Two months later…
Today’s moving day. To be honest, I never thought this day would come. When Dr. Beesley informed me I’d been released from her care, I felt like skipping from her office singing. Spoiler alert, I didn’t. What I did do was call a moving company to come load up all my possessions in my three storage units to be moved to my new house in Austin.
Austin, can you believe it?
I’m moving to be closer to Case.
I’m moving to start my new life.
I’m moving because this chapter of my life is over.
No longer am I the depressed, scarred, mess of a woman I was a mere six months ago. She’s a thing of my past and I hope she always remains there.
My novel will be published in October, and based on the pre-orders so far, it’s gearing up to be my best seller ever. I’ve come to the conclusion I may never write again. I think all of my stories have been told. When I was with Michael, it was easy to write the lighter fluffier love stories; now with Case, whatever I try to write comes out too raw and real. It’s more a part of me than ever before. The book I started on the road trip was different…it was my personal journey fictionalized. And now it’s done.
No matter how much my agent tries to talk to me into a sequel.
Hopefully, I’ll stick to my guns and there’ll never be one.
Case is my forever and always.
Michael was my forever right now.
The depression I went through after losing Michael was necessary for me to find Case. For going through it, I’m thankful. If I never would’ve went through any of it, I’d never have met the man who was truly meant to be my other half.
Pulling into the storage unit, I see the two moving trucks are already there and waiting for me. One of the first items to go on a truck?
My car.
Mama is picking me up from here in a couple of hours for me to meet my flight out of Mobile to Austin where Case will pick me up and take me to my new home. Mabel June? She’s flying with me. I’m scared as hell to get on the plane, but with Mabel June as my companion, I’m sure things will go smoothly. As long as she’s a good quiet girl on the flight, she’ll get lots of gifts once our time in the air is over.
When all the trucks are full and my storage units emptied, I sit down in the middle of one and take in all the hollowness. After a few blissful moments of quiet, I call mama.
“Ready for me to come grab you, baby girl?” she asks, her chipper voice coming through the line.
“Sure am,” I reply
“As luck would have it, I was in the area already, so watch for me to be coming up alongside the units, dear.”
“Okay, Mama.” Jiggling the keys for all three units brings out a smirk across my face. I’m still smiling when mama pulls up barely a minute later.
“Hop on in. What placed the smirk upon your face, Tenley?” she questions.
“Oh, I was wiggling the keys around thinking about how nice it’s going to be to leave them in the front office here. No more storage units for me. I’m off to Austin to my cute little colonial house with a fenced in backyard for my Mabel June, and it’s not too far from the city limits. I’m not scared of a new beginning, Mama, I’m ecstatic to be getting one.”
“I’m proud of you, I don’t know if I’ve told you enough. I’m unbelievably proud of you. You’re checking off your last fear today…flying. I don’t know if I’ve ever experienced watching something as beautiful as you rising above the ashes. My baby girl has turned into a stunning phoenix,” Mama says while tears glisten in her eyes, never spilling over, but glistening all the same.
“Don’t cry, Mama, you’ll make me cry and we’ll both ruin our makeup,” I say, “Besides we’re going to see Luellen for a few minutes, right? Don’t cry beforehand because we both know she’ll make us cry.”
“You’re right of course,” Mama replies.
We’re both silent the rest of the drive to Bookmark It! Turns out the silence is exactly what we needed. If mama would’ve kept on the track she was on, we both would’ve been a blubbering mess and unable to drive. In turn it would’ve caused me to have to say goodbye to Luellen over the phone instead of in person like we planned. Because my flight leaves in less than three hours, which means we only have around twenty minutes to spend with Lu.
As mama parks the car, a feeling of melancholy comes over me. I’m struck by the fact I may not see the store again anytime soon. It makes me sad because for a few weeks it had become a vital part of my life. Not to mention it’s where I met Case.
Making a vow to myself, I promise to come back to Bookmark It! with Case.
Walking into the store, the familiar jingle of the bell brings a tear to my eye. I’m going to miss this place. Luellen comes walking out from behind the counter and embraces me in a warm hug. She always has known exactly what I needed. Besides my parents, she’s who I’ll miss the most.
Leaving this time is unlike any other time I’ve left. It’s a brand-new start for me. Alone. Granted, Case will be in the same city, but this move is for me.
“Maria, our baby bird is leaving the nest…forever it sounds like,” Lu says while hugging me tighter.
“I know, Luellen. This is a great thing though. She’s finally found herself,” Mama replies.
“Would you two please stop talking about me as if I’m not here, it’s annoying,” I complain.
“Oh, baby girl, you know we don’t mean anything by it,” Mama says. “We do it to you so often it’s a hard habit to break.”
Which I get, I totally do. But it’s still one of my pet peeves. Not wanting to ruin the moment, I stay silent.
“Austin, huh?” Lu inquires.
I’ve already told her why, but not much else. “Yes, after my road trip, I knew it was where I was meant to be. It’s as if the city called to me and it said…home. Plus, it doesn’t hurt that Case is nearby and all. But we’ll be roughly a half an hour away from each other. He’s downtown, I’m in the suburbs.” My house is the cutest little colonial with a huge yard—both front and back—for Mabel June and my future adopted or fostered children to play in. “There’s a cute white picket fence. You’ll have to come visit,” I insist.
