Perchance Page 15

  I walked up the stairs to my apartment and Dad, now I called him Dad, told me that some girl called and wanted to know what time I would be home.

  “Who was it?” I asked.

  “I don’t know. She didn’t say her name. Just asked when you’d be home.”

  I shrugged my shoulders. I didn’t really care who it was if it wasn’t her.

  I got up to my door , opened it and stepped in.

  I still remembered everything about her each time I walked in, but now it was something I cherished instead of loathed. I shook off my backpack and let it fall on her chair. I went to take my shoes off and noticed something sitting on my bed.

  I walked over to it and it was my iPod. I looked around frantically and opened the door and peered out of the windows. I knew that I had packed this in her box. I knew I had. When I turned it on it was set to play ‘Beth’ by KISS. There was only one person in the world who knew that it was one of my favorite songs. And only person that I had played it for.

  I ran out of the apartment and ran into my Dad’s living room.

  “Who called?” I almost screamed at him.

  “I told you son. I don’t know. And watch your tone with me.”

  “I’m sorry sir, but my iPod was on my bed when I got home. I gave this to Remi.”

  “You must’ve made a mistake. I’m sorry son.”

  “ I know what I gave her.”

  I went out to the street and walked to Brenda’s house. I knocked on her door until she answered.

  “Is she here?” I demanded.

  “Is who here?” She asked like I was an idiot.

  “Is Remi here? You would tell me if she was here right?”

  “You would be the first to know if she was here Cooper.” She winked and smiled at me and closed the door quickly.

  I made my way to Josie’s house but got no answer at the door.

  This is it. I’ve officially lost it.

  Remi

  “Honey, he just left my house not three minutes ago. He was in a huff for sure. What’s next?”

  “Well today after he left I put his keychain that I bought him in his locker. So he should find that tomorrow. I went today and finished registering for BRCC. God, Aunt Brenda, what if I’m doing all of this and he doesn’t take me back. What if he doesn’t love me anymore? I just need to make sure.”

  “You know that boy never for a flat second stopped loving you. He’s just been working his little behind off telling me that he wants to be a better person when you decided to come back. He told me even if it took years he would still be here waiting for you. Oh, and I got you a ticket to graduation day after tomorrow too.”

  “ I hope you’re right Aunt Brenda. I bought the ring yesterday. I missed you so much Aunt Brenda. Thank you for putting me up in a hotel until I could get everything straight.”

  “Oh Remi, don’t you know by now that there’s very few things I wouldn’t do for you?”

  “I do now. I was blind before. But I do now.”

  “Good, now I need to…what do y’all say… stalk him tomorrow to see how he reacts to that keychain in his locker.” She giggled like a school girl. It was music to my soul to hear her.

  “Ok, so you’re coming into Baton Rouge for dinner with me right, tomorrow?”

  “Yeah, of course. I can’t wait to squeeze you. So your credits all transferred?”

  “No, my math one didn’t, but that’s fine. I can take it again.”

  “Ok tomorrow at seven, right?”

  “Yup. Goodnight Aunt Brenda.”

  “G’night honey.”

  As soon as I hung up the phone Josie texted me.

  Josie: Holy cheeseballs! He almost knocked my door down!

  Me: Sorry! Did he go back home?

  Josie: No! He’s still banging on the door. I know he sees my car.

  Me: He’ll quit soon. Don’t answer it!

  Josie: You better wrap this up soon! I can’t take the stress. LOL

  Me: It will all be over in a couple of days Josie. Good or bad.

  Josie: You know it will be good. He’s still got it bad.

  I lay in my bed looking at the ceiling in this hotel room praying harder than I’ve ever prayed in my life that it would work out. I looked at the ring that I had bought with my saved up money plus my paycheck. Maybe I had hurt him beyond repair. There was only one way to find out. I wish I could see the look on his face when he found that keychain in his locker. I knew I was driving him nuts but I needed to gauge his reaction before I made my move.

  Cooper

  I didn’t sleep one wink. Not one. I haven’t been this tired since those weeks after Christmas. Those weeks after she wouldn’t speak to me or see me. I decided that there was nothing I could do about it if she was here and didn’t want to see me.

  I got up and got dressed for school. We didn’t have classes today, but we had to clean out our lockers and we had Senior meetings to practice lining up and walking on stage. Troy drove me to school and he was sixteen kinds of hyper about graduating. He and Josie had big plans for tomorrow night and I was happy for them. They were finally off of their rollercoaster and settled. We got out and the school had been rolled. There were rolls of toilet paper from every single tree in sight. It was both funny and not.

  We got handed a garbage bag as we entered the school and told to go our lockers, like we didn’t know. We went to Troy’s first and I laughed and almost gagged at all the stuff he had in his locker. Some of that stuff could’ve sprouted legs and walked away.

  We threw away his bag and moved to my locker. I know I didn’t have that much in there.

  I opened the locker and started pulling papers out.

  I looked at Troy who wasn’t moving but staring into my locker.

  “What the hell man? Is there a spider or some…”

  The hallway started to spin a little bit and I had to hold onto the locker to steady myself.

