Helen's head whipped around and she stared at Jonathon's mother with her mouth open.

"You look like you need your drink refreshed, dear," Mother said to Father, taking his glass from him.

As the two of them walked towards the bar cabinet, Helen looked up at Jonathon, and he cringed inwardly.  She appeared devastated with tears welling up in her eyes. He opened his mouth to explain, but she yanked her hand out of the crook of his arm and left, nearly running through the room. He followed while she skirted the perimeter of the young people dancing and went out the door. In the hallway, she hesitated, then darted into the library. When he went in behind her, he closed the door.

She was in front of the fireplace with her shoulders slumped, wiping her face, and he approached her.

"Helen."

She spun around, her eyes red rimmed and glassy from the tears. "You lied to your mother," she said, shaking her head with disbelief. "You lied to me. How could you do that!"

"Please let me explain!" he said, continuing towards her, but she stepped backwards, keeping the distance between them, and he stopped.

"I was so stupid. I was falling for you!" she said, her voice cracking on the last word. She swallowed and wiped her eyes. "I should never have trusted you. I knew you were only interested in me for one reason!"

"That's not true! I love you!"

Her mouth dropped open. "You don't even know me!"

"I do know you! You're beautiful, the most beautiful girl I know, and you're sweet." Her expression was becoming more angry as he talked, and he knew he was saying all the wrong things. "You're smart!" he continued desperately. "You challenge me. You're the only one who does that. I like that you're not afraid to tell me what you think." He could tell it was working.  Her face was softening. "I know you've been through a lot, and how hard it's been for you to lose your family. I care about what happens to you. I want to take care of you."

Her eyes narrowed. "What do you mean you want to take care of me?"

He took a breath. He didn't want to say it like this, not now. He wanted the moment to be special. But when she started to turn away with a look of disgust, he blurted out, "I want to marry you, Helen!"

She slowly turned back, appearing stunned. "But your mother...  She'll never–"

"No, my mother likes you," he insisted.

"Your mother likes an illusion!" She took a step towards him, indicating her dress with her hands. "This is an illusion! My uncle only bought this because he was afraid your father would get mad if I didn't come. I've seen the looks she's been giving Annie all night. How will she feel about me when she finds out I'm even more poor than her?"

"She doesn't have to know!" He clamped his lips closed, knowing it had been the absolute wrong thing to say.

"You would have a marriage based on a lie? That tells me everything I need to know about you," she said, throwing her hands in the air.

"That's not what it would be!" he pleaded.

"Then what would it be?"

She waited while he tried to come up with an explanation that would make everything better, but he couldn't. She was right.

"Don't ask me to come to any more of your hot dog roasts, or bonfires, or anything!" she said, heading towards the door. "I won't come."

"Helen, please! I really care about you."

"And don't have your mother invite me to any more parties. If she does, I'll have to tell her the truth."

As she was about to pass him, he grabbed her hand, stopping her. "Please don't leave," he begged.

He fought to keep his emotions under control while she examined him, and in the silence, he sensed he had a last opportunity to convince her. "I meant it when I said I want to take care of you. You need help for your family, and I can give it to you. I have plenty of money, enough to get your sisters back to your parents. I'll give you anything you want if you become my wife!"

Her expression hardened, and she wrenched her hand out of his. "I'm not for sale, Johnny Blackwell! I won't live a lie for any amount of money!"

"That's not what I meant!" he said stepping in front of her to block her from walking out. "I can't stand to see you hurting because your family is separated. I want to help."

She looked at him for a long moment, and he prayed she finally believed him. "Will you tell your mother the truth about me – tonight – with me here."

He slumped. If he told his mother the truth, there was no way she'd approve of him marrying her. "It's not that easy."

Her eyes flashed with anger.  "I'm not going to lie and hide who I am just to marry someone for their money, Johnny!  And the fact that you think I would proves you know nothing about me!" She shook her head with disgust. "You're the last man on earth I would ever marry."

The words crushed him, and he was helpless to do anything except watch her walk out, leaving the library door open. Over the dance music coming from the grand parlor, he heard her heels on the wood floor of the hallway, and then the front door opening. When it closed, a terrible pain filled his chest as he realized it was over.

He slumped onto one of the wing back chairs in front of the fireplace and put his head in his hands. She was the only girl for him, the only one he'd ever want, and now he'd lost her. It was all his fault. He should have told his mother the truth from the very beginning.

But you knew what she'd say if you did. Helen had read his mother correctly. Once she knew Helen's people were poor, he would be forbidden to see her again.

"Oh! Hello, Johnny."

It was Annie. He quickly wiped his face and stood, not wanting her to guess anything was wrong.

"I was looking for Helen," she said.

"She's not here."

When she saw his face, she started towards him with a worried expression. "Are you okay?"

