Chapter 52
The afternoon had come and gone in a flash. The bell had sounded signaling the end of yet another day at Peach Creek High School. All of the students were quite excited, as today would be the final day that they would be dismissed at their usual time of 2:45 p.m.; the following day, the students were granted an early dismissal of 11:30. Even more exciting was the fact that tomorrow would be the last day of school prior to the start of winter break, leaving students with no academic worries in anticipation of the winter ball, and their personal Christmas celebrations.
While the majority of students took their time at their lockers, conserving with friends, and ensuring that all of their personal items were accounted for prior to departure, Lindsay had other plans. The blonde prima donna had darted out of her last period class with haste, and meticulously planned a route to Rolf's locker to avoid being seen by the cul-de-sac clan, as well as all of the girls she controlled in the cheer squad.
Upon meeting the eccentric boy at his locker, she spent a few seconds hypnotizing him with her false flirtatiousness, after which she promptly led him towards the school doors. Her efforts to avoid being seen were two-fold; first she did not want it to be misconstrued that she was in fact dating Rolf; more importantly, her plan required that Lee, nor Eddy witness any of her actions.
Rolf and Lindsay had descended the ornate steps leading down to the curb from the main entrance doors. Lindsay had grabbed Rolf's arm with both of hers, walking closely beside him as she leaned her head on his shoulder. Unfortunately, Lindsay had learned rather quickly that Rolf was chock full of bizarre stories regarding the traditions of his old country. As the two teenagers descended the stairs, a love struck Rolf decided to begin yet another bizarre soliloquy.
"Ah my beautiful, sweet Babushka," said Rolf with a smile, "You're sweet aroma and willingness to embrace the customs Rolf's home country remind Rolf of the importance and thankfulness he must give to the great Yeshmiyek. Rolf is eternally grateful that he has been delivered a maiden as sweet and kind as yourself."
Lindsay rolled her eyes as the "couple" reached the last step. She took a quick glance up and down the street, verifying that she had beat the crowds as planned, allowing her to channel her inner actress without fear.
"Oh Rolf," said Lindsay in a sultry voice, "It's so great to have a man that cares so much about me."
Lindsay pulled away from Rolf, and unzipped her handbag.
"I made something for you last night," said Lindsay as she fumbled through her bag, "It's for every time you miss me and want to remember how much I like you."
Lindsay removed an 8x11 photograph, encased by a frame made of hand carved wood. The picture depicted a front on view of Chucks blue 1959 Cadillac, the signature grille shining under the lights of his shop. While the vehicle was a prominent aspect of the photograph, it was merely a prop for the main subject; Lindsay had snuck down to Chucks garage the previous night, and used her cell phone to snap a picture of her sitting on the hood of his car. Lindsay had posed such that her full body was in view in a sideways position. She leaned slightly backwards, her right hand planted behind her on the shiny blue surface. Her left knee was bent, the heel of her boot resting on the hood, while her right leg remained fully extended. Her facial expression was that of a sultry gaze, squinting slightly while puckering her lips and holding her right hand up as if she were blowing a kiss to the camera.
"I hope you like it," said Lindsay.
Rolf sighed lovingly as he viewed the photograph.
"Ah my dearest Lidsee," said Rolf "Rolf shall forever cherish this token of affection."
Rolf removed his backpack from his shoulders, unzipped it, and placed Lindsay photograph inside for safe keeping. Once he was finished, he placed his bag back onto his shoulder, at which point Lindsay grabbed both of his hands in hers, and moved her face towards his.
"That will give you something to look at just before bed so that you have sweet dreams about me, my little love button." said Lindsay as she pinched Rolf's cheek.
Rolf stared into Lindsay's blue eyes for a few moments, after which his eyes were suddenly drawn to the area behind her. He leaned slightly to the left in an effort to gain a better view towards the end of the block.
"Do Rolf's eyes fool the brain of Rolf?" asked Rolf, "Or does he lay eyes on the four wheeled hootinanny that his beautiful Schmetlockin sat upon in her photgraph?"
"WHAT!?" yelled Lindsay with an expression of distress as she suddenly whipped her head around towards the direction of Rolf's gaze.
Unfortunately for Lindsay, Rolf was in fact correct in his assumption. A nervous wave passed through her stomach as she watched Chucks blue Cadillac turn the corner, and briskly make it's way down the street towards the school. While the temperature was quite chilly (50 degrees) and the sky was cloudy, the steady rain that had plagued the neighborhood during the morning hours had let up; accordingly, the eccentric Chuck had retracted the top, allowing him to show off the full scope of detail work he had done to the interior. The car appeared to have received a coat of wax, and had been fitted with a large pair of "Texas Longhorns" as a hood ornament.
