A Boy To Remember

The grin spread. “So some lucky guy caught you. I’m not surprised. Do you remember me? If you don’t, it’s okay. There were lots of guys after you that summer.”

And she’d agreed to go out with a couple of them. But that was before Daniel became the best part of her stay at Birch Shore. The rest of her summer had been just Daniel.

“We were at the Birch Shore Resort together. I was going into my junior year of college at OSU and you were going to Wittenberg, I think, as a freshman.”

She never made it to Wittenberg. Instead, she enrolled in art history classes as Alexis Pope at the University of Chicago, where Teddy took her to live.

“I seem to recall having to talk you into joining the revue that summer,” Daniel continued. “It was the best way I could think of to get to know you better.”

And it worked. Daniel was unlike any of the boys she’d gone out with in high school. He was experienced in ways they weren’t. And he was nice. From the first day she’d met him, he’d treated her as if she was truly someone special.

Alex drew a long breath. She could hardly confess to not remembering the boy who’d... But then again, she couldn’t admit what they’d meant to each other that summer. Daniel might have forgotten her once he was back at school, once she told him she’d moved on.

“Oh, right,” she said. “I do remember you, though I don’t recall too much about that summer...” If lying was a sin, she was doomed.

His eyes narrowed with a flash of doubt. “You don’t remember spending time together, just you and me?”

“Well, yes, some,” she said. “But there were other kids around most of the time.”

He seemed to accept her answer. “It was a great summer, living in dorms, eating in the cafeteria, wearing those goofy uniforms.”

“Yes, it was.”

“Funny I’ve never run into you before now,” he said. “You still live in Fox Creek?”

At least she didn’t have to lie about that. “No. After I married, I went to live in Chicago. I’m just here visiting my father.”

“I hope you’ll be around long enough for Lizzie to have her chance on stage.”

“Yes, we plan to stay awhile.”

“Great. She’s a minor, right? So Glen will have to get your signature on some papers, but we’ll treat her with kid gloves.”

“How involved are you, Daniel? Will you have an acting part in the play?”

“Nothing as glamorous as that. While I’m on hiatus from my real job, I’m helping with the sets. And since I’ve had some acting experience, I may try my hand at coaching some of the newer players. It’s just a diversion for me really, and I’ve known Glen for a long time.”

He was being modest. He had been the star of the resort revue. Audiences had loved his singing and dancing. All the girls had confessed to having crushes on him. The resort guests asked for him personally when they needed a favor during the day. That summer he had cleaned up on tips, stashing away every cent to pay for college.

“So this has your stamp of approval for Lizzie, Alex?” he asked. “I hope so. She’s a natural.”

“Sure. Whatever she wants.”

He stood and called toward the stage. “Come on down, Lizzie. Your mom is on board.”

Lizzie bounded down to the main floor. She scurried up to her mother and Daniel. “It’s okay with you, Mom? I can drive myself whenever you don’t want to bring me. You won’t have to operate a taxi the whole summer.”

“Yes, honey, I think it’s a great idea.”

Lizzie gave her a hug.

“It’s settled, then,” Daniel said. “Take a copy of the script home and start learning the lines. We’ll have to get your dress size and shoe size so we can alert the costume designer that we have our Zaneeta. This was the last major role we had to fill.”

Having heard the exchange, Glen joined the others. “I’d say this calls for a celebration, not just because we have our Zaneeta, but because old friends have met in this theater today. We need to catch up with each other. What do you say, Alex? All of us, dinner on me at the Jug and Boar?”

Alex ran a hand through her shoulder-length hair. “I don’t know, Glen. I have obligations...”

“You can bring your husband,” Daniel said. “And Lizzie can bring a friend...”

“I don’t have friends here,” Lizzie said. “And my father died...”

Alex felt the cold rush of guilt creep into her cheeks. There had been no reason for her to tell Daniel she was a widow, and yet she somehow felt as if she’d withheld that information from him.

Daniel stepped back. “I’m so sorry. How long ago?”

“It was January,” Alex said. “We’re still adjusting.”

“Of course you are. Wow, that’s tough. If there’s anything I can do...”

“There isn’t. I’m with my family.”

“Okay, but if you think of something...”

Glen covered the awkward silence. “I think that dinner is even more important now,” he said. “What do you say, Alex? Is tomorrow night good for you?”

Alex stood and maneuvered her way to the aisle. “I couldn’t. You understand. Lizzie and I have to go now.”

“Sure,” Glen said. “We start rehearsals on Wednesday, kid. We’ll see you at nine o’clock.”

“I’ll be here.”

Alex and Lizzie walked to the exit, and only when she’d opened the door did Alex take a normal breath. She’d felt Daniel’s gaze on her the entire way up the aisle and now had to convince her knees to quit trembling.

“Why didn’t you want to go to dinner, Mom?” Lizzie asked. “Those guys are so nice. I wanted to go.”

“Maybe some other time, honey. We’ve just arrived here. Grandpa wants time with you.”

“Okay, but if they ask again, say yes.”

Alex nodded. You got away with this, she told herself. No harm done. Surely she could manage a short summer season without Daniel Chandler knowing the truth about his daughter.

* * *

“HEY, WE’VE STILL got a bridge to build. Can we get some work done today?”

Daniel hadn’t realized he’d been staring at a closed door until Richie Parker’s voice echoed off the theater walls. Beside him, Glen chuckled. “Guess Richie doesn’t realize we got something important done today that didn’t include the bridge.”

“Yeah,” Daniel agreed. “Hiring Lizzie was a stroke of luck.”