He turned his back to her to stop her examining him. "I'm fine."

"You don't look like you're fine. Did – did something happen between you and Helen?" she asked gently.

He gripped the mantel, trying to keep his emotions in check. "Why do you say that?"

"When she left with you, she looked like she was going to cry, and now you..." When he didn't reply, she continued. "She cares a lot about you."

"How do you know what she feels about me!" he said, embracing the anger that she was intruding further into what wasn't any of her business.

"Because she told me. She talks about you all the time."

He squeezed his eyes shut as even more pain flooded through him. She'd been falling in love with him, and he'd blown it by being stupid. Everything she'd said a few minutes before, came back to him, the horror that he'd lied to her, the angry accusations, the declaration that she'd never marry him, each one stabbing him in the heart. She hated him now. He pinched the bridge of his nose, trying to keep back the tears that were about to escape. He must not cry.

Then he felt a gentle touch on his back, surprising him. "Something did happen.  I'm so sorry, Johnny. Whatever it is, maybe you two can talk about it."

He was about to move away from her to stop her from touching him when he heard a voice behind him.

"What's going on in here?"

Jonathon spun around to find his mother staring at the two of them with horror, and then her face changed.

"What am I interrupting?" she demanded loudly, stalking towards them.

"Mrs. Blackwell, I – I was looking for Helen," Annie stammered, shrinking against a bookcase.

"That's not what it looked like to me!"

"Mother–"

"Be quiet, Jonathon! I don't know what you hope to accomplish with my son," she hissed at Annie as she bore down on her. "But it's not going to work."

"Mother, please!"

"I wasn't trying to do anything, Mrs. Blackwell. I swear!"

"I think it would be best if you leave," Mother said tightly.

Annie ducked her head while her face flushed red. "Yes, ma'am."

She slid sideways to get around his mother, and as she headed towards the door, Helen appeared and she froze.

Seeing her, Jonathon's heart leapt in his chest. Had she come back to talk to him?

Helen's gaze swept over the three them, noticing the tense silence, and then she focused on Annie. "I was just looking for you," she said. "My Uncle Charlie will be here in a few minutes." As Annie hurried towards her, she mumbled, "Thank you for inviting me, Mrs. Blackwell."

"Thank you for coming, Helen," Mother said loudly, stopping Helen as she turned to leave. "I hope to see you again soon," she said pointedly.

Helen didn't move, and as Jonathon watched her struggle with herself, his stomach sank. She took a step inside the room. "Mrs. Blackwell, I think there's been a misunderstanding."

Oh, no.

"Has there?" Mother said, drawing herself up to her full height.

"Yes, and I feel I must clear it up. You see – Johnny – he assumed my father was a banker because that's what my uncle does, but that's not true."

"It's – not?" Mother said, seemingly taken aback. She shot Jonathon a questioning glance.

"No, ma'am. We had a farm in Kansas. We lost everything in the drought, and my father couldn't find work. They sent me to live here because they couldn't afford to take care of me. They sent away my sisters too, so we wouldn't starve."

"Oh," Mother said faintly, taking a small step back.

"I thought you deserved to know the truth," she said forcefully, meeting Jonathon's eye for the first time since she'd returned to the library.

"I appreciate your honesty," Mother said with a curt nod.

From her cooler tone, Jonathon knew it had already happened. Her opinion of Helen had changed. Helen must have noticed too because she took Annie's hand. "Come on," she said tiredly, leading her out of the room.

When they were gone, Mother placed her hand on her forehead. "What a disaster this night has turned into. I should never have invited that Montgomery girl, and the other one... Did she lie to you?" she said, suddenly rounding on Jonathon.

"No! Helen would never do something like that."

"Then where did that story about the bank run come from?"

"I – made it up," he admitted, unable to meet her eyes.

"Jonathon!" she gasped.

"I only did it because I wanted you to like her! I never lied about how I felt about her. She's the only girl I've ever been serious about. I want to marry her."

Mother looked horrified. "You most certainly will not marry her! Who knows what her people are really like. A man who can't even take care of his own family?" She shook her head while clicking her tongue.

"But I love her, Mother!"

"You're infatuated with her. There's a difference."

Jonathon opened his mouth to deny it, but she put her hand up, stopping him.

"I won't talk about this any further tonight, I have a dreadful headache. I want you to go back to the party, and I better not catch you sulking! I'll be in there shortly after I've found the aspirin. Your brother is overdue to cut the cake."

He shoved his hands in his pockets and headed for the door. He knew there was no use arguing with her.

"And don't think I'm going to forget about this," Mother continued to his back. "I'm extremely disappointed with you, Jonathon. Your father is going to hear about this whole debacle tomorrow morning."

He slouched further. The tiny amount of hope he might have had that he could convince her to relent on Helen vanished. Once she got Father involved, there would be no way. They would be united against him.

