Companion Story A: Completion

Completion: From Endings Come New Beginnings!



I had just broken up with my long-term steady. But it wasn't really a bad break for me. I didn't see it going anywhere anyway. We had started out too young but I was looking to move on, not renew the relationship. He had these ideas that were contrary to mine ( especially when it came to love relationships). We had been polar opposites but we hadn't been all that bad together. Don't get me wrong. It just wasn't exactly what I thought it should have been. I felt my assertiveness coming to life but he wouldn't ever change. The spring flowers began to bloom before I realized anything had really begun to shift. The spring is a time for new beginnings, and that year it was exactly that. I never would have thought my ex would connect with me again.



Lester Henning approached me in an isolated hallway with no one around. I am not sure how he arranged that. “Angelica, will you go out with me?” “Sure..... Do you have any ideas?”

Lester feel silent. “It doesn't matter if you don't.” “I hadn't thought that far.” He shifted nervously. “We can start with this...” I said taking his hand in mine. He smiled back at me.



Like I said no one saw that. They would have teased the hell out of us if they had. We were thrown together again in shop class. We sat at the same table - that had been the first thing I suggested in the first of the notes we passed that year. We were making these stupid key-chains with a penny inside. Lester had gone to get the supplies when CJ poked him in the side to ask, “Why are you getting Angelica's supplies too?”

“CJ.....” Lester trailed off as I grabbed the tools off the wall behind him. I paused.

“I'll explain later.” Lester added as he started to move toward our table. As CJ joined a different table, he seemed to consider everything that could have happened. He was still formulating ideas while he worked silently.



The room was getting noisy when Lester asked me for a penny. I reached into my pocket pulling out five: “Why don't you pick out two?” I asked him.

I turned around right in time to see CJ's tool slip from his hand and clatter on his table. His curiosity getting the best of him. Lester picked up penny after penny looking over their condition. He chose a darker one for me. And a brighter one for himself. I smiled, shuffling the other three back into my pocket.



That Friday was a dance; our first dance together. We were outside when Lester got my attention “Angelica?”

“What?” I said as he pulled me from my thoughts.

“I don't dance....I have never been much good at it” Lester said.

“You can't be that bad.” I replied. I knew what was coming - No Dance! “Here” I said at recess “watch!” I stepped slowly from side to side. “If you can do this much, we can dance.”

“Are you sure that is all there is to it?” Lester asked inquisitively.

”Not really but sometimes you have to start simple and improve from there.” I said.

Cassie approached with my friends in tow. She was like the centerpiece of my friends anyway. “Rebeccah saw you run in gym class and she thinks she can beat you.”

Lester winced. CJ and Thomas came over to Lester when his face screwed up. They were his friends. Randal was with them. “You think Angelica can win?” he asked.

“I don't know.” Lester said quietly. He was just being honest and he didn't want me to think I couldn't. Because if I thought I could, maybe I could.

“This should be a cinch.” Rebeccah said. Lester could see I was steamed; Never race a girl when she's angry. I took off faster than I had run in any race prior. I had a comfortable lead when Rebeccah quit running. Lester noted, “ See: Rebeccah quit.”



In March, when Dena Redman was over, my ex called. At first, I was cordial enough but I told Dena I had moved on with Lester. I didn't want her running to Lester about the call. I never said a name; perhaps Dena thought I was on with Lester.

“Listen, I'd love to talk,” I lied to him, “but I have a friend over.” Dead silence.

“Ok.” he said. And with that I hung up.



In Sixth, we were still adjusting to each other but in seventh, I taught Lester the waltz box step. In seventh, Thomas tried to ask Teres Stevens to dance. She turned him down flat as the song “If you go” played. I approached Thomas at Lester's advice.

“Don't let her see you're disappointed – let CJ and Lester handle it. Come dance.” He shrugged but joined me anyway.

CJ asked Teres “Why don't you want to dance with him?”

“I don't want to give him the wrong idea. I mean I think of him as a friend at best. “

“Friends make the best boyfriends.” Lester said.

“Lester, I know Angelica put you up to this but I don't want to dance with him, alright!” She snapped.

“Actually it was my idea – Not Angelica's.” Lester responded a little hurt. “What bothers you the most about Thomas?”

“His weight.” Teres said coldly.



We joined his friends at the table in the hallway after the song ended.

