by M. A. Lee
“C&M?” I questioned.
“Yeah, it stands for Cole and Melanie. This is why I have been working so late. I picked up a few additional clients who paid me outside of the shop. I told Jim what I was doing, you know out of respect for everything he has done for me. He encouraged me to do this, to open my own shop. Anyways, I bought this old place and I have been working late into the night cleaning it up and making sure I have all the paperwork in order. I already hired two new guys to work for me when I open in a few weeks.”
All this time, I had thought the worst and hoped for the best. And what I got was the best. Cole had been working late to create a better life for himself, and for me. He named his auto shop after us. Love overtook me, and I jumped into his arms, kissing him over and over again.
“I am so proud of you,” I said in between kisses.
Laughing, Cole allowed me to attack him. “I thought you might like this.”
Still holding me close, Cole began showing me around the space. “I wanted to tell you about this sooner, but I needed to do this on my own. I wanted it to be a surprise. I wanted you to see that I could create a good life for us.”
Just as I was about to ravage him again, a loud boom of thunder ripped through the sky and rain pellets began to beat against the glass windows and rooftop. I shivered in fear as I felt compelled to run, to get out of the building and back to my home.
“Cole, I love this place. But, right now I have to go.” I cried out as I began rushing toward the front door. I could hear Cole running behind me, asking me to stop.
Once I entered the parking lot, the sky opened up and began attacking me with heavy raindrops that felt more like tiny daggers than puddles of water. The wind pushed and shoved me around like a rag doll as thunder and lightning fought in the now blackened sky. I became paralyzed by fear as I struggled to move.
“Mel, what are you doing?” Cole yelled out over the loudness of the storm. We were drenched from the rain and I watched as tiny raindrops danced upon Cole’s body.
“I don’t know. I am terrified of storms. Please get me out of here.” I cried out as I tried to wipe away the water from my eyes. Each flash of lightning and bang of thunder brought back deplorable images from the night of the car accident. The sky then was just like it was now. Dark and dangerous.
“Melanie, I am here with you. I promise, you have nothing to worry about,” Cole yelled, as he began tugging on my arm.
I struggled to fight against him. The rain was somehow working in my favor. With our bodies soaked, my skin became slippery and difficult for Cole to continue grasping. Without warning, I ripped out of his grasp and began running again. I wasn’t sure where I was going, but I needed to run away from the storm. I stumbled and almost fell several times as I fought against the rain and wind that were fighting against me. It felt like someone had reached out and pushed me, keeping me from moving forward.
“This storm, it’s just like...” I couldn’t finish the sentence. It was too difficult to put into words how I felt. I had managed to crawl out of my depression and forget about all of the tragedy I had been though. But now, as I stand through another storm just like the one that killed Alice and destroyed my faith in others, I am reminded of the pain. It was all coming back so fast, I felt like my head was going to explode.
“This is nothing like that storm Melanie. That night two years ago, we were both broken people. That storm didn’t kill us. Other people’s poor choices killed a part of each of us that night. But we came though Mel. We broke through all of the pain and devastation and we survived. You have to stop allowing one night to define you.” He cupped my face with his strong hands and looked deep into my eyes. “Baby, I love you. Look around, this nightmare is beautiful.”
And for the first time in my life, I stopped fearing storms. I tilted my head up toward the heavens and watched as the sky lit up with beautiful streaks of white lightning. The thunder boomed again, but this time it sounded more like a drum beating. The sound reminded me a drummer building momentum for a rock song. The rain didn’t feel like painful stabs anymore. Instead, I felt soft drops against my skin. Everything I had feared seemed ridiculous now.
“Wow, it really is beautiful,” I admired as I stopped shaking and felt my body loosen. “Cole, this is all because of you. Without you, my life would be miserable.”
Pulling my face to his, Cole kissed me as the rain poured around us. I forgot about the storm and the shop. Time seemed to stop whenever Cole kissed me.
Suddenly, I felt his body begin to sway and he released his lips from mine. Our bodies began to move in rhythm to the sounds of the storm. I had never noticed before, but the sounds of a storm sound like music. The steady rhythm of the rain along with the outbursts of thunder created a sort of lullaby that made it a perfect moment for Cole to start dancing with me.
Smiling up at him, I bit my lip and fought back the urge to kiss him again. “What are we doing?”
“Baby, we are having our first, real dance,” Cole said in a sexy voice that made my entire body tingle.
We swayed back and forth to the natural song the Earth was playing just for us. I wanted to stop this moment in time and never forget how it made me feel. I loved Cole with so much strength and passion that nothing else seemed to matter anymore. Jumping up, I wrapped my legs around his waist and began kissing him as Cole continued to move. He had broken me from my internal prison and taught me how to live and love again. I knew I could never repay him for what he had done for me. But, I could try my best, every day, of the rest of our lives to show him how much he meant to me. Because, and I meant every word I said, I would love this man until the day I died.
