Free Renewal 2 - Echoes of the Breakdown by Jf Perkins Page B

I’ll give it try. Just don’t blame me if my huge feet step all over your little dainty ones.”
    Sally took his hand and dragged him out in front of everyone, away from his precious new box. He wasn’t sure which was worse. As soon as they stepped toward the center, the band transitioned into a new song, something slow and romantic, which was vaguely embarrassing but good, since Terry wasn’t lying about his dancing skills. Sally worked with him for a few minutes, until aside from his complete lack of rhythm, he was holding his own. Her feet were relatively safe anyway.
    “See? It’s not so hard,” she said.
    “I can’t hear you. I’m too busy concentrating.”
    “Well, I’m happy enough that I got you away from that box. I was getting jealous.”
    “It’s a nice box, with the polished wood and all.”
    “Terry, I’m sorry I missed your gathering.”
    “It’s ok, Sally. I was playing dirty with the freckle comments.”
    She stuck her tongue out at him.
    “Besides, it was pretty nice just seeing you up on the barn,” he added.
    “I’m afraid of you,” she said into his ear.
    “Why? You’re twice as tough as me.”
    “I think you know what I mean.”
    “Let me guess. Your parents have me picked out for you, and you don’t want to be forced into anything.”
    “You knew that?”
    “It wasn’t too hard to notice, all those little looks and gestures, coincidental meetings, your mom trying to explain you to me... Plus, I felt like I was getting the royal treatment. I doubt that most new people get that.”
    “Well, aren’t you the smarter-than-you-look boy?”
    “Don’t tell anyone. Makes it hard to sneak up on folks,” Terry said with a smile.
    “Our secret, but I think my folks already know. They’ve been singing your praises for two days.”
    “Well, ignore them. I can’t say I don’t like the idea, or that I’m not flattered, but I figure it’s up to us to decide if we like each other, and whatever that means.”
    “Really?” Sally asked, looking up at him with hope in her eyes.
    “Yeah, really.”
    Sally gave him a relieved smile, and Terry pretended that it didn’t tear his heart wide open as she leaned her head in to rest on his shoulder. He happened to be facing her parents at that moment, sitting on the tavern porch. He also pretended he didn’t see Bill and Aggie give each other the shining smiles of victory as they held hands and watched their daughter do something they never believed possible.
    The rest of the evening was a terrible conflict for Terry. He was as close to pure happiness as he had ever been, but a few short hours from this perfect moment, he was heading back to town, and the empty existence he knew was there for him. Manchester was waiting with dread and hopeless hunger on its side.
    End Part 2
     
    About the Author
     
    This is my second Kindle title, Part 2 of the same story, and I thank you for reading it. The story is my response to the feeling of precariousness in American life right now. I’m not a survivalist and I don’t live in an abandoned missile silo. In fact, I live in a suburb in Washington State with my lovely wife, five dogs (all of whom are rescues and brilliant furry idiots) and two cats that encompass both ends of the cat social scale.
     
    Connect with Me Online
     
    I have a sadly neglected blog at http://www.jfperkins.com but if you bug me enough, I may decide to give it some love. I have another blog related to a fundraising bicycle trip I took with my dog a couple of years ago at http://www.bigdummyproject.com. I am also on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/videojimmy but I’ll be honest. I mostly use it to post pictures of the dogs. I don’t use Twitter, because frankly, I’m way too wordy.
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
    *Car adventure, Humvee radio, combat