As You Wish Read online

  “That’s me, all fun all the time.” Katie tossed the crumpled deli bag toward the trash can and missed. She got up and placed it inside. “I’m going to the baseball field. Do you want to come with me?”

  “The baseball field?” Christy thought that was an odd place for Katie to want to go to. Then Christy remembered. “You still searching for number sixteen?”

  “His number was fourteen, and yes, as a matter of fact, I thought it wouldn’t hurt to revisit the place where we met last June.”

  “What was his name again?” Christy asked.

  “Matt.”

  “Matt what?”

  “That’s all I know. I told you I hadn’t found out his last name yet. He’s Matt, number fourteen, the best baseball player Rancho Corona has ever seen.”

  “You know,” Christy said, pulling on a pair of jeans and a T-shirt, “I’m surprised you haven’t employed your extra-ordinary detective skills on this guy yet.”

  Katie shook her head, making her red hair swish in trademark Katie fashion. “No, I’m really determined to let God be in charge of my nonexistent love life. If He wants to bring somebody into my life, He’s going to have to do it in His time and His way. True, I’ve thought about Matt an awful lot in the past 104 days since I met him.”

  “One hundred and four days, huh?” Christy laughed.

  “Yes, but I’m not going to push to make anything happen.” Katie pulled a worn baseball cap over her silky red hair and tucked the chin-length strands behind her ears.

  “However,” Christy teased, “you still believe it’s okay to just happen to be at the right place at the right time to help God along in the sovereignty department.”

  “Exactly.”

  “I’m ready,” Christy said, slipping her bare feet into her leather sandals. “Let’s go be ‘available’ for God.”

  “Don’t mock my methods.” Katie closed the door behind them. “I’m really trying, here.”

  “Yes, you really are trying, aren’t you?” Christy suppressed a laugh.

  “I’m not talking to you anymore, Christy.”

  The two friends exited their upper-classmen dormitory and headed down the road toward the center of campus, both still grinning. Christy felt relieved that she and Katie were back to normal in their friendship and that the jet lag blues hadn’t gotten the two of them off to a bad start this year. That was one of the things she had long appreciated about Todd’s easygoing personality and Katie’s bouncy personality; they both let Christy go through her loopy moods without changing their friendships.

  Christy and Katie walked past several trucks that were backed up to the main walkways of each of the dorms. Dozens of arriving students energetically unpacked their meager worldly possessions. Christy was glad she had moved in early and had the days she needed to adjust and to sleep, which probably wouldn’t have happened at home in Escondido.

  Moving in early had been her dad’s idea. He had said he could either move her in right after she returned from Basel, or she would have to wait until Saturday afternoon, which wouldn’t have given her much time to settle in before classes started. She knew her parents also had hoped it would give her a chance to find a job on campus, and she felt bad that she hadn’t pursued that yet. That was one of the “phone books” she had been carrying around.

  “I love this weather, don’t you?” Katie apparently had forgotten that two minutes ago she had said she wasn’t going to talk to Christy. “I love it when it’s still warm and breezy like this, even after the sun has gone down. It feels like Indian summer. Maybe I’ll invent an herbal tea and call it ‘Indian Summer.’ What do you think?”

  “I like it,” Christy said. “I like this time of year, too. This dry, windy heat always makes me think of new beginnings because the weather was like this when my family moved to Escondido. That’s when you and I first met, remember? It was at that sleepover the first week of our sophomore year in high school.”

  “I will never forget that night.” Katie’s laughter took off like a hoot owl headed for the moon. “Remember when we tried to TP Rick Doyle’s house, and you got caught, and he chased you down the street at midnight?”

  Christy had to laugh. That was still among her top ten most embarrassing moments. “I wonder what ever happened to Rick.”

  “Why do you say that?” Katie’s laughter vanished.

  “Because the last time anyone saw him was more than a year ago at Doug and Tracy’s wedding. Did you talk to him then?”

  “No, did you?”

  “No.”

