Chapter 16

I was getting ready for bed, thankful that I was still in one piece. Not sure what I'd been expecting, but Kaitlyn's dad was, as Yogi said in those cartoons, "Bigger than the average bear", and he had simply and sincerely thanked me for rescuing her, and had even seemed to be accepting of my being there with her on more than a "just friends" basis. When I first saw him I was sure it would be the end of me, and that my last conscious thought would be something having to do with the Prophet Elisha, and cheeky kids, and bears. But Kay, and Krista too, had stood right there smiling; they hadn't been worried at all!

We had talked some more after that, and I really got to respect, even more, to like Harland Sanderson. And that's a good thing. He'd filled me in on some of the things he and Belinda (Kay's mom) had done with the small ranch they'd acquired, and he said it with obvious pride in their accomplishments. No, not the "Hey, look what I did!" type of pride, more like a quiet satisfaction at what they'd been able do "With the Lord's help," he said. And it was equally obvious that those accomplishments included raising four kids – including Kaitlyn – whom he trusted to use good, careful judgment in their life choices. And you know, when I realized that, I also realized that that was one of the things I greatly admired in my own folks! And I made a promise to myself to remember to tell them that the next time I saw them.

I talked to Kay about it later. Her dad had gone to bed, Krista was taking a shower, and Kay was showing me the room where I'd be sleeping – "Bunking," she'd said, and she kissed me. I kissed her right back, and there were a few more hugs and kisses (okay, more than a few) -- initiated by both parties, I might add, and Harland's trusting attitude might have been sorely tried, had he been able to read either of our minds right then. Kaitlyn pulled back after one intense contact that involved her hand over my hand, moving it up and pressing it to her breast. She wiped her forehead, cleared her throat, and took a deep breath. "Oh yeah," she said in a rather breathless voice, "here're those skeet medals I told you about." And we both chuckled a little at her choice of breaking the built-up tension. She laughed and said "This is my old bedroom, with all my junk still on the walls, and the bedspread Gram gave me when I was twelve." She giggled and went on, "so you get to sleep in my bed, I guess, but without me in it..." she almost pouted.

"As it should be, sweetie. I can live with that for now," I said, "after all, you know I kind of made the same promise you told me about, and it still stands. When we're both ready," I reminded her, "and not before."

She just looked up at me and said, "Thank you." Then, "Rob?"

"Yes, little one?"

"Did you and Jenna ... I mean, I feel like..." And she leaned her head into my chest as we sat on the edge of the bed, "I want ... more, I guess, but ... afraid I won't be able to stop."

I thought back twelve years, and was almost shocked to realize the depth of the feelings I'd had then for my first love, and now it was Kaitlyn, not Jenna, who was causing them to come alive again. And it was a relief to understand that these were normal, natural feelings, nothing to cause shame or guilt, and somehow I knew that Jenna would have agreed. And somehow I could hear her in my mind, saying "Go ahead, tell her! And show her. But remember, go slow, like we did. And thank you, Rob." And I could almost see her smile as she turned and faded further into memory.

Kay looked up at me then, and must have seen something, because she touched the corner of my eye with the tip of her finger, then drew it back with a single tear on it. "Oh, Rob, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to..."

"No, little one, it's not you, I mean, you didn't do anything wrong." I looked at her and kissed her again, "I just now understood something, that's all. It's like you ... she ... I had her trapped, trying to hold on to her, and you just helped me let go, and now she can be at peace, too. I just needed to realize that love is forever, but sometimes it means letting go, too, and that I was hanging on to a dream that I should have wakened from a long time ago. And somehow I understand she knew that, too."

And Kaitlyn kissed me again, and whispered, "I love you, Rob Lister, and I want for us to start our own dream, just you and me, together, in our own forever."

And God help me, I pressed my cheek to that soft blonde hair and whispered back to her, "Kaitlyn Sanderson, will you marry me?"

Her shivery "Mmmhmmm", and even closer snuggle, then the sweet face upturned, blue eyes wordlessly begging for a kiss, gave me my answer.

Kay's turn again:

Good thing there's lots of room on my notebook cover for different-style hearts with KML written in them! 'Kaitlyn Marie Lister'! Yeah – an 'M' in the middle -- Rob just asked me to marry him, and he doesn't even know my middle name yet! Never cared about initials on my high school books – never really had any to write on 'em, so I guess I'm entitled to indulge myself!

God, I'm glad I didn't put him off by asking about Jenna. He actually thanked me for "releasing him". I think I know what he means, though.

But now we've got to come back to our own reality. I told him that Krista would be done with her shower, and back in our room waiting for me to brush her hair like I always do when I'm home. She'll be wondering...

He said, "You're right – we have to hold up here. Big day tomorrow," and I giggled when he said "and I don't want to meet your mom with a guilty conscience!"

I looked at him again – it's no wonder Daddy took an instant liking to him. He has an honest face, and a sweet smile. Well, I don't know what guys call a 'sweet smile', but you know what I mean. Sincere, I guess. Or even more. I'd trust him – already have, with my life, and my virginity, and I think that now Daddy would too. Rob's the kind of man that earns that trust at first contact. I know I felt it, there on the boat when he pulled me in. Todd was running his yap, badmouthing me, but this man just waited to hear what I had to say before making up his mind. I know a lot of guys would have dumped me back into Todd's clutches, or even worse, would have taken advantage of what Todd had already started. But not my guy. My Rob! Yes! Robert James (I know his middle name!) Lister is mine! And Jenna, I promise you I'll take good care of him. I do know that you'll always be somewhere way back in a memory, because truly, love never does die completely. But I know with all my heart that he won't let you come between us.

Why am I crying? This is supposed to be a happy time! Just an old softie, I guess. But it's time to kiss him goodnight and get back to Krista. I just know she's dying to hear what's happening here!

"Good night, love," I said, "better close the door – unless you like cats keeping you warm at night. We've got three or four of them around here somewhere, and they all like to snuggle."

He kissed me again. Made me tingle again, down there, and said, "No problem, sweetie, we had them at our house too. As long as they don't bring me any 'presents'. Not partial to rolling over and finding a dead mouse on my pillow!"

I kissed him again – I like doing that! "Or a lizard!"

And then I went back to Krista's room, and sure enough, she just handed me her hair brush, sat on the dressing table chair, and said "Well?"

"Well what, little sister?" I grabbed the hair dryer and brush, and started brushing. I envied her long blonde hair, hanging down below her shoulders. I'd cut mine when I got to college, and found that some days I really didn't have time to properly care for it. So I'd had it almost bobbed, so it fell just past my jawline. I felt comfortable with it, but still missed the long tresses that Krista wore. Rob, of course, had never seen me with my own waist-length hair, so I didn't have to hear it from him, but every time I came home I got, "Oh, baby, We miss that beautiful blonde hair!" If they only knew what a chore it was to keep it looking nice!

"Well, everything," she squealed! "What? When? How? Where? And everything else!" She was literally on the edge of her chair. "I know about the boat, and that Todd character, and you told us how Rob got hurt, but like those talking heads on the news keep saying, 'What do you know, and when did you know it'? Or something like that." She looked up and grinned at me, and I brushed out a tangle in her hair. "Ouch!" And she grinned again, "Really, Sis, I wanna know! You look so much happier than you did the last time you were home. Is it all Rob?"