This Isn't Goodbye

by K. R. Reese

  Mason smirks and pulls me up from my chair. “Let’s go outside, get some fresh air. We can toss the football around or something.”

  I yank my hand back from his grasp. “I don’t want to go outside and throw the damn ball, Mace. I’m sulking because I want my two favorite people in the world to be here, and they aren’t yet.”

  He holds his hand over his heart and pretends to be upset. “Ouch, that one hurt. I thought I was your favorite person in the world.”

  I stare daggers at him, and he laughs harder. “You know you’re one of them. But you’ve been here all summer, nagging and dragging me out of the house.”

  “Someone had to do it,” he mumbles under his breath.

  I smack him and he latches onto my arm. “Come on, Chey, it won’t kill you. Waiting around in your room isn’t doing you any favors.”

  I finally relent and follow him down the stairs. Just as we’re about to go out the front door, he backtracks. “I’m going to grab us some waters. Go ahead out and find the football. I’ll be out in a minute.”

  For someone who was relentless to get me to come out of my bedroom, he’s being awfully weird now that we’re downstairs. I shrug my shoulders and make my way out onto the porch. There’s a slight breeze, but the weather is timid this time of year. It isn’t too hot anymore.

  “Hey, stranger,” a voice calls across the yard. “Think fast.”

  I react instantly and let the ball fly over my head, ignoring it entirely. I barrel into Cole’s chest and hold on tight.

  “Holy shit, Chey, careful there,” he groans.

  I pull back and look up at him. “What the hell! Why didn’t you knock on the door?” I narrow my eyes at him, but then it all clicks into place. “That’s why Mason pulled me out of my room and down the stairs! He knew you were here!”

  Cole’s entire face lights up with a smile. The adrenaline is wearing off now, and my body’s shaking. The first tear escapes and I hide in his chest again.

  “Don’t cry, Chey, I’m right here.”

  I mumble into his shirt. “I know, but it still doesn’t seem real. I didn’t know what time you guys would get here, and now you’re standing in my yard.” I pull back instantly and look around. “Where’s Dylan? I thought he was coming home with you, too?” My heart beats erratically in my chest, wondering if I misunderstood their letters. I could have sworn they said they were traveling together.

  “He did come home with me. But we have a little game to play before you get to see him.”

  I frown and cross my arms. “I don’t want to play games, Cole, I just want you two.”

  “I promise we’ll both be here by the end of the day. But you have to play the game. Why don’t you go pick up the football that you completely ignored while you were busy knocking the air out of my lungs?”

  I smirk and walk back toward the porch. The football is lying at the bottom of the steps. When I pick it up, I notice there’s a string tied around it and a piece of paper attached underneath.

  I hold the football up and turn back to Cole. “What’s this?”

  “Open it and find out.” I sit on the step and untie the string to remove the note. When I open the paper, Dylan’s horrible handwriting stares back at me.

  Chey,

  This is the first place I ever saw you. We played football for hours, and I knew then that I wanted to know you more.

  I hope you’re happy to see Cole, and I’m sorry I’m not there with him. But you’ll see me soon, promise.

  Why don’t you come to the place where we ended the night the first time we hung out together by ourselves?

  When I look up, Cole’s staring down at me. “I’m supposed to deliver you safely, but I don’t know where to go. So, you’ll have to show me?” There’s a question in his voice. I don’t want to hurt Cole by reliving the first day I spent with Dylan, but that’s what they’re insisting I do.

  “Let’s go,” I tug him toward my car, in a hurry to end this charade. He pulls back his arm and I stop.

  “There’s no way I’m climbing in your clown car. We’ll take my truck.”

  I stick my tongue out at him and follow him across to his parents’ driveway. We climb in and he stares at me expectantly.

  “We need to go to the back of the park, to the field.”

  Without another word, Cole reverses out of the driveway and heads in the direction of the park. Minutes tick by before he says anything.

  “I thought you guys went to the diner, ice cream shop and bowling that day?”

