Waiting for Dusk (3 page)

Each girl got up and thanked both Mr. and
Mrs. Johansson for dinner. Ruthie hugged them both. Lucinda hugged
Mrs. Johansson. Anna shook their hands. Katie was last. She wanted
to throw her arms around Mrs. Johansson, call her MiMi and ask for
her help in understanding everything. Instead, she just shook their
hands.

“Good night and thank you,” she said
softly.

When Katie left the kitchen she found Anna
waiting outside in the hall. “You did well your first day.”

“Thanks.” Katie blushed. “Anna, can you come
to my room and talk?”

“Sure. If that’s what you want.”

“I want to ask you a few questions. First,
what is a Harvey girl? And why does Lucinda hate you so much?”

Before Anna had time to answer, Lucinda was
at Kathryn’s door. “Party in my room before lights out! Come on,
Kathryn. You too, Anna.”

Anna’s expression changed to a look of shock.
“Oh. First, you have to put on your nightgown. That’s how we do
it,” Lucinda called out as she left the room. Anna followed, giving
Katie a slight wave as if to say see you soon.

You mean we’re having a pajama party, like a
sleepover? Katie rummaged through the dresser drawers in her room.
She found a beautiful white cotton nightgown and put it on. She
went down the hallway to Lucinda’s room. Ruthie was already there.
She too was wearing a white nightgown. Her creamy white skin glowed
in the evening light. Katie sat down on the braided rug next to the
bed. Lucinda and Ruthie were already situated on the bed. Anna came
in and plopped down next to Katie.

“Kathryn, since you are new to our
get-togethers, I will tell you what we do. We don’t talk about work
unless something special happened. If we do need to talk about
work, we get that out of the way first. Then we tell stories and
talk about our dreams.”

Katie thought that was very strange. Why
would you tell everyone what to talk about? Oh, right, it’s
Lucinda. We all have to do what she says. Aloud Katie said, “How
long have you been here, Lucinda?”

“Since the spring. April second, to be exact.
Anna and I came on the same train, didn’t we, Anna?”

Anna just nodded.

“Anna always likes to do everything I do. She
likes everything I like. Isn’t that right, Anna?” Lucinda continued
to badger her. “Not talking tonight?”

Without saying a word, Anna got up and
left.

“Lucinda!” Ruthie said. “Sometimes we have to
forgive those who we feel trespass against us.”

Lucinda, her eyes still fiery, turned to
Ruthie. She grabbed a pillow and smacked Ruthie with it. “Pillow
fight!” she screamed.

At that moment, there was a tap at the
window. The girls grew quiet and all turned toward the window. It
was nearing dusk and hard to see.

“Probably some creature,” Ruthie said
casually.

Then there was a tap, tap, tapping sound
again.

“Unless it knows how to make a rhythmic
tapping sound, I don’t think it’s an animal. I’m going out there to
see,” said Katie.

“Not a good idea!” Lucinda shouted after
her.

By then Katie was down the hall and out the
door. The warm night air hit her face. It felt good to get out of
Lucinda’s room. It was closing in on her, especially after the
strange attack on Anna.

Katie was deep in thought, when she heard a
sound. A footstep? She spun around to see Drew standing there. “Oh,
I didn’t mean to startle you, Miss Kathryn. You did say you were
staying at the boardinghouse and I thought I’d come to see if you
are comfortable. If you have everything you need.”

That’s a good line,
Katie thought. He
was so handsome in the moonlight she could have stayed in that spot
forever. Drew walked over to her. “I have never seen anyone as
beautiful as you.”

“Lights out!” Mrs. Johansson called in the
distance.

Katie couldn’t help it. It was her dream
after all. She fell into Drew’s arms and kissed him. He kissed her
back. They seemed to melt into each other as one. Right then and
there Katie wished that it was not a dream and that it would never
end.

Chapter Four

“
Time to get up! Time
to get up!” Mrs. Johansson knocked on Katie’s door.

Katie groaned and rolled over. Then she sat
up in bed. “Drew!” she said aloud to no one. She gasped.

She was staring at a pale sky blue wall. That
was not the pine wall of the boardinghouse. It was definitely her
bedroom. The large 3-D butterflies her father helped mount on the
walls seem to flutter in the morning light. Her blue and yellow
floral quilt was kicked off the bed, lying on the floor. Her cream
color desk and dresser were in place. Even the black leather-bound
book was on the nightstand. It was all a dream.

