Up for the Chase

by Nicole Tetterton

  “Can you come watch Av?” I quickly ask her.

  “Why?” she asks, just making sure that we are on the same page.

  “Because I have to go to the airport."

  “I’ll be there in five minutes.” The line goes dead.

  Chase

  After a couple of minutes I hear the older man clear his throat and look to me again, “Sometimes the most fun in a relationship is the fight to keep it going, if you don’t fight for it, it will fall to pieces.”

  “That’s what happened last time. I let her go. That’s what has happened every time. I have just given up so easily.” I don’t know why I’m telling him this, but I just feel as if I can trust him.

  “Well then it’s not too late.” I hear him say as the loud speaker tells us that our flight is boarding. “Go and get her.” I smile at him and stand up before looking over to him.

  “I’m sorry sir, what is your name?”

  “Matt,” and I stand, staring at him. I see the twinkle in his eye and my heart stops. Now I’m definitely crazy. “Go get her, Chase.” I stand still staring at him.

  “I never told you my name.” I mumble out and he smiles back at me.

  “It’s on your bag.” He smiles at me but something about his smile reminds me of my brother.

  “Right,” I walk away, but when I look back he is still smiling to me,

  “Tell, Ariana the truth,” He stands staring at me and I close my eyes trying to grasp myself and when I open them again he’s gone,

  “Weird,” I mumble to myself but I let it drop in my brain and begin to run through the airport.

  “I’m sorry I just dropped off a car and I was wondering if I could still use it for a few another day?”

  Ariana

  “God, Hannah, it took you forever to get here.”

  “I’m sorry, I came as fast as I could.” She defends herself.

  “It’s 11:30” I say looking at the clock and then back to her, “I have to get across town and hope that he hasn’t boarded,”

  “Buy a ticket if you have to stay there if it comes to it, I’ll Watch Av tonight.”

  “Thanks,” I lean over and I actually kiss her on the cheek before both of us start to laugh,

  “That was weird, never doing that again.” She laughs at me as I rush out of my house and towards the parking garage that I have my car in.

  Chase

  I whip my car into the parking spot where I know that Ariana parks her car in. I jump out of the car and look over seeing her car sitting in its usual spot I run down the stairs in record time and down the sidewalk until l get to her street and I rush across the street and toward the house, running up the stairs I pound on the door and I watch it swing open as Hannah stands staring at me,

  “Chase, what are you doing here?” she asks me, stunned but she’s smiling.

  “Where is she?” I demand to know.

  “She just went to go and find you.” she tells me and I shout out profanities.

  “Daddy,” I hear Avery say to me and rush towards me I lean down and pick her up hugging her quickly and then putting her back down.

  “Baby, I will be back shortly but I have to go for right now. I will be back soon though. I promise. I love you.” I shout to her as I rush down the steps that lead up to the house and run back down the sidewalk and toward the parking garage. She must just left. I must have past her on my way down here.

  Ariana

  I run up the steps toward the 3 level and I yank the door open quickly, I have to get to the airport before noon, before he leaves to go back to Orlando, without us.

  I lock the car into reverse and I peel out of the space, although it doesn’t matter how fast I am going I constantly sound like I am in a high speed chase in any parking garage. I am going faster than I usually do as I am going down the ramp and as I make the turn coming down the ramp and toward the road at the bottom, I have to slam on the brakes as I see a person walk out in front of where my car will break the plane.

  “Shit,” I shout inside my car.

  Chase

  I hear the squealing of tires as the car comes to a stop just at my kneecaps.

  Ariana

  “Chase,” I shout as I push the door open, “What are you doing I thought your flight was at noon.” I run over to him as he flings his arms around me and pulls me into him, and then up to his mouth and forcefully kissing me as he holds onto my body. Time manages to slow down as his mouth indulges mine. When he finally pulls back he looks to me and he smirks.

  “You were coming to get me.” I nod my head coyly and he can’t help but laugh.

  “What are you doing here?” I ask stunned.

  “I came to fight for you. I realized sitting in the terminal that I was being an idiot.”

  “But I was the one walking away.” I tell him lowering my head.

  “Yes, but I should have never let you. I should have fought harder for you.” l smile and then I push my mouth up to his as he divulges on my mouth again.

  I’m not sure how long the horns have been honking as I pull away from him and giggle. “I have to move my car.”

