Bethany woke that morning with troubling thoughts in her head. The urge to tell someone about her
problems was overwhelming. The only person who knew was her father, and Bethany doubted that he
truly understood what could happen. Bethany felt a flash of anger towards her father. After all, this was
his fault. His mistakes were what caused her so much pain now. Bethany felt tears form in her eyes. She
didn't know how much longer she could keep going through this alone.
"Hey, are you all right?" Bethany looked up, startled, to see Carey's concerned face. She hadn't expected
to see him there, he lived next door. As if reading her mind he sat down beside her on the couch and
grinned.
"I practically live here." He said. "You OK? You look upset." Bethany quickly smiled.
"Yes, I'm fine thanks." She said. Carey nodded slowly, as if he didn't really believe her.
"OK." he replied. "Listen, I'm making a doughnut and coffee run. Wanna come with?" Bethany started to
say no, but then changed her mind.
"Sounds good, let me go get out of my pajamas.
----------------
As Carey and Bethany walked to the nearby bakery, they made small talk, and quickly realized that they
had much to talk about.
"So, Annie tells me that you are a med student." Carey said. Bethany nodded.
"Yeah. I want to specialize in Internal medicine. I can't wait to get back to school, but I have another two
months until break is over."
"That's so cool. Have you always wanted to be a doctor?" Carey asked.
"Pretty much since day one. I remember when I was little, all my friends would get mad at me because all I
ever wanted to do was play doctor." Bethany said. Carey grinned at her playfully.
"Well hey, if you're up to it, we can play doctor anytime you want." Carey said. Bethany laughed and
smacked him lightly on the arm.
"I'll keep that in mind." Bethany said with a smile. "What about you though, did you always know that you
wanted to play guitar?"
"From birth. I love it. I can't imagine myself doing anything else. And believe me, I tried to do other things,
I tried the whole college thing, but...I just wasn't happy. I knew I wouldn't be."
"If you knew you wouldn't be happy, then why did you go? I mean, if you love playing guitar so much, why
did you try and force yourself to do something else?" Bethany asked. Carey sighed and ran his fingers
through his hair.
"My parents. They wanted me to do something else with my life. Be a business man or something. They
still do as a matter of fact. Don't get me wrong, I love my mom and dad, but this is one issue we will never
agree on. They are still upset that Molly hired me to play in her band."
"Give it time." Bethany said. "They'll have to come around eventually. Especially if it makes you happy. All
parents ever really want for their children is for them to be happy.." Bethany stopped and looked down at the sidewalk. What exactly was she saying? Her father had absolutely no regard for her happiness. Carey looked at her curiously. He wanted to know everything that went on inside her head. She was so different from most of the girls he met on the road. He poked her in the side, about to ask her what she was thinking, when he noticed her squirm a bit. He poked her again, a little harder. She giggled.
"Stop it." Bethany said.
"Uh oh, looks like somebody is ticklish." Carey said mischievously. Bethany moved away.
"I am not, I..." She didn't get a chance to finish. Carey grabbed a hold of her and began to mercilessly tickle her sides. She tried to pull away, but couldn't because she was laughing so hard.
"Carey! C'mon...stop..." Bethany heard Carey laughing, but they both stopped when they heard a new voice enter their conversation.
"What are you kids doin? Makin noise on the street in the morning!" Carey and Bethany looked up and saw an elderly man standing on his porch in his pajamas.
"Uh..sorry sir." Carey said, trying to hold back laughter. He could feel Bethany shaking against him, trying contain her own giggles. The man went back in his house shaking his head. Bethany and Carey began to walk down the sidewalk again, but as soon as they looked at each other they burst into laughter and had to stop and catch their breath.
"See, I knew you were going to be a bad influence on me. You got me in trouble!" Bethany said with mock indignation.
"Well, I guess you will just have to punish me when we get back." Carey said. Bethany grinned.
"Don't think I won't." She replied. They turned and continued their walk to the bakery. Carey slung an arm loosely around Bethany's shoulders.
"I'm so scared." He said.
