Everyone has something to prove. Who is the best at snowboarding, skiing, and with some of the best mountain snow in the summer. All the summer games are held there. Mountain climbing is on the top of my list and many tourists.

My mother of thirty-nine, Wanda, with long wavy blonde hair, extremely talented, young at heart native to the area has inherited the resort from her parents, Finley and Mary Smith, who built the resort back in 1942. It was an eighteen room, modest Bed and Breakfast which has now become a two-hundred and twelve room four star hotel.

It comes complete with two small swimming pools, and one large Olympic size pool drawing in competitors. They are usually the very best and the most talented from all around the world. Now to get to our Resort, the Water Way Hotel, this got its name because you could only get to it by Ferry Boat. My parents own the only ferry boats that come to the island. The island is big enough for an airport, but the terrain of the island with all its mountains, makes it just too costly and would take away from the islands beauty.

We do have a Heliport for emergencies, and sometimes for our wealthy clients and neighbors. No cars are allowed on the island. We rent golf carts to get you around. Some guests would rather walk for the exercise. Most people welcome the change. No hustle and bustle like in the cities. Just ten mph quiet. Not one of our guest golf carts goes any faster.

Now the resort is not the only building on the island. There are also about thirty vacation homes here. Without them my brother and I would have gone crazy. With vacation homes comes kids our own age, like my best friend Jimmy White, whose parents also live in Goose Port, just down the road from my house. He is six foot tall with blonde hair and blue eyes. My brother Mark looks a lot like my mother. Robby Young is his best friend, whose parents also live in our neighborhood in the city. He is also about six foot tall with brown hair and green eyes.

There were also girls our age and what kind of story would this be without them. There were the very prissy snob sisters Stacey and Lisa McGee whose parents own a seventeen ship cruise line the Jewel. Each ship is named after a different type of rare earth stones. They live most of the year in Miami, Florida where they hob knob with the rich and famous.

Then there was Laura Barnes, probably the most beautiful girl I have ever seen. She is about five foot two inches with long brown hair and eyes and a smile that makes my heart stop. Her parents own a chain of book stores across Canada and the United States. They are from Plymouth, Massachusetts.

Let’s not forget Becca Johnson, Laura’s best friend who looks a lot like her with only her hair being lighter in color and the cause of a lot of drama between my brother Mark and my best friend Jimmy. Beccas family hit one of the largest lotteries in the state of New York. They say they will never have to work again. They are originally from Queens, New York but now live in Boston, Massachusetts.

Becca and Laura’s parents only travel to the island during the summer months. They say they can’t handle it here during the winter months because we get to much snow, but if you ask me they get quite a bit of snow themselves. Then there is me, Rick Allen, the younger brother, six foot tall, blonde hair, with hazel blue green eyes, and this is my story.

At the end of the summer of 1980, my best friend Jimmy and I was sitting next to the pool, on the east side of the resort used mainly by family and staff, talking about all we have done over the summer, and how in just a few weeks we will all be leaving to our homes because all the summer games are drawing to an end. It just gets to cold on our island to stay during the winter. Only three or four maintenance workers ride out the winter, keeping the Resort operational and doing some much needed repair work.

Jimmy noticed two girls coming up from the vacation homes to go swimming. It was Laura and Becca. Laura asked me if it was okay for her and Becca to go swimming. For the first time in my life I couldn’t speak. It was like I was dreaming. I looked at her and fell in love for the first time.

The girls started laughing at me because I couldn’t get a word out, and my friend Jimmy saved the day by saying, sure. For the rest of the summer the four of us became inseparable. We tried to do anything and everything possible in the time we had left together on the island.

Now Jimmy and I tried to show the girls just how much talent we had like swimming, skiing, and climbing the mountains on the island. Now the girls were no push over’s. They had mass skills as well. Laura could climb better than all of us, and Becca made skiing down a mountain child’s play. We had to settle for being the best at swimming. This was the beginning of the best years of my life. As the summer came to an end, that dreaded day came. It was time to leave the island and say good-bye.

