September faded into October, then October into November. The leaves had fallen to the ground, brown and crunchy. The air was nippy, coloring cheeks red, chapping hands.
Thanksgiving was rolling around quickly, and people were out buying frozen turkeys, and other Thanksgiving dinner stuff. And Sara Layton, Lynda Roberts and Logan Thompson had brainstormed up an idea. It was more Logan’s idea then anybody’s really.
Sara and Lynda knew their parents wouldn’t mind, but since Logan would be babysitting his brother, Cade, that day, he needed to ask if Cade could come too.
So three days before Thanksgiving, when the two girls were over at Logan’s, Sara brought it up.
“Logan, you really need to see if Cade can come,” she told him.
“I know, man, but the whole reason we even moved from the hood was to keep Cade away from the homeless, the junkies and such,” he informed her.
Lynda gave a careless shrug. “He’s going to be with you, me and Sara. I think he’ll be fine. Besides, I thought your parents would be proud.”
Logan knew she was right; his parents loved bragging about their two sons.
“Fine, I’ll ask tonight.”
“And if they say no,” Sara began, “my parents wouldn’t mind watching him.”
Logan stared at her. “Have you even asked yet?”
“Ahh, no,” Sara said with a guilty smile. Then lamely she added, “But I’ve dropped hints.”
“Great,” drawled Logan, looking at a snickering Lynda.
The following day Logan texted the two girls, saying Cade could come.
On Thanksgiving at noon Logan drove to Sara’s to pick up the two girls, Cade in tow. Lynda let Sara have the front seat.
On the forty minute drive, while Cade and Lynda played tic-tac-toe and drew pictures, they listened to the teasing up front. Lynda noticed the love-sick smiles Sara constantly sent Logan, and his crooked smiles. She wasn’t jealous Sara received his special attention, but she was cautious. She sensed Logan was hiding something in the 3 and a half months she’d known him. And she didn’t want Sara hurt.
At the soup kitchen, Logan and Sara did the dishes, while Lynda and Cade handed out gospel tracts to the people coming in. They passed sack lunches to the ones going out.
Around three, Logan surprised Sara with a question. “Wanna go out with me on Saturday night?”
Sara gasped. “Wow!” She blushed, feeling stupid. “I mean, sure, that’d be cool,” she replied, trying to pretend she hadn’t really said ‘wow’.
He chuckled. “Okay, sweet. Don’t dress up too much. A little is fine. Like slacks, or nice jeans-” An impish smile spread across his lips-”even a skirt’ll do.”
Sara smirked. “Ha ha, very funny.”
He nudged her with his elbow, and she darted away. He called her back over, and she stood next to him. She looked up at him, and smiled. She always felt so petite next to him, as he stood at least eight inches taller than she.
By the time they finished helping out, it was six. They got home twenty til seven. Since their parents had saved a plate full of a Thanksgiving meal, and kept it warm, they parted ways to go home and eat.
Sara’s mom took her and hugged her when she came inside. “I’m so proud of you!”
“Thanks, Mom.” She pulled away. “Um..Logan asked me out for this Saturday? May I pretty please go?”
Surprise flitted across her face, and she reluctantly agreed. “Well, I suppose, but ask your father first.”
Sara’s dad agreed. And the date was on! Excitement coursed through her veins.