  “You’re not having dreams about Rick waltzing back into your life or anything, are you?” Katie asked cautiously.

  “No, of course not. I just think it’s too bad that we’re all together again, but he’s just out there.”

  “Rick always was sort of ‘out there.’ ”

  “I know. But I kept hoping he would figure out his life and be one of the gang.”

  “You know what your problem is?” Katie said and then plunged ahead before Christy had a chance to answer. “Your problem is you have too much mercy. That’s why being with those kids in the orphanage killed you and why out of the blue you would start wishing happiness on a guy who was a jerk to both of us. Rick deserves whatever he gets.”

  Christy stopped walking a few yards from the baseball field. “You’re still mad at him, aren’t you? You haven’t forgiven him for the way he led you on at the Rose Bowl Parade on New Year’s all those years ago.”

  Katie shrugged.

  “You need to forgive him, Katie. Let it be what it was. Learn from it and move on.”

  “He was my first kiss, Christy. Tell me, how does a girl forget the first guy who kissed her?”

  Christy let her tender, blue-green eyes scan her best friend’s expression before answering. “You don’t ever forget.”

  “Exactly.” Katie took off, walking at a fast clip.

  Christy caught up with her. “But you can forgive him for hurting you, Katie.”

  “I have. I do.” Katie paused. “I will. But enough of Rick Doyle, okay? I’d like to move on to Matt, number fourteen.”

  Christy glanced around the baseball diamond as they approached it. The two of them were the only people in sight. “Doesn’t look like anyone is practicing tonight.”

  “I didn’t think anyone would be practicing,” Katie said. “I just thought . . .” She paused and stood still for a long moment. “I don’t know what I thought. Let’s go to The Java Jungle. I don’t know why I had us come here.”

  “The Java Jungle?” Christy questioned.

  “That’s the new name for the coffee shop on the lower level of the student center. I saw the sign today. I guess no one liked the old name, The Espresso Stop.”

  Katie pointed out the new sign after they had hiked across campus to the student center. The large complex housed The Java Jungle, the student mailboxes, and a large lounge area on the top level. When they entered, Christy noticed more students were in the lounge than she had seen on campus the entire week. The place was beginning to feel more like a university than a ghost town. The cafeteria, which had been dubbed The Golden Calf, would begin serving meals for the first time in the morning. That meant Christy finally could stop spending her limited funds every time she wanted to eat.

  They entered the coffee shop and stood in a short line to order something to drink. “My turn to pay,” Christy said.

  “I have money with me,” Katie protested.

  “But you bought the sandwiches.”

  “Actually,” Katie said, “I got a two-for-one coupon on the sandwiches when I filled my car at that little station at the bottom of the hill.”

  Rancho Corona University was built on top of a mesa, and every time the students wanted to go into town, they had to go down the hill. Christy was sure Katie knew where all the gas stations were because she was so fond of her new car, a bright yellow Volkswagen Thing. It reminded Christy of a cross between a Jeep and a dune buggy. Katie seemed to enj
oy making sure the gas tank on her “Baby Hummer” was always full and the windows free of smashed insects.

  “Okay, then we’re even,” Christy said. “Be sure to thank Baby Hummer for me.”

  Katie motioned to a booth that had just been vacated in the far corner. “Why don’t you hold that booth for us? What do you want to drink?”

  “Lemonade.”

  “Lemonade?”

  “Yes, lemonade. I don’t want anything hot to drink. A good, old-fashioned American lemonade sounds good to me.”

  “Okay, one lemonade.” Katie headed for the end of the line as Christy slid into the booth by the side window. She looked around and realized she didn’t know a single person in The Java Jungle. It felt odd starting all over again in a new school. She was more grateful than ever that Katie was there. And Sierra and Todd.

  Friends make all the difference in life. She thought of her two roommates in Switzerland who were both from Germany. They were nice roommates, but Christy couldn’t keep up with their social activities and had spent most of her free time alone in their room. She liked the solitude after the noise of the children at the orphanage, but now that she was back in southern California, Christy felt ready to reinvent her college experience, spending lots of time with her closest friends.