Laura and I were just starting to get really close and Jimmy and Becca were already calling themselves boyfriend and girlfriend. We all loaded up on the last ferry off the island, which my brother Mark was the captain. That’s when I asked Laura to be my girlfriend. She looks at me and asks, are you sure? We live so far away from one another and we won’t get to see each other until next summer. I said I will wait. I can call on the phone, and write letters.

It was almost pathetic the way I was acting. Laura looks at me with a smile and says, yes! I was wondering if you were going to ask me or not. What took you so long? I couldn’t believe it. My heart was racing with excitement and I told her we could call one another every day.

Now this was the first year my brother Mark, captained the Big Dreams ferry boat with his best friend Robby as his first mate. Next year, I am hoping Mom and Dad will let me Captain the High Hopes, another ferry boat my parents own. I asked my parents and they said that they would see if I could handle all the responsibilities of operating my own boat.

Mark and Robby operated the Big Dreams all summer long, and has already met Laura and Becca many times before. Now Mark is a year older than me and was already talking with Becca before Jimmy and I had met her. The only way to go shopping at Goose Port was by ferry boat, so they spent quite a bit of time together. Mark was always a ladies’ man, so he was already going out of his way to make Becca comfortable and Jimmy quickly noticed.

Jimmy asked Becca if she and Mark had ever went out on a date. Becca told him that they went out to eat a couple of times this summer before you and I met, but not since then. Jimmy felt like he had been betrayed since she knew Mark was my brother, and she didn’t bother to tell him during the time we all spent together.

Jimmy feeling betrayed looks at Becca and he begins to tell her that they should wait until next summer and see what happens. If we still have feelings for each other then, maybe we can start dating again. Becca couldn’t believe Jimmy just said that to her. Mark overheard their conversation and said, don’t worry Becca I will call you. I have a car, so Robby and I can take a road trip to your house and you and one of your girlfriends can show us around.

Now Becca was furious with Jimmy for acting like a jerk, and she looked over at Mark and said, just let me know when you want to do that. Jimmy looks at Mark and Becca and said to them, you two will make a nice couple and he walks to the front of the ferry waiting to get off. Becca was very hurt by what Jimmy had said because she really had feelings for Jimmy and he was hurt as well because he felt the same way.

That was one of the longest trips to Goose Port ever. Laura and I felt bad for our friends, but there was nothing we could do. Our summer was over. There wasn’t enough time to fix things. The ferry boat docked at Goose Port, and we had to say our good-byes. My heart was heavy and I didn’t want Laura to leave.

I looked over at her and she kissed me for the first time. It was great. I smiled so big my cheeks hurt. Then Laura’s parents said to her, come on honey, you will see him again next summer. She walked to their car and said, you better call, and I said I will, everyday. She drove off with her parents while I waved until she was gone.

When we finally got back to our home Mom said it’s starting to get late. Rick you need to make sure you have everything ready for your first day back at school. My brother Mark had just graduated last year and this is my senior year. One that every kid in school waits on, and all I could think about was Laura. This might be a lot tougher on me than I thought. I don’t feel like doing anything and my stomach hurts.

Now my dad, Bob Allen a very smart business savvy man who would set in our family room which over looked our island with a telescope just looking at the mountains and resort thinking of new and exciting ways to make the island more profitable. You would think he would take some time off and relax. It’s not like we needed the money, but that was just how my Dad was, always planning for the future.

He would set there and tell stories of how the island used to be when Mom and Dad first met. Dad told my brother and me how he and some of his friends liked to climb to the tops of the mountains and repel down the steep sides. He said, if you ever wanted to feel like you really achieved something in life we should give that a try.

Just at that time my Mom speaks up and said, Bob don’t you tell them boys to do that? You remember what happened. Dad looked over at Mom and just sat back in his chair looking out the window and he got very quiet. I asked my parents, what happened? You can’t say something like that and not finish. Mom looks to Dad and says, Bob if you want to, just go ahead and tell them.

Dad begins with a question. Have you ever climbed Homers Mountain? Mark says that you can only climb just over half way and there is signs on the fence. They say Danger loose rock, do not pass. Dad replies that there is a good reason for that and I don’t want you boys anywhere near that place. I asked, Why not dad? He replies, when I was about your age Rick, my friends Luke and Thomas and I wanted to repel down the steepest mountain side on the island.

