Romiette and Julio by Sharon M. Draper

Author:Sharon M. Draper
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Aladdin Paperbacks
Published: 1999-09-19T04:00:00+00:00

35.

Sunday Afternoon

Romi checked the mirror one last time, then checked again. Her hair was perfect, makeup understated, her clothes casual but enticing. She had changed six times that afternoon, but just as she predicted to Destiny, she ended up wearing Destiny’s green outfit. Destiny’s red hair seemed to fight with the green sweater and slacks. But Romi’s soft brown hair and golden brown skin complemented the green. She had brushed it back and held it with a hair comb. It looked casual and unplanned, even though she had worked for that look for hours. Satisfied finally, she went downstairs, checked to see that the dishes were put away, the counters were clear, and the living room neat and tidy. Max, the black Labrador retriever, had slipped in the back door. She chased him out and wiped up the floor where he’d left paw prints. She even ran the vacuum. Her mother watched in mild amusement. Romi had never shown this much interest in the cleanliness of the house.

“Everything looks fine, Romi,” she called. “Just relax, dear.”

“I don’t want him to think the wrong thing about us,” Romi told her mother. “I want everything to be just right,” she added as she fluffed a pillow on the sofa.

“This young man must be really something, Romi.”

Romi smiled broadly. “Oh, Mom, he is. I don’t know why or how, but he makes me feel like I can fly.”

“You met him at school?”

“Well, it’s a long story, but yes. He’s a transfer student from Texas,” Romi answered. She knew that trying to explain all the details of how they first met on-line would cause too many questions from her mother.

“New students from other places are always fresh, and so much more interesting than the kids you see every day, right?” her mother said. “And if the new student is a boy, then fireworks are likely to happen. Am I right again?” Mrs. Cappelle smiled.

“You’re pretty smart for an old lady, Mom,” Romi teased. She dodged as her mother tossed a sofa pillow at her.

“You’d better watch it, kid,” she warned. “This old lady is armed!”They chased each other for a moment, laughing and giggling. They landed together on the sofa just as the doorbell rang.

“He’s here!” Romi touched her hair again.

“So open the door,” her mom said, pushing her toward the door.

“You open it, Mom!” Romi insisted. “I don’t want to look like I’m too anxious.”

“OK, if you insist.” She made a face at Romi, opened the door, and smiled graciously at the nervous young man standing in front of her.

“Good afternoon, Mrs. Cappelle. I’m Julio Montague.”

“Come on in, Julio. Romi is expecting you. Get down, Max,” she said to the big black dog who greeted Julio as if he were his best friend. “Max knows how to open the back door, and he keeps sneaking inside to get away from his kids, I guess. Max is our retriever daddy. He’s not much of a watchdog—much too friendly and lovable. Mandy, the mom, is out back with the puppies.

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