Chapter 4 #3
“You’re welcome, darlin’, but this isn’t a promise ring. It isn’t even close to an engagement ring. It is a symbol of a part of me that I can physically give to you. The garnet is my birthstone. As long as that ring is on your finger, you’ll always have a part of me with you.”
Briar looked at him then. There was a sadness in his expression that she had never seen before. She took a deep breath, willing her voice not to shake.
“It’s a memento for when we’re no longer together, isn’t it?”
He nodded.
She leaned her head against his chest. “That means everything. I love it.”
He couldn’t talk about the day when they would go their separate ways. He only knew it was going to happen, and when it did it would break his heart. He reached for her hand.
“Come on, darlin’. Our house will be cool. Mom probably made ice cream, or something equally sweet. We can go for fireworks when it’s dark.”
By the time they got to the shady streets in his neighborhood, they were both through with the park and the celebration. When they walked into his house, Tate called out, “Mom…Mama…we’re back.”
Lilith came up the hall with a smile on her face. “Briar, it’s wonderful to see you again. Tate, honey, you know the drill. Cold drinks in the fridge, and there are warm brownies on the counter. Help yourselves.”
“Thanks, Mom. It’s chili-pepper hot outside. Okay if we hang out here until time for fireworks?”
“Of course it is. Make yourselves at home. Your daddy is taking a nap, but you don’t have to be quiet. You know Abel. He sleeps best with a little rumble of noise in the background.”
After that, they got snacks and cold drinks, got out the old family Monopoly game, and, for the next two hours, entertained themselves with whoops of laughter at bad rolls of the dice and who was going to own Boardwalk and all the hotels.
As they were playing, Tate began hearing sirens.
He knew Tonya’s confession to her daddy had set off a bomb in their family.
He knew her uncle had just been arrested, and that Tonya’s father had beat the holy hell out of his brother before ever calling the police.
Eventually, the news would get around, but it would only be a scandal for a while, and then life would go on.
Abel woke up later and grilled burgers for supper, and for Briar, the entire afternoon and evening felt like a dream. Tate’s parents were funny and fun and so loving of each other.
So, this is what a real family feels like.
And this is how her life with Tate would be one day. It was something to look forward to.
* * *
As the sun began to set, they got ready to go back to the park. Tate could see Briar was tired and paused as they were about to walk out the door.
“I have a question.”
She glanced up. “What?”
“Fireworks or home?”
She sighed. “Are you always going to be able to read my mind?”
“Your energy level is about thirty percent out of a hundred, and this is me asking you to make that decision, because I can see all I want of fireworks from this house, and what I see is you longing for a hot soak in bubbles and to crawl into the cool sheets on your bed.”
She laid her cheek against his chest and wrapped her arms around his waist.
“I choose home.”
“Wait right here,” he said, and headed back to the kitchen. “Mom, could I borrow your car to take Briar home? I think she’s walked herself out today, and we’ve both opted out of fireworks.”
“Of course,” Lilith said. “The keys are on the hook in the hall.”
“Thanks,” Tate said, and bolted down the hall, then back to Briar. “We’re going to the carport. I’m driving you home. No more walking for my girl today.”
“You so rock,” Briar said, and happily followed him out.
Moments later, they were in the car and taking back streets to miss all of the foot traffic on Main.
Briar kept glancing at the ring he’d put on her finger. “This has been the best day of my life.”
“Meant to be,” he said softly, and gave her hand a quick squeeze, then turned a corner, crossed Main Street at a light, and drove straight to her house.
The front porch light was on. She sighed as he killed the engine and got out to walk her to the door.
“I feel like Cinderella after midnight. Going back into that house is the end of all things good and kind,” she said.
“You don’t have to defend me to them. Let them fuss.
Stay above it,” he said, as they climbed up the steps.
Then he paused beneath the light, reached in his pocket, and gave her back the money they didn’t spend.
“Give that to your dad. Tell him I said thanks for lunch.” Then he kissed the ring on her hand, and then her.
“Good night, darlin’. See you in my dreams.”
“Love you,” she whispered.
“Love you more,” he said, then waited until she was inside the house before going back to the car. Part of him felt like he was leaving her unprotected in a lion’s den, but he knew they wouldn’t physically hurt her. It was her spirit and patience that were in doubt.
* * *
Roger was surprised when Briar was home so early.
“How was your day? You didn’t stay for fireworks.”
“It was the best day ever. We circled the park about a jillion times, saw all there was to see, and had hot dogs and lemonade at noon. Oh…and here’s your change,” she said, and gave him back forty dollars. “Tate said to thank you for lunch.”
The shock on Roger’s face was evident. “You didn’t spend it all?”
She shrugged. “On what? We don’t do carnival rides.
After we got tired of the heat, we went to his house.
His mom had cold pop and brownies. We played Monopoly for hours, and his dad grilled burgers for supper.
They are the nicest people. And after the end of a long day, neither Tate nor I gave a flip about fighting mosquitoes just to watch fireworks.
So, he borrowed his mom’s car and drove me home.
Now all I want is a long, hot bubble bath to soak my feet, then crawl in my bed. ”
Roger wanted to be jealous. But he couldn’t. They couldn’t have replicated that day with their daughter. Mariah insisted on banning Tate from their home. And that was their loss.
He watched as Briar stopped to kick off her shoes before going up the stairs, and as she bent over to pick them up, Mariah came barreling through the kitchen and into the foyer.
“Here you are, sneaking in. What have you been up to?” she shrieked.
The strident tone of her voice set every nerve in Briar’s body on edge, but she turned to her dad instead.
“Feel free to share my day with her. She’s too drunk to do anything but argue, and war is your method of communication, not mine.”
Then she walked up the stairs with her shoes in one hand and her purse in the other and, when she got to her room, slammed and locked the door.
Mariah was livid. “How dare you let her talk to me like that?”
“How dare you accuse her of sneaking? She’s been in the living room talking to me for a good ten minutes. She had a good time. Brought back forty of the sixty dollars I gave her. She’s tired. Her feet hurt, and she’s right. You’re too drunk for logic. Go to bed.”
Mariah intended to make a righteous sweep out of the room, but stumbled over her own feet, hit the floor with a thud, then started wailing in pain.
“I think I broke my hip! Call the ambulance!” she cried.
“Oh, for the love of all that’s holy. You fell on your hands and knees, not your hip,” he muttered, then he helped her to her feet and walked her back to bed.
Unaware of the downstairs drama, Briar was in the bathroom, naked except for Tate’s ring on her finger. She clipped up her hair as her tub was filling, then stepped into the water, sank up to her chin in lilac-scented bubbles, and closed her eyes.
Best day of my life.