26
It is funny how quickly life can change. In one instant everything can seem peaceful and quiet and, in a flash, your whole world can be ripped apart without warning. For some reason, the universe was on my side now. Since the day I met Cole, my life had been flipped upside down. I had been broken. Damaged beyond repair. Only Cole saw potential in me. He saw the girl I once was: happy, carefree, and full of life. Somehow, his love and belief in me had brought back that girl. Now, as I prepared to graduate from college my future looked brighter than ever.
“Melanie, honey, did you address the envelopes yet?” my mom asked as we sat at the family kitchen table flipping through my graduation invitations and announcements.
“Yes, mom.” I replied, rolling my eyes when she turned to review my stack of envelopes. “I promised I would get them all addressed so you could send them out today.”
Sighing, my mom chuckled as she placed my pile with hers and began including postage stamps. My parents had planned a large graduation party for me directly after my graduation ceremony. They had insisted upon the party even though I said I didn’t want one. I still hadn’t told them, or Cole for that matter, my plans to head to California. I wasn’t sure if my trip out West would be more of a vacation or a one-way trip for good. That was still up in the air.
“I know you were not too happy about having a party here, but I think graduating college is a huge milestone. One that should be celebrated with your family and friends,” she began as she poured me another glass of sweet tea from a large, glass bottle. “I am so proud of everything you have accomplished. You have come so far from...” she stopped talking as she began to become emotional.
Patting her hand, I assured my mom I understood what she was trying to say to me. “Mom, I appreciate what you and dad are doing for me. I am finally happy again and just excited to see what the future holds for Cole and myself.”
Smiling and dabbing her eyes with a linen napkin, my mom turned in her chair so that we were no longer sitting side-by-side. But now, she was looking directly at me. “Melanie, I want you to know that your dad and I approve of Cole. He is such a sweet boy, and we admire his hard work and determination to provide a good life for himself, and possibly for you one day.”
I felt my cheeks blush as my mom talked about Cole. His name alone could s
end my mind into an instant fury. Suddenly, I felt like bolting out of my parent’s house and rushing home to jump into his arms.
Walking into the kitchen, my dad bent down and kissed my mom on top of her head before he pulled out the chair opposite me and sat down. He began surveying the graduation announcements and nodding his head showing his approval. “Seems like you have grown up so fast,” he announced as he unbuttoned his top collar of his white dress shirt.
“Yeah, these last four years have flown by,” I agreed, as I thought about everything I had endured during my time as a college student. Some times were bad; but now, more times were good.
He glanced at my mom before speaking again. They exchanged a look that told me they had planned to talk to me about something. I remembered that look from when I was a kid. Anytime they wanted to inform me about a decision, they would exchange glances before one of them would sit me down and address me.
“Melanie, your mom and I wanted to talk to you about graduation,” he began. “We thought since you are not only graduating from college, but you also have recovered from...” his voice trailed off as he wasn’t sure how to discuss my dark times of depression. Pausing to collect himself, he continued. “Well, since you recovered from the accident and you have moved on with your life, your mother and I would like to send you on a vacation.” He stopped talking and eyed me curiously.
Not knowing how to respond, I jumped out of my seat almost knocking the chair to the tile floor below. I squealed as I threw myself into my dad’s arms. A movement I hadn’t done since I was ten years old. His shocked expression turned to pure joy as he hugged me back.
“Thank you so much dad!” I screamed. “I have been so stressed about graduating and getting a job. A vacation sounds amazing. Where am I going?”
I spit out the questions like bullets. I couldn’t believe how quickly my luck had turned around for me. I couldn’t wait to find out where I would be going.
Laughing, my mom took the lead now. “We were thinking we would let you decide where you wanted to go. We will pay for your plane tickets, if needed. Also, we will pay for the resort expenses for both you and Cole.” She stopped and looked at me as she waited for my reaction.
My mouth dropped down to the floor as I took in what she had just said. Not only were my parents offering me an all-expenses paid vacation, but they were offering this for Cole as well.
“Are you serious?” I yelled.
They both nodded yes as I began to feel my eyes fill with tears. I was so excited I didn’t know if I should jump up and down or pick up my phone and call Cole. He wouldn’t know what to say.
“I can’t thank you both enough. This is perfect.”
After spending the rest of the afternoon and evening with my parents, I helped clean up the kitchen for dinner before I left my parents’ home and headed back to my apartment. Once inside my car, I dialed Cole’s number and waited for him to pick up.
“Hey baby. Are you done helping your mom with the graduation announcements?” he asked. I could hear loud clanging noises in the background as he talked. Cole’s auto body shop had been open for two weeks and he was already booming with business. Several of his previous customers from Jim’s shop had followed Cole and listed his name to several others who had ventured to his shop as well. He still had a lot of money to pay back to the bank for the loan he was given, but he was making enough money to pay his rent and put extra money in a savings account.
“Yes,” I replied, trying to hold back my excitement. “Can I stop by the shop? I have something I want to tell you.” I stated, hoping he wouldn’t tell me he was too busy to see me.
“Sure, come on by.” He said, excitement filling his voice. I loved how happy he sounded whenever he talked to me.
