Icing (2 page)

Back home he had a lot of numbers to crunch and soul searching to do before he could make the final selection.

“Kyle, I don’t mean to rush you but you’re running short on time.  You want to put the application process to rest so you are able to enjoy your senior year of high school.  We need to write those checks for application fees.  Once that is done it’s out of our hands and we can relax.  There are no automatic acceptance letters. We will just wait.”

“Got it Dad.  I have it narrowed down.  I’ve got my safety all set to go.”

He shuttered at the thought of attending his safety school.  It was a commuter school in his home town.  Every guidance counselor will tell you a back-up school is necessary.  There was always a worst case scenario.

“I like the big school in the little town best.  I want to go to UMass.  They have a good hockey team and a course of study in finance. They built a new arena in the early 1990’s and went Division I about that time.  I’m not sure though because there is no nearby airport.  It’s a long drive and I probably would only be home a couple times a year.  That is unless I get a car in this deal???” Kyle smiled

“In your dreams Kyle. You’re on your own with that one.”  He laughed.

It was up to Kyle to purchase his first car.  He had always known this.  His parents were already doing what they could.  He was in the middle of four kids with college dreams.  That came first.  $12/hr. slinging tacos was not going to pay for wheels.  When he did buy a car it would be something special.

His second choice was Fordham University in the Bronx.  He would often wonder what life would have been like in New York City.  It was his Dad’s alma mater but just not the place for him.  Not yet anyways.

Decision made.  Acceptance letter in hand.  With help from UMass athletics he was poised to enter college.  The little town of Amherst was a good fit for him.  It was beautifully nestled beneath the Berkshire Mountains.  It was far enough from Boston to retain its own identity but close enough so he wouldn’t feel isolated.  Division I hockey made it perfect.  He borrowed Mom’s credit card one last time and went online to order a UMass sweatshirt.

****

Days of summer were almost over.  Packing was at the forefront of Mrs. Caldwell’s mind.  She had gone through it with her oldest boy Keith and she knew it was more than just throwing some clothes in a suitcase.  He was moving out.  This meant planning and precision.  It was complicated by the sadness looming over the entire process as the nest was getting closer to being empty.

Kyle picked out new sheets.  Yellow and brown.  They weren’t too showy and the choice reflected his lack of concern for decorating.  His mom would always add her personal touch to his belongings.  He packed a couple of posters for his wall.  They depicted some women running on a Hawaiian beach, not exactly hot babes naked or covered in whipped cream.  They were subtle that way.  Not to say he didn’t enjoy this sort of thing.  Mark’s basement had a stash of magazines hidden away.  They were well used.

He had piles of stuff staged in the garage waiting for his Dad to jam them into the sedan.  Boxes of clothes and coats, books, television a small frig and of course – The equipment bag.

“Hey Dad I’m done with packing for the day.  It’s mostly finished and I’m going to Marks for one last night with the guys.  Cool?”  Kyle was out the door before his father could answer.

He was on his way down the street to one of his last nights with his buddies.  Some he had known some since kindergarten or perhaps before.  He was sure they would remain close confidants for his lifetime.  He had yet to meet Truman and Con at school – now they would remain forever.  Kyle would be saying farewell to Janey.  It never progressed very far and he hoped she viewed it the same.  He was aware of her feelings and didn’t want to carry away guilt if he were to break her heart.

“Well, you made it.  Pizza and wings on the parents.  They ordered too much so dig in.  We’re celebrating.”

“They didn’t have to do that but since they did…….Kyle grabbed a slice.

“How long is the drive?  You should take the wheel and let your Dad sleep.  He’s like an old lady in that car.  Which one are you taking anyways?  They’re both pieces of shit. No offense man.”

“They are but whatever.  The blue one is the company car which means free gas, so we’ll probably take that one.  I don’t know how everything is gonna fit.  What is even worse is that it will have to fit in a tiny room along with someone else’s crap.  Someone named Truman.  I already don’t like the dude.  What kind of name is that?”

Kyle swallowed some pizza and took a swig of an energy drink.  He loved the drink. It came in all sorts of colors. They were said to be good for you.  They had electrolytes and they were free at hockey so they became a habit.

He and his friends were able to avoid what had become a rite of passage for most – Drugs & Alcohol.  It wasn’t a conscious decision or morally motivated.  They were just preoccupied with athletics, which left them with little down time.  Any free time was spent sleeping and eating – a lot.

“Turn on the game.  The Oriels are playing.  They suck but they’re my team. ”Kyle was told by his Dad to pick a team and stick with it.  He thought they were like the ubiquitous sandwich cookie he liked with milk.  So he chose the Oriels for better or for worse.  He didn’t know better.

Janey came down the stairs in a pair of shorts and a cute polo shirt.  Adorable as always.  Kyle felt sick.  He would have to muster up the manners she certainly deserved.

“Hey Kyle.” She wasted no time in singling him out.

“Hi Janey.  Glad you made it.  This is probably the last time I’m in this basement before I leave for college.  We should talk before I roll.  I want your address and stuff.”

The night continued without a break in the seamless antics. About 15 young people who were on the verge of adulthood, not a care in the world.

