple Ridge good enough for him? She’d heard her parents whispering heatedly to
each other behind the closed door of his office and knew there had to be some
explanation, but as usual she stood firmly in the dark. Was it too late for Dad
to change his mind and let them remain here, where everything was perfect,
happy…familiar?
With Carter.
Jenna had begged and pleaded
with her parents, but to no avail. The decision was final.
They were leaving.
Today. In a few minutes.
“Don’t forget me.” Jenna
lifted her gaze to capture Carter’s and held tight as his face swam before her.
“It’s going to be hard enough not seeing you every day. I couldn’t bear not
talking to you, too.”
“I won’t ever forget you,
Jenna. We’ll see each other again. I promise.” His eyes filled too,
and his chest heaved as he struggled with his emotions. “I’ll wait
for you.”
“Write to me.” She swiped
tears from her cheeks. “Every day.”
“And twice on Sunday.” He
cupped her elbows and leaned in close. Sunlight cocooned them as a gentle
breeze ruffled Jenna’s hair. His T-shirt held the scent of summer mingled with
citrus from the dryer sheets his mom used. “Every Sunday.”
Carter dipped his head, his
gaze suddenly softening. His fingers trembled along the nape of her neck as his
breath skimmed her cheek.
Jenna’s pulse galloped as the
universe shifted. Carter was going to kiss her.
They’d never kissed, never
even really held hands except for the slow dance a few weeks ago. Or when he
helped her navigate slick rocks to cross a shallow section of the river.
And there was the time they
rode the Screaming Banshee together. Then he’d laced his fingers with hers and
held tight. In that moment Jenna felt as if she could conquer the world.
She wanted to kiss Carter…had
wanted to for the longest time.
She sensed he wanted to kiss
her as much. He shifted slightly and his lips settled ever-so-lightly along her
cheek, grazing the spot where his thumb had wandered only moments ago. His
touch was so gentle and tender, that no words were needed to communicate all he
felt…mirroring all she wished for.
A moment or two passed as
Jenna held her breath. She tilted her chin and his lips skimmed lower to find
hers. As his mouth melded to hers, the softest gasp billowed up from deep
inside her. Her heart paused and then quickly recalibrated, turning everything
bright and new as the sun burst into a million points of light. As he held her
close she inhaled the blend of summer sunshine and fresh-mown grass on Carter’s
skin. She bottled the scents that would forever brand him into her memory.
Carter.
She would experience only a
single first kiss in her lifetime, and now that kiss belonged to Carter. No
length of time or distance could ever take it away.
Forever sealed. Forever
ours…together.
Her parents’ voices, drawing
closer now, carried on the breeze to shatter the tender moment. She turned and
spied them heading back around the corner. Reluctantly, she pressed a hand to
Carter’s chest. As he stepped back, putting distance between them, an arctic
blast sliced through Jenna.
“Jenna, it’s time to go,” her
mother called. “Say your final goodbyes.”
Jenna shivered as another
chill swept in.
Final…this is final.
“No, it’s not.” Carter had
developed a knack over the years for sensing what she was thinking. Being
next-door neighbors since birth did have its advantages. “This isn’t final.
I’ll find you, Jenna, no matter how far away your parents take you. I promise.”
“I’ll find you, too.” She
nodded stiffly. “I will.”
“That should be easy, since I don’t
plan on going anywhere. I’ll be right here.” Carter delved a hand into his
pocket to retrieve something. He pressed the small, cool object into the palm
of her hand. “Take this. Keep it close and I’ll always be with you. Always,
Jenna.”