  “Let’s move it then.” He says taking my keys and walking me over to the passenger seat and opening the door for me. I slide in as I watch him walk around the front of the car. Although he has changed significantly from the boy I met years ago, he is still as attractive to me as he was the first day I met him. I see a flash of the young carefree kid that strolled up to me that day I stood in front of the larger water slide. He turns to me as he slides in and he smiles at me. There was never any doubting my feelings for him or his for mine, even over the years that he wasn’t around. Maybe deep down I always knew that we would find our way back to one another. He maneuvers the car around the city block and back into the garage and up to my spot. When he finally cuts the engine off I look up to him and grin. I watch his mouth as it comes closer to mine and he is grinning from ear to car. I can’t help but feel something changing.

  I ungracefully slide over the middle console and into his lap stranding him. I smirk to him as I let my lips crush down on his and I pull the lever on the seat letting it fall back.

  “Ariana, what are you doing?” He asks.

  “Finishing what we started years ago If only we had the GTO.” I state as his eyes flare, “But we can always practice and get it right in it.”

  “You’re killing me.” he says causing me to laugh. I bring my lips down to his again and kiss him more forcefully this time and grind my hips into his. I hear him moan out. With almost one motion I hear his zipper down and then feel him pull my shorts down to the floor as I position myself just right. I feel him enter and I can hardly contain myself.

  “Chase,” I moan into his ear as he thrust into me.

  “Do you want to get ice cream?” he asks into my ear as I lie in the passenger seat and look over to him nodding my head. “Let’s crack a window and then get some.” We close the doors behind us as Chase hits the lock button on the key FOB and he slings his arm across my shoulders.

  “Ariana,” he says as he stops and looks up to me again. I feel uneasy as he smiles and instantly calm me down, “I love you."

  “I love you too Chase.”

  After we order our ice cream and walk out to the water and sit, eating our cold tasty treats. “I want to ask you something but it sounds crazy,” he says setting clown his ice cream.

  “What is it?” I question him.

  “I came here because I had a conversation with an old man at the airport. He explained to me that I was being stupid; that I needed to fight for you.”

  “That doesn’t sound weird.” I tell him.

  “No it doesn’t until I tell you that his name was Matt, and it was crazy because he reminded me so much of him.”

  “Maybe it’s just a coincidence.” I explain to him hoping that is what he is searching for.

  “No, he knew my name. He said that it was because it was on my baggage, but he also knew your name.” I s
tare at him completely flabbergasted.

  “What are you asking me?”

  “Do you believe in the supernatural?”

  “Yes,” I take a deep breath and I decide to tell him, he has always been someone that I knew I could confide in. “When I went and sat on the beach deciding whether or not to keep Av. My mother came to me. I knew I was imagining her, that I looked crazy talking to someone but I didn’t care. She told me what I needed to hear.”

  “Why an old man?” He asks.

  “Because it wouldn’t set you off at first he knew you better than anyone, so maybe he picked something that wouldn’t terrify you. Picked a persona that he knew you would listen to until you were ready to know that it was him.”

  “Until you” he says looking over at me seriously.

  “What?”

  “He knew me better than anyone until you.” and he lets the conversation die as we stare out over the river.

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  Chase

  August

  Life has taken a significant turn. I am standing in the kitchen as I hear the front door close and I walk over to it as Ariana smiles and leans up to kiss me as I escort her into the kitchen.

  “Chase, what is this?” She asks as she scans the room looking over all of the décor that I have put up just for her.

  “I wanted to do something nice for you.” more than just do something nice for you.

  “Where’s Avery?” She asks me curious, but not worried.

  “Staying at Isabel’s for the night.” Isabel is her new friend that she has met since coming to Orlando.

  “Oh, so we have the whole night together?” she asks and I nod my head.

  “Yup,” I smile to her,

  “And you orchestrated all of this?” I nod my head and the timer for the food goes off and I walk over pulling it out of the oven.

  “Oh, steak?” she asks me.

  “Not fancy enough?” I ask her concerned

  “Oh you know me. Food is food and either way I am excited about it.” I laugh knowing that she is right. I portion her plate just right as I walk them over to the table and sit it down in front of her.

  After dinner I get up from the table and grab her plate and put it into the sink reaching up and grabbing more plates and then the cake that is sitting in the fridge. I pull it out and take it over to her. I smile looking down to the decor.

