Waiting for Dusk

by Nancy Pennick

  “Katie? Katie? Are you alright?” Lindsey shook her shoulder. “I think you need to get out of this room, out of this house! Come on. Let’s go.”

  Katie grabbed her purse and phone, then they were out the door.

  “Later, Mom!” Katie called as they shut the door.

  Lindsey was a few months older than Katie and already had her driver’s license. They hopped in her car.

  “Where are we going?” Katie asked as they drove away.

  “Jordyn’s.”

  “Jordyn’s home?”

  “Yes, haven’t you been checking your phone?” Lindsey said with a loud sigh.

  “I haven’t gotten any messages in days!” Katie looked at her phone and saw twenty new messages. “Oh, maybe I have. Don’t know where my head has been.”

  “I bet ten of them are from me. I let you know when I left the ranch, when I was boarding the plane, when I got off the plane...”

  “Okay, I get it! I’m so glad you’re home, Linds, really!” Katie made her mind up to get back into the real world and stay there. “Let’s see if Jordyn wants to go shopping!”

  Jordyn was happy to see her two friends. They laughed and talked for hours. Jordyn had many tales to tell from her trip to China. Her two moms were so excited to show her all the places they were on their first trip. The best thing on that trip was adopting her as they always told her.

  “My moms were so embarrassing. They made me pose with everything, even a street sign.” Jordyn smiled, and Katie could tell she was really pleased. “They just wanted me to soak in everything. I told them I really appreciated all they did with the trip, but this is my home...with them.

  “Awww...” Katie and Lindsey both said at the same time.

  Just then one of Jordyn’s moms came home.

  “Hi, Ms. Taylor,” Katie said.

  “Girls, good to see you. How was your summer? Want to stay for dinner?”

  “Fine and yes, thanks!” Lindsey answered for them.

  Katie’s phone rang. She saw it was Erin, the head cheerleader of the basketball team at school. “Hi, Erin, what’s up?”

  “Just want to know if you are going to try out for basketball cheerleader. You weren’t at camp this summer.”

  “Gee, Erin, I haven’t thought about it yet.” Katie wasn’t completely truthful.

  “Katie, you’re really good and I’d love to have you on the team. Please think about it. I’ll see you when school starts.”

  “I will. Thanks for thinking I’m good enough. I’ll see you in school, too!”

  “Well, what’s up?” Jordyn prodded.

  Katie told the girls about the conversation.

  “Of course, you have to try out. Remember you and Tyson made a promise to each other.” Lindsey teased.

  “We were nine! Things change.”

  “I think Tyson likes you, Katie,” Jordyn said.

  “We’re friends, that’s all.”

  “I’d love to be ‘friends’ with a hot guy like that,” Lindsey replied.

  Ms. White came into the room. “Dinner, girls. We’re dining outside.”

  The rest of the evening was very enjoyable. Katie liked Ms. Taylor and Ms. White. They were funny, told good stories and had a lot to share about their trip to China.

  Katie was glad they sat outside. The sun set and dusk settled in. Katie was glad about that because they couldn’t tell she was really daydreaming about another time, another place that was only real to her and no one else.

  Chapter Ten

  Lucinda’s voice could be heard above all the others. “My dress has to be perfect. This is going to be one of the biggest weddings Arizona has ever seen. Where’s Kathryn? She needs to be fitted for her bridesmaid dress. Kathryn? Kathryn?”

  Katie threw her door open. “Lucinda! I’m right here. What time is it? I need to talk to you anyway.” She pulled Lucinda into her room. “Lucinda, I don’t think it’s right that I should be a bridesmaid. You are friends with Ruthie and...Anna. It doesn’t feel right.”

  “We are friends, Kathryn. We work together, live at the boardinghouse together, and you will be so beautiful in the wedding. You’re going to look wonderful in your dress. Now I won’t take ‘no’ for an answer. The ladies are here to do our fittings.”

  “They’re here?” Katie was surprised. Her mind was on other things, like hiking with Drew.

  “Henry says that I can have and do whatever I want for my wedding. Isn’t he wonderful?” Lucinda clapped her hands.

