"This Daniel Walker is the biggest day of our lives…" Beth lectured in front of her father, to Danny, until her father walked away, and she gave Danny a hug, "Yeah, the biggest day until about a month from now when we're married." She whispered kissing his cheek.
The ceremony was just like any other ceremony, Beth got up and made her speech, she kept it short and simple and to the point, because Danny had warned her if she droned on and on, he would get really mad. Not that she cared; she didn't really want to talk.
After the diplomas had been given out and all that stuff, Rafe, Danny and Beth all stood on the grass posing for pictures that her father and Rafe's parents were taking. Across the grass however, Luciana stood with Rosie watching the three of them, but acting like they weren't.
"You know Rosanna, that boy on the left of that blonde girl is awful handsome…" Luciana nudged her daughter.
"Rafe McCawley?" Rosie replied casually kicking at the grass, "I suppose…"
"You know Rosanna what they say about mothers and daughters and men…" Luciana said casually eyeing Rafe up and down, she caught Rafe's eye, but he looked down ashamed.
"What?" Rosie caught her mother looking at Rafe.
Luciana laughed and casually tossed her hair, "I don't know honey, I thought you would know." She saw Rafe walking away from Beth and Danny, and she called him over,
"Hey handsome, over here…"
Rafe looked over shyly, and for some reason walked over, not thinking it wouldn't be a good idea to be arrested at his own graduation.
"Mother, I wouldn't do that…" Rosie whispered through gritted teeth, watching as Rafe walked over.
"Do what? I just wanted to introduce the two of you." She smiled, even though she knew Rafe knew Rosie.
"Mother, that really isn't.." Rosie was cut off by her mother when Rafe reached them.
"I knew we would meet again." Luciana casually brushed her hand on Rafe's shoulder and leaned over to kiss his cheek, "Congratulations…"
"Meet again?" Rosie stared at Rafe, who looked dumbfounded.
"Umm.." Rafe stumbled over words and tried to speak but he couldn't, but that was ok, because Luciana was more than willing to talk.
"Rosanna, he didn't tell you?" Luciana said sweetly.
"We don't speak much." Rosie glared at Rafe.
Luciana gave Rafe a mock upset look, "Why Rafe…I thought you would've had the common courtesy to tell my daughter about that fabulous night we had…"
"Fabulous night?" Rosie felt tears welling up in her eyes, she took off her mortar board and ran her fingers through her hair.
"Rosanna, as a mother I feel I would be doing you a disservice to not, ahem, inspect your men before hand." Luciana smiled wickedly trying to take Rosie's hand, but she was denied.
The tears that had been welling up in her eyes, and instantaneously dried up and now she was just fueled by rage, "Inspect?"
"Unless you have had your way with him already love." Luciana yawned, "I myself couldn't blame you." She leaned over and whispered, "For a school boy he is all man."
Rosie remained amazingly calm and turned to face Rafe, "So you're all man now?"
Yet again Rafe was speechless.
"Oh Rosanna, you let the poor boy go." Luciana laughed, "Someone had to pick up the pieces of his broken heart. I thought you would be happy he at least kept it in the family."
Rosie looked across the field to see Beth and Danny taking the scene in, she didn't say a word knowing the pent up anger in her would cause her to cause a huge scene which would probably result in Rosie both pummeling her mother and Rafe, she walked away.
Rafe watched her walking away, and could hear her sobbing quietly and watched her fall in a heap in Danny's arms, which in turn handed her to Beth when he walked over to Rafe.
"You just let her mother do that?" Danny asked amazed.
"I had all the great comebacks in my head and I tried to speak, I couldn't." Rafe whispered, "I couldn't speak."
"Well, the least you could do is go after her. I think Beth is taking her to the girls room." Danny instructed, looking over at Luciana who seemed pleased with herself, but was now chatting up Bobby and Johnny.
Rafe ran into the deserted school and headed for the girls room just as Beth walked out and leaned against the door as Rafe jogged up. "She in there?" Rafe asked breathlessly.
