Chapter 1

Bill was nervous but he spoke first, "Mom and Dad, Mr. and Mrs.

Kasc, you know that we are going away on this senior trip on Friday, and that Carree and I are going to drive another couple to Jersey. You also know that we signed a paper that we wouldn't stay "together" in those motels. Uhhh, Carree and I have gotten another room in another motel and plan to spend the night together."

I spoke up on cue, "I know this may not make you happy, but I think if you found out we were sneaking around to do this it would make you even unhappier. You know, and both approve of, our engagement. You also know we do not plan to get married until after we have finished college. We are not going to do ANYTHING to jeopardize those plans. I hope I am making that clear"

Bills father was the first to speak. "I really don't approve of the 2 of you alone for a night in some motel room out of state, with a bunch of wild teenagers."

"Dad," Bill spoke up firmly,

"I think you know that neither Carree not I are big partiers, meaning, we don't go out and drink at parties and we don't do drugs. If we have ever done any drinking, it has been at our house or your house (shifting his look to my parents) when we were not going to drive. And, we certainly do not get drunk. We simply want to spend some alone time with each other in the last summer we will have to be alone together."

I piped in before either parents could, "Bill and I have been engaged for 6 or 7 months and have never been away together. We would like this chance. We both start college in a few months and that will be 4 years of stress. During that time we will be close enough that we will be able to visit each other at our dorms, or meet at a motel half way, whenever we like. So, your forbidding this will only put off the inevitable. All four of you know that my intentions and Bills intentions are honorable. We are engaged and do plan on getting married and living our lives together. Our union is so special. We would not do anything to hurt that, or that would change our plans."

"What we want here," Bill said, "Is the blessing of all four of you on this. I love Carree, and she loves me. I can see not one reason why you wouldn't trust us to do the right thing"

My father was the first to speak up. "Well, I don't like it, because that's my little girl there. But, Bill, you have proved to me how much you love her, and I know that you are a man of your word. I trust you. You have earned that trust. Don't do anything to make me doubt you. I love my little girl"

My Dads words made me cry and I hugged him. My Mom said, "I feel about the same way Carl does. I know Billy is a good boy. (she hesitated knowing she picked her words wrong) Oh, I know Carree, BILL is a good MAN, but I can't stop thinking of you both as kids. I'll trust you Bill, to not get Carree in trouble or lead her on. For Gods sake don't tell anyone," and she hugged me and then gave Bill a kiss.

Bills parents stood up. His Dad spoke, "I don't know which of my sons Bill you two are talking about, but he must be a different boy that I have in my house. I have a hard time thinking of Billy as a man, he will always be my little boy. I know he spends all of his time up in his study, working, or with Carree. I think Carree is a good girl. I may be more worried about them being away, out of state, than I am them being together. But, remember, you aren't married yet, and won't be for a while. Some things are supposed to be left to the sanctity of marriage. The two of you say that your intentions are honorable. I don't see that. I think this is an invitation to trouble. How can you keep your hands off each other away like that in a room together."

I looked at Bill and held up a finger signaling that I should answer.

Mr. Wilson, what Bill and I do behind closed doors, whether it's in New Jersey, or at my house, or right up there in Bills study, is NOBODYS business but ours. We know that the four of you may not approve, and, we don't ask you too, because, quite frankly, it is none of your business. I don't say that in a smart tone or to be smart. We are adults and we have been asked to make adult decisions with our lives as far as college and career choices. If we were at war, Bill would be draft-able, maybe even me, too. We are also old enough to vote. We are both 19 and considered adults. As adults we can make adult decisions. If we make bad ones, we will learn by them. We don't think this is a bad one.

One thing that is none of your business that I WILL tell you, and it's against Bills wishes that I tell you, and I have discussed at length with my parents, is that,... I am a virgin. Bill and I have not had sexual intercourse, and I have known no other men.

Nor do we plan to have sexual intercourse until the right time.

We feel the risk is too great. While we love each other so much that we might want to, we also love each other so much that we won't. But, we do long to be alone together.

Please do not make us feel that we have disappointed you by doing this. We want your blessing, and your trust.

Bills Mom was the first to speak, as I think I let all the doubting air out of Mr. Wilson's balloon. "With you being so frank, and showing me, at least, that you have thought about this and know what you want, I will say OK.

Carree, it took a lot of courage to say those things to us, and you are right, NONE of it was any of our business. When I was 19 I was out of school and going to rock concerts across the country in a VW microbus doing things that, well... will go unsaid.

