Chapter 5: Luke
"It was so real Rox." Meg stood in front of the rows of records in Vinyl Crocodile records store.
Roxanne's eyes were lit with excitement. As Meg studied her face she recognized the look. She knew that inside her head the wheels were turning.
"Are you going to tell Luke about your dreams of Jimmy?"
"No!" Meg answered at once. Then the tone in her voice completely changed as she asked with uncertainty, "Should I?"
"Well if you two are going to have an open and honest relationship...," Roxanne shrugged as she trailed off.
"Rox, do you really think I want to be with Jimmy? Or…," Meg continued trying to come up with an explanation, "do you think I'm just making something out of nothing?"
Roxanne stood beside her friend and wrapped her right arm around Meg's shoulders. Patting Meg's left shoulder with her left hand, Roxanne stated, "Let's think about this." Roxanne lifted her left hand to her mouth tapping it with her index finger and shifting her weight to her left leg. Dropping her hand to her side and eyes widened, Roxanne turned to look Meg in the face. "Didn't you say one of the lines from 'Soldier Boy' you remembered being sung was 'You were my first love/ And you'll be my last love'?" Meg nodded wondering where her friend was going with this. "Wasn't Jimmy your first real crush?" Again Meg nodded not seeing how that was supposed to help or mean anything. "Maybe the word 'love' is supposed to mean 'crush.' That being the case, Jimmy was your first crush and he'll be your last. Meaning…," Roxanne paused leaning towards Meg, eyes wide and her palms facing up at her waist.
Meg still not getting it said, "Meaning…what?"
Roxanne shifted her weight to her right leg this time in irritation. "Meaning," she stressed, "that Luke is your guy. Your young girl crushes and ideas of love ended when you met Luke. Jimmy and everything he represented to you is gone, which was represented when he told you goodbye and you were left hugging nothing. You've grown up Meg, matured. The only guy you need is Luke." With that Roxanne crossed her arms and gave a look to Meg that said, there you go.
Meg smiled looking at her friend. Why am I so worked up about this anyway? she asked herself. It was just a dream, nothing more.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
"I'm home!" Meg yelled into the house as she walked through the front door. Hearing the clinking of piano keys, she walked into the living room. Around the corner sitting at the piano were Patty and Luke. She leaned her head against the frame of the living room entrance and watched as Luke showed Patty where to place her fingers.
"That's right. There you go, Patty," Luke congratulated. "Now you got it."
Seeing that they were at a break, Meg spoke up. "Hi Luke."
Luke looked up from the piano to see Meg standing before him. He swallowed, adjusted his glasses, and answered back calmly, "Hello Meg."
Meg smiled. "Are you about finished with your lesson Patty?" Even though the question was directed towards her sister, Meg held the gaze that her boyfriend was returning.
"I don't know, you'd have to ask Luke," answered Patty shifting her eyes from Meg to Luke and back again.
"Uh, yeah…we can be done," spoke Luke his eyes locked and unwavering from Meg's.
"Fine," Patty said bluntly getting up from the piano bench. Stopping next to Meg on her way out, she looked at Luke then at Meg, rolled her eyes, and stomped up the stairs.
Meg and Luke stayed in their positions for awhile smiling and gazing at one another. Luke finally stood and broke the silence.
"Meg," he said leaning in to softly kiss her right cheek. He backed up just enough to be a few inches away from Meg's face. He smiled back at her.
What was I worried about? thought Meg. I am head over heels for Luke.
Sounding as if he could hear her thoughts Luke said, "What?"
"What do you mean?"
"You're looking at me differently. What is it?"
"Nothing," Meg said as she slid her hand into his. "I'm just glad you're here."
Looking down at her gesture, he cupped his other hand over their interlocked fingers. Grinning when he looked up, Luke said, "Meg…there's something I've been wanting to talk to you about."
"Yes."
"Well…I…could you…you know…are you free Friday night?" Luke gulped and looked down at his feet.
Meg smiled broadly at his obvious nervousness. Why is he so nervous? "I'll have to ask my Dad, but I'm sure it'll be okay."
Luke glanced up a look of somewhat relief on his face. "Okay, great. See you Friday!" he said rushing for the door. Quickly he turned back to Meg, grabbed her arm pulling him to her, kissed her lips, said, "Bye," and with a smile headed out the door.
Meg giggled, shook her head, and walked to the kitchen.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
That night at dinner Meg sat content her spirits higher than they'd been all week. Luke must have something special planned for Friday, she reasoned. Why else would he be so nervous? He's never nervous.
"Meg, pass the potatoes please," Mr. Pryor broke her thoughts. She reached for the bowl and handed it to her father.
"So, Meg have you heard from Jimmy Riley yet?" asked Helen Pryor.
Meg looked at her mother. Why would she bring that up now? "No, not yet," Meg answered looking down at her plate.
The rest of the dinner was eaten in silence except for a couple of outbursts from Will and Patty's bickering. After Meg had helped clear the table she went to the living room finding her father sitting in a chair reading the paper.
"Hey you two find a station and leave it there," Jack scolded Patty and Will who were once again flipping the channels to the program they wanted to watch.
Mr. Pryor straightened his paper and began to read again.
"Dad," Meg said standing beside her father wringing her hands.
"What do you want Meg?" Jack asked not lifting his eyes from his paper.
"Would it be okay if me and Luke—"
"Luke and I," Patty corrected turning around from her spot on the floor to interrupt. As she did, Will reached up and turned the channel. "Will! I don't want to watch that!" Patty hollered.
"Hey!" Jack threw his paper into the chair as he rose to his feet. "Patty, Will, both of you to your rooms."
"But Dad…," Patty began to whine.
"Go Patty."
Will and Patty got up off the floor sulking and slowly walked to the stairs.
"See what you did?" Patty harshly whispered shoving Will a little.
"I didn't do anything!" Will defended himself.
"Hey, I don't want to hear anything come out of you two. Now get to your rooms, quietly. And Patty, don't push your brother." Jack turned to Meg who hadn't moved from the spot where she was standing. "What were you asking, Meg?"
"Well, Luke asked me if we could do something Friday night. And I was wondering—"
"—if it was alright with me for you to go," Jack finished for his oldest daughter. He breathed out a heavy sigh as Meg slightly nodded. He looked at his daughter standing before him. "Have you spoken to your mother?" When Meg shook her head no, he continued, "I suppose it's okay…as long as you keep your curfew," Mr. Pryor added when he saw the smile come upon Meg's face.
"Thanks Dad," Meg exclaimed running to give her father a hug.
"You're welcome. Now get out of here so I can finally read my paper."
"Okay," Meg giggled.