Beth closed her eyes and sighed, "Yeah."
"Can I go in?" Rafe asked.
"You're asking my permission?" Beth laughed, "She is mighty mad Rafe, if you want to risk your life, go ahead."
"She threatened you?" Rafe asked confused.
"No. I didn't sleep with her mother, or sleep with her boyfriend. SO, I'm in her good graces." Beth replied and opened the door for Rafe, "Good luck."
"Rosie?" Rafe called out cautiously, eyeing Rosie sitting on the sinks kicking her feet aimlessly and rolling the toilet paper she used as a Kleenex into little balls and tossing them on the floor.
"Get out." Rosie replied simply giving Rafe a look that could kill.
"Awww Ro, don't be like that." Rafe walked over slowly.
Rosie hopped off, "Awww Rafe, don't sleep with my mother."
"I didn't know it was your mother!" Rafe cried grabbing Rosie by the shoulders, which was a big mistake because it gave Rosie the perfect positioning to knee him in the crotch.
Rosie kneed him hard, "Rafe, I didn't know that was my knee in your crotch." She gave him a fake smile, "Go see my mother, I'm sure she'll be able to fix it."
"Rosie, please." Rafe keeled over in pain, "Don't you even want to know why? Aren't you even gonna ask?"
"Rafe, I could care less at this point. I now know how possessed by sex you are, that when I ask for a break, a small break you go after some woman who happens to be my own mother. A woman who has hurt me in more ways then one, but this, this Rafe takes the cake."
"Rosie I didn't know…" Rafe pleaded.
"Rafe, the fact that you go out the day I ask for a break and sleep with someone else, because I decide I'm not sleeping with you anymore, is low." Rosie walked out heartbroken, leaving Rafe very much the same.
Ever since the day Rosanna Gadry was born she had been the highlight in her fathers life. It was hard for him to admit to himself that she was growing up, his little girl was blossoming into a women. A women that was in love with a man that could both ease her pain and break her heart. And yet there she was standing before him on her graduation day, the day she truly became a women, reverting back to childhood. Rosie clung to Alex, hot tears pouring down from her lovely brown eyes, the way they had when she was younger and the kids and school had been particularly cruel to her.
"How could he do this to me Daddy?" Rosie whimpered into her fathers shirt "All I ever did was love him."
"I know sweet pea, I know." Alexander rubbed the back of his only child "let's go home."
Alex shot Rafe an angry glare as he ushered Rosie past him and off the school grounds.
"Did you talk to her?" Danny put his hand on Rafe's shoulder as they watched Rosie leave.
"Tried to," Rafe answered continuing to follow Rosie's retreating back with his eyes. "she'll never forgive me. Damn it Danny I can't lose her."
"Come on now Rafe I know Rosie, that girl's been head over heals for ya since kindergarten, she's never been able to stay mad at ya for more then a day."
"I never slept with her mother before either. She kneed me in the groin."
Danny fought back the urge to bust out in hysterics
"She did what?"
"You heard me."
"Jesus Rafe you managed to do the impossible. You made Rosie hate you."
"I know."
Noreen McCawley stood a couple yards away waiting for her boys to finish lollygagging and load into the car. She couldn't help but over hear the conversation from where she stood. All that time Noreen had thought Rosie had corrupted her son, that she was a floozy like her mother and the truth being Rafe himself was the hormone crazed one in the situation. She explained everything to her husband as their beat up old Chevy headed down the road to home.
"I can't leave for the Army without her knowing how I really feel about her." Rafe blurted from the backseat.
"How you plannin' on fixin' that?" Ed questioned his son feeling bad about how he spoke about Rosie.
"I don't know pop but I'll think of somethin'."
"Judge, Elizabeth Sullivan is here to see you…" Miss Fischer, the secretary who was Judge Crabtree's mistress, ushered Beth into Judge Crabtree's chambers.
