Cutler 04 - Midnight Whispers

sipping punch, I gazed around for Gavin, but I didn't see him at the dais or anywhere on the dance floor. I did see Pauline come walking in from the patio. I waved and she came rushing over.
    "Have you seen Gavin?" I asked.
    "Yes. He went outside. I followed him, but he wanted to be alone," she added.
    "Outside?" I thanked her and hurried to see what was wrong. I almost didn't see him standing off in the shadows in the corner. He was standing quietly, gazing out toward the ocean. The sky had cleared considerably, so that there were stars twinkling, some so close to the horizon they looked like they were on the water.
    "Gavin?"
    He spun around.
    "I didn't mean to frighten you," I said.
    "I wasn't frightened," he replied quickly. I went to him.
    "Are you all right?"
    "Sure. I just wanted to get some air. Fern's smoking up the place all by herself, I think," he added disdainfully.
    "Is that all that's wrong?" I pursued. I didn't like the way he avoided my eyes.
    "Sure," he said quickly, too quickly.
    "I'm sorry I didn't get to dance with you yet. I was just . . ."
    "That's all right," he said. "It's your party; you're the center of attention. Anyway, I don't blame all those guys for wanting to dance with you." He looked at me finally. "You played great. You're going to be a famous pianist and tour all over the world. You'll meet a lot of wealthy, famous people and probably even play for queens and kings. You probably won't even remember me!" he said, firing all this at me as he narrowed his beautiful eyes.
    "Gavin! What a terrible thing to say! Is that how little you think of me?" I demanded, my hands on my hips.
    "Huh?"
    He set me on a tirade; my face flushed and I felt as if I were rolling head over heels down a steep hill and couldn't stop.
    "You think I would be so egotistical and selfish that I would forget the people I care about the most? When did I treat you like that? Why should you make such a horrible prediction? I wouldn't want any success if it would turn me into such a monster, and no matter what you think, I wouldn't forget you for a day. Why, you're in my thoughts almost all the time," I added before I could stop myself.
    "I am?" he said. I swallowed and nodded. "Why?"
    "You just are," I said. "Not a day passes when I don't think something about you or something I'm going to write to you."
    "You're not just saying this to make me feel better, are you?" he asked suspiciously.
    "Oh Gavin, it's just like a man to think that. Men are more afraid to believe in someone. They steal hearts so often, they're terrified of giving their own sincerely."
    "I'm not," he declared. "Not to you, anyway," he added.
    "Well then . . . have a little more faith in me," I said.
    "Sure."
    We stared at each other.
    "You didn't even kiss me happy birthday yet," I said, my heart pounding.
    "Happy birthday," he whispered and leaned toward me, his eyes closing first. I closed mine and felt his lips touch my lips so softly it was as if a gentle breeze had caressed my face. I couldn't help feeling disappointed. He must have seen it immediately, for just as I started to open my eyes, his lips touched mine again, only this time harder, and with it his hands came to my shoulders so he could gather me to him . It was the first real kiss of my life.
    We separated, neither of us able to speak for a moment. And then we heard the shouting. My perfect night was about to be ruined after all.

 
    3
TWO HEARTS ENTWINED
     
    GAVIN AND I WENT TO THE END OF THE PATIO TO LOOK out and see who was shouting. Daddy had pulled Aunt Fern roughly out of the ballroom through the French doors to another patio at the rear.
    "Jimmy, you're hurting my wrist!" she cried and spun out of his grasp, nearly losing her balance and falling. Straightening up, she stood there rubbing her wrist and glaring at him, but even from where we were standing, Aunt Fern looked like she was wobbling.
    "How could you do that?" Daddy demanded. "How could you try to sabotage this wonderful affair? Is there no decency in you?"
    "I didn't do it," Aunt Fern insisted.
    "You didn't do it? You stink from it," he said, waving his hand wildly.
    "I drank some, but I didn't put the whiskey in the punch bowl," she claimed. Gavin and I looked at each other. Small children were drinking that punch, too, as well as all my school friends. Their parents would be angry and annoyed. How horrible.
    "One of the bellhops saw you do it, Fern, and I believe him. He's a very reliable young man," Daddy said.