“Well?” Thomas asked. “What did she say?”

“You don't want to know, Thomas.” CJ said defensively.

“Let's just say she thinks of you as a friend!” Lester said.

“Oh!” Thomas said.



The summer prior was when our first kiss took place, Lester's and Me's – Angelica Smithton. We had gone to the water park Tumble Falls with my mother, Audrey Smithton, and my little brother, Matthew. We snuck off by ourselves for a while; that was when we had kissed, near the Cyclone-this spiraling water slide with constant spray over it. Holding hands, we found my family again.



In Eighth grade, my friends were starting to distance themselves from us when Meredeth Bashford moved in. Lester found me in tears at my locker. He put his arm around me in comfort. I smiled tearfully. I refused to tell Lester what Meredeth had said about us. Lester let it go but I couldn't. And that was the moment I first thought his friends cared more than mine. Maybe some things are really blessings in disguise. Landon Richardson had become our friend in eighth grade after Randal told him “Something Meredeth did made Angelica cry.”

Meredeth had been fawning over Landon. Landon wouldn't give the hurtful girl the time of day after he heard. Teres Stevens took no time in securing Landon's affections.



We met Carter Strathmore in high school. Our freshman year at Donnerville High, I had joined the swim team. Randal had moved away. But CJ, Landon, Gavin and Carter were on the freshman team of Condors Football. Thomas joined the condors football team his sophomore year. Thomas was better suited for a lineman's position then “a racer.” This was my descriptive term for the players that advanced the football by catching passes. Some of the football players had taught me a few more things about football so I could enjoy Lester's games more.



My first home meet for the swim team, I told Lester to find a place in the stands. I came in consistently 3rd in the 50 yard freestyle. On the other hand, my breath control was improving and so were my races. He was there by the time the 50 free came up. I was also in a relay but I false started and disqualified us. I was JV: there wasn't a freshman group in swimming.



The first freshman Condors home game, I dragged Kat Valens, a senior swimmer, and a couple other swimmers with me; she insisted I join her for the Varsity game in return. A couple of the guys from her grade were on the team: Sabin Sweade, and Emil Thomason as well as the Junior Dunc Chazin. The whole stadium was on it's feet cheering when Dunc ran 40 yards into the end zone for a touchdown. I had to admit the varsity game was more exiting thankfully than the freshman game had been. But I had to go to that one because Lester wouldn't forgive me if I didn't. Besides, it was the least I could do after he spent the time at my home meet.



The exercise room had been Lester's idea but I was still nervous. “You know its mostly guys that go there, don't you?” Rachel Givens asked.

She was in Kat's grade. To verify what I had been told, I would tag-team both of the Senior Swimmers because I was conditioned to think of the team as a family. After my 8th grade experiences, I was more wary of the swimmers. But Kat and Rachel made the transition to high school easier. Rachel told Kat Valens, the team captain, that I was nervous about being in a room of guys even with Lester Henning there.



Kat rallied some of the swimmers that year to help me feel more comfortable. When the girls left, some of the football players didn't feel I should belong there. Oh, thankfully, they all accepted me eventually. Lester was the only one of them I would let spot me on bench press for a while. The day when the swimmers left, I sat down on the bench at the side of the room and Lester sat down next to me. “Angelica, you remember Landon. “

“Yes, I do. But most of the others are new faces, what about them?” I said resting my head on my palm. I glanced around the room looking at the group- wondering if I could trust all of them. But when my eyes locked with Knox Kent of the JV football players, I started to relax a bit. To his immediate right was Alejandro Cuffe. The room was so quiet. They were all waiting on me to move.



That was only the beginning. Lester was better than his word; and the next two years past relatively uneventfully. Our freshman year he had a couples sleepover; Audrey, my mother, asked if his parents would be there and could she speak to them. His parents assure her that they knew what was going on but mine weren't the first set of skeptical parents to call. Teres's parents were nervous too. Lester Henning wasn't expecting such a backlash of phone calls over a couples party. Maybe it wasn't the party, just the fact that it would end with breakfast.