I said, not Homers Mountain? At the base of its west side it has a drop of over four hundred feet straight down into the ocean. Dad says, Yes, Homers Mountain. Mark said that’s the craziest thing I ever heard Dad. I can see boulders slide off that mountain almost daily when I’m ferrying guests around the island.

Dad responds, I know, I know. Now, do you want to hear the story or not? My brother and I sat back on the couch and listened. Dad begins to us that the three of them was as close to one another as you can be without being brothers. We never had done anything without the other two.

We skied together to see who could go the fastest and always challenging one another to see who could jump the farthest. We climbed all the mountains just so we could say we did. We always repelled down the steepest sides like no one else, all but the famous Homers Mountain.

We spoke about it but never tried. We knew that mountain was very dangerous from all the stories that we heard. Now when we were at school, some of the kids were kind of envious of us. They would tell us that they can all ski and climb mountains. Look around, that’s all there is to do. Tell us something we can’t do? Immediately Thomas spoke up and said, we are going to repel off Homers Mountain. Is that something everybody can do?

All of the kids asked us when are we going to do that? They want to be there. Luke spoke up and said that we are going to repel down the mountain this Saturday morning. You should be there unless you are chicken and don’t tell your parents. That quickly became the talk of the school. We knew everybody was going to be there.

It was early Saturday morning and the three of us had climbed up almost to the summit of the mountain with all of our gear talking amongst ourselves. I asked if we were sure about doing this. Luke says that we probably need to stop and talk this through. This will be the craziest thing we have ever done. At that time we looked over and seen about twenty of our classmates walking over to us saying, are you guys really going to do this? You are crazy! This mountain will kill you.

Well that’s all it took. We needed to do this for ourselves. Now we can prove once and for all that we are the best, and to show our classmates we will, and can do what we have always told them. Our pride was clearly taking over.

We started back up to the top of the mountain and everyone followed. We slowed down when we saw some of the girls falling behind. As we made it to the top we saw some large rocks fall over the side, as if the mountain was telling us to leave. A few of our classmates was a little scared and started walking back down.

Now I don’t think one of us didn’t have second thoughts, but we went on and set up our gear and threw our ropes over the side. The first eight hundred plus feet down is extremely easy to climb. It is the last four hundred plus foot rock face that nobody can repel. There is nothing to anchor too except loose rock and debris.

Luke went over the edge first and followed by Thomas. I was the last to step over when a large rock rolled over my right shoulder knocking me loose from my rope. Only my lanyard was holding me in place. I looked down and Luke and Thomas were gone. The rock knocked both of them off the mountain.

I began yelling down for them and trying to see if they were alright. I didn’t hear or see them. I started slipping and I thought I was going to fall as well, when someone grabbed my hand. It was Wanda. She climbed down when everyone else ran and grabbed my hand and pulled me back up.

If it wasn’t for your mother, I would have probably fallen to my death. Mark asks, is that how you and Mom met? What happened to your friends? Dad answers, Give me just a minute. This story is hard to tell. Wanda did help me back down the mountain. I could tell it was very hard for her to do.

We had to get down and see what happened to my friends fearing the worst. My shoulder was really hurting me. Wanda did her best making a sling out of her jacket and holding me so I didn’t fall. All I could think of was that my two best friends were dead. All Wanda wanted to do was get me to the hospital.

When we finally got down the mountain and made our way over to the docks, all we had to get to them was a small motor boat and my shoulder hurt so bad I couldn’t drive. Wanda said again that she needed to get me to the hospital. I said to her that I would be fine. Please take me to my friends. Wanda took the boat and drove it down the bay and around the island to my friends. We saw a helicopter in the distance hovering over where Thomas and Luke had fallen.

It was Goose Port Search and Rescue. Some of our classmates had told their parents what we were doing. Their parents made some calls to our parents and Mary and Finley’s Bed and Breakfast but they were too late to stop us. They then called Goose Port Search and Rescue and dispatched a rescue team immediately.