"Why Beth Sullivan, what could I possibly do for you?" Judge Crabtree smiled widely and pulled Beth into a hug.
Beth smiled and took a seat, "Actually Judge, I just have a small favor to ask of you."
"Just say the word Beth and it's done."
Beth's smiled grew wider and she turned on her charm, "I was hoping you would say
that."
"Well, what's the delay, ask away…"
"I was wondering if you would marry Daniel Walker and I." Beth stated plainly.
Judge Crabtree, who seemed to have choked on air, coughed then replied, "Excuse me?"
"I just figured since I'm doing a favor for you and Miss Fischer, you could do this small favor for me."
"And fall out of good graces with your father, the mayor?"
"Judge, I know my fathers the Mayor, but he isn't president. Besides, I'm eighteen in a week, and allowed to make my own decisions, I'm coming to you as a grown woman asking you to do this favor for me."
"Has anyone told you, you should be a lawyer?" Judge Crabtree patted his head with a kerchief.
"I've been told." Beth smiled, "So do we have a deal?"
"I'll only perform the service if we can do it at an unreasonable hour…since, I don't want people to get ideas…"
"Whatever is at your convenience Judge." Beth stood up and shook his hand, "What time July 9th?"
"I'll do it at midnight." Judge Crabtree replied uncertainly looking at Beth, "Are you sure you want to do this at your age? Your father tells me you're going off to Smith this fall…"
"I still am." Beth grinned, "Miss Fischer can come too." She walked out and closed the door to tell Danny the good news, but first she had to go to work.
"That'll be $6.50 Mrs. Ritz." Beth smiled, but smiled even more when she saw Danny saunter in and grab a soda from the cooler.
"Tell your father I said hello…" Mrs. Ritz grabbed her bag and walked out.
Danny walked over and looked around making sure there wasn't anyone else in the store and hopped up on the counter.
"How's my workin' girl?" Danny kissed her gently before hopping back down to dig in his pocket for some change.
"Don't be silly Danny, it's on the house." Beth smiled and grabbed Danny's hand and pulled him close and whispered, "I have the best news."
Danny kissed her ear and whispered back, "Yeah?"
"I spoke to Judge Crabtree before I went to work…"Beth smiled keeping Danny in suspense.
"Is this the Judge Crabtree that you hoped would perform the ceremony?" Danny replied nervously fiddling with the cap on his soda.
"Yes it is." Beth couldn't contain her excitement anymore, "He said he would at midnight on the 9th." Beth jumped up and down like a giggling schoolgirl, "I mean, how romantic is that, all Romeo and Juliet like…"
"I'll say, but we cant go dyin'." Danny smiled back and pulled her into as much as a hug as he could behind the counter.
"I would hope not." Beth laughed, as two people walked in, "I'll call you ok?"
"You better Walker." Danny kissed her quickly and walked out.
Rosie walked into Beth's store two days later, her usually bright, friendly face clouded by anger, sorrow and lack of sleep. No one had seen her since graduation, she'd been spending every waking minute held up in the garage trying to avoid anything that would remind her of Rafe or her mother. Even Beth and Danny hadn't seen her and they were both beginning to worry.
"Rosie, gee I was startin' to think you fell off the face of the Earth." Beth smiled as she folded a pile of shirts waiting to be shelved.
"I've been workin' a lot lately.'' Rosie paused a moment before saying what she had gone into the store for "Beth can I return this?" She reached into the pocket of he farmer-jeans and pulled out her locket.
"Oh Rosie you don't wanna return this, Rafe gave you this cause he loves you." Beth held the shiny trinket in her hands while Rosie still grasped the chain it hung from.
"Well he's sure got a funny way of showin' it. As I see it all that pretty necklace as is a fancy piece of medal that don't mean shit to me."
"Then why are you still holdin' onto the end?"
Rosie immediately let go of the jewelry and looked at the ground. Beth walked over to her manager with the lovely silver decoration in her hand. When she came back she had an odd expression on her face.
