"Thank you, Mrs. King," Ruth said to Johnny's mother when she stayed to help with the cleanup. "Max was in charge of that, but she's a little sidetracked right now."

"I think we can blame Johnny for that," Mrs. King joked, and after a glance at the couple sitting alone and talking at one of the tables, they continued to work, leaving the young couple to themselves.

"That was a nice wedding," Johnny told Max over at the table, his hand fiddling with the flowers that had served as a centerpiece.

"It was, wasn't it?"

"And they met on an island in the Pacific, right?"

"Yes, the crew of Rigg's PT boat rescued Lorri."

"Wow," Johnny said with a shake of his head. "That's amazing. Did they know then that they cared for each other?"

"Lorri said it was nothing like that. Rigg just made sure she was safe, and that was all. They didn't see each other for months, but when they did-" Max shook her head, leaving the sentence hang.

"Love at first sight?"

"I don't believe in love at first sight, but there was interest at first sight, that's for certain."

"Now, why doesn't that surprise me?" Johnny's voice told her he would not let that one go by.

"What?" she asked, pretending not to understand.

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345.

"The girl who swore off boys doesn't believe in love at first sight I'm shocked."

"Do you?" she challenged him.

Johnny put his head back, as though in deep thought, and Max covered her mouth to keep from laughing. She knew she was being teased and flirted with all at the same time.

"It's not that hard of a question, John," she pointed out when he didn't speak.

"What did you call me?"

Max blinked at the change in him. "I don't know. I think John."

The eyes that watched her had turned intense. Max waited, hoping he would say what was wrong.

"Could it be," he began slowly, "that you don't think of me as a little boy anymore?"

"I've never thought that," Max said without hesitation. "Johnny's just your name. It's what I call you; it doesn't mean that I still think you're in the fifth grade."

"Then there's hope," he said.

"Hope for what?"

John realized he'd already said too much. He didn't know how to get himself out of this, so he simply reached up and tucked a stray curl behind Max's ear.

"I'd better help put tables away," he said, coming to his feet.

Max held her place and looked up at him.

"Don't look at me like that, Max. I shouldn't have said what I said. It's not time yet."

Max nodded but still wasn't altogether dear on what he meant; She did realize, however, that they both needed to be rescued. Max went to help Mrs. King and her mother, and John went toward his father and the admiral.

346.

Rigg and Lorri were spending their honeymoon in a cottage on the beach. They drove for nearly two hours, and by then the sun was sinking fast and the night was growing cold.

Rigg used the key for the cottage, found the light, and held the door so his wife could make a run for the bathroom, a room that took a moment to find. He teased her for not having remembered such things before they left the reception, but she only laughed and said there was no time to lose.

On his own, Rigg didn't waste any time. The Campbells, the family who had let them use the small beach house, had left everything in immaculate order. They'd even laid paper and kindling for a fire. By the time Lorri came from the bathroom, Rigg had a nice blaze going and was seated on the sofa, his feet stretched toward the warmth.

Coming from the bathroom and seeing the arm Rigg held out toward her, Lorri joined him, fitting nicely against his side and putting her head on his shoulder.

"We did it," she said. "We got married."

"Yes, we did." There was no missing the smile in his voice.

Rigg shifted so he could look down into his wife's face.

"You're so beautiful."

"I'm glad you think so."

"I definitely think so."

Lorri smiled just before he kissed her. The first kiss led to another, and then another. It didn't take long before the fire wasn't the only warm thing in the room.

347.

347.

The new year dawned, and it occurred to Max that life in 1947 had returned to a place she'd been before. With Rigg and Lorri living in Santa Rosa, Max was once again an only child, but life around the house was a little different this time: There was no school, Max continued to work five days a week at Brennan's, and Lorri was close enough to visit and to have her visit them. And then there was John King and his family.

Max had been invited to their home on several occasions, and people were starting to form conclusions. Max's own heart was anything but cold to John King, but neither was it as settled as others seemed to think.

There were issues that the couple had yet to talk about, but Max had determined to let John lead on any discussion. The time came in early March. It was a Sat.u.r.day, and the two had gone for a walk to the park. John walked them to an empty bench.

"Have you been meaning to ask me about the girls I've dated?" he asked with little prelude at all. "Or have you hinted and I missed it?"

"No, I didn't hint. I was pretty sure you knew that it bothered me and a.s.sumed you would bring it up."

John nodded, his eyes on the children who played on the swing set. He'd been talking to his father and Pastor about this subject but putting it off with Max. He wanted to marry Max Archer- he wanted it with all his heart-but even though he knew this might stand between them, it had to come out on the table.

"I have no excuses, Max, but I want to tell you everything I'm thinking, even if it sounds like an excuse."

