Chapter Seventeen

Nate

I opened a second pack of pop-tarts and leaned up against the counter.

“What you so happy about?” Uncle Jake asked as he poured himself a coffee while shooting me a curious frown.

“A guy can’t be happy?” I responded.

“Not you, not in the morning, especially not on Monday.”

How could I answer his question? I mean, it was like - I was just happy. The world seemed right. Things were working. It was like the first time in a long time, a hole inside of me had been filled in. Like I was finally a complete person or something. I mean the ache of my parents and Aunt Mary would always be there. But, for some reason, it didn’t hurt as bad.

I was happy. So sue me. I shrugged my shoulders at him and took a bite of pop-tart.

He laughed and shook his head at me like I was a little kid pretending to be an astronaut. Reaching beyond my dreams.

“I might be late this afternoon,” I said. No reason really. But who knew. The day could be filled with surprises.

Uncle Jake nodded. “Okay, but don’t make any plans for the last weekend at the end of the month. You’ve got the gym both days. Charlie and I are going up to Salinas to check out this new fighter. I’ll be back late Sunday.”

Finishing the pop-tart, I nodded. It wasn’t unusual, he spent a lot of time on the road. I’d hold down the fort until he returned.

“Okay, see you later,” I said as I pushed off the counter and headed out the door.

“Tell Elle, I said hi,” he said with a smirk. “And remember son. It’s your job to make sure she’s as happy as you are right now. It took me years to realize that.”

I looked at him and saw the hidden hurt behind his eyes. That had been the mantra he lived by, I realized. The goal he’d set for himself in life. To make my Aunt Mary happy. That was all he had ever wanted. And now, it was like he didn’t have a purpose anymore. The gym, me, nothing would ever be as important, or as rewarding, as making my Aunt Mary happy.

“I will try,” I said as I swallowed hard and got out of there before either of us made an emotional fool of ourselves.

But on the drive to school, I couldn’t stop thinking about what my uncle had said. I mean, come on. What would a girl like Elle ever see in someone like me? She was destined to be something in this world. A lawyer, a doctor, something important. In college, she’d be surrounded by guys, all of them on the road to the big time. While I was stationed somewhere in the world, crawling through the mud and making chump change for a salary.

No way would I ever match up to what she wanted. Not in the long term. Right now, I was something new. Something different. But, would she ever really respect me? Would she ever really be amazed by anything I ever did? How could I ever make her happy in the long run? I couldn’t see it, not really.

Suddenly, my happy, carefree feeling washed away to be replaced by a mountain of doubt. What was I getting myself into? I mean, it was only a matter of time until she realized that she could do a lot better. Oh sure, I could probably take any guy in the school. And maybe even a couple of them together. But so what?

At some point, that wasn’t going to be enough. I wasn’t going to ever be enough for a girl like Elle.

Sighing, I pulled into the school’s parking lot and tried to regain that happy feeling.

“Get it together,” I mumble to myself. Enjoy it while it lasted. A short time with Elle was better than just about anything else in the world. So, go with the flow. Enjoy it, and sock away sweet memories. Because when it ends. It’s going to hurt.

I’d gotten myself together and shaken off the cloud of doom when I saw her waiting on the steps outside the front door of the school. Long legs and soft curves. Her hair pulled back and a fresh, pure innocence that tore my heart in two.

She saw me, and a hesitant smile made the world a better place.

She looks nervous, I thought. Why? Was everything okay?

“Where’s Jimmy,” I asked.

She frowned. “I sent him ahead, I wanted to talk to you for a minute.”

My stomach tightened up into a compact ball that felt like it weighed a ton.

Seeing my questioning frown, she glanced down at her feet for a second then looked up at me and said, “I didn’t know if you were coming today. I mean, I sort of was wondering if you changed your mind. You know, about the whole not pretending part.”

I smiled to myself. She was babbling, she did that when she got nervous. Maybe she was as worried as I was. The thought relaxed me for some reason. Reaching out, I took her hand and pulled her into a quick kiss.

“You’re not getting rid of me that easily,” I said. “And, you look great, by the way,” I added.

She smiled up at me and I could see her relax. Probably for the first time since Saturday night.

“You never called me, I didn’t know. What are the rules of this new arrangement.”

I laughed, so like Elle, she needed a plan. Needed the boundaries clearly marked, goals set and a path forward. For her, the real thing was going to be harder than pretending ever was.

Shrugging my shoulders, I led her into the school, still holding her hand. “I don’t know,” I said, saying the one thing that probably bothered her the most. “You tell me how you want this to go.”

She suddenly got very big eyes as if the prospect of her being in charge scared her. “You’re the one with experience in things like this, remember?”

I laughed. “Okay, then,” I said, “it’s simple, remember three basic things.”

“Yes,” she said and I knew deep down she wished she could pull her book out and take notes.

“One, you can not get me expelled by flirting with other guys.”

She frowned. “Why would that get you expelled?”

“Because, I’d end up beating them into the ground and no way is Mr. Bean excusing that.”

She laughed and shook her head, “Okay, no flirting, what else?”

“Two, I get to pick you up in the morning and drive you home after school. That is not negotiable by the way. I am putting my foot down and insisting. I know you think it’s male chauvinistic of me. But deal with it.”

She laughed. “Okay, if you’re going to be all insistent and stuff. But I get to come up with some rules of my own.”

“We’ll see,” I said. She gave me a look that let me know it was not up for discussion.

“What is the third rule?” she asked as she let go of my hand to slip her arm into mine and pull herself closer to me.

I thought for a moment as I drank in the wonderfulness that is Elle. Finally, I made myself think and came up with something.

“Third,” I said, “is that, at least once a day, you have to give me a look of adoration. Like I am the most important thing in the world. I know it will be hard for you, but you will get better with practice.”

She laughed and slapped my arm. I could tell she knew I was joking.

“No, not like that,” I said with a smile. “And go easy on the physical violence, remember, I am tender and bruise easily.”

Throwing her head back, she barked out a laugh so loud that half the kids in the hall turned to look. She blushed and buried her head in my arm.

“Okay,” she mumbled as she continued to lean into me. “I agree to your rules. But I will let you know mine at lunch,” she added as we stopped outside her room.

“What? You haven’t come up with a list already? What have you been doing all weekend?”

“I’m new to this,” she said with a twinkle in her eye. “But, I’m a quick learner, so you better be ready.”

God, she was special, I thought as the bell rang. Leaning down, I quickly kissed her.

“And Elle,” I said as I pulled away to get to class. “Have a great, beautiful day. That is a rule also. Elle must always have a great, beautiful day.”

She smiled back at me and I saw true happiness in her eyes and I knew what my Uncle Jake had known for years. There is nothing more wonderful than making the woman you love smile like that.