Dad loves Becky like I love Becky. She’s an integral part of this family. She may not be blood related, but Becky has cemented her status in our home over the years.
I make my way to Elijah, and link our fingers together. He turns his head to gift me with a nervous smile. “It’s okay,” I say to him in a hushed tone and squeeze his fingers to confirm it.
“Your dad hates me.”
“No, he doesn’t. He’s just kinda protective of me.”
“I’m sweating bullets over here,” he whispers to me.
I chuckle and bring my hand up to rest on his back. Elijah lets my other hand go to weave his arm around my waist and draw me into him. Dad’s eyes go directly to us, where he gives Elijah a death stare. He starts to move away, but I grab hold of his hand and keep him exactly where he is.
Saved by the bell! Or the knocking on the door. “Pizza!” Mom yells and heads over to get the food. Dad follows, but not before scowling at Elijah.
“Does your dad own a shotgun?” Elijah asks.
“What? No, not to my knowledge.”
He exhales a shaky breath and then breathes in deep. “Thank God. My life won’t end before my birthday.”
I smack his shoulder lightly, laughing at him. “My Dad won’t kill you . . .”
“Phew.” He pretends to wipe sweat off his brow.
“You didn’t let me finish.”
“Oh great,” he groans.
“He won’t kill you, unless you do something to hurt me.”
“Fantastic, so I’ll have your dad and Becky after me. Lucky I have no intentions of hurting you. That means I won’t need to leave the state, change my name, dye my hair and go into witness protection.”
“As long as you don’t hurt me, then you’ll be fine.”
“Wait up a second, what if you hurt me?” he asks in a serious tone.
“Dinner!” Mom calls, walking through the family room to go into the kitchen.
Both Elijah and I head into the kitchen, where Becky has already got the lid open to a box and is feeding a huge slice into her mouth. “Me hurt you?” I ask. Then I turn to Becky. “Seriously, can’t you wait?” I tease.
“I’m hungry.” Dad lightly smacks her on the back of the head again, and she turns to grin at him with the pizza hanging out of her mouth.
He shakes his head, and looks over to Mom to help him. Mom just grins as she opens the other box and lays them out on the kitchen counter.
“Well? What if you hurt me?” Elijah asks again.
“I won’t hurt you,” I reply.
“By the way,” Elijah reaches over and hands me a piece of pizza then gets one for himself. “I’m taking you on a date on Saturday night.”
“Are you? Where are we going?” Becky interjects.
“You’re not coming. Only Alice and I are going,” Elijah responds.
“Who’s going where?” Dad pipes up and asks.
Elijah’s face falters, the vein in the side of his neck jumps when he turns to look at Dad. “Um . . .” his voice is all croaky and he takes a second to clear it. “Um, I’d like to take your daughter out on a date, Mr. Brackman,” he nervously says. I clutch at his hand, finding Dad’s reaction quite amusing. Poor Elijah.
“And where do you think you’ll be taking her?” Dad shoots back straight away.
Mom puts her hand on Dad’s shoulder and lets out a laugh. “Mike, take it easy,” she says. Dad’s shoulders were sitting high, but the moment Mom touched him, they relaxed. “It’s okay,” she adds then leans in to give him a kiss.
“I want to know where he’s taking my daughter.”
“Michael,” Mom warns.
“I’d love to tell you, Mr. Brackman but I don’t want Alice to hear, perhaps we can go out back for a moment?” Elijah offers.
Kudos to Elijah. Dad’s still giving him death stares, but he’s persistent in trying to get on his good side.
“Okay. We can go out to the back yard.” Dad leads the way, and Elijah drops my hand to follow him out.
As soon as they disappear out the door, Becky and Mom both look at me and widen their eyes. “Boy’s got balls,” Becky states.
“Becky,” Mom barks at her. “But yes, he does. I have to say, your father isn’t making it easy for him, but he’s taking it well.”
I’m too busy looking toward the back door, waiting for Dad and Elijah to return when Becky nudges me. “What?”
