Love Goes On

by Crystal Britton

  “What’s so bad about romance movies?”

  “I like romance movies, but sometimes they bore me.”

  “So you’re saying you have to be in the mood to watch them?”

  “Yeah, and right now I’m not in the mood.” He yawned.

  “Maybe it’s because you’re sleepy?”

  “That’s half of it.”

  “What’s the other half?”

  “I’m sad that Riley’s going home tomorrow. I’ve loved having her here.”

  “She had so much fun here, but I know Mom is ready to have her back.”

  He chuckled. “Alana is probably not going to get any sleep tonight knowing Riley’s going to be home tomorrow.”

  I smiled. “We’ll find that out when we Mom tomorrow.”

  “Come cuddle with me.” He gestured as I lay down on top of him with my head on his chest. He covered us with a blanket. “Now this I like.”

  “Me too.” We watched the movie as I felt a knot in my chest. Knowing that Riley had to go home made I upset. I wish she was older so she could spend more time with us, but sooner than I know it Riley will be a teenager pestering me like no tomorrow. I giggled.

  “What’s so funny?”

  I looked at him. “Nothing.” He continued to watch TV while I continued to think about what an awesome time we had with Riley this weekend.

  Sunday morning Kaden and I played with Riley until we took her back home. Mom was so happy to have Riley home, but Riley on the other hand wasn’t happy that she couldn’t leave with Kaden and me. After a while thought Riley was pushing Kaden and I out the door telling us to go home.

  When Kaden and I got back home we felt like the house was too quiet. Riley had really made the house seem more alive when she was laughing and running around. Now it seemed like two old folks were living here.

  “I’m going to miss Riley being here,” Kaden stated.

  “She was so much fun to have around,” I replied.

  “I’m glad she likes me. That would really suck if she didn’t.”

  “I smiled. “Who couldn’t like you, Kaden?”

  He chuckled. “I’m sure she’s driving your Mom and Dad crazy telling them how much fun she had here.”

  “That’s if they can understand everything she says. She doesn’t talk too clearly yet.”

  He chuckled. “She is full of excitement and energy. I hope our kids are like that.”

  “I hope they do silly things too like Riley.”

  “Our kids are going to be great!”

  I giggled. “They’ll be the best that they can be.”

  He grinned. “Since you’re not going to college; when did you want to try for kids?”

  “I know that I want us to be husband and wife and have a stable home first.”

  “Do I sound like I’m pushing you into having kids?”

  “Sometimes.”

  He sighed. “I’m sorry, Sara. My mom always said I was in a rush from the moment I was born.”

  I giggled. “Boy was she right.”

  He smiled. “I still think you should go to college.”

  “I still have my mind set on not going.”

  “I want you to go. Your Dad would be so proud of you! Don’t you want to make him proud?”

  “I want to make him proud of me more than anything and I felt like a total ass when I told him I didn’t want to attend college.”

  “Well, I think you should do the right thing and make him proud.” He smiled.

  “I’m going to have to think about it.”

  “I’ve tried my best to convince you to go.”

  “I know.” I sighed. “If I do go I’ll have to find a college in Rome.”

  “There are great colleges in Rome.”

  “Everyone seems like they really want me to attend college. I don’t know what the big deal is about it.”

  “The big deal is that you can major in something that will take you places in life. You’re Mom and Dad, your Dad especially wants to see you make something of your life.”

  “I am making something of my life with you.”

  He smiled. “I think you should go. You shouldn’t take back what you said you would do.”

  I sighed. “I think I’ll make my dad proud.” I smiled.

  He grinned. “When are you going to tell you Dad?”

  “In a day or two.”

  “Why can’t you tell him now?”

  “Because I’m spending much needed time with you.”

  He smiled as we kissed. “You’re the sunshine of my day.”

  “Awe, that’s sweet. Where do you come up with these sayings? Do you have a poem book hidden that you read when I’m not around” I joked.

  He laughed. “If you searched for it you’d never find it because the words come from my brain.”

  “Oh, that’s weird because I didn’t think you had a brain.”

  “Oh, really.” He tickled me.

  “No, Kaden!” I laughed so much I fell on the floor. He automatically climbed on top of me so I couldn’t get away. “Kaden, stop! Please!” I yelled at him through laughter.

  He stopped as he leaned down and kissed me. “Now that will teach you.” He grinned.

  “Yeah, it did,” I huffed.

  “You know I love you.”

  “I love you too. No more tickling.”

  “Alright, no more tonight.”

  I nudged him. “I mean it.”

  He smiled. “I mean it too.”

  I giggled. “Kaden, don’t make me make you regret this.”

  He laughed. “What are you going to do to me?”

  “Make you strip your clothes off and run around naked screaming, “My fiancé is the greatest in the world!”

  He laughed. “That wouldn’t make me regret anything because you are the greatest and you would be the only one seeing my naked ass.”

  I eyed him knowing I should have explained myself better. “I would like to take Riley for a ride on Mackenzie.” I quickly changed the subject.

  “She’d really enjoy that! We should visit my parents next weekend and take Riley with us.”