There were a couple of the expected games that teenagers play when they gather: a round of Truth or Dare, spin the coke bottle (because his parents didn't allow beer or wine), and couples Seven Minutes in Heaven (in the Henning's den closet) which is the room we would be sleeping in. His parents had insisted that each of us bring our own sleeping bags. The other couples all watched Lester and me because we were known as the “old couple”. We had been a couple the longest. Even Teres and Landon had only been dating one year. Carter and Heather Timothy had only been dating one month. CJ and Lilith Thomason had been a couple 6 months. Kat Valens and Richie March had said they were busy. But Rachel Givens and Davis Stein said as long as Angelica came, they would. Though they had known each other awhile, his friends were surprised that Rachel had a boyfriend period. This is the first time anyone at Donnerville High had ever seen Davis Stein. Lester wanted to invite more couples but his parents put their foot down and said he could only invite our close friends who were dating. The only reason Thomas hadn't been at the couples sleepover is he hadn't been seeing anyone at the time.



Dinner had been pizza and bread sticks. I had insisted that Lester's mother order a pizza that was ground beef and mushroom for Rachel and Davis. Lester whispered, “Does it really matter?”

I nodded my head. I was looking forward to breakfast. Lester's mother was going to prepare that.



After Seven Minutes in Heaven, Lester and I had looked more of a mess than Davis and Rachel. I insisted on a couples version and Rachel insisted on a six minute warning. Well, at the six minute warning, Lester and I were still messing around while Rachel and Davis had been making themselves presentable. Believe me when we left the closet to whistles and cheers, I felt so transparent. Rachel immediately handed me a comb and I handed it to Lester after I was done. He thanked Rachel for both of us, even as Rachel shook her head. Her facial expression suggested “Angel, your reputation- think about your reputation.”

Seven minutes of privacy at a couples party isn't nearly enough!



After all the games and the meal, we unrolled the sleeping bags. His parents supervised to make sure the couples didn't open up the sleeping bags: using one as a mattress and one as a blanket. When Lester and I climbed into our own sleeping bags, everyone else followed our example. But we laid there awake for what seemed like hours (waiting patiently for his parents to turn in). Lester came down from the bathroom and announced “Coast is clear! Angelica, still awake?”

“Just barely. What took so long!”

Davis was out like a light, but Rachel heard the zippers on our sleeping bags. Lester gave me the make-out signal but I whispered, “Not tonight,” between yawns. I cuddled into his arms and fell asleep.

Lester woke up to his mother voice calling out, “Lester Henning! What am I going to do with you. “ Our friends were just starting to wake up. “What?” he responded.

“That's what I'd like to know.” his mother barked. I woke up to the smells of bacon and sausage links. His mom had also made pancakes and crepes. She opened two cans of pie filling, muttering under her breath.



Lester got up first but I made a sound as he shifted out from under my arms. Rachel and Landon were already up when Lester entered the kitchen.

“Where's Angel?” Rachel asked. His mother gave him, her displeased look.

“Let Angelica sleep in, she'll be up soon.” Teres, Carter and Lilith woke up next.

Teres asked Landon Richardson,” Why didn't we unzip the bags?”

Lester's mother face started to glower. Lester and Landon exchange looks and Rachel held a finger to her lips to silence Teres. Lilith knew when to keep her mouth shut. Carter responded to Landon,”Before you say anything realize we're in the presence of his mother.”

Teres blushed, “Oops, I forgot. Never mind.”



Davis Stein peered out the flap of his sleeping bag and when he didn't see Rachel's face, he went looking for her – finding her in the kitchen with a group of hunger teenagers. Rachel and Davis exchanged knowing looks: “Uh Mrs. Henning, is the bacon pork or turkey?” Davis asked.

“I don't know. Honey, what kind of bacon did you buy?”

Mr. Henning looked up from his newspaper and coffee. “Let me see: the turkey one was on sale.”

The other teenagers looked at Rachel and Davis curiously. Rachel hated being the center of attention so she said “I going to check on Angel.”

I was awake and just relaxing when Rachel hissed, “Angel, if they ask me about dietary restrictions, I think I'll turn red.”

I sighed, “I'm up Rachel, don't worry.”



Heather rose a little after I did at 10:30 am. Rachel and Landon had been up since 8:45 am. Lester woke up at 9am. His friends and their girlfriends noticed when Rachel and Davis didn't take any sausage. Teres whispered to Landon, “What's wrong with the sausage, Landon?”

Lester had wondered the same thing.

Landon responded to the whole table, “They don't eat it.”