"We can't take it back because it's already engraved."
"Damn it I really wanted it outa my house."
"Well here I'll give you some money and take the necklace with me. This way if you ever decide you want it back you can just get from me." Beth reached under the counter and pulled out her purse.
Rosie thought about it for a second before answering
"No thanks Beth I don't really need the money, but you can keep the locket."
"Alright."
"Well I better get goin', gotta get back to the shop." Rosie was ½ way to the door when she turned around and wondered aloud
"Is it possible to love someone with all your heart and hate their guts right down to your soul?"
"I guess it could be. I don't know the only person I've ever loved that much is Danny and I've never for a second in my life hated him."
"Well that's how I feel about Rafe, I guess I'm just strange." With that she left the store.
"That poor girl." Beth whispered when she was gone.
Danny waited patiently in the car for Beth to come out of the store. He was flipping threw the news paper and reading about the annual 4th of July firework celebration when she came out in her Annabelle's country store smock.
"Hey there beautiful, need a ride?" Danny hopped out to open the door for her.
"I suppose on the count that you're so cute." Beth kissed his cheek before lowering herself into the passenger seat.
"So how was work today?"
"Well Rosie came into the store, she's still alive."
"That's a good thing, how's she doing?"
Beth fished around in the pouch of her smock and produced Rosie's locket
"Does this answer your question?"
"Where'd ya get that?"
"She tried to return it. Rafe hurt her so bad Danny, I don't know if she'll ever get over it."
"You once said you weren't as certain bout them as you was us. Maybe you were right."
Beth shook her head
"That was before I really paid attention to them. It wouldn't hurt Rosie so much if she didn't love him deeply. She's the best friend I got lately and believe me, she misses Rafe."
"And he's been moping around the house for two weeks."
"Luciana did a real good job of ruinin' things for 'em didn't she?"
"Yeah she did."
"You gonna tell him bout the necklace?"
"I might, yeah I think I will."
For days Rafe had been in the hanger tinkering with the duster every spare minute he had. There wasn't anything wrong with the plane he just had a lot of free time on his hands, time he would've been spending with Rosie. Playing with the crop duster helped keep his mind off things, plus Danny told him if he didn't stop locking himself in his bedroom, he'd smoke him out of it. This time however when Danny found him he was in the barn staring at their old beer keg, 2x4 plane.
"What ya doin' Rafe?"
"Just thinkin' , rememberin' when we were kids. Things were so much simpler then. Get up, go to school, come home, chores, play, supper and bed." Rafe didn't tare his eyes away from the make shift spitfire.
"I know I miss those days too. By the way rudder is still spelled with 2 Ds." Danny picked up a piece of chalk from the ground and fixed the writing.
"Thanks Danny. Hey you member the first time we brought Rosie here?"
"Yeah you were 10, I was 9, she was 8 and she still bullied us into bringin' her. Once she got here she wouldn't leave." Danny laughed
"And Mr. Gadry flung her over his back like a sack of potatoes and carried her out screamin'." Rafe chuckled and then turned serious "She's been part of almost every memory I've made since I was 7."
"You know we're best buddies and you never told me how you and Rosie got together. It's like one day you were just friends the next you were datin'."
"It was right after prom last year, I found out that the only reason Sara Larson was seein' me was cause Peter Zion wouldn't date her. I did what I always do when I'm stressed I worked on the duster. You musta been out with Beth or somthin' cause I called Ro to help me. Anyway I was talkin' to her about how Sara broke my heart. And she looked at me and said "I'd never break her heart Rafe." Her face was covered with axel grease and her hair was a mess and she was the most beautiful girl I'd ever seen. That was the first time I kissed her."
"Sounds pretty romantic, I bet Beth would cry or somthin'. She brought your locket back to the store."
"Rub some more salt in the wounds, why don't you Danny." Rafe turned and was bout to huff off but Danny hated to see him leave angry.
