Bless Us Father (27 page)

“Hi, I’m Mary Margaret,” she said, smiling at the cute surfer boy that resembled Bill and Dave, with his blonde hair flopping over his forehead and his sunburned nose.

“I’m Andy, Bill and Dave’s cousin,” he said, grinning back at her.

“Nice to meet you, Andy.”

“Everyone ready?” Bill asked. “We’ve got to get there before the waves die down.”

Bill hit the gas and they were soon speeding down Beach Boulevard towards Huntington Beach.

When they arrived, they pooled their money in order to pay the dollar fee so they could park in the lot right next to the beach, and not have to walk too far.

The boys piled out of the car, grabbed their surfboards and ran down to the water, leaving the three girls to unload the car.

“I guess we should just leave the wood in here,” Twyla said. “No point in carrying it down now.”

“What’s the wood for?” Mary Margaret asked.

“Didn’t we tell you? We’re staying until it’s dark and having a bonfire. We brought hot dogs and marshmallows to roast later on.”

“I hope there’s enough ice in the chest to keep them cold until then,” Vivian said. “I don’t want food poisoning on my last fun day of summer.”

“It’s really full of ice. Of course,” Twyla said, opening the lid to reveal the white chunks and closing it again quickly. “They’ll probably be frozen by then.”

Mary Margaret hadn’t told her parents they were going to be staying that late. They would be really angry if she got home after dark. She’d better find a pay phone somewhere and call them some time during the day. She decided she’d worry about that later and started helping unload the car.

They carried the beach blankets, towels, and totes filled with various lotions to ensure deep dark tans, down to the water’s edge. The girls spread the blankets where the boys had left their tee shirts and huarache sandals in heaps close to the lifeguard tower. Once everything was unpacked, they slathered each other with melted cocoa butter or baby oil with iodine mixed into it, then they settled in for a day of soaking up the sun.

“So Vivian,” Twyla said. “How do you like Andy?”

“He’s kind of cute for a seventeen year old, I guess.”

“What do you mean?” Mary Margaret asked. “You’re seventeen. You’re the same age.”

“Yeah, but I like older men,” Vivian said. “He’s way too immature.”

“Oh for Pete’s sake, Viv. What do you know about older men?” Twyla asked.

“That’s for me to know and you to find out,” Vivian said, rolling over onto her stomach and pulling the bathing suit straps off her shoulders.

“She’s so silly. What do we know about men?” Twyla asked, looking at Mary Margaret. “We like to think we’re all grown up, but we don’t really know anything.”

“You’re right. We don’t,” Mary Margaret answered, lying down on her back and covering her face with part of the towel. She felt guilty about lying to her friends, but she wasn’t going to allow any more relationships to be ruined by her past mistakes.

She was just about to drop off to sleep when she felt water dripping on her stomach. She took the towel off her face and looked up at Bill, standing over her, his board shorts soaking wet.

“Come on, Mary Margaret. I’ll teach you to surf,” he said, reaching his hands down and grabbing hers. He backed up and pulled her to her feet.

“I can’t learn to surf. I’m a klutz,” she protested.

“Yes, you can. The waves are just the right size today and I’ve got my longboard. Let’s go.”

She allowed him to pull her down to the water. When he stopped to pick up his board she said, “I really don’t want to learn to surf. I’m afraid of the ocean and I don’t swim that well.”

He looked disappointed for just a moment then said, “That’s okay. We’ll just go body surf. I promise I’ll stay right by you and won’t let anything bad happen.”

She reached out for his hand and tentatively waded out into the water. Since it was August, the water was fairly warm and she walked in further than she usually did. Once the water was up to their armpits, they stopped walking out.

“The first thing to do is learn how to dive into a wave when you see one coming at you so it doesn’t knock you down. The waves aren’t very big today, so I probably can’t show you, but I’ll pretend. You just stand and jump up over it like we’ve been doing.”

