by Naomi Niles
I had just finished organizing the last catalogue of books when Jenna walked in. “You’re really starting to show,” she said as she glanced at my swelling belly.
“Yeah,” I nodded patting my stomach. “It really popped out this past month.”
“I can’t believe I’m not going to see the little cutie,” Jenna said as she eyed my fingers searching for a ring. “You must send me pictures.”
“I’ll try,” I smiled politely even though I knew that our friendship was not built to last.
“Is your hunky baby daddy coming to pick you up today?” Jenna asked.
“No, Maddie’s my date today,” I said. “She’s helping me pack up.”
“Speaking of dates,” Jenna said making a random connection. “Do you have one set up yet?”
“A date?” I asked pretending to be oblivious even though I knew where she was going.
“For the wedding,” Jenna said with a wink.
“Ah, right,” I nodded. “Well, when we get engaged we’ll have to figure that out.”
“Oh,” Jenna said and her eyes went wide. “You’re not engaged yet?”
“No,” I said with a shrug. “And we don’t feel the pressure to get engaged either. It’ll happen when it’s meant to.”
Jenna was about to say something when Maddie walked in. “Hi,” I greeted. “You’re right on time.”
“You’re finished?” Maddie asked giving Jenna a polite nod.
“Yup,” I said with gusto. I gave Jenna a hug and Maddie and I walked back to the parking lot.
“How was your last day of work?” Maddie asked as she turned on the engine.
“I guess it didn’t feel like my last day of work,” I said. “It’ll feel weird tomorrow when I get up and there’s no place to go.”
Maddie laughed. “Don’t worry, the packing will keep you busy.”
“Oh, guess what?” I said with excitement.
“What?”
“I got an acceptance letter today from the University of San Diego!”
“No way!” Maddie screamed. “That was your first choice wasn’t it?”
“Second,” I replied. “But I’m not griping. I’m happy with that choice.”
“Does that mean …?”
“That’s my pick,” I nodded. “Dylan was with me when I opened the letter. We did a happy dance around all the boxes and crates.”
Maddie laughed. “Lizzie, that is really great. Are you excited?”
“Unbelievably excited,” I nodded. “I’m only doing a few summer courses to begin with, though. Once the baby is born, I’ll see about going half time. By then we’ll be settled in California too.”
“I still can’t quite believe that you’re leaving though,” Maddie said shaking her head. “I mean, we’ve lived together our whole lives.”
“I know,” I nodded. “It’s going to be weird for me too. But moving is the right thing for us; we need a fresh start in a new city. And Cali is so beautiful.”
“I don’t get why you’re leaving so soon though,” Maddie said. “Why not wait till the baby is born?”
“We just want to start on this new adventure as soon as possible,” I tried to explain. “And the sooner we get there, the sooner Dylan can start setting the groundwork for the rehab center. I don’t know … we just want to dive right in, I guess. We’ve both wasted enough time.”
Maddie smiled with understanding.
“You’re going to visit right?” Maddie asked.
“Of course we’re going to visit,” I promised. “We’re going to be down in Bastrop every Christmas. And we want the baby to know its family.”
“It,” Maddie said shaking her head.
I laughed. “We don’t know if it’s a girl or a boy yet.”
“Well find out,” Maddie said impatiently and I knew how curious she was to find out the baby’s sex.
“Sorry,” I said shaking my head. “Dylan and I want to wait.”
“Urgh,” Maddie said impatiently. “When I have a baby, I’m going to find out the moment I can.”
I raised my eyebrows teasingly. “This baby is going to be with whom exactly?”
Maddie rolled her eyes but I noticed the slight blush on her cheeks. “We’re not there yet,” she said firmly.
“But you’re thinking about it?”
“We’re thinking about moving in together,” Maddie said. “But that’s about it for now.”
“Slow and steady,” I nodded approvingly.
“You know that’s not advice you have to listen to at this point, right?” Maddie pointed out.