"Hey McCawley what'd that axel grease taste like?" He joked
Rafe smiled and threw his grease rag at Danny
"Taste and tell me."
The ceremony was just like any other ceremony, Beth got up and made her speech, she kept it short and simple and to the point, because Danny had warned her if she droned on and on, he would get really mad. Not that she cared; she didn't really want to talk.
After the diplomas had been given out and all that stuff, Rafe, Danny and Beth all stood on the grass posing for pictures that her father and Rafe's parents were taking. Across the grass however, Luciana stood with Rosie watching the three of them, but acting like they weren't.
"You know Rosanna, that boy on the left of that blonde girl is awful handsome…" Luciana nudged her daughter.
"Rafe McCawley?" Rosie replied casually kicking at the grass, "I suppose…"
"You know Rosanna what they say about mothers and daughters and men…" Luciana said casually eyeing Rafe up and down, she caught Rafe's eye, but he looked down ashamed.
"What?" Rosie caught her mother looking at Rafe.
Luciana laughed and casually tossed her hair, "I don't know honey, I thought you would know." She saw Rafe walking away from Beth and Danny, and she called him over,
"Hey handsome, over here…"
Rafe looked over shyly, and for some reason walked over, not thinking it wouldn't be a good idea to be arrested at his own graduation.
"Mother, I wouldn't do that…" Rosie whispered through gritted teeth, watching as Rafe walked over.
"Do what? I just wanted to introduce the two of you." She smiled, even though she knew Rafe knew Rosie.
"Mother, that really isn't.." Rosie was cut off by her mother when Rafe reached them.
"I knew we would meet again." Luciana casually brushed her hand on Rafe's shoulder and leaned over to kiss his cheek, "Congratulations…"
"Meet again?" Rosie stared at Rafe, who looked dumbfounded.
"Umm.." Rafe stumbled over words and tried to speak but he couldn't, but that was ok, because Luciana was more than willing to talk.
"Rosanna, he didn't tell you?" Luciana said sweetly.
"We don't speak much." Rosie glared at Rafe.
Luciana gave Rafe a mock upset look, "Why Rafe…I thought you would've had the common courtesy to tell my daughter about that fabulous night we had…"
"Fabulous night?" Rosie felt tears welling up in her eyes, she took off her mortar board and ran her fingers through her hair.
"Rosanna, as a mother I feel I would be doing you a disservice to not, ahem, inspect your men before hand." Luciana smiled wickedly trying to take Rosie's hand, but she was denied.
The tears that had been welling up in her eyes, and instantaneously dried up and now she was just fueled by rage, "Inspect?"
"Unless you have had your way with him already love." Luciana yawned, "I myself couldn't blame you." She leaned over and whispered, "For a school boy he is all man."
Rosie remained amazingly calm and turned to face Rafe, "So you're all man now?"
Yet again Rafe was speechless.
"Oh Rosanna, you let the poor boy go." Luciana laughed, "Someone had to pick up the pieces of his broken heart. I thought you would be happy he at least kept it in the family."
Rosie looked across the field to see Beth and Danny taking the scene in, she didn't say a word knowing the pent up anger in her would cause her to cause a huge scene which would probably result in Rosie both pummeling her mother and Rafe, she walked away.
Rafe watched her walking away, and could hear her sobbing quietly and watched her fall in a heap in Danny's arms, which in turn handed her to Beth when he walked over to Rafe.
"You just let her mother do that?" Danny asked amazed.
"I had all the great comebacks in my head and I tried to speak, I couldn't." Rafe whispered, "I couldn't speak."
"Well, the least you could do is go after her. I think Beth is taking her to the girls room." Danny instructed, looking over at Luciana who seemed pleased with herself, but was now chatting up Bobby and Johnny.
Rafe ran into the deserted school and headed for the girls room just as Beth walked out and leaned against the door as Rafe jogged up. "She in there?" Rafe asked breathlessly.
Beth closed her eyes and sighed, "Yeah."
