Chapter 2

Once they placed their large beach blankets down on the chaise lounges, we helped ‘our girls’ get on their backs.

“Ok if I swim while you girls get even prettier,” I said.

Nancy giggled and said, “Sure, Denny!”

I dived into the pool and swam off my nervous energy. Eventually, I heard another splash happened and I assumed it was my brother.

Grabbing me by my waist was Nancy.

“Hey pretty girl,” I said, “I thought you were catching the sun.

“I could tell they wanted to be alone. Does your brother have the same good manners that you do?”

“I think so. He is six years older than I am. I don’t typically hang out with him because of that. May I kiss you, please?”

We had both been treading water, so we went to the shallow end away from everyone else. She was being demure, so I took the moment and after seeing which way her head was turning, I turned the other and we had our first kiss.

“That was nice,” Nancy said. “Could I have another, Denny?”

“No, we are ten years old and need to remember that, OK?”

“I guess I understand, just don’t kiss anyone else but me, please?”

“That is a promise, a pinkie swear promise, OK?”

We each lifted our right hands from the water, linked pinkies, each of us saying “I promise!”

“HEY GUYS!” That was Amy in her swimsuit. She is something of a fish and jumped in and swam over to us. “Did you see that? I swam the whole way underwater to you guys!”

“That was quite good,” Nancy said.

“I really like you Nancy,” the precocious five-year-old said wrapping her arms around her. “Are you and Dennis going to get married someday?”

Nancy looked at me, then said, “I think that is quite possible but it is years away.”

Under the spell of the moment, I took Amy from Nancy and said, “When I turn 17, I will ask her to marry me, and, if it’s all right with you, we will get married on your birthday, September 9th, but you have to keep it a secret for a very long time, can you do that ... for the two of us?”

Nancy had heard all of this and was smiling like nobody’s business.

We had a three-way pinkie swear, followed by hugs all around.

The day ended too soon, and the girls left.

“I saw the kiss between you and Nancy, little bro,” Karl said. “Hillary can’t go on a date with me alone, would Nancy and you like to double-date with us?”

“If mom and dad approve, it’s ok with me. Are you talking about going to a movie?”

Everyone got the Parents approval, so next was which movie?

I was a big fan of the early JP movies and JURASSIC WORLD III was out, and that was approved. I had never been to the Palace Drive-in on the edge of town.

When the day arrived, Karl and I picked up Hillary and Nancy, with Nan and I moving to the back seat.

“Don’t think that just because we are in the back seat that I am either willing or eager to make out, Dennis!” I was told right off the bat.

“No problem, but when you are scared during the movie, feel free to look away or grab my hand!”

She looked at me and took my hand, saying, “The last one I saw was the third movie. Dennis are the JURASSIC WORLD movies any more intense?”

“Nan, these three movies are significantly more intense by a factor of 30, at least in moments. Be ready to be scared and freaked out every ten minutes, OK?”

“Keep a good hold of me, please, Dennis!”

“Shucks, Nan. I plan to make sure you are safe and sound for however long it is.”

We were in line, and I handed Karl our half of the $10 entry fee, followed by our food order.

It showed up in plenty of time, 3 hot dogs (2 for me) a large coke with two straws, and a jumbo popcorn with lots and lots of melted butter.

The previews of the other movies in the PDI were just about over.

I quietly told her to expect a big jolt from the movie within the first few minutes ... OMG, there it is and Nan was up on my lap in record time. Hillary was on Karl’s facing us for a split second. His car has great speakers, front and back.

During the quieter expository moments we paid attention and ate, followed by a slurp of our Diet Coke.

“Are you having fun, Nancy?” I took the time to ask.

“I would like to see the two movies I have missed, do you have them, Denny?”

“We have a huge inventory of many genres of movies, including Action, Musicals, Westerns, Biographies, Horror, and many sets of sequels. My favorites include the HARRY POTTER Movies, but I like the books even better.”

“So do I,” She said finally giving me the first kiss of the day.

I was enjoying her multiple gyrations to the different dinosaurs. We found moments to eat our hotdogs and drink our Coke.

As often as I moved her off my lap, she was back on with each new dinosaur coming through the bushes. The raptors were my favorite.

“Karl, stop it, please?” We heard from the front seat.

“Sorry, Hilly,” He said probably trying to be as provocative as he could. She did want an older boy as her boyfriend!

When the movie was finally over, the girls got off our laps and we cleaned up our slight food mess.
The high-tech garage doors opened up noiselessly and we tossed our trash away.

“How about some ice cream from the Dairy Queen drive-thru before we head home?” Karl said to everyone.

“Theirs is the best,” I said with my arm around Nancy’s shoulder. She kept a close eye on my hand.

We got a milkshake to share, with ‘Killary’ (That is what Amy calls them) getting a Strawberry Sunday to share.

My phone rang!

“Hey Mom, the movie is over and we have stopped at Dairy Queen where kids are King!”

She laughed, then I told her we would be back in 20 to 25 minutes.

Karl was being fed by Hillary while we had fun sharing our shake.

Right at 23 minutes later we pulled up to the girls home.

This had been a test, and we passed it! We arranged to do it again the next Saturday afternoon! A condition of that was to take Amy with us. That would mean less smooching but we all agreed.

Back at home, K and I endured being questioned, Amy wanted to watch the first JURASSIC PARK (1993), which I agreed to, but Karl begged off.

“Did you and Nancy kiss during your movie?” She asked.

“Why do you care?” I deftly turned it back to her. After looking at her face, I asked, “Are you jealous of Nan?”

She was very quiet, until the movie started.

Gee whiz, I have upset my little sister. I got her up on my lap and taught her the names of the different dinosaurs and turned her towards me during the most rampant moments.

When it was finished, I said to her, “That was the tamest of the movies that have been made so far. If it’s OK with you, we will watch them together every Saturday until we are caught up. We have the first five, have we got a deal, Amy?”

She gave me a kiss just like Nancy does, then she said, “Deal!”

She was in heaven from that point on. Jealousy was indeed afoot. When I couldn’t go over to Nancy’s or her to me, I had Amy by my side, sometimes even taking my hand in hers.

Mom noticed this and I, quite covertly, asked her to have a talk with my little sister explaining how brothers and sisters could not be more than good friends.

She agreed, and I was waiting for a visit from Amy. There was a light knock on my door, and I innocently said, “Come in!”

She walked in rather upset, got up on my bed, then, up on my lap, “Denny, Mom said we couldn’t be any more than good friends!”

“She did, why?” I reacted.

“Something about our blood, but can we be really good friends, don’t they call it Friends with Benefits?”

I laughed a little. Since it was just the two of us, I proceeded to boldly explain what the word ‘benefits’ meant. Boy, did she blush!