Braver With You (Great Love Book 1)

by A. Hart

  I walked out and said "Well Good Morning." Cal was standing in my kitchen cooking what smelled like bacon and eggs, in his white tee and Jeans, he looked like a Levi Jeans Model, I bit my lip. He chuckled "Hey sleeping beauty." I looked at Jenny who was sitting at my counter and smiled "Hey Jen." She giggled as she looked me up and down "No need to get all fancy on my behalf.” I looked at her, wearing sweat pants and a tee-shirt with a messy braid.

  I shrugged and motioned to my outfit "Oh this old thing?" She smiled at me. I looked at the clock, it read 11:30. "How long have you been awake? And where did you get the food? I haven’t gone shopping in weeks." he laughed "Yeah I noticed, I had Jenny run to the store, that’s why she’s here. I was just telling her how delirious you were last night after your big fight." He winked at me "and how I was worried about you so I slept on the couch." I smiled "Yup a real gentleman this one.” I pointed to him. She chuckled and then her face went serious. She walked over to me and lightly hugged me “I am so sorry about last night, I’m glad you’re okay.” I smiled at her lightly. “Thanks Jen.” She nodded and then sat back down on her stool.

  "So Jenny was just telling me some news” Cal said as he eyed me up and down. I looked at Jenny and walked into kitchen. It smelled amazing. I reached over Cal and grabbed a piece of bacon, he wacked at my hand with the spatula. I gave him an offended look and slapped his arm lightly. Jenny smiled up at me “So ...Well...umm....I...We..." Cal stopped cooking and looked at her "Spit it Jen...” She sighed "Okay okay Sam wanted to be here but he’s a big fat chicken and so..."

  Cal stopped again as a smile spread on his face "Niece or Nephew?" He asked with a know-it-all tone. Her eyes shot up at him "What?" She asked nervously. "Niece or Nephew?" He repeated himself calmly. "Ohhhhh" I drew out. He looked at me "Oh what?" I laughed "Ice tea at a bar Jenny?" I shot her a duh look. She laughed. "We don’t know." She smiled widely with blushed cheeks. Cal handed me the spatula and walked around the counter. He wrapped his arms around his sister. "Sam was smart for not coming. I may have punched him..." Jenny looked up with her brows raised.

  Cal smiled "I'm happy for both of you but you’re still my baby sister and I know how babies are made. Can’t say I’m happy about it and I can’t promise I won’t punch him when I see him." She laughed. "We are married! But Thanks, we told Mom, Dad and Granny last night before we saw you. Everyone’s excited." My eyes widened at the mention of Granny...Ethel...Oh my Ethel. The thought of her brought a smile to my face. Cal said she was doing well but I longed to see her for myself.

  She had taken off on a bunch of vacations with one of her girlfriends and had been in an out of town since Cal left. I think her friends name was Lulu? Or Zozo? Something like that. She hadn’t been by to see me since the week I left the hospital. Cal walked back to my side and took over the cooking station again. He sneakily slid his hand on my butt and lightly squeezed it. I jumped and then tried to pull it off like I saw a bug. Jenny didn't seem to think anything of it. Cal laughed to himself, proud. I made some coffee and we set out all the food on my rickety old table. Cal loaded Jenny’s plate and winked "That’s for my nephew." She laughed "We don’t know Cal." He smiled with his eyebrows raised. "Correction, you don’t know, I know…I can tell." She laughed. We ate at the table as they talked, I would pitch in every once in a while but I was happy to sit and take it all in.

  Everyone was sitting back in their chairs with full stomachs after an hour of great conversation and two pots of coffee. Jenny sat up and stretched like a cat waking up from a long nap. "Alright well I should probably get going." She looked up at her big brother with her hands on the table. "Can you give me a ride? Sam dropped me off and ran for the hills." Cal laughed. "For good reason! Yeah that’s fine… I have a couple things I need to do." He looked at me with a sad smile as he handed the keys to Jenny. "Want to start the old boy up for me?" She smiled, looking at us "Yeah of course, bye Emerson." I smiled back and waved "Bye Jenny." As soon as she walked out of the door, Cal rose from his chair and rushed over to me. He grabbed the back of my head and dipped down to kiss me. His lips were soft and sweet from his last cup of coffee.