When I arrived at the shop, Cole was finishing up with a customer so I waited in the small seating area. Four brown chairs were lined against the back window with a small table seated in the middle. I flipped through an auto body magazine as I watched the customer pay Cole and thank him for his service. These were the same magazines I had flipped through a million times before. They were the ones I had placed with Cole’s Christmas presents. He had kept them and from the looks of them, he probably needed a replacement set. Cole’s face beamed with pride as he noticed me watching their exchange. I was so proud of him and could tell that he was proud of himself too.
Once the customer left in his vehicle, Cole stalked over to me and kissed me on my lips. My legs went numb and I forgot to breathe as his lips curled against mine possessively. When our lips parted, I could still feel his breath lingering on my lips, reminding me of his perfect touch.
“How was dinner with your parents?” he asked as he led me back to his small office. The space was full with a single desk and chair and an outdated computer sitting on top of the old desk we had salvaged from a local Goodwill store. A single picture frame sat next to the computer, displaying a picture of Cole and myself. In the corner of the room stood a large bookshelf Isaac had helped Cole build. Sitting alone on the middle shelf was the toolbox I had given Cole as a Christmas present. He had refused to take it into the garage, stating it would get dirty. From my understanding, toolboxes were meant to get dirty. Oh well, Cole could be so stubborn, but sweet, too.
Following his lead, I sat on the edge of his desk as he entered information from his latest customer transaction into his computer. He had been using the appointment calendar I gave him for Christmas, but I had talked him into using some a little higher tech method. The paper copies worked fine when he received calls at home, but at work he needed something more professional. I had shown him how to use Microsoft Excel to create a spreadsheet for his earnings and deductions. It was a slow process, but he was learning how to track all of the money coming and going from his business.
“Dinner was great,” I began. I swayed my legs beside the desk and sighed as I tried to get his full attention. “That is why I am here. I couldn’t wait until you closed the shop to tell you the good news.”
He stopped typing and sat back in the navy blue rolling chair I had purchased for him to use as a desk chair. He placed his hands, folded on top of his stomach as he eyed me. “Good news?” he questioned with a mischievous smile spreading over his perfectly sculpted face. Watching the sexiness glow from him almost made me forget what I intended to tell him.
Shaking my head, I tried to rid my mind of all my naughty thoughts of Cole as I began to tell him my good news. “Well, my parents are throwing me a huge graduation party after the ceremony. But that’s not the good news.”
“A party sounds like good news to me,” he interrupted with a smile.
“No, the party is awesome. But, my parents are sending us on an all-expenses paid vacation as a sort of graduation present. The party is more for them to show me off to their friends and our family. The vacation is for us.”
I watched his expression grow from happy to see me, serious as he listened, then overwhelmed as he understood that he was now part of my plans.
“Did you just say a vacation for us?” he questioned as he sat straight in the seat. His eyes were wild with excitement and confusion.
“Yes!” I exclaimed as I threw myself onto his lap. I wrapped my legs around his waist and hugged his neck, nuzzling my nose against him. I wanted nothing more than to hold Cole forever, keeping him close to me so I could feel his heart beating and the warmth of his skin. Nudging his head with mine, I looked up at him and smiled. “My parents are sending both of us on a vacation of our choice. We can spend an entire week together. Just think about it. We can spend time alone. No friends. No jobs. No school. No worries. Just us.” I finished and began kissing his neck as excitement coursed through my veins. If it were up to me, we would jump on a plane right then and head off to a tropical island where no one could bother us.
“Why would they include me?” he asked, his voice serious.
“What do you mean?” I asked, confused by his turn of emotion.
Rubbin
g his jaw with his thumb, Cole sighed. “No one has ever taken me on a vacation before. I don’t understand why they would want to include me,” he said, his voice full of raw emotion. I hated that Cole grew up unloved and unwanted. He was a perfect example of a human and yet he had grown up feeling like trash.
Still propped on his lap, I hugged his neck tighter. I felt a tear escape and run down my cheek as I fought back the urge to scream. I wished I could erase all of his pain and memories of being a forgotten boy. To me, he was my everything, and I could never toss him aside like everyone in his family had done so callously.
Forcing him to look into my eyes, I cupped his face in my hands. “Cole. My family is including you because they love you. They admire your hard work. They see your determination to succeed in life. They appreciate what you have done for me, bringing me back to the light and helping me live again. You are loved and part of my family.”
I was crying now and I hated myself for losing control in front of him. I wanted this moment to be full of laughter and excitement. Not full of tears.
Hugging me back, Cole dug his head into my shoulder. I swear I felt a warm drop of liquid caress my skin, but I never asked. If he had cried that was his emotion to share. “Thank you,” he said as he kissed the base of my neck. Tingles shot up my body. The feeling was so powerful it began to send chills down my spine.
“You are part of my family now. You are my world.” I said as I continued to hold him in my arms.
“So this is what it feels like to have a family?” he asked, his voice raw and tinged with thankfulness.
“Yes, Cole. Accept it and enjoy it.”
“Trust me. I will never let go of this family now,” he declared as he lifted me off his lap. We stood briefly before he pulled me out the door and to his car. From his eagerness to leave, I knew we were going to spend the rest of the night celebrating our vacation gift.