But suffice it to say I didn't have the grasp on the future you two do." She looked to Bills Dad, "Willie, do you agree with me or is baring her soul not enough?"

"Do I have to like it to give my blessing? I would feel better if you were going to a motel just outside of town. I don't like the New York City mess and all of Jersey is a dump," Bills Dad said.

My Dad piped in two cents worth. "Willie, I happen to have traveled that area a lot last year and I can tell you that there are 4 hotels, all close to each other with a big lot with shuttle buses that go to the amusement park all day long. They can park their car at the Hotel and never have to move it. Bill, is your hotel one of those 4 that are together near the Park?"

"I think so" Bill answered, it has about the same address as the Holiday Inn and the HoJo's. It's the Marriott"

"Yes, that's one of the 4 that corner there. I stayed there," my Dad added.

"Promise me that there will be no side trips into New York City or anything like that, would you?" Willie Wilson asked.

"Sure thing Mr. Wilson," I said.

"You have my word Dad," Bill concurred.

"Well then if the 3 of you all think they will be OK and will not do anything against their word, I won't be a stick in the mud,"

Bill's Dad said as a smile crawled over his face. "OK, you have my approval. BUT (he grew stern), let's not make a habit of this hotel and motel thing. I was a 19 once too, you know."

I went over and hugged Mr. Wilson and whispered in his ear so no one else could hear, "Don't worry about us. We take good care of each other. I love Bill as much as you do."

When I hugged Bills Mom I whispered almost the same thing.

When I let go of her I saw Bill shaking hands with my Dad and hugging my Mom.

This turned out a lot better than I thought it would.

As we all got up to go into the Wilson kitchen for coffee, my Dad took me aside. "You will make sure that both chaperones will know where you are staying and when you leave the group, right?"

"I'll do that for you Dad, I promise," I said.

While we had coffee, I snuck out to the phone and called Heidi Stewart right then and told her what we planned to do. I gave her the option of talking to my Dad if she wanted corroboration.

"Carree, you're 19, Bill's 19, I think I can trust you here. Plus you will both technically be out of school by then, but I know where you will be and how to get hold of you. That is all that is required." Heidi said.

"Thanks Heidi, I would like to stop by some day at your house and talk about stuff, OK?" I said.

"I would like that Carree, just call ahead, Ok? Bye." Heidi said as she hung up.

I rejoined the group and sidled up to my Dad and talked in a low register under my breath. "Promise taken care of. Chaperones have all the info and are OK with arrangement if you are."

Dad looked in his coffee and then smiled at me and winked. He offered his coffee as a toast, but I had nothing to lift.

"Consider yourself clinked," I said as he smiled again.

I was surprised how easy it was to get our parents to agree with our arrangement in New Jersey, even if I had to tell everyone that Bill and I were virgins when it came to intercourse. Bill thought it was a sacred secret and didn't want me to use that card, but I was not ashamed of it. Our parents ranged from 41 to 45, so it wasn't like we were dealing with senior citizens. They all graduated in the early seventies, so you have to figure they were pretty loose then, too. Memories of their high school days may have scared them about us. But all was OK, now.

Writers note: Our Graduation was a special time and a very special night. It will be a story by itself in the series. Our class trip wrapped around Graduation Day, so it was hard to leave out of this story.

Look for CARREE'S GRADUATION DAY, real soon.

For all of us going on the trip, we sort of promised ourselves to behave as far as drinking and partying on Graduation night.

Puking hangovers would not be welcomed on the bus, and many family parties were held the weekend before and many the weeks after. Parties on Graduation night were supposed to be dry, supervised events. From the looks of everyone at the bus on Friday morning, everyone was OK.

My parents had a party for me at the house with Bill and I inviting friends, as well as Bill's parents asking all of the Vermont relatives who could make it, to please stop by. It was nice to have so many friends together, and to meet some of Bills relatives, and Bill mine. Both our parents asked me not to wear the engagement ring, so relatives would not ask a million questions. We respected that wish. We wanted to talk about our college futures, not getting married.

By the time we reached the scheduled leaving time for the bus, we had everyone who signed up for the trip. We were amazed. Kim and her boyfriend Brad were riding with us. I had hoped to have Meg and Jimmy, but the Bus was better suited for Jimmy as he was still not fully recovered enough from his accident to be cramped into a back seat for 3 or 4 hours. Not that I didn't like Kim, she was one of my best girlfriends, but we wanted to talk with Meg and Jimmy.