Chapter Sixteen
Austin
Five o’clock the next morning, I fell out of bed after hitting my head on the nightstand.
I swore that not ten minutes earlier I’d finally fallen asleep.
Before I went to check on my dad, I flipped the switch on the coffee pot. I’d need six gallons of the stuff before I could even function that day.
If that even helped.
Dad was up, staring out the window.
“Morning, Dad. Ready to go to the bathroom?”
He shook his head, still not looking at me. “These windows aren’t thick enough.”
I cursed, collapsing into the chair beside his bed. I propped my forehead on the side of his bed.
“Dad, everything is messed up. I said so many things I didn’t mean. I’d wait for her forever, you know? I have waited for her forever.”
Dad rubbed his head in my hair. “We all do, son. We all do. Although, you did make some good points.”
My head jerked up at him saying that. He loved her so much I’d never expected him to say I’d done anything right especially when I felt like everything I’d done was wrong.
Because the only way it would be right is if she was here with me again.
That’s the only way I would ever be right again.
“Dad?”
“I’m serious, Austin. Everybody has their hang-ups. She loves you, I know that. She cried on that back porch for nearly two hours before she left. She wasn’t mad at you. Alma was mad at herself. Girl loves you.”
“I put the ball in her court. If she wants us, she’ll come back.”
“Do you love her?”
“Yes.”
“You love her enough to want to marry her?”
“Yes.”
“When you love someone like that, there’s no pride left. You have to go get her.”
Just as he finished his sentence, the front door opened. A little part of me hoped it was Butch or someone else because I didn’t know if I had the guts to face her right then.
“Austin?”
Her calling my name one time set me in motion.
“Alma?”
“Hey… ooo!” We collided in the living room. She was on her way to the back, and I was practically sprinting to the front.
“I told my papa that I love you.” She practically yelled at me after thunking into my chest.
“You did? Even after last night?”
She looked down. “Especially after last night. You were right. He wants you to come to dinner tonight with the family. But you don’t have to. I wouldn’t blame you if you didn’t.”
All my worry and anxiety subsided. I didn’t care about her dad or anyone else in that moment. I cared that the woman I love still loved me.
“I’m incredibly sorry, Alma. I can’t even tell you how sorry I am.”
“No.” She shoved back and propped herself up on her tiptoes to make sure we were eye to eye. “I needed to hear that last night. It’s about time I stood up for you and me.”
“You and me, sounds fantastic right now.”
“How about you and me always?”
I didn’t even get to answer before her lips were pressed to mine. As her arms wound around my neck, I pulled her closer to me, as close as we could get. Alma’s brown silken hair was up in a knot and I chuckled through our kiss as her glasses kept making dents in my face.
This was how my girl was when no one was looking. This beauty was mine to behold.
“I like the glasses,” I said in between pecks.
“Yeah? I was just in such a hurry to get here.”
“You were? I was flying out of here trying to get to you. I was afraid…”
She smiled and everything I was about to say faded in my mind. “That’s the great thing about you and me being together and everyone knowing. We don’t have to be afraid anymore, Austin.”
With those simple words, she put a fire in me. A fire of love, a fire of bravery and a fire of complete and total trust – in us.
“I’m going to that dinner.”
“Good. I’m coming with you. I threw a dress and some heels in my car. I’ll get ready over here.”
“Oh yeah?” I teased her. “Do I get to watch?”
“Not yet. You’ve got to earn that, mister.”
“Yes, ma’am. Maybe we’d better go talk to Dad. I think he was more worried than I was.”
“He loves me. It can’t be helped.”
“Yeah, well, he’s not the only one.
We walked into Dad’s room and he was already beaming. The nosy ol’ buster.
“Iron your shirt, Austin. And make us some breakfast. We’ve got celebrating to do.”
“Dad, you were eavesdropping.”
He shrugged his shoulders. “My house. I can listen to whatever I want.”
Alma snuggled against my side. “Let me help your dad get dressed for the day and if I remember correctly, you make a mean omelet.”
“I make the best omelets.”
“Okay. I’ll be in there in a second.”
I turned to go but looked back at her. She looked over her shoulder at the same time and mouthed “I love you.”
It was turning out to be the best morning ever.