The blankets on McKenna's bed were all askew when she woke up the following morning. She must have been dreaming during the night—something she rarely did. And on the nights she did dream, she never could remember them.

The sun had not yet risen. The house was chilly after the warmth of her bed, and McKenna debated on crawling back under the warm covers. But now she was wide awake.

She made her way down the stairs and spied the light on in the kitchen. She could smell the aroma of freshly made coffee. Her grandfather was sitting at the table, reading the newspaper, a cup of coffee in front of him.

"Good morning, sweetheart," he smiled at her. "You're up early."

McKenna glanced at the clock above the sink. It was half-past six.

"Mornin', Grandpa." She sauntered over to him and, as usual, kissed him on the top of his bald head. "Yea, I have to get used to it, I guess."

"School starting soon?" he asked as he studied her.

"Yep, next month."

"Hmm." He rattled his newspaper and went back to reading.

She poured herself a cup of coffee and joined her grandfather at the table. The only sound in the room was the rattle of her grandfather's newspaper.

It wasn't long before she heard her parent’s footsteps on the stairs.

"Good morning," her father declared. "How's everyone this morning? Are we all recovered from the weekend?"

McKenna glanced up at him. She thought the guilt would show on her face, so she lowered her gaze to hide the red stain that was creeping up her neck.

She knew she was paranoid. There was no way her father found out about Dane, about Dane kissing her. The only other person that knew was Kelly, and she would never tell.

"McKenna, you're up early," her mother repeated her grandfather's words. "Why didn't you make the coffee?"

McKenna looked up at her mother, confusion on her face. "But the coffee’s ready," she said in defense. "Grandpa made it."

Her parents glanced at each other.

"Well," Connor said. "He must have drunk it all. I'll make some more."

"I didn't drink it all," Grandpa mumbled from the table. "I'm not senile. Not yet, anyway." He shook the newspaper loudly in annoyance.

Her father ran the water in the kitchen sink, filling the coffee carafe, then adding the coffee grounds to the dispenser. He hummed under his breath as he worked. When he finished, he left the room to go upstairs and get dressed.

"Did you have a good time this weekend, McKenna?" her mother asked, setting coffee cups on the table along with napkins and a maple pecan pastry. "Doesn't that look good?" she said to herself.

"Am I in The Twilight Zone?" McKenna blurted.

Her mother turned to her. "The Twilight Zone? What on earth are you talking about?"

McKenna glanced at her grandfather, who only shrugged his shoulders, his eyes never leaving his paper.

"Grrrr,” she growled, anger making her face turn a bright red. She turned to her grandfather.

He shrugged his shoulders and continued reading the newspaper.

“McKenna, I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Her mother plunked a butter knife down on the table. “The Twilight Zone? Why you’re not even old enough to remember that show!”

“Oh, my God, Mother!” she shouted, then whirled from the kitchen and up the stairs. She ran up the stairs to her room and angrily slammed the door.

A light knock sounded on her door. Her grandmother opened it and peeked her head in. "We don't slam doors in this house, child," she said.

"I know, Grandma, I'm sorry." McKenna fell onto her bed, grabbed her pillow, and hugged it to her chest.

"May I come in, McKenna?" She opened the door farther.

"Of course, Grandma, come in."

Her grandmother entered the room and sat down on the bed, re-pinning a hair clip that had come loose from her hair. "What's wrong, child?" she asked. She patted the hook to make sure it was secure.

"Nothing's wrong.” Her lower lip trembled, and she glanced up at the ceiling. "Oh, everything's wrong, Grandma. I'm so tired of the way Mother and Dad treat you and Grandpa. I'm sick of being treated like a child. I'm just sick of everything."

Her grandmother didn't speak.

"Well,” McKenna blurted. “I have my own little secret now, and I'm never going to let them in on it." She turned her eyes to her grandmother. "Can I tell you my secret, Grandma? Will you promise not to tell them?"

"I don't know if I can keep a promise like that, McKenna, if it's not in your best interest."

"But you have to," McKenna's green eyes pleaded with her. "The only other person I can talk to is Kelly. She already knows everything."

