52. Dakota
52
DAKOTA
Pulling Chevy into the gravel driveway, I’m met with so much peace. It’s terrifying. At one point, this home represented nothing but love and core memories in my life. Within a moment, it became the place I couldn’t get far enough away from.
Now, it’s a symbol of accepting today and what tomorrow brings.
I smile as I climb out of the truck and round the tailgate, putting myself front and center with the garage door.
I can see Dad in there now, yelling at the flatscreen while he works on building Mom her next piece of furniture. The electric saw masked his grunts and cursing, which would soon turn to infectious elation the second mom came out with a meal, kissing and thanking him .
The ache in my heart is still there, but the picture of him in my head shows happiness in my smile.
I decided to wear colors that would keep my mood centered and fit for the occasion. I chose a pair of black cut-off jean shorts, red and white Dunks, and my white baby tee with two cowboy boots embossed in red threading. My hair is in messy, teased waves, falling down the center of my back.
I feel comfortable and confident, and I’m ready to move forward.
Spotting Helen on the phone by the front door, I head in her direction, watching as she ends the call and turns to greet me kindly.
“Ms. Foster, hi. Big day, huh?” I guess it is. Fiddling with my phone and keys, I laugh lightly, trying to match her energy.
“Yes. I guess it is. I’m excited.”
“Awesome. The buyer is this way in the dining room. Let’s go ahead and introduce you.”
This is the moment my nerves decide to take flight. I’m not nervous about meeting the buyers per se, although from what she said, there seems to be only one present. It's more about how I’ll feel saying goodbye for good.
There’s this heavy finality knowing you’ll never be able to return. Since I’ve owned this home, I never really felt saddened because I knew it would still be here in the back of my mind, and I’d always have the chance to come back if I wanted.
But after today, this special home will belong to a new family, and I doubt they’ll want the orphaned daughter of the dead folks who used to live here stopping by for monthly visits.
I won’t do that to myself or them.
Entering the house, stale air from the lack of furniture and human bodies over the last year greets me.
The feeling of home still lingers.
I feel it everywhere.
In some ways, the feeling is more vital now than ever. It’s odd how I can feel so connected at the edge of goodbye .
Leading me outside the grand staircase to the dining room, Helen turns towards me, “I’ll be right outside if you need me.”
The sound of her heeled footsteps quiets the farther she withdraws.
Let's get this over with.
Gathering the courage to move, I walk to the empty dining room threshold, unprepared for what awaits me.
My world spins on its axis as I come face to face with Callaway.
My face likely shows my confusion, something he probably expected, given this was not planned.
I’m standing on the opposite side of the room, while Cal stands between the dining room’s floor-to-ceiling bay windows, holding a digital camera. The room is empty, with nothing but white walls and my whole heart a short distance from me.
What is going on?
“Callaway? What are you doing here? Not that I’m not happy to see you, but I am a little confused.”
Hopefully, he won’t take offense to my confusion.
A bright smile lights up his face, one that is very much Callaway but equally screams he’s up to something . Hmm.
“Can you come here for a second, angel?”
My feet lead me to him while my eyes still search for the buyers I’m scheduled to meet. God, they’d likely back out of the contract if they witnessed the dirty things Cal and I can do while left unattended.
“But where are the buyers? They were supposed to be here already.”
I make it to stand in front of him, my body naturally seeking him. Cal takes my hand as I frantically look around, my panic setting in. I’ve been preparing myself for this all day, only to come here and have them not show up.
Maybe it’s good they aren't here yet, given the emotional battle I’ve been facing all day.
I need to gather myself.
“They’re not coming.” Excuse me? I must have heard him wrong. Also, how in the hell would he know where the buyers are for my house?
“Callaway, what are you talking about? Don’t fuck with me right now.”
The peculiar thing is he looks dead serious—no humor shows on his face.
I need him to explain himself now.
My heart rate is skyrocketing as I struggle to put the pieces together.
Unfortunately, I’ve never been able to act appropriately under adrenaline and high stress. I’d be the victim who would hand over everything I own to a robber and ask no questions before jumping into their car.
Mentally, my brain would beat me up for being so stupid, but it’s a disadvantage I have at the moment.
I carefully pull my hand from his, moving my arms to cross against my chest. Tears fill my eyes as Cal stands still, staring at me twirling the bulky camera strap in his hands. He’s either working on summoning words to say or giving me a second to cool down.
“I bought it.”
His statement holds the same weight as a cell phone ringing in the middle of a eulogy—morbid but true.
“You bought what?”
“Your house. I bought it.”
He can't be serious.
How would he have done that without me knowing or Helen disclosing the buyer's name? I have so many questions. But first, I need proof and to understand why.
“I’m confused.”
Callaway hands over a laminated and sealed document without me having to ask. The translucent lamination gives my eyes an easy view of the text.
“Here. It’s all written out for you.” My eyes scan the text, confirming the question in my mind.
“You bought my house.” I hand him back the document, my hands finding their way into the pockets of my jean shorts as we stare at each other in silence.
I’m not sure what his plan was behind this, but I wish he had told me he was interested in purchasing it. I can’t guarantee my reaction, but it certainly would have been better than how I feel now.