"Can I go in?" Rafe asked.
"You're asking my permission?" Beth laughed, "She is mighty mad Rafe, if you want to risk your life, go ahead."
"She threatened you?" Rafe asked confused.
"No. I didn't sleep with her mother, or sleep with her boyfriend. SO, I'm in her good graces." Beth replied and opened the door for Rafe, "Good luck."
"Rosie?" Rafe called out cautiously, eyeing Rosie sitting on the sinks kicking her feet aimlessly and rolling the toilet paper she used as a Kleenex into little balls and tossing them on the floor.
"Get out." Rosie replied simply giving Rafe a look that could kill.
"Awww Ro, don't be like that." Rafe walked over slowly.
Rosie hopped off, "Awww Rafe, don't sleep with my mother."
"I didn't know it was your mother!" Rafe cried grabbing Rosie by the shoulders, which was a big mistake because it gave Rosie the perfect positioning to knee him in the crotch.
Rosie kneed him hard, "Rafe, I didn't know that was my knee in your crotch." She gave him a fake smile, "Go see my mother, I'm sure she'll be able to fix it."
"Rosie, please." Rafe keeled over in pain, "Don't you even want to know why? Aren't you even gonna ask?"
"Rafe, I could care less at this point. I now know how possessed by sex you are, that when I ask for a break, a small break you go after some woman who happens to be my own mother. A woman who has hurt me in more ways then one, but this, this Rafe takes the cake."
"Rosie I didn't know…" Rafe pleaded.
"Rafe, the fact that you go out the day I ask for a break and sleep with someone else, because I decide I'm not sleeping with you anymore, is low." Rosie walked out heartbroken, leaving Rafe very much the same.
Ever since the day Rosanna Gadry was born she had been the highlight in her fathers life. It was hard for him to admit to himself that she was growing up, his little girl was blossoming into a women. A women that was in love with a man that could both ease her pain and break her heart. And yet there she was standing before him on her graduation day, the day she truly became a women, reverting back to childhood. Rosie clung to Alex, hot tears pouring down from her lovely brown eyes, the way they had when she was younger and the kids and school had been particularly cruel to her.
"How could he do this to me Daddy?" Rosie whimpered into her fathers shirt "All I ever did was love him."
"I know sweet pea, I know." Alexander rubbed the back of his only child "let's go home."
Alex shot Rafe an angry glare as he ushered Rosie past him and off the school grounds.
"Did you talk to her?" Danny put his hand on Rafe's shoulder as they watched Rosie leave.
"Tried to," Rafe answered continuing to follow Rosie's retreating back with his eyes. "she'll never forgive me. Damn it Danny I can't lose her."
"Come on now Rafe I know Rosie, that girl's been head over heals for ya since kindergarten, she's never been able to stay mad at ya for more then a day."
"I never slept with her mother before either. She kneed me in the groin."
Danny fought back the urge to bust out in hysterics
"She did what?"
"You heard me."
"Jesus Rafe you managed to do the impossible. You made Rosie hate you."
"I know."
Noreen McCawley stood a couple yards away waiting for her boys to finish lollygagging and load into the car. She couldn't help but over hear the conversation from where she stood. All that time Noreen had thought Rosie had corrupted her son, that she was a floozy like her mother and the truth being Rafe himself was the hormone crazed one in the situation. She explained everything to her husband as their beat up old Chevy headed down the road to home.
"I can't leave for the Army without her knowing how I really feel about her." Rafe blurted from the backseat.
"How you plannin' on fixin' that?" Ed questioned his son feeling bad about how he spoke about Rosie.
"I don't know pop but I'll think of somethin'."
"Judge, Elizabeth Sullivan is here to see you…" Miss Fischer, the secretary who was Judge Crabtree's mistress, ushered Beth into Judge Crabtree's chambers.
"Why Beth Sullivan, what could I possibly do for you?" Judge Crabtree smiled widely and pulled Beth into a hug.
