Southern Belles, a Novel About Love, Purpose & Second Chances (9781310340970)

by Anderson, Sarah

  “Yeah, messy…you know, stressful.” He paused for a moment.

  “Stressful?”

  “My mom’s had cancer twice in the last four years and both times there was no guarantee that she’d make it out. It was pretty scary for a while.” He said glancing out over the sea at the stars twinkling in the sky.

  “Wow—I’m sorry to hear that. Is she Okay now?” I asked, seeing the heart behind his good looks and charm.

  “She’s in remission now but she’s been pretty secretive lately. She doesn’t like to worry us.”

  “My grandma Rose had cancer when I was nine but she told me that she was too ornery too die.” I said smiling. “I was probably too young at the time to understand the fullness of her circumstances but after I overheard my mom talking to my dad about her illness, I remember worrying that she would die and leave me. That night I told God that he was not allowed to have her because I was too young to be without my grandma.”

  Smiling, Skylar looked at me warmly. “That sounds like a familiar conversation I’ve had with Him too. I made a deal with God that if he let her live, I’d willingly do whatever he had planned for my life.”

  “Are you scared what that may be?” I asked curiously.

  “No, I know He loves me and has good things planned, whatever they are. For now, I’m waiting for Him to guide me. He’s never abandoned me yet. So, I’ll wait for his call.”

  “How will you know when He calls you?” I asked, interested in the depth of his words.

  “He always shows up at the right time. Just when times get too dark and you feel all alone, he sends signs and people to help lift our spirits and direct our paths. So, when He’s ready, He’ll let me know.” He said, looking at me directly.

  His magnetic charisma had drawn me to him. I could have talked with him all night long and not have realized the time passing. Not only was he smart and funny but his soul was warm and deeply genuine. I found myself no longer wanting to pass the time, to just get to tomorrow; I wanted to drench myself into every minute I was with him. Every word he said and every smile that embraced his lips made me feel like a kid in a toy store. I couldn’t remember having this much fun just talking ever. I was so intrigued and overcome with an unexpected, intense feeling of joy. We talked about the lives we imagined for ourselves, one day. When he talked about wanting to get married and have kids, I was surprised to mentally find myself imagining me in his life. I envisioned him and I running through a beautiful home chasing after a giggling toddler, with a cute dog following close behind. There was laughter, lots of it. I could even picture the dog—a yellow lab, furry and sweet, probably one we rescued from an animal shelter. I couldn’t believe that I let my mind wonder like this. I didn’t even know him but I felt like he knew me in a way that no one knew me.

  A cool ocean breeze swept over me, forging a chill to climb up my back and slip around my neck, causing me to shudder and pull my shoulders together. Skylar took notice and pulled off his cardigan. He draped it over my shoulders and backside and I felt the ripples of warmth from his strong hands radiate through my body. I wondered if he had a girlfriend or someone special in his life. I figured he must have with all the charm he possessed. If there was someone did they talk like this? Did she know the beauty of his soul? I wondered if he could tell that every second we were together, I was writing him into my life. How I hoped that my face wasn’t giving me away.

  His hand brushed the side of my face as he pulled the cardigan snugly around me. It smelled like warm vanilla and beach sandalwood. The intoxicating smell and the intensity of the moment made me weak. I warily looked up not sure what would happen next. Skylar looked into my eyes and paused a moment. Looking into his crystal-blue eyes, I could feel an unexpected burst of butterflies in my stomach making it hard to breath. I felt weak, all of a sudden, and my hands became shaky. I was losing control of my composure. A grin rose up his left side reaching across to the right side before he reached for my hands and folded them into his, nestling them in between our chests. I smiled back nervously, thinking I could lose my bearings at any second and fall. I didn’t know how much longer I could look into his eyes before he could read my mind. Slowly, he leaned forward and I closed my eyes. His soft, full lips pressed gently into mine and everything in my body froze. It was as if everything around me went silent and dark. His kiss was sweet like the nectar from the peaches on our farm. I could have kissed him for a million years with no regrets. One of his hands broke free from mine and slipped through the back of my hair, gently caressing my head. His other arm wrapped around my waist and held me tight. Our kiss intensified, taking in his breath, his hold on me tightened. We came up for air with our eyes wide open, leaning nose-to-nose. It was reckless abandon. I had been taught to leave the sacredness of our bodies and our hearts for only one person in life. I couldn’t explain what was coming over me. Suddenly, an image of my mother popped in my head before I quickly shooed her away. I had never felt this way with anyone else, ever. This foreign and powerful emotion swept over me—making me weak in my senses. I was caught up in the moment and couldn’t think about where this might be going. Never having felt this before I imagined this might be what love felt like and I didn’t want it to end.

