by Casey Peeler
“I just wanted to know if it was okay if I went to the mountains this weekend with Cole, Tammy, Jordyn, Ridge, and Rae.”
“Em, are you sure that is a good idea?”
“Yeah, it’ll be fine!” I hear Cole holler as he enters the house. Cole to the rescue. “First, we gotta see if Uncle Dover lets her go.” He laughs.
“You’re right, Cole. If Dover will let her go, I guess I should trust you enough. Just don’t get that girl pregnant for cryin’ out loud.” Cole bursts out laughing as he leaves the room.
“Um, Mom. Are you okay?” I question with caution.
“Lord, yes, I’m fine, but I know what it’s like to be young and dumb. Please, be smarter than your father and me.” She doesn’t have to explain any more because I know I was a mishap when they were seniors in high school. Needless to say, I can see why she worries.
“Mom, no need to worry. I wouldn’t put you or Mr. Lowery through that, but I do think Raegan needs to get away. She’s had a lot going on over the past few months.”
“Yes, I know they have, Em. I know they like their secrets, but Dover always keeps George and Cole in the loop. As you know, George and I don’t have secrets.” My mom knew the entire time? No wonder she didn’t question when we broke up. She already knew why.
“Why didn’t you tell me?” I ask.
“Because it wasn’t my place to tell.” It almost feels like déjà vu. “Now, get outta here, unless you really want to fold clothes.”
“Yes, ma’am,” I say as I hug her on my way out of the room.
As I pass Cole’s room, he hollers for me to come in. “So, she said okay?”
“Yup, I take it Rae got to you right after school. You think he’ll let her go?”
“He probably will give her hell for it, but yeah, she always gets her way.”
“Cole, thanks for everything.”
“No problem. Do you have a minute?” Cole questions.
“I guess. What’s up?” I ask as I take a seat in the chair.
Cole is rubbing the back of his neck, and right now, I’m not sure what he’s about to say.
“Um, I don’t know if I should tell you this or not, but I don’t think Uncle Dover’s out of the woods.” My heart stops. I know that Cole and I both share Mr. Lowery’s secret.
“I know, Cole.” He looks completely shocked. “He told me when he decided not to take the last treatment. What do you think Rae’s gonna do when she finds out we knew the entire time?”
“I think she’s going to be royally ticked off, and that’s an understatement.” Cole and I devise a plan to talk with Mr. Lowery and her once we get back from our fun weekend. These secrets are over, and it’s time we do this together.
Trying to get out of our deep conversation, Cole brings things back to reality. “I better make sure Tammy is in. I sure don’t want to be the fifth wheel,” he says as he takes out his phone to call her, and I close the door as I head to my room.
Chapter 35
Raegan
Friday afternoon feels like it will never get here, but eventually, it does. We all hurry home from school and finish packing. I help Grandaddy around the farm with a few things, and we are on the road by five.
The house is a little over an hour and a half away from Pleasant Hill. It’s perfect for a weekend getaway. As the house comes into view, I get butterflies. I can remember coming here with Jordyn when we were kids during every season. It was a perfect escape from the farm life, but yet, I was still enjoying nature at its best. Emmett looks my way and squeezes my hand.
“Why are you cheesing over there?” Emmett inquires.
“Just thinkin’ about when J and I came here when we were younger. We used to have the best time here.”
“I bet.” As Cole puts the truck into park, I throw open the door and take off running. I know the game, and Jordyn does as well, because she’s neck and neck with me as we make our way to the door. As she tries to slide me out of the way to get to the lock, I tell her that’s not fair. When the knob is turned, I push her out of the way and laugh as I hurry to the lookout.
“Rae! I’m callin’ it!” she yells as I hear her trying to catch up.
“No, first one there gets it,” I say as I find the ladder and hustle to the top. As I look out onto the woods around us, I’m taken back in time to when Jordyn and I fought to see who got the view first when we arrived. Needless to say, I won most of the time. She always was in a pair of heels, even as a kid.
Lying on my back, I look around to see this beautiful world in which we live. Even without the leaves on the trees, it’s breathtaking. I’m quickly brought out of my euphoria.