“Meaning?”
“Why aren’t you guys getting engaged?”
“We’re moving to California!” I said. “I’m going back to school and Dylan’s trying to start up the center, not to mention we’re going to have this baby … we don’t have time to plan a wedding right now.”
“Fair enough,” Maddie nodded. “But it will happen, won’t it?”
“For sure,” I nodded. “Maybe not right away though.”
We pulled up outside my apartment building and Maddie and I went in. My apartment was almost unrecognizable. Boxes were everywhere, most were packed up and sealed, but there were a few half-empty ones that needed to be finished before Dylan showed up.
“Where’s Elvis?” Maddie asked.
“Probably hiding in my room,” I said. “He hates the boxes.”
“When’s Dylan getting here?” Maddie asked as we got to work.
“He should be here in an hour or so,” I replied. “He’s going to drop in at his mom’s and then pick up the U-Haul and drive it over here.”
“How did you enjoy your farewell dinner last night?” Maddie asked.
I smiled at the memory. It had been an intimate dinner with Dylan’s family, Maddie, and my mom. “You guys went overboard; I’m still full.”
Maddie laughed. “I tried to get Mrs. Thomas to tone it down, but she was too excited.”
“Louisa,” I reminded Maddie. “She doesn’t want us to call her Mrs. Thomas anymore.”
“Right, Louisa,” Maddie corrected herself. “So weird …”
“What is?” I asked.
“I don’t know, just how everything worked out. You and Dylan are finally together after all these years and you’re going to have a baby.”
“And you Tyler,” I pointed out. “Hey, we might end up related; if you marry Tyler, we’ll be sisters-in-law and our children will be cousins.”
Maddie laughed. “You’re getting ahead of yourself.”
“I know,” I nodded. “It’s just fun to day dream.”
Maddie finished packing the last box and she handed me a piled of papers that sat atop it. “What are these?” she asked as she handed them over.
“My music,” I said. “I’ve been working on some new arrangements. I’ll pack them in my carryon bag.”
I took a felt pen and went around the apartment marking each box. “Wow,” she said. “You’re really giving all these boxes to goodwill?”
“Yeah, I don’t need everything,” I replied. “And we want to travel as light as possible.”
“What exactly are you taking?”
“Just a few pieces of furniture, clothes, my keyboard, and Dylan’s bike,” I replied.
“I’m impressed,” Maddie said with raised eyebrows. “You two really planned this well.”
“It’s been a busy month,” I nodded.
At that moment, there was a loud honk and I knew Dylan was here. I peered out the window and waved at him. “Great,” I said. “He’s brought Tyler along; that’ll make moving this stuff out there easier.”
The boys came up a moment later and Dylan came straight for me. He gave me a kiss and placed his hand on my belly; it had become an instinctive reflex with him. “How are you feeling?”
“Great,” I said honestly.
He gave me another kiss and then Tyler and he started moving the heavier boxes out of the apartment. Within a half hour, the space had
opened up. I went to my room and got Elvis out from underneath my bed. I put him in his little kitty carrier and Maddie and I did one last check to make sure we hadn’t left anything important behind.
“You’re sure you don’t mind getting the boxes to goodwill?”
“Not at all,” Maddie said as we stepped out of the apartment.
We joined the boys downstairs and hauled the last of the boxes onto the U-Haul. “Where does the cat go?” Tyler asked teasingly.
“I think I’ll keep him in the front with Dylan and I,” I said. “Otherwise he’ll get pissy.”
I was staring up at my apartment window, amazed at how life could so easily turn on a dime when Dylan came up behind me and wrapped his arms around me. I loved when he did that; it made me feel safe and protected. He kissed my cheek and then my neck. I turned in his arms so I was facing him and we kissed deeply.
“Geez guys,” Tyler’s voice cut through our little moment. “Get a room.”
