Covering the Carolinas (13 page)

“
Hey, Gunner. I heard you had a birthday last
week. I brought you a present.” He says as he hands him the
package. Gunner looks at me and I hold it for him as he tries to
unwrap it. When he struggles, I help him, and when I see the orange
begin to shine through, I look to GC.

“
Mommy basketball. I be like him,” he says as
he holds the basketball tightly.

“
Yes, baby, you can be just like him,” I say
as GC and I both stand. “Let me get a picture of the two of you.”
GC looks at me with tears in his eyes as I take the picture and
text it to him. As I look up and out into the ocean, I see a school
of porpoises. “Look, Gunner!” I point. Without thinking, GC scoops
him in his arms and holds him up to where he can see them glide in
and out of the water with grace. I take a step closer and wrap my
arms around my two perfect guys.

When the screen door creaks, we turn to see
Carleigh. “Sorry, y’all, but we didn’t know if you wanted us to
order for you?”

“
Give us just a minute and we’ll be in,” I
say.

Turning to Gunner, I look at him and GC. “Gunner,
how would you like to spend more time with GC?” He begins to nod
his head yes. “Maybe Pap and Mimi will bring you back in a few
weeks. Who knows, maybe he will come to Gaffney with me sometime.”
The smile on my child’s face shows I’ve made the right choice.
“What do you think, Gunnison?”

“
I’d love that.” Then Gunner has a confused
look.

“
I Gunner. You Gunnison. We same,” he says
pointing to him. My heart begins to beat fast. What do I say? I
look to Gunnison for answers. I didn’t even think about it when I
said his real name.

“
That’s right, buddy, we have the same name,”
he says as he takes him in his arms and we walk inside to meet the
rest of my family. Breakfast is a priceless memory that I will
never forget filled with smiles and laughter. After we finish, GC
follows us back to the house. He plays with Gunner as I help my
parents pack up their things and Gunner’s. Once I have everything
together, my mama pushes me toward them.

Making my way to my boys, I hate the fact that
Gunner is leaving. GC carries him to the car and buckles him into
his car seat, then steps out of the way for me to tell him bye. As
they back out of the driveway, GC places one arm around my waist
and kisses the top of my head. “Mar, does it hurt that bad each
time you leave him?”

“
Yes, but I know it’s what’s best,” I say as I
look at him, “he loves you.”

“
How do you know?”

“
I just do.” We turn and walk into the
house.

GC pauses. “Marleigh Anderson, will you go out with
me? Like a real date?”

“
Yes, Gunnison Cyrus. I’d love to go out on a
real date with you.

Chapter 26

GUNNISON

Getting ready for my date with Marleigh has me
sweating like I’ve stolen something. I’ve got to talk to someone; I
decide to call Diesel.

“
Man, I thought you forgot about me. Are you
in jail or somethin’?” He laughs as he answers the phone. When I
don’t say anything, he says, “GC, what’s wrong?”

“
I have a date with Marleigh
tonight.”

“
You what? When did you find her?”

“
Diesel, I’m freakin’ out. I’ve never been so
scared to go on a date in my life.”

“
It’s a date. You’ve gone on those before, you
know.”

“
It’s just this is real different. I know why
she cut ties before, and Diesel, I hope you’re sitting down for
this one. I’m a daddy.”

Silence is on the other end. “Daddy? What the fuck
man? Please tell me I heard you wrong?”

“
I didn’t stutter. I have a three-year-old
named Gunner. That’s why she cut ties. She was scared and wanted
one of us to have a normal life, but that’s not what matters. I’m
scared shitless.”

“
Okay, beside the bomb you just dropped on me,
have you told anyone else? Maybe like your parents?”

“
No, I plan on doing that in person, that’s
not something I want to tell them on the phone.”

“
I think that’s a good idea. Now for your date
tonight, just try to relax. You two had so much fun that week at
the beach. Try to get that feeling back, just don’t knock her up
this time,” he laughs.

“
Thanks, for throwing that in
there.”

“
Anytime, man and keep me posted. I want to
hear all about this date.”

“
Thanks, Diesel. I’ll see you at Spring
Break.”

