Tommy Grossman walked to the front door of the Conrad house with a slightly stunted pace. Although he had known Sarah since they were both in diapers, talking to her today was going to be different. Hours before, in the hunting camp, Tommy, his best friend Pete Jackson, Will Clementine, Michael Conrad and few other men had talked with him about dating.

Tommy had very little experience around girls. Having grown up in Eagle Creek, the few girls he knew all seemed like sisters rather than potential mates. He had managed to kiss Emily when he was thirteen, but there was not much in the way of advancement beyond the ten second lip lock. Still, at some point, a young man’s fancy must turn away from baseball or blasting animals, and turn to a more prescient need, the basic desire for female companionship.

Despite his quivering legs, Tommy made it to the door and knocked. He turned around to give a quick glance to Michael Conrad who was moving some guns from the back of Mr. Clementine’s wagon. Michael Conrad smiled; a sure sign that he trusted the young man. Sarah was sixteen-years-old today; her Sweet Sixteen Party, which she would have shared with Emily was canceled so the town could concentrate on rebuilding the apothecary. Sarah was good-natured and practical in her sacrifice, but at the same time, Michael recognized that his daughter needed to have a little fun.

Sarah came to the door, Tommy smiled.

“Tommy? Good afternoon. How was the hunt?”

“Fine. We got a couple of boars. How are you?”

“Can’t complain.”

Tommy smiled. “Good.”

The men in Mr. Clementine’s wagon were all pretending not to watch, they did not want to make Tommy more nervous.

Sarah raised an eyebrow. “So, what can I do for you?”

“Well,” Tommy swallowed and gave a jittery smile. Sarah smiled back.

He sighed. “Sarah, would you like to have dinner with me tonight?”

Sarah’s eyes bulged; this was not expected. The prospect of her being alone with Tommy was not intimidating, per se, however, until this moment she had seen Tommy only as a gangly, pseudo-brother.

“Um, sure. I’d love to have dinner with you tonight.”

The men in the wagon shouted, “Hurray!”

Tommy snapped around. They quickly turned back to their work, pretending not to have overheard the proposal. Sarah instinctively surmised that they had been the true instigators of the meeting. She was utterly charmed.

“It’s noon now. How about I come back at six o’clock?”

Sarah smiled. “That would be great.”

Tommy beamed. “Six then. Have a great day.”

He returned to the wagon with many accolades and pats on the back. Sarah giggled at the men’s antics. She went back inside and heard her father turn on the back faucet near the steps. She saw him using a stick to clean his muddy boots.

She opened the screen door. “Father, Tommy Grossman and I are going to dinner tonight.”

He feigned ignorance. “Is that so?”

In a rush of exuberance, Sarah threw her arms around her father. “Thank you,” she said, “thank you for being so thoughtful!”

He shrugged. “Happy birthday, Sweetheart.”

Since it the Clementine’s wagon was used for this hunting trip, Sarah was confident that Emily would soon hear of her date. Sure enough Emily showed up an hour later. Her hands furiously rapped on the screen door.

“Sarah? Sarah? This is not fair! I am older than you.”

Sarah barely cracked the door before Emily rushed in. They sat at the kitchen table, their designated spot for serious discussions. Such juicy gossip as a first date could not be casually talked about on the front porch. The parlor was far too light a locale for a critical matter as this; only the kitchen table, where life and death issues were hammered out, was proper.

Emily had the interrogative gaze of an expensive lawyer. “Every detail.”

Sarah chuckled. “What?”

“I need to know every detail.”

Sarah spoke with exaggerated inflection, “It was Saturday, April 16th, 1910. The place: Eagle Creek, Montana; a small town between Outlook and Whitetail in Sheridan County, not too far from the North Dakota border. The small hamlet is a focal point for much intrigue. Tommy Grossman, a local boy, also age sixteen, arrived at Sarah Conrad’s door approximately ten minutes after noon.”

