Page 74 of The Tomboy

Chapter 21

Taylor

There were no tennismatches scheduled for Homecoming Week, but I wasn’t fazed by that. If anything, it allowed me more time to train. And it was very convenient that my boyfriend was willing to be my new hitting partner.

In fact, it was extremely convenient. Training sessions morphed into kissing sessions seamlessly.

Dad was highly amused by my new status, not so much by the news that I’d volunteered his attendance at the school’s Glam Movie Quiz Night.

After the football game, Mr. Saunders had invited him to the Club to celebrate the team’s win. (Max and I celebrated too, but by eating burgers in his truck overlooking the river, and then we’d gone to Cullen’s party where we learnt that we might be good at tennis, but dancing certainly was not our forté.)

Dad complained that the Quiz Night meant having to dress up, so I had resorted to begging. I didn’t have the heart to disappoint Alize.

“Poor Alize will be sitting at an empty table,” I said, “and you enjoyed your night with Max’s Dad, didn’t you? He’ll probably be there.”

Dad conceded that he had, though he queried whether his bank account could withstand another night out. I promised I would drink plain water so he wouldn’t have to spend a penny on me.

It was a bittersweet moment as we stood in the living room ready to leave, both of us dressed in our funeral clothes. Dad was in his only suit, very dark gray, and I was in my only ‘good’ dress, a plain black one with sheer sleeves. In this case, I was hoping simplicity equated to style. At least my hair looked a million dollars, having quickly washed and dried it at the Club after training.

Dad scowled as he straightened the purple bowtie that I’d bought from a dollar store in River Valley. I wanted to add a bit of fun, not for it to be an exact replica of Mom’s funeral.

“I look ridiculous,” he muttered.

I laughed, slipping on my new sandals. “I hope I don’t break my ankle,” I said. Standing up, I teetered on the three inch heels, circling the room to get used to them.

“You better not, or your scholarship will be over,” Dad said in a mock growly voice. “But you do look gorgeous.”

“You don’t look so bad yourself,” I said, fussing over his shirt collar.

We admired ourselves in the hallway mirror for a moment. “Your Mom would be so proud of you,” Dad said, squeezing me around the waist.

“She’d be proud ofyou,” I retorted, “all dressed up fancy.”

Dad grunted, “Come on, let’s get this over and done with.” He jangled his keys and opened the front door.

I cautiously dashed into the living room for my purse, stopping by the sideboard to glance at the last family portrait taken of the three of us, Mom smiling, bald under her cap, wearing her favorite orange t-shirt. I kissed my two fingers and pressed them on the photo.

Love you Mom, thank you.

I didn’t say it out loud, but it resonated deep in my heart. Because, if it hadn’t been for her, Dad and I would never have ended up here in our little house in River Valley. And I would never have met Max.

As I pulled the door shut behind me, Dad’s voice called from the driveway, “Be careful of the scaffolding.”

Two days ago, men had arrived to prep the outside of 1040 Fox Avenue for painting. The rickety picket fence had been torn down and new posts had been erected, ready for new palings. In the following weeks, the kitchen and bathroom would be renovated, too. I suspected Max had a lot to do with it.

The Glam Movie Night Quiz had sold out quickly. Max had been part of the organizing committee and he had no idea I’d been invited by Alize. I was hoping he’d be surprised—pleasantly—by my presence.

In my heels, I was as tall as Dad, and arm in arm we walked into the Club’s Grand Ballroom. The look on Addison’s face as Dad handed her our tickets was priceless.

“Table 3?” she gulped in disbelief.

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