When we get back

Jenny was right. She and Troy were never alone again on the beach, or anywhere for that matter. Before she knew it, condos were cleared out, bags were loaded, and the youth group caravan was returning to home. Since their moment on the beach, Jenny and Troy had hardly even been together. She was, needless to say, beyond disappointed when the cars pulled into the church parking lot as the trip came to a definite end.

They returned on a Friday. Jenny spent that day and the next filling the pages of her diary with all the details of the fantastic trip as she listened to her Celine Dion CD on repeat. For years, every song on that album could return her instantly to the shores of Padre. She relived every moment. Doing what most teenage girls do with any encounter with the opposite sex, she analyzed and disected every moment, looking for proof of his adoration of her. She found many. As she was pouring out her heart and soul, she wished the phone would ring and it would be him. They had never spoken on the phone, so she knew this was highly unlikely but still, every time the phone would ring, her heart would stop for a moment hoping it was him. It never was.

Sunday, at long last, arrived. Jenny spent extra time getting ready, trying to look her absolute best for Troy. She also packed her bags for a slumber party that Penny was throwing in honor of her 14th birthday. She was thrilled about the slumber party because she had so much to share with her friends and she was pretty certain they were going to a special youth group gathering at Joe's that evening. Troy would be there. Maybe they would finish the conversation they had started on the beach.

Church was a bitter disappointment because Troy was not there. Jenny feared that he would not be at youth group either which would be all the more devastating because that would mean that she would not see him again for a week, at least. That would be terrible. Jenny felt certain that whatever was happening between them, as small as it was, would fade away into casual flirting unless something real were to happen between them very soon. He just had to be there. He just had to.

Finally, church ended, lunch followed and the slumber party began. It was at Penny's house of course and she had the best house for slumber parties. Her parents, while her dad was the pastor of their church, were super cool and laid back. Her older brother Jonathan was cool too and teased the girls just enough to be funny not obnoxious. And her house, like all her friends houses, felt like a second home. All her friends, as long as she had known them, had lived in the same house so each one really did feel like a home to her.

The slumber party was moving at a turtles pace all afternoon. It was painful. The girls were having a blast but all Jenny could think about was seeing Troy. It felt as though 6 pm would never arrive. Finally, finally, after what seemed like an eternity of girl talk and playing sardines, all five girls loaded into van and Jonathan was driving them to Joe's.

Jenny was beyond nervous in the car. Her hands were even shaking which made her feel absolutely ridiculous. She couldn't eat a thing at Penny's because her stomach was so tied in knots. As they approached Joe's house, Jenny felt just short of faint. She had built this moment up so much in her mind that there was no calming her down. She knew this was stupid, but could do nothing to help herself. All the girls bounded into the house and Jenny quickly scanned the room. No Troy. Nowhere. He was not there. The disappointment was consuming, but was somewhat shortlived. She and the others quickly formed a game of spoons and, before she knew it, all thoughts of Troy vanished as she focused wholeheartedly on trying to get a spoon before the others. She was deep in the game when, suddenly, the door opened and in came Troy and his friend Matt. At that exact moment, someone grabbed a spoon. Jenny was so caught off guard by Troy's sudden appearance, that she not only didn't get a spoon but didnt' even try. This resulted in merciless teasing, loud teasing, that made Jenny and Troy blush because they both knew what everyone was thinking. It was, to Jenny, horrifying. But Troy was there.

The rest of the evening was rather uneventful. The most sustained interaction between Jenny and Troy was the tossing of a spoon back and forth at each other. And, they sat beside each other on the couch for about two seconds. But that was it.

Much to Jenny's disappointment, the slumber party crowd left long before the party was over. When they arrived back at Penny's, they put on their PJ's, popped in a movie and stuffed their faces with Starburst and popcorn. Then the phone rang.

Jenny knew the moment the phone rang who it was. She didn't know how she knew, but she did. Her heart stopped as her stomach dropped to her feet. It was like all the girls knew because all began giggling and raced to Jonathan's door to listen.
"You want to talk to Jenny? Okay....." Jonathan's conversation became mumbled as all the girls let out a collective scream and Jenny became shaky.
Jonathan opened the door a few moments later and laughed at all the girls huddled outside his door.
"Um, Jenny, it's for you." He said with a grin.
Jenny was almost unable to take the phone. She was shaking and her friends were all giggling and screaming around her. She took the phone and went into Jonathan's room. By some miracle, all her friends stayed outside and she sat down on a weight bench. She took as deep a breath as she could, lifted the phone to her ear, and said, "Hello."
"Hi, Jenny, it's Cristy! Are you okay? Are you ready for this?" Cristy asked with a million voices rambling in the background.
Surprised at hearing Cristy's voice and not Troy's, Jenny didn't really know what to say.
"Um, yeah, I think..." she managed to stutter.
"Okay, here's Troy!" Cristy said.
Jenny heard whispers and the shuffling of the phone being passed. Her heart pounded in her ears as she waited for his voice.
"Hi. Jenny?" Troy started.
"Yes?" Jenny managed to squeak out.
"Um, hi, well, I was calling, well they wanted me to call because, well, I mean I wanted to call you but...anyway, I had a great time with you in Corpus..."
When he paused, Jenny didn't know if she should interrupt him or let him finish. Finally, she said, "Me too. I mean, I had a great time with you."
"Good," Troy sounded a bit relieved, "well, I just really had a good time and I...I... really like you. I like you and hanging out with you and I just really had a good time in Corpus..."
"Oh, my God! Oh, my God!" Jenny felt like she was watching herself in a movie.
"And I was wondering...I really like you and I was wondering if you would go with me?"
"Yes! Yes, of course. I would love to. Really." Jenny rushed, barely breathing.
She heard Troy take a deep breath and could tell he was smiling.
"Great. Okay, well...thanks. I guess I will call you...tomorrow?"
"Okay, yeah, that's great." Jenny had no clue what to say next.
"Um, well, Jeremy wants to talk to Jamie."
"Oh, okay. Well, bye." Jenny said unsure of how to end such a monumental conversation.
"Yeah, talk to ya tomorrow. Bye." Troy replied.
Then, Jenny, more floating than walking, opened the door of Jonathan's room and handed the phone to Jamie. She was flooded with questions and giggles as Jamie ran into Jonathan's room.

Jenny could not tell you anything that happened for the rest of the slumber party. There was a movie and some food and she managed to tell all her friends the details of her life changing conversation, but the only detail she could recall from July 30th, 1995 was the fact that Troy, a boy, the boy she adored, had asked her to be his girlfriend. It was the best thing that could have ever happened in her 13 year old world.

What Jenny didn't know is the impact that five minute conversation would have on the rest of her life. No one could have known. That young, fumbling conversation sparked a relationship that would forever change their world, their future, them. The relationship would change and grow and fade but it would define them both, shaping them into the people they would one day become, both alone and together. Troy's simple question and Jenny's simple answer was the beginning of their story.