Chapter 3: Where Do Broken Hearts Go

Dave woke just before suppertime, still tired and feeling the effects of the beer he had drunk the night before. He stumbled into the shower - it felt invigorating. No one was home when he wandered downstairs, so he made himself supper before he called Rebecca. They talked about the previous night and decided to go see a movie.

He picked her up as planned but, when she got in the car, he didn't pull away immediately because he wanted to quickly tell her about Katherine. History had told him that spending a night with an ex-girlfriend tended to infuriate a current girlfriend and the best place to tell her was in her own driveway. He explained about seeing Katherine at the party, how she slapped him, how he eventually calmed her down, and that they actually talked very seriously about their relationship. He also told her that Katherine wanted him to make love to her; and that he refused but they did end up falling asleep on the couch of the cottage together.

As Dave finished, he was ready for a fiery reaction, but instead Rebecca simply nodded and said, "I'm happy you worked it out with her and thank you for telling me about it." She then floored him by asking, "Do you want to break off with me so you can go out with her again?"

After his initial shock, Dave replied, "Absolutely not, I really like our casual relationship."

Rebecca smiled sweetly, "Great, I do too. Let's go to the show."

Dave just shook his head and pulled the car out of the driveway. They went to see Spiderman II and both loved the movie. Dave couldn't stop talking about the special effects and Rebecca liked how Peter Parker got the girl in the end. After the show they went to McDonalds. Dave saw John there and they talked about the previous night. Rebecca wandered off to talk to a few of her friends. Eventually Dave and Rebecca were sitting at a booth alone, sipping cokes when Katherine walked up to the table.

She smiled briefly at Dave then turned directly to Rebecca, "I'd like to apologize for calling you names at the prom. I had no right to do that and I'm sorry." She then turned to Dave. "Thank you for talking with me last night. I hope we can still be friends." Before Dave could reply she looked over her shoulder and finished with, "My friends are leaving now; I have to catch them. Goodbye, Dave; goodbye, Rebecca."

Dave only had a chance to say, "Goodbye" before she was gone.

He then looked at Rebecca who was snickering. She said, "You are one smooth operator. In one night you turn her from a bitter enemy to a sweet friend." Dave just shook his head as Rebecca added, "But I still think I could have taken her."

Dave laughed as he took Rebecca's hands in his and kissed them. He retorted, "I definitely would have loved to see that cat fight." Rebecca just smiled demurely.

They talked above Dave's new living arrangement at the trailer and she asked if she could come out for a night, the following weekend and stay with him. He explained he would have to ask his parents - but he doubted it would be a problem. They talked for a while longer before Dave drove her home then headed to North Beach for the night.

He slept soundly, still trying to get the alcohol out of his system. He woke before the alarm at seven o'clock and went to the golf course. He practiced hard until noon before he returned to the trailer for lunch. He then met his father and Uncle Alan back at Hawk's Hallow for a round of golf. The warm June weather was very good for growing conditions and the course was in great shape. Dave was hitting the ball incredibly well and shot sixty-five. His father shot a respectable seventy-eight and Alan played well with seventy-nine.

Dave was surprised to see his mother and two sisters, along with Alan's family, meet them at the trailer. They had a large barbecue and a good family evening before everyone left Dave at the trailer, alone. Dave had found time to ask his parents about Rebecca joining him for the night, next weekend and they said it was fine as long as Rebecca's parents approved. Dave thanked them.

He called Rebecca that night and they made a date for the movies on Wednesday night. There were several very good movies out and they both wanted to see Troy. Rebecca still had two weeks of school so their night at the trailer would have to be on the weekend.

Dave practiced and played on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday. His hard work was really paying off - his short game was getting even more consistent. He spent a lot of time on his sand play, his short and long lob shots, and his chipping. His game seemed to come together when he shot a sixty-two on Wednesday afternoon while playing with the club pro.

