A soft knock on my door startles me. I look around, wondering how obvious it is that I’m packing, before I jump up, opening the door only a crack so my visitor doesn’t see inside. It’s Eloise. I want to squeeze her and thank her for everything, but I restrain myself.
“Good Morning, Miss Madison. Your father asked me to let you know that he will be spending his weekend at the base. If you need anything, I’ll be here.”
My face lights up in a smile. It’s my lucky day.
“Thank you, Eloise. I’ll be in and out today and tomorrow. Do you happen to know when he’ll be returning?”
“I believe he said he was on duty until Monday morning. I wouldn’t expect to see him until you return from school on Monday.”
I should tell her. She’s going to figure it out on her own at some point. I would rather her hear it from me than see it and wonder why.
“I won’t be here on Monday, Eloise. I’ll be moving out this weekend. I would appreciate it if you wouldn’t tell my father. I don’t expect you to lie to him, I would never want to put you in a compromising position like that. I’ll be informing him as soon as I’m settled in my new place.”
“Is there anything I can do to help?” I’m confused, and judging by the look on her face, Eloise knows it. “Your Grandmother told me that this would happen. She knew that you wouldn’t be able to live under your father’s law for much longer. She asked me to make sure that you were happy, and if this makes you happy, I will do anything I can to help you. As for informing your father, my alliance lies with your grandmother. She wouldn’t want me to hinder your wishes, and therefore, I won’t.”
I pull Eloise in, wrapping my arms around her and hugging her tight. I wish I could take her with me, but there’s no room. I wonder if she’ll stay on after I’m gone. There won’t be anyone for her to take care of anymore. I can’t imagine she would want to stay and look after my father who’s barely ever here.
“Thank you, so much. I’ll be returning this afternoon with a friend to load my car and take these boxes,” I reply, gesturing to the stack that I never unpacked in the corner. “I don’t think there’s anything you can do to help, but I appreciate the offer.”
“I’ll have lunch ready when you return,” Eloise states before turning around and disappearing down the hall. I swear I saw a tear fall down her cheek as she walked away.
***
I’m pacing in front of the thrift store. I already went in and said hi to Libby. Her enthusiasm from yesterday was still present as she jumped up and down, promising to come over and help unpack after her shift ends. I’ll need all the help I can get. I’m not sure how Grant is going to react to my surprise.
The dream is my biggest concern right now. I’ve been contemplating the right way to ask him about it; although I don’t really think there is a right way. I’m going to have to come out and tell him what I remember; there’s no tiptoeing around it. I feel like I should ask him today, get it over with so that it’s not weighing so heavily on my heart or my mind. If the opportunity presents itself, I might. If it doesn’t, I’m going to ignore the ache I feel every time I look at him, knowing that he may have been waiting for me all this time.
A large, green pickup truck rumbles to a stop in front of me. It sounds as if the muffler may have fallen off and the paint is chipping around the doors. It’s seen better days, I’m sure. As I’m staring at the truck, observing all the imperfections, Grant slides up next to me and kisses me on the cheek.
“Like my truck?”
I don’t want to lie to him, but I know the truth will hurt his feelings. “It’s perfect. Especially for what I have planned for us today.” I look up to find his eyebrow raised in a perfect arch. Curious about my plans, Grant is about to speak when I cut him off. “Don’t ask any questions because I won’t tell you. I’ll show you.”
Without looking up at him again, knowing that he’s either confused or more intrigued than before, I grab Grant’s hands and pull him through the door, my front door, and up the stairs.
“What are we doing in here, Madison? Are we even allowed to be up here?” His voice is barely above a whisper. It echoes off the walls of the hallway, causing him to look around, worry etched on his face.
“We’re fine. I promise. I have something to show you,” I announce as I jingle my key ring in front of his face before opening the door.
Grant follows me inside, looking around at everything and nothing all at once.
“The couch will be here,” I start, motioning to the blank area next to the rug I put down this morning. “Over there is my bedroom. My new bed is going to be delivered soon, so we need to stick around and wait for them. The bathroom is through that door over there, and you can see where the kitchen is.”
Silence falls. Grant’s back is to me so I can’t see his face, or attempt to read his expression. I nervously wait in the middle of the living room, my hands clasping and unclasping. I finally wipe the sweat off of them down the front of my jeans and clear my throat. When Grant’s eyes meet mine as he turns around, I’m surprised by what I see. His eyes are smiling at me, sweet and innocently. His smile, however, is more mischievous.
“Why are you having a bed delivered here, Madison? I think you neglected to mention that.” He takes a step toward me, but I match him, stepping back in an attempt to keep some distance between us.
“Because I need a bed to sleep in.”
Another step. I’m going to like this game. This game is going to be fun.
“Why would you be sleeping here?”
He’s getting closer.
“Because this is where my bed will be.”
I’m running out of space.
“Do you not have a bed at your house anymore?”
My back hits the wall as I attempt to take one last step away from him.
“Not yet. I already told you it’s being delivered in an hour.”
Grant’s eyes light up and he stops inches from me, grinning from ear to ear. “Do you live here, Madison?”