“That 's ok.” I said to break the ice. “More for us.”

“Angelica we can share a small plate for the bacon and sausage but get your own for the pancakes or crepes. “ Lester Henning suggested.

I whispered to Rachel, “See - everything is fine.” as I loaded up the small plate with bacon and sausage. Lester began munching the minute I put it down on the table.

“Don't forget that's for two.” I responded as I grabbed two crepes and blueberry pie filling, spraying on the whipped topping from the can. His father had bought 3 cans in case people put it on the pancakes. The other choice for the Crepes was dutch apple which Rachel chose. Davis took pancakes and sprayed them with whipped cream. I turned 16 in about 8 months. Rachel and Davis were closer to 18.



Afterwards Lester and I re-zipped our sleeping bags,and as we started to roll them up- I commented “I hope you don't get in too much trouble, Lester.”

“The way my mother looked, Angelica, she might tell your mother.”

“I know what you mean; she did look mad.”

“You don't know the half of it.” Landon Richardson said.

Lester shrugged “We weren't the only couple that thought about it. But we're more in trouble because she found us that way in the morning.”

“Gees Lester, it isn't the first time I fell asleep in your arms. What's the problem?”

“She thinks we did more... I think.” Landon and Teres were listening in.

Carter spoke up, “Slept 'eh. Angelica must have been tired after the closet.” A hush fell over the teenagers, as they waited for one of us to say something. Lester and I remained really quiet.

“I have an idea,” Rachel said. “You can have a ride home with Davis and me, Angelica. It may delay the inevitable.”

“It might be a good idea,” Lester said. “Maybe I can talk my mother down and she won't call your mother.”



Lester managed to explain things to his parents after all of us had left. And Mrs. Henning wasn't as angry when she heard we slept all night. But Lester made the mistake of telling her about the couples game: Seven Minutes in Heaven. And because of that game, Lester got grounded for a month. No dates for a month. It was rough. And she restricted his phone privileges to 15 minute conversations. If the game had been my idea, she would have called my parents but Lester said Landon's brother had told Landon about it. And Lester said, “And it was my suggestion we play. Angelica, just suggested doing a couples version? The game was my idea though.”

“I'm calling Landon's mother.”



The phone rang at the Richardson's house. Mrs. Richardson was turning three shades of pale while Mrs. Henning explained. “And my oldest told Landon about this?” Landon and Teres were so silent you could hear a pin drop.

“Yes Mrs. Henning, I'll have a talk with my boys. ... Good bye and thanks for calling.” Landon's mother hung up.

“Now what did Lester do?” Teres asked Landon.

“Whatever he said it can't be good.” Landon whispered back.

“Teres, time to say goodnight.” Mrs. Richardson snapped.

“Better call tomorrow.” Teres responded.

“If he doesn't lose his phone privileges for a week.” Mrs. Richardson commented.

Landon spoke to Teres “We still have school. We'll just have to use our lunch period more wisely.”



After our party, all our friends were nervous. “It was going so well. Then my mother asked about games. I tried to think of which one would upset her the least. I guess I picked the wrong one.” Lester remarked at lunchtime.

“Sure did. Did she call anyone else's house?”

“No, just yours. I tried to take the blame but it may have slipped out where I heard the idea.”

“I lost phone privileges for a week. Thanks man!” He said sarcastically.

“Look Landon, Lester got it worse. Grounded for a month, and shortened phone privileges. He only gets fifteen minutes a day. ”

“Well without the phone I can't really go that far either. My brother got it worse. She wanted the names and phone numbers of the people who told him.”

“He didn't give them up, did he?” Heather Timothy asked.

“No but he doesn't remember telling me either.” Landon said. “He lost his driving privileges for a month.”





The first day the elder Richardson's son got his driving privilege back we didn't hear from Landon.

“I covered for you. Now tell me how you learned about Seven Minutes in Heaven.” He asked Landon after they had driven far enough not to be overheard. Landon rolled up his window.

“Well.... it's a long story. You see Meredeth said that the friends Angelica use to have, had Lester and Angelica at a party, where they played it. So I had to ask what it was?” Landon said.

“When did this supposedly take place?” his brother asked.

“In eighth grade. I asked Lester and he said it was probably why Angelica was crying at her locker. Meredith had lied. Lester had never played it until the couples party at the Henning's house - Lester said.”

