The Penderwicks in spring again

The visit

The next morning Skye awoke slowly, the sun drifted up past her window and into her sleepy eyes. Looking over to Jane's bed, Skye could see she was still fast asleep, her head resting on her open blue notebook. Quietly Skye slid out of her pajamas and into a pair of patchwork jeans and, noticing the rising temperature from her open window a white tank top. Not bothering to tame her short blond hair, Skye began emptying her white cotton backpack. Out came the heavy English and history books as well as many notebooks and one of Lydia's princess crowns she must have snuck in there when no one was looking. Skye left her math notebook, hoping to get started on the next few lessons on the train ride to Boston. After sliding her unwanted books neatly underneath her mattress and grabbing The Order Of Time off her night stand, Skye careful not to disturb Jane, left her room.
Downstairs her father and Lydia were the only Penderwicks awake.
"Good morning Skye Blue," Mr. Penderwick said cheerfully while simultaneously trying to make Lydia eat her banana.
"Lydia doesn't like nanna," Lydia whined from her boosted seat at the kitchen table.
"Well if you don't eat it Skye will," Skye teasingly grabbed one of Lydia's banana pieces.
"No! Nanna is Lydia's," the little girl wailed
"Then eat," Skye gently handed Lydia the banana and she shoved it into her tiny mouth.
"I'm going to school a little early this morning, make up soccer practice," Skye lied, looking away from her father as she did so. She hated lying to him, but he would never let her go to Boston alone on such short notice.
"Alright, you're not taking the car are you? I need it to take Ben to the doctor this afternoon."
"No I'll walk. Bye Daddy," kissing her father and Lydia on the cheeks, Skye left the house and began the walk to the train station.
Cameron station was only a few blocks away from the Penderwicks home in Gardam street and it only took Skye about 10 minutes to walk there.
Once she arrived, she bought her ticket, waited for a bit and found her way onto the train. As she settled into her seat by the window, Skye's thoughts turned to the summers and vacations and early morning adventures she had enjoyed with Jeffrey throughout the years, the boy she could always count on, the boy-. What was she thinking? Jeffrey was just Jeffrey there was no need to become sentimental, Skye could leave that up to any other member of her family. Feeling strangely exposed and vulnerable, Skye sat lower in her sun soaked seat and pulled out her book, finally on her way to Boston and Jeffrey.

Jeffrey had been waiting for Skye outside of the New-market station all morning, desperate and excited for her arrival. Wringing his hands and nervously biting his lip, Jeffrey tried to appear cool and calm while his insides seemed to be tied in a tangled knot. It's only Skye, he thought. Oh Skye, so stubborn, so beauti- but no he couldn't think about that now, not yet.

But here was the train, pulling into the station with a big gust of black fog. And out jumped Skye, blond hair shining in the warm Boston sun.

"Jeffrey!" She shouted running towards him. Stopping two feet away she looked at him from a far. "You seem taller."

"You seem shorter."

"That's only because you're taller."

"Come here stupid," Jeffrey closed the gap between them and enclosed Skye in his arms. Skye hesitated for only a moment before wrapping her arms around Jeffrey and pulling him closer.

"And you're still the impossible blue eyed weirdo I've always known?" He asked

"As long as you're still a little freckled music loving idiot." Jeffrey grinned and pulled Skye towards his little black car parked just beyond the station. "Come on , I've got a whole day planned."