Chapter Twenty-Nine
“You’re still not going to tell me what the fudge nuggets we’re doing this weekend?” Gannett asks me from the passenger seat of my truck, mindful of his language so that Terra doesn’t drain his wallet for her swear jar—or rather, as he likes to put it, her savings account.
I’ve just picked him up at the marina, having planned a big, gay date of my own for him. I already worked everything out, behind-the-scenes, with Marcus and Caleb to make sure they had coverage from one of Wagner’s crew to help while Gannett’s away.
Twinkie yips from the back because he just heard his favorite word: nuggets.
He’s had plenty already, though, because one of the first places I took the girls after picking them up from Sarah’s was the land of the golden arches—and that creepy as fuck looking clown.
While they happily mow down on their kid’s meals, I pass Gannett his lunch, and tell him to settle in for a long ride.
Gannett spins in his seat. “I don’t suppose either of you ladies are going to tell me where we’re going either, are you?”
Tati giggles and shakes her head. “Nope. Mr. Gordy says we’re gonna have lots of fun though.”
“I think you’ll start to put the pieces together once you see what I need to pick up,” I muse as I pull into Hilltop Recreation—the local RV dealership.
“Oooh,” Gannett hums, practically bouncing in his seat. His eyes go comically wide. “Did you buy a camper?!”
“Renting,” I note, pulling into the lot designated for the used units.
“Seriously? You know we don’t have to rent one, right? Evan and Brooks bought the houseboat off me, since you’re such a landlubber. If we find one we like, why not buy?”
I shrug. “Far be it for me to tell you how to spend your money.”
He points to the new lot. “Pull in there. Let’s take a peek, and see if we find anything that strikes our fancy.”
I pull in and Gannett and I each grab a girl before they jump out of my lifted truck.
Terra squeals and claps her hands as soon as her feet hit the gravel.
That, in turn, gets the dog all wound up too, and he starts running in circles, tangling himself up in his leash.
Tatiana gets hearts in her eyes looking at the fifth-wheels—posh, moveable mansions.
Gannett notices that look too. “Sorry, doll. Dad’s budget isn’t that big.”
Tati hums, “Maybe if you didn’t say bad words all the time…”
I chuckle as if I don’t also add to their jars on a frequent basis. I’m working on it though.
We walk around the lot for a bit before a saleswoman shows up.
She shows us more that are within Gannett’s budget, and will suit the needs of our little family unit.
Still seems weird to me to call us a family unit, since only two months have passed from the day I sold Taryn the pub, but here we are—looking at campers that can accommodate all of us.
That, and we’re going on a trip where I can formally introduce Gannett and the girls to my family.
Well, the closest way I can, anyway. We’re going to where my mother grew up.
A place that I’ve never been to, though I should have, because that’s where she was laid to rest. A town that always felt like such a fairytale place to me, since she spoke of it with such fondness.
I don’t know, it just felt right to plan a trip there.
Dr. Goucher encouraged it, saying that even though I have no living relatives, it might be a nice way for us to go there and see what made it such a special place for Mom.
I already know what made it so special. That was where she lived, all before she met Marlin.
I’m shocked at how quick the process is when purchasing a camper, but I guess I shouldn’t be.
It’s August, Maine’s prime camping season is nearly over, so dealerships will move heaven and earth to get rid of an over abundance of inventory they have sitting on their lots.
We’re not even here for two hours before I’m getting Gannett’s new rig attached to my ball hitch.
He pats the side, arching a dark brow up at me. “Does spontaneously throwing $16k on a rolling hotel room buy me a little insight on where we’re going?”
I smirk. “Yeah, I guess so. We’re going to Ridge Falls.
Well, technically the campground is in Pineland, the next town over, but I, uhm, I want to see where my mother grew up.
” I pause, gnawing on the inside of my cheek.
“But I also wanted you all with me, when I do. And I know we could have stayed in some motel or B&B or whatever, but you’d said that you’d never brought Tati and Terra camping, and I wanted to give you and them that experience in return. ”
He grins, his straight, white teeth on full display. “Aw! That’s really sweet of you, babe. Now, see? You’re a very thoughtful big, gay date planner too! This is awesome. I’m friggin’ stoked.”
“Me too!” Terra chimes in. “Can we have a big campfire with s’mores an’ stuff?”
I nod. “Only if we put broccoli in them though. Your mom told me to make sure you eat something green this weekend.”
