Part 32 (2/2)
Having gotten what he wanted, Seth scanned the waiting crowd, and his attention was quickly captured by two teenagers near the back of the long, half-block line.
”Hey, I see a couple of guys I know,” Seth said. ”I'm going back there to say hi.” He glanced at the front door of the parlor and realized they were next in line to be seated. ”It'll just take a sec. Promise.”
As soon as Seth headed toward his friends, Cathy lowered her voice and asked Lorie, ”So, what's the real reason we're here?”
Putting on a fake I'm-totally-innocent face, Lorie replied, ”I don't know what you're talking about.”
”I don't remember your having a pa.s.sion for caramel ice cream or for any flavor of ice cream for that matter, and yet you insisted we stop by here after we left the theater. Why?”
The hostess called out ”Cantrell,” and when Lorie and Cathy approached, she checked the name off her list and showed them to a round table near the row of booths that circled the soda-fountain counter.
”My son is with us,” Cathy said. ”Seth Cantrell. He'll be joining us in a couple of minutes.”
”Yes, ma'am.”
Suddenly Lorie's motives for insisting on showing up at the Ice Palace tonight became abundantly clear. Mike Birkett and his two children sat in a booth almost directly across from their table. When Cathy saw Mike, she smiled and spoke. He lifted his eyes from his banana split and returned Cathy's warm smile. Then, when he noticed her companion, his smile vanished.
As soon as they took their seats at the small round table, Cathy leaned over and said softly, ”You knew Mike would be here, didn't you?”
”Guilty as charged.”
”Oh, Lorie, why do you do these things to yourself?”
”I'm a glutton for punishment. I'm a m.a.s.o.c.h.i.s.t. I like getting my teeth kicked in on a regular basis.”
”Mike's not the only man in the world, you know.”
”Yeah, sure, Ms. I-think-I'm-falling-in-love-with-Jack again. Easy for you to say when the man of your dreams has slept in your bed and curled your toes the past couple of nights.”
”It takes two,” Cathy reminded her. ”Jack's a willing partic.i.p.ant. Mike's not. And I hate to see you keep pining away for him when it's obvious he's-”
”Shush. Here comes Seth, and he's not alone.”
”What?” Cathy turned her head to see which one of his young friends Seth had invited to join them and was beyond surprised to see Jack walking alongside him.
And Seth didn't look angry or upset.
”Good evening, ladies,” Jack said. ”Mind if I join y'all?”
”I ran into Mr. Perdue outside, and I invited him to sit with us,” Seth said as casually as if he'd said it was warm outside tonight.
”We'd love for you to join us.” Lorie grinned at Jack.
”Yes, please sit down.” Cathy glanced from Jack to Seth. ”Both of you sit.”
”Nice night.” Jack sat in the chrome and vinyl diner chair to Cathy's left.
”I was out taking an evening walk and happened to notice the long line outside this place, so I stopped to see what was going on.”
”That's when I saw him,” Seth said. ”I figured tonight was as good a time as any to show everybody that I'm okay with you two dating.”
”You are?” Cathy stared at her son. ”I thought you didn't approve of my seeing Jack, that you were concerned about what people might say.”
Seth looked directly at Jack. ”Mr. Perdue and I had a talk, and he knows how I feel about things.”
”I see. Since I'm your mother, would you mind sharing how you feel with me?”
”n.o.body has the right to tell you who you should date, not even me. My dad's dead, and neither of us can change that fact. You were bound to start dating sooner or later, and I'd be a selfish brat if I expected you to spend the rest of your life alone.”
Cathy reached over and squeezed Seth's hand. ”When did you grow up into such a wonderful young man? The last time I looked, you were just a little boy.”
He eased his hands out of Cathy's, all the while glancing around to see if anybody noticed his mother holding his hand. He was a typical teenage boy in that respect.
On the verge of crying happy tears, Cathy laughed.
Just as the waitress came to take their order, Jack said, ”How about you call me Jack from now on? Mr. Perdue sounds a bit formal to me.”
”Yes, sir,” Seth replied in a not overly friendly but a respectful manner.
Cathy felt as if she were dreaming. Seth had shown an amazing maturity in his about-face concerning her relations.h.i.+p with Jack. And so quickly. She had been concerned about her son's att.i.tude, afraid that she might lose him if she stood her ground and continued seeing Jack. But what good was her hard-won independence if, when confronted with her first extremely difficult choice, she reverted back to pleasing others instead of herself, even if that other person was her own son?
”What'll it be folks?” asked the forty-something blond waitress wearing fifties-style blue jeans, white s.h.i.+rt and ponytail.
”A double scoop of caramel ice cream in a waffle cone,” Lorie said without a moment's hesitation.
”Just a Cherry c.o.ke for me,” Cathy said.
”Hot-fudge sundae,” Jack and Seth replied simultaneously.
Jack grinned. ”With extra walnuts.”
”Yeah, me, too,” Seth told the waitress.
Cathy forced a smile. ”I've changed my mind. Make that three hot-fudge sundaes with extra walnuts.”
Seth looked at her questioningly. ”I didn't think you liked walnuts.”
”Oh, you're right. Sorry. Make that pecans.”
”Yes, ma'am.” The waitress repeated the order and then asked Cathy, ”You still want the Cherry c.o.ke, too?”
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