Emily was all-consumed with the tale, she whispered, “What was he wearing?”

“He was dressed…,” Sarah glanced left to right; she motioned for Emily to come closer. Sarah whispered, “He was dressed like Santa Claus!”

Emily gasped. “What?”

Sarah heartily laughed.

“Seriously, what was he wearing?”

“Blue jeans and red and black checkered shirt; he had the thick odor of pig blood, which I normally find irresistible.”

Emily was dumfounded. Surely there was more.

“So he looked like…?”

“Tommy Grossman! He looked exactly like a boy you’ve known since you were five.”

“Sarah?”

Emily cajoled, “You’re making this difficult.”

“Making what difficult?”

“We need to figure out his intent. Why did he ask you to dinner?”

“Emily, he did not murder anyone, he asked me to dinner.”

“I’m six days older than you. Why didn’t he ask me out first?”

Emily got up from the table and checked her reflection in the window.

“No acne this week. My teeth ae reasonably clean. Am I ugly? Is that it? Is that the reason why I will never find true love like you?”

“True love? Emily, don’t be so absurd. He asked me to dinner. We are not walking down the aisle any time soon.”

“Grandma Millie was sixteen when she was married. Mrs. Kilpatrick down at the post office was fifteen. I’m sixteen and no one has even asked me out. I’m an old maid! I should head to a nunnery!”

Mollifying her distraught friend, Sarah quipped, “Stay away from convents, Emily, nuns have bad habits.”

Emily was too self-absorbed to appreciate the humor.

“Before you head off to the convent, help me pick out a dress.”

“Ok, but, I told my mother I would be gone about 30 minutes so I can't stay long.”

Sarah and Emily spent the next few hours looking at dresses and trying to decide which colors would best show off Sarah's hair, skin, eyes, lips, ah yes, the lips. After a hot shower, Emily gave Sarah an exquisite coiffure. They spent much time in front of the full length mirror. Sarah stood in her slip and practiced laughing and fanning at amusing anecdotes and pinching her cheeks. Emily kept poking her back: “Don’t slouch.”

Emily spoke in an aristocratic air, “We need to work on your lilt. Repeat after me: Oh Tommy, you’re so funny.”

“Oh Tommy, you’re so funny.”

“No, no, no, you must be more convincing. Stretch out the word so.”

“Oh Tommy, you’re sooo funny”

“Better. Wow! Tell me more.”

“Wow! Tell me MORE!”

Emily lowered her voice, “Yes, I will marry you.”

“Yes, I will… Emily!”

Sarah laughed. “Stop it! My mother will hear you. How do I look?”

Emily wrinkled her nose. “Satisfactory. Flip back your hair. Tilt your head up to the right, that’s your best side. Ugh!”

“What is it, Em?”

“I threw up! I just remembered, after Tommy kissed me I tossed my lunch; no wonder he hates me.”

“Em, Tommy doesn’t hate you.”

“ ....but he doesn't love me.”

“So what? You've never expressed much interest in him.”

“But he should love me! He is a man and if half of the things my mother warned me about men are true then surely I should be his first date.”

She sat on the bed and fell backwards. Sarah joined her. They stared at the ceiling and enjoyed the silence.

“Sarah who was the first boy you really… well, noticed?”

Sarah scrunched her eye brows and straightened her slip. “Pete Jackson, when I was eleven. He was playing on the monkey bars at school. I don’t know what inner force compelled me, but, I smiled at him. He gave a polite nod in return and did four pull-ups. He was just as scrawny back then too, but something about that nod was… was magical. With a simple showing of my teeth, I got a boy to work for me. He actually showed off his muscles. He probably didn’t know what it all meant …until later. Who knows what he thinks of me today?”

Emily grinned. “If Pete wasn’t so dense when it comes to mathematics he’d be a senior next year with us and Lynn and Tommy. Hey, why didn’t Tommy ask out Lynn?”

Sarah gave a devious, conceited chuckle. “I’ve got the goods.”