Katie put her head in her hands. It seemed
too real but she knew in her heart of hearts that’s all it was. She
slid out of bed and opened her door. There in the familiar hallway
stood Mrs. Johnson. “Oh, MiMi, it is you!”

“Who do you think it would be, child? The
boogeyman?” Mrs. Johnson chuckled.

“Well, what are you doing here, since I don’t
need a babysitter anymore?” Katie teased.

“Your mother asked me to make sure you were
up and dressed by the time she got home. She has a surprise for
you.”

“A surprise? What is it?”

“It’s not a surprise if I tell you, is it?
Now get yourself dressed and come down and have something to
eat.”

Katie went back into her room.
Should I
tell MiMi about my dream? She’s good at analyzing dreams and always
makes me feel better.

But it was different this time, it all felt
so real, she decided against telling her.

When Katie got downstairs, she found Mrs.
Johnson in the kitchen. There was a bowl of cereal and a glass of
juice waiting for her.

“Cereal? That’s all?” Mrs. Johnson was known
for her famous breakfasts and always made something special for
her.

“You slept late and your mother wants you
ready to leave when she gets home. You’ll be eating again soon
enough.” Mrs. Johnson packed a picnic basket.

What was going on? A picnic? That’s the
surprise?

Katie’s mom walked in the door. “Thanks so
much, Maya. I don’t know what I’d do without you.”

“Oh, you won’t ever have to find out.” Mrs.
Johnson picked up her purse, kissed Joanna on the cheek and went
out the door.

“Wait! Isn’t Mrs. Johnson going on a picnic
with us?” Katie was a little disappointed. Maybe she would find the
nerve to talk to MiMi during their outing.

Katie’s mother put her arm around her. “No,
it’s just you and me, kid. I do have a surprise, though, besides
the picnic. Since you turned sixteen, your father hasn’t had much
time to take you out for driving lessons. So today you and I are
going driving...in the Mustang.”

“Me? Drive the Mustang?” Katie was elated.
That was a surprise.

“Yes, only when we get to the lake and you
have plenty of room in the parking lot.”

“We’ll have the top down, right, Mom?”

“Yes, the whole way.”

Katie grabbed the picnic basket and ran out
to the garage, leaving her cereal untouched.

“Come on! Let’s go!”

“Good thing I packed our towels and swimsuits
already.” Joanna called after her. “It’s great to see you so
happy.”

Katie opened the special third car garage
door. There sat the gleaming 1969 black convertible in all its
glory. It had two large red racing stripes down the black hood that
were about a foot wide. The black leather seats were soft and
smooth.

“Mom, come on! You’re taking too long!” Katie
shouted from the car. She jumped into the bucket seat.

Katie heard the trunk pop open and turned to
see her mother throw everything in. The trunk slammed shut, her mom
hopped in the driver’s side and started the car. It purred like a
kitten, as her father always said. Katie leaned her head back on
the headrest as her mother pulled out of the garage and headed for
the open road.

When they got to the lake, Katie couldn’t
wait to drive the car.

“Let’s eat lunch first, Katie. I’m starving!”
Her mom parked and ran around to the back of the car.

Katie loved Mrs. Johnson’s egg salad
sandwiches and was sure that was what she packed for them, plus
other surprises. They found a picnic table and sat down to eat.

“I’m sorry I’m neglecting you this summer,
Katie. I didn’t know I was going to have to teach a class at the
University.”

“I’m a big girl now. I’ll survive.”

“I guess I have to start thinking of you that
way. You will always be my baby girl though.” Joanna patted Katie’s
hand and dropped the keys into the palm of her hand.

Katie looked at her mom and felt a shiver of
excitement go down her back. “Now? Really?”

“Now. Really.”

Katie jumped up, cleaned off the picnic table
and ran to the car. She slipped into the driver’s seat. When Joanna
sat down on the passenger side, Katie glanced at her and said,
“What about Dad? Do you think he’ll be alright with this?”

“Don’t worry about Dad. I’ll take care of
him.”

Katie started the car and slowly took it for
a scenic drive in the parking lot. Afterward, they spent the rest
of the day relaxing on the beach, going in and out of the lake,
talking and laughing about past summers they had spent as a
family.