We broke apart laughing and I realized that Maddie and Tyler were shaking their heads at us. Maddie looked amused and Tyler just looked uncomfortable. I walked towards Maddie and gave her a big bear hug. “I’m going to miss you like crazy!” I said.
“I’m going to miss you too,” she nodded. “Especially our Saturday morning breakfasts; it really is the end of an era.”
“Don’t say that,” I said. “It’s not the end… it’s just the beginning of a new era.”
“All right,” Maddie conceded as she winked at me.
It was strange to think I wouldn’t be seeing Maddie every day anymore. She had been a constant presence in my life, more so than my own parents. It was a bittersweet goodbye but I wasn’t heartsick because I knew we were both in good places. We had our own lives and that needed to be the main focus. I contented myself with the knowledge that our friendship would always be there.
I hugged Tyler and Maddie one more time and then Dylan helped me into the U-Haul. I waved vigorously as Dylan started driving away. I waved until we turned the corner and lost sight of Maddie and Tyler.
“Are you ok?” Dylan asked as he reached out and took my hand.
“I’m fine,” I nodded. “I’m better than fine actually. I’m with you.”
Chapter Thirty-Eight
Dylan
We had been driving for only about an hour and a half when I took an exit and turned left on the highway.
“Where are you going?” Lizzie asked frowning as she looked around in confusion.
“You don’t recognize where we are?” I asked.
She seemed to concentrate a little harder and then I saw realization dawn. “The graffiti wall!” I exclaimed. “When did we last come here?”
“My parents took a bunch of us out here in our seventh year,” I said.
“That’s right,” Lizzie nodded. “Oh my God … that was over fifteen years ago.”
“Do you remember what we did?”
“There was a lake out here wasn’t there?” Lizzie asked. “Close to the graffiti wall?”
“A few miles west,” I replied as I turned into the parking lot and turned off the engine. “Are you up for a short walk?”
“Sure,” Lizzie nodded as she smiled brightly. She changed out Elvis’s water, gave him a consolation scratch and then I helped her out of the U-Haul.
Her body had blossomed in the last month. She finally looked pregnant, but if you didn’t look directly at her stomach you wouldn’t know it. She was lean and trim and the only slight difference I could see was a slight fullness about her face. Still, it looked natural on her; it made her seem younger somehow.
“Gosh the graffiti wall,” Lizzie said as we walked towards it. “I can’t believe it’s been so long.”
“Do you remember it?”
“Of course I remember it,” she said and her eyes went warm with the memory. “How could I ever forget?”
“I was so excited the night before,” I told her. “I didn’t sleep because I knew we were taking the trip and you were coming.”
“You sat next to me in the van,” Lizzie said fondly. “And you shared your chips with me.”
“That was a big deal,” I teased. “I never share chips with anyone.”
Lizzie laughed and slipped her hand into mine. We turned the corner and saw it squeezed in between large rock formations. It was so much smaller than my memory of it but that was to be expected. It was a colorful wall, filled with amazing graffiti that comprised of random names, poetry, and amazingly detailed images.
“We wrote our names on the wall,” Lizzie said in excitement as she ran straight to the wall. “I think it was the bottom right hand corner.”
“Here,” I said spotting Lizzie’s name first. “Here we are.”
My name was just next to Lizzie’s and right above Maddie’s. It was like a picture postcard of our childhood and a promise of the future to come. I stared at the sight of it. It was like my life had been categorized into parts. There were the Lizzie years; the Navy years and now the enlightenment era which found me back in Lizzie’s arms.
Lizzie was staring at the wall in delight. “This is amazing,” she said. “I never thought I’d be here again.”
“Do you remember what happened after we wrote our names here?” I asked.
She looked at me for a moment and then it hit her. “You took my hand and pulled me around to the other side,” she said. As she said the words, she grabbed my hand and pulled me around to the other side where the rock formations for more and more elaborate. “And when we were alone … you kissed me.”
“Our first kiss,” I smiled. “I didn’t know if I would have the courage to go through with it …”
“What made you do it?” Lizzie asked.