Beth smiled and took a seat, "Actually Judge, I just have a small favor to ask of you."
"Just say the word Beth and it's done."
Beth's smiled grew wider and she turned on her charm, "I was hoping you would say
that."
"Well, what's the delay, ask away…"
"I was wondering if you would marry Daniel Walker and I." Beth stated plainly.
Judge Crabtree, who seemed to have choked on air, coughed then replied, "Excuse me?"
"I just figured since I'm doing a favor for you and Miss Fischer, you could do this small favor for me."
"And fall out of good graces with your father, the mayor?"
"Judge, I know my fathers the Mayor, but he isn't president. Besides, I'm eighteen in a week, and allowed to make my own decisions, I'm coming to you as a grown woman asking you to do this favor for me."
"Has anyone told you, you should be a lawyer?" Judge Crabtree patted his head with a kerchief.
"I've been told." Beth smiled, "So do we have a deal?"
"I'll only perform the service if we can do it at an unreasonable hour…since, I don't want people to get ideas…"
"Whatever is at your convenience Judge." Beth stood up and shook his hand, "What time July 9th?"
"I'll do it at midnight." Judge Crabtree replied uncertainly looking at Beth, "Are you sure you want to do this at your age? Your father tells me you're going off to Smith this fall…"
"I still am." Beth grinned, "Miss Fischer can come too." She walked out and closed the door to tell Danny the good news, but first she had to go to work.
"That'll be $6.50 Mrs. Ritz." Beth smiled, but smiled even more when she saw Danny saunter in and grab a soda from the cooler.
"Tell your father I said hello…" Mrs. Ritz grabbed her bag and walked out.
Danny walked over and looked around making sure there wasn't anyone else in the store and hopped up on the counter.
"How's my workin' girl?" Danny kissed her gently before hopping back down to dig in his pocket for some change.
"Don't be silly Danny, it's on the house." Beth smiled and grabbed Danny's hand and pulled him close and whispered, "I have the best news."
Danny kissed her ear and whispered back, "Yeah?"
"I spoke to Judge Crabtree before I went to work…"Beth smiled keeping Danny in suspense.
"Is this the Judge Crabtree that you hoped would perform the ceremony?" Danny replied nervously fiddling with the cap on his soda.
"Yes it is." Beth couldn't contain her excitement anymore, "He said he would at midnight on the 9th." Beth jumped up and down like a giggling schoolgirl, "I mean, how romantic is that, all Romeo and Juliet like…"
"I'll say, but we cant go dyin'." Danny smiled back and pulled her into as much as a hug as he could behind the counter.
"I would hope not." Beth laughed, as two people walked in, "I'll call you ok?"
"You better Walker." Danny kissed her quickly and walked out.
Rosie walked into Beth's store two days later, her usually bright, friendly face clouded by anger, sorrow and lack of sleep. No one had seen her since graduation, she'd been spending every waking minute held up in the garage trying to avoid anything that would remind her of Rafe or her mother. Even Beth and Danny hadn't seen her and they were both beginning to worry.
"Rosie, gee I was startin' to think you fell off the face of the Earth." Beth smiled as she folded a pile of shirts waiting to be shelved.
"I've been workin' a lot lately.'' Rosie paused a moment before saying what she had gone into the store for "Beth can I return this?" She reached into the pocket of he farmer-jeans and pulled out her locket.
"Oh Rosie you don't wanna return this, Rafe gave you this cause he loves you." Beth held the shiny trinket in her hands while Rosie still grasped the chain it hung from.
"Well he's sure got a funny way of showin' it. As I see it all that pretty necklace as is a fancy piece of medal that don't mean shit to me."
"Then why are you still holdin' onto the end?"
Rosie immediately let go of the jewelry and looked at the ground. Beth walked over to her manager with the lovely silver decoration in her hand. When she came back she had an odd expression on her face.
"We can't take it back because it's already engraved."
"Damn it I really wanted it outa my house."