“I said; so you passed your exam, hey?”
“Yeah I did,” I announce proudly.
“Who did you have to pay?” she mocks me.
“Yeah, about that, Mom have you got a spare hundred bucks?” I ask and laugh.
I keep looking at the back door, and I almost expect for Dad to return with a huge smile on his face, triumphant on his victory of getting rid of Elijah. “Stop it,” Mom says sternly to me.
“I’m just nervous. I’ve never had a boyfriend before, and I have no idea what they’re talking about.”
The back door opens, and Dad waltzes in with a huge smile. Déjà vu of a few seconds ago overtakes me, and I hold my breath awaiting the return of my boyfriend. Seconds pass, but it feels like hours. Then Elijah comes in behind Dad with a huge smile on his face.
“Everything okay?” Mom asks Dad.
Dad nods his head and winks at Mom. Mom is like a school girl, she giggles when Dad says or does certain things, like when he winks at her.
Elijah comes and stands beside me, and leans over the kitchen counter to grab a piece of pizza. He’s got a goofy look on his face, and he’s avoiding me. “So?” I ask.
“So?” Elijah replies before shoving the pizza into his mouth.
“Are you going to tell me how it went?”
“How what went?”
“Elijah!” I growl toward him. “Stop being aloof.”
“Here we go again, you and your smart words.”
“‘Aloof’ isn’t a smart word. It’s just a damned word.”
“Smart people use words like ‘aloof.’” He shoves the rest of the pizza in his mouth.
“Elijah!” I almost yell. Becky turns to look at me, as do my parents.
“Eating.” He points to his mouth and shrugs his shoulders. Dad laughs from behind him and I feel like stomping my foot and folding my arms in front of my chest like a two-year-old throwing a tantrum.
“Calm down, Alley-cat. They’re just doing it to get under your skin,” Becky says.
“I know, but I wish they wouldn’t.”
Elijah swallows down the pizza and looks at me. “It’s all good. Your dad and I are on the same page. He likes the idea I’ve got for our date.”
“Oh,” I say feeling bashful and embarrassed. “That’s good. Want to tell me what we’re doing for our date?”
“Yeah about that . . . no.” Elijah picks up another piece and starts eating it. I tilt my head at him and give him an ‘are you kidding me look.’ But he sniggers toward me, while eating. “Are you eating?” he asks when his mouth is empty.
“I’ve had enough,” I answer.
“You’ve only had half a piece,” Becky says.
“Yeah, I’m not really hungry. I think this whole situation has left me feeling like, you know,” I say not really able to verbalize how I feel.
“What the hell are you talking about?” Becky asks.
“Yeah, fill me in too,” Elijah says.
“I think you and Dad have made me lose my appetite. I was so nervous when you two went outside.” I look to where my parents are, and I notice they’ve gravitated out to the family room, leaving me Becky and Elijah in the kitchen.
“You’re dad’s cool. Don’t sweat it, princess.”
“Aw, look at you two. He’s already calling you ‘princess.’ How cute.” Becky mimes gagging, teasing toward us. “How sweet,” her voice comes across all saccharine. Which makes me laugh. “What?”
“You. Where’s Laurie tonight?” I ask.
“Who knows? He’s gotta be around somewhere,” she c
asually replies. “Probably at home. Don’t know.”
“I propose a toast,” Mom says as she and Dad come back into the kitchen. We all grab our glasses and lift them in the air. “To my little girl. You make us proud to be your parents every single day, especially today with you passing your advanced level ballet exam. We’re so proud of you. Well done, sweetheart.” Mom holds up her glass and clinks it with Dad’s. Everyone leans in and clinks their glasses.
Once dinner is over, Elijah, Becky and I head outside and sit under the old, huge red maple tree we have at the back of the yard. We’ve lived in this house all my life, and Dad’s always wanted to get rid of the tree, but I love it. Dad built me a swing large enough for three people, and while the weather’s warm I sometimes like to come out here and sit in it under the moon. I don’t do it as much as I used to when I was younger, but now that summer vacation is almost here, I’ll be using it much more often.