“And you told Lester, Meredeth told you right?”

“He said he wished he had known why Angelica had been crying in eighth grade.” Landon said

“I just couldn't tell him what Meredeth said it was. So I said you told me what it was about or how to play. And worse, I said that's how you meet your high school girlfriend. Angelica suggested a couples version,” Landon came clean to his brother. “By the way thanks for covering for me. Just don't tell mom. And I won't tell her about Suzanna.”

His brother stared straight ahead. “You know that game may have something to do with how I lost her, Landon.” his brother commented. “Angelica was smart to suggest a Couples Version.”



After Valentine's Day in 1997, Geoffrey Mackinly found out about Knox and my kiss in January but that didn't phase him. Then he discovered the kiss, in September, on Knox's birthday. Though neither happened when I was dating Geoffrey, he would let it go. By this time he was already dating Virginia, the tennis player but he didn't want me to be happy after he had dumped me for her. When he found out about September 1996, he said, “Lester Henning paid Knox Kent to kiss me.”

Landon Richardson backed up Lester as he told me the rumor was bogus. That was why it took so long for Knox and me to reunite in high school. I waited until March. I told Knox what Geoffrey had said my Junior year of high school after Knox and I were engaged at the turn of the century.



But I am getting ahead of myself, our sophomore year me and Lester Henning decided jointly to break up but we remained friends. Again it wasn't a bad break. A couple day after sweetest day we severed the romantic relationship. We agree to spend three months apart before we started working on a friendship. Kat said, “Once you date someone you can never go back to being friends.”

So I asked Rachel and she said, “Don't listen to Kat. You know Lester Henning better than we do- Do you think a friendship could work?”

“Maybe.” I said quietly into the phone.

“Then half the battle is thinking you can. And you've already got that.” Rachel said.

“I agree with Rachel, Angelica,” Jade said when we were hanging out. “But watch out for the green-eyed monster. Just because you are not dating each other, doesn't mean you can't get jealous.”

“So you agree with them both?” I asked puzzled.

“Somewhat.” Jade responded evenly.

Geoffrey's sister was one of the rejects I was palling around with at school. She didn't realize that Lester and I had been a couple. Geoffrey and she entered Donnerville High in the middle of the school year- January 1996.

Landon and Teres said, “She is trouble” but I really wasn't sure.



In fall of 1996, Lester and I talked over guys that might make a good match for me as we sat down at our normal table in the cafeteria. He mentioned a guy from the boys swim team. But I said, “I don't know.”

He said “the two of you would have swimming in common. Coach Barry wasn't thrilled about football players dating his swimmers, especially the girls team. Isn't that true?”

“Yeah he prefers that his swimmers find gentler guys to date, but what's wrong with football players anyway!” I replied

Lester responded after some thought “What about that guy your eyes connected with in the exercise room our freshman year? What do you think about him?”

“Maybe. Do you really think we could work?” I said quietly.

“Sure,” he said. “Why not? You two already know each other a little, don't you? That's more than we had, when we started dating. I barely knew you then.” Lester concluded.

“True but we nearly had four years when we split up. I saw him for the first time in his catcher's gear. So I know he's got at least two sports. With you it was only one.”

“Give him a chance, Angelica,” Carter said putting down his tray and Heather arrived at about the same time. Lester pulled out the key chain he made in shop class the first year we were dating and folding it in my hand whispered, “For luck.”

Heather said, “Yeah you don't know what's going to happen until it does.”



I was on my way to swim practice when Knox and Dunc appeared with girls in tow. Maybe he is dating someone I thought to myself. “Will I see you in the exercise room after the season?,” Knox questioned me. I stepped back saying, “Maybe.” When I gave him that same look I gave to a whole room in 1994, his head shifted back, his eyes closed as he sighed. I fell silent; he took my voice away. As he locked eyes with me the smile on his face was priceless. I felt Lester's hand in the middle of my back nudging me forward. Before I knew what had happened we were standing there in the middle of the thoroughfare with our lips locked together and our eyes closed. Our hands didn't touch. When we released each other, I looked around praying that no one else saw the first of our private moments.



It had taken Lester and me at least 4 months before we had our first kiss, so this seemed sudden for me.

