I had plenty of carbos last night as mom made spaghetti and meatballs. The salad had tofu thrown in for me. Now, I’m up early on the 27th, and I’m wearing a nice blue, gold, and white running outfit. It has good stretch for running while designed to keep me warm and dry. Katie’s soon up as she promised to be there. Todd’s up just in time to go with us too, I guess he’s there to keep Kate warm. To my surprise, Mom and Dad are bundled up to but they’re going to breakfast, instead of coming with us.

It is good to see Sarai at the race site, Dennis and her dad are there to cheer her on. I have a red #07 and Sarai likewise has a red #03 indicating we’re in the 5K. Matt Crosby is there but he’s in the 3K race. We give him a hug and even meet Charla his latest squeeze. The races are delayed a half an hour for congested commuter traffic.

I tried calling Breann but my call went to her voicemail, which was unusual.

The 5K racers are off to the right and the much larger group of 3K racers are next to us. Walkers and joggers are behind both of us. The young kids had run and that was a cute sight. Some with their parents and others who were already too serious.

I line up off to the left of Sarai and it feels like old times. My plan is to run for a while keeping up with her, knowing sometime I’ll fade back or she’ll outrun me. It is now 9:00 a.m. and our race is off with a bang. It takes two hundred yards for us to make some distance from our main group. We hear Katie, Todd, and Dennis cheering for us.

We’re soon away from them and come to the one-K mark I’m still staying with Sarai. And we’re in a group of five the men probably surprised we’re with them. We’re over halfway when we hear Karen Butler, “You’re good, should be better.” Two men are ahead of us and one is struggling to stay even with us. We’re now out half a kilometer from the finish when I say, “Go Sarai”. I was sure she would challenge the men. I would be fourth if there wasn’t someone overtaking me. Then I heard Katie and someone yelling ‘happy feet.’ Whoever it was sounded like Breann though I knew it couldn’t be.

Come the end of our race it was Sarai, Joe, Caryn, Kurt and someone named Mike. Sarai and I hugged one another and walked so we didn’t tighten up. Dennis was soon to Sarai rubbing her legs. It took Katie a little longer to get to me. My parents were now there as was Breann. Breann is soon following Dennis by rubbing my legs. Having one’s girlfriend do it is great in more than one way. I pull her up to give her a big hug and kiss. There is a makeshift photo with four of the top five, and then we’re allowed to disperse.

We’re soon back to our home diner, the whole motley crew with Mrs. Duvall and Ashley joining us. Sarai and I have scooted on short skirts to help us look presentable. We wore bulky, lightly perfumed sweatshirts to keep us from stinking others out.

I’m impressed with how Sarai ran, but the crowd is surprised with me. Sarai’s the first to ask, “Does this mean you’re back to running again. It was then it hit me that I indeed had healthy legs and the durability needed.”

Breann was delighted to talk with Sarai; I was happy they were friends. Sarai was forthright, wanting to know what Breann’s grad school meant for her relationship with me.

Breann smiled, “Seemingly, Caryn may have another season of cross-country running along with her academics.” Breann gives me a big hug, “Hopefully, we’ll be able to marry while I’m at Rochester.” I reciprocate with a passionate kiss, that we’re asked to break from.

Friends came over, mostly to greet Sarai, as I had more drastically changed in appearance. While my folks took Breann’s suitcase back to our house. Breann and I walked around looking into shops downtown. Deanne’s was our store of women’s delicates. I think Breann wanted to go in to see if I was embarrassed looking at such clothes in my home. There was a friend Sharon Yasick who I introduced Breann to.

I knew Sharon’s brother better as Sharon was a year behind me in school. Sharon said, “I thought Gary was cute when he first wore his running skirt. He even made a nice looking girl when he started to dress like you. My mother still blames you, Caryn, for my liberated thinking. I don’t love other girls as much as I’m more comfortable with women friends.” Our discussion went on long enough to say she was a new friend. She was now in her second year at a private college and we shared information to stay in touch. Each of us bought some lingerie which tickled Sharon.

We went up to Washington Rock, where Breann saw the new world trade center. “I can’t believe it; it is still big enough that it appears fairly close. It is so different from Iowa and the Midwest.”