  “That’s a great idea! We have to see if Mom and Dad will allow us to take Riley that far away.”

  “I’m sure they will not mind.”

  “Going that far away, I’m not sure?”

  “We will go for a visit tomorrow after you get out of school and I’ll ask them.”

  “Are you sure you have this under control? Do you think you’ll need a side kick?”

  Ha chuckled. “No, I have got this.”

  I giggled. “Okay, I’m here if you need me.”

  “I’m pretty sure I don’t need your assistance.”

  “If they say no don’t depend on me to convince them to let her go.”

  “I said I got this, Babe.” He winked.

  I was hoping that Kaden could convince my parents to let Riley go to Rome with us, but in my heart I felt like this situation wasn’t going to go our way.

  31

  Dad’s Love

  Kaden asked my parents if we could take Riley to Rome and at first they didn’t agree, but come Thursday the day before we were going to leave they decided to let her go only because she begged them day in and day out. After I got out of school Friday evening we picked up Riley, got onto the plane and headed to Rome.

  “See horse, see horse, see horse,” Riley constantly repeated.

  Kaden and I laughed. “You will see Mackenzie soon enough. She’s my horse and I haven’t seen her since Kaden and I last visited and I’m calm,” I explained.

  She stared at me like I was crazy. “See horse,” Riley continued to repeat.

  I sighe
d as I looked out the window while Kaden calmed her down by giving her crayons and coloring books.

  He sat next to me. “Enjoying the ride?” Kaden quizzed.

  I turned and smiled at him. “Definitely,” I responded.

  He chuckled. “I finally got her to calm down.”

  “I’ve noticed.”

  “She’s so excited about this trip.”

  “She’s a silly girl, but I’m glad she’s excited.”

  “I wonder how Kyle made it to Lucy’s.”

  “That’s right. I almost forgot that he was going to visit her.”

  “Yeah, call her and see if he made it.”

  He played with Riley while I texted Lucy.

  “Lucy, how are you?” I asked.

  She didn’t text me back for a couple of minutes. “Call me! I have great news!” Lucy replied.

  I called her and she answered on the third ring.

  “Hello?” Lucy answered.

  “Lucy, it’s Sara,” I responded.

  “Sara, I am so happy!”

  “That’s great! Did Kyle make it?”

  “He sure did. He’s sitting right here.”

  “That’s good.”

  “He’s such a great guy! Sara, he is everything I ever wanted in a guy. Thank you so much for introducing us.”

  “I’m glad to hear that and you’re welcome.”

  “My family loves him too.”

  “That’s always nice.”

  She giggled. “Yes, it is. Where are you and Kaden?”

  “On a plane headed to Rome with my little sister.”

  “Oh, you’re going to Rome?”

  “I want Riley to see and take a ride on Mackenzie.”

  “Well, have fun. I have to spend as much time as I can witty Kyle because he’s heading back to Rome tonight.”

  “He’s not staying?” I quizzed as I peered at Kaden He came over and sat next to me.

  ‘“No, he says he wants to see you and Kaden.”

  “How did he know we were going to Rome?”

  “My parents,” Kaden whispered.

  “I don’t know?” Lucy replied.

  “Oh, well, never mind. Have a good time with him. Bye,” I said.

  “Bye. Talk to you soon.” I hung up.

  “I can’t believe my parents told him,” Kaden stated.

  “Why did they do that? They ruined our trip,” I replied angrily.

  “Sara, my parents didn’t ruin our trip.”

  “Yeah, they did because Kyle was supposed to spend this whole weekend with Lucy and now since he knows we are coming to Rome he won’t stay with her.”

  “I guess they did ruin it.”

  “Yeah, I’d pretty much say so.”

  “Well, maybe I can convince him to stay?”

  “No, forget it. Let him come home.”

  “You want to see him?”

  “Not really, I was hoping he would make a connection with Lucy, but since he’s going back to Rome that chance just flew out the window.”

  “Maybe he wants to come back so he can tell you what a great girl Lucy is.”

  “Who knows what’s going through his mind. I just hope his chance with Lucy isn’t ruined.”

  “If Kyle thinks anything of her he’ll date her.”

  “I sure hope so. Lucy seems to like him a lot.”

  “He’ll like her back. If not now he will in time.”

  “I just hope he doesn’t take too long to like her back. Lucy might get the impression that he doesn’t want to go any further than the friend zone.”

  He chuckled. “You have to give them time, Sara. Things will work out the way they’re supposed to be.”

  “I’m going to blame myself if they get together and one breaks the others heart or if Lucy wants to go further than dating or what not and Kyle refuses; then I’ll feel like an idiot for having them meet.”

  “You can’t control what happens, Sara.”

  “I wish I could.”

  He smiled as he kissed my cheek then he went back to playing with Riley. I peered out of the window. All I saw were clouds, but they made me feel like I was floating. Soon my eyelids would no longer stay open. I drifted into a dreamy slumber. When we arrived at Kaden’s parents castle it was five in the evening. Kaden and I immediately took Riley to the barn to see Mackenzie.