She watched him pose in a dive position and wait for the wave to break. When it got close enough, he dove under the breaking wave and popped up behind it.

“See? Easy, huh?”

“No,” she said, laughing. “I don’t like getting my head under water and I don’t like salt water in my nose and eyes.”

“How are you ever going to become a surfer girl then?” he asked.

“Well...I don’t know. I’ve never thought about being a surfer girl. Why would I?”

“Because if you’re going to be my girlfriend, then you’ll have to be a surfer girl, that’s why,” he said shyly.

“Your girlfriend?” Mary Margaret asked. Was he really asking her to be his girlfriend?

“Yeah, I was wondering...would you like to go steady this year? It’s our senior year and all. I know we’re in different schools and everything, but we could still see each other on the weekends and go to dances and proms together.”

She couldn’t believe what she was hearing. Bill was such a nice guy, but she’d thought they were just friends. They hadn’t even been on a real date together. Everything they’d done this summer had been with other kids. She noticed Bill’s smile was fading and he was looking a bit uncertain.

“Oh, gosh. I’m just surprised you’d ask me.”

“Why would you be surprised? Can’t you tell I like you?” he asked, his smile returning.

“Well, yeah, we’ve had lots of fun this summer and all, but you and I haven’t even been alone.”

“That’s okay, we’ll make up for lost time,” he said, putting his arm around her waist and kissing her gently, his kiss warm and tasting of salt water. “What do you say? Will you go steady with me?”

She fought off waves of nausea, telling herself this was way different than what Father Antonio had done to her. Teenage boys and girls were supposed to hug and kiss and they were supposed to like it.

“Oh my gosh, yes, I’ll go steady with you,” she said, wrapping her arms around his neck and kissing him back. He was such a nice guy. She’d make herself enjoy this relationship.

Just then, a huge wave came and crashed over both of them, knocking them down and dragging them along the sandy bottom. He held onto her though and didn’t let her go, just as he’d promised.

“Well I guess I’ve got salt water in my nose now, don’t I,” Mary Margaret said, once she’d gotten back to her feet.

“Are you all right?” Bill asked, his voice quavering. “I don’t want to lose my first ever steady girlfriend so soon.”

Laughing, she said, “I’m great, Bill. Just great. Salt water up my nose and all.”

“Let’s go in and rest awhile, shall we?” he asked.

“Yes, let’s. I’m hungry, too. I’d like some tortilla strips with cheese. I’ve gotten so I really like them.”

“Okay, I’ll go get us some strips to celebrate and then we’ll tell everyone we’re going steady. Don’t tell them until I get back.”

They walked back up to the blanket and Mary Margaret watched as Bill trudged through the sand towards Jack’s Snack Bar. The other two couples were nowhere to be seen. She toweled herself off and tried to get as much of the sand out of her bathing suit as she possibly could without exposing herself to the world. Once finished, she sat down on the blanket and looked out at the ocean, thinking this was one of the happiest days of her life.

Bill returned with several cardboard serving containers containing fried tortilla strips covered with chili sauce and grated cheese. He sat down on the blanket next to her.

“The others aren’t back yet?” he asked.

“No, but I see them out in the water. Twyla and Vivian are braver than me. They’re sitting on the surfboards.”

“You’ll get there by next summer. We’ll start out early and by the end of summer you’ll be comfortable enough with the water to try surfing. Watch and see.”

Mary Margaret munched on her chips and watched the swimmers out in the water. Finally, she was getting a chance to enjoy herself. She wished this wonderful summer wouldn’t have to come to an end. She dreaded going back to St. Mary’s for her last year of school. June of 1966 couldn’t come soon enough to suit her.

The others got out of the water and were excited when Bill and Mary Margaret told them they were going steady. They lounged the rest of the day away and soon people were gathering their beach blankets and belongings, and preparing to go home.