“Wow, it’s getting close to dinnertime. We
should be going,” Katie’s mother said as she looked at her
watch.

Katie reluctantly agreed. She enjoyed herself
and hadn’t thought about her dream. Now that she was going back
home, she had an odd anticipation about reading the book again. She
shivered.

“Are you cold, Kate?”

“What did you call me?” Katie said with a
little more anger in her voice than she planned. It should be no
big deal. But her mother had never called her Kate before. It took
her by surprise.

“Well, my dear Kathryn, I think I called you
Kate. Is there anything wrong with that?”

“No. Sorry, Mom. I guess I’m just tired.”
Katie did not want to go into a whole story about her dream and
meeting a boy named Drew who called her Kate. They drove home most
of the way without talking.

Katie unloaded the car, then helped her
mother get dinner ready. They hadn’t said a word for hours until
her mom broke the quiet. “Are you okay, baby? You were having so
much fun, and now it’s like you are back to your brooding self. I’m
ready to hear ‘I’m bored’ come out of your mouth again.”

“No, just tired. I think I’ll head up to my
room for the rest of the night. Good night.” Katie cleared her
dishes, put them in the dishwasher and headed for the stairs.

“Good night, Katie. Love you.”

“Love you, too.”

When Katie was in the safety of her own room,
she grabbed the book and lay down on her bed. Better put the
television on.
It’s a little early to think about sleeping,
she thought.
But why am I so tired? Maybe it was all that sun
and water. I think I’ll just close my eyes for a minute and then
read another chapter.

Chapter Five

Katie woke with a
start. She looked around and saw the pine walls of the
boardinghouse. Her heart skipped a beat.
I’m back! Why am I so
happy about that?

She wanted to see Mrs. Johansson, the girls,
and even Mr. Johansson. Then there was Drew. Would she see him
again? She wouldn’t dare tell anyone what happened outside the
other night. They might not let her see him again.

Listen to me,
Katie thought.
I’m
worried about what people will think about me in my dream
.

She thought about the kiss. It was just like
in the fairytales when the heroine waited for the prince to kiss
her, like Snow White or Sleeping Beauty. Only she didn’t want the
prince to wake her from her dreams.

Katie got out of bed. She knew the routine.
She filled her pitcher with water and then visited the outhouse.
She looked around almost hoping to see Drew. All she saw was miles
and miles of blue sky. It seemed to go on forever. It was the most
beautiful shade of blue she ever saw. She was overwhelmed by the
beauty of it.

A voice broke through the moment. “Any day
now. We’d all like to use the facilities.” Lucinda laughed and
waved at her.

Katie waved back, then hurried off. When she
returned to her room, her uniform was lying on her bed. Katie
slipped on the black dress, the black stockings and shoes. Finally
the crisp white bib apron was tied on over the dress, and she was
ready. She found a lovely gold-handled brush in her drawer, and
fussed with her hair until she looked presentable. Then Katie
headed to the kitchen for breakfast.

“Good morning, everyone,” Everyone was
already at the table except her.

“God Morgon, Katie,” said Mr. Johansson.
Katie frowned.

“That was good morning in Swedish,” Ruthie
informed her. “Mr. Johansson tries to teach us a few phrases now
and then.”

“Oh, then
god morgon
to you, too, Mr.
Johansson.”

They ate breakfast quickly so they wouldn’t
be late for work. Lucinda told everyone about the pillow fight the
night before and had everyone laughing. Katie could see why Lucinda
was so much fun to be around. She decided to give her another
chance.

After cleaning up breakfast, the four girls
piled into the car and were ready for another day at work.

“Thank goodness it’s Friday. Our last day of
work for the week!” Lucinda clapped.

Katie almost laughed aloud when she heard the
saying ‘thank goodness it’s Friday’. If Lucinda only knew what that
simple phrase would turn into. As the old car rambled down the
road, Katie found it hard to keep her eyes open. She felt like
dozing but sat up straight because she did not want to fall asleep.
She decided to close her eyes and rest until they got there. She
heard the girls laughing and talking the whole way there and then
the car suddenly came to a stop. They must be at the hotel. They
all got out of the car and ran into the back door of the
kitchen.