Chapter Twenty-Eight
Renegade
“Please don’t hurt yourselves,” Whitney looks at Tank and me over the top of her sunglasses.
“We’re cleaning out your gutters and taking care of your fall yardwork,” Tank shoots her a look. “How in the world do you think we’re going to hurt ourselves? We’re in great shape.”
“That cocky attitude is it right there,” she puts her hands on her hips, giving him a stare down. Showing her own attitude.
“Don’t worry about us. Go hang out with your friends, take their gifts, and when you get home, we’ll put them in the nursery and then we’ll relax,” I send her off with a kiss on the cheek as she strolls over to her SUV.
“How in the hell did you get out of a baby shower?” Tank asks as he watches her leave.
I turn, a sly grin on my face. “No fuckin’ clue dude.
All I know is the second week of September, somebody called, and said that they thought it’d be too difficult to do a baby shower with her birthday next month, Thanksgiving, and then Christmas.
Since all of us think she’ll go before Christmas, she agreed.
Two hours later, they’d planned a lunch, a very informal baby shower.
It ain’t like we need anything anyway. Your mom kinda spearheaded it, I guess.
Either way, I don’t have to go. In fact, they told me no men allowed.
I’ll take it,” I laugh as I walk back towards the storage garage.
“Dad’s here,” he says, when we hear a car turn into the driveway.
We watch as he gets out of the car, holding his coffee mug. He’s wearing flip flops and a pair of shorts, even though tomorrow is October first.
“What kinda work you plan on doing in those flip flops?” Tank gives him shit.
“Boy, you aren’t too old for me to bust in the mouth. I’m supervisin’.”
Tank and I glance at one another. Supervising means he’s going to tell us what to do all afternoon. It’ll be a replay of our youth, but to be honest, I’m looking forward to it.
“Shit,” Tank walks back towards the house. “I’m gonna need another cup of coffee for this.”
I laugh, shaking my head at the two of them, unlocking the storage shed and grabbing the leaf blower and a couple of bags. As I bring them out and set them on the driveway, Stanley comes over to me.
“While he’s inside, I thought I might have a little talk with you,” he sticks one hand in his pocket, still holding his coffee cup in the other.
This makes me nervous. Stanley hardly ever wants to have a talk with me, and to be honest, he hasn’t since I turned him down for that college money.
“Look,” he starts. “I know you probably wonder what we think about Whitney having your baby, but you’re trying too much not to dwell on it.
I’ve treated you like my own for a long time, Ryan, and God’s truth, you know if Mona and I could have adopted you, we would have.
There’s no one else I’d want my daughter to have a child with.
We’re extremely excited for the two of you, and if there’s anything you need, please let us know. ”
I don’t know what to say. Truth be told, I’m scared I might cry.
“You don’t have to say anything, just know that Mona and I support both of you and there’s absolutely no animosity. Whitney’s a grown woman, she can make her own decisions, and if you’re her decision, we’re more than happy to back her up.”
“Thank you,” I’m finally able to clear my throat enough to get the words out.
I reach over, hugging him tightly. I haven’t hugged him since he offered me the money for school, but his hug is still solid and steady, the pillar of the family that everyone needs sometimes.
“You don’t know how much that means to me. ”
“I have some idea, son. I watched you boldly turn down money for an education to go fight a war because you didn’t want to make life hard for me. You’re one of the best men I know, and that’s not a damn lie.”
“C’mon you two, let’s get this show on the road,” Tank yells as he holds his coffee, coming down off the porch. “I got plans tonight. We need to get done in time for me to go take a shower.”
“Does Blaze know you have plans?” I shoot him a smirk.
“Shut the fuck up and start that leaf blower.”
I do as he asks, shooting all the leaves at him while he makes a run for it. “You’re an ass, Renegade.”
Stanley’s laughing at the two of us as he leans against his truck. “This takes me back to your teenage years. You two ain’t grown up at all.”
Whitney
“Truth or lie?” I ask, yawning slightly. I’m tired tonight, but wired at the same time. Fall is fast approaching and with that is the due date of our baby girl. I’m tired more often than not, but find I don’t fall asleep as easily as I used to.
“Truth,” he winks, even though I can tell he’s tired, too. When I came home to find my entire yard done, my gutters cleared, and my porches cleaned too, I realize how much work the guys did for me. It was enough to almost make me cry. Damn hormones.
We haven’t played this game since he had to admit to jacking off in my mom’s bathroom. I know he’s probably expecting something like that from me, but I have another truth I want to share with him. “When I was married, there was only one thing I ever asked for, for my birthday,” I start.
He’s sitting up, completely at attention because I don’t talk about my marriage often. Lately it hasn’t come up at all, and I’m happy for that. I’m no longer living in the past and neither is Ryan. We’re making a life for ourselves separate from the jerk I was married to for so long.
“What is it that you’ve always wanted, Princess?”
His words are a caress, letting me know maybe one day I’ll have what I’ve wanted.
If there’s anything Ryan does well, it’s make me happy, less stressed, and enjoy life more.
“My whole life I’ve wanted to go to an Alabama football game.
The UT game always falls on my birthday weekend and I’ve dreamed of heading to Tuscaloosa wearing my pearls and red lipstick to cheer on the home team. ”
“Like any good sorority girl would,” he laughs as he nods. “That’s a pretty legit dream to have.”
“Every year I want it, and every year nobody listens,” I smile ruefully. “They always plan an elaborate birthday party for me, and while I appreciate it, it’s not what I want,” I sigh. “Maybe someday, I’ll take our daughter,” I rub my stomach.
“Nobody has ever given you that, Whit?” he asks softly, as he strokes my arm. It’s the patch of skin he can find easiest with the tips of his fingers. “It’s such an easy wish to grant.”
“Right?” I become halfway emotional. That’s what I’ve never understood. All it would take would be a little planning on the person’s part who gives me the gift. Instead I get the same thing every year. “But it seems to be the hardest thing for me to get people to listen.”
He’s quiet for a long time as he lets my words sink in. I want to know what he’s thinking, but I fall asleep before I can ask.