  Stuck to the inside of the door to my locker with Duck Tape was a keychain. And this wasn’t just any keychain. This was a round keychain with ‘The Who’ on it. This was the keychain that was attached to the keys to my car…her car.

  I undid one of the buttons on my shirt even though it wasn’t even buttoned up all the way to my neck just to feel like I could breathe a little easier.

  “She’s here.”

  “Yeah, she’s here. I’m not supposed to tell you but I just can’t keep it from you. She’s…she’s in Baton Rouge applying to get into school and then she’s going to be at graduation tomorrow. Then she’s…”

  “She’s what? Tell me.”

  “She’s gonna try to get you back.”

  “Try to get me back? She doesn’t have to try. All she has to do is show up.”

  “I know man, but she’s got a plan and she wants to do it right, ok? And if you tell Josie or anyone else that I told you I’m gonna get the silent treatment from my girl, ok? So keep your trap shut.”

  “Ok, ok, ok. I won’t say anything. Tell me everything.”

  “Well tomorrow after graduation she’s going to leave a note on your door to let you know where to meet her.”

  I wanted to jump out of my skin. At the same time I wanted to beat the snot out of everyone for hiding this from me. But I know now and I can’t wait to get my girl back. For the first time in months I was smiling about my girl. I was sooo ready.

  Remi

  I could see him from where I was sitting but I don’t think he could see me. He would probably have to be looking for me. They called the graduates through one by one. It was a small graduating class, maybe sixty or seventy kids. I was so proud of him. Aunt Brenda, Troy, Josie and even Eric had been telling me all about his hard work. And they claimed it was all because he wanted to be ready for me to come back to him. They called his name and he stood up and walked onto the stage and I couldn’t help myself. I stood on my chair and screamed and clapped louder than anyone. I know he saw me but he didn’t seem shocked or surprised.

 
I left after he was seated because I needed to get some things ready. I was so ready for this.

  I packed up the Cuda with blankets including our blanket and the comforter I bought him for Christmas. I packed towels and a picnic basket full of his favorites. I packed the CDs and a stereo. I put the ring in the glove box and went to shower and change.

  I put on a plum colored bikini and a similar colored halter dress. I was not swimming in my skivvies again, love of my life or not. I got my bag, got in my Cuda and went to plant the note.

  Meet me where I wrapped my legs around you

  Where you held me in the murky water

  Where I fell a little deeper in love with you in the shallow pond

  Pistol

  With the note taped to his door, I took off in search of our place. The place that I hoped would fix us.

  Cooper

  We went out to eat after graduation. Me, Dad, Mom, Gram, Troy and his Dad and Aunt Brenda all sat around a big table eating and celebrating while they continued to pretend they had no idea that my heart was roaming somewhere in this town right this very minute. I wanted to skip the dinner and go to her immediately but I hated to admit it, a little part of me said ‘let her wait a bit.’

  We all hugged and said our goodbyes and drove back to Dad’s house. I spotted the note on the door and broke out in laughter. This was it. She had come back. This time I wasn’t going to screw it up.

  I went in my apartment and grabbed some shorts and towels and went to my Dad’s house. He smiled at me when I went inside and asked what was wrong.

  “I know she’s here Dad. I’ve known since the other day. I need your truck.”

  He looked at my mom and then threw me the keys to his truck.

  Something was going on with the two of them and had been for a while, but I didn’t have time for it.

  I jumped in the truck and forced myself to slow down. It was a little after nine at night and these back roads were narrow. I turned in the rocky driveway which led to the place where I’d messed up so badly all that time ago.

  I pulled up next to the Cuda, which was shined to a sparkle and put the truck into park and just sat there for a minute. I had waited for this for so long, but damn it if I could get my legs to move. She was dangling her legs back and forth over the side of the dock, her feet skimming the water below. The smallest amount of light was coming down in rays from the moon and one of the rays hit her back just so. She hadn’t changed a bit. She had gained some of her weight back and it looked good on her. She was looking out towards the water and never turned her head when I pulled up or when I opened the door.

  I walked down the dock, pulling my shoes off as I went. I sat down on the edge next to her, but not touching her and put my feet in the water. She took one of the deepest breaths I’ve ever heard anyone take and let it out again.

  She cleared her throat.

  “They tell me that you really kicked ace this semester. And your SAT score was phenomenal. I’m so proud of you Cooper. You looked great graduating today.”

  “I wish you could’ve been up there with me.”

  “Me too. I should’ve been.”

  She lay back and put her weight on her elbows.

  “Do you remember swimming here?” She asked.

  “How could I forget? One of my best ideas. I almost got you naked.”

  She laughed that full on haughty laugh that I loved.

  “How long are you here for?” It came out without my permission.

  “That depends.” She answered.

  “On?”

  “On you.”

  She got up and stood next to me.

  “Come on. There’s something that has been needing fixing for months and months and I want to fix it tonight.”

  All I could get out was “ok.”

  She walked to the car, her car and got out a stereo and a CD and put it in.

  “Dance with me?” She whispered the question as if I would ever, ever say no.

  I walked over to her and pulled her in front of the car. The CD started playing Open Arms by Journey.