"You should be." Bethany laughed.
problems was overwhelming. The only person who knew was her father, and Bethany doubted that he
truly understood what could happen. Bethany felt a flash of anger towards her father. After all, this was
his fault. His mistakes were what caused her so much pain now. Bethany felt tears form in her eyes. She
didn't know how much longer she could keep going through this alone.
"Hey, are you all right?" Bethany looked up, startled, to see Carey's concerned face. She hadn't expected
to see him there, he lived next door. As if reading her mind he sat down beside her on the couch and
grinned.
"I practically live here." He said. "You OK? You look upset." Bethany quickly smiled.
"Yes, I'm fine thanks." She said. Carey nodded slowly, as if he didn't really believe her.
"OK." he replied. "Listen, I'm making a doughnut and coffee run. Wanna come with?" Bethany started to
say no, but then changed her mind.
"Sounds good, let me go get out of my pajamas.
----------------
As Carey and Bethany walked to the nearby bakery, they made small talk, and quickly realized that they
had much to talk about.
"So, Annie tells me that you are a med student." Carey said. Bethany nodded.
"Yeah. I want to specialize in Internal medicine. I can't wait to get back to school, but I have another two
months until break is over."
"That's so cool. Have you always wanted to be a doctor?" Carey asked.
"Pretty much since day one. I remember when I was little, all my friends would get mad at me because all I
ever wanted to do was play doctor." Bethany said. Carey grinned at her playfully.
"Well hey, if you're up to it, we can play doctor anytime you want." Carey said. Bethany laughed and
smacked him lightly on the arm.
"I'll keep that in mind." Bethany said with a smile. "What about you though, did you always know that you
wanted to play guitar?"
"From birth. I love it. I can't imagine myself doing anything else. And believe me, I tried to do other things,
I tried the whole college thing, but...I just wasn't happy. I knew I wouldn't be."
"If you knew you wouldn't be happy, then why did you go? I mean, if you love playing guitar so much, why
did you try and force yourself to do something else?" Bethany asked. Carey sighed and ran his fingers
through his hair.
"My parents. They wanted me to do something else with my life. Be a business man or something. They
still do as a matter of fact. Don't get me wrong, I love my mom and dad, but this is one issue we will never
agree on. They are still upset that Molly hired me to play in her band."
"Give it time." Bethany said. "They'll have to come around eventually. Especially if it makes you happy. All
parents ever really want for their children is for them to be happy.." Bethany stopped and looked down at the sidewalk. What exactly was she saying? Her father had absolutely no regard for her happiness. Carey looked at her curiously. He wanted to know everything that went on inside her head. She was so different from most of the girls he met on the road. He poked her in the side, about to ask her what she was thinking, when he noticed her squirm a bit. He poked her again, a little harder. She giggled.
"Stop it." Bethany said.
"Uh oh, looks like somebody is ticklish." Carey said mischievously. Bethany moved away.
"I am not, I..." She didn't get a chance to finish. Carey grabbed a hold of her and began to mercilessly tickle her sides. She tried to pull away, but couldn't because she was laughing so hard.
"Carey! C'mon...stop..." Bethany heard Carey laughing, but they both stopped when they heard a new voice enter their conversation.
"What are you kids doin? Makin noise on the street in the morning!" Carey and Bethany looked up and saw an elderly man standing on his porch in his pajamas.
"Uh..sorry sir." Carey said, trying to hold back laughter. He could feel Bethany shaking against him, trying contain her own giggles. The man went back in his house shaking his head. Bethany and Carey began to walk down the sidewalk again, but as soon as they looked at each other they burst into laughter and had to stop and catch their breath.
"See, I knew you were going to be a bad influence on me. You got me in trouble!" Bethany said with mock indignation.
"Well, I guess you will just have to punish me when we get back." Carey said. Bethany grinned.
"Don't think I won't." She replied. They turned and continued their walk to the bakery. Carey slung an arm loosely around Bethany's shoulders.
"I'm so scared." He said.
"You should be." Bethany laughed.