Sunflowers for Katie

Sitting still in a dark theatre to watch his sisters dance on a Saturday morning wasn’t nine year old Nick’s idea of fun, but that was The Plan for the day. While he’d rather be fishing in the back pond with Peter, Nick knew better than to argue with Mom when she announced things in her no nonsense voice.

As he followed his parents and twin sisters from the parking lot to the Rock Creek Theatre, Nick pulled at the collar of his polo shirt. He really wanted to untuck his shirt, but knew that was out of the question. He needed to be on his best behavior to convince his parents to let him sit with Peter and Katie.

“Nick, stop fussing with your collar,” said Mom without even looking at him.

He sighed and jammed his fists into his jean pockets. He scuffed his toes on every tiny pebble and shred of stick between the curb and the heavy glass doors of the theatre. This was going to be the longest day of his life.

Dad opened the door and let the girls go in first. They disappeared into the interior with Mom right behind them.

Nick didn’t understand why they needed to be here so early when Allison and Cassie weren’t dancing until almost the end. For that matter, he didn’t understand why he had to so early since he definitely was not dancing.

“Come on, Nick.” Dad beckoned him with a flick of his wrist.

He picked up his pace.

When he reached the door, Dad laid his hand on Nick’s shoulder and squeezed. “I know this isn’t that exciting for you, but it means a lot to your sisters. You know how you like baseball?”

Nick nodded.

“Well, imagine you practice all year, but you only get to play one game.”

Nick frowned. “That sounds terrible.”

“I know.” Dad smiled. “Well, today is your sisters’ one game. It’s the only chance they get to show off what they practiced all year. It’s our responsibility to support them. We get to show them that all their hard work paid off.”

Nick’s nose wrinkled as a thought struck him. “They come to my games.”

Dad nodded. “And they cheer when you hit the ball or catch one.”

“Don’t worry. I’ll clap for them.”

Dad squeezed his shoulder again. “Let’s go find the Gibsons.”

“Can I sit with Peter and Katie?” Nick’s steps contained a little more pep than before.

“You can sit with Peter if you promise to behave.”

“I know. I know.” Nick looked at Dad sideways as they walked through the lobby. “What about Katie? Isn’t she here too?”

“She is.” Dad looked like he wanted to say something else, but someone called Nick’s name from behind them.

Nick swung around. Peter, a huge grin on his face, waved from the entrance. Nick returned the wave, but his hand faltered to a stop when he spied Katie peeking around her mom and Peter. She saw him and disappeared behind her mom without saying hello.

“Guess what,” said Peter when they were closer. His wide grin showed his too big front teeth.

“What?” Nick craned his head to the side and tried to catch a glimpse of Katie.

“Shut up, Peter!” Katie’s clear voice rang through the lobby even though she remained hidden.

“It’s just Nick,” said Peter. His eyes danced as he looked at Nick. “Just wait until you get a load of her costume.”

“Why is Katie in a costume?”

“Because she has to dance.” Peter held his arms over his head and leaped side to side a couple of times. His heavy footsteps thudded on the polished floor.

Nick jumped when Peter’s mom snapped her fingers. “Stop teasing your sister.”

“Yes, ma’am.” Peter dropped his arms and stood still.

The grownups gathered around each other in that weird way they always did, which meant Katie’s shield moved and left her standing all alone.

Nick did a double take.

Peter snickered.

Katie hunched her bony shoulders and glared at her older brother. “Mom told you to stop!”

“But, Katie, you’re bee-u-ti-ful,” sang Peter in a whisper.

Nick thought it was a pretty good joke considering Katie’s bright frilly bee costume. She had big poufy yellow things around her shoulders. There were black stripes across her yellow belly and a huge fluffy skirt thing around her hips. It was a lot of yellow. All she needed was a pair of wings and antennae and she’d be ready for Halloween.

He really wanted to laugh, but the thin set of her lips, her clenched fists, and the glitter in her eyes made him think twice. Katie looked ready to wallop her brother. If that happened, there was no way he’d get to sit by Peter.

“Cool costume,” he said to Katie. Stuff like that usually made his sisters feel better.

Katie’s gaze swung to him. “You mean it?”

“Yeah. I can tell what you are. Half the time I don’t know what the costumes are supposed to be.”

She made a point of turning her back to Peter and smiled at him.

Nick smiled back. Keeping the peace between the two siblings meant keeping his seat by Peter, and honestly, he had a lot of practice at it. Peter wasn’t always very nice to his sister. Nick didn’t know why her presence bothered Peter so much. She was loads better than the twins.

