Cathy and Mike

"Nah. I have to run this place by myself until my uncle comes back. I couldn’t leave for a day or two."

"Come with me Cathy. I have a great place to stay, and you would love my mom. This isn’t the kind of life for you all alone out here."

Cathy reached over and kissed him again. "Wait out here while I change. I will make you breakfast."

Mike complied, but he was torn. He had promised his mom to be home last night, and she would be worried over his not being there. It was not like him to make her worry. Yet he was not too much concerned at the moment. He was intoxicated with Cathy! His young heart was almost bursting over this girl. He never knew he could feel so good about someone, and feel so much joy just thinking about her.

Before Mike left, Cathy got out an old Kodak camera, and took Mike’s picture next to his car. "I got to have something to remember you by, don’t I?" Cathy grinned.

"Let me take your picture now." Mike reached for the camera.

"No, silly. That was the last one. You bring back a camera and you can have all the pictures you want."

It was nearly noon before he left her. She had fixed him a big breakfast, and then a bigger lunch. They were alone in the café. He couldn’t keep his hands off her, and she gently kept him at bay lest someone drive up, or Pete come in for coffee. So Mike was a gentleman, barely.

Before he left, he gave her a heart shaped silver locket. It was all he had. It once belonged to his mother, and she had given it to him one Christmas when there wasn’t much else to get. It had an old picture of him from his first year at high school.

Cathy held it close to her, and put in around her neck, sweetly kissing her new lover. Mike’s eyes lingered over her as he reluctantly drove off. He would come back that afternoon to pick her up. He couldn’t wait, and he was counting the hours already, as he drove off furiously toward the highway and home.

Mike’s mom was on the steps of their covered porch, which ran the length of their little trailer. She suddenly sat down on the steps as Mike pulled up, skidding the last few feet, sending gravel flying. He as concerned, because somehow she didn’t look well.

"Mom! Are you OK?" Mike ran to her side and sat down beside her.

She ran her hand through her graying hair, clutching the top of her blouse. Her face was ashen. "Mike, where did you get that car?"

Mike grinned. "I bought it in Bishop. Do you like it? Come take a look!"

"No! I just want to go inside, son. Help me up."

Mike was attentive to her as he helped he inside. What was wrong? She sat in her favorite chair in their little living room. The TV had some soap opera on, but neither of them paid any attention to it. Mike sat on the couch next to her, and watched her watching him.

"Mike, where were you yesterday?"

Mike grinned real big. "I met this girl, mom. You got to meet her. She is wonderful! You will really like her. I want to bring her here. We want to get married." Pure hearts just speak their mind, not noticing any problems at all.

The woman was silent for a long time, as if seeing something far away. She could only stare at her son, sitting there so grown up all of a sudden. He was just seventeen, after all.