Familiar pictures of kittens and puppies were on the walls of her room. The last thing she remembered was Ben’s wonderfully warm coat. The rest was nothing but fog and dry mouth. As soon as her stomach felt she was awake, it made its angry appearance. With all the force of a geyser waiting to blow, Elise flew to the bathroom and puked in the toilet. She hung on the edge of it, moaning sadly, like a new mother cow. Or, a victim of a hit and run. And this was what she remembered most about college. Drinking away the problems of her life that were in Kentucky. Funny how she was back in Kentucky now, and back drinking.
Ben knocked on the door.
“I’m dying. Come back later.” She held her stomach and lay down in front of the shower.
“I have a drink for you when you’re ready for it,” he said through the crack of the door.
“Don’t mention the D word. I don’t want another one for some time.”
He cracked the door open and looked at her. He stepped inside and knelt down and wiped her hair from her eyes with affection. Guarded affection.
“Come on. You’ll live.”
He helped her up and walked her downstairs to the living room. Her sea legs hadn’t leveled off to ground walking yet. She noticed she was still in her clothes. This fact made her sad. What did she expect? This was some type of reunion for them? Maybe she did hope for it, but she needed to stop hoping. Something about the way he was acting told Elise he had equipped himself properly for her return, keeping his distance from this messed-up girl.
She saw his Christmas tree was still up. The lights twinkled on the branches. It was a picture out of Norman Rockwell’s portfolio. She stood mesmerized in front of it.
“What?” he asked, obviously wondering why it captured her attention.
“I didn’t have one this year.” She sat down, burying her head in her hands. “What am I saying? I haven’t had one for a couple years. It just got so cumbersome dragging one into my house, decorating it alone and then lugging it back out to the curb after all the pine needles clogged my vacuum cleaner.”
“Elise, that’s sad. Why don’t you ever come home for Christmas? You could spend it with Melanie and the kids. That’s what makes Christmas.” He sat on the edge of his chair, maintaining his distance from her.
“I don’t belong here. I don’t belong anywhere.” She caught her running nose with the back of her sleeve.
“Melanie told me about you and Darren. I’m sorry that didn’t work out.”
She looked up and shot him a look of disbelief. “Oh, you are, are you?”
“Well, actually no, I’m not. But I know that you were worried when you left, and I figured it was serious between you and him. I’m not sure what it was with us. Maybe just passing time?”
He was fishing. This was his attempt to find out what it was they shared. Was it passing time or was it real for her? Was it worth it now to talk about? What was there to lose? She had no job, possibly no home when hers sold. What was left? Pride? No, she was too old for that to sink her like a cement weight tied to her foot.
“I loved you, Ben. I meant that evening with you. I wanted to stay with you. I may have, if it wasn’t for Darren’s accident. I had to go home. He needed me.”
“I needed you.” His eyes bled with emotion. His heart lay beating on his sleeve. “I still do.”
Those three words cured her hangover faster than any cup of caffeinated anything. She snapped into reality as she looked past his eyes and saw into his heart.
“You still do?”
“I’ve been lost without you.”
“But you didn’t call me. You practically hung up on me when we last spoke.” She moved closer to him, her attraction meter heading into the red zone.
“I was taking preventative measures. I couldn’t take any more heartbreak from you, Elise. I needed to get you out of my system.”
“Did you?”
“It’s the one thing that’s impossible in life.”
He got on his knees and kissed her. She wrapped her arms around him and held tight. They moved their reunion to his bedroom and made love. He tenderly took his time, kissing the entirety of her body, tickling the backs of her knees and smiling devilishly when he looked up. She surrendered all her feelings and loved him fully. They lay in bed clinging to one another, listening to the horses outside in the field. All was content with the world.
Elise jumped up after realizing what the clock on the bed stand was really insinuating. It was an hour before the wedding. She didn’t even know where her bag and phone were. Surely, Melanie had called half a dozen times by now! “Get up, Ben! You have to get me to the church. Melanie is probably freaking out.”
“I have to get my tux on.” He pulled up his boxer shorts, hopping on one leg to get his other sock on.
“Take it with you. We’ll have to dress at the church. Crap, I can’t believe we’re going to be late.”
They made it to the church with forty minutes to spare. Elise gave Ben a quick peck before going in search of her sister. She found the door and walked into the room where Melanie was getting her hair done.
“I’ve only been calling you all morning. You don’t have to tell me, Ben told me everything when he called.” She grabbed Elise and squeezed her. “I’m so happy for you. Everything is as it should be.”
“How did he...”
“He called me on his way over here. You must have been driving separately.”