Both girls grimace. “Ew, Mr. Gordy,” Tati balks. “I’m not eating what you cook.”
Gannett scoffs. “You eat his cooking all the time. Surely you don’t think I know how to make a proper supper, do you?”
Terra giggles. “Da smoke alarms haven’t made noise lately.”
I chuckle too. “Microwave hasn’t had to be replaced either.”
Gannett groans, but it’s playful. “I can always check and see what the return policy is on these things,” he notes, hiking a thumb over his shoulder at the trailer.
Twinkie chooses then to bark at Gannett’s feet, almost as if he doesn’t agree with that plan at all.
“Alright, time to get going if we want to get there before you girls gotta go right to bed,” I quip, opening up the door to the extended cab and helping Terra climb up to the running boards.
After getting the girls and Twinkie all settled into the back, Gannett slides in the passenger seat. He leans across the center console, pecking my cheek before buckling himself in. Once we start heading for the I-95, he casually reaches over and threads his fingers between mine.
“You two been doin’ a lot of kissin’ an’ holdin’ hands a lot more,” Terra notes. “Are you gonna get married like Mumma and Steve?”
Gannett and I give each other curious glances. We’ve never even remotely thought about whether that’d be the next step between us. The topic has never come up, since we’ve been taking things one day at a time—one new emotion at a time—so that I don’t wind up feeling overwhelmed.
Honestly? I don’t even know how I’d feel about it. My first marriage was nothing but a piece of paper, a contract only, one that was easily torn to shreds.
Gannett spins in his seat. “You know, that’s a really good question, Terra. But mine and Gordy’s relationship doesn’t have to match Mumma and Steve’s.”
“Like how you are both guys?” Tati asks.
Gannett smirks. “Well, that too. But what I meant was that we’re both moving at different speeds, and that’s okay. If Mumma and Steve are comfortable with getting re-married, and they’re happy with the pace they’re moving, I’m happy for them.
“I think Steve is a really great guy. I know he loves you girls and treats you like you’re his own. I know he makes your mom happy, he supports her as a partner, and she deserves that.”
He glances over at me, then back to the girls. “Does that make sense?”
“You don’t want a big weddin’ like Mumma an’ Steve?” Terra asks.
He smirks, shaking his head. “I don’t know about Gordy, but I know I don’t feel like I need a traditional party or to sign papers in order for a relationship to feel real or complete.
But that’s a really big conversation he and I need to have, and I’m not sure if either of us is ready for that yet, okay? ”
“But you love each other, right?” Tati asks.
Gannett nods. “I love him very much.”
I agree, “Your father means the world to me.”
The girls are all tucked into their bunks, and Gannett has just gotten done reading them a story when he takes a seat next to me by the fire. “Hey, since we’re here trying to reconnect with your mother’s past, I’ve been thinkin…”
“That’s scary,” I snark.
He smirks. “Shut up, asshole. Anyway, you mentioned that she taught you sign language. I, uh, have been thinking a lot lately about how Caleb’s been on my crew for years, and Marcus always has to interpret for him.
I feel kind of ignorant that I can’t just understand him myself, you know?
I’d like to learn it, I think. I owe him that much, for being such a solid dude. Could you teach me?”
“Sure,” I agree. “It’s been a long time since I’ve had to use it, though, but I recall one of the ways Mom taught me when I was very young was actually by doing what you just did—telling bedtime stories.”
“Oh. Good to know. Maybe I could start there too, then.” He chuckles. “In hindsight, however, I’m not so sure reading them spooky ghost stories before bed was such a great idea,” he hums, hauling Twinkie onto his lap.
“Probably not. I’ll likely be up most of the night anyway though. I can get ‘em back to bed if they wake up scared over bumps in the night.”
“Why will you be up most of the night?” he asks, his face etched with concern.
I sigh. “Feeling pretty tense about being here now,” I admit honestly.
I’ve been working on sharing with Gannett how I’m feeling, when I’m feeling it—even when those feelings aren’t good.
“I don’t know if it’s the prospect of all the emotions I’m going to go through by bringing up my mother or what, but I’m worried I might have a nightmare.
Having our bed not three feet away from theirs, I don’t need to scare them. ”
He nods. “It could be the fear that you’ll scare them too, that could be making you more anxious…”
“Yeah. You’re probably right about that.”
He tilts his head, still staring into the flames. “You don’t have them when I’m sleeping with you. Well, none that have woken me up anyway, so you might not have to worry about it.”