“This is it Janey.  Can you believe we won’t be together ‘til Thanksgiving break?  It’s going to be epic.”

“I know.” Janey
seemed wistful and spoke softly.

He kissed Janey and it felt good.  He held her long hair and proceeded to push her body against the side of the house.  They were in the yard and the night was clear.  It could have progressed but Kyle ended it and continued to hold her.  It wasn’t love but gentle and innocent.

“You O.K. Janes”.

“It’s just weird I’m going to miss you so much.  Will you miss me?”

“Of course.  I mean I’ll think of you all of the time – just thinking of you being chased by all of the guys upstate.”

“Will we see each other again and keep in touch – you know.”

Janey was stepping into long distance relationship territory.  It was not a direction he wanted to go. It was his turn to speak.

“We will definitely write letters and stuff.  But you should do your own thing.  Date guys or whatever.”

“Guess this is it then.  Bye Kyle.”

Janey walked away obviously not happy with Kyle’s answer.  He was right not to allow their relationship go any further.  Perhaps she had thought it was more.  Janey would become a memory.

He had some fun dates with her, depending on what the definition of date was.  They went to the zoo.  It was close to his house and in the summer you could hear the big cats roar. They made a few trips to friend’s cottages in Canada and ate frozen custard.  He didn’t like the way it ended so abruptly with Janey.  He thought she understood, but he had lost the puck on this one.

A few days were spent with the family.  It was nice and Kyle had to admit he would miss his sisters.  Bree was the baby and five years younger.  She looked up to her big brother.  Her  ebullient face was at all of his games, dragged along wherever Mrs. Caldwell went like a little piece of property. She never seemed to mind.  Juliet was closer in age.  She was almost too close for comfort.  Her eye was on his group of friends and she longed to be invited into their gang.  They would be good friends someday.  They all needed a few years to grow.

Kyle and Mr. Caldwell crammed all of his gear into the car on a Saturday night.  They both had ideas about logistics but somehow they worked together and completed the task.  With just enough room left to accommodate their two bodies and the car top full, they sat down to the farewell dinner.

Mrs. Caldwell was proud of the feast she had readied.  The formal table in the dining room was pulled out and set with the good plates and silver.  His Dad cooked a London broil on the outdoor grill and sliced it thin.  They had a salad, French fries, and some zucchini from the garden.  It wasn’t fancy but enjoyed by all.  The leftovers would make good sandwiches for the ride to school.  They finished it off with root beer floats. 

The next morning he woke up in a mostly empty room with a nervous feeling in his stomach.  Time was here……………………….

“Wake up NOW T.  You have to drive me to tennis.  I have a court at 10 and I can’t be late again.  Just throw on some sweats.  I’ll be in the wagon.  I’ve got the keys.  T, I said NOW!”

Her brother was down the stairs, two at a time.

Taryn Wright was sleeping in her nest like bed when her brother Josh broke her slumber.  It was summer and it numbered among the few things she had to do.  It was her last couple of months before school and not much was asked of her.  Her walls were pale lavender, a tone she chose herself.  The room had a sloped ceiling where their old colonial had been dormered out.  Neatness was not her strong suit.  Last night was spent with the girls and she tried on a couple of things before she chose the jeans and an oversized pink oxford.  The cast offs sat in a pile near the closet.  At least they got close.

She had taken Josh’s advice and threw on some sweats.  Her top bore a large “C” for Concord.  It was her hometown and the location of her high school.  She had blonde hair, not dirty blonde or blondish, it was real blond.  It was casually draped halfway down her back.  She threw it in an elastic.  This casual look complimented her attitude – she just didn’t care much.  The boys sure did.

They backed out of the driveway leaving the two remaining vehicles for her Mom and Dad to drive.  All the cars were foreign and fast.  Mrs. Wright drove the medium beige sedan and her husband had his convertible.  An odd choice for chilly New England but he would get the top down in the summer.  It was a very out of character impulse purchase that was a mid-life thing.

Taryn was planning to attend UMass in the fall.  Her grades were excellent and she had longed to attend an Ivy League school out of state but admissions turned her down.  She was too slow getting the application in.  She would know a lot of kids from high school at UMass and that would be a comfort.  At just over an hour away she would get the freedom she needed.

Taryn was heavily involved in both music and field hockey at Concord.  The music program was intense and she thrived under the pressure.  She had been considered a soprano but as she aged she was more a mezzo-soprano.  She preferred to sing classically.  A spot in the school’s annual musical was hers each year of high school.  She actually had the lead in Carmen in her senior.  Taryn did not crave the limelight but always pulled it off with class.  Like a star.

She played field hockey in the fall on the varsity team.  It usually did not affect her vocal concentration which got busy in the springtime.  Taryn was athletic but played hockey for the camaraderie.  Most of her friends played and it was easy enough to maneuver the stick and ball.  Boys noticed the girls in their short uniform skirts and they were always in attendance at the games.

Contributing to her blonde hair Taryn was blessed by turquoise eyes.  They were liked targets that men and women zeroed in on.  They did not lie and gave indication that she meant what she said.  Her face was naturally freckled.  She tried to hide them and even tried lemon juice to fade them but they popped out despite her efforts.  They added to her mystique.  Her body was, for lack of a better word, perfect.  It was coltish like only a young woman’s can be.