Becky runs off toward the tree and sits up against the thick, ragged trunk. When Elijah and I get to the tree, I sit on the swing and Elijah sits beside me.
“I love this tree,” I say.
“Remember when we were little, and I pushed you so hard you went flying off the swing and landed face first on the ground? You had a black eye and grazes down the side of your face?” Becky laughs.
“Yeah I do. Hey, why do I remember it’s always me who’s getting in trouble and you’re always the instigator?”
“Nah, that’s not true. Remember when . . .” she pauses and looks out toward the low hanging moon. “When . . .”
“Clutching at straws, my friend. See? I told you.”
“I swear to God, you do shit to me all the time too.”
“Name two things I’ve done to you? Two!” I dare her, holding up two fingers. Becky is lost for words. “Aha! You can’t, because it’s always you who gets me in the shit.”
Becky groans and looks up at the tree. “I love it when fall is here and the leaves start turning red.”
Elijah chuckles and I look over to him. “What?” he asks.
“You’re laughing.”
“I’m laughing because Becky is the master of distraction.”
“Am not,” Becky announces.
“So name two things Alice has done to you that has gotten you in the shit.”
Becky stands and wipes the soil off her butt. She turns her nose up at us and says, “I don’t have to stay here and take this from either of you. I’m going in for a shower and then to bed. Goodnight.” Though she’s pretending to be offended, she’s smiling as she marches up toward the house.
“God, that was easier than I thought,” Elijah says and I chuckle. “I’m happy to have you to myself, though.”
He hops off the swing, stands behind me and starts pushing me. “Are you going to tell me what you and Dad talked about?”
“Nope. Next question.”
“How was work tonight?”
“It was okay. Dad wasn’t too happy about me leaving early. Says I’m not showing responsibility and commitment to work.”
“And your Mom changed his mind?”
“Kinda. Well, yeah. I may or may not have talked to her about you.”
“About me?” I turn to look at him from over my shoulder.
“Yeah, about you.”
“Uh, like what type of stuff?”
“Well,” his voice cracks. “Let’s say she knows how much I like you. And she knows what you mean to me.”
My face floods with heat and I don’t want to turn around and look at him again. My entire body surges with warmth, a giddiness dancing around in my stomach. “Is that so?” my own voice defies me. I want to ask him what she knows, and what he’s told her, but instead, I keep quiet. Suddenly my elation becomes sadness, because what if he talks to his mom about all the girls he’s been with?
And as if he’s reading my thoughts he adds, “And just so you know, you’re the first girl I’ve ever talked to Mom about.”
Drawing my brows together, I turn and look at Elijah. “How did you know what I was thinking?”
“Your shoulders tightened and you held your breath.” I did? “And I knew what you were thinking.”
I breathe in a few times, letting the tension in the air drift away. “So what did you tell your mom?”
“Nope, not telling.” He keeps pushing me on the swing. “Your parents are checking us out.”
I look toward the back of the house where the kitchen overlooks the back yard, and notice a figure at the window. “They’re probably making sure we’re not up to anything.”
“I’m pushing you on the swing. But truthfully, I’d like to kiss you.”
My cheeks hurt because I’m smiling so much. “I’d like that too,” I admit looking down at the few leaves laying on the ground.
Elijah stops pushing me, and walks around to face me. He grabs onto the rope to stop the swing from moving. Standing in front of me, he waits until I’m still then weaves his left hand into my hair. Swooping down he passes his lips tenderly over mine. His kiss isn’t overpowering, or dominating. It’s sweet and gentle.
Finally, he pulls away and kisses my nose. “You’re so beautiful,” he says. “I love kissing you. I think it’s my new favorite pastime.”
Breathless, I keep looking into his eyes. “Kissing me?”
“I’d be kissing you every minute of the day if I could.”
I roll my eyes at him and shake my head. “Seriously, do lines like that actually work?”
“Oh man.” He clutches at his chest and stumbles backward. “What a way to hurt a guy.”
