Covering the Carolinas (11 page)

“
You are going to continue being the best
mother for your son. You made a choice and now you have to live
with the consequences—good or bad. Just remember it was a shock for
you seeing us today and you knew about Gunner. GC had no clue.
That’s a lot to take in.”

Pulling away from Mama, I wipe the tears on my
sleeves. “Can you listen for him? I’m going to go walk on the
beach.”

“
Sure,” she says as she gives me another
hug.

As I walk toward the pier, I turn to the sky and
pray I can make this right. I then look to my right and I realize
exactly where I am. I walk up to the old vacant house with its worn
steps. Taking a deep breath, I notice the chair is still there.
Three years, and it’s in the exact same place. Slowly, I make my
way to the chair where my life changed, and something about this
moment lets me know it will work out.

Sitting, I ponder on my life, Gunner, and
GC.
Will he forgive me?
I sit
and listen to the crashing of the waves. My phone begins to vibrate
in my pocket; I glance at it and see it’s a text from
Tinleigh.

Tin: Meet us at Sam’s.

I meet my sisters at Sam’s Corner for a hot dog. We
don’t talk about what happened today. Instead, they make me laugh
and forget for a few minutes. Arriving back at home, I crawl into
bed, stare at the ceiling, and at some point I drift off to
sleep.

*****

This week has been amazing having Gunner here with
me and celebrating his birthday. No video chats, phone calls or
anything. Just us together doing whatever he wanted to do. What I
wouldn’t give to have him here with me all the time.

It’s Friday and I decide to take Gunner to the
aquarium and spend a little one-on-one time with him since he will
be leaving soon. Afterward, we walk from the aquarium to the
boardwalk to get ice cream. As we sit and eat, he asks if we are
going to the game tomorrow, and even though it’s going to make
things even more awkward, I can’t tell him no.

“
Yes, we’re going,” I say with a smile as he
licks his ice cream cone.

“
You get me shirt like them?” He
asks.

“
You mean a jersey?” He nods his head
yes.

“
We’ll see. I know I can find you a shirt, but
we’ll have to see about a jersey.”

That satisfies him and once we finish, we make our
way back to the house. After he’s in the bed, I enjoy time with my
family. We are all laughing and then Daddy decides to talk, and
when he talks, we all listen.

“
Marleigh, I’ve been quiet and haven’t said
anything about the situation at the coffee shop, but going to this
game tomorrow, are you sure this is the best idea?”

“
Yes, Daddy. Sunday was a disaster, but at
least he knows. I’ve debated calling him, but each time I talk
myself out of it. I’ve decided it’s time to face my choices and
truly be the responsible mother I should be. You raised me to be a
better girl than I am right now. Sorry doesn’t begin to explain how
I feel about everything and starting tomorrow I’m going to try to
make things right.”

“
Marleigh, even though I encouraged you to
tell GC, you did what you thought was right at the time and I had
to let you make your own decision. We all make choices in life that
define us. You were always my girl that would react before you
thought about the consequences, no matter what the situation, but
Gunner, has changed you—for the better. Don’t think for one minute
that that one decision wasn’t supposed to happen. It made my
carefree Marleigh mature into a responsible young woman. Just look
at how much you’ve grown over the past three years. I’m proud of
you, but don’t push this on GC. It’s a lot to take in.”

“
Daddy, why were y’all so forgiving when I got
pregnant? Most parents would have been pissed.” He nervously
laughs.

“
Marleigh, I was disappointed and I was mad.
Mad at myself for not telling you to slow down in life and to think
about your choices. As a parent, you love your children no matter
what. There’s nothing you could do to make me not want you in my
life. Not to mention, I finally have another guy in the
house.”

Standing, I walk to my daddy and hug him. “Thank
you, Daddy… and Mama. I couldn’t do this without you.”

Chapter 23

GUNNISON

This week I’ve tried to keep my mind off Marleigh as
much as possible. With the help of Summer, I’ve been able to do
that. She is a good distraction, but as game day approaches, it’s
time to get back on the court and forget about everything else.

