Fox and Whitney were at the Book Café. Fox was looking at some music CD’s, and Whitney was looking at a magazine. By the way she handled it, Fox knew that Whitney wasn’t reading it. In fact, he could tell that she’d been distracted all afternoon.

“ Whitney, is there something wrong?”

” Wrong? Why would you say something was wrong?”

” I think I’ve gotten to know you pretty well, Whit. I’ve been sensing that something’s been on your mind.”

” Well, now that you bring it up, there is something that I wanted to ask you.”

“ Ask me?”

” Yeah. There’s this dance. The semester ‘Formal’, and I was wanting to know if you…well…would go with me?”

” You’re asking me out..on a date?”

“ Um…well…I was asking a friend. Will you go with me?”

Fox’s heart sank a little. He had wanted it to be an official date, but he’ll take an evening with Whitney. “ Whitney, I would love to go with you.”

Whitney smiled. “ Great. It’s going to be at Green Mountain Lodge.”

” Wow, I haven’t been back in Harmony that often, but that’s a distance.”

” Well, everyone wanting to go had to buy bus tickets. That way they can cut down on the possibility of drinking and driving.”

” Sounds responsible. I can’t wait. It will be fun…two friends enjoying a night together.”

Whitney laughed. “ You know, it’s been weird, trying to get back into my old life. I realize just how much I missed school. I loved Chad, but I was so wrong. I…I used him in many ways.”

” Used him? How? “

“ My parents are overbearing, Fox. They love me, but they are quite overprotective.”

” Ya think?”

They both laugh.

” I see what you mean, Whitney, but from where I sit, I’m envious. Your parents are full of so much love for you. I’m envious I  tell ya. You’ve never had to live a life where you know you aren’t even on your parent’s radar. “

“ You’re right. I don’t know that. I can’t even imagine that. Even when it was at it’s worst between me and my parents, I knew they loved me. My father was disappointed in me, but I knew he loved me. When I saw them in that alley outside of Puff Dog’s place..”

Whitney had tears in her eyes. Fox took her hand.

“ I know. I was impressed myself. They totally love you. I mean, the look on your father’s face when he saw you….no one would have known that you left for L.A. with such discord.”

” I never did thank you for telling my parents that I was shot. I would have been too ashamed to tell them.”

” From everything I’ve read, Whitney, real parents wouldn’t want you to be ashamed because they love you.” Fox’s cellphone rang. “ Fox Crane…..what do you want, Father? Hmmm….ok…I’ll be there.” Fox hung up his phone.

” Julian called you?”

” Yes. He wants to meet with me. About what, I haven’t a clue. I don’t think I’ve done anything that he’d be pissed about.”

Whitney laughed. “ Fox, it can’t be THAT bad.”

Fox gave Whitney a raised eyebrow and they both laughed.

” See you later, Whitney.”

” Bye Fox.”

Fox left the Book Café, and Whitney went back to the magazine. A few minutes later, she heard a voice.

” Well, you don’t seem to be wasting anytime, Whitney.”

Whitney looked up. “ Simone.”

” Yeah. I knew it. I told Chad that you didn’t really love him. That you’d trade him in, sooner or later.”

” Simone, Fox and I are “

” ‘ Just friends’, Whitney? Puleeze. What kind of  fool do you think I am?”

“ A young one.”, came a voice. Simone and Whitney looked in the direction of the voice.

” Mom.”, Simone replied.

Eve came over to her daughters. “ Simone, sit down.” Simone stood there in defiance. “ Girl, if you don’t sit your ass down…”

Having heard her mother curse only a handful of times in her life, Simone decided that it was best of she sat down.

” That’s better. Simone, I’ve been trying to have patience with you. I really have. But, you’re wearing down my last nerve. Now, I know you’re angry with Whitney, but it’s time that you seriously faced reality. Point one – Chad was NEVER your boyfriend. NEVER. He LIED to you, and your DELUSIONS kept it up. He was NEVER romantically interested in you. Point two – IF Chad was NEVER your boyfriend, then Whitney could NOT have stolen him from you. Point three- Your sister was indeed WRONG for lying to you. She has NO excuse for lying to you, and I understand your anger about that. I really do. Point four – IF you had ‘WON’ Chad, then your father and I would have had to go to Los Angeles to get YOU once you had been SHOT IN THE BACK. “

Simone turned up her nose.

” Oh, so you think that YOU would have seen the two BULLETS IN THE BACK that Chad’s WIFE was willing to pump into ‘The Other Woman’. Simone, get real. The only difference in all of this is that it could have been YOU who turned her back on her family, moved across the country, only to find out that Chad couldn’t marry you – BECAUSE HE WAS MARRIED TO SOMEONE ELSE. It would have been YOU that I would have been worried out of my mind about being in the clutches of a known thug and criminal. Oh yes, that would have been so wonderful, Simone.”, Eve said sarcastically.

“ I think that this is a lesson for BOTH OF YOU. If you meet a man and you: a) wind up turning your back on your family, and b) turning your back on EVERYTHING that you’ve ever been taught, then maybe it’s not a good idea for you to have been involved with him. Whitney, you were wrong. You were wrong for lying to Simone. You were wrong in allowing your sister to believe that. You were wrong going after Chad once you knew Simone was interested in him. You were also wrong because your father and I didn’t raise you to do what you did. I was grasping at the last threads of connection between us when I gave my blessing for you to go to Los Angeles. I didn’t want you to think that there was no way you could come back home. I NEVER wanted that to be an option. I know that option.”

Simone and Whitney looked at their mother. “ How could you know that option, Mom?”, Simone asked.

Eve was flustered for a moment. “ Because of all the teens that I’ve seen over the years. I’ve seen that happen to other families, and didn’t want it to happen to mine. I love you Whitney, but your father and I have very definite plans for you and Simone. I was afraid for you. You turned your back on your family for a guy.”

” Mom, I know I messed up.”

” That’s not good enough, Whitney. I thought we taught the both of you what to want for your life, and that you can’t think about being in a permanent relationship until you have your OWN life together. Whitney, you had no formal education, no job, if Fox hadn’t helped you, no place to live. You moved to a city where you knew no one, and what were your goals? To sit around, night after night, waiting for Chad to have time for you while he built his career? Do you realize just how vulnerable you were? You had no plan ‘B’, Whitney. You had no means by which you could survive if the worst happened. “

” I understand that now.”

Eve took both her daughter’s hands. “ But, you want to know the worst part, Whitney?” Eve had tears in her eyes. “ You were physically harmed…you were SHOT, and we didn’t hear about it FROM YOU. I appreciate that Fox called us, but how would we have KNOWN since you didn’t call us? I want you to understand. I want to make it absolutely clear. Your father and I will NEVER be at a point where we wouldn’t want to know if something went bad for you. You are our heart and soul. I know we’re overprotective, but you mean EVERYTHING to us. I want your promise, that no matter how bad you might
‘ think’ things are between us, if things go wrong, you’ll call. We’re your parents. We WANT to be there. Promise me.”

Simone and Whitney nodded. “ I promise.”, they said simultaneously.

Eve looked at her watch. “ Why don’t we all go to therapy together?” Eve’s daughters nodded in agreement and they left the Book Café together.