Here Comes the Light (Cambrooke #1) (15 page)

“H
appy Birthday.” I chime as I walk up behind Declan.

He turns towards me with a smile. Standing by his blue locker makes those blue eyes stand out even more. “Thanks.”

“So now that you are eighteen who is the lucky girl that gets to date you?” I tease while scanning the hall like I am looking for her.

“Well, now I just need to wait on God.” He chuckles.

“And God has told you who?” I ask with a smirk. He raises his eyebrows. “He has!” I laugh. “Do I know her?” He smirks at me and strolls away.

I am glad it is the last day of school for the year. I make my way to my locker and start cleaning out the mess of papers that have accumulated in it over the year. Post it notes that read I heart Hudson are scattered throughout the locker along with a few love letters. Well not exactly love letters I guess. ‘Hey babe can’t wait till later’ isn’t really considered romantic to me. I toss everything into the big trashcan in the middle of the hall.

“Miley,” and speak of the devil there he is.  I turn to face him but don’t show any emotion as I throw another handful of ‘I heart Hudson’ papers away.

“What do you want?” I ask flatly.

“Are you still mad?”

“I am not mad.
I’m done.” I say.

“I am sorry Miley;
I don’t want to leave things like this for the summer.” He shrugs, “Just give me another chance.”

“You’
ve had plenty of chances.”

“Please,” he pleads, “Let me make it up to you.” He reaches out and takes my hand. I don’t know why I let him. “I want to take you out tonight.” He says softly. His eyes have me in a trance kind of like the snake on the Disney version of The Jungle Book.

“I can’t, it’s Declan’s birthday.” I smile slightly.

He flashes that knee weakening smile at me. He is so not playing fair. “Tomorrow?” wait he knows I am going to
Declan’s tonight and he isn’t getting all crazy mad jealous? Maybe he is starting to trust me.

I nod. “I will let you take me out, but I am not promising anything.” I say and he smirks.

Butterflies invade my stomach as I approach Declan’s front door. I met his mom already, but I haven’t met his dad or brother’s yet. I think he has two, younger. One of them plays football with Hudson. After I knock I entertain the idea of running away. I wait too long. The door is swinging open and Robin pulls me into an embrace. I stiffen up, I don’t like hugs.

“Miley, I am so happy to see you.” She gushes.

“Thanks.” I say unsure. I don’t know why she is being so nice to me. She barely knows me. As soon as I step inside the sweet aroma of a cake being baked fills my nose.  His mom bakes their cakes for them on their birthdays?  I am lucky if I even get a store bought cake dad usually just tosses me his credit card and tells me to go buy whatever I want.   There are pictures of the five of them everywhere. Three boys in front of a tent, Declan is in the middle obviously younger by a few years in the picture.  There is a football portrait in the mix of all the pictures and I do recognize his brother Garrett now. I just never knew who he was. There is also a picture of Declan with a red head boy just slightly shorter than him posing with their skateboards, hats on backwards. The red head is holding up a peace sign. I have never seen him before. He must not go to our school.

“Hey Miley!”
Declan approaches me.

“Hey.” I smile slightly and hand him the gift I brought him.
He thanks me and leads me into the dining room where his two brothers and dad are sitting.  It’s noisy but a good noisy everyone talking and laughing at once. It’s nothing like my silent home. He introduces me to his brothers the youngest one is Isaac he doesn’t look much older than twelve and he is blonde and  scrawny looks almost identical to Declan. Garrett is just a year behind us in school, instead of blond hair his hair is a light brown and he is bigger than Declan in the chest and arms, I am sure because he plays football and works for it like Hudson does. They all three have those crazy blue eyes. He introduces his dad as Randy.

Declan pulls a chair out. “Have a seat.” Wait he just pulled a chair out for me? I know my face is red now. I have never had a guy pull a chair out for me.

“Isaac and I are taking dibs on your room since you’re eighteen you can move out now, right?” Garrett laughs as he puts Isaac in a headlock. Isaac wiggles free and pushes Garrett as Garrett chuckles.

“I am not going anywhere I still have a year of school left.” Declan laughs as he sits in his chair beside me. I don’t know if he is doing this on purpose but he is so close we are nearly touching. There is plenty of room on the other side of him he could
scoot down.

“Why didn’t you graduate this year?” I ask.

He makes a fake pouty face, “Because I was too immature for kindergarten.”

I giggle, “you poor thing.”

“Yeah, he is a big baby.” Garrett jokes just as Robin walks in with a roasting pan. She places it in the middle of the table before she sits on the opposite end of the table as Randy. Declan and I are on one side and Isaac and Garrett on the other.

“Let’s pray.” Robin nods towards Randy everyone’s head bow. I am not exactly sure what to do. Sho
uld I bow even if I don’t believe?  I fidget for a second before I decide I probably should as Randy prays and thanks God for blessing him with Declan I peek at everyone. I wish I was part of a family this big and full of love. Dinners at home, if of course I am eating, are usually me by myself in front of the television. 

Until this very moment I never realized how much I long for this kind of connection…to live in a house full of people who love me and want to be around me. I am nearly in tears when Randy finishes and Robin lifts the lid off the roaster.

The aroma of the pot roast sends me back to a time I have almost forgotten.

I am six years old. Proud of the napkins and forks I set around the table for all of us. I count out three places one for each of us.  I sit waiting at the window for my daddy to return from work. I know when that small hand on the clock hits five my daddy should be home.  I watch as the lady next door tries to walk her dog, but he ends up dragging her. I giggle a little at this. When is she going to learn the dog is stronger than her? Seconds later Daddy’s car is pulling in. I run to the door bouncing as I wait.

