Savannah’s eyes began to glisten. “I’m sorry, Pops.”
“I shouldn’t have cut him off,” I stated. “It’s why he’s so angry all the time. It’s why he’s so standoffish. I hurt him, deeply. When I told him, it seemed to destroy him, but then he asked me on a date. My Rune, finally taking me on a date, after all these years.”
Ida quickly wiped her cheek. “Do Mama and Daddy know?”
I grimaced, then shook my head. Savannah and Ida looked at each other, then at me, and in seconds we were all laughing.
Ida rolled on her back, holding her stomach. “Oh my Lord, Pops! Daddy’s gonna flip! All he’s talked about since the Kristiansens got back is how much Rune has changed for the worse, how he’s disrespectful because he smokes and shouts at his pappa.” Flipping around, she sat up. “He ain’t gonna let you go.”
My laughter stopped. I knew my mama and daddy were concerned about Rune’s attitude, but I hadn’t known how badly they judged him.
“Is he coming to our door?” Savannah asked.
I shook my head, although I was unsure what he would do.
Suddenly the doorbell rang.
We all looked at one another, wide-eyed. I frowned. “This can’t be Rune,” I exclaimed in surprise. He always came to my window. He was never formal; it just wasn’t us. Certainly it wasn’t him.
Savannah read the clock on my nightstand. “It’s six o’clock. Ain’t that the time he was coming?”
With one final look in the mirror, I grabbed my jacket and rushed through my bedroom door, my sisters hard on my heels. As I rounded the hallway, I saw my daddy open the door, his face dropping when he saw whoever was there.
I skidded to a halt.
Savannah and Ida stopped beside me. Ida grabbed my hand when we heard a familiar voice say, “Mr. Litchfield.”
At the sound of his voice, my heart stuttered mid-beat. I watched as my daddy drew back his head in confusion. “Rune?” he asked. “What are you doing here?”
My daddy was being his usual polite self, but I could hear a wariness in his tone. I could hear a slight edge of worry, maybe even a deeper concern.
“I’m here for Poppy,” Rune told my daddy. My daddy’s hand tightened on the doorknob.
“For Poppy?” he clarified. I peeked around the wall, hoping to catch a glimpse of Rune. Ida squeezed my arm.
I looked at my sister. “OMG!” she mouthed dramatically.
I shook my head while silently laughing at her. She refocused her attention on my daddy, but I stared at her excited face for a fraction longer. It was moments like this, the carefree moments where we were just three sisters gossiping about dates, that struck me the hardest. Feeling a pair of eyes watching me, I turned my head toward Savannah.
Without words, she told me she understood.
Savannah’s hand pressed on my shoulder, as I heard Rune explain, “I’m taking her out, sir.” He paused. “On a date.”
My daddy’s face blanched, and I pushed forward. As I moved toward the door to rescue Rune, Ida whispered in my ear, “Poppy, you’re my new hero. Look at Daddy’s face!”
I rolled my eyes and laughed. Savannah grabbed Ida and pulled her back, out of sight. But they’d still be watching. They wouldn’t miss this for the world.
A flush of nerves swept through me as I approached the door. I saw my daddy begin to shake his head. Then his gaze fixed on me.
His confused eyes surveyed my dress, the bow in my hair and the make-up on my face. He turned a whiter shade of pale.
“Poppy?” my daddy asked. I lifted my head high.
“Hey, Daddy,” I replied. The door still blocked Rune, but I could see his blurred dark figure through the stained-glass panel. I could smell his fresh scent drifting in on the cool breeze that filtered through the house.
My heart raced in anticipation.
Daddy pointed at Rune. “Rune here seems to think he’s taking you out.” He said it as though it couldn’t possibly be true, but I heard the doubt in his voice.
“Yes,” I confirmed.
I heard the hushed whispers of my sisters coming from behind us. I saw my mama watching from the shadow of the living room.
“Poppy—” My daddy went to speak, but I stepped forward, cutting him off.
“It’s okay,” I assured him. “I’ll be fine.” It seemed like my daddy couldn’t move. I used this awkward moment to walk around the door and greet Rune.
I felt my lungs seize and my heart stop dead.
Rune was dressed all in black: t-shirt, jeans, suede boots, and leather biker jacket. His long hair was down. I savored the moment when he lifted his hand and pushed it through his hair. He was leaning against the doorway, an air of arrogance radiating from his casual stance.