Chapter 85: Catherine’s Sadness

Monday, June 7, 1971

“Michael?” the voice softly called my name.

“Yes, Sweetheart!” I smiled as I saw her standing there.

“I just wanted to tell you goodbye ... and I wasn’t sure if I’d get to see you later,” Candy said.

“C’mere!” I told her, holding out my arms. I was standing in my closet, putting my tux in a travel bag to take with me. I had an idea I might need it in Texas, this weekend.

Candy ran towards me, launching herself into my arms from two steps away. Fortunately, I caught her.

She kissed me furiously, gradually slowing until they were just tender little caresses on my lips.

“That was quite a leap!” I observed when I could speak again.

“Yeah. Mandy and I are trying out for cheerleader this year. We’re going to cheerleading camp in a couple of weeks, so we’ve been practicing,” she explained.

Candy and Mandy would be freshmen at Townsend High this fall. And while they had been cheerleaders in middle school, their cousins, Julie and Jennifer, had convinced them it was much more difficult in high school. So the four of them were going to cheerleading camp at Maryville College, this summer.

“Michael?” she said softly, as I held her to me. She was dressed in a top and shorts, but I only had a towel wrapped around my waist.

“Yes?” I replied.

“If you want to...” she started.

“Want to?” I asked. I thought she had come to say good bye. So I scanned her.

“You know...” she said, hesitantly.

“I love you Candy. And you already know we’re going to spend our lives together. You don’t have to worry about me forgetting you, or not liking you. For now, nothing would please me more than if you were to just go and have fun. You’re going to be in high school this year. You know what you want to study, and you have an idea of what you’re going to do with your life. That puts you in the top one percent of everyone in high school!” I told her. “So just have fun. And please, if you need me for anything, let me know. After all, there are no long-distance charges when we do!”

“That’s right! I’d forgotten we can still do the mind thing,” she said, smiling a little more now.

“And, I promise, I’ll check on you every day,” I told her.

“Will you talk to me? I’d feel better if I could hear you,” she said.

“Of course I will!” I said. “Should I interrupt you if you’re busy? Like, if you’re busy kissing a boy?” I teased.

“I’m not kissing any other boys!” she said adamantly.

“Well, that’s up to you. But just know that I wouldn’t mind. Not as long as you still loved me a little,” I told her. She still had lots of growing up left to do.

“I’ll think about it, and if I decide to kiss another boy, I’ll let you know,” she said firmly.

“You do that!” I replied. I knew that she would change her mind as she got older, and her hormones came more into play. I didn’t want her making promises she didn’t need to make at her age. I especially didn’t want her to forego experiences that are a natural part of growing up, including experimenting with relationships and interacting with other boys.

“Okay, Michael. I can see that you don’t want me to tie myself down yet,” she said, having picked up my thoughts. “But just so you know, I AM committed to you later. I will have your babies and take care of your children!”

I looked at her and felt the love deep in her heart.

“I know, Candy. And I love you too!”

I was dressed in slacks and a blazer, but no tie. I figured I could milk the ‘no tie’ deal for a couple more years, before decorum would force me to wear one. Sitting at the dining room table, I was drinking coffee and discussing my plans for the next few days with Penny and Kip, when Nicky, Ileana, and Amy walked in.

“Oh-o-o, there he is,” said Nicky to the others.

“What does that mean?” I asked as I grabbed my sister’s arm and pulled her to me. I was going to tickle her, but at the last second, I changed my mind and kissed her instead.

“Oh, damn!” she responded.

“Sorry. I don’t know what came over me,” I said.

“No. Don’t be. I’m just sorry because Grandmother is still in the car and said to send you right out. You have to go to the office,” Nicky explained. “Otherwise, Ileana and I were planning to trap you in the shower. Again!”

They both laughed at that.

“Yeah!” said Ileana. “Hurry and get done so we can get our showers too!” she laughed as she kissed me.

Pulling back, she held my gaze as she thought, “I can’t get pregnant that way!”

“I take it I’ll never have any privacy again?” I said with a mock sigh. It was obvious that some of them were very aware of my tryst with Debbie, in the shower earlier.

“Hurry, Michael. Catherine is waiting!” Ileana said as she swatted my butt on the way out the door.

“Oh! How did it go for you and Amy at the doctor?” I thought to Ileana as I headed out.

“Oh-o-o, you are in such trouble, my Prince! It was so embarrassing for me. And I thought little Amy was going to just die when the Doctor told her to lie on that wicked table and put her feet in those things. I believe I want one for us. All I could think of while I lay there, was all the ways you could take me on it!” she gushed.

“And I’m in trouble for this?” I asked.

“Oh, no! You’re in trouble for not telling me that there was a simple pill you could take to keep from getting pregnant. Mother is going to die when she finds out! This will revolutionize life on Tapato!” she said excitedly.

“Gotta go!” I thought to her. “We can talk about this later if you want.”

“What I want has nothing to do with ‘talking’, my Prince!” she thought as she sent me a very wicked image involving an examination table.

I made a mental note to look into the possibility of getting her an exam table of her very own. Maybe Anna would know where I could find one.

“Good morning, again,” I said as I slid in the back seat of the limo next to Catherine.

“Good morning. Did you take a shower this morning?” she asked brusquely.

“Not you too!” I cried in mock despair. “Nicky and Ileana have already given me a hard time about it!”

Catherine laughed as she said, “Well, after all the teasing I took Saturday and again this morning, I am looking forward to dishing some out. Don’t you warn Debbie, either!”

We continued to talk of the ‘meeting’ the girls had in the kitchen, after I left. Catherine’s main concerns were Candy and Amy.

“Candy is such a private person. I don’t want her to be scared to be with you for fear of being embarrassed. I know we all teased a lot this morning, and Debbie may be in for some more while we’re gone. But we couldn’t come up with any ideas on how to avoid it. If you can’t seem to stop us from sensing you when you’re close, and we can’t seem to avoid sensing you, well ... I just don’t know what to do,” she said.