As my alarm goes off Saturday morning, I roll out of
bed and pour a glass of orange juice from the fridge. It’s game
day, and I can’t wait to hit the court.

I start my game day rituals by going for a run, then
eating pizza rolls before heading to the gym for a little extra
shoot around time. Once I’m dressed and ready for the game, I put
in my ear buds and get in the zone before warm up.

Walking into the gym, I scan the crowd for her
but don’t see her.
I don’t know why I
look. It’s not like she’s here on the weekends. I’m surprised at
how much I miss her.
The music pumps through the
speakers as we warmup and I push my thoughts to the side and focus
on the game. It almost feels like deja vu.

As the announcer begins to call the starting
lineup, I’m ready to play ball. As my name is called, I tap the
hands of my teammates and make my way to the court. It’s game time!
Glancing into the stands again, I see them. Marleigh’s entire
family and that perfect little boy, sporting a Coastal Jersey, are
sitting in the fourth row. Squinting to see the number, I can’t
help but smile when I see the number twenty-two.
My number.

Marleigh looks my way and gives a brief smile.
Smiling back, I take my position on the court. As the referee
tosses the ball into the air, the game is on. I focus on the ball
and before I know it, the buzzer sounds for half time.

After Coach gives us his game plan for the second
half, we make our way back on the court and we finish off the
opponent. As the buzzer sounds, we shake hands with the other team.
Taking a minute to scan the crowd, I see them moving down the
stands, but I notice that Gunner points in my direction. I smile
and wave at him. He turns to Marleigh and I can tell he’s excited
that the guy with the number he’s wearing actually acknowledged
him. Marleigh mouths thank you to me and I nod before I make my way
to the locker room.

Walking out, Wade asks me if I want to go to a
party later at Brett’s.
Why not?
Summer stops me on the way to my truck.

“
Hey, Del Valle, thanks for last
night.”

“
Actually thank you, Summer. If I were you, I
wouldn’t be so nice about this.”

“
What can I say? I still kinda have a thing
for this hot basketball player.” She winks.

“
You want to grab something to eat? I’m
starved.”

“
Sure,” she says and we make our way to the
local Mexican restaurant.

MARLEIGH

Watching Gunner at the basketball game was
priceless. When he chose GC’s jersey before the game, I couldn’t
tell him no. Then, when GC waved to him after the game, my heart
melted in one big puddle.

Gunner wanted seafood for supper so we took
him to Sarah J’s and he ate every last bite of his shrimp as well
as dessert. When we get back to the house we go for a walk on the
beach and I can’t help but notice the crowd growing at
Brett’s.
I’m sure I’m not welcome there
anymore.

We continue to walk the shoreline but the January
wind is bitterly cold. Eventually, I can see that even though
Gunner wants to keep walking, it’s too cold for him.

“
Sweet boy, you ready to go in?” I
ask.

“
No! I stay here,” he says as he stomps his
foot. My dad tries not to laugh, so he and my mama walk
away.

“
Gunner, I know you don’t want to, but it’s
getting late and it’s so cold. Come here,” I say as I scoop down to
pick him up. “You’re gonna turn into an icicle. What do you say we
go back and drink hot chocolate by the fire pit?” He smiles and I
know I’ve won the battle with a three year old.

We spend the remainder of the night by the fire pit,
and when he is tuckered out, I carry him inside and read him a
story as he drifts off to sleep. I kiss his forehead as he sleeps
peacefully.

“
Is he asleep?” Tinleigh asks.

“
Yeah.”

“
I think we’re going to go to the party. Do
you want to go?”

“
I don’t think that’s the best idea. I
actually think I want to go for a walk on the beach alone. I’ve got
a lot on my mind after the game today.”

“
You sure?” She questions.

“
Yeah, you think Mama and Daddy will
mind?”

“
No, they are just sitting by the fire. I’ll
tell them. You go ahead and go to the beach.”

