Dad was waiting for me when I got home, a little after 11:30. He was a little annoyed: I still had my own 11PM curfew on school nights despite being 18. He said "I know how much you like Grace. I remember what it's like not wanting to say goodnight when the time comes. But Henry, you have to be up early in the morning, and so do I. You have a curfew for a reason. I'll let you slide this time, but next time, 11 means 11. Not 11:30 or even five after. Weekends are different, but school nights are 11. Are we clear?"
"We are dad. I'm sorry. I'll make it on time next time. I need to tell you, Mike Teller and his girlfriend Karen saw us. He might ask me what's going on before he says anything, but Karen's a talker. I'm pretty sure it's going to get around tomorrow. I expected it, just not so soon, you know?"
"Henry, if you go out in public, like for 'ice cream', you're bound to be seen. It would have been a miracle if you weren't seen tonight. Are you worried you might get in a fight?"
"Not really. It's not that kind of crowd. But things will get said. And then you and mom... and Evelyn. We didn't discuss how this could affect her."
"We couldn't think of everything, right? Don't worry about your mother and me. We'll deal with it. As long as you're safe, that's all I care about. It's late, son. Go get some sleep. I love you."
Dad didn't say that to me much. A guy thing. I didn't realize how much I missed hearing it. "I love you too, dad. You go get some sleep too. And thanks. For everything."
He just smiled at me and we headed off to our rooms. Sleep didn't come easy. I knew to expect all possibilities of attention when Grace and I decided to see each other. I just was hoping, naively, for a little more time. Eventually I did fall asleep, I don't know what time.
I straggled down to breakfast and Edina and I shared our customary greetings and light conversation. Not long after mom and dad joined us it was time for me to go and face an uncertain day.
When I got to school, I breathed easy. No one looked at me any different, no one said anything to me. Michael and Karen hadn't started the rumor mill, at least not yet. Second period, before AP history began, I ran into Michael. "Hey, Henry, how's it going? You surprised me and Karen there. Who was that very fine girl you were with?"
"No one you know. I met her recently, and we started dating, that's all. Not much else to tell."
"'Not much else to tell?' Are you kidding? I mean, she was gorgeous, no question, but come on."
I cut him off there. "Michael, be careful with your next words. I happen to like Grace a lot. She smarter than any of these Debs we go to school with, by a mile. Smarter than the guys too. Including me."
"Hey, I'm not knocking it. Just wondering, man. I wasn't going to insult her. But you have to admit, you and a black girl...is she from a well to do family? I know there are a few from the black side of the city."
"Actually, no she's not. Her mother is a maid."
Michael looked stunned. "So what is this, just a little fuck around thing? You can't be serious with her. I mean, look at your family, and she's the daughter of a maid. It's about pussy, right? Trying something from the other side of the tracks?"
I was now officially getting pissed off but before I could say anything, the bell rang for one minute until class started. I just said, quickly, "You're so far off base. And way out of line. You should wish Karen was half the girl Grace is." I just walked off to class, getting there just in time.
Things stayed quiet until lunch. I was sitting with my friends Darrell and Chris when I noticed some people just staring at me, a few girls giggling, others giving me sympathetic looks, but all were out of the ordinary. The word was out.
My best friend, Darrell, said "Henry, what's up? Why are you suddenly the center of attention?"
Time to find out just how "best" Darrell was. He was also from a very old Charleston family and our mothers were good friends. "It looks like Mike Teller and Karen have been telling people they ran into me at Point Lookout with a girl last night. Someone I really like a lot, like serious girlfriend like."
"OK, so, that's not news of the world. You've been a little casual about things lately, but it's not the first girl you've been serious with. Who is she and which class is she in? Ours or Junior?"
"Neither. She doesn't go to school here. She goes to Jackson."
That set in quick. "But Jackson is almost all black."
"Well, then it works out, since she's black."
Chris spoke up then. "Listen to you. Always with the jokes."
But Darrell could tell looking at me it was no joke. "You're serious. Wow. Holy shit. How did you meet her? And what's her name?"
"Her name is Grace and she's Edina's daughter."
"You're dating your MAIDS daughter? Are you well in the head?"
"Tell me you didn't mean that, Darrell. You know better."
Chris "Wow, no wonder you're being looked at like a bug in a glass. Fuck it. Is she pretty?" Chris' family was well to do but they had moved down from Philadelphia 10 years before. Race really wasn't a big deal to him.
"Actually she's stunning. And she's smarter than anyone here, just about. She's going to Columbia in the Fall."
Chris said "Hey, and you'll be at NYU! That's great! You can keep seeing each other! I'm happy for you" he said, sticking out his hand for a shake.
Darrell pushed it away. "Don't encourage him, shithead. Henry, forget what everyone here will think, or already thinks. Do you know what this is going to do to your mother? She's going to have kittens!"
"My parents know, and they're both fine. Even my mom. I can't say Grace would be her first choice, but they met and it went very well. Better than my best friend is handling it" I said, giving him a hard look.
"You had to expect this, man. I'm still your best friend. But this is a shock to the system. Chris is right though. Fuck it. If she's that special, I'm happy for you too." He stuck out his hand and I shook it, along with a delayed shake for Chris.
"Thanks guys. I get a feeling this is going to be hard enough. And I'm worried for Grace. Her school is kind of tough for her already, with her being so damn smart. You should know I already asked her to prom, and I'm going to hers next week."
"I hope you're ok at hers. Chris and I will stand by you here. Anyone wants to fight you, they have to go through us too."
"Yeah, all 140 pounds of me" Chris joked. He was a short, kind of scrawny guy, but he was funny and a good person. "I'll take the football team, you guys take the cheer squad."
"Seriously, guys, your support means a lot. I just hope your mom doesn't give my mom a bad time. She's worried about losing friends and about dad losing business. And I hope Evelyn's sorority doesn't give her a bad time when word gets to SC. The old grapevine will spread it there."