"No, that other guy."

"Rick?"

"I guess."

"David! What did he say?"

"I'd call her Boots if I could keep her, 'cause see?-she has white on her feet."

In one swift motion, Christy glared into her brother's face, grabbed him by the shoulders, and in a stern, controlled voice said, "What did Rick say?"

"I dunno. I told him you couldn't talk because you were grounded."

"I was grounded!" She dug her fingers into his shoulder. "Why did you tell him that?"

"Oww!" David jerked away from her grip and edged a few steps back, holding the kitten in tight defense. "What was I supposed to tell him? That you were in the shower? That's gross!"

Christy stared at her brother in disbelief. Sucking in a deep breath to compose herself, she stated, "Why don't you try telling the truth next time? Honesty is the best policy. Don't they teach kids these things in third grade anymore?"

David scrunched up his face in his hamster look as his gla.s.ses slid down his nose. Her comments seemed to be beyond his understanding.

Feeling pleased with her self-control, Christy calmly said, "Okay? Do you understand? Next time, you tell the truth. Got it?"

Whether David "got it" or not didn't matter at the moment. The kitten decided to make a fast getaway and scratched David's arm in its exit.

"Come back, Boots!" David yelped, running after the tiny flash of fur.

Christy stayed out front on the porch a few more minutes, enjoying the evening breeze and watching for Todd's familiar VW bus. Plucking a jasmine blossom from the vine, she twirled it between her thumb and forefinger, drawing in its wild, sweet fragrance.

Should I call Rick back? she thought idly. He probably wanted to make sure I went to practice after his pep talk. I don't want to be on the phone with Rick when Todd comes though. Tonight belongs to Todd. Todd, where are you?

Todd, unpredictable Todd, arrived more than a half hour late. The family had given up waiting for him and sat down to dried-out garlic bread and mushy lasagna. Then they all recognized the familiar sound of Gus the Bus chugging to a halt in front of the house.

"I told you if we started to eat he would show up," David said proudly, jumping out of his chair and opening the screen door wide in an eager welcome. "Did you bring your skateboard?"

"Not this time, dude."

It happened again. It always happened. Whenever Christy heard Todd's easygoing deep voice, something inside her stirred. The sensation was the same feeling she had on a hot summer day when she dove into a sparkling pool and felt that immediate, exhilarating splash of cool water. It took her breath away.

"Smells great in here! Italian?" Todd's six-foot frame entered the room, his sandy-blond hair windblown, his silver-blue eyes scanning the dinner table. He had on shorts, as Christy had predicted, and a white T-shirt with a volleyball logo on the pocket. In his arms he held a bright yellow produce box.

"What's in there?" David strained to see into the flat box.

"Strawberries. You know that fruit stand off Highway 76? They were closing up for the day, but I talked them into selling me their last flat."

Christy could believe it. Todd could talk anybody into anything.

"Check 'em out." He held up a strawberry as large as a small plum. "Vista is the only place I know where the strawberries grow like this. Sweet too. Try one, dude."

David willingly shoved the entire strawberry into his mouth and gave a m.u.f.fled "Mmmm-mmm!"

"How thoughtful of you, Todd." Mom rose and took the flat from him. "Please sit down. I'm sorry we started without you."

"Hey, no problem. I'm just glad David saved some for me." Todd grinned at David, who returned a huge beaming smile of admiration to his hero.

Todd sat next to Christy, and she asked him, "Why did you go through Vista?"

"Tried to beat some of the traffic. I picked the wrong time of day to head south on the 5 freeway. How are you, sir?" Todd stretched out his hand to greet Christy's dad with a handshake.

"Fine. You'd better dig in there and get yourself some dinner."

Dig in he did. Christy had never seen anyone eat so much at one sitting. More than once Todd said, "You're a great cook, Mrs. Miller. This lasagna is incredible!"

Mom loved the compliments, of course, and it made Christy feel even more secure about how much her parents liked Todd. She knew for certain that things would work out and she and Todd would go to his prom. There was no way her dad would say no.

Mom rinsed off several baskets of strawberries and served the fruit in bowls with puffs of whipped cream from the dairy where Dad worked. As Todd promised, the strawberries tasted sweet and fresh; they seemed to vanish in minutes.

