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and stroked her chin as if thinking. Then she shrugged her shoulders and laughed. The rain had slowed down to a very faint drizzle.
    “Let me walk you to your car.” Still holding hands, Gavin and Sydney walked across the wet pavement of the parking lot, dodging large puddles until they were at her car. Sydney handed back his wet jacket.
    “Thanks for the jacket, babe,” she said smiling.
    “No problem, mama,” he said in a Johnny Bravo impression and made a kissy noise as he puckered his lips. Sydney laughed and gently squeezed at his hand. He squeezed back. This was the part where they were supposed to say goodbye. Neither was in a hurry to go.
    “I think a hug is in order,” she said, “I think you deserve it. What do you think?”
    “I think I better get some, since I paid for dinner and all,” he said. She playfully smacked him across his face. He rubbed at his cheek and pretended to be hurt. Then he tossed his wet jacket onto the hood of her car and wrapped his arms around her, drawing her close, enjoying the warmth of their closeness.
    Sydney took in a deep breath and sighed trying to calm her racing heart. “I thought I was supposed to give you the hug,” she murmured into his chest.
    “Either way, I’m happy with the outcome,” he said.
     
    ***
     
    “Then what happened?!” Elizabeth practically squealed. Poor Sara was being bounced on Elizabeth’s knee. I feared she would suffer brain damage.
    “Then he said he’d call me and we went home to our perspective beds.”
    “Awww.” Elizabeth laughed. She took Sara’s little hands and clapped them together and sang “Auntie’s got a boyfriend! Auntie’s got a boyfriend!” Sara laughed with her toothless smile. “Oh, Syd, I am so excited for you. I just know you’re not going to regret this.”
    “How can you possibly know that?”
    “Okay, I take that back. I have a feeling that you won’t regret it.”
    “Oh, okay, a feeling . Well in that case…” Sydney rolled her eyes and smiled.
     
    ***
     
    Gavin jogged around the bend on the trail through the wooded area beside his apartment complex. The crickets were chirping in the trees, thoroughly enjoying the humidity on a Sunday morning. As he jogged he tried to think of a way he could change his work schedule for Monday and Tuesday night so that he could see Sydney earlier. His superiors had gotten used to his 24/7 availability and he didn’t want to disappoint them by suddenly backing out of things he’d already agreed to do. His bosses thought he was a motivated guy trying to make his way up the ladder. Really, he had been taking on extra projects to distract himself from other things. He made a mental note to lighten his schedule for next week.
    He wondered whether he was planning too far ahead into the future. But he couldn’t deny his feelings for her; the quickening of his heart beat and the fluttering in his stomach every time he saw her, the fact that he couldn’t stop smiling when he was with her, the fact that he was smiling now as he jogged because he was thinking of her. As he came within half a mile from the end of the trail he sprint full speed until he made it to the joining of the trail to the sidewalk along the inner perimeter of the complex. As he walked to the other end of the community where his apartment was located he came to the sad conclusion that Wednesday would be the only evening he’d have free for the entire week. He walked up the steps to his apartment and went straight for the bathroom. He kicked off his sneakers and socks, peeled off his sweaty jogging t-shirt and shorts, and hopped into the shower.
    Later he found himself on the couch watching Sunday morning cartoons and eating a Pop-Tart. What he really wanted to do was see Sydney, but he would definitely come on too strong if he couldn’t let at least one day pass without being in her company. Bored, he decided to have lunch with Jason that afternoon.
    “So…she’s nineteen?”
    Gavin