  “Dessert too?” she asks me smiling, “I am stuffed I don’t know if l can eat anything else.”

  “Shh, it’s the best cake. You have to try it.” I say sitting it down in front of her and then sighing to myself when she doesn’t look down at it immediately. I walk back over to my chair, being awfully aware of her not looking at the slice of cake sitting in front of her. I sit down and smile to her, “It really is the best cake I think that I have ever had.” She finally smiles and then looks down to the plate sitting in front of her.

  “Chase,” she gasps as her eyes look over the diamond that sits on top of the white icing.

  “Ariana, I don’t want to ever worry about losing you again. I want us to be a real family—,” I stop as she holds her hand up and she jumps up from the table and rushes up the stairs and I hear the bedroom door close.

  I’m lost for words as I climb the stairs after her and push the door open. I hear her becoming violently ill in the bathroom that is connected to our bedroom.

  “Ariana, are you alright?” she doesn’t answer and I begin to worry as I push the door open and walk into the bathroom to her I knell down as I brush her back.

  “Have you been sick today?” I ask her.

  “No,” is all she can manage to get out before I hear her beginning to heave again. Oh god, I made her sick with the food. When she finally doesn’t have anything else left in her stomach she relaxes still with her face resting on her arm which is still on the toilet seat.

  “It was the food wasn’t it?” I panic as I look to her, and she doesn’t answer. “Oh, god I’m sorry baby, I didn’t mean to make you sick. I just wanted to do something special. I wanted to let you know how much I loved you, do you need to go to the hospital.” I’m rambling now and then she begins to laugh. “What’s so funny, I just gave you food poisoning how can it be funny?”

  “Chase you didn’t give me food poisoning.” She says, her voice is filled with kindness.

  “Than what is it?” I ask her panicking.

  “Chase, I’m pregnant.” She sighs as she sits back. “I didn’t want you to find out like this. I was planning on telling you tonight, but well…,”

  “We’re having another baby?” I think I shout it at her, but I’m not sure. She smiles and nods her head.

  “I mean it’s not 100 percent yet; I have an appointment on Friday, but I’m pretty sure.” I think I squeal, but everything sounds so surreal. “And yes.” She finally says and my heart stops I think for a moment.

  “Yes.” I repeat making sure that she just told me that she will marry me.

  “Yes, Chase, you are the only one that I have ever wanted to be with. I will marry you.” That night turned out even better than I was planning on and when we finally got out bed the next morning to go and pick up Avery she looks to Ariana’s hand immediately.

  “Mommy is that new?” she ask and Ariana beams.

  “Yes,”

  “Did daddy give it to you?” she asks.

  “Yes, baby, we are going to get married.” I think it hurts her feelings that Av doesn’t seem very excited that we are all going to be a real family.

  “Ariana, she’s six, she doesn’t understand.” I tell her.

  “I know, it’s just,” I squeeze her hand as she trails, telling her that I understand.

  “I know me too.”

  March

  “I don’t understand,” Avery says to me as I walk her to the nursery that sits in the hospital

  “Why couldn’t I be in the room with you guys.” She’s pouting.

  “Well, your mom was in a lot of pain and we didn’t want you to have to see that.” I try to explain to her.

  “It’s painful to have a baby?” she asks me

  “Yes,”

  “Was it painful when mom had me?” I stop and I kneel down to her.

  “I’m sure it was.” she looks like she wants to ask me another question before I stop and smile at her as we are standing in front of the big glass windows. “Come here.” I say to her lifting her up to peer into the room. “He's right there.”

  “Chase,” I hear my mother’s voice as she walks up to me, “he is simply stunning."

  “Thanks mom,” I heat Avery giggling as my mother smiles to me and I can see the tear that is burning at her eyes.

  “Matthew?” she asks and I smile.

  “Yeah, I owe him so much and I will never be able to repay him.”

  “He loved you Chase, he never expected anything in return.” She tells me and I finally see in her eyes that she doesn’t hate me.

  “I love him too,” I smile to her with the water burning at my own eyes.

  “Can we go see mommy?” Avery asks in my arms.

  “Sure thing,” I tell her kissing her cheek as we turn around walking back down the hall towards Ariana’s room as we enter she is just waking up. “Hello beautiful.”

  “Is he alright?” she asks, still groggy, and I nod my head.

  “Everything’s perfect.” And I lean into her placing a kiss on her forehead.