“I knew I couldn’t pass up the opportunity,” I admitted. “And I knew that if I didn’t do it, I would always regret it.”
“You knew that at thirteen?” Lizzie asked in amusement.
“I did,” I nodded. “Do you remember what happened after I kissed you?”
Lizzie’s smile got wider. “We carved our names into the stone,” she said turning around searchingly. “Just yours and mine.” She was so engrossed in the search that she didn’t notice what I was doing at all. “I found it,” she said excitedly. “Dylan … I found our names.”
When I didn’t respond she turned back to look at me and then she froze in place. She turned her whole body to face me as I lay on one knee waiting for her patiently.
“What are you doing?” she asked with a small smile.
I reached into my trouser pocket and took out the little, Tiffany box. “I have a gift and a question for you,” I said.
Lizzie broke out into a smiling laugh that lit up her entire face. She came towards me and cupped my face in her hands. “I thought we were going to wait,” she said and I knew she was close to happy tears. “There’s so much going on already.”
“To hell with waiting,” I said passionately. “I’m tired of waiting; life is not made for people who wait. I love you. You are the only woman I have ever loved and you’re the only woman I will ever love. Marry me.”
Her eyes were bright and blue and shining with tears that held my reflection. She could have said a million different things in that moment. She could have told me she loved me, kissed me, and asked me to promise her a million different things, but she didn’t. She stared into my eyes and said the one simple phrase that was more important than any other words she could have said in that moment.
“Yes, Dylan,” she said. “I will marry you.”
Epilogue
Eight Months Later
Elizabeth
I couldn’t help but take a peek out the window. The lake looked pristine and just underneath the shade of the oaks I could see the simple white arch that had been placed a few feet from the banks of the lake. I could see the pattern of ivy and lilacs that had been woven through it. The flowers looked like they were dancing every time the wind brushed past.
I turned from the
window and moved towards the full-length mirror that had been set up just for me. I stared at my reflection, slightly in awe of my own appearance. The dress I had chosen was a simple, silk sheath that billowed slightly at the train. The tiny cap sleeves comprised of intricate lace detail and a few seed pearls woven throughout. The back of the dress featured a deep neckline with lace overlay.
My hair had been brushed to a glossy sheen and it was draped around my shoulders without any adornments. My makeup was pared back, too, with coal accents on my eyes, blush, and nude lipstick to finish off the look. I had opted out of wearing a veil; I wanted everything to be as simple as possible. For the first time that day, I felt like a bride.
At that moment, the door opened and Louisa walked in. She was wearing a silver dress with a matching dress coat and I could tell that she was happy. I was still getting used to calling her by her first name. Somehow it didn’t feel comfortable yet.
“Hi,” I smiled.
“Oh, Lizzie,” she sighed. “You look perfect.”
“Thank you.”
“Where’s my grandson?”
“He’s sleeping,” I said gesturing towards the little cot next to the bed. “Thank you for taking him last night.”
“Of course,” Louisa nodded. “You needed your beauty sleep.”
We both moved towards the crib at the same time. Daniel was sleeping face up with his chubby, little hands in fists on either side of his head. His hair was a deep brown like Dylan’s, but I knew that the blue of his eyes were closer in color to mine.
“He’s a handsome fellow, isn’t he?” Louisa said fondly.
“He is,” I nodded. “He takes after his father in that way.”
“I would say he’s a pretty good mix of both his parents,” Louisa said gently. She looked towards me and took my hand. “I’m so happy that you and Dylan decided to have the wedding in Bastrop and to get married here, in our home.”
“It was the only place either one of us would even consider,” I said. “It’s our home.”
“I only wish that Derek had been alive to see this,” Louisa said with a catch in her voice. “And to meet his grandson.”
“I wish that too,” I nodded squeezing her hand. “Dylan and I tell Daniel stories about his grandfather all the time.”