  My face flushes and I look down at my hands in my lap. “We did do all those things. But after, we weren’t ready to come home, yet. We laid on the hood of my car and stared up at the sky. At least until Mason interrupted with a text message because someone was being an asshole…”

  I let my voice trail off and sneak a peek at him. I was afraid of what his reaction would be, but there’s a smile on his face. He chuckles in return.

  “We didn’t know him then, Chey, and I was worried about you. The later it got, the more I thought something had happened to you.” He stops abruptly before he speaks again. “For the record, I didn’t tell Mason to text you. I did tell him to have you message me when you got home though.”

  I scoff and turn in my seat toward him. “I never got the chance to message you. You ambushed me as soon as I got home, and Dylan went across the street.”

  He nods, remembering our argument clearly. “I did. If you think back, I was only trying to protect you. Again, we knew nothing about this kid who just showed up one day.”

  “Now look at us.” I smile and stare as we pull into the same spot Dylan and I sat that night.

  “Here you are, Chey,” Cole says lightly. “Go find him.”

  My heart pumps loudly in my ears and I’m frozen to the seat. I can’t see anyone, but maybe he’s hiding somewhere.

  “Do I need to carry you?” Cole barks out a laugh.

  “No, I’m okay, it’s just a lot to take in. I didn’t expect a scavenger hunt.”

  “Neither did I,” he grumbles. “Come on, let’s go, before he gets impatient.”

  That’s when I see him, standing underneath the shade of the trees. He isn’t dressed like Cole, though. Whereas Cole chose to wear his BDU’s home, Dylan’s wearing a pair of his jeans and a button-up black shirt. His choice of attire confuses me, but I climb out of the truck anyway. I can hear Cole’s footsteps behind me, but my sight is set on Dylan standing further away than I’d like.

  Once Dylan spots me walking toward him, a smile brightens his face. The sun causes a glimmer to shine in his eyes, and I smile in return. When I’m close enough, he pulls me in for a hug and kisses my temple.

  “It’s so good to hold you again,” he whispers in my ear.

  A shudder races through my body and I hold him tighter. “I missed you,” I whisper back.

  Dylan pulls away from me and holds onto my hands. There’s an intense look in his eyes I don’t understand, but I let him gather his thoughts and stay quiet.

  “When I first met you, you were a bright light on a dull day. I didn’t want to move here before my senior year. I didn’t want to leave my friends behind or start at a new school. But I don’t regret a damn bit of it now. Because if we hadn’t moved, I might have never met you.”

  I recognize the look on his face now. Dylan’s nervous, but I’m unsure why. He squeezes my hands in his and I meet his gaze again.

  “I love you, Chey,” he says, kissing my forehead. “But whenever I’m with you, everything I want to say gets caught in my throat. This is my attempt at telling you how much you mean to me, but words can never express it completely.” He takes a deep breath before he goes on. “You’re an incredible person, the most incredible person I’ve ever met. You’re beautiful and strong, probably the strongest person I’ve ever met. You have inspired me every day, every hour, to be a better man. For you. Because you deserve no less than my all. Every day, I wake up and wonder how I got lucky enough that you�
��ve agreed to let me be the person who loves you, who takes care of you; the one who gets to cherish you. And all I want for the rest of my life is to keep being that man. The one who gets to give you everything you deserve and more.”

  Dylan takes a deep breath and swallows hard, then pulls a small velvet box out of his pocket and gets down on one knee. He opens the ring box to reveal a beautiful solitaire diamond ring on a white gold band.

  “Cheyenne, will you make me the happiest man in the world and marry me?” he asks.

  Tears are leaking from my eyes and I can’t control them. “Yes! Yes, of course, a million times, yes!” I say, sobbing.

  Dylan kisses my hand before he slides the ring on my finger. Then he stands up and kisses me with so much passion it could set the entire town on fire, picking me up from the ground and spinning me around.

  Suddenly, I hear cheering and clapping from behind us. I turn to find all our families and Cole there, watching.

  I turn back to Dylan. “I love you so much,” I sniffle.

