Part 4
Jealousy!
Aura Thundera
deonii@yahoo.com
Cabe gulped. She was in deep trouble. "I..." She was cut off as Keith's hand clamped firmly over her mouth.
"It was my fault, Mrs. McAllister," Keith said. "I started it, not Cabe."
Cabe ripped Keith's hand off her mouth. "Stop being noble, Keith. It was as much my fault as yours. I invited you to come up here, and I was willing."
Tara put her hands on her hips. "And why were you up there in the first place?"
"I was running away from Keith. He was tickling me," Cabe said.
"She said that she could go back to Pennsylvania and get a boyfriend to replace me," Keith said. "I'm convincing her that I'm irreplaceable." Keith resumed his tickle attack on Cabe.
Tara sighed. "Both of you, down here, now. Cabe, I expect you to quit these antics with Keith. You'll be leaving soon, and you know it. Besides, it's inappropriate behavior. Thirdly, it's nearly dinnertime. Keith, you're welcome to stay, if yu promise to keep yourself under control."
"Thanks, Mrs. McAllister, but I had better be going home," Keith said. "We've got a gig in Oregon tomorrow, and we need to hit the road tonight. I do promise that I will never hurt your daughter." Keith gave Cabe a kiss on the cheek before walking out the open door and heading for his home.
For Cabe, the weekend passed quickly. She repacked everything that she wanted to take along with her. If there was anything left behind, she could have her parents send it to her. It wasn't until Sunday night that the enormity of what she'd done came crashing down on her. She would never see Keith Partridge again after she left San Pueblo.
Cabe sat on the windowseat, watching Sycamore Lane and waiting for the bus that would bring her Keith back to her. The moment she saw it, Cabe sprung up off the seat and yelled to her mother, who was in the kitchen.
"HeymomKeithisbackfromOregonandI'mgonnagoseehimquick," Cabe said, turning it into one long word. Without waiting for a reply, Cabe took off out the front door and made a beeline for the yellow house.
When Cabe arrived at the Partridge house, she saw the other Partridges unloading the bus, but no Keith. Worried, Cabe went straight to Shirley.
"Where's Keith?" Cabe asked his mother.
Shirley smiled a little. "He caught a bad cold in Oregon and he's losing his voice. I'm sure it would cheer him up if you would go see him, if you want to risk his cold."
Cabe went in the back door and found Keith laying on the couch. He was half-asleep, his skin pale and his normally perfect hair was sweaty and matted to his scalp. Keith was managing to look totally pathetic.
"Hey, Keith," Cabe said softly. "How are you feeling?"
"Rotten," Keith rasped. "What's new with you?"
"I got a reply from Grandma. She can take me anytime, and I'm leaving next Friday. I've packed up everything," Cabe said. "I came to ask if there is anything that you would like to do with me this weekend--it's my last weekend here in San Pueblo."
"I'll take you to the movies Friday night," Keith whispered. "We play a gig in Oakland on Saturday, so I won't be able to do anything like that, but you could come along."
Cabe noticed that Keith's voice was growing fainter. "I'd like that, Keith. Rest now. Your family can't afford to lose their lead singer."
"I'm not dying..."
"The Partridge Family can't afford to lose your voice, how about that?"
"Better." Keith's eyes closed, and he gave in to his weariness. In a few minutes, his even breathing indicated to Cabe that Keith was asleep.
"How is he doing?"
Cabe turned to see Shirley entering the living room, with Tracy in tow. "His voice is almost gone, and he's sleeping now. I should be going home now too. Tomorrow is a school day for me if not for Keith."
"Tracy, run ahead and open Keith's door. Cabe, can you help me carry Keith? The other kids are out in the garage setting everything back up and I don't want to disturb them."
"Can we do it?"
"Keith looks heavier than he is. You take his feet, and I'll grab his head and arms." Together, Shirley and Cabe lifted Keith easily. Navigating the stairs was slightly more difficult, and it was a relief to drop Keith onto his bed. Shirley pulled the covers over her firstborn.
"I guess I should be going now," Cabe said softly, and slipped away.
Shirley watched Cabe walk slowly down the sidewalk to her own home. That girl, Shirley thought, could make Keith very happy, if she would only stay with him. And she doesn't want to leave Keith either--but she does want to go home to her friends and go to college. Heartbreak Keith strikes again... but this time, I think it's for real!
The next day, Mary Callahan found Cabe sitting alone at lunch. Cabe was staring forlornly at Keith's empty seat. Cabe missed Keith's sunny, loving presence dearly, and couldn't wait to bring him his algebra homework.
"Hey, Cabe, did your man run off on you?" Mary asked.