  I wonder if that’s another reason I reacted so strongly when Todd said he had volunteered me to teach Sunday school. Maybe I’m afraid my free time will be devoured if I commit myself to a group of younger kids again. I’m not ready to do that. I need time with my friends.

  Just then Christy noticed a tall, slender guy entering The Java Jungle. A wonderful, warm feeling came over her.

  Matthew Kingsley! Look at you! My mom was right. You are all grown-up now, aren’t you? There was no mistaking the Wisconsin farm boy she had known since childhood, the guy she had developed a huge crush on in elementary school.

  Matthew’s brown eyes scanned the room from under his baseball cap. Christy hadn’t seen him since her grandparents’ fiftieth wedding anniversary three summers ago. She watched Matthew, wondering if he would recognize her right away.

  Matthew’s gaze passed over her at first. Then he did a double take and grinned before charging across the room toward her. A firefly sort of fluttering started in her stomach and came out in a lighthearted giggle when Matthew greeted her with an awkward hug. His shoulder smashed her left ear in the quick embrace, and she noticed he didn’t smell too fresh.

  “You’re here.” Matthew slid into the booth next to her and grinned.

  “I’m here,” Christy repeated. “And so are you. How are you doing?”

  “Great. Just got in. I’ve been driving since five this morning. It’s so good to see you, Christy. Did your mom tell you I called Monday?”

  “No, I’ve been on campus all week. I haven’t talked to her. Are you hungry?” Christy realized she sounded like her mom. It was the lingo Christy had grown up with on the dairy farm in Wisconsin. Whenever one of the men came in from the field, food was offered.

  “No, I ate already. I’m trying to find my roommate. He said he would be waiting in here with our keys, but I don’t see him. It’s the same guy I roomed with last year. Pete Santos. Do you know him?”

  “No, but my roommate might. She seems to know everyone.” Christy turned to see that Katie was at the front of the line, paying for their drinks.

  Matthew looked out the window and leaned closer to Christy to get a clearer view. “There he is. Hey, Pete!” Matthew tapped on the glass. The guy turned and motioned for Matthew to come outside.

  “I should have known he’d be talking on his cell phone,” Matthew said. “He should have that thing permanently wired to his head. He’s on it all the time.”

  Christy looked away from the window and saw that Matthew was staring at her.

  “I wish I didn’t have to run off,” he said with an honest expression. “But I left my truck in a no-parking zone.” Matthew rose and gave Christy’s arm a quick squeeze. “How about if we meet for breakfast? We have a lot to catch up on.”

  “Sure,” Christy said and then quickly corrected herself. “Oh, wait, I can’t. I have an early appointment in the morning.”

  “Lunch?”

  Christy shook her head. “My aunt Marti is coming to take me to lunch.”

  “Then what about dinner? Six o’clock? Meet in The Golden Calf?”

  “Perfect,” Christy said. “I’ll meet you there.”

  Matthew paused a moment and said, “It’s great to see you, Christy.”

  “You too,” she said.

  “Six o’clock tomorrow,” Matthew repeated.

  “Six o’clock.”

  He took off, and Christy watched him stride through the crowded café, waving to several people as he went.

  Matthew Kingsley. Who would have guessed that we would end up at the same college?

  Christy was still smiling softly when Katie arrived at their booth. “I just saw a guy from my hometown in Wisconsin,” Christy told her. “And if you can believe this, I used to have a huge crush on him.”

  Katie placed the tall lemonade in front of Christy and, ignoring her comment, said, “Well, you’re not going to believe what I just did. Go ahead and thank me now.”

  “Thanks for the lemonade,” Christy said.

  “No, not the lemonade. Thank me now because I just found a job for you. On campus, even.”

  “Where?”

  “You have to thank me first.”

  “Thank you, Katie.”

