The stars glittered like diamonds on a black velvet sky. A full moon cast its glowing reflection on the murky lake. A more romantic night couldn't have been found.

Graduation was tomorrow. Thaddeus' uncle had done cleared out, not even sticking around to see him graduate.

"I bet it gets a mite lonely up at your house," she mentioned.

"No more than it ever was," he said with a shrug. "It's just a place to sleep."

They listened to the music of the night for a long time just basking in each other's company. They both seemed to know deep down that this night wasn't going to last forever, that it was the ending of something. They seemed to be trying to soak in every little detail in response.

"Folks kind of expect us to get married, don't they?" Thaddeus asked. He tried to sound casual, but the words were weighted down with meaning. It was his way of proposing, his way of offering to marry her.

"I reckon they do." When folks around Floresville thought high school sweethearts, they thought of Thaddeus and Crystal. After all, they'd been going out together for 4 years.

The crickets had stopped their song. It was as if they waited in anticipation of her answer.

She could see the future if she married Thaddeus as plain and clear as if it was happening right in front of her. They would have a nice little church wedding and a month or two of wedded bliss. Then it would start. He'd begin to neglect responsibilities around the house, which would lead to arguments. He'd want to go drinking and hanging out with Eddie just to get away from it. He wouldn't be happy having to be with the same woman day in, day out and he would fool around with other girls. Things she could halfway overlook while they were dating but would break her heart as his wife. He'd leave her alone with a houseful of chores and kids. They would become disillusioned with each other and their love would soon burn out even if they managed to stay together. Love wasn't enough.

"But that don't mean we have to," she said at last.

He let out a huge sigh of relief. He looked as if he'd escaped a death sentence or at least a lifetime of incarceration. It amused her a little, but it mostly made her sad. He hadn't even tried to put up a fight. It wouldn't have taken much to convince her she was wrong; 4 little words would have been all he would've had to say to alter everything. "Will you marry me?", but he didn't and he wouldn't. And it was just as well.

"We can still be friends though," she added.

That let some of the air out of his sails. "Friends? I don't want to be your friend, Crystal."

"Oh," she said, suddenly finding the lake very interesting, willing herself not to cry as tears burned behind her eyes.

He grabbed her hand. "I didn't mean it like that. I just mean why can't things keep going the way they are? Why's anything got to change?"

"Because it can't keep going this way. If our relationship is headed nowhere, it's time to end it. Past time."

He looked like a kicked puppy. "If that's the way you feel."

"That's the way I feel," she said more firmly than she felt. The magic of the night was gone. "You going to take me back in your truck or do I have to walk back?"

"No, I'm going to take you back," he said, standing up.

He stopped the engine in front of her gate and leaned in for the usual parting kiss.

"Goodnight, Thaddeus," she said, her words were like a bucket of cold water to him. He still didn't quite seem to get it that it was over between them.

She hurried inside, not daring to look back. A burnt smell assaulted her nose. "Daddy, you alright?"

"Yeah, I just burned my supper is all," he muttered. "I know you left it ready to be warmed, but I can't even seem to heat food up right."

She smiled through her tears. At least somebody needed her. "Just hang on, Daddy. I'll whip up something else. We'll feed the burnt stuff to the chickens." She'd tried to sound chipper but the trembling in her voice had given her away.

"What's wrong, baby?" he asked, turning from the sink where he'd been trying to scrub the burnt residue from the pot.

"Oh, Daddy," she said, crying into his shirt. "Thaddeus and I broke up." She released the sobs she'd been holding back.

He let her cry and then he said, "It'll be okay, Crystal. I know you liked him and that it hurts a little at first, but he ain't the only boy in the world. You'll meet somebody else."

"Just like you met somebody else?" she asked.

"That was different. There wasn't nobody in the world like your mother."

He didn't understand. There was nobody in the world like Thaddeus either. Did a Fentress only give their heart away once? She hoped not. She prayed not.

"This is all a part of God's plan, His best for you," her father continued. "You'll see. And you'll always have me."