We saw the rescue team pulling a covered body up to the helicopter. I couldn’t believe what we were seeing. My friends had fallen to their death. We approached the mountain and the search and rescue pilot told us to get out of the area. We stayed as long as we could and Wanda said that she needed to get me over to Goose Port, so she can take me to the Hospital, and no is not an option.

Wanda turned the boat towards Goose Port and I said that my friends are dead as tears ran down my face. Just as we started to leave I heard a faint voice saying help me please! I looked at Wanda an asked her if she heard that? Just as I finished speaking we felt something hit the boat. Wanda turned the boat off and an arm reached out of the water grabbing the side. It was Thomas, and he was hurt very badly.

We both tried to pull Thomas into the boat but I was hurt to bad and Wanda wasn’t strong enough. About that time the Helicopter was hovering over us and a diver jumps out of the helicopter into the water next to the boat. He helps us pull him in. I feared for the worst. He was bleeding everywhere.

Mark and I were both sitting on the edge of our seats listening to Dad when he just got up and wiped his face and walked out the door. I asked my Mom, Where’s Dad going? Mom says that your Dad has never spoken to anyone about what happened on the island that day. I was very surprised that he actually started telling you. He must have wanted you two boys to know. Mark looks over and asks why dad just up and left. What happened to his friends? You have to tell us!

Mom walks over to the window and seen that Dad got into his truck and was leaving when Mom hesitantly says, Okay I guess it’s alright to tell you the rest. Well the diver helped get Thomas in the boat and got in just after and looks at me with a concerned look on his face.

He asked me to start heading for Goose Port as fast as I could. We have an ambulance waiting there. I started the boat up and began to drive just as fast as the boat would go. When I looked back I seen Bob and Thomas just lying there hurt and in a great deal of pain. Thomas looked over at your dad and asked how Luke was doing.

Your dad looked at the rescue diver and he just shook his head no to Bob. Your Dad started tearing up and told Thomas, Luke didn’t make it. Thomas yells out, yes he did! He stayed with me until I was able to get in the boat. When the helicopter came, they picked him up first. He told me to just hold on. Everything will be alright. I know he didn’t have a scratch on him.

The rescue diver looks over at Thomas and said that he really needed to just lie there and stay calm right now. You are in very bad shape, and you need to rest. We looked at our Mom and noticed she was crying too. I told Mom that she didn’t have to tell us anymore if she didn’t want too. Mom says with a soft voice, I just needed a moment. I think I can finish now.

There must have been someone in the water with him because his injuries were so bad. He couldn’t have swum to the boat by himself. I asked if it was Luke. Is he still alive? Mom looks at my brother and me and said; Luke fell over four hundred feet straight down and landed on his back on top of a large boulder. He died instantly.

Mark asks Mom who was in the water with Thomas then. Mom answers, I don’t know! I guess I will never know. When we finally made it across the channel to Goose Port there was an ambulance waiting for Bob and Thomas. The ambulance took them to the hospital. When I looked over I saw the rescue team place Luke into the coroners’ car. At that point I realized what had just taken place. The adrenaline in my body was to overwhelming and I just broke down and cried.

My Mom and Dad came from the island to take me home. It was later that day when I called Bobs home and his sister Hannah answered. I told her who I was and that I just wanted to check on Bob and Thomas. She quickly handed the phone to her mother Lillian who was surprised with my call and said, are you that little Smith girl, Wanda. I am so glad to hear from you. Wanda you saved my son’s life.

You are always welcome to call or come to my house anytime you want. Bob has a broken collar bone and some cuts and scrapes. His left hand has a bruise of your hand on it. You must have really grabbed him tight. He just went on and on about you. I think you might have a young man on your hands now.

Mom said that she had always wanted to talk to Bob, but I could never get up enough courage. Lillian replies, Oh I think you have plenty of courage. We are so, so very proud of you. You need to come over so Burt and I can get to know you. Mom replies, I look forward to that Mrs. Allen.

How about Thomas? How is he doing? Lillian begins to tell her, now don’t you worry yourself over Thomas. He is a very strong willed young man. He has a lot of serious injuries with his broken right leg and arm.