  “How are you feeling today?” He asked with gentle eyes. I smiled “Much better.” He nodded "Good, What are you doing tonight?" his eyes held my gaze. I smiled trying to hold my voice steady. “Umm I'm not sure, I don’t believe I have plans...I have the next two days off" He smiled "Good. I’ll pick you up at 6." I smiled as he walked into my room grabbed his button up shirt and kissed my forehead.

  "Okay then" I responded. He walked out of my door and I sprung up, forgetting that I had a mild concussion and therefore grabbing my head as it spiked with pain. Once I felt steady again I began dancing slowly. I started to finish picking up the kitchen, Jenny had already started while I was making coffee. I was playing George Straight Radio on my I-pod and my heart began to sing with the many clichés I had crossed off my romance list the night before. As I was swaying to the music and washing off my plate, I heard a sudden pounding at my door.

  My heart grew grim and the little black spots began to dance in front of my eyes again. My first thought was Sid and I winced at the idea. Then I thought maybe it was Cal, no Cal would never knock like that. I gained the courage to begin walking towards the door as I heard a familiar voice "Emerson Marie Williams open this damn door right now or I’m calling the damn police…” Sarah yelled. I heard her voice drop in worry, “shit.” I swung the door open. I completely forgot that I was supposed to text her that I was alive from Cal’s phone.

  Sarah’s face looked shocked to see me and then relieved. She sighed throwing her hands on her head "God Damn it Emerson." I turned my head slightly as she held up my phone in front of my face. "You took off with a strange guy, left your phone in my car and I had no way to know where you were. I thought you got taken to some freaking murder cabin or some shit..." I lightly giggled as I apologized "I’m so sorry Sarah, honestly I completely forgot. I had kind of...well kind of a crazy night." As I smiled she stopped and looked at me, all panic gone "Well then if that’s why!" She said with sarcasm. I laughed again. "Come in I'll tell you about it and I’m sure you’ll forgive me."

  Sarah laughed "You can try but I highly doubt it...you owe me big time... I thought I was going to have to pick an actress to play me in a lifetime movie about you...I was thinking Emma stone with a blonde perm.” I laughed again “Good choice.” I led her inside and closed the door behind us.

  I finished up the dishes while Sarah sat Indian style on my counter, chowing down on the leftover food. I told her that the guy I left with was Cal. Her jaw hit the floor "The Cal? The freaking Cal?!" I smiled as I sighed, trying to believe it myself. "Well no wonder why you were acting coo coo." I stopped, acting offended "I was not being Coo Coo!" She laughed "Oh girl I thought you were going to pop out of a clock...that’s how Coo coo." I laughed. "Okay okay… I was being weird but it was a crazy, wonderful...insane night." She split a biscuit in half and as she shoved one half in her mouth she said "Well dish girl!" I laughed "Alright! You asked for it.”

  I told her everything that happened and she was silent, which was something that was not normal for Sarah. She would chime in every once in a while with a “Shut the hell up!" or "No freaking way!" I would laugh and continue. She stared at me, eyes wide like a teenage girl talking about her first kiss. I made another pot of coffee and we sat around for the next hour or two just talking about both our nights and laughing. I could always count on Sarah for days like this.

  When I told her that he was picking me up that night she shot up and pulled me to my closet. She started ripping through my clothes. "Turn on your curling Iron now and get out all your makeup... I have...work to do." She looked me up and down. I shook my head as I followed her orders and went into the bathroom. "I will be fine I was just going to throw on a maxi skirt and a tank top." She shot her head around the corner "Like hell you are! This is once in a lifetime, Notebook, Breakfast at Tiffanies, Pretty Woman kind of shit... You
will not wear a freaking Maxi skirt." I smiled "Whatever... just please...if we are going to shoot for any of those movies... please don’t base my wardrobe on the last one." She laughed cynically and then spent the next hour getting me "dolled" up. As I looked at myself in the mirror an hour later I thought oh God please let Cal go suddenly blind....