It was the second day after the run that I heard from Coach Trevor wanting to know if I was able to run again? The day was cold and windy outside but the call from Coach caused me to run on our treadmill.

It was New Year’s Eve; we didn’t go into New York City to be part of the midnight crowd at Times Square, but sightseeing. Kattie and Todd went with us. The 911 Memorial was moving to see up close. We crossed the Brooklyn Bridge to say we did. We went to Patsy’s Italian Restaurant near Carnegie Hall which was to be our last stop of the day. Todd and my parents who weren’t there picked up the dinner check.

We were able for a small fee to sit in the great hall and listen to a woman preparing to sing that weekend. We were near the back but heard her exquisite voice, crystal clear. Breann and I hugged. We were offered discounted tickets, but alas it was time for Breann to head home the day after New Year’s Day.

We went out on New Year’s Eve to one of the popular nightspots. Bree and I were hit on several times to dance with some guys and finally gave in once before we decided to leave.

It was New Year’s Day with Dad watching football that Breann and I began talking about getting married. I was wanting to be formally engaged, but neither of us had the money to get nice engagement rings. I felt bad, but the worse I felt talking about it; the more I was getting hot and passionate. Soon it became obvious that Bree had similar feelings. We had gone to my room to talk privately but were soon making love with one another. Bree was very happy about me becoming focused in giving her pleasure. In truth, it was much better for the two of us.

I know it wasn’t lost on my mother or Katie that we took showers before we came back out to be with the family. We had a face to face time with Breann’s mother. My parents were with us when it was agreed that each set of parents would give us each three thousand dollars for engagement rings and to go toward the wedding. Our parents would halve the cost of the wedding.

When I joined other Auggie women running to stay in shape, it caught the attention of my friends and well-wishers. It took about a month of training before I was formally welcomed back onto the team. It was like rejoining the family. Carla and Becky became two of my better friends on the team. My ankles and shin pain was not resurfacing as I began to push myself more. It was during spring practice that the USA team out of Colorado Springs came that we and Bryn Mar would provide competition for their training as well as ours. It included two good runs over three days.

It was nice to see and run against Sarai one more time. While the estrogen levels were high in competition most relaxed well at the training tables and social times. It was more than obvious that Sarai had a good following around Augustana and the community.

The week before Spring Break I had shopped for Bree’s ring. I’m bubbling with feelings and energy as I arrive at the Dorfts. Bree runs out to greet me. I sense she might be ready to ask me something so, I grab my ring box. Bree tells me not to worry about my things as she takes me circling the house to a favorite spot in the backyard.

When she kneels down I kneel down as well and we’re both smiling. She’s asking me to marry her when I bring my hand around with my ring box. “Caryn, will you make me the happiest woman and be my wife?”

My smiling response is, “If you will make my love complete and marry me?” We soon argue over who’s giving the most beautiful ring, but the thoughts are mute as we love our rings.

Mrs. Dorft is not so subtle in asking if it is true that I can help Breann have her grandchildren. The week is filled with bliss. Bree loves living in Rochester as well as the main professor she’s studying under. She is doing her research paper on the effects of pollution in differing areas of the country. Mankato and Sioux Falls are almost a thousand miles directly west of Rochester and she found another study area east of Raleigh and Durham, North Carolina, about 650 miles due south.

She’ll study leaves, trees, forest water, and soils. Her hypothesis is that the greenhouse gases and acid rain have shifted are having a growing effect in North Carolina while their area of upstate New York is making strides in improving. While it will be a comparative study for the Midwest.

Sadly I find out why she hurriedly proposed to me. We have three days before she travels to North Carolina and gets her first readings there.

I am surprised during a talk with Mrs. Dorft; she confesses that she’s more relaxed in noticing other women. It is not a romantic attraction as getting back into meaningful friendships with other women from which she had distanced herself. She has a three day weekend with some old best friends.

I get to run four 5-K races on consecutive weekends; one was near Sioux Falls, another around the Iowa great lakes, Omaha and St. Paul. I continued to be happy with my improvement.

I soon joined Bree as she’s at Rochester. The wooded area there has steeper hills and there’s a difference in the topography as it has more humidity from the lakes and rivers as well as being much hillier. We enjoyed its rich social justice history going back to Frederick Douglas, Susan B. Anthony, and the pre-Civil War era underground railroad. Many believe it is why the area has such a richly diverse community today.

