Chapter Twelve

Cheri was down early the next morning to help her father with breakfast. She first went outside to collect eggs and then headed back to the kitchen. Hank was already there when she arrived, frying up a pound of bacon in the skillet.

"Mornin', Dad." She greeted him, placing the full egg basket on the counter and reaching up to give him a quick kiss on the cheek.

"Good mornin'. Glad to see you up."

She ignored the comment, "Need some help with breakfast?"

"How about scrambling us up some eggs?"

"Okay." Cheri shrugged and went over to the sink, washing her hands thoroughly before grabbing a large bowl out of the cupboard. As she cracked a dozen of the eggs into the bowl, she had to keep reminding herself to stay in a good mood. Today is the day. She thought. No more tears, and no more running away. If Keith wants to talk, talk. If not, let it go and get on with life. It isn't the end of the world.

She got the milk out of the refrigerator and added a bit to the eggs. Washing her hands again, she grabbed a wire whisk and began to beat the mixture into a thin orange froth.

"Is anyone else up?" Hank asked as he turned the bacon a second time.

Cheri shook her head. "Not yet." She placed a frying pan on a neighboring burner to her father and found another spatula.

"Keith's in the barn."

Cheri looked up at her father for a clue to his statement. Did that mean he wanted her to go out there too? Well, she wasn't going to. Keith would have to come to her. She didn't want to go to Keith. "Oh."

"I suspect he'll be coming in here any minute now."

Cheri sighed. "Please, Dad. Don't scare me away." She was, of course, only half-joking. She hoped her dad wouldn't sense the nervousness in her voice, because that's what she was, nervous. She was afraid to face Keith after all this time, but she couldn't run away any longer. She needed to be strong.

Hank only smiled and continued tending to the bacon.

Cheri frowned.

It wasn't long before the spoken-of entered the kitchen. "Mr. Reyes? I was wondering if you might want some help with breakfast…" Keith's sentence trailed off as his eyes settled on Cheri. "On second thought, why don't I-"

"Keith." Hank addressed the youth before he could get away. "I was hoping you'd show up. How about setting the table for us in the dining room?"

"S-Sure. Just tell me where everything is."

Cheri noticed Keith's gaze stayed on her as he answered. His eyes were wide as if he were seeing a ghost. Do I frighten him? Cheri hoped she hadn't made herself unapproachable.

"Dishes are in the cupboard and silverware in that drawer over by Cheri." Her father nodded in her direction.

Cheri turned back to the eggs, before Keith could look back at her. Be friendly. Her mind seemed to say, but she instantly shook the thought away. I'm fine. There's no rule saying I have to talk to him right now. Besides, it's way too soon. I won't run away, but I'm not ready to talk yet.

Keith didn't seem to mind her silence. He instantly went to the cupboard and found the plates. Pulling out a stack of nine, he walked out the swinging door to the dining room.

Cheri watched him go, but said nothing. Neither did her father. They proceeded in their tasks individually, concentrating heavily on what they were doing. Cheri melted a pat of butter in the skillet and then poured in the eggs. She waited until they were fully cooked and then placed them in another bowl. She went back over to the counter and began to get the silverware out of the drawer for Keith.

Keith soon entered and timidly approached her. He mechanically grabbed up the silverware and left the room. Cheri watched him go. She wasn't sure what she had wanted or had expected, but she knew that hadn't been it.

"Bacon's done." She turned to her father as he began dishing the last of the crispy, greasy, meat onto a nearby plate. "Maybe we should get this out on the table?"

Cheri nodded and then handed him the bowl of eggs. "You go on ahead. I'll get the toast."

Hank didn't argue and left for the dining room with the two items.

Good. This'll buy me a little time to get my thoughts in order. Cheri went to the breadbox for the toast. She paused when she spotted a small metallic item sitting on the countertop where the silverware had once been. "What could that be?" She went over to investigate. What she found surprised her.

It was Keith's ring.

Cheri snatched the item up quickly. What is this doing here? I thought for sure I had put it in that box of junk I took out to the barn… She paused when she remembered what her father had said: 'Keith's out in the barn'. Had he found the box and gone through it? No. Not Keith. That isn't like him. Then again…

Cheri shook her head. No. He wouldn't. But then where had he gotten the ring? Does it matter? A second voice in her head conjured. The point is he was obviously giving it back to you. Doesn't that seem like some sort of a truce? An apology?

Cheri wasn't sure. But she liked it.