Your Loss, My Gain

The "Perfect" Date

"This is the most you have talked about your family ever.  I am glad that you are opening up to me a little bit."  Owen gives me an encouraging smile.  His eyes shift as he sees the waitress come up to us to take our order.  I chose the the Crab Cake dinner while Owen orders the Salmon Wellington and Artichoke Spinach dip for us to share. 

Conversation is easy between Owen and I when the others are not around.  We talk about hopes, dreams, concerns and whatever else we happen to think of at the time.  We don't talk about the past. Today, I guess, is the exception.  I smile at Owen and tell several stories about the wonderful summer activities that my Grandparents would do with Marie and I.  We talk quietly until our food arrives and then eat silently for a little while.  The spell of the past is broken.  

As we are eating, our conversation turns to the usual: hopes, dreams, fears.  I still have concerns about dividing my time equally between all of the boys.  I am worried that my father or step-mother will return.  I am worried about Marie and how she is handling everything.  I really do want to go to college and have a career, but I don't know how that will work with my Ghost status. Plans are made to get updates on my step-mother and check on Marie.  

"Sang, you know that you do not have to keep your Ghost status.  If you want to pursue a career in something that requires you to have a license, then we can take steps to handle it.  College is just as open to you as it is to all of the others.  If that is what you want to do, then we, and the Academy, will help you along the way."  He has told me this before, but I never really thought of it in depth.  I am in 10th grade.  I suppose I could graduate early with online classes, but I still have another year to decide.  College and life, in general, always seemed so far away, but now it looms right in front of me.  

"I don't know what I want to do with my life.  I know that I want to spend it with you and the others, but as far as a job, I am just interested in so many things that I can't choose one thing."

Owen smirks, "Why choose?"

I look at him quizzically.  "Because I can't be a doctor, a lawyer and an Indian chief all at the same time.  I have to make some sort of choice."

"True, but we are all so young that I think you could study a number of different subjects and become an expert in a number of fields with very little difficulty.  You could be a doctor and a lawyer if you wan.  It may be hard to pull of the Indian Chief though."  I snorted. Owen made a real joke.  

We decided to forgo dessert in favor of an ice cream stand that we passed along the way.  Owen is the perfect gentleman, as usual.  He guides me to the car with his hand warming the small of my back.  I sigh at the feeling of safety that I get when I am around him and the others.  

We pull off at the ice cream stand and stand in the short line to order.  They have so many different flavors that I don't know what to choose.  When it is out turn, I still don't know what I want.  The server is a teenage girl with a bright smile.  She offers to allow me to taste whatever I want.  After sampling about 8 different flavors, I still can't decide between Butter Pecan and Chocolate Marshmallow...Why choose.  I decide to get a scoop of each in a cup.  Owen gets one called Moose Tracks, that I didn't try.  I may just have to distract him and try it myself.  We sit down at the round, wooden picnic tables and eat our ice cream, taking in the scenery around us.

The ice cream stand is right next to Pinewood Prep.  Next to the school is a large garden with a sign saying Katie's Krops.  Curious, I ask Owen if he knows anything about it.  He shakes his head, pulls out his phone and types in Katie's Krops into the search engine.  I scoot closer to him and look over his arm at the site that he pulls up.  It seems that Katie's Krops was started by a 9 year old girl.  She grew a 40 pound cabbage and donated to the local soup kitchen.  She helped serve the cabbage to 275 people and the spark was lit.  Through hard work and a bit of luck, Katie planted her first garden the next year at her school Pinewood Prep.  The crops from the garden go to local food pantries and soup kitchens and are distributed to those in needs.  In less than 10 years, Katie Krops has expanded to over 100 gardens across the us, all tended to by children.   

The website also gives volunteer opportunities for those in the area and one will be taking place in a few weeks, getting the garden ready for planting.

I look at Owen who seems to already know what I am going to ask. "Yes, Sang, we can help out.  I think that it will be a great opportunity for the whole family to volunteer without having anything in return."

I don't think my smile can get any bigger.  "Are you finished?" Owen asks pointing to my melted ice cream mixture.  I am stuffed and I nod my head.  I ate most of the ice cream, but could not finish all of it.  He collects our cups and throws them away in the nearest bin.  We walk hand in hand to the car and head back towards Charleston.

"So, where am I staying tonight?" I ask with a bit of sass.  

"Where do you want to stay?" Owen responds with a quirked eyebrow.

"With you," I feel my cheeks redden as I try to answer confidently.

"I am pleased to have you in my bed, Darling."

AN: I updated!  Katie's Krops is a real thing.  I heard about it at VBS and knew I had to incorporate it in to my story.  I hope you enjoyed everything and look up Katie's Krops, because I didn't tell the whole story of this amazing young woman. Until next time!