“Girl, you are always beating me!” Jordyn says out of breath.
“Leave the heels at home, Diva, and you might stand a chance.” I laugh as the rest of the gang greets us.
“Y’all care to explain that craziness?” Cole asks. Of course, he’s acting like the adult because he is one.
“Come on up and find out,” I say. They all crawl up into the space while we sit with our legs crossed. Jordyn and I watch as they feel what we have felt over and over through the years.
“This is amazing,” Tammy says. “It’s like you are in your own perfect bubble looking out onto this beautiful world.”
“Yes, it is,” I chime in.
“So, why did y’all take off running like crazy people?” Cole asks.
Jordyn smiles at me, and I let her take it from here. “See, when we were kids, this was our favorite spot. Who am I kidding? It still is, but we always raced to see who would get to see it first.”
Emmett raises his hand like he’s in class. “Yes, Em,” I say with a cackle. “You know you don’t have to raise your hand, right?”
“Look, after that, I’m not sure what y’all are gonna do next. But, I have one question. Please, tell me you didn’t tackle the adults to get here first?”
“No! We’d let my daddy get the door open, and then we’d jump from the car. He knew the game, and he got out of our way real quick.”
“Yeah, except that time your mama had him come back out to help her get the groceries. He got caught in the J and Rae storm.”
Jordyn and I laugh like little kids, but stop abruptly when we realize everyone else doesn’t find it as funny. “I guess you had to have been there,” I say with a shrug. They all nod in agreement before making their way back down the ladder.
When Emmett starts to move, I grab his arm and tell him to hold on. Then, I hear Jordyn yell at us, “No fooling around up there!”
“Aw, hush!” I yell back at her. I pat the spot next to me, and he slides beside me. I lie back with my arm behind my head, and he does the same. We don’t say a word. I want him to experience this with me—peace inside and outside of my soul.
Emmett
As I lie here with Raegan, my heart feels like it is beating out of my chest. My mom always told me when you find the one to never let her go, and in this moment, with God’s beautiful Earth surrounding me, I know she’s the one. I don’t interrupt the perfect stillness between us; instead, I wait for her to tell me what to do next. When she doesn’t say anything, I find her hand and guide my fingers between hers.
“Em, can we stay here forever?”
“I’d love that, but staying hidden from others isn’t what this world is about. It’s about letting your light shine for the world to see. You are a light worth shining, and I’m not letting you hide in this perfect bubble.”
She rolls to her side. “Do you always know the perfect things to say to me?”
“No, it’s just what I feel in my heart.” And, that’s the truth in a nutshell.
Chapter 36
Raegan
“Hey, Lovebirds! Y’all comin’ down? We gotta case of beer and s’mores to make!” I shake my head as we sit up.
“We’re comin’!” I yell back, and then we make our way downstairs.
Our night is filled with fun by the campfire with country music blaring, ooey go
oey goodness on our hands from the s’mores, and reminiscing over the year. When Cole, Emmett, or I talk, we never mention Grandaddy’s cancer. It’s in the past and will stay there.
As everyone begins to turn in for the night, Emmett and I remain by the fire. He holds me tightly. We don’t talk, but we enjoy just being together. When the flames begin to diminish, we make our way toward the house and to bed.
As the sun rises, I wake to the sound of light snoring, and I realize I’m not at home but in Emmett’s arms. Gosh, I could wake up like this every day. When I try to move from him, he squeezes me to his body.
“I’m not lettin’ you go,” he says.
“Well, you better or I’m gonna pee on ya!” I state bluntly.
“Oh, well,” he says as he begins to tickle me.
“Stop, Em! Pleaseeeee. Oh gosh! Please!” I say, and when he realizes I’m not joking, he lets me go, and I sprint to the restroom. As I walk back toward him, I shake my head. “That wasn’t funny.”
“I thought it was hilarious. Oh, and your phone rang.” He tosses it to me, and I see I have a missed call from Grandaddy. I hurry to call him back.