After we disconnect the phone, I take a deep breath
and pull myself together. I finish getting ready and make my drive
to her house in Garden City. Pulling into her driveway, Carleigh
meets me outside. She smiles my way.

“
Hey, GC. How are ya?’ she asks.

“
The best I’ve been in a long time.” I start
to walk to the door, but then turn to her. “Thank you for telling
me she didn’t regret it.”

“
GC, my sister has been in love with you since
the day she met you on this beach. She’s never quit, but she tried
to do what she thought was best for you. She’s stubborn and we
couldn’t talk her out of it. We all prayed for this
day.”

Making my way to the door, I take a deep breath as I
knock. When the door opens, my breath catches as Marleigh stands
before me dressed in a top that sparkles as bright as her eyes in
this moment. Her dirty blonde hair is cascading down her back, and
my body is longing to move toward her.

“
You look absolutely gorgeous,” I say as I
kiss her on the cheek. She glances over her shoulder at Tinleigh
and then we make our way to my truck. I open her door and help her
in. As I make my way around, Tinleigh calls to me and I stop to
look at her.

“
Take care of her. Oh, and this house might be
empty tonight,” she laughs and I shake my head.

“
Please tell me she didn’t say something
crazy,” Marleigh says.

“
Nah.” I smile at her with a wink, and we make
our way to the Inlet Crab House. It’s chilly out, but they have
outdoor heaters and an awesome band playing. I feel like it’s just
what we need tonight.

As we drive down highway seventeen, Marleigh looks
at me and it takes every once of restraint I have to not pull the
car over her and attack her lips, then her phone begins to ring.
She smiles at me and I know it’s Gunner. Listening to her speak to
him on the phone is the most precious thing I’ve ever heard. She
chooses her words delicately and listens fully to every comment he
makes. When she starts to laugh, I can’t help but wonder what is so
funny. She must see my look because her reply fills me in on their
conversation. When she tells him that she loves him and will talk
to him in the morning, I can’t help but wish it was me he was
talking to.

“
Now I’m all yours tonight,” she says as she
places her phone in her purse.

“
Marleigh, is it bad I wish that was me on the
phone with him?” She looks at me with love in her eyes. “The way
you spoke to Gunner and chose your words, and knowing that you’ve
taken care of him and met his every need makes me love you even
more. I want that. I want to help take care of him… and
you.”

I place the truck in park as I wait for her
response. “Gunnison, I want nothing more than for us to be together
as a family, but I also know we have a lot of growing to do before
bringing him into all of it. I want us to know each other as the
people we are now, not as teenagers.”

“
I couldn’t agree more, but there’s a part of
me that doesn’t want to waste any more time. I want my parents to
know, Gunner to know, and for us to be a family.” Tears form in the
edges of her eyes, and I’m afraid I’ve pushed too far.

“
Gunnison, I want that too, but how? You have
basketball and we both have school. Not to mention he’s in Gaffney
and I have to go home each week. We need to keep things routine for
him right now.” I turn my head from her as she touches my arm. “We
need to do this slowly. I agree, I want this to happen faster as
well, but for my own selfish reasons. What about this? Maybe when
you have home games on the weekends, I can get my parents to meet
me half way with him, and we can spend more time together. Once
basketball is over, you can go home with me, and when you’re ready
to go home and tell your parents then we can go with
you.”

“
I don’t want to wait to tell my parents, Mar.
They’ve missed out on their grandson, too. It’s not fair to keep
them in the dark. They are planning on coming to the game in
Radford at the end of February as well as all of the championship
games in March. We play at Gardner-Webb next Saturday, and I’ve
been thinking. Do you think you and Gunner can come to the game
since it’s only fifteen minutes from your house? I’ve also thought
about riding separate from the team so I can stay longer that night
with you guys, if coach will let me.

Marleigh doesn’t say anything, instead she unbuckles
her seat belt and moves from her seat to mine. She begins to kiss
my lips as tears fall. I kiss her harder and she matches me with
each move. I run my fingers in her hair and continue to kiss her.
As things slow, she places her forehead against mine. “Gunnison, I
love you. I don’t know how I’m going to tell Gunner, but you’re
right. I don’t want to wait to tell him. I don’t want him to wonder
another day about his daddy. As for your parents, I’ll be there or
do whatever you’d like.”