It is then I become a driver for those going to and from hospitals and treatment clinics. Getting back to Sioux Falls, I found out that my broken schedule allowed me to help in area hospitals as well. Where I most often helped at the Sanford Children’s Hospital.

I had stopped to visit Hanna at the hospital when she asked me. “Someone said your name used to be Gary, that isn’t true is it?

Hanna was a thirteen-year-old girl battling cancer. She had made good strides in improving. I looked around and saw her mother Susan was there. She was staring at me, probably wondering what I said. Then her mother said, “It is okay; she is wanting to know you and be your friend.”

I smile, “Yes, it has been an ongoing transformation since I was a junior in high school. Tell me about yourself, if you would?”

Hanna smiles, “Are you really open to being my friend? I would appreciate a friend who can accept what I’m going through.” Hanna grins in pain sometimes when she moves or coughs. “It might not look it but I’m getting better.” She has a harsh form of Leukemia, but her mother shakes her head yes as to agree she’s getting better.

“I’m not out of the woods and I’ll probably be back in the hospital now and then. I’m hoping you can be a princess for me.”

“I’d be honored to, but you might want to ask one of the better women runners.”

Hanna says, “You’re my princess and we’ll both work to get better. I see you have an engagement ring. Do you love her very much? Yes, I know about you. I’m so happy you are honest with me and that I can trust you.”

I come away from our time together, actually lifted up. I slept well that night, but feel inadequate for our friendship. I was late in calling Bree. She knew something was up and I didn’t want to trouble her, but she squeezed out my feelings. It was good becoming friends with her.

She was right in that there were challenging days ahead. Her body was weak and once home, she again took sick and had to come back to the hospital. I was one of a few that she talked of some feelings and concerns. Later she said it lightened her heart to combat her illness. I couldn’t understand all she was going through and it hurt to be there, but it hurt more not to be. It was summer when she began making bigger strides in her recovery. She was now fourteen and her Leukemia was in remission; the challenge was gaining her strength.

As Caryn and Hanna, we’re walking the AU track when Bree unexpectedly showed up. Even though Hanna had only seen her in pictures, she was the first to recognize Bree. Hanna joked, “Have you come to make my friend a legitimate woman?” Everyone giggled full-heartedly.

“How did you read my mind,” Bree asked? “Our question to you will you be at our wedding. It will be this year during the Christmas break.”

“You shouldn’t be kidding like that. I’ll just be going to high school you’re college and graduate students.”

I turn to her, “You have become such a friend and I admire you more than you know. We’re serious, we’re wanting you to be one of my bridesmaids, will you?”

Breann says, “We want you to be a forever friend. Next Spring we’ll be able to be together and we want you to always come and see us. We’ll even buy your air tickets.”

Hanna said, “You still can’t get married in Sioux Falls, so I hope it will be near Breann’s home. I live in the small community of Rock Rapids, Iowa.” Breann liked Hanna for suggesting her home for the wedding.

I said, “Maybe come September you can help me look for my wedding dress and we can have you fitted for a bridesmaid dress?”

Hanna Short excitedly told her mother the first thing. Susan was pleased, but I could also tell was worried. They were driving a ten-year-old vehicle that they were making do with. Susan spoke to Bree alone asking that we did not tempt Hanna with opportunities they could not afford.

Bree told her, “We understand, we just thought she needed to know she had a lasting spot with us. We’ll be buying her bridesmaid's dress and the extras. We even told her we would pay for her trips to visit us.” Susan Short gave Bree a hug and her eyes watered as she apologized said thanks.

Hanna gave me a good hug, teasing me that I was not yet in running shape. I gave her a hard time back as she had inspired me and I was in my best shape in years. Hanna chose not to tell her mother that she had jogged over a quarter mile today. I was fairly sure Mrs. Short could tell she had done more than stated.

Hanna had the inhibition of a young teen asking Bree, “Are you looking forward to having Caryn’s babies?”

Come the Augustana Invitational to begin the new season I was the surprise of the team and surprised myself coming in third for our team. That was 21st overall and helped the team win…

Story to be continued…