Music in the Night (Logan 4)

I blushed before I could utter a reply.

"You don't have to answer. I know the answer," he said, walking ahead. We had just dropped off May when he quickened his steps and kept in front of me the rest of the way to school. As soon as Cary saw Robert waiting at my locker, he glared at me and then hurried away to join his own friends.

"Something wrong?" Robert asked

immediately. He looked after Cary, who was plowing through other students, knocking shoulders, and clearing a path.

"I'll tell you about it later," I said and organized my books and notebooks for another day of school.

Cary remained distant, barely looking at me in classes or in the hallways. He sat with his friends in the cafeteria and I sat with Robert. It was then that I told him about Cary and me getting into trouble for visiting my forbidden aunt.

"How weird," Robert said. "No one will tell you exactly why she's off limits?"

"No one thinks we're old enough yet," I muttered.

"I've got relatives I haven't seen, but it's only because they're wrapped up in their own lives. My mother calls them the funeral family." He laughed at my look of puzzlement.

"Funeral family?"

"We see them only at the funerals of other family members. She says as far as she knows, these people have only black clothing."

He laughed and I smiled.

"That's better," he said. "That's more like my Laura. Do you want to go to the movies this weekend? I can splurge. My father paid me back wages. I can take you to dinner, too. I can even afford the Captain's Table!"

"I'll see," I said and then quickly added, "what my father says. I want to go."

"Good," Robert said, slipping his hand under the table to take hold of mine. He squeezed it gently. "Good."

I wanted to wait until a little more time passed before I asked Daddy's permission to go to dinner and a movie with Robert. Fortunately, over the next few days, Daddy's mood improved because he was enjoying a good lobster catch and there was talk that the prices for the cranberries would go up in time for our harvest this year. One night after dinner and after I helped Mommy clean up, I stopped in the living room and asked him if it would be all right for Robert to take me to a movie.

"And dinner first," I added.

"Dinner?" Daddy's eyebrows rose. "The tourist season hasn't even started yet really, and he's got money to waste?" I smiled.

"He doesn't think it's a waste to take me to dinner, Daddy," I said.

Daddy shook his head.

"When I was your age, going to a restaurant was something I did only with my parents."

"It's different now, Daddy."

"Aye, that it is, and not all for the better."

"It's just a date, Daddy. I'm old enough to go on dates," I said softly, giving him my best smile.

"Ask your mother about it," he said finally. This was the same as him saying it was all right. Of course, I knew Mommy would approve.

I told Robert the next day at school, which made him very happy. We were both back to our old selves, holding hands, laughing, enjoying our time together. I felt a whole new energy, and I was eager now to face my exams and end the year on a high note.

When Cary, Robert, and I left the building at the end of the day, however, we were surprised to see Grandma Olivia's Rolls-Royce in front of the school and Raymond waiting beside it. He waved as soon as he spotted us.

"What's going on?" I wondered aloud.

"Your grandmother would like to see you, Miss Laura," Raymond said.

"See me?"