"Why me..." said Lindsay as she turned away from the street, attempting to hide herself.
Chuck smiled as he pulled the Cadillac up to the curb, placed his hand on the steering wheel, and activated the cars horn for a three second duration. The sound of the horn was not that of a typical automobile, but seemed to be at a volume equal to that of a locomotive.
"How's it going Scout!" said Chuck in an enthusiastic manner as he glanced toward Lindsay.
Lindsay slowly turned around, grinding her teeth as she did so.
"Dad, what are you doing here?" said Lindsay in a slow manner under her breath.
"I took the day off to work on the Caddy," said Chuck, "I installed the bull horns, and finally wired the four note horn. I figured you'd want to be the first to see, so I swung by to give you a ride home from school."
Chuck placed his hand on the steering wheel.
"Now tell me , is this a statement or what?"
Chuck once again pressed his hand to the horn with two swift bumps, causing the obnoxious sound to echo through the school campus in two quick pulses.
"I heard it just fine the first time Daddy," said Lindsay, "And why are you driving around with the top down in this weather? Get out of here you're embarrassing me!"
"Well aren't we the sassy one today," said Chuck with a playful smile, as his eyes panned down towards the area of Lindsay left hand.
"Oooooh," said Chuck with a sly grin, "I see what's going on."
A wave of embarrassment overcame Lindsay as she realized the unthinkable; she had inadvertently forgotten to release Rolf right hand from her left, providing Chuck the perception that they were holding hands as a couple. In an instant, Lindsay yanked her hand from Rolf's, placing it behind her back, as her face turned red with embarrassment.
"Look's like my Little T has a boyfriend," said Chuck.
Lindsay face turned to an expression of anger, as she snapped in the direction of Chuck.
"HE'S NOT MY..." yelled Lindsay, stopping as she remembered that the most important part of her plan was convincing Rolf that she was stone in love with him. Accordingly, she simply ground her teeth, frustrated beyond belief at the situation she was inadvertently thrown into.
Lindsay managed to calm down, at which point she approached the vehicle. She leaned on the door, speaking across the passenger seat in a quick whisper.
"Alright Daddy," said Lindsay, "I'm sure Rolf would love to stay and chat, but it's been a long day. We're very busy tonight with dinner and I'd like to get a head start on the soufflé. So come on now, let's get going. Bye Rolf, see ya tomorrow."
Lindsay waved goodbye to Rolf as she reached for the passenger door handle, attempting to open the door.
"Hold on a second" said Chuck as he pressed the lock button mounted on the driver's side door, simultaneously locking all of the cars doors and preventing Lindsay's ingress, much to her frustration. "I just got a million dollar idea!"
"What...now...Daddy..." said Lindsay as she ground her teeth in frustration.
"Hey Young Man!" yelled Chuck as he leaned his head backward in an attempt to make eye contact with Rolf, "Come here real quick."
Rolf swallowed nervously, at which point he sheepishly walked towards Chucks Cadillac. He took a position standing next to Lindsay, who had turned towards the school, placing her hand to her face in a proverbial "face palm".
"My names Chuck," said Chuck as he held his hand out to Rolf, "What's yours?"
"I am called Rolf," said Rolf as he took Chucks hand in his with a smile.
"Well Rolf, it's good to meet you," said Chuck, "I'd love to stay and chat with out here for a little while longer, but it looks like you guys had plans of your own. So how about you join us for dinner tonight?"
"This can't be happening..." said Lindsay to herself in a barely audible manner.
Rolf smiled, and while still rather nervous regarding his first interaction with his "girlfriends" father, decided to reply.
"Rolf is pleased with the offer of the feast," said Rolf, "Does one sir mind if Rolf brings a traditional dish from Rolf's old country?"
"Are you kidding?" said Chuck, "I love foreign food, my wife is from Poland, and she makes all kinds of crazy stuff. I can't even pronounce most of it, but you can bet it tastes great!"
Chuck turned towards Lindsay, who appeared to be containing an emotional meltdown resulting from her bordered up frustration
"I know it was just supposed to be us." said Chuck, "But I don't think it would hurt if there was a positive balance of testosterone for once in the Statorowski house."
Chuck giggled slightly.
"I'll leave you two be," said Chuck, "I gotta get home and work on buffing out this scratch that suddenly appeared on the hood overnight. And don't worry about getting home early to start the soufflé, Dyt pre-made a platter of that Schnitzel-like stuff, and some Duck Blood Soup for me to eat. That along with the dish Rolf's going to surprise us with should make for some good eating."
Chuck signaled Rolf to lean in towards him, at which point he whispered into his ear.