  “I really like you. You’re not like anyone I’ve met. I don’t want to mess this up Lucy.” Skylar whispered in my ear as his cheek rested against my temple.

  I loved his honor and his strong sense to do the right thing. I could tell he was fighting back his urges to take me further down the path he and I wanted so badly to explore. I couldn’t help but smile, feeling intoxicated in the moment.

  “I like you too,” I said in a trance-like state. “I’m not scared.”

  Holding my face in the palm of his hands, his eyes searched my face. “If we don’t stop before this goes too far I’m scared that I may never know what a future with you could be like.”

  “I just don’t want to miss something that I may wonder about the rest of my life,” I said, making myself vulnerable to Skylar’s emotions.

  “Lucy, I don’t want to take something of yours—something that’s not mine to take.”

  “I feel safe with you Skylar.”

  Scanning my face, Skylar bent down to kiss my lips again. Once more, when his lips touched mine, my body went limp and my breathing stopped. I was falling deeply, quickly, madly in love with him.

  “Take my hand.” He said as he stood up and led me to a small covered cabana on the beach. As he laid me softly down on the chaise lounge, he leaned in and kissed my ear whispering, “Let’s make tonight last forever.”

  That night was one I never stopped dreaming about. Skylar was everything I dreamt that a prince charming should be. He was kind, smart, funny, respectful, handsome, and loved God. Even though we knew that what we’d done didn’t sit right with our beliefs—we took a chance hoping that by holding onto every moment together, our lives would intertwine. I wanted to give Skylar something no one else had in hopes he would return me his tomorrows. I was told that nothing in life is coincidence. Meeting Skylar tonight was my destiny and I’d never been so happy to meet my fate. My mind had already encapsulated him into my future—accompanying me in my journeys around the world, chasing toddlers, and puppies.

  “Are you Okay Lucy?” Skylar asked, as he lifted my chin up with his thumb and forefinger.

  With my face glistening in the moonlight, I answered, “Yes, are you?” I looked at him checking for his reassurance.

  “Lucy, I’ve never met anyone like you. I…”

  Waiting for him to finish his sentence, I looked over his face, as he appeared to be searching for the right words to say.

  “I’ve never felt like this before about anyone. And I want you to know that I don’t act like this normally.”

  “Act like what?” I asked, feeling all of a sudden more alert.

  “I don’t go around meeting girls and falling in love with them. I haven’t slept with anyone before and I am sorry if I am talki
ng too much. I just don’t want you thinking I’m some sort of jock that gets around.”

  I had started to feel a bit self-conscious before he spoke as I couldn’t discern the look on his face. But now, I heard him say something about falling, no one else—it was all muffled. Blushing, I looked up at Skylar and my heart started to pound. I thought it was going to explode out of my chest. He turned closer to me, lying on his side, now face-to-face with me. Gathering enough breath to speak I said, “Skylar, I’ve never slept with anyone and never considered it before you.” I paused, “I don’t think that about you and thank you for that.”

  “For what?”

  “For helping me know that I didn’t just make a mistake…and that there really are good guys out there.”

  I had never met anyone like Skylar. Even though we were from different worlds, we connected. We laughed. We got entrenched in each other’s stories. He drew me in with every word and held me close. It was like a flowing stream. We went on and on with no breaks—only wanting for more time as we saw the early beginnings of the new day amongst us.