  Katie decided to go along with it. She got measured, fitted, pushed and prodded. Lucinda was next, so Katie escaped back to her room. She dressed for hiking, and headed down the hall to Anna’s room.

  “Anna, are you in there?”

  “Is it safe to come out now?”

  “Yes, but let me in,” Katie said through the crack in the door. As she entered the room, Anna was sitting on the edge of her bed holding something.

  “What do you have there?” Katie pointed and then said, “Oh, that’s none of my business. Sorry.”

  “It’s a letter from Daniel.” Anna hugged it to her chest. “He’s been on a cattle drive. He went with some of the ranch hands down to Mexico to bring cattle they purchased up to their ranch. Daniel decided to go on the drive when I told him I couldn’t see him anymore. I told him it was hurting Lucinda too much to see us together. Now that she’s getting married, things could be different.” Her eyes pleaded with Katie. “What do you think?

  “Go for it!” Katie threw her hand in the air. “I’m so happy for you! Now, on to even more serious things. Anna, I can’t be in this wedding. It isn’t right. You should be in it, not me.”

  “No, that’s quite alright. Be in the wedding. Lucinda wants you to be in it.”

  “But what about Ruthie? She’s more of a friend than me.”

  Anna shook her head. “I don’t know how that girl thinks lately. You’ve been fitted, haven’t you? You can’t back out now.”

  Katie threw Anna a ‘why me’ look, and stomped out of the room. She heard Anna laughing. That was a good sign. Anna was happy. It was all because of Daniel.

  I hope Daniel gets here soon, Katie thought.

  Her thoughts were interrupted by Mr. Johansson. “Mr. Andrew is here to see you. He said he would like to take you hiking for the day. Would you like to do that?”

  “Yes, I’d like that very much.” Katie nodded in excitement.

  “Then be on your way! Be home before dark!” he called as she skipped out the door.

  Drew waited for her outside, sitting on his horse. He gently pulled her up behind him, and they trotted off. Katie wrapped her arms around his waist. She felt a warm wind on her face and the breeze in her hair. She wished she had her camera phone with her to take a picture --Drew and Kate frozen in time. When they reached the Canyon, Drew stopped. He let Katie slide down and then dismounted himself.

  “Ready for some lessons?” He smiled at her.

  “No! School doesn’t start for a few weeks yet!” She playfully came back but then reconsidered. “Actually, Drew, you can be the teacher and I will be the student and not make a fuss.” Katie wished all of her teachers looked like him.

  They strolled along to the edge of the Canyon. “This is called Yavapai Point,” Drew pointed out.

  They stood in one spot as he showed Katie what to look for. “You get a good view from here. The canyon is more than a mile deep. You can hike down to the Colorado River using one of two trails. Can you see the river? There?” he pointed. Then he pointed to another area. “That’s Bright Angel Canyon.”

  He seemed so excited to show her everything. “Come on, walk with me.”

  Drew took Kate’s hand. “I really want you to see Kolb Studio. It was built by two brothers, Emery and Ellsworth Kolb. They are very famous. Have you read about them? Perhaps you’ve seen their work in National Geographic.”

  Katie seemed to recall going to Kolb Studio when she was on the trip with her mom and dad. She wished she paid b
etter attention. “They made a trip down the Colorado River and filmed it. I think they showed the movieat this studio.”

  “Yes, exactly right. They were the first to make a moving picture of their trip down the Colorado through the Grand Canyon. They still show the movie. We can go see it if you like. Emery still lives here, shows the movie everyday and narrates it himself. Today he’s having a guest lecturer, Jack Woods. He’s very famous in his own right and won’t be here long. I believe he’s going back east to get married soon. Jack’s a good friend of mine and I’d really like for you to meet him.”

  Kolb Studio was a very fascinating building. It looked like it could fall right into the canyon, but was really built on a sturdy piece of rock. As they passed by, Katie saw a sign posted for the guest lecturer.

  Boring! she thought. Maybe she could distract Drew and he wouldn’t want to go to the lecture.