Emily playfully nudged her. “Sarah?”

“Emily, I don’t understand men. I barely understand myself. There is only one person on Earth who knows why Tommy asked me instead of you or Lynn and that’s Tommy. He has his reasons and they are legitimate in his eyes which is why he acted on them.”

“So, what you’re saying is -I am fat and ugly and will spend the rest of my life in a cave?”

Sarah teased, "Sister Emily, I thought you settled on the convent?” Emily looked forlorn.

Chiding her, Sarah poked her ribs: "Yes, Emily, that is exactly what I am saying. You are fat, ugly and batty! ”

Emily grunted and snorted. Sarah responded with various animal sounds. They rolled off the bed, giggling. Three more dresses were tried and tested.

“Its 5:45, Em.”

“Message received.”

They hugged.

As Sarah walked Emily to the door, Emily spoke up: "Remember everything I told you. Laugh, use bright eye blinks, delicately poke at your food, not too flirty, no untoward behavior or fooling around on the first date… unless.”

“Emily Jean Clementine, what am I going to do with you?”

Emily winked. “What are you going to do with Tommy?”

“Out, out, out!”

Emily and Sarah blew kisses to each other. She headed down the stairs and began her walk home. Along the way she saw Tommy, in his parent’s carriage, headed towards Sarah’s house.

“Emily?”

“Tommy, how are you? Where are you headed on such a delightful Spring evening?”

Tommy tipped his hat. “I’ve a date with Sarah.”

Emily asked coyly, “Is this your first date?”

He shrugged. “I reckon it is.”

“Nervous?”

“A little, I guess. We’ve known each other all our whole lives, I should feel at ease around her, but…,” he looked up to the sky and sighed.

Emily gave him a comforting pat on the hand and a pout. “You poor boy. Sarah’s my best-friend; let me give you some pointers.”

Emily got in the carriage with him and took out a pencil and slip of paper from her purse. She then proceeded to mimic various moves of affection on Tommy. After a while, she smugly sent him off to Sarah’s. “And remember, you kissed me first.”

Tommy arrived at six o’clock sharp. Mrs. Conrad greeted him at the door. “Tommy, come right in.”

He smiled. “I thank thee.”

Paula Conrad briefly tilted her head and asked herself, “Did he just say, ‘I thank thee’?”

She scrunched her eyebrows.

“Sarah will be down in a second; have a seat in the parlor.”

Tommy sat down on the couch. He yawned and leaned on some pillows apparently unaware that Michael Conrad had entered the room.

“Tommy?”

“Mr. Conrad, hello, it is most pleasant to see thee.”

Tommy rose to greet him.

“Don’t stand up son, that’s not necessary. I am impressed by the way you shot that hog this morning.”

Tommy looked to the left and right. “I can’t talk about that.”

Michael Conrad was confused. “But that’s all you wanted to discuss on the way home.”

Tommy looked at the sheet of paper Emily had given him. “Nope. I’d best not say a word. But I do appreciate the interest thou showest in me.”

Michael nodded. “Um, yeah verily.”

He smiled and then left for his office upstairs.

Paula knocked on Sarah’s bedroom door. “Sweetie, your date is downstairs.”

She then caught herself and had a moment of melancholy; she thought she’d never say those words.

“Tell him I’ll be down in twenty minutes.”

“Sarah?” She walked in her room, Sarah was ready.

“Sarah, what are you doing?”

Sarah shrugged. “I’m studying for my history exam.”

“You have a date downstairs!”

“Emily said I should make him wait for me.”

Paula shook her head and closed Sarah’s history book. “Now!”

Sarah smirked, “Yes ma’am.”

Paula and Sarah walked out the door arm in arm. Michael was walking up the stairs towards them. He hugged his wife, then Sarah. “My dear, you look stunning.”

Paula added, “Our little girl is growing up.”

Michael smiled. “She sure is. Incidentally, why is her date talking like the King James Bible?”