  Chapter Twelve

  Calvin

  Jenny sat in the passenger seat as I drove her home after breakfast silent and smiling. I looked at her and laughed "What?" She gave me a look like I should know. "Whatever, mind your own business there Prego." She laughed "She’s cute, that’s all I'm saying." As I turned down her street I noticed a red car that had seemed to be behind me since I pulled out of Emerson’s. The windows were very darkly tented and it was hard to see who was driving. I sped up as I made my turn and continued down the street, shaking it off as a coincidence.

  I stopped at Jenny’s house and noticed the car was nowhere to be found. “Okay Prego here's your stop." She smiled as my truck came to a stop and she slid out. "Bye Jenny, Love you!" She began walking towards her front door, as she waived and said "Love you too!” I shouted "Hey wait, tell your weasel husband to call me when he grows a pair". She nodded and I took off.

  I pulled up to my parent’s ranch and could see my dad in the pasture working on a fence. As soon as he saw my truck he dropped his tools, wiped his hands together and began walking through the pasture casually. He had big smile on his face and our two labs Silver and Copper followed close behind. I pulled my truck behind dad’s old tractor and hopped out. He had reached the gravel driveway as my feet hit the rocks and the dogs rushed me. I got on one knee and let them lick my face, flailing with excitement. I laughed with joy as I patted them.

  "Son!” I stood up and dad’s arms flew in the air and he wrapped them around me. "God it’s good to see you!" I patted his back and sunk into his embrace, my voice low "you too pops". He pulled back and looked me up and down patting my shoulder with a sarcastic tone "You look like hell Son." I laughed "where’s Mom?" He smiled "inside looking beautiful as ever...she’s going to flip when she sees you, she’s been waiting." I smiled as I grabbed my ruck sack out of the bed of my truck and turned back towards the house. He threw his arm around my neck and began to lead me to the house. It felt damn good to be home.

  Mom was standing in the kitchen, covered in flour. The dogs circled the couch and found a comfy spot on the rug. Mom stopped cutting for a second as she looked up and wiped her brow with her arm. I put my bag down. "Hey Ma'..." Her eyes shot up and immediately filled with tears. "Cal!" she ran over to me and I wrapped my arms around her. She pressed her head into me sobbing "I'm so glad your home baby." She looked up at me eyes filled with joy, she wiped her tears with her hand and patted my chest.

  "It’s definitely good to be home." I said as she started to walk to the kitchen. "When did you get in? We weren’t sure what day you would be here." She asked. I followed her into the kitchen and sat at the counter. Dad patted my back and then continued to stand next to mom, inspecting her work. "I got in last night, I met up with some friends, and sorry I didn’t call. I thought it would be too late, didn’t want to wake you." She began working again as Dad tried to steal an apple she was chopping, she smacked his hand. "Don’t be sorry, it’s fine, you’re here now." Mom looked up at me smiling. We talked as mom cooked, a little later Dad came up behind me. "Son why don’t you go get freshened up." I nodded my head and kissed Mom on the cheek.

  I walked back through the narrow hallway, the dogs following me closely, passing walls covered with pictures of Jenny and myself growing up. I smiled at the memories of our childhood as I walked back to my room. I placed my ruck sack on the edge of my bed and began to dig out clean clothes. I looked around my childhood room and found a warmth surrounding me. So many years of memories, so much innocence that was now shredded to hell. It brought a sense of sadness at the same time. I stood taking in the room that I grew up in. I hadn’t actually been home in over a year, not since I met Emerson.

  As I grabbed my knife off my belt, I placed it on the dresser and headed to the bathroom, clothes in hand. I hadn’t showered in almost three days now, not since we got back to base from our mission. As soon as we had gotten back I had headed to the shower, I needed to get it off of my skin, the blood, the dirt, the loss. I then had silently stuffed my face with as many cup of noodles I could find and then we were on a 24 hour flight. Now I was home and I had two weeks to get those memories out of my mind. I knew that Emerson would definitely do the trick but she already haunted me.

