Music in the Night (Logan 4)

"Let's have a rematch," he demanded.

"You'll have to speak to my manager," Robert said, nodding at me.

"Cary, please, stop. Let's have dessert."

"I don't need dessert. Come on. You were just lucky, Royce," Cary declared. He took his stance and held out his hand. Robert looked at me. I shook my head but he shrugged.

"I can't pass up a challenge," he said. "I have my fans to consider."

"Great." I slammed the basket cover down and sulked as they started their struggle.

It went as before, both nearly toppling the other. Cary was much more intense this time, his determination twisting his mouth and filling his eyes with fire. Once again, Robert made a good feint, only this time when he pulled back, Cary fell forward onto him and the two of them toppled to the sand.

"Tie," I cried, happy it was over, but they didn't let go of each other. The test of strength continued on the ground. Robert laughed and Cary tugged his arm, pushing him back to the sand. In response, Robert clutched Cary's ankle and pulled him to the sand. Then the two of them grappled, turning and twisting, one over the other.

"STOP IT!" I screamed. I stood up. May did, too. "If you two don't stop, I'm leaving."

They grunted, neither relinquishing his hold on the other. The struggle continued. I grabbed May's hand and she looked back over her shoulder as I pulled her away. I marched over the beach and back to our house, leaving the two muscle men grunting and groaning in the sand.

Thanks to their stupid male egos, what could have been a perfectly wonderful afternoon was ruined. Mommy and Daddy had gone to town, so I didn't have to answer any questions. Instead, I went upstairs to my room, May trailing along, wondering what had gone wrong.

"Boys!" I signed angrily. "They can be such idiots. They were getting along so well and now this. I'm tired of it. You're lucky. You still treat boys as if they had cooties."

"Not anymore, Laura. I like a boy in my class," she confessed.

"Don't tell him," I advised. I was feeling so bitter and angry. I seized my latest needlework and sat by the window jabbing the needle in and out of the cloth.

A short time later, I saw Robert and Cary, They weren't walking side by side until they reached the house. Then they stopped and spoke to each other quietly.

"Thanks for ruining the picnic," I hollered out the window. The two looked up.

"We were just fooling around, Laura," Cary claimed. "Why did you run off like that?"

"You weren't fooling around. You're both just two idiots," I declared. "I don't care if I do anything with either of you again."

"Laura," Robert pleaded. "It was just . ."

I folded my arms and sat back so neither of them could see me. I didn't hear them come into the hous

e and I didn't hear Robert drive off, but I held my curiosity on a tight leash and didn't look out the window. They're planning something, I thought, and suddenly heard the two of them singing beneath my window. To the tune of "My Darlin' Clementine," they sang, "We are sorry, we are sorry, we are sorry for what we did. We feel lost and gone forever, oh our darlin' Laura Logan." They repeated it until I stuck my head out and saw the two of them, now with their arms around each other's shoulders, gazing up at me.

I couldn't help but laugh.

"Are we forgiven?" Robert asked.

"You shouldn't be, but you are," I said with a smile. "Then, can we have our dessert now?" Cary followed. "We worked up another appetite."

"Oh, now the feast makes sense, huh? Come on in," I said, delighted that they had come to a truce.

I signed to May, explaining what was

happening now. She shook her head with confusion.

"Being grown-up is going to be harder than I thought," she replied and I laughed.

After dessert, Cary went back to the beach to dock the Sunfish and I walked Robert to his car to say good-bye.

"I had a great time. I'm really sorry about our ruining it for you, Laura."