Sarah laughed and went down the stairs.

Paula started to follow her.

Michael grabbed Paula’s hand and whispered, "She’ll be fine.”

Paula gave him a suspicious glance.

“You didn’t do this with our other two.”

Paula was quite animated. “They were boys!”

Michael made a calming “sssh” motion with his hand and then indicated by pointing that she could see them drive off from the hallway window. Paula scurried to the window, Michael reluctantly joined her.

“He’s opening the door for her, good kid. She is radiant, just look at her in that light purple dress you bought her. That reminds me of our first date.” He smiled and leaned in for a kiss.

Paula turned her head and said in a sarcastic tone, “That was Olivia in the light purple dress.”

Michael gave a smile which betrayed a fond remembrance, “Oh yeah. Woo-hoo! She was… a nice, respectable person.”

“You are pushing it tonight Mr. Conrad.”

The sun was starting to set as Tommy and Sarah headed towards Casey’s Café. The golden rays highlighted her hair.

“You look pretty tonight.”

“Thank you. Is that aftershave?”

“Bay Rum; you really like the way I smell?”

“I do.”

Tommy smiled. Turning away, he and quickly checked his list. He marked out something with a pencil. Sarah thought the move was quite curious.

“Am I going too fast?”

“Um, no, we’re just trotting along.”

“Good, good.” He marked out something else.

“Do you have any puppets?”

Sarah cocked her head. “Puppets?”

“Yeah, you know puppets?”

“I used to have one but I threw it away, so, no, not really.”

“Tommy looked at the list again. “I’m tired.”

“Ok. That’s important to know, I guess. Did you have much success hunting this morning?”

Tommy shook his head, “I can’t talk about it.” He returned to the paper.

“Oh, sorry,” Sarah, puzzled, turned her attention to the sunset, “It sure is a lovely hour for a drive.”

Tommy nodded but then said in an analytical tone, “What do you mean by that?”

Sarah was taken aback. “I mean: the weather is pleasant.”

Tommy peaked at the list. “I’m listening to you. Would you like me to slow down the horses?”

Sarah giggled. “No. You’re fine. Why do you keep looking at that piece of paper?”

Tommy fumbled for words, “Why would you say that?” He glanced back down. “You have nice shoes.”

“Tommy, what is going on here?”

“Nothing. Do you have any marionettes?”

“No! For Pete’s sake, give me that paper.”

Tommy stammered; he didn’t know what to do. “Are there any mannequins in your house? I like the color of your eyes. I respect your mother and father. I’m getting sleepy.”

Sarah grabbed the list. He started to reach for it but stopped and simply shrunk in the bench of the carriage.

“This is Emily’s handwriting!”

“She saw me on the way to your house. I made careful notes of everything she said. She sounded quite reasonable, but, I don’t see why I would have to kiss her goodnight before I kissed you.”

Sarah held the piece of paper aloft and silently screamed, “Emily!”

“Sarah, I hope this doesn’t make me look bad. I just wanted to make sure you had an enjoyable evening.”

Sarah smiled and patted his shoulder. “I know you, Tommy. You have a good heart. You don’t need pointers. But, let me just take a look at what she had to say.”

Sarah rolled her eyes and trilled her lips.

“‘1: Speak very respectfully to her parents.’ Oh, that’s why you sounded like Shakespeare?”

Tommy shrugged. “I thought it would help me with your father.”

Sarah laughed. “‘2: Listen carefully to everything she says.’ And that is why you kept asking what I really meant?”

Tommy shrugged.

3: Open the door for her and give compliments.’ Ok, you passed that test.

4: You smelled nice.

5: Don’t discuss hunting ...meaning, no graphic tales of gutting various varmints.

6 is….” Sarah grinned. “Tommy, by ‘relax’ Emily is telling you to not be so nervous around me.

Number 7: Don’t try anything fast,” Sarah's face reddened like the sunset. “That means we, you, don’t… well, ask your father.”