"Okay," Max agreed, more open-minded than John realized.

"I was one of those typical high school boys who didn't think the future mattered. Rarely did I consider that my actions of the 348.

moment would affect the rest of my life." John turned his head to look at Max. He found her listening with full attention.

"I was sought after," he said with embarra.s.sment. "The girls seemed to like me. I would ask them out, and they would go. Not you, but anyone else I asked. Sometimes we would date several times, even go together for months." John swallowed, hating to admit the rest. "If they would let me kiss them, I would. I a.s.sumed they wanted it as much as I did, and I never even tried to hold back."

"Was there more than kissing?" Max asked when he stopped for a moment.

"No," he said quietly, still not about to be anything but ashamed. "I wanted more. My mind went further, which is just as bad, but it stopped with kissing and hugging."

Max didn't know where the tears came from. They were for both of them. This was no secret to her* but it hurt to hear it from John's mouth, and to see his pain and regret over the past.

"I'm sorry," John said, his own eyes moist. "I think you deserve better than me, Max, but that doesn't change the fact that I still want to be the one. I can't picture my life with anyone but you."

"Oh, John," Max said as she reached for his hand. "I don't want this to keep us apart, but it's hard to know you kissed those girls. I'm afraid that you'll think of one of those other girls and not me."

John shook his head and knew he was going to have to tell all.

"That's the horrible part about it, Max: You were all those girls."

Max stared at him.

"Not in my senior year," John continued. "I waited for you that whole year, but in my junior year, when I began to date, I went out with those girls only because you had no interest in me. I used them to get you out of my mind."

349.

349.

Max's mouth opened a little. She hadn't known this. She hadn't even suspected.

"Pretty bad, huh?"

"I had no idea," Max admitted.

John's eyes went back to the children. He felt as though his heart was being torn in half. All these months he'd been allowed to get close. He realized today might be the end.

His eyes went to their hands, just now realizing that Max had reached for him. Her hand was smaller than his, softer too. Touching her for one of the first times gave him hope.

"I'm a different person now, Max. I'm sure my list of faults is long, but I'm working hard to be faithful to G.o.d so you'll know I'll be faithful to you."

"I know you'll be faithful," Max told him. "I can't say that I'm never going to think of those other girls, but I believe you've put that behind you."

John nodded, relief filling him. He knew this wasn't the end of the discussion, but at least it was out in the open.

"Do you think about kissing me?"

John had not seen this coming. His head whipped around, and for a moment his face showed all the astonishment he felt.

"I'm sorry." Max was instantly contrite, panicked even, and stole her hand back in a hurry.

John laughed a little and gently reached for her hand again. He held it on the bench between them, but it didn't help Max's wide-eyed look.

"It's okay," John tried to rea.s.sure her.

"I didn't mean to ask that."

"It's all right. I don't mind."

350.

Max looked at him, pale with embarra.s.sment. John's face was calm and patient, but Max was still mortified.

"Do you want me to answer you?"

"I don't know," Max said honestly.

"What does your heart tell you?"

His words-tenderly asked-melted everything inside of her. She looked into the eyes that she'd come to love in the last months, eyes that always looked at her with respect and caring and something she'd never wanted to face until today: love.

"My heart tells me you're wonderful," Max said, not bothering with the original question.

John smiled at her, knowing that some day he could tell her what it cost him to keep his distance. He stood to his feet but kept Max's hand in his own. He held her hand all the way back to the Archer house, his heart and head telling him for the first time that he would have a future with this girl.

Rigg followed his wife up to the driveway of the Archer home, asking himself whether this was a good idea. Their first child was due at any moment, but when he mentioned staying home from Dean's birthday party, Lorri had looked crushed. They were actually closer to the hospital at the Archers' than they were at home, but his wife looked ready to pop, and the whole thing was making him very nervous.

"Do you know," Lorri began, peering down at the steps, "that I can't see my own feet these days, let alone where the steps are."

Rigg put his hand out. "Humor me then and let me help you."

Lorri took his hand and didn't bother to hide her amus.e.m.e.nt.

351.

35i n "You never did tell me why you thought we should stay home."

Rigg stopped, not reaching for the door handle as he had planned. He looked at his wife. Right now she had energy and was ready for anything, but it wouldn't last. He'd watched her do this every day for weeks.

"Being here will wear you but," Rigg said simply, knowing he could be honest with her. "And that's no way to start labor."

"We don't know that it will be today."

"Listen to me, love," Rigg said, still patient but wanting to make his point. "You've been saying that to me for a week. One of these days it's going to bethe day,and you'll wish you'd taken it easy."

Lorri frowned at him but still said, "You're probably right."