“I’d better go find a pay phone and call my parents and tell them we’re staying after dark,” Mary Margaret said. “Is there one up by the snack shack?”

“Yeah,” Twyla said. “I’ll walk up with you. I need to go to the ladies’ room.”

Walking across the long stretch of beach was tiring, but they finally made it to the snack shack. Twyla excused herself to go to the restroom while Mary Margaret plunked coins in the pay phone and dialed her home number. She hoped her dad would answer, but unfortunately her mother picked up the call.

“Hi, Mom. I’m still at the beach. I wanted to let you know we won’t be home until around ten tonight. We’re going to have a last night bonfire and roast hot dogs, so don’t worry, okay?”

“You didn’t ask my permission to stay out so late,” Mrs. Riley said. “I want you home in an hour.”

Mary Margaret was caught off guard. She’d been allowed to stay out until ten all summer long. Why was her mother telling her to come home early today? This was ridiculous. When was she going to be allowed to grow up? Mom was being so unfair.

“But Mom, all the other kids are allowed to stay. How would I get home?” Her face was flushed with anger now. “It’s our last beach day. We have to work the rest of the week and school starts on Monday,” she protested.

“I don’t care. You’re to come home. Find a way. I don’t like the idea of you being alone on the dark beach at night with boys, that’s why.”

“You’re worried about boys?” Mary Margaret asked. “You sure didn’t worry about me being alone with Father Antonio, now did you?”

She heard her mother gasp and knew she was in trouble now, but she didn’t care.

“You know what Mom? I’m not coming home right now. I’m staying here at the beach with my friends where I’m good and safe. Much, much safer than I’ve ever been under your care.”

She slammed the phone down, knowing she’d have to answer to her mom later, but not caring. She turned around to see Twyla staring at her, her mouth open.

“Gosh, Mary Margaret. What was that all about?”

“I don’t want to talk about it right now and ruin our fun. I’m too happy and this has been a great day. Maybe I’ll tell you some other time.”

She linked arms with Twyla and started the walk back down towards the water. She felt independent and powerful, and very much in charge of her life--at least for now.

When you fall into a pit, you either die or get out.

-Chinese proverb-

CHAPTER THIRTY

October 1965

Mary Margaret doodled on her geometry test and daydreamed about the last day she’d spent at the beach. Much to her surprise, all her mother had said about the beach incident was that she’d now washed her hands of Mary Margaret and she was on her own. Mary Margaret was relieved, but at the same time couldn’t quite figure out what she’d done to make her mother hate her so much. True, she hated herself at times for being so sinful and impure, but why did her mother hate her?

School had started and she was extremely disappointed that her classmates hadn’t forgotten the rumors about her and Father Antonio over the summer. She felt like a pariah, and spent the days walking from class to class alone, eating lunch by herself, and walking home alone in the afternoon. She had no friends at St. Mary’s, and she hated being there. She wanted to go to Central High with all her new friends, especially Bill. They hadn’t been able to see each other nearly enough since school resumed in September.

A sharp rap on the top of her head woke her from her daydreaming. “Ouch, that hurt!” she said, turning to look at Sister Timothy, who was holding a ruler in her hand and glaring at her.

“I suppose it did hurt, but not nearly as much as failing another math test and getting expelled is going to hurt,” Sister Timothy said.

Mary Margaret rubbed her head and stared at the test paper in front of her. She hadn’t answered even one algebra question, and the paper was filled with doodle marks.

Sister Timothy grabbed her by the arm and yanked her to her feet. “We’re going to the principal’s office. Girls, continue your tests until I get back. And no cheating! You know our Holy Mother is watching you.”

Mary Margaret had to run to keep up with the nun. She’d never seen her so angry, and it frightened her a little. She was relieved when they got to the office and Sister Timothy let go of her arm and pointed towards a chair in the lobby, gesturing for her to sit down. She then watched Sister Timothy stride down the hallway towards the principal’s office.