“
Thanks, sis. You know I don’t tell y’all this
enough, but thank you for always being there.”

“
That’s what we’re here for,” she says as I
grab my coat and make my way toward the beach and to the place that
brings back so many memories.

Chapter 24

GUNNISON

Arriving at the party with Wade, we make our
way straight to the keg on the back porch. Wade and I hang out and
talk about the game with the other guys, then I see Summer and her
friends arrive. She stumbles over the doorway and it’s obvious
she’s drunk.
When is she ever going to
learn?
As she walks toward me, I force a smile. This
isn’t the girl that was with me this week. She throws her arms
around me and the smell of vodka is evidently her poison
tonight.

“
Summer, you better slow down,” I whisper in
her ear.

“
Awe, Del Valle. How sweet of you. You want to
take care of me later?” Smiling at her, I avoid the question as she
looks at me for an answer. When I hear the screen door open, I
glance toward it and see Tinleigh and Carleigh walking toward the
keg.
Of course, she wouldn’t come with
Gunner here
.

“
Del Valle, please don’t tell me you thought
she’d come here tonight.” Summer giggles drunkly. “I bet she’s home
changing a diaper or something.” And she laughs harder. Pulling her
arms away from me, I realize I’m seeing the real Summer

“
Summer, that’s uncalled for.”

“
Whatever, but it’s the truth. You know as
well as I do you don’t want a kid, and it looks like you made the
right choice picking me.”

“
What are you talking about? I haven’t picked
you.”

“
I wonder what she tells him about his daddy
or if she just leaves you out? There’s no way you could walk into
his life now.” For a brief moment I believe Summer, then it hits
me. Summer was just being nice this week to get me to pick her. I
have been honest with her but she doesn’t really care about my
feelings. This is the real Summer and she disgusts me. “She’s no
longer that perfect girl you had in your mind, and now she’s got
this little boy tagging along.” As she tries to wrap her arms
around me again, I step away from her.

“
You will not talk about my son or Marleigh
like that ever again. The only choice I’ve made is that I never
want to see you again. Do you understand?” She stands there in
disbelief. I look over and see that Tinleigh and Carleigh have
heard every word.

Walking past them, I smile but don’t speak.
Everyone’s eyes are on me as I leave Brett’s and get the hell out
of there. I’ve got to get away and think about how I’m going to
truly forgive Marleigh for missing three years of my son’s life
because denying that I’m in love with her isn’t an option.

Leaving Brett’s, I make a beeline toward her house.
With each step, my focus is on Marleigh and my son. I have to have
them in my life, and she has to know that I’ve never stopped loving
her. As I reach the house and begin to knock, I hear her parents
around back. I walk around the side of the house and they stop
midsentence when they see me.

“
Mr. and Mrs. Anderson, I’m sorry it’s late
but is Marleigh home?

“
She went for a walk on the beach, GC,” Mrs.
Anderson says.

“
Thank you.” I turn and jog toward the ocean
as memories of us fill my mind. As my feet hit the sand, I don’t
see anyone anywhere. I look to my left and right, and then I take a
deep breath and close my eyes while my heart tells me exactly where
to find her.

Hitting the sand, I hurry to the old house and
pray that it’s still there. I slow as I see her curled up, with her
hair blowing in the wind, in that old chair. Every doubt I had
about forgiveness melts away as I move closer and closer to
her.
Is she crying
? My heart
begins to pound as I walk toward her and the place where our lives
changed. Maybe, just maybe, we can make this right. She lifts her
head from the arm as I reach her, and she wipes away tears as she
stands.

“
What are you doing here?” She says just above
a whisper.

I take another step toward her. “Mar, I’m sorry I
acted that way. I just… just didn’t expect that when I met you that
day. I mean…” She takes a step toward me and I do the same.

As she starts to speak, we continue toward each
other until we are a within each other’s reach. “GC, I’m the one
that’s sorry. I went about this completely wrong. I never should
have kept Gunner from you, but I was scared and wanted what I
thought was best for you.”