  I stepped into the hot spray of the shower and felt the grim rinsing off of me. I could feel my muscles relax and my mind settle. I was home and Emmy was alive. She was safe and healthy. That was a blessing all in itself. Although I didn’t know how she truly felt, or how she would handle me leaving again, I knew I needed to make her mine. I had realized that the second I saw her at the fair. I had second guessed myself last night, my motive and why I was doing it. I knew now as I felt the warm water rinsing over me, that I needed her to be mine because she was what made me whole. Without her I was a much weaker man. I winced at that thought, I had never been weak in any aspect and I didn’t like admitting it to myself but then again she did that too, she made me a more honest man.

  The thought that a woman had that power over me blew my mind, but I had always known Emerson was special from the day I saw her bald smiling face, shining in the darkest of times. She had been the most beautiful girl I had ever seen and she was bald, no eyebrows, no makeup, completely stripped from any artificial beauty. It was just her and she was stunning. Her spirit was the most amazing thing I had ever witnessed and the fact that she had kicked cancers ass didn’t surprise me, she was a champ. I smiled at that thought. I was glad that she fought and didn’t let me leaving slow her down. I winced again at the memory of her pain she had most likely felt.

  I stepped out of the shower and began to dry off, thinking of what the night would bring, planning out my master scheme to sweep her off her feet. I thought of Emmys futile plan to seduce me the night before and how hard it was for me to say no. She was wounded and weak and I wasn’t going to take advantage of her. I wanted to do it right, romantic, and the way she deserved. I got ready and walked out to the living room where Mom, Dad and Granny were sitting talking. "Granny..." She turned around in her chair and smiled up at me. "My boy...” She slowly rose up, bracing herself against the side of the chair. I reached her and grabbed her elbow to steady her. "Hey Beautiful!" She looked at me again and wrapped her arms around me. I lightly hugged her and stepped back.

  We all sat and talked for an hour or so drinking fresh brewed iced tea and lemonade, snacking on the apple fritters mom had been baking while the dogs begged at our feet. I saw Granny sneak them a few when Mom and Dad got caught up in telling a story. I grinned to myself at her sneaky habits. We talked about many things, including Jenny’s little bundle of joy and what I was planning to do once I was out of the Army. I told them that I had plans for dinner. They didn’t ask many questions but Granny had shot me a look and smiled at me. She still adored Emerson and I think she could feel what we had. She was an all-knowing woman, you could hide nothing form her, she was honest and humble.

  I felt my phone buzz and I looked down at it to see a text from Emerson "See you at six Sexy ;)." My heart stopped... Sexy? Whoa. She had definitely gotten bolder, first last night, which I figured was alcohol and concussion inspired and now this? I was definitely in trouble. I gave everyone a hug and told them I may not be home tonight. I made up a story about sleeping at Jenny's and Sam’s and I would if Emmy didn’t want me to stay with her. I wanted her, yeah but I was fine with just sleeping if that’s what she wanted. I just wanted to be with her, to insure she was safe. Last night had broken my heart. I couldn’t stand to think of her in harm’s way. To think of her in any ugly situation burned my ass because she was the most beautiful, pure, soul I had met, she deserved happiness.

  “Cal
?!” Mom yelled out to me from the porch. I turned around “Yes mam?” She smiled “I know you’ll be around but before I forget, we are having a party here next weekend to celebrate Jenny’s pregnancy.” I nodded my head and told her I would definitely be there. I wasn’t sure if I was ready to bring Emerson to meet my family. They were sweet and funny but they were a lot to take in. They would immediately start asking about marriage and children and I really didn’t think I could handle the pressure. I didn’t want to scare Emmy off. I had waited a year to see her again. I wasn’t about to risk it all so I didn’t have to be away from her for a couple hours. At the same time I was already dying to see her again. Being away from her made my stomach burn with anxiety. I didn’t like her being alone, not after last night. Maybe I thought…Maybe I will bring her.

  I grabbed a couple of things out of my ruck and shoved it into my smaller back pack. I walked out to my car and commanded the dogs to "Stay!" before they succeeded to jump in the bed of my truck. "Next time boys." They whined in understanding and walked back to the porch. Silver was our 13 year old lab that was coincidentally silver now from old age. Copper was my puppy that I had gotten when I was fresh out of paramedic school. He was my little boy but when I joined the Army my parents gladly took him in, and he had a good life on the ranch for the past 5 years. We had talked about what would happen when I moved back and if I would take him back. I wanted to but he needed a home.