Tommy cringed. “Then number 8 is….”

Sarah began laughing hysterically. “Tommy, Emily forgot to put a comma after the pronoun. It’s no wonder she nearly failed English last year. ‘Number 8: Talk to her- comma- dummy.’”

Tommy suddenly realized how poorly he had interpreted the missive.

“Tommy, it’s me, Sarah. I am the same girl you pushed in the creek on that Sunday school picnic. You are the same boy I spilled hot cocoa on during the Christmas dinner. I still have the second grade Valentine’s Day card in which you proposed to me. And, by the way, it’s ‘Will you m-A-r-r-y me’ question mark not ‘You will m-E-r-r-y me’ exclamation point.”

Tommy rolled his eyes.

Sarah continued, “Either way, the offer of matrimony remains unanswered.”

Tommy's whole demeanor changed as Sarah recounted their childhood encounters.

“You asked me on a date. It’s my first date.”

Tommy raised his hand interrupting her reverie, “Mine too.”

She nodded, “You asked me out because you felt comfortable around me and you like me and you find me fascinating and… well, somewhat attractive.”

Tommy blushed.

“And, Tommy, I gleefully accepted your invitation.”

He fidgeted with the horses' reins.

“You were so concerned about showing me a good time that you asked my best friend, whom I plan to strangle tomorrow, for pointers. I consider that a supreme compliment. I am comfortable around you. I am your friend. I find you intriguing.”

She said in a flirtatious tone,

“And… um… I’ll stop there.” Sarah put her hand to her heart, “Tonight will always be a special memory.”

Tommy nervously kicked the floor of the carriage.

“Tommy, you and I are both new to this strange level of human interaction. I am more than a little terrified myself. I am not afraid of you. Ever since I could remember you have been decent, kind, a little squirrelly at times, but, you stay out of trouble. But, still, I am…” she sighed. “How shall I put this?”

They pulled into the parking lot next to Casey’s.

Tommy interrupted her, “The first time I had a doe in my sights. I could see her ears twitching, her little nose bobbing like a cork. It was the moment I had waited for my whole life and yet it seemed… a little scary. Is that what you're describing?”

Sarah smiled. She closed her eyes and nodded. “Bang!”

“But, if I’m with you…,” he stuck out his hand.

Sarah took it. “I understand, Tommy, I understand. Well, get through this together. I’ll end up making some faux pas, Emily and I will discuss it for the next two days.”

Tommy smiled. “If I bore you a little, I won’t take it personally.”

Sarah smiled.

“And um,” he exhaled and rubbed his mouth, “I won’t try anything fast.”

Sarah modestly mugged under her breath. “Don’t be too slow either.”

“What was that?”

“Nothing. Tommy, let’s go eat.”

Tommy and Sarah enjoyed their supper. Afterwards they went for a walk downtown. They reminisced and told funny stories about people they’d known growing up. When they passed the bakery, the light was off in Emily’s room.

Sarah waved at it anyway.

Tommy yelled, “Hello” to the window.

Sarah laughed and cupped her hands to yell, “It’s going great Emily. I’ll have all the details tomorrow after church. And, I don’t own any puppets.”

A voice came from the darkness, “Thank you Sarah.”

After a jaunt around the park, it was time to head home. Tommy and Sarah stood on the front porch of the Conrad house for several minutes. She looked him in the eye, her heart was racing. He looked her in the eye momentarily before shyly turning away: “Well.... ”

Sarah mumbled, “Well.”

Tommy stuck out his hand, “Well, goodnight.”

Sarah felt a sudden cold chill billowed from her head to her feet. She hesitated and then stuck out her hand, “Um, um, good-night.”

Tommy backed away from the door, almost tripping on the steps. He climbed into the carriage, and with a slight wave, he disappeared into the darkness. Bewildered and dejected, Sarah wistfully waved to the night, an owl hooted a taunt. Sarah stood on the porch alone; feeling abandoned. Paula stepped out on the porch with her. “Well?”