He picked Rebecca up at six o'clock and asked her if they could stop at his house so he could check for messages - he felt out of touch living at the trailer. Rebecca followed him into the house and while he listened to some phone messages she went into the television room and talked with his parents. Dave received two more offers from NHL clubs; he forwarded the calls to Alan with the comment, "Tell them thank you, but no for now."

Dave then logged onto the computer and checked his e-mail. He was reading a message from Sarah, who was very excited about the impending visit, when he felt a hand on his shoulder. His heart raced as he thought, "I'm in trouble now."

Rebecca asked casually, "Who is Sarah?"

Dave wanted to tell Rebecca who Sarah was in private, so he led her to his bedroom and closed the door. He explained, "Two years ago when I was at the National Junior Tournament in BC, I witnessed three thugs dragging a girl into an alleyway. Without really thinking, I rushed in to help her. In the process, I saved her from being raped and God knows what else; but I got shot. That girl was Sarah Thurlow. She is the daughter of a British diplomat and we became friends after the incident. Last summer she invited me to England; I had a wonderful two weeks there. She sent me an e-mail two weeks ago asking if she could come visit me this summer and I said she could.

"I know I should have told you and to tell you the truth I don't know what will happen when she is here - but we did get pretty close last summer."

Rebecca sat patiently listening to Dave and when he was finished she said, "Dave, we both agreed when we started dating that we would not allow our lives to revolve around each other. I think we have done a good job of that - I enjoy being with you but I recognize that it will end when you go away. I'm really pleased that you told me about your night with Katherine and I can understand you were uncomfortable with this situation with Sarah but I wish you had talked to me about it. For the first time I feel uncomfortable with you and I don't like that feeling."

Dave held her hands and apologized, "I'm really sorry, Rebecca; you're right, you have been fantastic and I too have really enjoyed our time together." He lowered his head and his voice broke up as he added, "I will understand whatever your decision is. If you want I will drive you home."

Rebecca didn't show any emotion as she replied, "I think I would still like to go to the show but I'm not certain about anything beyond that."

Dave squeezed her hand, "I'd like that."

They went to the show together and held hands during the movie but Dave could tell Rebecca was upset. He joked with her about Brad Pitt's showing his ass during one of the scenes but she only smiled at him without saying a word. After the movie Dave drove her home and as he walked her to the door, he apologized again for not telling her about Sarah. He kissed her softly on the cheek and asked, "Do you want me to call you?"

Without any emotion she said, "No, I will call you when I decide where I want our relationship to go from here."

Dave nodded dejectedly and replied, "Okay, goodbye."

He got back in his car and drove to North Beach. It was a long drive as he beat himself up over and over about not telling her. He realized he really liked Rebecca and even though he hadn't seen or planned a long-term future with her, he didn't like losing her respect. He had a hard time falling asleep. He kept thinking about Hector and Achilles in the movie Troy and how their love for their women seemed so important to them. He eventually fell asleep.

He practiced hard on Thursday and Friday - he found that when he practiced or played golf he could push the uncertainty about Rebecca out of his mind but when he wasn't golfing he thought about her constantly. When he was walking back to the trailer on Friday, he asked himself why he was so upset and he realized that he had fallen for Rebecca more than he realized; he felt guilty for not telling her about Sarah. He had always prided himself on being truthful and honest to his girlfriends and this time he wasn't.

He was just finishing his supper and thinking about calling John and heading to town for the night when his phone rang. He opened the cell phone and said, "Hello?"

He felt relieved when he heard Rebecca's voice say, "Hi, Dave."

He nervously replied, "Hi, 'Becca."

She sounded nervous when she asked, "Are you coming to town this evening?"

He replied, "I was just going to call John and see what he was doing. So yes, I was planning on coming to town." Dave wanted to elaborate and beg her to see him but he wouldn't let himself do that. He used all his self-control to patiently wait for her to lead the discussion.

In a soft voice she asked, "Can we talk?"

He replied enthusiastically, "Absolutely. What time can I pick you up?"

She replied, "Seven o'clock?"

He answered, "Okay, see you then."