After the kiss on Knox's birthday, Lester suggested getting him something. In assurance that even though the kiss was more public than I was used to, it didn't mean that I didn't appreciate him. I bought him a pocket pager, a compact one, with a two year service contract. Geoffrey never saw it, But Lester's friends and Knox's friends knew about it. They were just keeping things quiet. Perhaps the publicness of the kiss threw me and the suddenness of it scared me off a bit. Lester said, “it is common to get cold feet when you move too fast.”



I noticed Geoffrey Mackinly in the beginning of October (perhaps I was a little nervous about Knox's sudden move). Geoffrey and I had not been friends. Knox's first request for a rendezvous came in the beginning of November. It still hadn't snowed yet but the field wasn't exactly green either. At the beginning of the second month of dating Geoffrey, I began to notice his eyes straying to Virginia, just like Knox had warned me about. I had told Geoffrey I had sex before (only a slight exaggeration). Besides if guys can do it, why can't girls?

I told Lester and he told me, “Sure guys exaggerate but it's still not a great idea.”

Landon sat down with his lunch, “Exaggerate what?”

“Experiences” Lester mumbled.

“What in particular did Angelica exaggerate on?” Landon asked.

“You don't want to know.” I said.

Lester responded defensively, “Yeah don't ask.”



Geoffrey wanted to find out a name; He asked all my football buddies. And when he asked Knox, that is when Knox Kent came walking up to Lester saying “Didn't you sleep with her?”

Lester whispered back- “She exaggerated; don't tell Geoffrey.”

Knox laughed and said, “I'm sure something happened.”

“Listen, Kent. Is it alright if I call you that?” he continued when Knox nodded. “Angelica doesn't always tell all the details of her past relationships. She wouldn't want me discussing our private life.”

“So Angel doesn't brag much or kiss-n- tell?”

Lester responded to Knox “Not really. She just writes poems, some of which she feels are too personal to publish.”

Knox Kent's face grew thoughtful at that; he really looked like he was mulling it over.



When Geoffrey and I broke up on December 4th 1996, it surprised no one. That was right before snowball. Geoffrey's slap in the face was the ticket he bought for me as a break up gift. It was a bad break. “If I never see him again, it will be too soon.” I said crying. Sabin Sweade had shown up and he put an arm around me in the exercise room.

“If he makes you cry, he's not worth it,” Sabin said.

“I know but I was so stupid. I thought it could work Sabin. I tried, I really tried.”

Knox came over as I said that, “I'm sure you did. I think you deserve so much more Angel. Your love is the best gift you give us.”

I nodded with pain in my face. This was after the ice cream and before the girls night out. I was a mess on New Year's Eve. With the defenses I had up, which made Knox and my first date a little tricky, I was still a little hurt by Geoffrey's betrayal.



In January at his locker, I said “I'm in pain, you not exactly sure about me. We can work this out Kent.”

He had tried to blow me off, but after he closed his locker, I grabbed him by the biceps and put his back up against the locker door. Emory Clay's locker wasn't that far away from his. “Don't underestimate a woman in pain, Kent.” Edwards said from behind me.

Knox responded “You're not ready .....” his voice trailed off when Emory shook his head.

“Prove it.” I said.

He kissed me so hard that I thought my lips were going to fall off. He slipped the hand from my neck when I loosened my grip on his arms, placing one of his hands on my shoulder blade. The other was in the small of my back, drawing me in so close that I could feel his chest move in and out as he breathed. My arms started to relax at my sides. The hand on my lower back started to slide down my left leg. All Lester's friends, and Knox's friends crowded around us. Geoffrey saw the crowd around Knox's locker as he walked past with Virginia, the girl he replaced me with, in tow. Virginia was still a bit nervous after snowball. What they did was more embarrassing than painful!

“Go Angel.” Teres Stevens cheered.

Landon whispered to Lester, “Jealous yet?”

“I put them together, Landon” Lester said.

“That's not what he asked Lester.” Heather Timothy responded.

“Oh let him alone,” Carter, and CJ said in unison.

Geoffrey's ears were tuned in and Virginia shifted nervously, “Let's go Geoffrey.” They moved slowly, silently down the thoroughfare. When Knox's hand started to tug on my left leg, I started to pull back. “Ohf.” I said trying to get my breath back.

“It is a good thing there's a crowd.” Priscilla said “Or Geoffrey would have caught everything!”

