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It was kind of a humorous thing to ask since he and Susan hadn’t been in a squabble since they were maybe ten years old.
“I’m not sure what it was,” Sam said. “I asked her if she wanted to go to the Spring Fling with me.”
“Oh?” His mother’s forehead creased, and she set down the potato peeler. “That seems...unprecedented.”
Sam dropped his gaze and ran a fingernail along a groove in the table. “It is...but I wanted to ask her.”
His mother rested her hand on his arm. “What’s going on, son? Do you want to date Susan?”
He couldn’t deny it, could he, at least not to his mother. “Yes. I told her I liked her, and she...” He scrubbed a hand through his short hair. “She was very surprised.”
“Ah.” His mother folded her hands atop the table. “I thought this might happen.”
He lifted his gaze. “That Susan wouldn’t like me more than a friend?”
“No.” She seemed to be sorting through her words. “I’ve noticed how you’ve felt about her for some time now, and it was clear she didn’t catch on to that.”
Sam puffed out a breath. “Is that good or bad? I mean, if she can only see me as a fiend, then I’ll just have to live with that. But now I’ve made things really awkward between us.” He groaned.
His mother gave a soft chuckle.
“Is this entertaining?” he said, then immediately regretted it. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to snap.”
His mother rose from her chair and cleared off the potato peelings. “She’ll come around, Sam, you’ll see.”
“What does that mean?”
“It means,” she said in a quiet voice, “you’re a great young man, and if she has any sense in her, she’ll go on that date with you. Now that you’ve told her you like her, she’ll start thinking in that direction. Who knows what she’ll come up with.”
“That’s just the thing,” Sam lamented. “Staying friends might be agony.”
His mother smiled again. “I think you’re sore right now, but tomorrow, or the next day, that will fade. Whatever happens will be the right thing. You can’t force love.”
Sam was sure his ears were bright red. They definitely felt hot. “Well, if you need me, or if Susan comes over, I’ll be in the backyard digging something.”
“Smart plan,” his mother said. “Work will sort out your thoughts. While you’re at it, can you edge around the fruit trees? Dad will be grateful.”
Sam headed into the backyard, wondering if any amount of digging could sort out his thoughts.
1919
SUSAN MADE SAM WAIT AN entire week. Sure, he’d seen her at school. She’d even said hi, but her tone and actions made it clear she wasn’t open to further conversation.
Every class, every bell, every passing in the hallway was agony on Sam. How had he been such an idiot? If she wasn’t even speaking to him, was there hope of keeping a friendship at all? Had he acted too early? Too impulsively? Maybe he was confused. Maybe he wasn’t really in love with Susan, but they spent so much time together that he’d mixed things up.
“Sam?” his mother said outside his room just before she knocked softly on his door. “You have a visitor.”
Sam immediately stiffened. He’d been slogging through his homework with a single lamp in his room, as the shadows of twilight deepened around him. He hadn’t realized it was nearly ten o’clock on Friday night—which he’d spent alone. Who would be coming by this late?
There was no censure in Mother’s tone.
“Who is it?” he asked, his heart climbing his throat. It was likely a couple of his buddies, stopping by to see if he wanted to join them for sodas. They would have considered it too late to call his house in case his parents were sleeping.
“Susan,” his mother said.
Was it possible for a heart to suddenly stop beating, then start up again?
“All right,” he somehow managed to say in a semi-normal tone. “I’ll be right down.” He pushed up from his desk and glanced wildly about his room. Should he change clothing? Should he rush to the bathroom and check his hair? No...he’d be who he was right now. He didn’t need to spiff up to get rejected. He grabbed a mint from the small box on his desk. Then he was ready.