“Well, come on. It’s quite a sappy thing for you to say.”
“Then you’re not going to like what I say next.”
“What?” I smile up at him.
“That you’re the most perfect girl I’ve ever fallen for.”
Boom! My heart explodes. How sweet. “Fallen for, huh?”
“Fallen so damned hard.”
“Whoa,” I breathe looking up into his fierce eyes. “Intense.”
“You’re amazing, princess. Just the way you are, you’re my perfect woman.”
Smiling, I can’t help but fall for Elijah with his pretty words and beautiful soul.
I hop off the swing, and go straight to him. I throw myself at him, kissing him with heat, passion, and everything I have. His hands are on my lower back, and he lifts my t-shirt to rest them at the small of my back. His warmth on me is sending me crazy. I want more of his heat on me. I want more of him.
This time it’s me who pulls away from the kiss.
“Jesus, that was hot,” he says as he takes a few steps back.
“Then why are you walking away?” The answer strikes me and I let out a small pained chuckle. “Never mind, no need to reply.”
Elijah comes back within a few moments and says, “Sorry, I just needed a moment.” He clears his throat and looks away from me with a huge smirk on his face.
“I get it.” I am embarrassed and unsure of what to say to him. “Maybe we should go inside?”
“Maybe in another moment or two.”
Bringing my hands up, I bury my face in them and laugh. Elijah starts laughing too at the interesting turn of events. When I finally calm down, I move my hands away and go sit back on the huge swing. “I have to be truthful about something.”
“What?” Elijah sits beside me. “Is everything okay?” He links our fingers together and begins using his body weight to get the swing to gently glide.
“I like it when you kiss me.”
“Trust me, I love kissing you.” He pinches the bridge of his nose and adds, “Way too much.” Then he lets out another chuckle.
I figure I better change the conversation before it becomes too weird. “So tell me about this date.”
“Oh, you’re good. You almost had me too. But no, I’m not telling you anything. Hey, did you know it’s my birthday soon?”
“No, when is it?”
“Third week of vacation,” he a
nswers.
“Have you got any plans for it?” Please say I’m included.
“I was going to see if you wanted to go to the beach for the day.”
“The beach?”
“I love it there. If there was one place I could live, anywhere in the world, it would be somewhere where the beach is my backyard.”
“Really?”
“Yeah. How about you?”
I think about it for a moment, and look toward my tree. “For me, I’d want to live somewhere where I can have a tree exactly like this one.” My eyes roam over the low hanging branches, and I close them, taking in a big sniff. “There’s something magical when it rains in summer, and the water drips off the leaves gifting us with the most amazing fragrance. I couldn’t imagine living anywhere that didn’t have a tree like this in my back yard.”
Opening my eyes again, I notice Elijah staring at me. “I can’t help it, Alice.”
I tilt my head to the side. “Can’t help what?”
“Can’t help falling for you more and more.”
My heart seizes with a feeling I wasn’t expecting quite so early on in our relationship. Elijah’s gorgeous gray eyes blaze toward me, causing adrenaline to flood my veins. Damn it, Alice, you’re a goner. And I think Elijah is too.
“Wake up, we’ve got to get ready for school,” Becky nudges me awake.
“What?” I mumble.
“School, we’ve got to get ready. Hurry up.” She nudges me on the leg to wake me up.
I slowly make my hands into fists and stretch in bed. My right hand and left foot have pins and needles. “Man, I must’ve slept in a weird position last night,” I mumble as I try to move my foot and hand to get rid of the pesky feeling.
“What’s wrong?” Becky is already up and fixing her hair before I’m even remotely ready to drag my tired ass out of bed.
“I’ve got pins and needles.”
“I don’t know how, you were moving around all night. You even kicked me a few times.”
“Did I?” I ask. I throw the thin cover back and sit up in bed. Banging my foot on the ground, I try to get rid of the numbing feeling. It takes a few minutes of me bashing my foot against the carpet, but the sensation leaves. “I must be exhausted.”
Dying Wish Page 13