  “What about that hike?” Katie asked. “We still have time, don’t we?”

  “Yes, for a short hike. Bright Angel path is just ahead. We can have a short walk if you like.” He had a canteen over his shoulder and patted it. “We’ll need water in this heat.”

  Kate hadn’t thought of that. It was a warm day, and she wore more clothes than when she had come with her parents. The khaki-color knickers, pants that billowed out and banded at the knee, were kind of cute in an old-fashioned way. The matching vest was worn over a white blouse. Finally, brown knee-high boots finished the look.

  Haven’t they heard of shorts and tanks in the twenties? Katie chuckled.

  “A penny for your thoughts.”

  “I was just thinking that a short hike would be just fine.”

  They started down the path. Drew took out his pocket watch. “Fifteen minutes down, then a half hour to return.”

  Katie looked a little surprised. “That long? What about fifteen down, fifteen back?”

  It was Drew’s turn to laugh. “It’s all uphill, Kate. All uphill.”

  Drew paid the gatekeeper a one dollar toll to use the trail. He explained he was not too fond of having to pay someone for the right to walk on a trail. The park service was working on having the path transferred over to them, but the owner was giving them quite a battle. The land was still part of a mining claim owned by Ralph Cameron, a U.S. Senator, who was making things extremely difficult. There was another trail, Kaibab Trail, built by the park service so people had a free alternative.

  “Then let’s use that one.” Kate was all for supporting Drew’s passion about the park and also longed to tell him that there was no longer a charge to use Angel Bright.

  “That trail has no shade and I want you to be comfortable. Plus it’s farther away. So as much as I object to the fee, we’ll use this one.” Drew shook his head. “I’m getting a little too serious, aren’t I? This is supposed to be your day.”

  They laughed, took hold of each other’s hand and headed off down the path. The trail was a pretty easy walk for her. There were plenty of switchbacks that were incorporated into the trail to make the descent easier, but also made the hike longer to the bottom. Drew explained if they went all the way to the bottom of the canyon, it would have been several miles of walking.

  When they returned, Kate realized she really hadn’t looked at the sights but was focused on Drew the whole time. She listened to his every word, his laugh, his breathing. She looked at his face, his emerald green eyes, and his lips with just a little fullness to them. She watched him walk, so sure-footed and athletic.

  “I’m sure you’re ready to sit down and relax.” Drew passed the canteen to Katie so she could have a drink. They walked along the rim trail until they reached the Studio.

  Drew went inside first, and Katie followed. There were many people already there. She strolled around looking at photos and books for sale. Then she searched the room to locate Drew, and found him talking to a group of people. One man came up, slapped Drew on the back and shook his hand. The man looked oddly familiar. In fact he looked like... her father! No, that couldn’t be right. He looked younger but it was her father. Thankfully, he couldn’t see her. What would she say to him? What would he say to her? She decided to leave, and quickly went out the door.

  “Kate! Kate!” She heard Drew calling. “Where are you going?” He caught up to her.

  “It was just a little stuffy in there. Would you mind taking me home? I hope you can get back in time for the lecture.”

  “Of course, I will.” Drew was a perfect gentleman. Katie wouldn’t mind if he was less of a gentleman.

  Drew’s horse was waiting for them at the barn behind El Tovar. Katie was surprised. “How did that happen?”

  “I have friends...” he said mysteriously and then laughed.

  The ride to the boardinghouse was too short. Katie wanted to stay with Drew but knew she didn’t want to see her father even though it was a dream. Why couldn’t she control the dream a little better?

  Drew stopped at the far side of the barn. He slipped off the horse, and Kate jumped into his arms. He pulled her close and kissed her. Not like the first time when it was a short, gentle kiss. Right then he kissed her like he would never see her again, very unlike the kiss in the fairytales she knew as a child.

  “I will see you for lunch tomorrow, my sweet Kate.” He whispered.

  “Yes, yes you will.” Katie barely could stand.

  Drew rode off, and Katie hurried into the house.

  “Hello, you must be Kathryn,” a lovely young woman greeted her at the door.

  “Yes, yes I am.” Katie held out her hand.