Dave still had an hour to kill so he went back to the course and putted for an hour. He was soon on the road heading to town thinking about what Rebecca would say.

When he arrived at her house, he walked to the door and rang the bell. Her father welcomed him inside and asked him how he was enjoying living at the trailer. Dave explained that it suited his golf schedule very well. Rebecca's father was an avid golfer and he appreciated the talent and effort it took for Dave to be one of the top-ranked golfers in the country. He asked, "How exciting was it to play with Mike Weir."

Dave's stomach was doing flip-flops as he wondered what Rebecca would say but he explained, "Mike Weir is an incredible person. He is absolutely first class and a great guy. He helped me so much last year at the Canadian Open - I was nervous the first two days and he treated me like a friend and helped calm my nerves. Canada is lucky to have him as an ambassador for our country."

Rebecca's father nodded, "I always thought he was like that but you never know what they are truly like behind the cameras."

Dave nodded understandingly, "I know what you mean, but Mike is A-One."

Dave heard the familiar rumbling of little feet and Robbie and Riley tore into the room and tackled him. Dave was happy for the distraction as but Rebecca walked into the room and seemed to break the mood. She chased her brothers away before she smiled goodbye to her father, "See you later, Dad."

Her father nodded as Dave waved goodbye to him. Dave followed Rebecca out the front door and opened the car door for her. Dave couldn't help but notice her sexy hipster jeans and the tight blue blouse she was wearing. He shook his head to clear his sexual thoughts and after he sat in the car he asked, "Do you want to go anywhere in particular?"

She suggested, "Let's go to the park for a walk." Dave nodded agreement and started up the car. As they drove, he made small talk by asking how school was going; she said she was happy she only had one week remaining.

When they arrived at the park, they got out of the car together and Dave followed her lead as she walked in front of the car. They walked to the boardwalk that ran along the side of the park connected to the Edwardton Harbour. Dave was pleased when Rebecca took his hand as they walked slowly. She began with, "Dave, when we first started dating, I promised myself that I would not become attached to you. I know you are leaving, so I used that as excuse not to let myself fall for you. I thought it was working until I found out about Sarah. Katherine had not been an issue and even when you reconciled with her, I somehow knew you wanted to be with me. Sarah, however, is an unknown and I was very surprised with how jealous I got over her - I was not supposed to care for you enough that any girl could make me jealous."

Dave squeezed her hand as he struggled to remain silent and let her explain. He wanted to beg her forgiveness and swear his loyalty to her. But, he knew she needed to speak her mind first, so he patiently allowed her to continue, "I'm not sure when I fell for you but I know seeing you with your friends at the prom was the start. I couldn't believe how casual your friends are with you and how normal you treat them. You really don't realize how big of a celebrity you have become on QAI. Everyone knows about your golf success last year and then the incredible season with the Missiles where you finished third in the league in points and played fantastic in the prospects game has made you even more well-known. But your friends don't even talk about that or act like you are anyone but another seventeen year old.

"I have a confession, the main reason I agreed to date you was because I expected you to be this jock who picked up girls and probably treated them poorly. I really was on the rebound from a serious relationship and the last thing I wanted to do was fall for another guy, so being with you was supposed to be easy. You would either be a decent guy, and we'd have a little fun, or you'd be like the rumors said, an arrogant prick, and I'd dump you. But you have turned out to be the absolute perfect guy that I dream of spending the rest of my life with - I just wasn't ready for that. I'm not ready for that! The truth is, I told you about the rumors because I expected you to just blow them off and then attack Katherine but I was shocked when you were visibly upset by what she said.

"I definitely know the final straw was when Katherine apologized to me and then asked if the two of you could remain friends. Any guy I have ever known would have been so pissed off at a girl for spreading rumors, the way she did, that they would have either hated her and never talked to her again or somehow sought revenge. Instead you sat down and talked to her and helped her work through her feelings - most guys our age don't seem to care about girls feelings much less try to help us resolve them."