"Go on, then,” she said. “I can’t promise anything, but I’ll see.”

McKenna leaned closer to her, lowering her voice. "I met someone, Grandma, at the lake."

"Oh?"

"At first, I was afraid of him. You know, I'm seventeen, Grandma, and I've never been able to date or have a boyfriend, so I don't know what to expect. But Grandma," Her eyes glittered with her secret. “He asked if he could kiss me, and I said yes.”

Grandma placed a hand on her bosom. "He kissed you?"

"Yes, he kissed me. Oh, Grandma," McKenna turned scarlet at the admission. "I don’t know how I feel about him."

"Oh, dear." A look of fear briefly crossed her grandmother's face. She rubbed her hands on her cheeks and looked down at her lap. "You say Kelly knows?"

"Yes, Grandma, she does. She told me to talk to him since I was feeling confused. She said I needed to find out if he was for real, you know, to make sure he wasn’t leading me on. And to find out where he comes from and things like that."

"And did you find out, child?" she asked.

"No, I didn't because that's when he kissed me.

***

McKenna wished her grandparents would just this one time come to the lake with them. Instead, they stood in the doorway and waved goodbye. She didn’t know why they didn’t like camping. McKenna just assumed it was because they were too old.

She pulled her phone out of her backpack, opened the Spotify app, and plugged her earbuds into her ears. She hoped this would help the time go faster. It would block out any conversation her mother might try to have with her. McKenna didn't want to be included or questioned about anything or anyone. She only wanted to be left alone.

Her eyes grew heavy as her favorite music drifted from the earbuds. She wondered if Dane would be at the campgrounds. She hoped he would. She hoped he would kiss her again.

It seemed only a few minutes before her father shook her awake. She opened her eyes and pulled the earbuds out of her ears.

"We're here, sleepyhead," he chuckled. "Time to wake up. We have lots to do."

McKenna sat up and looked around, her mind still foggy. "We're here?" she asked.

"Come on," her mother said. "We have to unload, and we need your help."

She yawned widely, rubbing the sleep from her eyes. Her phone was still blasting the music through her earbuds, so she closed out the Spotify app and put her earbuds away. She crawled from the car, her eyes anxiously scanning the campgrounds.

It was still early. They discovered the sight they used previously was available, so they unloaded the car, pitched their tents, and set up the picnic table. McKenna volunteered to search for kindling and logs for the fire.

"Take the basket," Sarah called, shaking her head.

McKenna turned around, walked back to her mother, and took the wood basket from her hands.

"Honestly, McKenna, I don't know where your mind is half the time."

She kept her eyes on the ground as she walked, searching for kindling to start a fire. The campground left few pickings this late in the season, so she strolled toward the woods. Once she reached the clearing, she disappeared into the trees.

The forest was dark, cool, the air filled with the scent of purple cresses, goldenrod, and aster. McKenna could hear the woodpeckers tapping on the trees. The sound of the otters purring and squealing as they played in the muddy water on the bank reached her ears from far off.

McKenna hummed as she strolled along, swinging the empty wood basket on her arm. She honestly was searching for firewood. To verify this to herself, she reached down, picked up a few small sticks, and placed them in the basket. Her eyes searched for dead tree limbs and possibly dead logs that weren't too wet from the moss. She was squatting down, picking up some small logs she had found when she heard Dane's voice behind her.

"McKenna?"

Swallowing past the lump in her throat, she rose to her feet and slowly turned around. "It's me," she said, warmth spreading through her at the sight of him.

At first, he hesitated, then slowly, he walked toward her. "I've been looking for you." He swallowed, his Adam's apple bobbing in his throat. "I couldn't find you. I didn't know where you went."

Setting the basket down on the ground, she moved closer to him, her eyes narrowing as she studied him. A chill went through her. "I went home, Dane," she said quietly. "Remember? I told you I had to go home."

He gave a mirthless laugh. "Yes, I remember now. But I had forgotten. I'm glad you're here now, McKenna. I've missed you."

