Chrissy hurried through the park clutching her jacket against the bitter fall wind. Her long blonde hair whipped around her face and into her mouth as she gasped for air.  She had to get back home soon.  She knew her father would be timing and watching for her.

Hurrying behind the park gazebo, she ran straight into Heath’s waiting arms.  Holding her close to warm her and shield her from the bitter wind Heath buried his face in the softness of her throat, and the soft blonde curls he loved. 

"Hi, sweetheart," he breathed as he captured her soft lips in a long hungry kiss.  Coming up for air, he released her long enough to open his jacket and wrap it around her. "Is your Dad waiting for you?"

"Yes, of course, as always." 

"What’d you want?" Heath asked.  "Why’d you call?"

"I just wanted to see you, alright?"

"Sure, I wanted to see you, too.  But your Dad won't like it and you know it."

"I know.  What are we going to do? I can’t stand much more of his anger and keeping us apart.  I love you."

"I love you, too. But, what can we do?  You won't graduate from High School until spring and even then your Dad will do everything he can to keep us apart."

"He's so stubborn.  Mom tried to reason with him but his anger and abuse only made her take more pills.  He says you have no future . . “

"Maybe, he's right. The scholarship isn't enough, and we both know where I live is considered, by most, to be the wrong part of town.  My father walked out on me and Mom, and your Dad thinks I'll be just like him."

"He's wrong.  I believe in you.  You can do anything you decide to do.  You work and still play football . . . and get good grades, too. He worked after school, too.  He talks about it all the time."

"Yeah, maybe that's why he's afraid I won't do any better’n

he has. You've got to go or he'll know something's wrong. I'm workin’ on somethin’. . . I'll tell you later.  It may not work out."

"Tell me now. . . ." Chrissy begged.

"No, later." Heath answered pulling Crissy close for the taste of another sweet kiss.  "You'd better go.  Remember, I love you." Pulling her jacket close around her he gently turned her, and pointed her toward home.

Chrissy shoved her hands in her pockets and starting jogging.  Turning to look back she couldn’t resist blowing him a kiss and waving goodbye.  She heard his laugh blowing in the wind.  He always told her air kisses weren’t satisfying.  He preferred the real thing especially when he was holding her tightly in his arms.  However, he did wave before he turned toward home.

Continuing to jog for warmth as well as speed Chrissy picked up her Mother’s prescription . . . met her friend Julie as the drug store, and  asked if she had finished her English Lit. paper yet. . . grabbed a Milky Way candy bar and bolted out the door jogging even faster.

She pondered, What’s he planning? Surely, he won’t just go away.  I’ll get him to tell me tomorrow. I love him so much.  He said he loved me . . . I know he does!  Why is Dad so set against him?  He doesn’t even know him. 

Slowing down two blocks from home to catch her breath Chrissy knew Heath was the love of her life and she wanted to always be with him. No matter what her Father said.

“It’s about time!  You sure took long enough.  Your Mother needs those pills now.”  Frank, her father, yelled at her as he snatched the bag from her in his anger. He resented Chrissy and her mother, in spite of himself.  He knew, deep down, he had no right to resent either of them.  He knew, but couldn’t bring himself to admit, it was no more Betty’s fault than his that she became pregnant; forcing both of them to drop out of college after their freshman year.  His pride in his marriage, and doing the right thing, faded as did his love for their child, Chrissy.  A series of dead end jobs and currently working in a collections job where he endured cursing, lying, evasion, and sometimes criminal actions left his feelings raw and lowered his

 self respect. 

“I went as fast as I could.”

“And took time to meet him someplace, didn’t you?”

“What? You know I didn’t have time.”

“Huh, I doubt that.  Missy, you better hear me and hear me good.  He’s not right for you.  I’ll see to it that you two never get together if I have to have him arrested.”

“Arrested for what?  He hasn’t done anything.”

“And he better not. . . “  Frank glared at Chrissy before turning to take the pills into Betty, Chrissy’s mother.

Tossing and turning through the night Chrissy wondered if she would be able to stand her Father raving and ranting at her until Spring.  She knew he would watch her constantly and make it almost impossible for her to see Heath.  She had to do something.  Her Mother couldn’t help her.  She had retreated into a prescription drug fog years ago to avoid an abusive and nagging husband. 

*

Heath stood across the street from the Marine recruiting office where he’d been standing for at least fifteen minutes. Finally, making his decision, he crossed the street, and entered the office. 

Sgt. Myers had been watching him and waiting to see what his decision would be. He watched him as he crossed the street, and stood to shake his hand as he asked the redundant question, “Made up

your mind?”

“Yeah, Yeah, I have.”

“Any more questions?  Anything you thought of since yesterday?”

“No, I think I asked them all then.  I believe the two hours we spent talking had been enough.  I’m ready.”

“Does your Mother know?  How about your girl?”

“Mom knows and she’s cool with it.  I’m going to tell my girl this afternoon.”

“Sure, you don’t want to tell her first.  You won’t see her for awhile, you know.”

“Yeah, I’m sure.  Her Dad won’t let us see each other much anyway.  But, after next spring he won’t be able to stop us.  She’ll be eighteen then and I’ll be able to support her and my Mom.”

“What then?  You mentioned college.”

“I’ll use the education money for that.  We’ll make it.”

“I’m ready to sign you up.  So, you have until you finish signing to change your mind.  But, it sounds like you have it all planned out.”  Sarge laughingly replied.