“I do,” I confess, a smile stretching across my face to match his own.
“Since when?”
“Since today.”
“What about your father?”
“What about him?”
“Does he know that you’re not living at your grandma’s house anymore?”
“He doesn’t need to.”
“I’m pretty sure your birthday isn’t for fourteen more days. Until then, he needs to know.”
A giggle escapes me. I’m unable to contain the excitement in my voice as the next three words come out of my mouth. “I’ve been emancipated.”
“You’re telling me that you got emancipated. Why?” He sounds confused. Not the reaction I was expecting.
“I couldn’t stand to be around my father anymore. His rules and his overbearing demeanor were too much for me to take. After he tried to steal the house out from under me—”
“He did what?”
“The house. Grandma left it to me. He tried to take it. He even told me that he got a judge to sign it over to him even though my grandma left it to me. He lied. Aside from that, I wasn’t allowed to do anything when I lived with him. I had to ask permission to go out with Libby. He wouldn’t let me date. Nothing. I was a prisoner.”
Grant smirks at me as he closes the distance between us. “You wanted to date Libby?”
I can hear the teasing in his voice, and his proximity is making my face flush. I know what he wants me to say, but I won’t. “Yeah. She’s a great gal. I thought I’d give it a try. It’s not like there’s anyone else that’s interested in me.”
His lips crush against mine and then I’m moving. My back hits the wall and Grant lifts me, the same way he did that night against the tree. The first night he kissed me. Well, the first night since we were kids.
A knock at the door interrupts what promises to be an earth-shattering moment. Grant slowly lowers me to the ground, his lips leaving me wanting more, as he heads to answ
er the door.
My bed is here. I can only imagine the trouble we can get in now. Well, if there was someone around to catch us, but that’s not the case. I’m on my own. I rule this house. I can do what I want, when I want, if I want to.
Chapter 12
As the movers bring in my bed, Grant helps me to unload the boxes I crammed into my car this morning. We’re going to head over to the house and pick up the remainder of my stuff as soon as they’re gone. Between his truck and my car, we should be able to grab everything in one trip. I hope. I have a lot of stuff and I don’t plan on leaving anything behind.
Eloise opens the front door and steps onto the porch as I put my car in park. There’s a worried look on her face as I approach. She’s looking past me to Grant. He’s staring at her, a pinched look on his face. Does Eloise remember him? It’s been five years. I can’t imagine that she does. There were so many people that came and went, people that Grandma worked with, people she helped over the years. To remember one boy, who looks completely different now, would be a miracle.
“Hey, Eloise. This is Grant, my …” I stutter, my words catching me off guard. I don’t know what to call him yet. We haven’t had that conversation. There’s a lot we need to talk about still.
“Hi. Nice to meet you,” Grant replies, sliding up behind me and wrapping his arm around my waist.
“Of course. Miss Madison, your father called for you while you were out. He wanted me to let you know that he won’t be returning on Monday as planned. He has to head to California for ten days of training. He promised to return by your birthday.” She tries to hide the happiness in her voice as she speaks. If I didn’t know her as well as I do, I would have missed it.
“Really? That’s the best news I’ve heard all day. I don’t have to worry about him freaking out on me anytime soon. By the time he returns, I’ll be settled in my new place and so close to turning eighteen that there will be no reason for him to fight me.” I’m practically jumping for joy.
“Yes, miss. It certainly looks that way.”
Eloise steps inside the house, and Grant and I are on her heels. I’m ready to get my things loaded up and out of here. That is going to be a lot easier to do with my father’s absence.
“We’re going to start loading the boxes. I’ll make sure to say goodbye before I leave,” I tell Eloise as I make my way up the staircase, stopping after a few steps and turning in her direction.
“There’s lunch for the both of you on the counter in the kitchen. I’ll be on the porch if you need me for anything.”
I nod and mouth the words “thank you” to Eloise before pulling Grant up the stairs and putting him to work. An hour later, we have all the boxes loaded up and are sitting on the porch with Eloise, enjoying lunch. I take in the view one last time. The river is calmly flowing by as the trees litter their leaves onto the ground and into the water. The oranges and reds surrounding us are magnificent.
Fall is my favorite time of year. I’ve always loved to watch the seasons change. I’ve lived in plenty of places where the trees lose their leaves in anticipation of the upcoming winter, but never here. I think this is the most beautiful place to watch it happen.
“I’ll give you a minute. If you need me, I’ll be in the truck,” Grant says as we enter the foyer, ready to depart. I nod as he shuts the door behind him, leaving me to say goodbye to Eloise in private.
“Thank you, Eloise. For everything. I’ll visit when my father’s not around, I promise.” My voice remains strong as my heart begins to ache in my chest. I didn’t realize this would be hard.
“You’re very welcome, Miss Madison, but I won’t be here. I plan to leave before your father returns as well.”
“You do? Why?” I shouldn’t be surprised by her departure, but I am.
