Natalie
The past week has been amazing. I admit I was still skeptical of Trey the morning after he showed up barring his secrets. He had been gone for a good two years and I was so caught up in the heat of the moment when he was looking at me all sweet and sexy. I have to admit I wasn’t expecting him to show up on my cruise and try to convince me he’s here to stay. The mechanic shop he works at is the next town over, but the commute wouldn’t be hard if I decide to take him up on his offer. He has a house there, and says he wants me to move in with him, so he can prove to me that we’d be the perfect fit. I don’t know if I want to move in with him. I don’t even know who he is anymore. He’s a dad. What if his kids hates me or what if his ex-wife decides she wants him back?
I know he’s being sincere, but to move in with him and play pretend, that’s a bit far fetched. I can’t stop myself from daydreaming about a life with him though. His place is bigger, and it would be ideal if we want to start a family of our own, eventually. We have time to decide though. We’re taking our time, and not getting in a hurry to make any huge decisions. I told Trey the more he pressures me the more he will push me away.
Right now I can’t decide if I want to kiss him or punch him. He keeps trying to cop a feel of my boob in the backseat of Ma’s Escalade.
I keep shoving his hand away. My mind isn’t on us now that we are stateside.
I worry too much about Nate and Audrey. Could they run the bar together as a team if I were to move in with Trey?
I would make the commute at first, but if Trey and me ever got serious, and one day had kids…changes would need to be made.
Trey grabs my nipple and pinches it hard and I scowl. He smiles, and I smile back, when I should pinch him back.
My trip to the Bahamas was better than I could’ve ever dreamed.
I spent every waking moment for the first three days naked, while either under or on top of Trey.
The beach was gorgeous, but I could’ve been anywhere with him and been happy, until he pissed me off with his marriage talk.
I’m nervous to meet his son. Sure, the kid is hardly two but I don’t want to make a bad impression on him. Kids make me nervous.
Ma just picked us up from the airport. I’m exhausted, hungry, and concerned by Ma’s lack of talking. She’s being oddly quiet. She isn’t a quiet woman.
I lay my head on Trey’s shoulder in the backseat and doze off for the rest of the three-hour ride.
When I awaken we are pulling into the driveway at my parent’s house.
Trey nudges me gently. “Wake up, we’re home.”
Ma finally breaks her silence. “I cooked, Nate is coming over. We all need to talk about some things.” She gets out of the car before I can ask what in the hell is going on.
I haven’t told her about possibly moving in with Trey I know how she was about Joe JR and Audrey living together. What if he leaves toothpaste all in the sink at night? Or leaves his dirty dishes laying around and dirty underwear. What if he decides he doesn’t want to be with me? I’m no longer that timid girl who used to follow him around. I’ve changed. We both have.
I look at my man, but he shrugs as clueless as I am. “Did she not talk the whole drive here?”
“Nope, not a peep. Come on, I’m famished. I’ll grab our bags after we eat.” He smiles at me, his cheeks sun kissed from our trip. He’s finally starting to tan. He got burnt the first day on the beach with his fair hair and pale skin. A few freckles are sprinkled across the bridge of his nose, reminding me of when we were kids, and he’d ride his bicycle over to play with the boys.
Inside, my father is in the recliner reading some finance book. Not a good sign. He never reads. I mentally prepare myself for Ma to yell at me for wanting to move in with Trey. Like she somehow knows already and is already settled on telling me all the reasons we need to wait.
I want to be with Trey. I do.
It isn’t a question of not loving him, I’m scared he will hurt me again.
My brother is camped out on the loveseat drinking a beer. I guess Lewis and Audrey are running the bar. I can’t wait to tell Audrey about our trip and give her the gifts I bought her. They aren’t much, a few shot glasses and some t-shirts. I know she’ll love them though.
Dad and Nate say brief hellos. I shuffle towards the aroma of food wafting from the kitchen, with Trey in tow.
Ma has homemade lasagna, garlic bread, and a bowl of salad waiting on the counter. We wash our hands in the half-bathroom by the garage before fixing our plates. It appears dad and Nate already ate, by the missing half of the food. Ma goes behind us getting a plate of her own.
Once we get seated at the dining room table and start to eat, the rest of the family joins us. The three of them, my parents, and my brother are being so weird. It’s kind of creeping me out.
“Have you set a date for the wedding?” Ma questions before taking a bite.
Trey steals a glance at me just as baffled as I am, and I answer for us. “What wedding? We want to take our time. No need to rush.” I hope she isn’t going to argue with me. I know no one loves planning a party like Ma, but she’s not going to win on this. Trey squeezes my hand hopeful that I mean it.
Ma claps her hands together. “Good. We got other priorities right now.”
Her agreeing throws me off and leaves me feeling offended.
“Really? Such as?” I wait for her to explain, but before she can talk the doorbell rings.
“I’ll get it,” Nate offers.
I cast a glance in his direction as he rises and see the dark circles under his eyes. I hope he’s not having issues. What if my leaving put too much stress and pressure on him?
He returns with none other than Lewis. Now I am really intrigued.
Lewis trudges into the kitchen to grab a plate.
“Is Audrey running the bar?” I ask, wondering if she’s going to turn up at any minute too. My brother avoids my eyes and our dad clears his throat.
I swallow my bite of garlic bread and chase it with some sweet tea. “What? Is something wrong with Audrey? Y’all are freaking me out.”
Trey continues to eat oblivious that anything is wrong, he’s too busy stuffing his mouth to see I am about to be hit with bad news. He’s still gloating over the fact my parents don’t care if we move into together out of wedlock.
Its Lewis that answers as he sits down with his food. “She’s gone.”
The bite of food I swallowed threatens to make its way back up my throat. “Gone. What? What do you mean she’s gone?” I know I didn’t call and check in on her but Ma assured me she would look out for her and the bar.
“As in she took off,” my brother clarifies.
“Well, where is she now?” I’m getting annoyed with all this beating around the bush business.
“We don’t know,” Ma pipes in. “But we need to find her and bring her back. She’s making a mistake. Her place is here with us. We’re her family.” She stresses the word family and I snort.
“Yeah, because you made her feel so welcome.” I shake my head.
“That’s enough, Nattie. Audrey is a part of our family. It may have taken me time to accept her, but I do care about her,” Ma argues.
“So why did she take off, what did you all do to her?”
I give them all an evil eye except for dad, he was always good to Audrey, and went above and beyond to make her feel welcome and wanted.
Bowser, our family dog curls up under my feet, and I sneak him a piece of my bread. I no longer have an appetite.