They told us he also had some internal bleeding that would have killed him if it wasn’t for the water being so cold. I think they called it Hypothermia. The doctors said if it wasn’t for that, Thomas would have died. When he fell, he bounced on the side of the mountain a couple of times and landed in the water. His gear kept him afloat until you and Bob got to him.

Now you know Luke wasn’t so lucky. Lillian begins to cry on the phone and said, Luke was killed in the fall. It just breaks my heart. It will take Bob a very long time to get over that. He asked me to take all his sports gear and throw it all away. I just boxed it up and put it in the attic. Sooner or later he will change his mind.

Mom asks, Is Bob home from the hospital? I would like to speak to him. Lillian answers, He is upstairs in bed. I want him to rest now. I’m going to tell him you called. He will like that. Mom replies, Thank you Mrs. Allen. Tell him I would like to speak with him when he is feeling better. Lillian says, I know he would like to talk to you but it may be some time before he calls. I think he is still blaming himself for the accident. They always listened to him.

Mom says, Mrs. Allen it wasn’t his fault. I know! I was there. Nobody could have seen that coming. Please have him call me when he is feeling better. Lillian replies, Honey I will be sure to do that. I can never repay you for what you have done. Now you just rest and take care of yourself. We will be looking forward to seeing you. Bye.

Mark says, No wonder Dad walked away! That was sad mom. She replies, that was very sad but that wasn’t the end of it. Let’s see, it was a Saturday when the accident happened. So on that following Thursday was Luke’s funeral. The whole town showed up. Your Dad was there with his parents. I remember them sitting up front when a care nurse walked in pushing Thomas in a wheel chair followed by his parents.

Oh the whispering that was going on. Bob walks over to Thomas and hugs him the best he could and they both started crying. After that everyone there began to cry. Bob grabs Thomas’s wheel chair and pushes him up to Luke’s casket. The casket was closed because of the amount of damage done to Luke’s body when he fell. At that time Thomas yells out, Luke is not in there Bob! They are all lying to us! Luke where are you? Somebody please tell me.

Thomas is crying even harder and yelling, Bob tell them please. Luke is not in that casket. He helped me to your boat. Tell them! Please tell them. Bob told his friend; Wanda and I watched them pull Luke off the rocks in a body bag. He died Thomas. He died in the fall.

Thomas with tears in his face said, that’s not true Bob. We saw you coming for us. Luke held me up in the water and pulled me towards the boat. When you got there he yelled out, help! You shut your boat off and he pushed my arm up so I could grab the boat and the helicopter came and took him away. Bob you have to remember.

The nurse walks over to Thomas and injects him with a sedative. Thomas’s Dad and Mom took hold of his wheel chair, and apologize to everyone for Thomas’s behavior. They said he hasn’t been the same since the accident, and that they would be selling their home and moving from Goose Port right away.

Everyone at the funeral was whispering about Thomas saying that he must have landed on his head. There was no way Luke helped him. Bob speaks up listening to everyone and said, Will everyone just shut up and show some respect. My friend has died and my other friend is hurt and now moving away and all you can do is whisper amongst yourselves that Thomas is crazy. He must have landed on his head. What is wrong with you people, with great anger in his voice?

Bob runs out the door to try and stop Thomas’s family from leaving, but they were already gone. I ran out the door after your Dad and saw him like he was totally lost and all alone. His whole world just fell apart. I said, Bob I’m still here. Bob reaches his hand out to me and I grabbed it. We just stood there standing in the parking lot, not saying a word. My Mom and Dad was standing on the porch with their arms around each other, just watching us.

Everyone started coming out of the funeral home when we saw them put Luke into the Hearse. We went to the cemetery and buried one of Bob’s best friends, Luke. It took a while for your Dad to put that behind him, but I stayed by his side the whole time. Day by day we became closer and closer until we started a life together.

When the news got out about the tragedy on Smith’s island, it seems that everyone wanted to look and see for themselves. The island became more and more popular as a tourist spot. Mom and Dad’s Bed and Breakfast started getting more guests than they could handle. They started allowing guests to camp there. Every year more and more guests. Daddy finally took out a loan from the bank and sold a small tract of land for vacation homes and started adding on.

