Forever...: a novel by Judy Blume Read Free Book Online

down his back.
    Michael kissed me and reached down between my legs but I caught his hand and moved it away.
    "No … not tonight … "
    "I don't care."
    "But I do." It wasn't so much that I didn't want him to touch me, because I did—it was just that I didn't think it was a good idea for either one of us to get carried away. "Michael … don't get too worked up … okay … "
    "I'm already worked up."
    He didn't have to tell me.
    We kissed one more time and then he touched my face gently and said, "I love you, Katherine. I really mean it … I love you."
    I could have said it back to him right away. I was thinking it all along. I was thinking, I love you, Michael. But can you really love someone you've seen just nineteen times in your life?
    "I've never said that before," he told me.
    "I'm glad."
    "I want to hold you all night."
    "I want you to."
    We slept with our arms around each other till Ike's voice woke us in the morning. 9
    It was a sunny cold day, but not windy. Michael said it was perfect for skiing. I got dressed in my long underwear, turtleneck shirt, ski pants, sweater, two pairs of socks and snow boots. I could hardly move. Sharon was still asleep but Ike had breakfast on the table—cereal, eggs and buns. "No raisins," Michael said, passing the plate to me.
    "How'd you know I don't like raisins?"
    "New Year's Day … remember?"
    "Oh, that … " I said, picturing myself at Sybil's table, picking raisins out of a bun. "You have a good memory."
    "For some things," Michael said and he smiled.

    After breakfast Ike gave Michael the car keys and told him to drive me into town to rent my equipment.
    "Their prices are better than at the lodge. With a little luck Sharon should be ready to go when you get back."
    We went to the Alpine Ski Shop. When Michael was finally satisfied that I had the right size boots he showed me how to work the buckles and also how to walk in them without killing myself, which wasn't easy.
    Sharon was dressed and ready to go when we got back to the house. From there it was just a short ride to the slopes. They had season tickets and Michael bought mine. When I saw the prices I said, "I never knew skiing was such an expensive sport."
    "That's its only drawback," Michael told me.
    "Let's go to the Ladies' Room before we get our skis on," Sharon said. "It's such a pain to have to come in before lunch."
    I followed her into the lodge and downstairs. We both used the toilets. While we were washing our hands Sharon said that the reason so many beginners get hurt is because they try to learn to ski themselves. "I just want you to know that Michael is a qualified instructor … otherwise Ike and I would insist that you take class lessons."
    "He's really that good?"
    "Just wait till you see him in action."
    I smiled. Sharon caught on and laughed. "I meant skiing action," she said.
    "I know it."
    "My brother's a very nice boy, isn't he?"
    "I think so."
    "But he seems so … well … vulnerable."
    "How do you mean?"
    "Oh … he's so open … I wouldn't want to see him get hurt." She didn't look at me when she said that. She looked into the mirror and rubbed some kind of ointment on her lips. I didn't know what to say to her after that. Did she think Michael would get hurt because of me? Did she think I was just using him or what?
    "Well … let's get going." Sharon put the tube of ointment into her pocket. "And Katherine … "
    "Yes?"
    "I'm sorry if I sounded like a mother hen just now … I've really got to stop worrying about Michael. After all, he's all grown up, isn't he?"

    "Yes," I said, "he is." It's funny that Sharon worries about Michael in the same way that my father worries about me.
    We went upstairs, found Michael and Ike waiting outside, and arranged to meet at the lodge at noon. Sharon and Ike went off to ski the more difficult slopes.
    Michael got me onto my skis. They were very short and hardly stuck out at all behind me. He said it's much easier to learn with the short kind and as I