  “I’m Loretta, Lucinda’s sister.” The woman turned and walked with Katie inside. “I came out early to help Lucinda and to get fitted for my dress.”

  Katie looked at Loretta and thought there was something familiar about her. She looked like Lucinda but was a softer, prettier version. Her hair was more of a light golden brown.

  That must be it, she thought. She seems familiar because she’s Lucinda’s sister. Katie felt comfortable in her company.

  “Have you heard they set a date?” Loretta asked.

  “No, no I haven’t. When is the big day?”

  “The first Saturday of September.”

  “Really?” Katie knew school would have started. Plus she told Drew she would be gone. Now she had to figure out how to come back.

  Dreams! Who knew they could be so much work!

  Chapter Eleven

  Katie heard loud, muffled sounds. It almost sounded like a fight. The door to her bedroom was closed, so she tiptoed over to open it.

  “I can’t believe you let her do that, Joanna! She’s too young, too irresponsible. She could get hurt!” It was her father’s voice.

  “She was bored, Jackson. I was trying to think of something she could do, something that would occupy her time,” her mother answered.

  “Bored? Now you’re starting to sound just like Katie!” He still sounded angry. Katie thought she better get downstairs and help her mother out.

  “She was only trying to make me feel better, Dad! I only drove the Mustang around a parking lot! Geesh!” Katie defended her mother as she bounded into the kitchen.

  Jackson swung around. His expression changed when he saw his daughter. “Pumpkin, come and give your old dad a kiss.”

  Katie ran and hugged him. It was good to see him. On the other hand, she never heard her parents fight like that. She was a little disturbed. “So you guys aren’t getting a divorce or anything like that, are you?”

  Jackson laughed. “No, Katie my love. I just happened to see the mileage on the Mustang and knew it had been driven. I was surprised to find out it was you. That’s all.”

  “It was just around a parking lot.” Katie rolled her eyes.

  “She needed a distraction. You had fun, didn’t you, Katie?” Her mom looked at her with wide eyes. Katie knew she was looking for a diversion.

  “Dad, school starts in less than two weeks. Do you think you can give me some more driving lessons now that you
’re home? I should have my driver’s license by now.” Katie wrapped her arms around his neck, jumped on his back and Jackson started running around the house with her, finally dumping her on the sofa. She looked at her mom and gave her the okay hand signal.

  “My two girls, you know how to get the best of me,” Jackson ran back in the kitchen and gave Joanna a kiss on the cheek. “Dinner’s on the deck tonight, girls. I’m cooking.”

  Katie was happy things were back to normal. During dinner she planned on asking her parents some questions, being careful not to reveal too much about her dreams or who she had met. She ran back upstairs, found her phone and made plans for the day.

  “Ty, I need something to do.”

  “Come over and we’ll shoot some baskets.”

  “Don’t really want to do that, how about the mall?” Katie really wanted to shop.

  “Okay, but you owe me.”

  “Fine, see you in a bit.” She would make it up to him. Maybe a quick game when they got back.

  “I’ll be home in time for dinner,” Katie said as she ran down the stairs. “Ty is taking me shopping.”

  “That boy must really like you to take you shopping.” Her father grinned as she ran by.

  “Oh, Dad,” was all she could say as she went out the door.

  Tyson’s mom sat in the car, waiting to drive them to the mall.

  “Sorry about this,” Tyson whispered. “I should have my license soon.”

  “Don’t we all wish we had our licenses?” Katie whispered back as she climbed in the car, and to his mother she said, “Hi, Mrs. Gray. Thanks for taking us.”

  Ty and Katie were soon walking around the mall. Ty was helpful, carrying Katie’s shopping bags and waiting for her to try on clothes.

  “Aren’t you going to buy anything, Ty?” Katie felt he should have some fun, too.

  “No, I’m good. I would like a soda though, how about a break?”

  They walked over to the food court, got something to drink and sat at a little table off in a corner.

  “I want to ask you something, Katie. I know it’s early, and school hasn’t started yet, but I didn’t want to take any chances. Will you go to Homecoming with me?”