  She seemed hesitant, like the first time I held her hand, so I made the choice for her.

  I, as slowly as I could, let my hands skim around her waist and up her back pulling her against me. She melded with me, just like she used to and her arms went around my neck. She was crying now. She started to say something and then she just laid her face in the crook of my neck instead. After the song was over, it switched to Madame George.

  “Van Morrison?”

  She just shrugged her shoulders.

  “You gave me all of your CDs. I listened.”

  We danced through most of the song and then she lifted her head up and began to speak.

  “I’m so sorry about what I did to you Cooper. I was scared and I was stupid and I reacted so childishly. I freaked out for no reason and then after I was over it, my pride wouldn’t let me come and apologize to you. Then I saw you that night, locking up your car and I couldn’t stand what I was doing to you. I didn’t want you in any more pain.”

  I soaked in what she had blurted out to me.

  “Remi, I’m sorry too. I pushed too hard and too fast. But honestly, I really didn’t mean marriage. I only wanted you to have that ring to remind you that I am always going to be there. It was my promise to you. I wasn’t asking you to promise anything. It was all wrong. The whole thing went to Hell.”

  “What would you do if you could do it again and make it right? Maybe it would help if you knew that the outcome would be guaranteed to be happy.”

  “In a heartbeat I would go back and redo the whole thing.”

  “I’m glad you said that.”

  She broke away from me and went to the car that I realized I loved again because she brought my Remi home to me.

  She came back with something that I thought I never wanted to see again. One of those damned little blue bags.

  Remi

  My throat was closing up. This was it. He probably thought this was another promise ring. But it wasn’t. This was an engagement ring. I know, I know, you’re not supposed to buy one for yourself but nothing about this whole thing was normal.

  I handed him the bag and motioned for him to open it. He opened it slowly, too slowly for me. He opened the black box and snapped his head up to lock eyes with mine. Here we go.

  “I want to do this the right way. This is the ring that I think you wanted to get in the first place. This is the ring I think you would’ve gotten if you hadn’t thought I was going to flip out.” The tears had started already. “So, I’m gonna give you another chance, and me especially more than you, to do this the right way, if you want to. I don’t deserve another chance and I certainly don’t deserve you. But I had to try.”

  I looked down at the ground. I waited for him to shoot me down like I deserved. I waited for him to throw the thing in the water, jump in the truck and leave me here like I left him here hurting.

  I should’ve known better.

  He sat on the hood of that car, my car, his car, and dragged me towards him holding my hand. He pulled me in between his knees and put his hand under my chin forcing me to look at him. I instantly remembered this is how we were when we decided we were ‘officially’ together.

  “Is this what you want?” He asked and his voice cracked.

  “Yes.” I wanted to say more but couldn’t get it out.

  “This is not a promise ring.”

  I found myself saying the almost the same words he had said that night.

  “It’s ok. I was jumping the gun. It’s too fast. I can take it back.”

  “Why would you do that?” His response stole my breath.

  I just closed my eyes hoping that by closing off that sense that I could try to better absorb what he was saying.

  “If I had my way, the way in my head Remi…This is how it would’ve gone all that time ago. You would’ve looked anxious and loving like you do tonight instead of nervous and scared. It would’ve be
en an engagement ring instead of a promise ring and you would’ve said yes.

  “I’m saying yes now.”

  Cooper

  The blood had rushed from my head.

  Did she just say yes?

  “I want to do this right. Make sure we’re all clear.”

  She just nodded her head.

  I got off of the hood of the car, keeping her hand in mine and dropped down to one knee in front of her.

  “Remi I’ve loved you all my life. I lost you once but I won’t lose you again. I’m going to stick by you no matter what. Will you marry me?”

  She nodded, crying and half laughing at the same time.

  “You have to say it out loud. You know how we screw things up.”

  She laughed and wiped some of her tears away.

  “Yes Cooper I will marry you.” I slid the ring on her finger.

  I got up and took her in my arms.

  “I thought it was too late.” She whispered.

  “Never…I told you I would always be here.”

  She was still crying minutes later, but I wanted to change this into a happier moment. I knew she was still in pain but I didn’t want to leave this place with her crying ever again.

  I reached under her hair and untied her dress.

  She looked up and gasped.

  “What are you…”

  “Don’t think I didn’t see that you had a swimming suit on under there Pistol.”

  Her dress dropped to the ground and she reached for the hem of my shirt.

  I took it off and she was still standing there, more gorgeous than I’d ever seen her.

  “Do you want a repeat of the last time we went swimming?” She said as she ran the back of her fingers over my stomach.

  “Nope. This time around, we’re gonna do everything better.”

  I grabbed her around her waist and as she screamed my name I threw us both into that infamous swimming hole. The place where we fell deeper in love, the place where I lost her, and the place where we found each other again.

  EPILOGUE

  4 years later…

  I cranked up the volume on the stereo playing Jimi Hendrix and went to shower while supper finished cooking. I got dressed, only putting on some shorts as this Louisiana summer was still beating down on us. I walked back into kitchen and heard Remi turning her key and coming in.