“You bet.  Let’s go.”

 Heath walked out of the recruiting office, folded the envelope of papers, stuffed it in his pocket and text messaged his friend Hal.  “Tell Chrissy I’ll meet her at the gazebo after school.”

*

Heath anxiously waited at the gazebo blowing on his hands to keep them warm.  He checked the time again and knew she should be out of school.  Heath watched for her and couldn’t imagine why she didn’t come to him. Maybe her Dad stopped her somehow. Finally he started home knowing Chrissy would call him as soon as she could.

Text Messaging Hal, again, to ask if she got the message, he waited on the curb as an ambulance passed then crossed the street toward home. Hal’s message came through three blocks later, “Chrissy was hit by a truck. Taking her to hospital.”

Heath couldn’t breathe.  He felt like it had been him hit by a truck.  Not Chrissy.  Please, God, not Chrissy. 

He turned and started running toward the hospital praying at each step, Not Chrissy.  Please, God, not Chrissy.

Rushing into the emergency room Heath breathlessly yelled, “Chrissy. . . Chrissy. . .  where. .  are. .  you?” 

“You’ll have to take a seat, Sir.  You can’t come in here yelling like that.” Nurse Edwards stopped him.

“Heath, I’m back here.  Heath. . . “ Chrissy answered.

“Look, nurse, that’s my girl and I’m goin’ back to her okay . . please.”

After one look at his sweaty and tear streaked face she said, “I understand, young man, but the doctor is with her now.  You’d only be in the way and slow down the doctor’s work. Just sit down here and catch your breath.”

“But, is she alive? Is she okay?”

“She’s alive.  You just heard her call for you didn’t you” she smiled.

“Yeah, that’s right.  So she’ll be alright. Won’t she?”

“The Doctor will take good care of her.”

Heath paced the floor in the hallway waiting until the Doctor emerged from the curtained area. He approached Heath and asked.  “Are you a relative?”

“No, I’m her boy friend.  Is she alright? Can I see her?”

“She’ll be fine.  It was a glancing blow.  She has a broken femur and some scrapes and bruises. . but she’ll heal just fine.  Do you know where her parents are?”

“No, I don’t.  But, I’m sure her Dad will be here soon.” Heath answered as he went in to Chrissy. 

*

“Where’s my daughter?”  Herb Waters demanded as he entered the emergency room.  Chrissy shuddered as she heard his voice and for the first time Heath saw fear in her eyes.

“She’s right back here, Sir.  We’ll need your permission to treat her and some other information.”  The nurse answered.

“I don’t care what you need.  I just want to see my daughter.” He snarled as he headed to the curtains.

“What are you doing here?  I told you to stay away.  Chrissy is this your doing?  Did you send for him?”  He shouted and glared at her.  His resentment for Heath and Chrissy overshadowed his daughter’s injuries.  He couldn’t bear anyone’s happiness being greater than his own misery.  He sought revenge on the entire world.  His self centered thinking had doomed his marriage and was trying to doom his own daughter to miserable life like his. 

Heath came around the bed and looked down from his six foot height on this little five foot nine blustering and bullying man.  “Mr. Waters I just enlisted in the Marines. I will be able to support Chrissy. She’ll be eighteen in ten weeks and I will marry her then.  Now, she can either finish high school here or join me, if possible, that’s up to her.  Either way if I hear of or find out you have been abusing her, yelling at her, or bullying her in any way I’ll be visiting you. Do you understand?”

“Are you threatening me?” he asked as he retreated, as most bullies do, to the other side of Chrissy’s bed.

“No, sir.  I wouldn’t do that.  I’m just making sure you understand my intentions for your daughter.  You do approve of our marriage, don’t you?”

“Well, I don’t . . . know. . . I’ll have to see, “ Mr. Waters blustered. He wilted under Heath’s stare and size.  He had more than met his match, and he knew it, for the moment.  “Her mother is a part of this, too.  She’ll have something to say about this.” He added, trying to regain the upper hand.

“Daddy, you know Mother will agree unless you harass her to death.  And you know you do that all the time.”  Chrissy threatened.

“Your Mother isn’t well.  This could kill her, you know.”

“I think she’ll be glad not to have to listen to you threaten me all the time.”

“You can’t talk to me like that!...You…”  He started to yell, but as Heath crossed over to his side of the bed his voice wavered and faded.

“There’s nothing to see about.  There’s nothing to think about.  If Chrissy agrees that’s how it will be.”  Returning to the bedside and taking Chrissy’s hand he asked, “Chrissy, I love you.  Will you

marry me?”

With tears of joy in her eyes she answered, “Yes, you know I will.  I love you, too.  Is this your plan?”

“Yeah, I can support you and Mom this way and then get my education.  Does that sound okay to you? . . . but, please, don’t cry.”

“That sounds wonderful. I’m just crying because I’m so happy and I love you so much.”

Heath smiled as he gently took her in his arms and kissed her. 

*

The Doctor and nurse both said, “I agree.  I agree.  But, right now let’s get her leg fixed. Mr. Waters we need you to sign some papers.”

“I’ll wait until you’re finished and then we can get better acquainted.  Right, Mr. Waters?” Heath asked as he gripped Mr. Waters’s bicep and steered him out of the room. Looking over his shoulder he gave Chrissy a grin and a wink.

Myrna R. Caudill   
12 Thornhill Dr.
Hamilton, Ohio 45013
513-863-8607
mcaudill7@fuse.net

Word count 2163