  “You’re welcome.” Katie settled into the booth and took a slow, leisurely sip of her steaming latte.

  Christy waited, her expectant expression turning to an exasperated one when Katie didn’t offer details.

  “Oh, you want to know where it is? It’s at the bookstore,” Katie said at last. “I was talking to some people in line, and one of the guys said he was planning to work in the campus bookstore like he had last semester, but he just got a job today in town that pays more. The job for the bookstore isn’t posted yet. He’s going in at nine o’clock tomorrow morning to tell them he won’t be keeping his position. If you get there at 9:05, I bet they would hire you right then and there.”

  “I don’t know if I’ll be done with the counselor by then.”

  “Okay, so you show up at nine-thirty. Better yet, I’ll tell him he shouldn’t go to the bookstore and resign until ten. That will give you plenty of time. He even said he would recommend you by name, if you wanted.”

  Christy hesitated. “Okay, I guess. Who is he?”

  “I don’t know. He’s over there in the green shirt talking to Wesley. You know Wes, don’t you? He’s Sierra’s older brother.” Katie popped up before Christy could say anything and waltzed over to the guys with her plan. As Katie turned and pointed to Christy, Christy raised her hand and waved. She thought about going over and talking to them, but she was sure someone would take their booth.

  Katie returned with an air of satisfaction. “That was easy. Ten o’clock. Or rather, five after ten. All you have to do is show up at the bookstore and talk to Donna. Act like you know what you’re doing, and I’m sure you’ll land the job.”

  “You know, you didn’t have to do that, Katie.” Christy wasn’t sure why she felt resistant to this job. It sounded like an ideal situation, but Christy never had liked it when others felt she wasn’t aggressive enough to make her own decisions or to take care of herself so they stepped in to make arrangements for her.

  “I think it’s a God-thing,” Katie said brightly. “Do you know how few jobs are still available on campus?”

  “I just don’t want to work too many hours,” Christy said. “I want to have some time for a social life this year.”

  “Tell that to Donna when she interviews you. She’s really nice. I wouldn’t mind working for her. Besides, everyone goes to the bookstore, so part of your social life will be mixed with your work. It’s perfect.”

  Christy sipped her lemonade slowly. “Are you sure
you don’t want to show up at five after ten tomorrow and apply for the job yourself?”

  Katie grinned. “I have enough in my savings to get me through until January. Then I’ll be looking for a miracle job. Until then, I’m going to enjoy the rare freedom and pursue my social life to the fullest.”

  “You’re making me feel sorry for myself, and I don’t even have the job yet.”

  Katie didn’t seem to hear Christy’s comment. Instead, Katie had fixed her attention on something outside the window. Christy looked and saw about two dozen students gathered around the patio tables outside The Java Jungle. From her side of the booth she didn’t see Pete or Matthew, and she was certain she didn’t know any of the others. Christy guessed they all must be returning students because they were hugging and laughing and waving to others who were heading that way.

  “Wait here,” Katie said. “I think my number just came up.”

  “Your number?”

  “Yeah, number fourteen,” Katie called out, rushing to join the mob of returning students on the patio.

  3 Christy, are you awake?” Katie asked much later that night as Christy lay in bed.

  Rolling over, Christy forced her eyes open. The soft yellow light she had left on over Katie’s desk several hours earlier seemed too bright.

  “I’m so sorry, Chris. I started to talk to a bunch of people, and when I went back to the booth, you were gone. I know I left you there a long time. I’m sorry.”

  “It’s okay. I could see you were having a good time catching up with everybody. I wanted to come back to the room to call Todd before it got too late. I should have told you I was leaving.”

  “The time just got away,” Katie said.

  “Don’t worry about it. We can’t apologize every time stuff like that happens.” Christy propped herself up on her elbow and stretched her stiff neck. “You already have a lot of friends here. I don’t expect you always to wait for me or to take me with you wherever you go.”

  “You’re right.” Slipping off her shoes, Katie turned on the overhead light.