Bob came their and started working for my parents and it just kept growing larger and larger too what it is today. That is why your Dad is always thinking of how he can make our Resort bigger and better. It was the loss of his two best friends that drives him. I said we have never heard that story before. It is terrible what had happened. Now all of this is because of the accident. That’s just too much to take in at one time.

Just then the phone rang. Mom answers hello, then she giggles a little and said, Rick it’s for you. It’s Laura. I jumped straight up off the couch and grabbed the phone. Hello! Laura said, hi it’s me. I hope I am not calling you at a bad time. I said, No it’s a good time to call. I was wondering when I should call you without looking too needy.

Laura said, Oh! You think I’m sounding needy? I can just hang up. I said, No, no, no! It’s different when a guy calls a girl. Girls are complicated. Laura asks, what do you mean, complicated. Girls are not complicated! Where the heck did you hear that from, Jimmy? Now he is complicated. I can’t believe he broke up with Becca! What in the world was he thinking?

At that time I knew I had a real honest to goodness girlfriend. So I laughed a little and Laura replies I’m glad you think that’s funny. Becca has been calling me and crying her eyes out ever since we left. I said, I wasn’t laughing about that. I was laughing because I just realized you and I are really dating. Laura said, you better realize! And you better not be hanging out with them skanky McGee girls. I said, don’t worry, that will never happen. That’s Marks thing. Now, what are we going to do about our friends? Do you think we can get them back together?

Laura answers, well I was just sitting here thinking. You and Jimmy have a Senior Home coming next month and I already asked Mom and Dad if I could go. My parents said if I keep my grades up and they speak with your parents about what I can and cannot do, that they don’t see a problem with it. Then we can get Jimmy to ask Becca to go and we can all be together again. Pretty simple, don’t you think?

I replied, Wow you have that all planned out. Laura replies sounding a little embarrassed, what was I thinking! You probably weren’t going to ask me to your Home coming? I said I would love for you to go to Home coming with me. I just thought since we lived so far away from one another that if I asked you, I would just get let down.

I’m excited. Let me speak with Jimmy. I can talk him in to just about anything. Laura says; tell him it was your idea. I don’t want him to think Becca is desperate. I replied, I will tell him the only way you can come up is that Becca comes with you. He won’t see that coming.

Laura says, Call him right now and take care of that and call me right back. Oh! He will have to call Becca and ask her to the Home coming himself. I smiled and shook my head a little and said; now that might be a problem since she never told him about Mark. Laura replies if you want me to come to Home coming, you are going to have to get Becca invited. I said, Okay, okay, okay. Let me off the phone and I will do my best. Laura replies, Okay I am so excited. Don’t forget to call me back. Bye.

I walked into the kitchen where my mother was and asked Mom would you and Dad care if I invited Laura to the Home coming? Mom answers, we wouldn’t care but Laura’s parents might. I replied, No we already asked them and they said it was okay. Oh by the way, you have to speak with her parents. They want to know all the details. Mom looks at me with a confused look and says I don’t even know all the details! I said, Thanks Mom. Oh and Becca is coming too.

Mom says, Rick, you can’t take two girls to your Home coming. I replied I know Mom. I am working on that right now. Mom says, why not you ask your brother Mark! I’m sure he would like that very much. I replied quickly and said, Mark! That’s not going to happen. I am going to get Jimmy to ask her.

Mom replies, you know Mark likes Becca too. They were dating throughout the summer. I don’t know why they stopped? I answered, Because Becca started going out with Jimmy. Becca wants Jimmy to ask her to the Home coming. I’m going over to Jimmy’s house for awhile. I will be back for supper, bye.

As I left, Mom walks up to my Brother Mark’s room and asks, Mark I thought you liked Becca Johnson? Mark replies I do! I guess I wasn’t spending enough time with her because of work. She started going out with Rick’s friend Jimmy. It was probably for the best. We really didn’t have that much in common.