  “I love you, too, Baby,” he murmurs as he sets me back down.

  “Serious question, though… how the hell did you keep Mason quiet?” I chuckle loudly.

  “I’m not a complete dick, Chey, I can keep some secrets!” I hear my little brother holler from behind me, followed by grumbling from what I assume was a smack to the back of the head from our mother.

  Cole walks up to pull us both into a hug. “Mason is easily influenced with threats of bodily harm.”

  I scowl at my best friend and my…fiancé. “It isn’t nice to threaten my brother.”

  Dylan kisses my temple again. “Well, you didn’t like when we bribed him either, so we had to try a different tactic this time.”

  “You know, all I wanted was to see you two today. But this is so much better. Today is already perfect because I got to share this with everyone I love,” I say.

  “Come on, Chey,” Cole chuckles. “Let’s go celebrate you two love birds with our families. Then, we’re going on a trip.”

  Dylan smiles down at me. “We’re going to the cabin?”

  He nods and Cole full-on belly laughs beside us. “Oh, man, you are in so much trouble.”

  I frown and look between them. “What aren’t you telling me?”

  Cole pats Dylan on the back and walks away. “I’ll leave that to you, buddy,” he says loudly over his shoulder.

  “Dylan,” I growl out.

  “Well, we’re only here for three weeks.” I nod in response. “We’re going to the cabin for a few days, just the three of us. But then, our families are going to join us. For our wedding.”

  “We’re getting married now!?” I screech loudly and everybody’s eyes go wide.

  “Not right this minute, but within the next week, I would like to.”

  My mouth drops open and I’m speechless. I honestly don’t know what to say to him. How does he expect me to find a dress, decorations, all of it… in a week?

  “Baby, we can talk about it later. Right now, we need to go celebrate and have lunch. That sound good?”

  I take his hand and let him lead me back to Cole’s truck. Once we’re inside, I glare at the both of them.

  “You both are going to explain what this absolute nonsense is as soon as we’re done with this lunch.”

  “Why am I being yelled at? This wasn’t my idea!” Cole whines from the driver’s seat.

  “He’s your best friend. You helped him come up with this crazy ass plan. You are both going to explain. After we eat because I was too anxious this morning, and I’m starving.”

  They both chuckle at that and we head to the diner where our families are waiting.

  We’ve been at the cabin for a week. While I’m happy for Cheyenne and Dylan, it’s a slow torture staying in the same house as them. We need to investigate soundproof walls for their room if I’m going to ever survive here again. Or anywhere with them, really. I won’t have to worry about it much longer, though. They’re getting married today, and then I’m going home to my parents’ house to give the newlyweds some alone time before we go to a different training base for three more months.

  I don’t know how Cheyenne’s going to react to us leaving again so soon, but I don’t think it’s crossed her mind once since Dylan’s proposal in the park. A small twinge aches in my chest, but I push it aside and focus on my attire before I go in search of my best friend.

  Cheyenne’s holed up in the master suite upstairs, so Dylan has claimed the downstairs guest bedroom where we’ll all wait for the ceremony to begin. It isn’t a huge wedding, just our families and a few friends from school. It’s perfect for them.

  I walk through the door and close it behind me.

  “Can you help me with this? My dad went to find my mom and I can’t get the damn thing right.”

  I smirk and stand in front of him. “You ready to do this, man?” I ask as I pin his boutonniere on his suit jacket.

  “Are you kidding? Dylan’s been ready to marry Cheyenne since the moment he walked into our front yard,” Mason chuckles from the corner of the room. “It doesn’t surprise me in the least that they’re doing a quick wedding.”

  “That’s all me, not Chey,” he reminds him. “But if I have anything to say about it, this will be the only time she gets married. No reason to draw it out.”

  “I hear you,” Mason says. “I still don’t know how the hell you explained to my sister that this plan wasn’t crazy though. She was so pissed off. At all of us.”

  “Spoken like a guy who’s been on the receiving end of her wrath often,” I say, smiling. “No joke, though, she was really pissed. We are,” I point to myself and Mason, “apparently supposed to be on her side when it comes to these things.”