"You have?" The corners of her mouth turned up. She shook the feelings she had a moment ago. She had missed him, too.

"I would like to kiss you again, McKenna, if I may?"

Joy bubbled up in her, and the mood her mother had left her with lifted. "I would like that, too, Dane."

He stepped forward and tucked her into his arms. His body was warm against her cheek, and she breathed in the scent of him. He smelled like fresh air, green grass, and the salt of the sea. She raised her face to him. When he kissed her, his lips were warm, his kiss gentle. A smile tugged at his mouth when he released her.

She lost track of time. She pushed thoughts of her parents to the back of her mind. She didn’t want to think they were waiting for her to come back with firewood. She had forgotten everything except Dane and how he kissed her.

When her eyes traveled to the wood basket setting on the ground a few feet away, her heart quickened, and she let go of his embrace.

"I have to go!" she cried.

"No, don't leave." He pulled her close. His hands were warm through her shirt, making her shiver suddenly. He kissed her again.

When she pulled away and opened her eyes, she said very weakly, "But, Dane, I really have to go."

"Please, McKenna, just a few more minutes. I've missed you so much. I want to show you something."

"But I have to go," her protest was weak. She didn't want to go. Not really.

He took her hand, and they left the path, heading deeper into the darkness of the trees. A few minutes later, he stopped, his eyes smiling with pride.

"This is it," he said. In front of her stood a run-down cabin nestled between several large oak trees. "Come on," he reached for her hand.

He pushed a shoulder against the rotted door and forced it open. Once again, taking her hand, he led her inside.

The cabin was small, and old furniture took up any living space. There was no kitchen or bathroom.

"Dane, whose cabin is this? It looks ancient."

"It's mine," he said proudly.

"What's in there?" she asked, pointing to the other room.

"The bedroom," he said. "Come on. I’ll show you."

McKenna walked past him into the small bedroom. The bed was old, the mattress showing some mold. "You're not still living here, are you?"

He laughed. "No," he said, his laugh turning into a chuckle. "Why would you think that? Come here," he murmured, his arms outstretched.

She walked into his embrace. His eyes sparkled as he gazed down at her. He bent his head, his lips touching hers. She felt the warmth travel down her body, and she pulled away, breathless.

***

"Where on earth have you been?"

McKenna touched a finger to her lips. They felt swollen and numb from Dane's kisses. She thought she could kiss Dane forever and never stop. It was hard to leave the cabin even though she knew what she would face when she got back to camp.

"I've been looking for wood." She shifted from one foot to the other, her eyes fixated on the almost empty wood basket.

"You've been gone for hours, McKenna," her dad chimed in. "We were getting worried about you. I was just about to come to look for you."

She glanced up in alarm. "You don't have to do that," she said, her voice trembling. "I know my way around here."

"So, where is all this wood you were supposedly looking for?" Her mother grabbed the basket from McKenna's fingers and shook it at her.

McKenna stared at the few bits of wood that lay in the basket. "I couldn't find any."

"You couldn't find any? With all the trees around this lake, you couldn't find any wood." She turned to Conner and threw a hand in the air, letting it fall and slap her thigh in frustration. "Now, what do we do?"

Connor gently removed the basket from Sarah's tight grip. "I'll get the wood," he said. "You girls finish setting up camp, as much as you can."

When he was gone, her mother stood with her hands on her hips, glaring at her. "You do entirely too much lollygagging, young lady. I don't know what to do to shake you up."

"What's lollygagging mean?"

"Why don't you Google it. You're always on the damn phone anyway." Her mother turned and walked away.

Without getting instructions from her mother about what she was supposed to do, McKenna sat down at the picnic table and pulled out her phone. She opened the Google app and typed in lollygagging. The definition came up almost instantly: to spend time idly, aimlessly, or foolishly : dawdle.

Were it not for her mother's anger and the punishment she was likely to receive, McKenna would have screamed with laughter. She wasn't spending her time foolishly. She remained quiet and let her mind drift back to the cabin and Dane.

***

"Come on," Dane reached out a hand to her. "I have something to show you."