Mom says, Rick is taking Laura to his Home coming and Becca is coming with her. I have to speak with their parents over the details. If you want, I will tell them you would like to take Becca. Mark replies I better get a tuxedo then. Thanks Mom! I wouldn’t mind having a little fun. Mom replies, Then it’s all settled. Both of my boys are going to Home coming together. I’m so excited. I have so much to do.

Mom got her phone book out and calls Laura’s mother Mary Ann. Hello Mary Ann, This is Wanda Allen. How are you? Mary Ann answers, hi Wanda, I was just getting ready to call you about the Home coming. Mom replies, Rick just told me and I think it’s a wonderful idea. Mary Ann says I do too. They make a cute couple. I hope you are going to take a lot of pictures. I want a copy of them all. Wanda replies, I was thinking about getting a photographer. Mary Ann says, that will be great. Just send me the bill. Mom replies, Bob and I will take care of that.

We are so excited that you are going to let Laura come. We have plenty of extra rooms in this house. It will be nice to have another girl here. Bob and I will keep a very close eye on her. Mary Ann says, Wanda you know part of our arrangement with Laura is that Becca comes with her. Do you have enough room for both of them? Mom answers, yes you know we do. We even have Becca a date. Mary Ann asks, who? Mom replies, Rick’s older brother Mark.

You know they were dating over the summer. Mary Ann says, that sounds fantastic! I’m sure Beccas parents would like pictures as well. Mom replies, Don’t you worry about pictures. That will be all taken care of. You have to let us know what the girls are going to wear. I want the boys to match.

Mary Ann says, I will Wanda, just what would these kids do with out there Mother’s? Mom says I will have Bob call Beccas parents to let them know all the details. Rick will be so happy everything is taken care of. Please don’t forget to let me know what the girls are going to wear. I want this Home coming to be perfect. Mary Ann replies I will Wanda. I will call you soon. Bye.

I went over to Jimmy’s house and found him in the garage working on his car. I asked what have you been up to. Jimmy answers; I’m just changing my oil. What brings you over? I replied, Well I just got off the phone with Laura. Jimmy says, Laura! Buddy she’s got you hooked. I said, Yea, yea, yea whatever. She asked me if I wanted to take her to the Home coming. Jimmy says, The Home coming! She lives five hundred miles away. I replied I know we have that covered.

Her parents are going to fly her in. Jimmy says that’s cool. I will go with you to pick her up at the airport. I replied, I think part of the deal we made with her parents is that Mom and or Dad picks her up. Jimmy says sounds like you have everything worked out. I replied, well not everything! Jimmy says I don’t like the sound of that Rick. What do you need? I answered, Well Jimmy my best friend in the whole world. Jimmy stops me and says, No man! Don’t get me caught up in one of your schemes. I said you know I wouldn’t ask you if I didn’t need your help.

Jimmy looks at me and says, Okay what do you need me to do? My mind started racing with thoughts of how I would ask him so I said, now here me out before you react. Jimmy shaking his head asks me, what is it? I answered, Well buddy the only way Laura can come is if Becca comes with her.

Jimmy quickly answered, No forget that thought man. You should have done what I did and just broke it off before things got to complicated. I said, Jimmy that’s not why you broke things off. It was because she didn’t tell you about Mark. If I knew you was going to act like that and I was her, I wouldn’t have told you either.

Jimmy asks did you know she was dating Mark. I answered, No man you know I didn’t. Jimmy says I know you didn’t. Sorry Rick. What do you need me to do? I said, Jimmy I need you to call Becca and ask her to the Home coming. Jimmy says she really hurt my feelings Rick. You have to know that. I thought I was with someone I could spend the rest of my life with. Why didn’t she tell me? At least then I would know I could trust her.

I said things with the four of us happened pretty quickly. I don’t think she was really interested in Mark. She said they went out on a couple of dates together. She didn’t say they were dating. Come on man, give her another chance. Jimmy replies I do miss her. Okay Rick, I will call her. Do you think she will go with me? I said, would I be here asking you to call her if I thought any different. Jimmy nods his head and says I’ll give her a call right now. I’ll let you know what happens. I said, Okay, I told Mom I would be home for supper. See ya later.