“Two more minutes, Katie Love,” said her mom. “We’ve got to finish getting you ready.”

Katie’s smile disappeared. Her freckles stood out across her nose.

“Are you okay?” asked Nick.

“She’s so nervous her stomach hurts,” crowed Peter in Nick’s ear. “She’s gonna get up there and puke on everyone.”

Peter bent over and started silently retching.

Nick looked at Katie. Her bottom lip trembled as she kept her gaze on anything and everything but her brother. He remembered what his dad said about today being like the only game after a year of practice. Peter’s teasing wasn’t fair.

“Hey, Katie,” Nick said loud enough to get Peter’s attention. When both of them were looking at him, he continued. “We’re going to sit in the front row. If you’re going to puke, aim for Peter.”

“Hey!” said Peter.

Katie giggled as her mom reached for her hand. She looked back over her shoulder at the two of them when they got to the stage entrance. Nick pretended to throw up on Peter. Katie laughed out loud as she disappeared through the door.

“All right, boys. Let’s go find a seat,” said Dad.

“We want to sit up front,” said Nick.

Peter shook his head. “No, I don’t.”

“The front is a great idea,” said Peter’s dad.

They were about to walk into the theatre when Nick noticed a table off to the side. It had bunches of flowers on it. He pulled on Dad’s arm. “What’re those flowers for?”

“They are there so people can buy them for the dancers.”

“Oh, like you and Mom give Allison and Cassie?”

Dad nodded.

“Can I get one?”

Dad’s forehead wrinkled up. “Why do you want one, son?”

“For Katie. She should get a flower too.”

Dad looked over at Peter’s dad, who smiled broadly. Peter’s dad said, “I’ll save you guys a seat.”

“On the front row,” said Nick.

Peter rolled his eyes.

“As close to the front as we can get,” promised Peter’s dad.

Dad put his hand on Nick’s shoulder, and the two of them walked over to the table of flowers.  Nick looked at all of the bright cheerful blossoms. The yellow ones reminded him of Katie’s costume.

“Can I get one of those?” He looked up at Dad before pointing at the yellow flowers.

“Sure, son.” Dad pulled out his wallet and gave Nick a five dollar bill.

Nick faced the ladies behind the table. “I want that really big yellow one, please.”

“That’s a pretty carnation,” said the lady who handed him the flower. “Your sister will love it.”

Nick shook his head as he handed her the money. “It’s for my friend.”

Now that he had Katie’s flower he was ready to sit down. He turned around and marched across the lobby.

Seven Years Later

Hidden behind the red velvet curtain of Rock Creek Theatre’s stage, Katie peeked out at the assembled crowd to see if Nick and Peter made it in time to sit in their customary seats. Tonight was her eighth and final dance recital, and it wouldn’t be the same without her cheering section front and center. Even though it was silly to be superstitious, she breathed a sigh of relief when she saw the two of them.

“Are they here?” asked Tiffany in an undertone.

Katie nodded, and Tiffany’s shoulders relaxed.

The two of them headed backstage to wait. Tiffany’s grin looked a little sheepish when she confessed, “I don’t know why, but I always feel better when I know your brother and Nick are here.”

“Maybe it’s because it makes me less nervous.” Katie stretched her left leg and let the memory of Nick telling her to aim for Peter wash over her. At fourteen years old, it still made her smile, and the ability to smile made her less nervous.

“I still can’t believe you’re quitting,” said Tiffany from the floor where she was stretching.

“Believe it.” Katie barely refrained from rolling her eyes. “I’m never going to be a dancer. I know that, and I don’t want to spend the rest of high school in a dance studio.”

Tiffany frowned. “You say that like it’s a bad thing.”

“It’s not for you,” said Katie. She switched legs. “You’re really talented and you work hard. Dance is your thing.”

“So what’s your thing?”

“I’m still not sure, but when I figure it out, nothing is going to stop me.”

Tiffany snorted through her nose. “You are red headed and stubborn enough to achieve whatever you put your mind to.”

Katie grunted and started working through the opening sequence of their duet. She was going to be fifteen in a few weeks, and the summer before her sophomore year promised to be fun. Nick and Peter both had their licenses. They’d made all sorts of plans together, but she had one of her own. It wasn’t one she’d shared with anyone yet.