I look into her eyes and know that if I don’t get
out of this truck, we may never leave. “Mar, I love you too, but if
you keep kissing me like you just did we are going to bypass eating
and a real date.”

She kisses me briefly then nips my lip and I about
lose it right there in the truck. Giving her a warning with my
eyes, she giggles and I can’t help but kiss her once more. She
climbs off my lap, looks in the passenger mirror and reapplies her
lip gloss. When she’s ready, I step out of the truck and she slides
out my door. We lock our fingers together and so far, this has been
the best date of my life and it’s just getting started.

MARLEIGH

We are greeted by the hostess and she asks us if we
would like to eat inside or out. Gunnison looks at me for an
answer. “As long as there’s some heat, I think outside would be
nice,” I say to him. The hostess takes us outside to the wooden
deck where there is a roaring fire in a pit as well as several
outdoor heaters. The band is setting up, and Gunnison and I order
our food and talk as if we’ve never been apart. It’s absolutely
perfect.

As our food is brought to us, I ask if he wants to
try mine and of course he does. We share each other’s plates. Being
with him is like home and right now it’s as if every light in the
house is on. I soak in his tan skin, smoldering dark eyes, and
perfect smile as he sits across from me.

After we eat, we sit and laugh about past memories
and that week. When I mention the old house, he gets quiet.

“
What’s wrong?” I question.

“
It’s just we were so crazy about each other
we didn’t think about the consequences. I’m sorry that I didn’t use
protection. Marleigh, you getting pregnant was my fault,
too.”

I take his hands in mine, “Gunnison, please don’t be
sorry. That was the best mistake of my life, and yours as well. No,
it wasn’t the best timing, but I wouldn’t trade that night for any
other in this world, except maybe the last time I met you at that
chair.”

He looks into my eyes and nods and as the band
begins to play, I take him by the hand and pull him to the dance
floor. Wrapping my arms around his neck, I place my head on his
chest as we sway to the beat of the music. As the music ends, I
look up at him. “Let’s get out of here,” I say.

Arriving at the house, I notice no lights are on.
Gunnison looks at me and laughs quickly. When I look confused, he
informs me that Tinleigh made sure to tell him that no one would be
home tonight. I smile thinking about how my sisters want us to have
time together without any distractions.

“
Come on, let’s go for a walk first,” I say as
we get out of his truck. He takes me by the hand and leads me to
the beach. As we walk toward the pier, we steal glances at each
other, but don’t say a word.

The worn out house approaches in the distance. “Mar,
can you believe that place is still there?” he asks.

“
No, actually, I’m surprised they haven’t done
anything with it.”

“
I wish we could buy it.”

“
With what?” I laugh.

“
I know, it’s just a thought. I mean, that
place tells so much about us and our history.”

“
I know, but we’re just college kids. They
probably want a pretty penny for it,” I say as I grab his hand and
try to pull him away from the house. “It’s getting cold, how about
we go inside where it’s warm.” He scoops me up in his arms and I
wrap my arms around his neck as he begins to kiss me with a passion
I’ve never experienced.

As his lips ease off mine, my legs slide to the
ground and I pull him toward the beach access. Forget about going
slow, I’ve waited three years to have him back in my life and it’s
time to show him how much I love him.

Leading him up the steps to the house, he
pauses. “Mar, we don’t have to.” I turn and place my finger over
his lips, then I pull him inside. As I cut on the light, I notice
my sisters have thought of everything. There is a bottle of
champagne and two glasses with a note. I smile as I read it,
“
To your happily ever after.”
I look at Gunnison and he wraps his arms around me. “Shall
we?” I question toward the bottle. He takes it from the counter,
opens it, and pours us each a glass. His eyes look deep into mine.
“Mar, to our happily ever after.” Clinking our glasses together, we
stare at each other as we take a sip of the sweet substance. As I
pull the glass from my lips, Gunnison takes the glass from me and
places it on the counter. His hand caresses the back of my neck as
our lips meet, then I pull away and look into his eyes. “Gunnison
Cyrus, make love to me.” His lips waste no time finding mine. My
lips never move from his as we stumble to my bedroom.