With his chest aching, he headed for the grand parlor. Passing the staircase, he fought the urge to run up to his room so he could be alone, but he didn't dare disobey Mother. He was already in enough trouble.

Just before he reached the doorway, he stopped and took a deep breath. Then he composed his expression and stepped inside, making sure to smile.

~~

"Johnny!" Billy said with surprise, climbing in the back seat of the Duesenberg. He tossed his school notebooks on the leather bench between them. "What are you doing here?"

"Did you think I'd forgotten about our tradition? We're going to Dwyer's."

"Gee, Johnny. That's swell of you."

Jonathon was glad to see the smile on his brother's face. "Don't mention it."

For years, the brothers had gone to the soda fountain at Dwyer's to celebrate the last day of school. Even though Jonathon had graduated and was already working with Father, he'd asked for permission to take his brother out, wanting to do something special for him. Billy had been careful to hide it from Mother and Father, but he'd been in a foul mood ever since the party. Jonathon assumed he was still sore about it. But for him, the past weeks had been far worse.

Father hit the roof when he'd heard that Jonathon had lied to his mother. It was as mad as he'd ever seen him. And then on his graduation day, a day which should have been one of the happiest of his life, he'd been in despair. Helen was sitting only two seats away from him during the ceremony.  No matter how many times he'd tried to catch her eye, she'd steadfastly refused to acknowledge he was even there.

To make matters worse, Mr. and Mrs. Moore had come up to his parents to congratulate them afterwards, dragging a reluctant Helen along. They didn't seem to notice the tension in the air, and Jonathon guessed they knew nothing about what had happened that night. Mother's cool demeanor was unmistakable though, and Jonathon saw Helen notice it too, no doubt hardening her feelings towards him.

With his parents against him seeing Helen, and her probably hating him anyway, he knew he should forget about her, but it was impossible. Every day since the party, it was like there was a hole in his chest. He'd never felt pain like it before. But then, he'd never lost someone he truly cared about.

James parked the car in front of the drug store, and Jonathon pushed his emotions down. He didn't want anything to get in the way of Billy's fun. When he and Billy walked inside, Walt Dwyer was behind the soda fountain counter.

"Hi Billy, Johnny," he said while they took stools at the end of the counter.

"Hi Walt," Billy said, but Jonathon remained silent. Even though it had been a few weeks, he still resented Walt for taking the opportunity to dance with Helen three times.

"What can I get you fellows?"

"I'll have the usual," Billy said.

"Right, chocolate malted. Johnny?"

"A scoop of butter pecan." When Walt stepped away, Jonathon turned to Billy. "Now that schools out, you must be looking forward to summer."

Billy shrugged and took a straw from the dispenser in front of him. "I guess."

"Come on, I thought you'd be happier about it. You're not still mad at Mother about the party, are you?"

Billy scowled. "Don't be a sap. I got over that a long time ago."

"Then what is it?"

He fiddled with his straw. "I don't want to work at the mine."

"Is that it," Jonathon said dismissively. "Look, just do whatever Father says, and he won't get angry with you. It's not that hard."

"Is it?" Billy said giving him a pointed look, and Jonathon knew what he was referring to.

Billy hadn't been around when Father found out about the lie, but he knew about the punishment. The first week Jonathon worked at the mine, he'd been forced to walk home afterward instead of riding with father. It had been grueling, walking for miles in the sweltering heat while wearing his suit, limping as painful blisters formed, caused by his new shoes. But he'd taken it without complaint, not wanting to give Father a reason to punish him more.

"That had nothing do with work," Jonathon said with a wave of his hand, not wanting Billy to worry. "You'll be fine."

"That's not what I'm talking about." Billy glanced in the direction of Walt who was at the milkshake machine. Then he leaned closer to Jonathon with troubled eyes. "What I mean is – I hate the mine, Johnny," he said in a low voice so Walt wouldn't overhear.

Jonathon straightened with surprise. "How can you say that?"

"I can't help it. I hate everything about it. It's dusty and dirty, and the machinery is so loud you think you're going to go crazy. I hate how we take a beautiful piece of land and turn it into a giant ugly pit. It just seems wrong!"

"You better not let Father hear you talk like that! He'll think you're turning into a communist or something."

"I know," Billy said, hunching forward.

Walt set Billy's chocolate malted in front of him, and Jonathon waited until he'd gone to the shelf holding ice cream dishes.

"People need iron, for goodness sake!" he reasoned. "How are we supposed to get along without it?"

"I'm not saying iron is bad, I just don't like it," Billy muttered, jabbing his straw repeatedly into his milkshake. "I like meat, but that doesn't mean I want to work in a slaughterhouse either."