She was going to offer herself as a free intern to the local bakery. She wanted to learn more about baking and figured the aging Lepskis could use some help. As far as she was concerned, it was a win win situation for everyone.

When it was their turn to dance, Katie dismissed everything from her mind but the music and the steps. She and Tiffany floated out onto the stage and took their marks. Katie stole one quick reassuring glance at her brother and friend and then concentrated on her last performance.

The applause swelled at the end. Katie and Tiffany clutched each other’s hands and curtsied in unison. As she straightened up, Katie peered through the spotlights and saw Peter and Nick, their hands blurred, on their feet. She threw a smile at them as she and Tiffany exited the stage.

“We did it!” squealed Tiffany once they were out of view. She threw her arms around Katie.

Katie squeezed her back for a few seconds and then pulled away. “You’ve got to change for your solo. It’s after the next number.”

“Right. See you afterwards.” Tiffany plunged toward the dressing room set aside for the older girls.

Katie skirted the chaos of backstage and headed for the lobby where her family and the Vaughns would be waiting to congratulate her. Her parents would have a bouquet of roses. Nick’s parents would greet her with sincere compliments and warm hugs. Nick would act like he didn’t remember, but he’d have a yellow carnation behind his back. Peter would tease her about her costume, although she couldn’t imagine what complaint he could dream up about this particularly lovely emerald leotard with its gold mesh skirt.

Mom saw her first. “Oh, honey, you were perfect.”

“Thanks, Mom.” Katie returned her fierce hug.

Dad, holding the customary pink roses, beamed at her over Mom’s petite shoulder. He handed her the roses and folded her into a gentle hug. “It was a beautiful performance.”

“Thank you.”

There were more hugs and congratulations from Nick’s parents, and then Katie turned to Peter.

He looked at her with a wide grin. “You did good, kid, except what is up with your costume?”

Katie narrowed her eyes. “What’s wrong with my costume this year?”

“It’s so…” Peter squinted at her, “slanty. Did you get a discount for only half a skirt?”

A reluctant grin tugged at the corners of her mouth. “It just so happens that we saved a whopping ten bucks each by going for the asymmetrical skirt.”

Peter gaped at her. “Really?”

Nick elbowed him. “She’s teasing you.”

Peter’s mouth snapped shut. Pink tinted his cheeks.

Nick chuckled and turned towards her. His hand was still behind his back. He smiled at her and said, “You went out with a bang, Katie.”

“Thanks.”

“Just give it to her, man,” said Peter.

Nick reached over and slugged Peter’s arm.

Peter rubbed his bicep. “What was that for?”

“For ruining the surprise.”

“Surprise?” Peter snorted. “You do the same thing every year even though we all know you have one. Even Katie knows you have it.”

Katie arched her eyebrows. “I don’t see any flowers besides the ones I’m holding. I don’t know what you’re talking about, Peter.”

“Yeah, Peter,” said Nick. He glared at Peter, but Katie saw the corner of his mouth twitch.

“I give up. I’m going to watch the rest of the show.” Peter shook his head and then walked back into the theatre.

All four of the adults followed him. Mom lingered long enough to say, “Don’t take too long. You don’t want to miss Tiffany’s solo.”

“We won’t,” promised Katie.

As her mom disappeared into the theatre Katie faced Nick. He grinned at her and pulled out the flower he had behind his back. Katie’s mouth fell open. She stared at the full bouquet of sunflowers and tiny pink flowers, all wrapped in tissue paper and tied with a yellow ribbon, in Nick’s hand.

“That’s for me?” she said as he held it out to her.

“Yes.”

Katie accepted the flowers and stared up at his face. “You always get me a yellow carnation.”

Nick, an easy smile on his lips, shrugged. “It’s your last performance. I thought I’d do something special.”

“Wow. They’re gorgeous.” Katie gazed at the sunflowers and took in the details of each little petal. She glanced back at Nick. “Thank you. Sunflowers are my favorite.”

“I know.” He hooked his thumbs in his jean pockets. “I remembered you saying that a while back.”

Katie threw her arms around him and squeezed as hard as she could with bouquets in both hands. “You are the best friend ever!”

Nick just grinned and said, “Come on. Tiffany will be on stage in a minute.”

Katie followed Nick into the theatre and sat next to him to watch Tiffany’s solo. She cradled the sunflower bouquet in her arms and watched the way the light from the stage played across the vibrant yellow petals. Katie couldn’t imagine a better finale to her stint as a dancer than the flowers in her arms.