“Morning, Grandaddy,” I say when he picks up. He lets me know he’s doing great, and the farm is perfect. He then proceeds to tell me to behave myself but to have fun. We end the call after he tells me he loves me, and he expects me to be home by mid-afternoon Sunday.
“Is everything okay?” Emmett questions when I hang up.
“Yeah, he sounded great, actually, better than great,” I say as I crawl back into his arms, and we doze off for another hour.
When the sun begins to burn through the window, we decide to quit wasting the day and hit the slopes. We all load up and make our way to Sugar Mountain. I’m not much of a skier, but I’m worth a good laugh, that’s for sure.
By the time lunch rolls around, I’m no longer on the slope. I’m sitting in a rocking chair with hot chocolate, watching as everyone flies down the mountain. As the sun begins to hide behind the mountain, everyone decides to come in and join me.
“You’ve been here all afternoon?” Emmett asks.
“Yup, there’s nothing like a roaring fire and hot chocolate to make it through the afternoon.” He smiles and bends down to the rocking chair to meet my lips. “Y’all ready to go?”
“Yeah, Cole’s gone to get the truck.” We make our way to meet Cole and the rest of the gang. We stop and pick up something to grill for supper and then head back to the house.
We sit outside by the fire, waiting for Ridge to grill the steaks as the music bleeds through the speakers on the patio. This is absolutely perfect. As if Emmett is reading my mind, he walks up behind me and pulls me close. He whispers into my ear, “I love you.”
I turn to face him, “I love you, too.”
After supper, we gather around the fire for more s’mores and a small round of Truth or Dare. Needless to say, by the end of the night, I’ve learned more about these five than I’ve ever wanted to know. I’m definitely not going to look at Cole ever the same again.
When the sun rises, I snuggle closer to Emmett, because who knows when we will ever be able to do this again. Around eleven o’clock, we finally make our way out of the sheets and downstairs. Everyone is lounging on the front porch, laughing, and having a great time before heading home.
After we eat a bite of breakfast, we get ready and then pack to head home. As I fold my clothes into my bag, I glance up to see Emmett staring at me.
“See somethin’ you like?” I tease.
“Of course, but you know tomorrow is gonna be rough.”
“Whatcha mean?”
“Not waking up to you in my arms. I don’t know how I’ll ever sleep again.” I shake my head and smile.
“I’m sure you’ll figure out something.” I smirk.
“Yeah, it’s called sneaking into your bedroom window after Mr. Lowery has gone to bed.”
“Uh, I don’t think so. He’d kill us both.”
As he approaches me, he takes the shirt from my hand and throws it onto the top of the bag. He takes one arm and pulls me in to him before placing his forehead on mine. “Raegan, I know that would never work with him, but it was worth a try. I hope you know how much you mean to me.” I smile in agreement. “Also, know you’re never walkin’ outta my life again.”
“I don’t want to,” I say as I meet his eyes.
“Good.” He kisses me like his life depends on it. “Come on. Let me help you finish. You know they’re waitin’ on us,” he says. How is it that guys can pack in one bag? We finish packing my things and then head to Cole’s truck. As we drive down the driveway toward the main road, I glance over my shoulder and see the top of the house. Oh, how I wish I could stay in that bubble.
Emmett
As we drive down the road, it is very evident that Raegan has something on her mind. What, I’m not sure, but I don’t say anything to her. Instead, I wrap my arm around her shoulder and kiss the top of her head. Cole and Tammy begin to have a war over radio stations, and as soon as I hear her song, I put a stop to it.
“Cole, leave it right there,” I say as Raegan looks up to me and smiles. “Are you gonna sing it for us or what?” I ask her.
“Maybe with a little help from you.” She winks. Gosh, I freakin’ love this girl. As she begins to sing, I jump in there with her. Cole and Tammy look at us like we have totally lost it, but it’s not until the chorus that I realize how this song is exactly how I feel about Raegan Lowery. Two nights of her in my favorite t-shirt reaching over me has done me in, and I wouldn’t trade it for a million bucks. As the song ends, she leans up and kisses my lips. We are brought back to reality when Cole tells us he can get us a room.