  “I don’t want this to end.” Skylar said, with his arms wrapped around me as we watched the moon continue its path across the sky.

  “I have to get back; my friend is going to be worried if I don’t.” I said hesitantly.

  I turned and gave Skylar a kiss on the cheek. Just hours before meeting Skylar I couldn’t wait to get to Athens to start my freshman year at the University of Georgia. Now, I didn’t want this night to end. I didn’t want to leave Skylar. I knew we would meet up again but my heart was strongly bonded to him even more with the coming of the new day and the goodbye’s we would be saying, soon.

  Walking back to the beach house, things had gotten much quieter than when we left it some hours ago. Hand-in-hand, and wearing his cardigan, we entered the house.

  Quickly, one of Skylar’s friends found him and insisted they had to get going because of one of the guy’s curfews. I reached into my purse to look for a pen and paper.

  “Didn’t you say your friend is around here somewhere?” Skylar asked, looking around.

  “Yeah, she’s here somewhere. She promised she wouldn’t leave me.” I said, writing my phone number on the back of a receipt.

  “Are you sure I can’t give you a ride home or stay with you until you find her?”

  “Sky, we have to go.” One of his friends called out.

  “I’ll be Okay; she’s around here somewhere. Skylar, I have to see you again. Here’s my number.” I looked into his eyes.

  He took my pen and ripped off a piece of the paper with my number on it. He wrote his number down, folded the paper up, and placed it in my hands.

  “I promise Lucy; I will see you again. Keep my sweater and think of me till I see you next. Until then, your beauty will haunt my dreams,” Skylar smiled and leaned in to kiss me goodbye. Seconds later as he was ushered away by his friends he shouted, “Lucy, you are the most beautiful girl in the world,” before he disappeared out the door.

  As he walked away I grinned, feeling like the most beautiful woman in the world. After he was gone I felt a growing heaviness in my chest. I sat on one of the sofas, wrapped in his sweater, feeling numb. I already missed him. I could smell his cologne on the sweater as I brought the sleeves up to my face. Making my heart skip a beat the smell brought me back to the cabana. The smell was intoxicating. I closed my eyes and time stopped all over again. I felt the butterflies fill my stomach, remembering his kiss on my lips, and for a few quiet moments I smiled reliving our unforgettable night. I couldn’t believe that I’d met someone that I imagined a lifetime with. People talked about having soul mates—people who were destined for each other. I was sure he was mine. I was still floating, thinking about him, our conversation, and how he made me feel. While waiting for CeCe, I pulled the folded paper out of my pocket that Skylar placed in my hand. On it were his number, Skylar, and a message that read olive juice? Seeing his handwriting made my face break into an unending smile. I squeezed his sweater and inhaled Skylar’s cologne again.

  “Char, where have you been?” CeCe asked, interrupting my moment of joy. “I’ve been looking all over for you. It’s almost four in the morning.”

  “CeCe—I met someone.”

  “Good, we need to go. I hope your mom’s not still waiting up for us; she’ll be worried.”

  “I know, I lost track of time and I didn’t care about anything else for once.” I said, glowing.

  CeCe stopped dragging me along and looked at me, surprised. “You can tell me all about him on the way home.”

  Still intoxicated by the hormones pumping through my body, I felt good and woozy. As we drove through the quiet streets with our windows down and my hand waving through the rushing summer air outside the car window, I told CeCe all about Skylar. I told her how we made love in the private cabana under the moonlit sky and that I thought he was the one.

  “Charlotte Renee Buchanan—you had sex! Father John is going to be shocked! You better start on those Hail Mary’s now!”

  “CeCe!”

  How was it? Was it good? Was he sweet? How are you feeling? Did you use protection I hope?” CeCe blurted out question after question.

  “CeCe! Yes it was incredible and yes we used protection and yes Father John is going to be shocked. I still can’t believe I did it. I don’t know what came over me. It’s not what I planned.”

  “Well, are you going to see each other again?”