Dave was surprised by Rebecca's confession. She had always acted so indifferent about their relationship that he thought he was the only one falling slowly in love. He stopped her and turned her to face him, "Becca, I have fallen for you too. I too hadn't planned on a committed relationship and I was fine with us only seeing or just talking to each other twice a week. The last few days I realized that I truly looked forward to our time together. I am falling deeper and deeper in love with you every day and I don't want our relationship to end." He hugged her close and she kissed him passionately while they stood in the middle of the busy boardwalk.

Dave felt a nudge from behind and a man walking by smiled gently at them and jokingly said, "Get a room, MacDonald."

Rebecca asked, "Who was that?"

Dave shrugged, "I have no idea."

She giggled, "See, that is exactly what I mean. That man knew you by name but you have no clue who he is and yet that doesn't matter to you. You don't care that strangers recognize you. I don't understand how you can remain so down-to-earth when I am sure eighty percent of the people on this island know you by name and wouldn't hesitate to say hello to you or even tease you like that man did."

Dave chuckled, "Come on Becca, you know QAI is a very friendly place where everyone says hello to each other."

She laughed, "Yes, you are right but, there's a huge difference between a casual, brief eye contact, hello and a stranger joking with you like you are a good friend."

Dave just shook his head and started to walk on the boardwalk again. He was holding Rebecca's hand and he gently tugged her to follow him. He simply said, "I think you're reading too much into it. Can we talk about us?"

She looked at him in surprise, "Dave, if you ever become as famous as you potentially can become, you are going to get a rude awakening. You are just too trusting of people you don't know." She put her arm around his side so she could pull him close and he wouldn't feel she was attacking him but she truly believed she had to warn him. "Not everyone in this world is nice, you will find people who want to take advantage of you and you will find people who will hate you, just for who you are. I don't pretend to know everything about life but you better start preparing yourself."

He stopped and looked at her very seriously, "I've been shot and I was almost blown up, I know that there are evil people in this world; but, I also know that there are lots of good people too scared to risk physical or emotional injury to simply say hello to someone. I just give people a chance; that's all."

She looked into his eyes questioningly, "You explained about Sarah and being shot in BC but when were you almost blown up?"

He replied, "Last July when I was visiting Sarah. We were on a trip in France when a terrorist tried to blow up the bus we were on. I was very lucky and managed to push him off the bus before the bomb detonated. I was incredibly stupid but very lucky."

Rebecca asked, "I don't remember reading anything in the local papers. Wasn't it publicized?"

Dave answered, "No, the only people on QAI that know are my family and now you. I never even told John."

Rebecca was surprised, "How was that kept so quiet?"

Dave was nervous; he was going into dangerous territory but he answered her truthfully, "Sarah had a maid who was actually a bodyguard. She called British Intelligence and they got us away from the scene before the reporters arrived. She also eliminated every trace of us on the bus. She was afraid the terrorist group might take revenge on me or my family. She did a wonderful job."

Rebecca was in awe, "Again, you shock me. That is an unbelievable story; I don't know how you can be so modest about it."

Dave pulled her close and whispered, "Becca, I remember how scared I was and how relieved I was when it was over. I thought about it a lot for the next few days but by the time I left England, I pushed it out of my memory and haven't really thought about it since. I think my golf has helped me put bad things that happened in the past behind me and I try to deal with my current shot or situation. Right now, I want to tell you that I don't want to lose you."

Rebecca just shook her head and even though she had a hundred questions about the bomb, she simply asked, "Can we go to the trailer tonight?"

Dave smiled broadly and asked, "Did you get your parents' approval?"

She answered, "Yes."

Dave was very happy they were getting back together. He turned her around and started walking towards the car, "I'm ready if you are?"

She replied, "I just need to pick up my bag."

The drive to North Beach was filled with laughter and jokes - Dave was really happy to have his 'Becca back and she seemed happy as well. Dave noticed more and more seasonal trailers were returning for the summer; he waved to a few friends who were out for the weekend. After Dave pulled into the parking space for the trailer, they got out and went inside. It was still daylight so Dave asked, "Would you like to go for a walk?"