Chapter 37
Raegan
When we arrive back at the farm, Emmett helps me with my bags as we go into the house. “Grandaddy, I’m home!” I holler as I shut the door. Emmett takes my bag to my room as I walk through the house looking for Grandaddy. He’s nowhere. That’s strange. “Grandaddy!” I yell a little louder. After I search the entire house, I look to make sure his truck is parked outside. It is. My heart begins to race. I check the back porch. Nope. Hurrying back inside, I run smack into Emmett’s chest. “I don’t know where he is,” I state with fear teetering in my voice.
He wraps his arms around me. “Rae, it’s okay. He’s ’round here somewhere.” We walk outside to meet Cole, and he must notice the fear in my eyes because he jumps out of the truck and runs toward me.
“Cole, I don’t know where he is! He’s not in the house or on the back porch.” Cole’s eyes begin to scan the perimeter, and he notices the door to the barn is ajar. He points, and I take off running with Cole and Emmett hot on my tracks. “Grandaddy!” I yell once again as I open the door, but I’m not prepared for what is before me. Grandaddy is stooped over and barely catching his breath. I rush to his side. “What’s wrong?” I question. He just shakes his head that he’s fine, but deep down I know he’s not.
“Cole, let’s give them a minute,” Emmett says, and they exit the barn.
“Grandaddy, what’s wrong?” I ask as tears threaten my eyes.
“I’m fine, Sunshine,” he says.
I want to know what is going on, but when I look at his legs, I see the obvious. They are swelling. Oh my gosh. It’s back. His cancer is back. I shake my head no, and he pulls me into his chest. “Please, tell me I’m wrong,” I beg. He doesn’t say a word. He just lets me cry in his arms, and if I thought the first round was unbearable, there are no words to describe the storm that is brewing inside.
“Sunshine, the leukemia is back.” Oh God, please no! I can’t lose him. I won’t lose him. “I’ve known for some time now, but I didn’t want you to worry about me. I’m living my life like I always have, but this time I’ve chosen a different path.” With those words, I know he wants his quality of life, not quantity. Not that I agree with him, because selfishly I want to keep him forever, but for some strange reason, I understand. He
is a strong man, one that works from sun up to sun down. He drives like a bat out of hell, doesn’t ask for help, and if he can’t do those things, then life is not worth living. I don’t want him to leave this Earth, but I also don’t want him to spend years in a bed helpless. Making this realization is the hardest, but most freeing at the same time.
“Grandaddy, what do you need me to do?” He takes a step back and looks at me.
“Nothin’, I’m living my life to the fullest every day. None of us are guaranteed tomorrow, but if tomorrow doesn’t come, then I want to make sure I have nothing left to regret.”
“I’m here to help make that happen. What’s first?”
“Sunshine, nothing’s changing, but first thing tomorrow, I’m goin’ shoppin’!” He cackles.
“For what?” I’m also scared to know what he’s talking about.
“’Round the corner. I don’t want you have to worry about what I might want when I’m gone. So, I’m going to take care of it for ya.” Holy cow, he’s going funeral shopping! Are you kidding me?!
“Do you want me to go with ya?”
“Nah, Cole can. You need to go to school.”
“Okay,” I say, and I’m truly unsure of how I feel about him shopping for his own funeral. It’s kind of morbid when you think about it.
Emmett
As Cole and I wait for Raegan and Mr. Lowery to finish their discussion, he looks at me.
“You know she’s about to go ballistic.” I say.
“Yeah, like a damn tornado coming straight toward me.” And, that’s the only way to put it, because I know it will hurt her, but it’s a minor detail in the grand scheme of things.
“I guess it’s now or never, Cole. I know we promised we’d talk to her about it, I just didn’t think it would be as soon as we got back.”
“I know, but she has to know we’re here for her.” I nod in agreement as we quietly step back into the barn.
Chapter 38
Raegan
“Does Cole know?” I ask Grandaddy.
“Yes, he knows things are changing, and so does Emmett.” Wait. What did he say? He knew and didn’t tell me? Oh, heck no!