She had been able to sneak away once her parents had fallen asleep in their tent. She tiptoed out of the camp to find Dane waiting for her in the clearing. She took his hand and followed him willingly, her footsteps making no sound on the path.

She knew they were going to the cabin but didn't know why until she stepped from the trees shadows.

Flickering lights were coming from the windows.

She looked up at him, her eyes questioning.

He grinned. "Come see."

McKenna felt like she stepped back in time.

Instead of electric lights, there were oil lamps placed about the room. A fire was burning in the fireplace. The old furniture was gone, the floor swept. Placed in front of the fire were a thick rug and a few soft pillows.

"Dane," she turned to him. "You did all of this?"

"I did," he admitted. "We can't sit on the beach all night. Do you like it?"

"I love it," she whispered.

He led her to the fireplace, and they sat down on the rugs. Leaning forward, he pressed his lips against hers. She could feel his breath on her face when he spoke. She breathed it in as if it were life-saving oxygen.

"I love you, McKenna. I don't want to lose you. I wanted to do something special tonight, for you, for us."

He pulled a red ribbon from his pocket.

She looked at him with inquiring eyes.

"Have you ever heard of hand-fasting?"

"Hand-fasting?"

"Yes," he smiled. "Its origins are Celtic and Druid. The Irish and Scottish practiced it long ago. It's what couples did as a promise to each other for one year."

She stayed quiet, watching his face in the light from the fire.

"See, back then," he scooted closer to her and took her hand. "There weren't many ministers, so they had to travel from town to town instead of staying in one place,” he explained as he wrapped their hands together with the ribbon. “Couples that wanted to be married didn't want to wait for the minister, especially since they never knew when one would be arriving."

McKenna felt the blush creep up her neck and into her cheeks at the thought of marriage.

"What I want to know, McKenna is, would you want to be hand-fasted to me? Do you think you would want to spend eternity with me? To someday be my wife?"

"Dane!" she breathed, one hand holding her chest. "Do you think we can?"

"Of course we can. We're adults."

She lowered her head and stared at the ribbon. "I'm not," she whispered. "I'm only seventeen."

He lifted her chin with his hand. "It's alright, McKenna. We can hand-fast for one year. Then you will be eighteen."

"Yes!" she cried. "yes, yes, yes. I love you, too!"

With great care, he tightened the red ribbon around their hands so that they were bound together. He leaned forward and kissed her on the lips.

"McKenna," he said quietly. I take thee to be my love, in sunshine and rain, in lean times and plenty, in sickness and health, under the starry night sky, and over the rainbow, I promise to love you, forever and a day.

She took a deep breath. "Dane," she whispered. I take thee to be my love, in sunshine and rain, in lean times and plenty, in sickness and health, under the starry night sky, and over the rainbow, I promise to love you, forever and a day.

He pulled her close against him, his face buried in her hair. She thought he was whispering to her, but she couldn't make out what he was saying. It wasn't until she felt the dampness against her neck that she realized he was crying.

"Dane," she breathed. "Dane, don't cry."

"I'm sorry, McKenna. It's just that I've been so lonely for so long. I didn't think there would ever be anyone that could see me."

What an odd thing to say, she thought as she rose to her knees, wrapping comforting arms around his neck. Gently, she kissed him. When she pulled away, his eyes were glistening with unshed tears. She kissed his cheeks, salty from the tears he had already shed. "I love you, Dane," she said softly.

Moving his body with hers, he lay her down on the rug. His kisses went from soft and sweet to urgent and demanding. "McKenna," he cried softly. "I don't know if I can let you go.”

"I don't know if I can let you go, either." She started to cry. "I'll die if I have to leave you. What are we going to do?"

Dane shook his head without answering. He drew her back into his arms and kissed her gently. "I'm never going to let you go. I love you. And I need you, McKenna."

He touched her face, studied her eyes. Then he bent his head and kissed her gently. She responded eagerly.

Dane is what she had always wanted. To feel this way, away from this world, with a man she loved and that loved her. McKenna flew higher and higher until crying out in happiness. She never wanted to touch down.

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