Chapter 19

It was nearly noon before Kyle managed to struggle out of bed the next day. Struggle was the operative word here, because Emma had come into his room with a pan full of very cold water and was taking great joy in splashing it on critical areas of his body as he slept. Of course, when she aimed for the most critical part, he was awake and up, well tangled up in wet sheets, but up anyway, and flailing at Emma to capture the water.

"Get up, Sleepyhead," she said. "It's the middle of the afternoon and we've got things to talk about." She could have helped him unwind from his soggy sheet but instead, opted to pour the rest of the cold water on his head. When he lunged for her, she jumped back and ran from the room, laughing and giggling all the way down the stairs.

Thirty minutes later, Kyle appeared at the bottom of the stairs and headed directly into the dining room. Miss Lottie had anticipated his arrival and had an enormous roast beef sandwich waiting for him, along with a tall glass of ice and soda.

When Emma appeared, he stopped eating and looked at her with as gruff and serious an expression as he could muster. "You know, Little One, that I now owe you, and I always repay my debts. Maybe not right away, but I will get them repaid, so — watch out!"

"We've got to talk about tonight."

"What's tonight?"

"The Homecoming Dance! Gee, don't you guys pay attention to anything? For two weeks they have been talking about it at school."

"Who is 'they'? Girls, probably. For two weeks I have been talking about football. So what about the dance?"

"Well, you are supposed to be polite and ask me if I will attend the dance with you."

"I am? What if I have a date already?"

"You don't!!!" She paused, her mouth open in shock. "Do you?" Another pause. "Kyle???" in a very frustrated voice.

"No, but what if I did?"

She hit him in the arm. "Don't do that to me. You are supposed to take me!"

"Okay, so I am taking you. Then what?"

"Have you never been to a Homecoming Dance? You act like you've never been to any dance. You have been to a dance before, haven't you?"

"Well, I dunno, not actually with a date. We stopped in one time, just to see who was there and stuff but we didn't stay long."

"Oh, good grief! Do you even know how to dance?"

"From what I saw, everybody just stood there and pretended to do what we've been doing for real."

That was more than Emma could take. She ran from the room, crying out in anguish, "Mother, he doesn't even know how to dance!!!"

Soon Jill sat down across from him. "Here's what's going to happen. You are going to escort your beautiful cousin to her first Homecoming Dance. You will dance with her often, and stay by her side and not wander off when you are not dancing. At times, you may seek out Marcie Saunders, and if she is not with someone, ask her to dance, however you must not leave Emma alone. She must be with friends, is that clear?" Kyle nodded his understanding.

"As for dancing, you are correct. Most of it involves pretending to have sex, but some couples become so animated that it is hard to tell if they are pretending. Now, you and I both know that your two young dance partners are anything but little girls any more, but no one else knows that, and we're going to keep it that way, so when you dance with them, make sure everyone still believes."

"You may also find some other girls of interest to you, and you may also dance with them, but the same rules apply about not leaving Emma stranded. You will remain at the dance as long as Emma wishes, and if you determine that Marcie requires a ride home to assure her safety, you should offer to do that as well. Under no circumstances do you allow either girl to be outside and out of your sight!"