As I was driving home, I was feeling kind of good about myself. I went from being upset because I couldn’t see my girlfriend Laura until next summer, to getting to see her next month and going together to my Senior Home coming. Not only that, I single handedly got Becca and my best friend back together.

Well maybe not single handedly and maybe not back together. I have a lot to get done now. I have to rent a tuxedo, make reservations for four at the Crab shack, buy some flowers, and find a place to take everyone afterwards, without my parents knowing. That might be a little tricky.

When I got home the house smelled great. Mom was in the kitchen cooking my favorite meal. I asked, what’s going on Mom? I’m starving and everything smells delicious. Mom was just smiling and singing to herself like she does when she has good news and needs to tell someone. I said, Okay Mom, What’s up? Mom says, just wait a couple more minutes for your Dad and brother.

Dad and Mark come down and sat at the table and we all knew Mom had some good news to tell us when she said, I am so exited! I just spoke with Laura’s parents and they are allowing Laura and Becca to come stay with us so they can go to Rick’s Senior Home coming. I said that’s great Mom! They really said okay? Mom says, Yes they did, and that’s not all. They also agreed to let Mark take Becca to the Home coming with you. Isn’t that great news? Both of our boys Bob are going to Home coming together.

Dad says with a stern voice, you two better be on your best behavior. Your mother and I are responsible for the girls. My thoughts were racing. I was devastated. I said, Mom! What did you do? Jimmy is taking Becca to the Home coming. Mom says, Jimmy! He will have to get his own date. Mary Ann and I have already made all the arrangements. It will be a night Bob and I will never forget. Both are sons going to Home coming together with their girlfriends.

I said, Girlfriends! Mark and Becca aren’t dating. Mom replies, they were dating all summer! Rick, what’s the matter? I went through a lot of trouble to make this happen because you asked me too. Mom starts tearing up and said will you please do this for me? This is something I will remember for the rest of my life. I said, but I have Jimmy calling Becca to ask her to the Home coming as we speak.

Mark speaks up and says, Jimmy! They’re not going out. He broke up with her on the boat. I was standing right there when it happened. I told her I would come and visit her and she smiled at me. Dad spoke up and said, Rick you asked your mother to do something you should have done. You and Mark are going to take Laura and Becca to your Home coming or you are not going at all.

I was thinking how bad I felt. I made my Mom cry and my Dad upset. I got up from the table and gave my Mom a big hug and said, Thank you Mom. Thanks for making all the arrangements. You are the best. Mom takes a deep breath and says, I just forgot how complicated it is to be a teenager. That’s enough of that now. Your dinner is getting cold.

Jimmy was at his house pacing the floor trying to get the courage up to call Becca. He finally picks the phone up and calls. Beccas mother Alice answers, Hello! Jimmy replies, Oh hello Mrs. Johnson, this is Jimmy Young, is Becca there? I would like to speak to her please. Alice responds is this the same Jimmy Young that broke my babies’ heart over the summer? Jimmy replies, Yes that would be me.

Alice says, Jimmy I don’t think this is a good idea. Becca is just now starting to come out of her room. You really hurt her. Jimmy holding his head towards the floor took a deep breath and says, I know Mrs. Johnson, I was just jealous over her dating Mark Allen before we met last summer.

Alice replies with anger in her voice, Mark Allen! Becca never liked him like that. She was just doing that for her Dad. John and Bob Allen have been friends since college. They are good friends and do business together. When you get older, you will learn to ask more questions before jumping to conclusions. Let me see if Becca is available, you little Dumb Ass!

Jimmy started thinking about what Mrs. Johnson had just said, When Becca picks up the phone and says, Hello. Jimmy says, Hi Becca its Jimmy. Becca with a confused look on her face answers, what do you want? Jimmy replies I just wanted to call you and say I’m sorry. Becca asks, Sorry for what? You made it quite clear to me that you didn’t want to talk to or see me again until next summer. Jimmy swallowing his pride says, I did, I made a huge mistake. I miss you a lot. I can’t get you out of my mind.