Whenever Todd joined in one of their family meals, it always made the conversation more lively, and they always sat around the table longer. It didn't matter what they were talking about. Sometimes Todd had stories about what had happened during the week. Sometimes David tried to be the center of attention, and everyone let him because Todd didn't seem to be bugged by David at all.

A few times Christy had held all of their gazes as she told about her week. Each time she did, her mom would say, "I didn't know that," or, "You didn't tell me. When did that happen?" It always made Christy feel as though she'd hurt her mom's feelings for not confiding these bits of information the moment they occurred. It was as if she'd been holding out or trying to keep a secret from her parents. And she wasn't.

The truth was, most of the time the incidents weren't that important or that memorable. It was just that when Todd started talking around the table, it always made her think of other things to talk about.

Tonight Todd was giving a rundown of how Gus the Bus had sprung a leak in one of his hoses earlier in the week and how complicated it had been to find the right size replacement hose.

They chatted until David got bored with talk of car repair and excused himself from the table. Christy got up and began to clear the table. As much as she enjoyed sitting around talking like this, she was eager to be alone with Todd so they could talk about a few certain topics that were more interesting than leaky hoses.

Todd stood to help her clear the dishes, as he often did, and suddenly he said, "I was wondering, Mr. and Mrs. Miller, if you would mind if I took Christy someplace."

Christy stopped midstep into the kitchen and held her breath. He's going to ask me to the prom like this? In front of everyone, with my hands frill of dirty dishes? Todd!

Mom flashed a look at her husband and then back at Todd. "What did you have in mind?"

"I wondered if we could go out for some ice cream or something. It's a great night for a walk. Is there any place close?"

Christy released her breath and lowered the dishes into the sink. How romantic! He's going to take me out for a walk and ask me to the prom. Under the jasmine! I'll get him to ask me under the jasmine. Her mind raced ahead, her hopes soaring.

"I'm going too!" David jumped up from the couch in the living room.

"No, you're not!" Christy snapped. "I mean, you probably should stay home. Shouldn't he, Mom?"

Everyone looked at her. Christy realized she'd overreacted. There was no doubt from anyone in this room that she wanted to be alone with Todd. She felt like they had all read her deepest, most secret wishes as easily as if they had been written on her face in fluorescent letters. Mom looked at Dad. He paused.

"Please?" David pleaded. "Can I go too?"

"It's all right with me," Todd offered, standing between the kitchen and the table like a net over which pa.s.sed a volley of looks between Christy and her mom, Christy and her dad, David and Dad. Todd held the empty lasagna pan in his hands, and in that moment Christy wanted to rub his face in the smeared tomato sauce.

How can you say it's okay for David to come with us? she thought angrily. Todd, work with me here. I'm trying to get some time for just us.

"I think," Dad said slowly, "that you need to stay around here, David."

"Aw-" David began in protest. Before he could say anything else, Dad gave him a look that silenced his complaining.

Now Christy was afraid that her dad was going to say no to her as well and that she'd have to try to be more mature than David and hide her disappointment in front of her dad and especially in front of Todd.

But Christy's dad surprised her. "Christy, you and Todd can go over to Swenson's at the Vineyard, but I'd like you home before dark. Nine o'clock at the latest."

"Thanks, Dad." Christy tried not to sound too exuberant. She was sure her face showed her relief and delight, so she turned away from Todd so he wouldn't see her cheeks turn rosy.

Usually when Todd came to see her, they did stuff around the house. Todd seemed more like one of the family. This was good though. Very good. If Christy's dad didn't mind their going for a walk and for ice cream, then he probably wouldn't object to their going to the prom. Perhaps her dad realized something of which Christy was becoming more and more sure: She and Todd were ready to move forward in their relationship.

Todd stepped over to the sink and began to rinse off the dishes.

"I'll do those," Mom insisted. "You two get going. You only have an hour or so."

"Great dinner." Todd gave her a broad smile. "Thanks."

"You're welcome, Todd. You're always welcome. You know that. And thank you for the strawberries."

"Hey, dude," Todd called to David, who had flopped back on the couch, arms folded across his chest, gla.s.ses falling down, pouting like an expert. "You and I can do something together next time."

"When?" David stuck his lower lip out even farther.

"Next time I come down."

"Can you come next weekend?" David looked up hopefully. "Can you come on Sat.u.r.day? And can you come for the whole day?"

"Naw, can't come next Sat.u.r.day."

"Why not?"