“There’s no one here for me to take care of anymore. I’m going to move in with my daughter and help her care for my grandchildren. She’s been begging me for years, even more so since I lost your grandmother. It’s time, Madison. It’s not the same without her here. She was more than just my employer. She was my friend. Everywhere I turn I’m reminded of her and my heart aches. It’s time for me to move on.” The sadness in her voice causes me to break.
A single tear escapes. Wiping it away quickly, I engulf Eloise in a hug, the kind that I used to share with Grandma. I feel her body begin to shake as she pulls away. Her eyes are glistening with tears.
“Take care of yourself, Miss Madison. Guard your heart and only give it away when you’re certain he’s the one.” With only a nod, Eloise leaves me standing in the foyer alone.
I take one last look around, knowing that I won’t return under normal circumstances. Eloise is right. Everywhere I turn in this house I’m reminded of Grandma as well. This was her home. I’ll always associate it with her, the time we spent together and the fun we had. I’ll keep those memories close to my heart and rely on them to get me through the rough roads ahead.
As I close the door behind me, the tears begin to fall in rapid succession, but I don’t bother wiping them away. Instead, I lift my chin higher and walk away from the house with strength and conviction.
Grant drops the last box on the living room floor and we both collapse onto a bar stool. “I’m starving,” I admit as my stomach growls. We’ve been carrying boxes up the stairs for hours. Apparently taking boxes down stairs takes less time than carrying them up the stairs. Either that or we started to slow down from exhaustion.
“Me, too. Want to order pizza?” he suggests.
“Pizza sounds great,” Libby yells as she walks through the open door. “Man, this place is a mess. I thought you would be farther along by now.”
“Hi, Libby. It’s nice to see you. Would you like to come in? How about pizza for dinner?” Libby rolls her eyes at me and hops up on the counter.
“Seriously, though. I really thought that you would be putting stuff away by now. You know, getting settled.”
“I can’t really do much until my furniture comes. The only thing that was delivered today was my bedroom set. I still have to put the sheets on the bed. I can load my closet and dresser but otherwise, I still need to shop for stuff. I need kitchen stuff, girly decorations, and such. Until then, everything stays in boxes.” Libby doesn’t like the fact that she can’t go through my stuff, judging by the frown on her face.
“I can run out for pizza if you tell me what you want on it.” Grant’s voice is a welcome sound. It distracts Libby for a moment while she places her order with him. Once he’s out the door, Libby is grilling me on our day together.
“Nothing happened. We moved all my crap.” Nothing except the amazing kiss that got interrupted earlier. She doesn’t need to know about that, though, or she’ll make me describe it in detail.
“Seriously? You two were alone, all day long, and nothing happened? I would have made the most of my first day in my new place with a little one-on-one time in that new bed of yours.”
I didn’t think about that. Will he want to stay the night? Will he expect it? We need to discuss what we are before I drive myself crazy. Every time we’re alone here, no parental supervision, I’m going to be thinking about him in my bed now. Thank you, Libby.
After stuffing ourselves with pizza, Libby and Grant both help me unpack a few boxes of clothing. Specifically, Libby helps me decide what to get rid of. When she leaves a few hours later, she has a box of clothes that I’m selling to the thrift store, my tiny closet is overflowing and my drawers are packed full. I already miss my large walk-in closet. The double door, single bar closet is going to have to work for now. I’m sure my closet in college will be even smaller.
Grant and I are left alone again. We make the bed in silence, my thoughts going back to what Libby was teasing me about earlier in the night. I know that we need to talk, at least about our relationship. What are we? What does he expect from me? Are we just dating or are we more?
“So, I was thinking that we could talk about something.” My words are ru
shed as I speak. I had to say it before I lost my nerve.
“What’s going on in that beautiful brain of yours, Madison?”
“Well,” I start, unsure how to ask him. “Remember earlier when I introduced you to Eloise? I wasn’t sure what to say.”
“I noticed that.”
“And …” I let my voice trail off, hoping he’ll supply me with the answers I desperately need.
“How would you like to introduce me?”
“How should I?” He’s not going to pin this decision on me. “How would you have introduced me?”
“I would have called you my girlfriend,” Grant replies without hesitation.
“Oh!” I don’t bother to hide the surprise in my voice. “We never talked about it so I wasn’t sure.”
Grant finishes tucking the pillow in its case and walks around the bed. I’m trapped between him and the half-wall that separates my bedroom from the rest of the loft. Grant lifts me onto the wall and steps between my legs. After kissing me softly on the lips, Grant finally speaks. “Madison Melissa Thompson, will you please be my girlfriend?”
“I guess I could do that.” My voice shakes as I try my hand at humor to break the tension that has suddenly taken over the room.
“You guess? I’m not asking you to do me a favor. I’m asking you to commit yourself to me, to only let me kiss those perfect lips and to kick all other guys in the balls if they hit on you.”
I smile at Grant and purse my lips to keep from laughing at his explanation of a committed relationship. “I won’t be kicking anyone in the balls, but I promise to keep these lips, and all my cherry lip gloss, away from anyone that isn’t you.”
“I’ll take that as a yes.” There’s a hint of victory in his voice that I don’t miss.
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