"No, Mary. Keith's sick. He lost his voice yesterday."
"Ooooh, Mister Rock Star needs to nurse his precious vocal cords. Take the chance, Cabe! Some really hot guys are here today, Cabe."
"Hey, Mary, lay off Keith. I saw him last night, and he was really miserable. I don't think it was the flu, but he was really miserable. Why are you so hard on him anyway?"
"He's no good. He's a skinny womanizing fool who thinks he's a star because he can play the guitar."
"Keith's family has a gold record. I saw it when I had dinner with his family. And he sang a song for me. He is better than you give him credit for. Or... you've never actually heard him sing and play, have you?"
"Um... no. I never got the chance. I was never in his house, either!" Mary said angrily. "And I wouldn't want to! He'd probably try to grope me!"
"You've never really talked to him either, have you?" Cabe said. "Because he's really sweet and nice. We did make out a little, but that was because I wanted to, not because of him."
Mary sat down heavily. "All right! If you must know... I've heard his records, and I know he can sing. But he never sang for me or invited me to his house. The truth is... I fell for Keith years ago. In ninth grade, he went from being a skinny little nerd to the most gorgeous young hunk in the school. And he asked out every girl but me. A lot of the girls ignore him because he's broken so many other girls' hearts, but secretly... he makes all of our hearts flutter a bit."
"Why didn't you say anything to him?"
Mary was crying, and trying to hide it. "I was staying late in the biology lab to finish up a frog dissection. I had dressed pretty that day, hoping Keith would notice me. Everyone else was leaving at the end of the day, and I was there, identifying frog kidneys. Keith walked by out in the hall with a few of his friends, and they were talking. One of them said that he thought that Keith should ask me out. I thought that was my big break, and I'd be in Keith Partridge's arms the next night."
"He never asked you out?"
"Worse. He never knew I was there, so he didn't try to spare my feelings. He said that I was the annoying gossip who lived down the street, and all he wanted to do was avoid me. I dropped my scalpel and just sat on the floor and cried. I felt like such an idiot, dressed up to impress a boy who just wanted to get out of my presence!"
"Why didn't you tell him that you were interested?"
"Because he would have said no and manufactured an excuse to do something else! He was the most gorgeous boy in San Pueblo, and he had just decided that I wasn't worthy. Do you have any idea how much it hurt every time that he would have a new girl in his arm, because that girl was never me? And then you came to school, and he warmed right up to the new girl, but kept right on ignoring me. I could have killed you two when you faked that kiss, I was so angry."
"So you were jealous of how Keith feels about me. But I'm going back to Pennsylvania. When I leave, Keith is all yours. I can't get real attached to him, because we'll probably never see each other again."
"You don't understand. Keith doesn't care for me at all, and still I keep on hoping that someday he will. I thought that he was angry at you when he was chasing you, I hoped, you know... But as long as you're out there, loving him, he'll never be mine, or anyone else's."
"I'm sorry. I didn't know that you had your eye on Keith Partridge, or I would have left him alone. But now I'm in too deep. We're in love, Mary. I'm sorry."
"Tell me, has he at least given you a real kiss?" Mary asked, looking up through tear swellen eyes.
Cabe blushed. "Sucker for punishment, aren't you?"
"I prefer to say that it's for my vicarious pleasure. It sounds better."
"As long as it's for your vicarious pleasure alone. It had better not spread. Oh, and promise me you won't cry anymore over this. Fantasize about being me, but please don't cry!" Cabe said. "You'll get your chance with Keith after I leave to go home."
"I promise."
"Do I have to check your fingers?"
Mary put her hands on the table. "Keith is probably my only taboo topic for information sharing."
"Yes, I did kiss Keith. He even kissed my neck. He's so good at it, with those pouty lips." Cabe flushed again, realizing that she'd said more than she'd meant to.
"Way too much information, sister!" Mary exclaimed. "All I needed was a yes or a no, the blanks I can fill in myself. When it comes to Keith, I've got an imagination, believe me!"
At the end of the day, Cabe raced home and then ran to Keith's house with his homework. Chris and Tracy were tearing around the front yard, playing tag. Cabe rang the doorbell and waited for Shirley to let her in. Instead, Cabe was greeted by Danny.
"How's Keith?" Cabe asked Danny.
"He's fine. Lucky scumbag, he got to stay home from school today." Danny said. :"At least he's better now, so he'll have to go tomorrow."
"Look, I've got homework for Keith," Cabe said. "Would you at least let me in so I can give it to him?"
"How much is seeing Keith worth to you?" Danny asked.
"Danny Partridge, you let Cabe in. NOW!
And for free..." Shirley interrupted before Cabe could lose her temper
with Danny.