Chapter 29 #2
“Yeah, Mom. Can’t we have one more adventure at Nana and Papa’s house?” Leo said with a smirk.
“I already took our stuff back to our house,” I explained and gave Leo a pointed stare.
“That’s fine. Grandma and Grandpa washed my clothes so I have somethin’ to wear,” Luke countered and poked out his lip. He knew that subtle move made it hard for me to say no to. Leo bent his head, poked his lip out too, and batted his eyelashes.
“Two against one. No fair,” I said as I shook my finger at them and laughed.
“Please, Mom. It’ll be fun,” Luke said as he clasped his hands together in his last attempt to plead with me.
“Fine. One more night won’t hurt,” I said to Luke, before I turned to Leo and asked him to make sure his parents were okay with it.
“Already done,” he said with a wink and a sly smirk.
“You planned this?”
“Maybe,” he said without elaborating.
Our food arrived, and we all dug in. I couldn’t help but wonder what Leo was up to. He seemed different tonight. Flirtier than he’d been before. I didn’t want to get my hopes up, so I tried to stay in the present.
After we were done with dinner, Leo paid the check, and we left just as the sun began to set. On the walk back to his truck, Luke skipped in front of us. Leo wrapped his arm around my waist, and I leaned into his shoulder. Content to just be in the moment. Just the three of us.
On the way back to the ranch, I slipped my wedges off my feet and propped them up on the dashboard, then took the pins out of my hair so I could feel the wind in my hair.
I laid my head back on the headrest with a smile on my face as I took in the beauty of the land as we passed it by.
I glanced over at Leo who had one hand on the steering wheel, the other laid palm up on the seat beside him.
Taking a chance, I slipped my hand in his as I looked up at him to gauge his reaction.
He looked over at me with a smirk. That smirk.
I loved that look on him. The surety of that smirk did something to my insides that I just wasn’t ready to name.
He stared over at me for a beat before he braked a little harder than normal.
I looked over to my right to see the stop sign and let out a laugh as I shook my head and chuckled to myself.
I stared out the window the rest of the way to the ranch lost in thought. Once we were through the gate and parked in front of the house, I went to put my feet down, but Leo’s voice stopped me.
“Hang tight here. I’ll be right back.” I gave him a questioning gaze that he ignored as he left the truck running and ran around the back and got Luke out of the vehicle.
He returned five minutes later sans Luke, and I wondered what he was up to.
Leo hopped back into the truck and put it in drive and drove around the back side of the house.
“What’re we doing?” I asked as he continued to drive past the barn.
“I thought it’d be nice to spend some time with just the two of us,” he replied.
“Where are we going?” I asked, but I knew the answer before he responded.
The only thing in this direction was the Confession Tree. My heart beat rose in my chest as he continued to our destination.
“You haven’t figured it out yet?”
Oh, I had. I just didn’t know why he’d want to go back here. While we’d had some good times sitting under this tree, the last moment we were there alone ended in heartbreak.
I didn’t reply, my throat clogged with emotion as I saw the tree off in the distance.
Leo parked underneath the long branch we used to sit on all those years ago and got out of the truck. As he rummaged around in the backseat, I sat there unable to move.
I jumped as my door opened.
“You ready?” he asked. I looked over at him, and he smiled brightly as he held out his hand to help me out.
Reluctantly I grabbed it, not bothering to put my shoes on.
The grass was cool beneath my feet as he led me to the back of the truck.
He’d put the tailgate down and spread out a navy-blue sleeping bag in the back and had pillows against the back of the truck.
A lantern illuminated a bright glow as his hands went to my hips, and he lifted me up so I could climb in the back.
I turned and sat and slid up the back of the truck, crossing my feet as I got settled against the pillows.
Leo climbed into the back and settled beside me. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw him grab something from beside him and put it in his lap, but I was too nervous to look at what it was.
“You look like you’re ready to bolt,” he said with a laugh.
“I’m just nervous,” I admitted as I nervously put my hair behind my ear and looked over at him.
“Why? There’s nothin’ to be nervous about. I just wanted to spend some time with you,” he said with a soft smile as he nudged my arm with his playfully.
I let out a sigh of relief and relaxed. I don’t know why my mind automatically went to the worst-case scenarios.
I looked down at his lap and noticed a stack of letters that looked all too familiar. None of them appeared to be open. I stared at that stack of letters, and tears filled my eyes. Looking back up at him, I opened my mouth and closed it, unable to speak.
“I’ve been too scared to open these. I know I’ll get emotional at the realization of everything I’ve missed, and I didn’t have the courage to open them alone.
I thought we could open them together if you’re up for it, and you could give me some context if I have any questions,” he confessed, and my lip trembled at the sweetness of the gesture.
I pulled his hand away from the letters and brought it to my lap, covering it with both my hands to comfort him.
“That sounds like a good idea.” I smiled even though my heart ached for the words he was about to read. He’d taken to being a father so well, and I knew it pained him that he’d missed so much of Luke’s life. But I was glad he wanted to open the letters with me.
He opened the letter on top and cleared his throat before he began to read the words aloud.
Leo,
Today our beautiful baby boy entered the world kicking and screaming.
He’s so precious. I know they say you can’t tell who babies look like when they’re first born, but I swear he looks just like you.
I wish you were here to see him. All seven pounds eight ounces and twenty-one inches of him.
I know it’s crazy, but I counted every finger and toe and admired how perfect he is.
Please call me. My number’s the same. I want you to be a part of his life.
I hope this letter finds you well.
Carolina
Tears streamed down Leo’s face as he set the letter down and looked down at the photos I’d included of Luke. His finger traced over every inch of Luke’s face.
He looked over at me, his eyes filled with sadness and awe.
The photo floated to Leo’s lap as it left his hand. Before I knew it, Leo pulled me in for a hug. His arms wrapped around my shoulders as his tears hit my bare skin.
“I’m so sorry,” he said through his tears, and I wrapped my arms around his middle to hold him tight. Comforting him the only way I knew how. We stayed wrapped in each other’s arms until Leo’s tears subsided.
He pulled back, his eyes red and puffy as he wiped them with the back of his hands.
We opened letter after letter and I rested my head on his shoulder so I could look down and see the baby photos of Luke.
His first time crawling.
His first steps.
His first foods.
His first day of preschool.
The first time he rode his bike. The first scrape of his knee. His first day of school.
Every one of Luke’s firsts photographed and explained in a letter. When Luke was old enough and he learned how to write, I included his handwriting as well. After I’d told him about Leo when he was old enough and asked, he wanted to write letters too.
Leo broke down at the sight of Luke’s messy handwriting addressed to him.
Photos were scattered in the bed of his truck by the time we’d opened the last letter dated just a couple of months before we’d returned to Haven Valley.
He dried his tears, as I dried mine too. Both of us were emotionally drained by the time the last letter fell from his hands.
He cleared his throat a few times before he looked over at me.
“I’ll never be able to apologize enough,” he started. I went to stop him, to tell him he didn’t need to keep apologizing, but he held up his hand to stop me.