  “Wow!” Riley exclaimed as we petted Mackenzie.

  “I’ve missed you, Mackenzie,” I said. Mackenzie neighed which frightened Riley because she jumped.

  “Ride horse?” Riley asked.

  “After we greet my family you can,” Kaden said as he took Riley from me.

  “Now!” Riley demanded.

  Kaden and I laughed. “I’ll be there in a little bit,” I said as I petted Mackenzie.

  “Alright, I’m taking the pugs inside,” Kaden said as he kissed me then he walked off.

  “I’ve missed you a lot, Mackenzie.” I kissed and hugged her. I opened her stall and started brushing her as I looked her over to make sure she has been well taken care of. “Looks like Kyle has done a good job caring for you.”

  “I sure have,” A guy’s voice said from outside of the stall. I walked around Mackenzie to see Kyle standing there.

  “Kyle!” I exclaimed as I ran out of the stall and hugged him.

  “How have you been?” Kyle asked as I began to brush Mackenzie. Kyle stood in the doorway staring at me.

  “You’re making me nervous staring at me,” I informed him.

  He chuckled. “I’m staring at you because you haven’t answered my question.”

  “I’m doing fine. Thanks for asking.”

  “I like how you and Kaden try and hook me up with you friend that you’re not even that close to.”

  “Oh, she told you?”

  “Yeah, she did.”

  “Oops.” I shrugged my shoulders.

  “Yeah, oops is right.”

  “Look we did it to help you.”

  “Help me what? Get over my ex?”

  “That’s what we were hoping would happen.”

  “I don’t see that happening anytime soon. My heart is stuck on my ex.”

  “We didn’t do it to make you date her asap. You can at least be her friend.”

  “I could, but by the way she acts; she already wants to date me.”

  “Well, you can at least get to know her and make it clear you’re not looking for a relationship right now.”

  “I don’t want to be her friend. I don’t want to hurt her.”

  I peered at him confused. “How would you hurt her?”

  “I’m not interested in her. Don’t get me wrong she’s damn sexy, but all I see her as right now is a friend with benefits.”

  “Kyle! You’re mean!”

  “I still want to be with my ex, but I figured I could mess around with Lucy until my ex comes back to me.”

  “Well, I’m not letting you treat Lucy like this! I thought you were more respectful than this! Get over your ex already! She’s not coming back!”

  He chuckled. “Calm down, Sara. I’m only joking! I would never treat a girl like that.”

  I eyed him angrily. “You’re not funny, you know that?”

  He chuckled as Kaden and Riley walked toward us.

  “Riley’s ready for a horse ride now,” Kaden informed me.

  “Okay, I’ll saddle Mackenzie then we can go for a ride,” I smiled as I grabbed the items for the horse. I took Riley through all the trails. When we arrived back at the barn Kaden was waiting for us by Mackenzie’s stall. I handed Riley to him then I jumped down and began to unsaddle Mackenzie.

  “Did you have fun?” Kaden asked Riley.


  “Yes!” Riley replied happily.

  When Kaden set Riley down she ran over to pet the other horses that pleasantly leaned their heads down to her level. As I dried Mackenzie off Kaden walked over to Riley and started telling her about each horse. When I finished drying off Mackenzie we went inside and ate dinner. Then Kaden, Riley and I each bathed and dressed for bed.

  “What are we doing tomorrow?” I asked Kaden.

  “We could take Riley on another horse ride or we could figure out something else to do.” Kaden quizzed.

  “Why don’t you take her to Rome’s best toy store,” I suggested.

  “Sound good to you, Riley?” Kaden asked.

  “Toy, toy, toy!” Riley stated happily.

  “Hold on a minute, I realized you didn’t include yourself in this trip,” Kaden grinned.

  “I was going to hang out with Kyle,” I stated.

  “Why?”

  “I need to see what he really thinks about Lucy since he had to make a joke of it earlier.”

  He chuckled. “That’s nothing new from Kyle.”

  After a while Riley fell asleep and we put her in the bed Kaden and I were sharing since we didn’t have a bed for her. Kaden and I went into the library to talk while a maid kept an eye on Riley.

  “I wish you would leave the Kyle and Lucy situation alone and come toy shopping with Riley and me tomorrow,” Kaden suggested.

  “Kaden, I can’t let Lucy down,” I replied.

  “She’s not going to hate you if things don’t work out between them.”

  I sighed. “She already has googley eyes for him.”

  “Let me guess. Kyle doesn’t have interest in Lucy?”

  “I don’t know? That’s why I need to talk to him tomorrow.”

  “Is this really that important that you have to put off going to the toy store with Riley and me?”

  “It may not be that important to you, but it is to me. I’m not going to let Lucy get hurt.”

  “You’re not always going to prevent Lucy from getting hurt by boys.”

  “I can prevent it this time.”

  He laughed. “Let fate take control.”

  “I can’t. Not this time.”

  He smiled as he shook his head negatively. “There’s no stopping you.”

  I grinned. “I’m going to do the best that I can do to get them together and keep them together.”