Since God knows when Dayhawk will be back, and since she told me she was okay with this dialogue happening, and since Mrs. Tisdale is not her main character, I'm going to put just a few words into Mrs. Tisdale's mouth, just enough to let poor Alipang get inside the church before the service is over.
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"Do you mean to say," Kim's mother asked softly, "that being only friends with Kim is too painful for you?"
"Not at all, ma'am. Since I've never had a girlfriend, I'm used to being part of the furniture around girls. What would be painful for me is being treated as if I were a dumb kid WHO NEEDED TO BE TOLD that Kim wants nothing more than that with me, as if I couldn't figure it out. I can do friendship; it's all I'm _allowed_ to do, really."
Soon Alipang was seated with his parents, having permitted himself one brief glance and nod in Kim's direction on the way in. Kim was wearing a tasteful dress, modest at neck and hem, but of course she still was utterly smashing.
Now the chips would fall where they might. Mrs. Tisdale probably _would_ tell Kim what he had said; but what could Kim do, threaten not to be his girlfriend?