“Well, nothing.”

Sarah shook her head and plopped down on the steps.

Paula was confused, “Sarah?”

Pitifully, Sarah wailed to the wind. “He didn’t kiss me goodnight.”

“Young lady, what have I told you about kissing on the first date?”

“But, mother,” her ego in shreds, Sarah sobbed: “He didn’t even try.”

Paula tried to take off her mother cap and recall what it was like to be her age. She chose to say nothing in reply. Sweeping Sarah into her arms, Paula pulled her in like an infant. "There, there," she cooed.

Looking up with wounded eyes, Sarah begged: “Mother? When you and Father met... I mean... didn’t you want him to at least try to be affectionate with you?” Paula understood but dared not interrupt Sarah's pain.

Sarah continued, “It’s not supposed to be like this, is it?”

She put her head on her mother’s shoulder. Paula reflected her daughter’s pain. Sarah didn't need a lecture tonight. Paula's own youth was a million years go, in her daughter's world. A girl's first date is the foundation for all other interactions. It must be gently and compassionately honored. What nugget of wisdom could salvage a broken heart?

“Pumpkin, I’m married and I still don’t know how men work. Up until tonight, did you think of Tommy Grossman as Prince Charming?”

“No. But, while we were talking, I got a spark.”

Sarah stomped the floor, taking her frustration out on the planks.

“I did everything right. I put on my Sunday best. I tilted my head back when I tittered, delicately. I talked to Emily.”

Paula nudged her ribs. “You really should’ve included me on that list.”

Sarah rolled her eyes. "I even took a quiz in last month’s McCall’s Magazine and it proved that I was prime material for romance.”

Paula put her right index finger to her mouth, carefully pondering her next words. Paula said: “Sarah, things do not always work out like we expect them to.”

Sarah moaned, hoping this wasn't an "I told you so" parent sermon.

“That’s sad.”

Paula countered, “That’s life!”

Sarafina heard them talking and joined the discussion. Faith, Hope and Charity soon followed. While Sarafina sniffed her favorite human, the kittens tumbled in the dirt and chased each other.

Paula put her arm around her. “Be glad that you don’t always get what you want. God loves you and he has bigger plans. He sees you ten years down the road. When I was sixteen, I couldn’t see beyond next week. You will have many more disappointments in your life. So, let me say this the nicest way I know how, Sarah, sweetheart, get used to it.”

Sarah wiped a tear from her eye. “I don’t want to get used to it. I want everything to turn out perfect.”

Paula nodded, “So do we all. Sarafina didn’t want her kitten to die, but, she had three others to take care of, so she turned her attention to them.”

Sarafina jumped in Sarah’s lap and purred, her way of saying: “Don’t cry.”

Sarah petted her and scratched her ears. The kittens turned to watch.

“Sarah, this is real life; you are not some character in a romance novel. There isn’t some masterful writer dictating your next move and flipping pages. You are going to have disappointments. You are going to make mistakes. You are going to scream and cry and say, ‘I wish I hadn’t done that.’ Such is the process of being alive. And sometimes, disappointments are going to come your way and there is nothing you can do about them except, and this is a big except, pray for wisdom, count your blessings and move on.”

Sarafina meowed and looked to her.

Sarah giggled, “Well, if Sarafina agrees with you then there must be some validity.”

“Are you saying that you’re going to listen to your mother?”

Sarah shrugged. “There’s a first time for everything.”

They hugged. Paula and Sarah went upstairs. Her duty fulfilled, Sarafina jumped down from Sarah’s lap and lead the kittens on their first mouse hunt.

As Sarah lay in bed, reviewing the endless minutia of the night’s events, she smiled. She was unsure about Tommy. She was unsure about herself. But she was secure in the hands of God. Directly above her bed, unseen angels fluttered about and spoke in a pitch only mama cats can hear, “Sweet dreams.”