"It's my school prom that night."

David resumed his pouting, but Christy's heart stopped. There, he said it! The prom is next Sat.u.r.day. He's going to ask me tonight, I just know it! But then Christy's thoughts swung sharply to the other side. Next Sat.u.r.day? That doesn't give me much time! Tryouts are Friday! When am I going to have time to get a dress and everything? Why didn't he ask me sooner?

"Ready?" Todd broke into Christy's teeter-totter thoughts.

"Oh yeah. Sure."

For the first time that night, Todd's gaze fully met hers. He kept looking at her a bit longer than necessary, and Christy wondered, Am I doing it? Am I giving Todd a killer-eyes look like Rick said? Does he feel for me what I feel for him?

"We'll be back by eight-thirty or nine," Todd called over his shoulder as he held the door open for Christy. "Later, dude!"

The screen door slammed behind them, and they heard David whine, "It's not fair!"

Todd and Christy smiled at each other and headed down the front steps and under the arch of climbing jasmine.

Some Spring evenings can be enchanted. Especially when the birds sing a little longer, and the colors of the sky pale into ethereal shades. When the wind s.n.a.t.c.hes fresh blossoms from the trees, festively tossing them into the air like confetti, it's clear that it's a night for celebrating. Tonight was such an evening.

Not enchanted in a magical way, but in Christy's awareness that everything around her breathed with evidence of a living G.o.d. A G.o.d who thought up daffodils and the scent of gra.s.s and transparent rainbows in lawn sprinklers. A G.o.d who knew and cared about the hidden, treasured dreams of a young woman's heart.

Adding to the enchantment was the comfortable silence between Christy and Todd as they walked the first block. It was usually this way with Todd. He would often be quiet for a long while and then say something deep and wonderful. His conversations tended to be thought-out and deliberate. Christy could talk on and on when she wanted to, but by nature she was more reserved and quiet too.

One of the things she'd always liked about Todd was that he never made her feel uncomfortable because of her quietness during moments like this. Christy wondered now what he was thinking. Should she reach over and take his hand? She let her arm dangle close to his, hoping he would notice and mesh his fingers with hers.

"Did I tell you that I'm being discipled?" Todd said. "By a guy at church."

"What do you mean by discipled?" Christy asked, moving a smidgen closer as they walked on.

"Well, we meet once a week and study the Bible together and help each other memorize verses," Todd explained. "You want to hear my verses?" He looked eager and excited, like a little boy who had something to recite for cla.s.s.

"Sure."

"It's I Corinthians 13. It's called the love chapter," Todd said.

Then without Christy's expecting it, he reached over and took her hand. She closed her eyes for just a moment, determined to mark this moment in her memory very clearly so she could write about it in her diary that night. She couldn't imagine anything more romantic in the whole world than holding hands with Todd on an enchanted spring evening, listening to him recite what G.o.d had to say about love.

Todd began. "'If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but do not have love, I have become a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have the gift of prophecy, and know all mysteries and all knowledge; and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. And if I give all my possessions to feed the poor, and if I deliver my body to be burned, but do not have love, it profits me nothing.'"

He paused and Christy thought, This doesn't sound very romantic.

Todd went on. "'Love is patient, love is kind, and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant, does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered, does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.'"

He paused again and said, "That's all I know so far, but there are more verses."

Now it was Christy's turn to ponder her words before responding. The verses weren't anything like she thought they would be. The only part she really caught on to was at the end about "hopes all things" and "endures all things." Those were qualities she felt she had become well acquainted with lately in cheerleading.

"Did it take you long to memorize all that?" Christy finally asked.

"We've been working on it a few weeks now. I'm not a very fast memorizer."

"I'm not a very good memorizer either."

"It helps me to write it out on cards and carry them around with me," Todd explained. "I worked on it while I was driving down here. That's probably why it's still pretty fresh on my mind."

"You did a really good job." Christy liked praising him. She loved being beside him like this.

Todd squeezed her hand. "Hey, do you know where we're going?"

"We turn down the next street, and it's about three blocks after that."

"What a great night!" Todd said, filling his lungs with the evening air. "Smells almost...tropical, exotic."

"Could be my perfume." She lifted up her wrist to his nose so he could smell it.

"Yeah! What is that?"

Christy told him, and he said, "Reminds me of Hawaii. You ever been there?"