Chapter Twenty-Five: CO2

Friday, July 8, 1910

"It's Friday night, we're dressed up, and we have no Jake. We should be out searching for suitors. Why are we in a library?" Emily was insistent.

Sarah spoke softly, "Em, we promised Lynn we would spend an hour helping her look for music for the festival."

Emily whined, "I don't belong in a tiny room surrounded by books this is not my milieu. I need to be out on the boardwalk pretending to trip on some planks so I can accidentally show off my ankles."

Lynn laughed. "Emily, sssh! Patience. There is always the chance that a cute boy could walk through that door…." The door to the music room opened. A tall, well built, handsome man walked in.

Emily whispered, "I'm sorry I ever doubted you."

Sarah replied, "That's 'Dreamboat', the one who smiled at Lynn two weeks ago when we were here."

Sarah raised an eyebrow. "Emily, please, Lynn saw him first."

Emily pouted, "But, but, but."

"Yes, I've seen it too, very nice."

Sarah and Emily shared a secret, devilish grin.

"Emily, Lynn is shy around guys; this was the first one she's been able to really talk to. In two weeks, how many guys have you flirted with?"

Emily began counting on her right hand and then her left. She then grabbed Sarah's right hand.

"Eleven, twelve, thirteen, fourteen. Would you include the guy I winked at on the trolley ride over here?"

Sarah nodded, "And the cute one in periodicals."

Emily smiled. "That makes sixteen all together. Wow! I have been busy, haven't I?"

Sarah was playfully exasperated, "And you have managed to find that many guys while working full time at the bakery."

Emily smiled. "I'm good?"

"The best. Now then, let Lynn have 'Dreamboat'."

Emily said coyly, "When we were at Jennings, I could have had lunch with Simon."

"Really?"

Emily nodded.

Sarah mouthed, "I owe you one."

Lynn turned to Sarah. "Sssh!"

The handsome man noticed Lynn. He smiled; she smiled.

Sarah grabbed Emily's hand. "Let's go." They headed for the door.

Their sudden departure made Lynn nervous; she frantically whispered, "Don't leave me alone with him."

Dreamboat replied, "I am not a masher; I'm looking for sheet music."

Lynn cringed. "Ok, I am going to be completely honest with you. Here we go. I get nervous when I talk to guys; especially, handsome ones." She gnashed her teeth.

On the other side of the door, Emily and Sarah laughed.

"It's alright, I understand."

They heard Sarah and Emily mumble beyond the door.

He wrote on a piece of paper: "My name is Dennis Humphries. Would you like to play a joke on them?"

Lynn nodded. She wrote: "My name is Lynn Watson. I would."

He wrote again: "The door in the back of the room is a fire escape, up those stairs and across the street is Tate's Soda Shop. Could we talk there?"

Lynn whispered, "Yes, I would enjoy going there with you only if Sarah and Emily are allowed to come as well. They do not have to sit at our table; however, since I just met you, to play it safe, I would want them in the restaurant with us. Ok?"

Dennis began incoherent mumbling. Lynn did the same. Sarah and Emily pressed their ears to the door to listen.

Lynn gave him a wink she grabbed the door knob.

Lynn jerked opened the door. Emily and Sarah awkwardly stumbled on to the floor.

Dennis smiled. "Nice of you to drop in."

Sarah and Emily said in unison, "Hello."

"Would you girls like to join Lynn at I at Tate's Soda Shop?"

Emily smiled. "Are you buying?"

Sarah elbowed her and whispered, "Em?"

Lynn replied, "He wants to sit with me… alone. However, I do not want to split up our group."

Dennis said, "She'll only come with me if you two join us."

Sarah and Emily looked at each other and said, "Sure."

The group walked across the street to Tate's. It was crowded. Sarah and Emily went to the counter.

Sarah ordered a strawberry shake. Emily asked for a hot fudge crème puff and the marital status of her soda jerk.

Lynn and Dennis sat at a two stool table in the back.

"I am studying music composition at River City School for the Arts."

Lynn was very surprised. "That's wonderful. I was recently named director of this year's Eagle Creek Music Festival."

"Congratulations. Last year was Mozart, year before it was Beethoven. Handel three years ago."

Lynn was amazed. "Yes. How did you know?"

He bowed. "I played in all three. What is this year's theme?"

"Potpourri: a little bit of everything."

"Really, that is bold. I've never heard of a festival like that."

"I am unique. Hmm, this is a wonderful chocolate soda."

"A little syrup, some carbon dioxide, cocoa, ice cream. What more could one ask for in life?"

"So, you mix together diverse elements to create something sweet?"

Dennis smiled. "You might say that."

"Well," Lynn stirred her soda with a straw. "I have the ice cream, the band shell. I have the cocoa, the resources. I have the syrup, the ideas. All I need is the CO2."

Dennis playfully replied, "I have CO2." He said to himself, "I am not exactly what that means."

Lynn laughed and coyly slapped his hand. He chuckled. Lynn looked over to Emily and Sarah; they were giving her various signals.

She said, "Excuse me."

Lynn walked over to Emily and Sarah. "Yes. I get it. Next time withdraw the delay of my hand and tell him he's funny. I'll be skillfully girlish. Now eat your ice cream."

Lynn returned to the table. "My friends are giving flirting advice."

Dennis chuckled, "I think you're doing just fine on your own."

She smiled. "Me too. Where was I?"

He winked. "You laughed at my joke and delayed moving your hand by four seconds."

Lynn said, "I mean in our discussion."

He moved his eyebrows rapidly up and down. "So did I."

She laughed. "What am I going to do with you? Wait! Before you answer that what do you play?"

"Woodwinds: clarinet, saxophone, oboe, bassoon, cor anglais…."

"Cor anglais? Aren't we using fancy words for the English horn?"

"I also play the crumhorn."

"That thing that looks like a big, long walking cane?"

"Bingo."

"I'm impressed. With such extensive experience means, I can deduce that you must know many people, fluent in many artistic mediums."

"Indubitably."

"Could you can help me find musicians?"

He noodled the idea. "School's not in session, I'm spending my free time at the library. I'm required to do some manner of summer project to earn credits." He leaned in and whispered, "Does this mean that I get to see you again?"

She winked and smiled. "Yes."

He held her hand and kissed it. "Then I am at your disposal."

Lynn said, "Work with me Dennis and we will create an amazing music festival. Since time is of the essence, we will begin immediately. My aunt Melinda lives in River City. Tomorrow, I can come up here and stay at her house until Thursday morning. You and I can go around and find talented musicians willing to perform for the event."

"That sounds like an adventure."

Lynn said cautiously, "We are not dating, per se, the festival must come first. There will be time for romance, but we need to focus on the work. Are we clear?"

"Crystal clear. How are you getting to River City tomorrow?"

"My parents have a carriage."

"I have a car. I can get to Eagle Creek in fifteen minutes. We could reach many more people with the speed of a car."

"Agreed. Can you pick me up tomorrow at noon?"

"Can we have lunch together first?"

Lynn replied coyly, "Absolutely. Let me draw you a map to my house."

On the ride home from River City, the girls flopped down on the hay and watched the stars. Lynn recounted every detail of her meeting with "Dreamboat" Dennis.

Emily was impressed and Sarah was envious.