Knox waited patiently for me to say something.

“I still think we could work things out, don't you?” I responded.

“Maybe in time.” Knox replied.



By Friday I slipped a scrap of paper into his locker- You are right Knox. I do need time but when I'm ready, will you still be there? I don't believe in sex before marriage.

He left me a note soon after with his symbol on it: I didn't think so but take all the time you need. On Valentine's Day, I found another slip in my locker with his symbol inside a red heart: I'll wait as long as it takes.

Geoffrey still hadn't figured out who was sending me notes when we dated. I wouldn't have told his sister if my life depended on it. She was trying to get pregnant that year; and I was still waiting for marriage. I tried to ask her what the rush was, but she didn't answer me.



Lester met Caroline through Gavin but though they were teammates, I didn't trust him. While I didn't know that much about her, Caroline Crenshaw, on the other hand, seemed nearly perfect for him. Lester had been into Neil Diamond music for as long as I could remember.

Landon suggested, “Do something nice for her?” Lester looked a little nervous.

“I'll make you a deal Lester.” I said. “I'll give you the Key-chain with a penny in it I made in shop for luck, keeping yours with the air bubble, for myself, in that collection of mine. And I can get Knox there at the pep rally for extra support. Serenade her, Lester.”

“What about using Sweet Caroline?” Teres said

So before a pep rally our senior year, he sang Caroline a Neil Diamond Song: Sweet Caroline. It went so well. Kent was to my right (even though he graduated the year before). Landon and Teres were in the seats in front of us. Our time together is remembered fondly.



I reminded Lester of his serenade at our ten year reunion. Knox and I didn't go to the five year reunion for the class of 1998. But we went to the five year reunion for the class of 1997, even with all the problems it caused in January. It had been a long engagement because we waited until October of 2003 to get married; it ended up being a joint reception with Chrystal-Rose and Ronny. They had been engaged a year. She knew that Knox was thinking of asking me to elope, and she also knew I wanted to married at St. Cecilia in the village. They had been the most understanding of the relationship of Knox Kent and me of my college friends anyway. Knox told me to watch who I revealed his sexual orientation to. It was Chrystal- Rose's suggestion we have a joint reception when I started to get stressed from wedding plans. But after our ski trip, Knox wanted to take the Priest, the best man, the matron of honor, and me to a waterfall in Hawaii.



When Chrystal-Rose and I talked on the phone about the ski trip, I mentioned, “Geoffrey tried to insult my fiancée. He sent him two text messages and third didn't say anything. The first said: Angel isn't a virgin, and worse then that, Angelica is with you because she pities you. ”

“How did Geoffrey get his cell phone number?” my see-ster asked.

“He tried to buddy up to him at the reunion for the class of 1997 Donnerville high graduates. I didn't notice but Knox must have given him his cell number as a goodwill gesture of peace. ”

“Now tell me again: who's Geoffrey?” she responded.

“I dated him briefly between the first kiss and New Years Eve my Junior Year of High School.”

“Did he steal you from Knox?”

“No, I just got nervous because we moved kinda fast. Lester knew that it was like a moment of cold feet but he never cared too much for Geoffrey anyway. He was the one who tried to put me and Knox together because he could see we were going to be better together in the long run anyway.”

“Lester?”

“My long term boyfriend before Knox and I kissed for the first time. We broke up my sophomore year of high school but it wasn't a bad break. He suggested I do something for Knox so he wouldn't be mad about Geoffrey and me dating. That was when I got him a pocket pager. “

“Did Geoffrey find out about the pager?”

“Not that I know of.”

“Ok, you said there were two text messages. What did the second say?”

“Well .... If angelica really gave you her heart, she would have given you her body too.”

Chrystal- Rose fell silent for a moment. “I know you; those are all lies. Have you talked to Knox about them?”

“He must have found out about the pocket pager...” a tear slipped down my check. “I think I lost Knox. What if he believed what Geoffrey Mackinly said. Chrystal- Rose I love Knox.”

“Angel – how long have you and Knox Kent dated- total time?”

“Six years ....” I swallowed

“Honey he knows you better than I do. He isn't that gullible.”she responded reassuringly. “Just talk to him. I am a communications major: trust me. He's just waiting for you to remind him that he knows you better than that .... that miserable excuse for a guy.”

