1982:
I have to preface this post with something I forgot to mention last month: My youth group planned a skiing trip, and my parents let me go. We drove up to Timber Ridge near the Kalamazoo area, and checked in. Six of us shared a motel room, and I was surprised the next morning at how many girls put on makeup just to 'play in the snow'! We met up with the rest of the group and headed to the lodge. Five of us had never skied before, so after paying for our equipment rental, we followed an instructor to the Bunny Slope, where he taught us the basics. I learned how to fall down, snowplow to a stop, and more importantly, how to put my skis back on my boots!
One of my good friends, DH, spent the better part of the afternoon with me, trying to improve my skill level. But it soon became clear downhill skiing was not going to be my forte, so I went inside to warm up with hot chocolate and sit by the fire and let him get back to the more challenging courses.
My best friend J was about to undergo knee surgery, but had come along to cheer on her boyfriend and the rest of us. I joined her upstairs after thawing out, and watched my other best friend, K, who was decked out in purple from her hat to her ski pants.
Woke up Sunday morning with my right arm extremely sore from the rope tow of the Bunny Slope, so didn't ski again, but enjoyed hanging out with K and everyone else in the chalet until it was time to load up and return home.
Now before the trip, B had learned of the trip and warned me not to break my leg, 'because the Valentine's Dance is coming up.' I had told him I had no intention of breaking any bones, and when I related this conversation to BFFs K and J, they soon convinced me this meant he was going to ask me to the dance.
But before the trip and the conversation with B, the fact I saw ex-boyfriend K every day soon had me longing for male companionship again, so I screwed up my courage and asked him out. He'd agreed, and then made me a silver ring in one of his shop classes. I hadn't told B of the new development....and left for the weekend.
When I got back, B met me at my locker, wanting details of the ski trip, and seemed happy I was still on two feet. I then revealed I was back with K, and he acted upset. Later, one of B's friends indicated B had been thinking about asking me to the upcoming dance. And in my turmoil, I did something rather stupid.
One week before the dance, I broke things off with K....only to discover B three days later B wasn't attending the dance. And through a friend, I learned he hadn't been thinking of upgrading our friendship to dating status. I was crushed....and spent the next six weeks campaigning for K to take me back again. I was also slightly jealous of BFF's J and K's relationships with their men, and often felt like a 5th wheel every Wednesday and Sunday night. And since my parents' Bible Study now met the same night of the week as mine, I could no longer group date, since I already had a ride home every Wednesday. I began to resent the fact we lived so far out of town.
So Valentine's Day that year was a huge disappointment, other than the chocolate heart my mother had given me. Would I ever know the joys of spending Valentine's Day in the company of a boyfriend?
Present Day:
Youngling is now in wrestling, so no more getting up early on Saturday to attend ball games:) However, if you're on Face Book tomorrow, please feel free to join myself and other Secret Cravings authors in an all weekend chat on our face book page. Contests, fun, trivia, or just hanging out with us:) And don't forget to stop by The Writer's Evo on Sunday for Kenzie's post!
Have a great weekend! And if you missed it, scroll down for two excerpts from Forbidden Love:)
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