Caroline & Michael & Scott

Chapter 17

Caroline rushed home to change before going to ballet class. She was worried about her best friend Sally and wanted to call her before she left for the Peshtigo School of Ballet.

"Hello...?"

"Hi Sally, it's me."

"Uh... Hi, Care."

"So, what did ol' Doc Sanders have to say? I was worried about you. You said the appointment was for in the morning, but I didn't see you in any of our afternoon classes."

"Uh... He said it was just a bug that's lingering... uh... nothing to worry about... I just need a little rest... So, don't worry about me, Care."

"She sounds strange" Caroline thought. "Are you sure, Sally?"

"Yeah... You'd better go, Caroline. You know how Madame is about punctuality."

"Okay... Bye. Take care of yourself. Call me after ballet, when we have more time, okay?"

"'Okay. Bye." click

"I wonder if there's something she's not telling me" thought Caroline. But her worries about Sally were quickly replaced by worries about satisfying Madame Petrovka, as she rushed out the door.

******

Friday evening, the telephone at the Duffy home rang. "Probably Sally" Caroline thought as she ran towards the stairs and shouted "I'll get it in my room!" She raced to her bedroom, slammed the door, and picked up her extension. "Hello?"

"Hi honey, it's me."

Surprised, Caroline answered "Scott, it's so good to hear your voice." Caroline thought "Hmmm… he doesn't sound as cheery as he usually does when he calls me."

"Caroline, the Badgers play at Michigan Saturday, so we redshirts aren't expected to show up and support the team."

"I know, I looked at the schedule. The whole schedule. I've memorized every weekend you can spend with me in Peshtigo."

"Uh… that's just it, Caroline."

"Oh, no!" cried a disappointed Caroline. "Don't tell me you're not coming home this weekend! It's been two weeks, I miss you so much!"

"No, no, no…! I'm coming home this weekend… It's just that, I can't spend the whole weekend with you. I have some errands to run. As much as I want to see you, I won't be able to until evening. Is it okay if I pick you up at seven?"

Vastly relieved that she would at least get to see Scott that weekend, Caroline replied "Sure".

After a pause, Scott asked "Uh… Caroline?"

"Yeah?"

After another pause, Scott said "Caroline… I have something serious to talk to you about. But I want to do it in person. I just wanted to tell you that before I see you tomorrow. Uh… I have a lotta reading I have to do for class, I gotta go."

"Okay, honey. I love you."

"Uh… yeah." click

"Oh my god, oh my god, oh my god…! He didn't reply 'I love you'! He always does… And he sounded so serious… It's finally happened, what I've been afraid of ever since he left. He's met another girl and he wants to break up! I mean, we're both virgins, he's surrounded by experienced college girls, we only see each other about every couple weeks, he must be sorely tempted. No, no, no…! Scott wouldn't do that! I know him. I mean, he wouldn't do that before breaking up with me… would he? So… maybe I still have a chance. I just gotta convince him to stay with me. Should I… should I… agree to have sex? I wanted to wait… to save myself for the right guy."

Caroline tried mightily to convince herself. "But Scott is the right guy! I wouldn't just be fooling around. He's more than just my 'boyfriend of the month' or even 'boyfriend of the year'. He is the one. We're gonna be together forever, I know it! He cares about me as a person, not just as a girl to make out with. I mean, he even encourages me to study ballet, because it's what I want to do, even though it takes away from out time together."

Despite these internal arguments, Caroline was far from sure what she was going to do the next day.

******

Since she and Scott were not spending the morning or afternoon together, Caroline decided to spend some time working on some ballet moves.

When she got home, an excited Margaret opened the door to greet her, before she even reached the porch.

"Hi dear… how was ballet practice?"

As she entered the house, Caroline answered "Fine, Mom… How was your afternoon? Whatcha do?"

"Oh, this and that… nothing special."

"Alright Mom… You look like you're about to burst. What's going on?"

"Well, I got a phone call and… maybe I shouldn't be telling you this, it's probably supposed to be a secret."

"Mom…!"

"Well, alright. You're gonna find out anyway tonight. But you have to promise me you'll act surprised."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah… What?"

"I got a call from Mr. Carter today."

"Mr. Carter… the jeweler?"

"That's right dear… He told me Scott came in this morning."

Caroline was smiling ear to ear. "He did?"

"Yep… and he purchased a ring."

Caroline screamed, ecstatically jumped up and down, and hugged her mother. Her joy was unbounded, this lasted awhile. "He said he had something serious to discuss. Now I know what!"

"Now dear… remember, you have to act surprised."

Caroline stopped screaming and tried to calm herself. "I will Mom… I just can't believe it…! I have to tell Sally. No, no, no, that wouldn't be right. I should let Scott propose first."

"Congratulations, dear" Margaret said, as she hugged her daughter again.

"I gotta go upstairs. I've gotta calm down. I can't let on that I know, I'm gonna have to practice acting surprised." As she headed upstairs, she called down "Mom, thanks for telling me." Then she wondered "What should I wear?"

"Engaged!"