"I've been trying to get Little Miss-grossed-out over there to branch out and try some new cultural foods for years," said Chuck, "But she always makes herself a traditional meal of her own when whenever we eat Polish. Maybe you being there will convince her to finally take her first steps."
Lindsay groaned under her breath at which point she noticed a few students from the cheer squad exiting the school building, and approaching her position.
"Oh Gee, look at the time," said Lindsay, "Alright Daddy time to go, see ya at dinner, love ya."
Lindsay grabbed Rolf and began pulling him away from the vehicle.
"Okay honey," yelled Chuck, "See ya at dinner, I love you!"
Chuck shifted the Cadillac into drive, and began pulling away from the school, but not before letting out a series of four obnoxious beeps. Lindsay stood still, smiling awkwardly as she waved goodbye, as two of the girls she commonly sat with at lunch approached her with confused stares. She turned towards the girls with a scowl.
"And what are you two looking at?" asked Lindsay.
The two girls shook their head from side to side.
"That's right nothing," said Lindsay, "So why don't you two wannabes go look at it somewhere else?"
The girls shook their head up and down as if to oblige, after which they turned and quickly scattered in the opposite direction.
At that point, Lindsay turned and began walking in the direction of the cul-de-sac, her face endowed with an expression of intense irritation, and her fists clenched by her sides. Rolf watched as she took a few paces away from him, and jogged to catch up to her with a smile.
"Rolf can hardly wait to share the feast with his dearest Lidsee." said Rolf as he approached the extremely irritated Lindsay, "Rolf shall bring the finest delicacy from his old country, and will not disappoint."
At the conclusion of Rolf's statement, Lindsay angrily reached into the side pocket of her handbag, and pulled out her cell phone. She promptly searched through her contacts, finding the intended recipient of her upcoming phone call, touched her finger to the screen and placed the phone up to her ear.
Rolf watched in silence as Lindsay waited for the receiving party to answer, tapping the sole of her high heeled boot on the ground as she did so. A few seconds passed, at which time the phone was finally answered, prompting Lindsay to speak. However, much to Rolf's astonishment, the voice projecting from Lindsay's mouth was not her typical feminine,yet domineering voice; in fact, her words were not even those belonging to the English language:
"Tak, chciałbym złożyć zamówienie na odbiór. Jeden funt kaczki. Imię? Rolf ...6:30? Dziękuję Ci!"
Lindsay ended the phone call by touching her finger to the screen, and placed her phone back into her handbag. She then removed a fold up mirror from her pocket to examine her face. As Lindsay examined her lip stick, Rolf decided to interject.
"Hoho," said Rolf enthusiastically, "You are full of many surprises my sweet Babushka. Rolf had no inkling that you knew how to spin your yarns in the Deutsch."
"It's Polish," said Lindsay, "A girls gotta do what she has to do to protect herself."
Lindsay closed her mirror, and turned towards Rolf.
"Alright here's the deal," said Lindsay as she removed a piece of paper from her handbag, and began jotting down a note with her purple pen, "I'm very busy tonight, so I'm going to need you to run an errand for me. I just placed an order at Przybyczewski's Butcher Shop down in the business district. I'm gonna need you to pick it up for me, and bring it to my house for dinner tonight. Can you do that?"
"Have no fear female with the eyes as beautiful as the Lake of the Rasperragy, for Rolf has much experience with the delivery of the meats," said Rolf.
"Thank you cutie!" said Lindsay in a long, drawn out manner, followed by a kiss on the cheek.
Lindsay placed her pen in her pocket, and began walking away from Rolf's position.
"Be at my house at 7:00 p.m.", said Lindsay, "I'm sure you know where I live already, I mean, who doesn't? While we're at it, I'll fit up your tuxedo for the winter ball. I can't wait to see how handsome you look."
"Farewell my sweet Babushka!" yelled Rolf as he watched Lindsay approach the corner. Prior to turning the corner, Lindsay turned and blew Rolf a kiss. This action prompted Rolf to smile dreamingly, and seemingly float away in the opposite direction.
As soon as Lindsay was out of view, her face returned to it's typical scowl. She rolled her eyes as she slammed her back onto the brick wall of the school, folding her arms and crossing her legs in front of her.
"Well, there goes one of our rare Daddy-Daughter nights." said Lindsay, "I guess I can't blame anyone but myself."
Lindsay glanced up towards the sky, observing that the overcast had begun to dissipate, allowing a few rays of sunlight to peak through. She sighed, and uttered a few more words to herself.
"I never got to meet you, but all of the stories I heard about you give me the strength to push through." said Lindsay with a tear in her eye, "If only things could have been different."