“Maybe someday I’ll take you up on the offer,” Lu says while finally loosening the vise grip of a hug she had me in. “Okay, we have what, ten minutes left?” she asks.
“Give or take a minute or two,” Mama informs her. “We have to swing by and grab Stewart before taking her to Mobile so she can catch her flight.”
We make the most of the next few minutes, Luellen spends most of it crying while mama and I try our hardest not to.
After stopping by the house to grab my carry-on, Mabel June, and daddy, we make our way to the Mobile airport. Most of the drive is spent in silence, but it’s a good silence. A happy one. Mama and daddy couldn’t be prouder of me, and I can feel their love for me in the unspoken words.
As we approach the airport security—where I have to sign a few papers and ride in a van to be dropped off with Mabel June since she’s my companion animal—daddy is the first to break the silence. “I’m not going to lie and say I won’t miss having you around, but I’ve never been prouder of you, baby girl. I want you to know I love you and we’ll visit soon. Next month if you’ll have us. I’m giving you alone time to go and grab your happiness. When I see you next, you better be happy. If you’re not, I’m killing Case.”
“Everything he said times two,” Mama says. “I know where to hide the body,” she jests. At least I pray she’s joking.
“I love you both. And yes, you’re welcome to visit next month. I’ll be sure to have the guest room all ready for y’all. In fact, I’ll make it my first order of business after my bed is moved into my master suite. I’ll call you every single day,” I promise.
As I’m opening my door, daddy hurries out to finish opening it for me. Once my feet are firmly planted on the ground, he hugs me like he’s never hugged me before. Heck, until the last few months I wasn’t sure he truly loved me.
Mama joins us on the sidewalk and envelops me in a hug of her own.
With tears in my eyes, I tell my parents goodbye and walk into the airport security with my Mabel June to conquer my last fear.
CASE
I arrive at the airport nearly a half hour early, I spend the minutes circling around and around in my truck until I spy her waiting outside a set of doors.
Mo ghaol has come home.
Stopping my truck, she approaches with a sexy smirk upon her lips. “I’ve never taken the time to stare at you behind the wheel of this beast, Case. It’s sexy as all get out,” she says as she climbs up into the seat beside me, Mabel June climbing in next to her to sit in her lap. Tenley unhooks her leash. “Now, take me to your place, I’m ready to kiss you for hours, hotshot.”
Once we arrive at my complex, I park the truck, take my hands off the wheel, and kiss her hello. “Mm, I’ve been waiting for a kiss since I left you last week, mo ghaol.” She kisses me back with a hunger I’ve never felt coming from her. I’m still aware of our surroundings so I break the kiss, hop out of the truck, and hurry around to help her out. The sooner we’re inside, the sooner I can give her my gift.
Last week when I visited her in Gulf Shores, I took Mabel June and went to the beach where a photographer met us. He took several pictures of us together on the sugar sand, with the ocean facing behind us, and my proposal written in the sand. I picked up the picture from the framer’s this morning. I’m praying her answer is yes.
The ding of the elevator brings me out of my thoughts and back to the present. She steps off and leads the way to my loft while I stare at her ass in those tight jeans. Soon I hope to officially call her mine.
“I have something for you and the new house. Once we’re inside and you’re settled, I’ll bring it out to you,” I say, the nerves evident in my shaky voice. If she notices, she doesn’t say anything.
“You didn’t need to get me anything. Your love is enough,” she says back.
“Oh, I think you’ll change your mind once you see it.” At least I hope she does.
Unlocking the door, I let her go in ahead of me, my nerves making my palms all sweaty. I can’t recall a time when I’ve ever been this nervous.
“How about you call and order dinner while I run upstairs and grab your housewarming gift?” I suggest.
“What would you like?”
“Whatever you order is fine by me, so go crazy,” I tell her.
Running up the stairs, I stop in my bathroom before grabbing the picture. I’m sweating. Reaching for a wash cloth, I run it under cool water and wipe down my face while also running my wrists under the cool stream. It does little to calm my nerves.
Walking back into the bedroom, I grab the picture off the bed where I placed it earlier this afternoon.
It’s now or never.
When I reach the bottom step, she greets me with Mabel June in her arms and out of her carrier. “This baby girl missed you. I was, uh, going to hand her over but it seems your hands are already full. Does Chinese sound okay?” Tenley asks.
“It’s perfect. In fact, everything’s perfect. Follow me into the living room, and I’ll take her while you look at your gift,” I suggest.
She walks over to the couch, takes a seat, and remains silent.
“Tenley Michelle Grace, we’ve been on a journey together. Yours was one of self-discovery and healing. Mine was one of embracing the gift you are to me. I’ve loved you since the day I heard you murdering that Adele song. Last week, when I visited, MJ and I went to the beach and had some pictures taken for your new home. A home I hope to one day share with you and fill with as many foster and adopted kids as we can. So, mo ghaol, will you marry me?” I ask while I turn the picture around so it’s facing her.
She doesn’t hesitate for one second before saying the one word that makes my whole life, “Yes.”