Chapter Fifteen: Dreamland

Tuesday, July 5, 1910

When the girls got home from their picnic atop Darling Knob, they changed and freshened up.

"This is so much fun," said Sarah. "Being with my friends is a great present."

"Present?" Emily exclaimed, "I forgot to give you a present, Sarah."

"We agreed that the slumber party was our present to each other, remember?"

Emily sighed. "Well, ok, but, not all presents come wrapped in bows with shinny paper." Emily looked at the decorative clock on the kitchen wall. She smiled and muttered to herself, "4 pm."

There was a knock at the door. Emily asked coyly, "I wonder who can that could be?"

Sarah looked at her suspiciously and then opened the door. "Hello Pete. Hello Tommy."

Emily, Lynn, Audrey and Jan joined Sarah at the door. They all smiled at the handsome young men.

Tommy said, "Hello Sarah. Pete and I were out for a walk. We wanted to come by and sing for you."

Tommy cleared his throat.

The girls chuckled at his unusual antics.

The boys began to sing.

"Dreaming of you that's all I do-
Night and day for you I'm pining,
And in your eyes, blue as the skies
I can see the love-light softly shining.
Because you love me there, it seems,
Pray meet me in the land of dreams.

Meet me to-night in Dreamland
Under the silv'ry moon
Meet me to-night in Dreamland
Where love's sweet roses bloom;
Come with the lovelight gleaming
In your dear eyes of blue,

Meet me in Dreamland,
Sweet, dreamy Dreamland.
There let my dreams come true.

The boys bowed. The girls clapped. Sarah was thoroughly charmed.

Emily was bowled over. "That was amazing boys. Is there anything else you'd like to say?"

Pete replied in a mono-tone voice. "After song. Tommy: I just wanted to say that I think Sarah is the prettiest girl in the world. Pete, 'Oh no', say with feeling. 'Emily is much prettier.'"

Tommy and Emily both laughed at Pete. He did not understand the humor.

Pete continued with the same lifeless oration. "Tommy punches Pete in the arm. Pete says, 'Ouch.' Pete, oh Emily is much prettier. Who can resist her wily ways, say forcefully."

Tommy and Emily were in hysterics. Sarah, Lynn, Audrey and Jan were beginning to catch on.

Finally, Tommy interrupted him, "Pete? What are you doing?"

Pete seemed to lose his place. He scratched his head. "Um, um, After song. Tommy: I just wanted to say…."

"Pete! That's my line. You're not supposed to talk yet!"

Pete was befuddled. "But, you said, 'Memorize everything on that first page.'"

Everyone laughed at Pete uproariously. He was still clueless. Tommy said, "Excuse us one moment ladies."

Tommy shut the door.

Emily, Lynn, Audrey ran to the window in the parlor to watch the boys talk. Jan and Sarah saw them from the kitchen window. Tommy was very animated as he explained the situation to Pete. Finally, Pete understood that what Tommy meant in his instruction was to memorize certain lines, his, on the sheet of paper.

Pete shrugged. They walked back on the porch.

Knock-knock.

Emily giggled. "I wonder who that could be?"

Sarah gave her a smart-aleck look and then opened the door. Not surprisingly, it was Tommy and Pete.

"Dreaming of you that's all I do-".

"Pete, we're not going to sing it again."

"Oh, ok."

Sarah was having a hard time breathing from laughing so much.

Tommy cleared his throat. "I just wanted to say that I think Sarah is the prettiest girl in the world."

Pete said, with much feeling, "Oh, no. Emily is the prettiest girl in the world."

Sarah raised an eyebrow and muttered, "Déjà vu?"

Pete replied, "I don't know that song."

The girls chuckled.

Tommy pushed Pete. "Sarah's the prettiest!"

Pete pushed Tommy. "Emily's the prettiest!"

Tommy punched Pete on the top of his arm. "I say, 'Sarah's prettier.'"

Pete rubbed his shoulder and said, "There's only one way to settle this. Let's go out back and wrestle."

The boys jumped off the porch and went around back.

The girls beamed with anticipation and ran to the other side of the house. Once outside, Sarah noticed that there were five lawn chairs already arranged in the backyard.

She whispered to Emily, "You are so subtle."

The girls took their seats.

Tommy pushed Pete. "Come on, let's go."

Pete said, "Wait, before we wrestle, let's remove our shirts. Tommy, 'Ok, Pete.' Hangs shirts on…. Oh, sorry, I wasn't supposed to say that part either."

Tommy put his hands over his face and playfully groaned.

The boys took off their shirts. The girls cheered. Audrey fanned herself and said, "Oh my."

Tommy said, "To prepare ourselves for this match, we should exercise first."

Pete agreed with him.

Tommy lifted a large log. He curled it several times as if it were a set of barbells.

Pete did stretches and several push ups. After each push up, he'd clap.

Jan whimpered as she watched the muscles in his well toned back.

Tommy got on the ground and did a few one-armed push ups. The girls clapped for him.

Tommy and Pete gave a classical performance as they tussled on the ground. Sweat streamed off their shoulders.

They growled at one another.

"Sarah is the prettiest!"

"No, Emily is the prettiest!"

The match went on for several minutes until Pete pinned Tommy to the ground. Pete exerted a great deal of strength on Tommy's neck. "Say it! Say it!"

Tommy finally relented. "Ok, I admit it. Emily Clementine is the prettiest girl in the world."

The girls cheered and applauded. "Bravo! Bravo!"

The boys stood up and bowed.

Tommy slapped Pete on the back. It was a job well done.

Pete whined, "Oh great, now we're all sweaty and covered with mud."

"I'll help," said Emily.

Emily stood up and walked to the side of the house. She came back around with a water hose. She hosed the boys off as if they were horses. The girls swooned.

When they were all clean, Emily turned the water off and put down the hose. The boys bowed once more.

When they put their shirts back on the girls moaned.

Sarah walked over to Tommy with her hand out.

"Thank you for a most entertaining display."

He took her hand, brought her in and kissed her.

The girls cheered and hollered, "Yee-haw!"

After the kiss, Tommy whispered, "Happy Birthday."

Sarah was speechless. While she was still attempting to figure out what had just transpired, Pete walked up and kissed her. The girls clapped.

When the kiss ended, Sarah began stammering, "Um, um, um, Emily…?"

She looked to her left. Emily and Tommy were finishing a kiss.

Pete and Emily kissed.

Sarah just stood there shaking her head. "Emily, I am never ceased to be amazed by your boldness."

Emily wore a devious grin.

"I do my best to be your worst influence."

The boys said, "Goodnight ladies."

The girls waved and then went back into the house.

Emily flopped on the couch: lost in the after-glow.

Lynn exclaimed, "Now that was… exhilarating"

Audrey opined, "I'm in love!"

"Which one?" asked Sarah.

"Both."

Jan lifted her skirt and twirled.

Sarah was flushed. "I am at a loss for words."

The girls talked about what'd just happened. Emily gave a detailed history of romance in Eagle Creek.

Sarah continued reeling from the experience. "I still can't believe you actually arranged for them to wrestle, be hosed down and kiss me."

Emily shrugged. "So, you liked my present?"

Sarah emphatically whispered, "Mmm hmm."

Audrey shook her head. "You girls are so lucky!"

Emily kicked her feet in the air. She got up from the couch. She said, "I need a man. I need a robust, rugged male of the species to satisfy my cravings. I need a man right now!"

There was a knock on the door. The girls screamed and ran into the kitchen.

Emily growled like a hungry lioness. When she opened the door she dropped her shoulders indicating a staggering disappointment. "Hi Jake."