Jonathon was at a complete loss for words. He couldn't believe Billy felt that way about the mine. Jonathon loved everything about it.  Sure the machinery and the giant trucks were loud, but it was exciting. And it was challenging work too, with problems cropping up every day that needed to be dealt with.

Walt set his dish of butter pecan in front of him, and as he dug into it, Jonathon wondered how Billy could have turned out so differently from everyone else in the family.

"Helen! Annie! What are you two doing here," Walt exclaimed.

Jonathon looked over his shoulder, and the ache in his chest increased. Helen had just walked in with Annie and Annie's younger brother and sister. When she spotted him, her face reddened and she looked away.

"I was looking for your dad," Annie said to Walt.

"He's in the back getting orders ready. I'll tell him you're here."

Even though he knew he shouldn't be doing it, Jonathon couldn't take his eyes off Helen. Meanwhile, she acted as though he wasn't there, her eyes traveling around the drug store to avoid looking at him. Her face was still flushed, but he thought she looked beautiful, and his aching pain turned into a terrible longing. Mother was wrong, he thought bitterly. He did love her, and he didn't know how he was ever going to get over her.

Finally, Annie broke the awkward silence. "Hi, Billy, Johnny," she said with a small wave.

"Hi Annie," Billy said while Jonathon nodded, his attention entirely focused on Helen.

If only she would let him know in some way she didn't hate him, he wouldn't feel as though his life was over.

"Hello, Mr. Dwyer," Annie said, looking relieved when he appeared, carrying a stack of folded shirts.

"Tell your mother there's no rush on these," Mr. Dwyer said, handing the shirts to her.

"I will."

"It looks like the moths got to the sleeve of the one on top."

"She won't have any trouble fixing that," Annie said confidently.

"That's fine," he said with a smile, and then bent his head to address her brother and sister. "Now how would you two like a piece of candy?" he asked, and their eyes lit up.

"Oh, Mr. Dwyer! That's too kind of you," Annie said, but she sounded worried.

"Not at all, it's my pleasure," he said kindly. "Come, let's pick out what you want," he said to her siblings.

"Gee, thanks, Mr. Dwyer!" they chorused.

"Don't tell me you gals aren't staying for ice cream," Walt said easily, leaning across the counter.

The way he was smiling at Helen made Jonathon's blood boil.

"Oh, gosh no," Annie said. "We didn't bring any money. We just stopped by on the way home from school to pick up your dad's shirts."

Walt put his hand up to his mouth. "Don't tell pop," he whispered loudly, his blue eyes twinkling. "It'll be my treat."

It was all Jonathon could do to keep from jumping up and slugging him.

Annie looked to Helen. "We really should go," Helen said with a pained expression, and it was like another stab to Jonathon.  He knew he was the reason why she was so anxious to get out of there.

"Well, okay," Walt said, straightening while he continued to smile at Helen. "We'll just have to plan on it for another time. It'll still be my treat. Deal?"

Helen gave him a shy smile, the same shy smile she'd given Jonathon many times. "Deal," she said, and then her smile wavered as Jonathon caught her eye. By that time, Annie's brother and sister had returned, each with a lollipop in their mouth. "Ready?" she said, putting her arms on their shoulders and herding them towards the door.

Goodbyes were called out while the bell on the door tinkled, and then they were gone. In the sudden silence, Walt went to the sink to wash dishes. With his back to Jonathon and Billy, he began whistling a cheerful tune.

"Are you done?" Jonathon growled to Billy, pulling his wallet out of his pocket.

"Yeah," Billy said with a sigh.

Jonathon tossed a bill on the counter and stood, not wanting to be around Walt the extra minute it would take to get change.

Settled in the back seat of the car, he crossed his arms over his chest, and while he looked out the window, he fumed. With him out of the picture, Walt was going go after her. He just knew it.

"If you want to talk about what happened with Helen, you can," Billy offered quietly. "I don't know if I can do anything to help, but – it might make you feel better."

Jonathon didn't move, not wanting his brother to see his face. "I don't want to talk about it."

"Okay."

"And don't ever invite Walt Dwyer to our place again," he added through gritted teeth.

"Sure, Johnny," Billy said with another sigh.

Thankfully, he didn't say anything else for the rest of the ride home.

****

The moment many of you expected in the last chapter has happened, and Jonathon has lost out on his chance to win Helen's heart.  But is it really the end?  Will he find some way to convince his mother, and Helen?  Or is this the moment when Walt gets his opportunity?  Let me know what you think about that, and about everything else!

I know a lot of you have guessed that Annie was in love with Jonathon already at this point, but I'd always thought of her as more star struck that someone as important as him would be so nice to her.  And since she was best friends with Helen, Helen would share her feelings about him as he pursued her.  There is a time when Annie falls in love with him, and you'll find out when that is!

I really hope you liked this chapter!

The picture in the multimedia is my younger Annie, the actress Joan Lorring.

Cheers!