“Are you sure? He was silent all the way home from our weekend.” I said

“Yeah he was thinking it over.... he knows you , but he also knows you fell apart pretty bad when Geoffrey cheated on you, right?” she guessed.

“How did you know?” I asked. My tears slowing down.

“Knox said he got together with you after a guy hurt you. But he wasn't specific.” Chrystal- Rose commented. “All he wants is some reassurance, Angelica. Why don't you call him?”

“He sounded hurt when he said we should change his cell phone number. What if he doesn't want to hear from me?”

“Text him. Angelica you didn't do anything wrong!”

“Alright.”

“And be specific when you reassure him of your love for him.”

“Thanks Chrystal- Rose.” I hung up.



Chrystal- Rose could see I wanted a church wedding. Knox was so sure that Geoffrey Mackinley would destroy our wedding day. The only way she could get Knox to see reason, was to have a joint reception two days after her wedding and a few hours after ours in the restaurant The Townhouse. The restaurant had a bandstand and a small dance area. The four of us all loved to dance. Chrystal-Rose and Ronny's parents chipped in for a band; Knox and mine chipped in for the reservation. The ceremony was all Knox but the clothing for Knox and me was all me. Our bridal party paid for their dresses and tux rentals. I paid for the bridal party to have an afternoon at a nail place - “True Color Nail Salon” ; it was my thank-you for being in my wedding. I bought his ring and he bought mine.



His friends threw a bachelor party by taking him to a concert at a dinner theater. (Knox told them he didn't want to do anything that would cause a fight later in our marriage). For my bachelorette (which my friends pooled money for), we took a limo out and each stop was a new activity. We left the house at three pm. I got home at 2:30 am, and turned in by three am. He had text me twice that 12 hours. The first when his friends dropped him off at midnight and the second time when we arrived at our last stop with the limo: a bar for a toast. It was about 1:15 am.

At ten am, later that morning Knox Kent picked me up for the rehearsal at St. Cecilia's Catholic Church. He was prepared; in the car was two cans of his favorite energy drink: Rocket, for both of us in the cup holders. He figured it was a good way to keep me awake.



I never did find out that Landon explained to Lester Henning why I had been in tears in eighth grade during our high school years. After I graduated college, I wrote a book. Lester told me he found out at our high school graduation class's ten year reunion. He told me he knew in a five page letter when Knox and I had separated, after my book As the Bough Breaks was published. It could have somewhat effected my personality as I usually take things personally. He wrote in it “Knox is a good man, Angelica, and you mesh well together as a couple. I would hate to see you lose that because of the past.”



The first time Jade Canton came to the apartment I rented with royalties from As the Bough Breaks,she brought her cousin and her son to help cheer me up. For a while(less than a year), Knox and I were separated. We had planned to go for dinner but I hadn't slept a wink the night before. So I fell to sleep dressed at 8 am and didn't wake up until I heard the door bell at five pm. I buzzed her in half asleep.

“You still want to go?” Jade asked.

I shrugged. “I'm dressed. I don't want to cook. And I am hunger.”

“Ok” Jade said. I barely stayed awake for dinner. I tired out so quickly after we were done that instead of going for ice cream, Jade brought me to the apartment.

She said worriedly, “Call me tomorrow.” I called her Friday. I had seen my doctor and he hospitalized me for stress and it's complications for three days. This was the first time I had been hospitalized but it seemed to do the trick. In the hospital I was given the label of depression, it had been a hard year.



After I got out of the hospital,my counselor: the one Knox had found for me during the publicity period, asked if I could remember how I had been reacting to him during the publicity period. My memory was a bit foggy but the rawness of my emotions were still there “I still miss my husband. Knox is a good man. Better than I deserve.”



Knox and I had a few bumps along the way but overall I'd say everything went smoothly.

I was 24 when we finally got married. We had been engaged three years, because I wanted to finish college first. My first book came out when I was 27, and I was 28 when we had our temporary separation. I was turning 31 when Layla was conceived. I was 37 when we adopted our son as a baby. And I was 55 when our son had the accident. I was 56 when my first grandchild was born. And I was 81 when Knox got pneumonia and died in the hospital. I started my preparation for my final book at 83. We'd had a good life.



And I'm looking forward to seeing both of my guys (my husband and my son) when I die and God takes me home.