Free Remember Tuesday Morning by Karen Kingsbury

gave them a friendship much stronger than the transient relationships of their peers, and by the time they reached the summer before their senior year, the summer of 2001, Alex and Holly were inseparable.
By then her parents must’ve seen what Alex’s family shared, or the fact that their youngest daughter preferred being at the house down the street rather than at home. Whatever it was, Holly’s parents began coming to church each week with Alex’s parents, and Holly’s mother stopped drinking. The two families were together often.
Alex closed his eyes and whispered her name, the way he hadn’t said it in years. “Holly, girl … I hope you found someone better than me …”
Suddenly, there he was in the Adirondacks hiking the trail around Elk Lake with his parents and Holly and her family. The July humidity hadn’t been as bad as back on Staten Island, and the forecast of thunderstorms never materialized. It was the third Saturday of the month, and Alex had that wonderful feeling summer would go on forever.
The parents were up ahead on the trail, and Holly’s sister was with them. Alex slipped his fingers through Holly’s and slowed his pace. “So … seniors this year.”
“Shhh.” She giggled at him, her blue eyes dancing. “That’s against the rules, silly.”
“What rules?” He loved this about her, the way she kept their relationship fun and full of laughter.
“You can’t talk about school when we’re right in the middle of summer. Otherwise it’ll disappear …” she pulled away from him, her eyes bright with teasing, “like this!” She darted down a tree-covered hillside off the main trail, daring him to follow her.
“Hey!” He ran after her, but with so many trees he lost her almost right away. He was about to call her name when she jumped out at him from behind a huge trunk and grabbed his waist.
“Gotcha!” Her giggle was quiet, muffled by the canopy of branches and trees. She shifted herself so she was in front of him, then put her finger to his lips. “No more talk about school.”
“Okay.” His heart was pounding, his breathing fast from the chase and the electricity between them. He searched her eyes, her face, and watched as the humor fell away and left behind a longing that had always been there, a longing so deep Alex wasn’t sure he could draw his next breath without her. “Holly …”
She could feel it too … her smoky eyes told him that much. “We … we need to get back on the trail.”
“All I need,” he drew her closer and kissed her, “is you.” The headiness of that kiss, the intoxicating way it felt to have her in his arms alone in a place where only God could see them, left him no choice but to tell her how he was feeling. He let himself get lost in her eyes. “I love you, Holly.”
“I know.” Joy filled her face and she took the slightest step back, giving the passion between them a chance to dissipate, allowing a way back to familiar ground. She giggled and turned around, running back up the hill toward the trail.
“Wait!” He ran after her and when he’d nearly caught her, she faced him again and he searched her eyes. “What do you mean … you know ?”
“Because …” Her hair framed her tanned face, and she’d never looked more beautiful. “… I’ve loved you since that day in middle school at your parents’ kitchen table.” She tilted her head, only partly serious. “Same as you.” She was off again, back onto the trail where they were in view of the others, safe from the power of their feelings.
But before the camping trip ended a few days later, Alex and Holly walked to the lakeshore one night and sat together on a tree stump, watching the moon on the water. Alex avoided kissing her, because out there … well, out there if he started he wasn’t sure he could stop. Instead they talked about a Bible verse from Jeremiah 29, and how God knew the plans He had for His people.
“You know what I hope?” Holly’s voice mixed with the