  “Of course, we will. We exchanged phone numbers. He also wrote olive juice on my paper. I’m not sure what that was about. I’m already dreaming about the next time I’m going to see him although I’ll probably need to tell him my real name at some point.”

  CeCe giggled excitedly. “Char, mouth the words olive juice without saying a sound. He’s saying I love you.”

  Quickly mouthing the words I wanted to believe that Skylar was trying to tell me he loved me… too.

  Sneaking quietly into the house, I saw my mother sleeping on the couch. She had fallen asleep while waiting for us to come home. I pulled the throw from the back of the sofa and covered her before turning off the light and TV. By the time I slipped into bed, it was almost five AM. I laid in bed, wearing Skylar’s sweater, with my windows open watching the remaining journey of the moon as the sun quickly chased him away. I hoped he was watching the same moon thinking of me too. I envisioned Skylar and me on the beach until I fell asleep.

  Chapter 5: The First Day of the Rest of Our Lives

  Morning came early that day. I was still dreaming about Skylar when my mom came in my room to wake me up. I was so tired but happy. I’d only slept about three hours by the time she sat on my bed and began stroking my hair. She did this from time-to-time on lazy weekend days to wake me up. As I turned over I saw my mom’s big smile. Looking at her suddenly reminded me of one of the last things she said before we left the house last night—not to do anything that we couldn’t do if she were in the same room with us. I smiled back at her, thinking about last night, and wondered if she could see anything different about me. I hoped she wouldn’t ask too many questions.

  “Mom, I met the most wonderful guy last night at the party.”

  “Oh you did? What time did you girls get home by the way?”

  I looked for CeCe and didn’t see her anywhere. A voice billowed in from the bathroom across the hall. “It was pretty late but I don’t remember the actual time. I told Char we needed to get home before you worried but she was too busy partying,” CeCe said laughing afterwards.

  “Hmm…sounds like a good party. Tell me more about this guy, Char.” My mom said, smiling.

  “He’s really sweet, funny, smart, and—a Christian, mom. I couldn’t stop talking to him. He’s the kindest—super charming and sooo handsome. Mom, I’m going to marry him one day.”

  CeCe and my mother’s expressions froze. They were amazed to hear me talk about Skylar because they had never heard me get this excited over any guy before. CeCe sta
rted raising her eyebrows at me from behind my mother doing a silent little crazy dance pretending to be kissing someone in the air until my mother turned around and caught her in the middle of her kissing re-enactment and started laughing.

  “Oh Skylar, I love you. Oh Lucy, I love you too, marry me baby. I can’t live without you sucking my face.” CeCe said hugging herself.

  “Who’s Lucy?” My mother asked with a quizzical look.

  Giggling, we both looked at her and I replied, “That was my fake name last night—but I think he’s a keeper so I’m going to have to tell him my real name when I call him.”

  “I’m really going to miss you two and your silly stories when you’re at college. You better call at least twice a week and visit me before Thanksgiving! CeCe—you keep a good eye on my Char and Char don’t let CeCe out of your sight! Do your best and don’t beat yourself up over the small stuff. And lastly, have fun and enjoy every moment.”

  CeCe looked at me and laughed giving me the wink, wink. I know she was trying to taunt me about the enjoy every minute part. CeCe and I walked over to my mom and hugged her tightly.

  “Mom, CeCe’s parents just pulled up.” Richie called from downstairs.

  “What time is it mom?” I asked, realizing that I still had a bit of packing left to do before we left.

  “Honey it’s about nine o’clock. We need to leave by ten AM” My mother said as she walked down the stairs to go greet the Crawford’s and invite them in for coffee and Danish.

  “Oh gravy! I need to get up now.”

  “That’s right buttercup.” CeCe, fully dressed and all dolled up, said as she sat on my bed.

  “Why didn’t you wake me up Ce?”

  “You were smiling and talking in your sleep. It was more fun to listen to your conversation…Skylar, olive juice, Skylar. Besides, I figured you needed the sleep after all the enjoyment from last night. CeCe said laughing facetiously.”

  “Shut up CeCe!” I whispered loudly followed by a pillow to her pretty blonde head.