The Wright family was upper-middle classed.  Taryn was not blemished like a girl of privilege, but it provided a sense of security.  Her Dad was her closest friend and she told him everything.  Her friends just called him Ed once they had dispensed with formality.  Her Mom was always called Mrs. Wright and never June.  She was a perfectly coifed woman and not particularly available emotionally.  She never knew how to handle her daughter’s free spirit.

****

“Well doll, how is summer going.  I think we should make a trip up to the lake before you head west.  Your grandparents would love to see their little girl.  They are so proud that you are college bound.  We can take the boat out and do some fishing.  Bring along Beth or Jen if you want. Hell, bring both we have plenty of room.  We can caravan up there.  I’ll take the convertible and you girls can follow in the wagon.  Mom will drive with you.  She hates driving with the top down.  I’ll take Josh.  Sound like a plan?”

Taryn was chewing on a bagel – a blueberry one.  They were home relaxing while Mrs. Wright was in the garden and her brother played tennis. She missed the details of her Father’s spiel while she daydreamed but she could ascertain that her dad was planning a getaway weekend.

“Sure Dad whatever.  Check with Grandma and let me know which weekend works.  I’m sure the girls will come.”

Taryn had a casual waitressing job at a local café.  She could pick up shifts when she liked so she remained flexible in the summer.  She liked the work and did it well. Taryn was a friendly and polite person so the job suited her. Her tips were very good and she put that away for school. They had great bagels too.  A big bonus for her because she loved them – all flavors all of the time.

She fell asleep.

“Hey sleepy wake up beautiful………”

Her boyfriend Brett had arrived.  He let himself in and made himself comfortable.  He was on the football team.  He was a nice guy who was good for a high school romance.  They had attended  the prom together and spent a lot of time as a couple.  Brett was going to college at Syracuse so they would be going separate ways.  It was unsaid and they would remain close friends.  It was the closest she had come to being in a serious relationship.  She never felt
that feeling
. Maybe someday.

“Hey Brett.” She kissed him hello with eyes still closed. “What’s up? What time is it? Are we still going to Jen’s tonight?”

“I had planned on it.  We have a couple of hours before we go so we can just hang out.  Does your Mom need any help out back?”

“Sure, go on back.  I’m gonna grab a sweater and call Beth.  I want to make sure she is going too.  I won’t see those guys for a while and I want to see them while we’re all in one spot.”

Jen was going to Maine for school and Beth to Ohio.  They had been tight pals for years and it was going to be a major adjustment for all of them.

The night was fun.  They grabbed some food and talked for a couple of hours.  Beth had brought along a couple of wine coolers and it was an ideal evening.

****

With a week left before school it was time to pack.  It was not urgent because school was close enough to pick up things within a couple of weeks if they were left behind.  She still had ample gear to fill two cars.  Taryn was not exactly a clothes-horse but she was a girl after all and she liked options.  She was comfortable in jeans and a sweater but ready with a skirt when it was appropriate.  She was preppy and casual in her dress.

Her athletic gear came along.  She might play on an intramural team if the opportunity presented.  She wasn’t certain of her major yet and planned to think about it while she took the requirements for a liberal arts degree.  Vocals would be her concentration and some time for piano.  A career in music was a dream but she had to be prepared for a competitive market.

Good byes to Jen and Beth were tearful.  She and Brett had a farewell dinner out and agreed to write and call often.  It was a goodbye of sorts but no feelings were hurt.

“Everything seems ready for the morning.  Let’s have a nice dinner and just be pleasant.” Mrs. Wright spoke as if it wouldn’t be a nice family dinner.  How else would it be in their home?  Impeccable manners and congeniality were how she demanded things.  It was uncomfortably sterile, but all they knew.

It was a great spread.  Mrs. Wright outdid herself with a rack of lamb and  asparagus.  Desert was a strawberry ice cream cake from a local bakery.  Grandma and Grandpa were down from New Hampshire and they were always welcome guests in the Wright house.  They were tender folks and loved to spend time with Josh and Taryn. 

“Hey T, whose gonna be my chauffer from now on?  I guess I’ll be driving myself soon. Right dad? I’ll be mobile in March.  You just have to take me driving. I’m planning on getting my license the day after my Birthday.”

“You mean permit!  Let me get this one out of the house before I tackle that one.  Easy does it big guy.”

“Yeah right!”  Josh swallowed the cake and gulped milk. 

“Good wine Mom. Thanks.”

“Take it easy at school. I’d rather you drink it here.  I know that you’ll attend the occasional frat party.  I just want you to be safe.”

“Of course.  I won’t have a car at school so I won’t be drinking and driving.  The bus is free on campus and into town so I’ll just rely on that.”

“Frat parties? Whoa T don’t get pregnant.”

“Shut up Josh.  I’m not like that.”

Taryn’s brother was a good kid.  She had his back, and he had hers.  It was destined to be a long term friendship and the years that would separate them would someday mean little.

The next morning came and Taryn had a nervous feeling.

They were off……………………………