"Well here I'll give you some money and take the necklace with me. This way if you ever decide you want it back you can just get from me." Beth reached under the counter and pulled out her purse.
Rosie thought about it for a second before answering
"No thanks Beth I don't really need the money, but you can keep the locket."
"Alright."
"Well I better get goin', gotta get back to the shop." Rosie was ½ way to the door when she turned around and wondered aloud
"Is it possible to love someone with all your heart and hate their guts right down to your soul?"
"I guess it could be. I don't know the only person I've ever loved that much is Danny and I've never for a second in my life hated him."
"Well that's how I feel about Rafe, I guess I'm just strange." With that she left the store.
"That poor girl." Beth whispered when she was gone.
Danny waited patiently in the car for Beth to come out of the store. He was flipping threw the news paper and reading about the annual 4th of July firework celebration when she came out in her Annabelle's country store smock.
"Hey there beautiful, need a ride?" Danny hopped out to open the door for her.
"I suppose on the count that you're so cute." Beth kissed his cheek before lowering herself into the passenger seat.
"So how was work today?"
"Well Rosie came into the store, she's still alive."
"That's a good thing, how's she doing?"
Beth fished around in the pouch of her smock and produced Rosie's locket
"Does this answer your question?"
"Where'd ya get that?"
"She tried to return it. Rafe hurt her so bad Danny, I don't know if she'll ever get over it."
"You once said you weren't as certain bout them as you was us. Maybe you were right."
Beth shook her head
"That was before I really paid attention to them. It wouldn't hurt Rosie so much if she didn't love him deeply. She's the best friend I got lately and believe me, she misses Rafe."
"And he's been moping around the house for two weeks."
"Luciana did a real good job of ruinin' things for 'em didn't she?"
"Yeah she did."
"You gonna tell him bout the necklace?"
"I might, yeah I think I will."
For days Rafe had been in the hanger tinkering with the duster every spare minute he had. There wasn't anything wrong with the plane he just had a lot of free time on his hands, time he would've been spending with Rosie. Playing with the crop duster helped keep his mind off things, plus Danny told him if he didn't stop locking himself in his bedroom, he'd smoke him out of it. This time however when Danny found him he was in the barn staring at their old beer keg, 2x4 plane.
"What ya doin' Rafe?"
"Just thinkin' , rememberin' when we were kids. Things were so much simpler then. Get up, go to school, come home, chores, play, supper and bed." Rafe didn't tare his eyes away from the make shift spitfire.
"I know I miss those days too. By the way rudder is still spelled with 2 Ds." Danny picked up a piece of chalk from the ground and fixed the writing.
"Thanks Danny. Hey you member the first time we brought Rosie here?"
"Yeah you were 10, I was 9, she was 8 and she still bullied us into bringin' her. Once she got here she wouldn't leave." Danny laughed
"And Mr. Gadry flung her over his back like a sack of potatoes and carried her out screamin'." Rafe chuckled and then turned serious "She's been part of almost every memory I've made since I was 7."
"You know we're best buddies and you never told me how you and Rosie got together. It's like one day you were just friends the next you were datin'."
"It was right after prom last year, I found out that the only reason Sara Larson was seein' me was cause Peter Zion wouldn't date her. I did what I always do when I'm stressed I worked on the duster. You musta been out with Beth or somthin' cause I called Ro to help me. Anyway I was talkin' to her about how Sara broke my heart. And she looked at me and said "I'd never break her heart Rafe." Her face was covered with axel grease and her hair was a mess and she was the most beautiful girl I'd ever seen. That was the first time I kissed her."
"Sounds pretty romantic, I bet Beth would cry or somthin'. She brought your locket back to the store."
"Rub some more salt in the wounds, why don't you Danny." Rafe turned and was bout to huff off but Danny hated to see him leave angry.
"Hey McCawley what'd that axel grease taste like?" He joked
Rafe smiled and threw his grease rag at Danny
"Taste and tell me."