“I bought our house.”
“Callaway, seriously, you’re not making any sense. I own this house, and you’re purchasing it from me, making it your house once I sign.”
He shifts on his feet, placing the document back into my grasp, ushering me to continue. “Open to the second page. You missed something.”
I’m trying not to feel annoyed, but I’ll do this for him. There’s nothing he could show me that would change the fact that he bou?—
“Cal.”
The tears in my eyes have unleashed into streams I can’t control.
My emotions barrel past the brink, leaving them in clear view of those watching. His words etched into my heart.
“It’s our house. I bought it for us.”
I…I…don’t know what to say. Every part of me is screaming to be upset and hurt he went behind my back and purc hased something important to me, but the part that loves this man is telling me to run to him and never let go.
He did this for me—for us.
It’s like he knew how hard it would be for me to say goodbye, but knowing I could never afford to put the love and care into it that it deserves.
It would be like losing my parents all over again. He saw that before I did.
My right hand reaches to cover my mouth as I choke down a sob, wrenching from the depths of my heart. Callaway quickly nestles beside me, setting the camera down as he holds my puffy face and directs my attention to him.
My hands grip his forearms as he speaks to me softly.
“I know what this place means to you, and because it means so much to you, it means even more to me. I’ve told you this before—you’re my endgame, the one I see standing beside me until my time is finished on this earth. I never want you to feel burdened by things you want in this world, Dakota. I will give them all to you, including this house, to make it into your dream home for our family. I know it’s presumptuous of me to assume I’m a part of that, but fuck if I’m not hoping for it. My name is the only one on the loan, while both of ours are on the deed. If any part of you doesn't want this with me, I’ll purchase the same, but keep your name alone on the title and sign it over to you as a gift. The loan will be entirely paid in full for you to do with it what you want. But please, I’m begging you, do it with me.”
My heart has reached complete fullness.
I’m hopelessly and entirely in love with him. How dare he doubt that even in the slightest.
I refuse to put up a fight.
“Fine, I’ll live with you. But only if you keep our pantry stocked full of all my favorite cookies and tell me useless funny facts every day.”
My feet have reached the air before I can think to act as Callaway grabs me by my hips and twirls us around in circles.
“Anything you want is yours!” He shouts at the top of his lungs, his voice filled with pure joy echoes inside the empty house as we circle through the dining room. It feels good to see him so happy, knowing I make him so happy.
“Oh, one last thing.” What else could he have planned?
He’s full of surprises.
Callaway leads me by the hand into the central kitchen, and my eyes catch the tripod neatly set up on the large island.
He wants to take a picture.
I’m melting all over again.
The familiarity of this exact spot sends another wave of emotions over me.
“Callaway, this is the spot.” He knows what I’m trying to say. It’s the exact spot where my parents stood years ago when I snuck a photo of them.
An uncontrollable sob breaks free from within me; the gravity of his thoughtful gesture causes so much love to bloom in my chest.
The best thing I’ve ever done is love him.
I stand back, trying to tame my tears as Callaway sets up the camera on the tripod and adjusts the angle to match the spot perfectly.
He studied it.
He guides us into position. “Come here, baby, lay your head on my chest, and let me hold you.”
He’s holding me exactly like my dad held my mom. My head is pillowed on his chest as his arms wrap tightly around my back. His swaying brings back the sweetest memories of catching them privately.
I can call myself lucky enough to have found the same love I know they had, which is worth all the pain it took to get here.
Cal’s whispers in my ear stir up contentment like I’ve never known.
“I love you, Dakota. So much that I’m beginning to lose sight of myself when you aren’t around. I hope you know that. I won’t risk anything for your happiness. I know I can’t replace them, and I’d never want to, but I promise to love you enough for myself and the both of them.”
I thought the tears had run dry by now, but another rush hits my emotions, wreaking havoc. We are silently photographed as I enjoy this intimate moment with him.
My happiness isn’t found in anything other than him—everything else is a blip in our short life.
Give me Callaway, and I’ll want for nothing.
Photo secured, Cal packs up the tripod in a black travel bag and settles his back against the cabinet closest to the pantry wall. Turning on the camera, he selects the photo of us, a soft smile lighting up his face.
“I can’t wait to hang this in here.”
In our home. The home we will own together.
I can’t hide the giddiness that washes over me.
“Where should we put it?” I’m searching in wonder, and the home feels brand new with Callaway here as we try to find the perfect spot. His movement behind me causes me to turn in his direction, wondering if he found a spot.
“I was thinking right here, next to them.”
Right there, where I stood all those years ago, is the gold framed photo of my parents hanging on the staircase wall.
He did this for me .
I can’t put into words how special this is.
“Callaway,” I whisper. He’s standing against the wall, looking up at the photo of my favorite people in the world, like our home is better with them in it .
I couldn’t agree more.
My tears come from a bottomless pit today, resulting from his precious surprises.
“It’s perfect.” I’m running and jumping into his arms, wrapping my legs around him tightly, kissing the ever-loving shit out of him.
“You ready to spend forever with me, angel?”
My squealing tells him I am.