Departures Read Online Free Page B

when all they wanted to do was hang out. If they didn’t hurry up and get out of there, Uncle Bob and Aunt Marti might showup, and then Christy and Matthew would have even more input about what they should do.
    “You two just go and have a good time,” Mom said. Then, patting Dad on the arm the same way Grandma had patted Grandpa, Mom asked, “What time would you like her back here, Norm?”
    “Ten o’clock,” he said, trying to sound gruff.
    “Okay,” Christy said. “Ten o’clock.”
    “Or ten thirty,” Dad said with a softer edge to his voice. “Call us if you have any problems.”
    “Okay,” Christy said. “Let me grab a sweatshirt, Matthew. I’ll meet you out front.” She left Matthew alone with the parental units while she went to freshen up.
    Her hair had gone straight in the humidity. It would have helped if she had washed her hair that morning, but she hadn’t had time. The tiny bit of mascara she had brushed on her eyelashes earlier was long gone. Her teeth needed a scrubbing, but since she hadn’t unpacked yet, she borrowed some toothpaste and used her finger.
    Grabbing her backpack and checking to make sure her sweatshirt and wallet were in it, Christy called out a good-bye to her parents and stepped lightheartedly out the front door, through the screened-in porch, and down the three steps lined with Grandpa’s safety tape.
    Perhaps some things, like Grandma’s house and her dad’s inquisitions, would never change. But Christy smiled at the unknown possibilities of the evening as she made her way down the driveway.

5

    orry about all the questions in there from my parents,” Christy said as she settled into the passenger’s seat in Matthew’s truck. “I hope it didn’t bother you too much.”
    “No,” Matthew said. “My parents are the same way, especially with my sisters. Sara turned fifteen last month, and they still won’t let her go out even though she tells them she’s the only girl in the whole school who’s not allowed to date.”
    Matthew backed the truck out of the driveway and said, “You hungry? I thought maybe we would go by the Dairy Queen first.”
    Christy didn’t answer right away. She was hungry, all right, but her old best friend, Paula, used to work at Dairy Queen. Christy didn’t know if Paula still worked there. As a matter of fact, Christy had no idea what was going on in Paula’s life since neither of them had kept track of the other during the past year or so. Several times she had thought about calling Paula to let her know about the trip to Brightwater, but Christy never quite made it to the phone.
    “Or we can do something else,” Matthew said when Christy didn’t answer him.
    “No, Dairy Queen is fine. I was just thinking.” Christy knew if she walked into Dairy Queen and Paula was working, she would bemad Christy hadn’t called. The problem was, Brightwater was a small town. Paula would find out eventually that Christy was here—Paula might know already. After all, Matthew knew Christy was coming.
    “You sure it’s okay?” Matthew kept looking over at her as he drove.
    “Sure,” Christy said quickly. “I just feel a little strange being here and seeing all these places and people I haven’t seen for so long.”
    Matthew smiled. He had a crooked tooth on the top right side. It wasn’t noticeable when he spoke, only when he smiled. Christy hadn’t remembered that about him. But in junior high she had rarely gotten this close to Matthew and certainly not this close when he smiled.
    “Was it strange for you to see me?” Matthew asked, still smiling.
    “Yes,” Christy said. She was trying to adjust to this manly version of Matthew Kingsley. He was good-looking in a rugged, northern woodsman sort of way. She hadn’t remembered his voice being this deep in ninth grade. Yes, Matthew Kingsley had turned out nicely. Did he think the same about her?
    Matthew pulled into the parking lot at Dairy Queen and turned off the engine. He opened