Hidden Past – Chapter 8

Chapter 8 - Hidden Past

“Oh, Kenny! Tonight was wonderful! It all went so fast!” the thoroughly appreciative Angela exclaimed to Kenny.

Kenny had spared no expense in taking Angela to Point Pleasant, West Virginia, across the Ohio River from Gallipolis, to the Point Grille, reputedly the best restaurant in the tri-county area.

“I hope you don’t mind if I get a steak, Kenny,” Angela’s eyes had shone as she sought his permission.

“Whatever you want, princess! This is your sixteenth birthday, and I want you to get exactly what you want. You’re worth it and then some!” Kenny felt the eyes staring at the remarkably striking young lady he was escorting. He knew if they had been in Hollywood, the restaurant patrons would have felt certain she was an up-and-coming star.

“Is this one a good one?” Her eyes and voice had reflected innocence as she pointed to the filet mignon on the menu.

“That would be the best—my choice too.” Kenny tried to convey that he fully endorsed her selection. He wanted to treat her as a very special, extraordinary person. He would respect her fragile young psyche and never do anything to hurt her. He saw her as his princess, his china doll, and his long-term prize.

As they left the Point Grille, they were both full, she even a bit stuffed, and the evening air made her legs feel rubbery.

“Oh, Kenny. I feel wobbly,” she said honestly, and Kenny immediately put his arm around her to provide support.

“Don’t worry, princess, you can relax in the car and listen to your favorite music as we head back to Ohio. What time do you need to be home?”

“Kenny, I don’t want to go home! I don’t want this evening to end. I don’t want my birthday to end.”

He opened the door for her, helped her get settled in the car, and then went around the front of the car to his door, never taking his eyes off the sixteen-year-old he adored. He smoothly slid into the driver’s seat and asked, “Would you like to put the top down again?”

“Oh yes! I’ll do it. I can do it!” she reacted with youthful enthusiasm. She loved the way Kenny treated her as if she were an adult and encouraged her to do whatever she wanted to do. He never tried to force her to do anything she didn’t want to do and always responded to her as if she were the most important person in his world.

“Princess, open the glove compartment.”

“Okay!” Her enthusiasm became excitement when she saw a small pale-yellow box with a hand-tied red bow on top. She recognized the signature wrapping of Bailey’s, the finest jewelry store in Gallipolis.

“Oh my gosh, Kenny. What are you doing?”

“I’m giving you a present, a birthday present! I’m giving you something to remember this birthday by so you’ll never forget it.”

“My gosh, Kenny. You treat me like a queen—a princess I mean. Why do you like me—”

Angela was going to complete the question with the words so much, but the untaped yellow wrapping paper fell open, revealing the important, expensive-looking ruby-red box from Bailey’s. She opened it without delay and began to gasp and cry.

“Kenny! Oh, Kenny!” She awkwardly reached over and tried to hug his broad-shouldered frame.

“C’mon. Try it on,” Kenny encouraged, he himself fighting to keep the tears and his own excitement from showing.

After completing the hug and kissing him wetly on the cheek, Angela, without embarrassment, said, “Oh, please, Kenny. Help me.”

Kenny not so deftly scooped the sterling silver chain with the tiny diamond-veneered “A” pendant from its ruby home and asked Angela to turn and face away from him.

“I’m not very good at this, but I’ll try,” Kenny said as his big thumbs and fingers separated the clasp and reached over her head to pull the ends of the necklace together. Angela held her black hair up in her back, revealing a pure, sculpted neck that Kenny agonizingly refrained from kissing. Luckily, he fastened the clasp on the first try.

“Oh, let me see it, Kenny!” Angela exclaimed with delight as she eagerly pulled the car’s rearview mirror toward her.

It was still light enough on the warm midsummer evening for her to gasp again as she caught the glamour of the sparkling “A” looking back at her.

“Thank you! Thank you!” she kept saying as she hugged Kenny again. “This is the best birthday I’ve ever had and probably ever will have!”

She was crying when she kissed him again—this time, wetly on the mouth.