  “I should take offense to that. And a year ago, I probably would have. But when you think about it, she’s right. You’re her best friend for life and you’re her brother; you weren’t supposed to help me devise a plan against her.” Dylan laughs and turns to look in the mirror again.

  Honestly, I’m just ready to get this show on the road. I know Cheyenne has a lot more to do to get ready for today than any of us did, but I don’t like to wait. There’s still an hour before the ceremony, and we’re all getting anxious since we’re trapped in a small room together. I think it’s worse than Cheyenne’s clown car she still insists on driving around.

  I sigh and pull my phone out to find a text from my best friend, which is a picture of her in her gown with my parents. I chuckle as I type my reply.

  Cole: You’re going to take Dylan’s breath away when you walk down that aisle.

  Chey: You’ve said a lot of sweet shit to me over the years, but I think that takes the cake.

  Cole: It’s not every day I get to see both my best friends get married. Don’t worry, the asshole will come back later tonight.

  Chey: Good to know. How’s he doing?

  Cheyenne’s concern for her soon-to-be husband is funny. I laugh and he turns to look at me. I shrug and focus back on my phone.

  Cole: All this waiting around is the worst thing ever. This room is worse than your car.

  Chey: How many times have I told you not to talk shit on my car? There’s nothing wrong with it. I’m going to strangle you if you keep insulting me. You ruined your sweet words from a few seconds ago.

  I laugh. The thought of Cheyenne threatening violence is hilarious. She likes to argue, but that’s the extent of any confrontation.

  There’s a knock on the door and Mason goes to answer it. Dylan’s parents stand on the other side.

  “How are you feeling?” his dad asks.

  I chuckle and Dylan glares at me. “I’ve been ready for this since the moment I asked for her father’s blessing, and Cole’s permission.”

  Mason interjects. “What the hell? I’m her brother, why didn’t you ask for my permission? Cole got placed above me.”

  We all find it hysterical and he flips us the finger, grumbling under his breath.

 
“I’m tired of sitting around,” he sighs.

  “Well, then, you’re in luck, because we came to get you for pictures.”

  We all groan in unison. “I won’t complain again. I think I prefer sitting here and waiting some more.”

  Despite our lack of enthusiasm over the pictures, it was fun to goof off after the photographer got the ‘required’ wedding party photos. They’ll be great memories to have later, if I don’t hide them like I tried with all our baby photos.

  Before I know it, Dylan is standing at the altar with the pastor who is performing the ceremony. He’s a local that we found after we called around a few places in Brookdell, and he was highly recommended. As I stare at my best friend, who I’ve watched endure sleepless days and nights over the past few months, I can tell the nerves are starting to kick in now.

  “You okay, man?” I ask him.

  “I’m nervous, but yeah, I’m all good,” he sighs.

  I don’t get to say anything else as an instrumental of the traditional wedding march begins to play and everyone stands as Cheyenne walks out into the yard.

  It was no secret that Cheyenne is beautiful. Anyone who looks at her can see that. But right now, she completely takes my breath away; I feel like there is no air left in my lungs. I glance at Dylan and see a similar reaction on his face.

  I step in closer to him. “Breathe, man,” I whisper.

  He chuckles. “Right. Oxygen.”

  “Cheyenne would never forgive you if you passed out,” Mason snickers.

  When her hand is passed to Dylan’s, my breath hitches.

  “Cheyenne and Dylan,” the pastor begins. “Today you are surrounded by your family, who have gathered here today to witness your marriage and to share in the joy of this occasion. Today, as you join yourselves in marriage, your commitment to each other may nurture and grow, to make you better people.”

  The pastor continues, but I block out what he’s saying. I don’t think I hear the rest of the ceremony as the weight of what’s happening finally settles in my chest. I know this decision was Cheyenne’s, but a part of me can’t help but wonder what if. Today isn’t the day for those questions, or any day really. But they’re present right now, at the forefront of my mind.