An Afternoon With Jennifer
The final bell of the day rang and I gathered my notebooks from under my desk, got up and ran into Jane as I left the classroom.
"Hello there, stranger! said Jane. Where have you been hiding?"
"Hello Jane, I'm so glad to see you. What's new with you?"
"Nothing much, but I haven't seen you since you and your new girlfriend came into Mike's Diner? Are you still hooked up with her?'
"Yes, I am, and I'm planning to take her to our Fall Dance. Are you going to the dance Jane?"
"I will if someone asks me."
"I hope you'll come even if you don't have a date. I promise I'll dance with you twice if you'll come."
"Well, I'm sure that won't go over big with Virginia, that her name isn't it?"
"Yes, that's her name, but she likes to be called Ginny. Yes, we like to dance together, but we also like to dance with other people. She's already has Harry's name written on her dance card."
"So while she's dancing with Harry who will you ask to dance with?" Jennifer?
"Yes, I plan to dance with Jennifer a couple of times, and I would like for you to pencil me in on you're dance card too. I'm going to ask my counselor, Mrs. Wilson to dance with me too."
"You are? What are you going to say or do if she declines your invitation?"
"I'll just scoop her up in my arms and carry her to the center of the dance floor and start dancing with her!"
Jane, laughed. "I would come just to see that!
"No I'm serious."
"Are you seriously thinking of asking Mrs. Wilson to dance with you?"
"Not only serious, but she's already told me she would dance with me."
"You've got yourself a deal Billy boy, I will come to the dance even if I don't have a date just to dance with you, and to watch you dance with Mrs. Wilson. That should be a hoot!"
"Good! I'm already looking forward to seeing you, and dancing with you Jane."
"Me too, Billy. I've got to run. If I hurry I might make it to work on time. I'll talk with you later Billy. Can't wait to tell everybody you've going to dance with Mrs. Wilson at the Harvest Dance. People who don't normally attend these school dances might even come to see that performance." And off she went to work.
As I left the building, Jennifer saw me and yelled out to me. "Billy! Billy! Wait, I want to walk with you!" She began walking quickly toward me.
"What's up Jennifer?"
"Nothing Billy, I just want to be with you. I miss you terribly. I suppose you have to hurry off to be with Ginny, don't you?"
"No, not today. She's told me she was going to drive over to Springtown this afternoon and spend some time with an old friend of hers and she told me she wouldn't be home until late this evening."
"Really? Is this old friend of hers a female or male?" She looked up at me smiling.
"I don't know Jennifer. Are you planting a seed of doubt in my mind?"
"No, I was just curious. So you're free to do whatever you want this afternoon. Is that correct?"
"I suppose you could say that. Do you have something in mine?"
"Of course." She smiled that mischievous grin of hers.
"So what is your proposal?"
"I want to invite you to come home with me. I made some of your most favorite chocolate chip cookies, the ones with big chunks of chocolate melted into the dough."
"Well, I certainly can't say no to that invitation."
"You'll come? Really? You're not teasing me Billy?"
"No, I've missed being with you too, Jennifer, and if you really have a plate of chocolate chip cookies, well who could resist that?"
She hugged me unexpectedly and I dropped my notebooks on the sidewalk. She quickly bent down and picked them up for me. She held my hand, looking up into my eyes and said, "Thank you Billy. You've made my day!"
She took hold of my hand and we walked toward her house. "Is your mom home today, Jennifer?"