“I was.” She touched her cheek, attempting to hide the blush. “I’m so happy, Melanie. Now, if I could just borrow the girl who’s doing your hair. I don’t know where all the time went this morning.”
Elise smiled as her sister hugged her. Now she felt the joy of completeness. But the day wasn’t over.
Elise watched as her sister gave her hand to Jacob. The groom’s fingers shook as he slid the ring on her. A quick glance to the crowd confirmed there was a tear in every eye. Ben’s gaze never left Elise. She smiled at him, wondering what lay beneath his stare.
With the preacher’s announcement of them as husband and wife, two white doves flying in the formation of a heart couldn’t have competed with the bliss they must’ve been feeling. They hooked their arms and proceeded down the steps for the final march toward the aisle. Elise extended Melanie’s bouquet to her when she leaned over and whispered something in her ear.
“Don’t be mad at me.”
Elise looked quizzically at her. Then she looked at Ben, who had stepped closer. The organist stopped playing the final song of procession. He took her hand and led her to the center area in front of the preacher. The place Melanie and Jacob had just left. He cleared his throat as Elise looked at him, seeing the ten years of hope in his eyes. The bride and groom took their place on the step below them.
“Elise,” Ben started. His voice shook a little bit. He started over. “Elise, I’ve loved you since the tenth grade, and I’ve never stopped. My love went dormant when you left, but it never went away. I’ve never felt the way I do when I’m with you. And I never want to feel a moment that I’m not with you. I might die if you ever go away again.” He squeezed her hands, and she felt his perspiration transfer to hers. He swallowed hard.“Please make me the luckiest man in the world and marry me.”
Elise looked down at Melanie, a million questions clouding her mind. Her sister smiled.
“Elise, marry him. He’s been unbearable these last couple months. Share this day with me. It’s what sisters do.”
Elise looked at Ben. A tear flowed back and forth on her bottom eyelid, blurring her vision. Commitment in the purest form. In front of witnesses, too. She drew in a large breath and blew it out through her mouth. Take the plunge.
She closed her eyes and nodded her head. Ben yelled and picked her up. She felt his strong arms hold tight to her. Suddenly, all the fear of him ever leaving her vanished. He placed her back on the ground and pulled a ring from his pocket. It was the one she had found in his room all those years ago. Wouldn’t it have been easier to have jus
t stayed back then?
They both looked at the preacher who had obviously been told about what might happen. He leaned in and spoke softly to them. “Of course you’ll have to get a license, but what the hey, I can’t deny true love. Let’s do this!”
Elise tried to stop her hands from shaking as Ben held them tightly in his. It felt good to have someone hold her down for once. Memories of her dad dancing around in the living room with her flashed in her mind, and Elise was once again secure.
Slowly, she felt the wings that always carried her away dissolve. She looked into Ben’s eyes and saw the love she’d been missing all her life.
As always, I first thank God for the privilege to do what I love.
I would like to thank my mother for being the most awesome person I know. You are a true survivor, the most compassionate person, and the one who everyone wants to have around.
Thank you for passing down to me your great storytelling abilities.
Thank you to the people I shared the first part of my life with and who began shaping me into the person I am today—my brothers, sisters, and dad. Kim, you were my pretend mother, always being seen holding me in pictures. I was beyond jealous when you had a baby of your own. Jerry Wayne, you’re the great thinker, always proving to me that it’s better to plan ahead. Jeanne, you’re my cheerleader, making me feel I can do whatever. Thank you. Chris, you’re the best memory of my childhood. All of your crazy antics kept me amused beyond words.
Finally, my dad—Pop. Pop, you instilled in me my steadfast morals and ethics. Thank you for being a stand-up guy.
Finally, I would like to thank the reader of this book. Life is short and precious, and I consider it a sacrifice of your time to dedicate it to this journey of Elise. Although it is fictional, it’s someone’s story out there. Someone who has issues stemming from their childhood that trickle into their adulthood. It is my hopes that you enjoyed it. I really enjoyed writing it!
As a little girl, Julieann always wanted to grow up and become an English teacher. So it would come as no surprise to anyone that after college she was a property manager for 20 years. Then one day, she took a few months off from work and wrote down a few stories that had been on her mind—about people she created, overcoming imaginary obstacles, and ending with a happily ever after. She was no good for her day job after that!
Now Julieann gets to write a lot more and manage properties a lot less. She lives in Virginia with her husband and five children, teaching them that it’s never too late to realize your dream.
Learn more at julieanndove.com.
The Secret He Keeps
The Amy Series
Waking Amy
Leaving Amy
Finding Amy
The Sarah Series
Searching For Sarah
Pursuing Sarah
The Kentucky Cure Page 24