“Miley, calm down, he’ll be in
in a minute.” My mom tells me. When Daddy opens the door I greet him with the biggest hug.

“Sweetheart.” He says scooping me up as he drops his suitcase. I sit proudly on his hip as he hugs and kisses my mom.

“We made you dinner, Daddy.”

“Miley set the table all by herself.” My mom says making me puff up a little higher.

“You did?” he gushes. “That’s great, Miley.” He exaggerates in telling me I am going to be a super hero someday because I can do anything. We sit at the table and he goes on and on about my good work as mom smiles and serves us pot roast.  At six years old I didn’t know the world wasn’t perfect and that I could, would lose my mommy in just a couple years. 

I am now sitting at the table by Declan. I can’t eat with the lump now in my throat. “Excuse me, can I use your restroom?”

“Sure.” Robin nods
. “Declan show Miley where the restroom is.” Declan looks at me a little worried? Confused? I don’t know over my clouded mind. He directs me to the restroom. I thank him. After the door is closed behind me I stare at myself in the mirror. My palms resting on the white counter top. This was the first time in a long time I remembered anything from before my mom being sick. I pull my hand up to my mouth willing myself not to cry out. I have to pull myself together. I need to get back out there for Declan. I just have to breathe.

“Are you okay?” Declan says when I finally open the door. “You look a little pale.”

“Yeah, I’m fine.” I say quickly before making my way back to the dining room. I have decided I’m not living in the past or the future tonight. Tonight I am going to enjoy this family while I can.

“So, Miley, tell us a little b
it about yourself.”  Randy says.

I smile and look at Declan. “It’s his birthday. Why don’t we talk about him?” I nudge him with my shoulder.

“A comedian, you fit right in here.” Randy laughs. “But I know Declan. I want to know something about you.” He says before taking a drink of water. “Like… what are your plans after graduation.”

I hate this question. I have only really been concerned with my social life throughout high school. “To be honest, I really don’t know.” I speak softly.

“Well that is alright, you still have another year to decide.” Randy says.

“Yes not everyone has their lives planned out.” Robin chimes. “And even if you do, God will come in and change it.” She laughs and looks at Randy with a sparkle in her eyes. I want that. I want to be so in love with a guy that even after years of marriage my eyes sparkle when I look at him.

“Here we go again.” Garrett groans.

“Please.” Isaac leans into the table dramatically, “Don’t make us hear it again.” Robin looks at the boys.

“Well I guess.” She points her fork, “but if it wasn’t for that story you boys wouldn’t be here.”

“Mom I am trying to eat here.” Garrett groans.

“Miley, I will have to tell you the story of how Randy and I got together when the boys aren’t around.”

I giggle at this. “I can’t wait.”

“Yeah you can.” Isaac says nodding all wide-eyed.

There isn’t any silence all through dinner.  Garrett tells his parents he is going to be starting running back next year. Isaa
c wants a pet lizard, Robin says no. Quickly says no. Declan says he aced the finals today. Wish I could say the same thing. I haven’t been exposed to many family dinners but I could get used to this.

“Who’s ready for cake?” Robin asks after we all had our fill. Groans come out of everyone. “It’s a birthday, we have to have cake.” She says all cheery. His family seems to dissipate as Robin goes after the cake.

“Wow,” I gush, “You have a great family.” I rest my elbow on the table and turn towards him.

“
Yeah sometimes I forget that because I don’t know anything else.” He leans back onto two of the legs of his chair. Sticking his flat stomach out like he has a big gut or something. “I fight with my brothers, get mad at my parents when I think they are being unfair. You know normal stuff.” He brings his chair back down.

I bite my lip and shake my head, “No I don’t know.” My words come out quiet. “I don’t have any siblings and barely have a parent, or rules.” I look into his clear blue eyes. “I know one thing I want for my life.” I bob my head in assurance and look around at all the smiley family pictures on the walls. “I want a family like this.”  When my eyes fall back on him he is staring at me with a smile. “What?” I fidget in the chair a little.

“Nothing.” He shakes his head as he continues to smile at me, making me a little uncomfortable.

“What is it? Do I have food or something stuck in my teeth?” I ask as I run my tongue over them.

“No, that’s not it.” He shakes his head right before we hear a horrible off key voice singing Happy Birthday. Garrett and Declan obviously took singing lessons from the same place.  We look behind us and his mom, dad and two brothers are all walking in with the cake with chocolate frosting and doting two candles, one the shape of the number one and the other the shape of an eight. 

“Make a wish.” Robin says all
smiley as she sits the cake in front of him. He blows the candles out. “Okay let me get a picture.” She says holding up a camera I don’t even know where that came from. She didn’t have it a second ago did she? I lean away from Declan so his mom can get his birthday picture without me in the way. She frowns, “Miley slide over next to him so I can get you too.” She says as she motions with her hand for me to move. I slowly slide my chair a little closer, not that it is that far away.  He drapes his arm around my shoulder and we smile for the camera.

The look on
Declan’s face when he opened the iPod I bought him was priceless; we are now on his porch swing as he fiddles with it.

“I was hoping you didn’t have one.”

“No, I didn’t thanks again.” He says with a smile.

“I put some Taylor Swift on it for you.” I joke.

He nudges me, “You better still have Never Getting Back Together on yours for a reminder.” He teases and this reminds me about my plans with Hudson tomorrow.

“Actually…
I told him I would go out on a date with him.” I say softly as I pick at my chipped nail polish. Declan looks up from the iPod and his smile fades.

“Miley, you didn’t.”

“Yeah,” I pull my arms in around me and lean forward. “I think he really wants to change.”

“Mi,
”  he speaks softly and places his hand on my knee, my entire leg tingles at this little touch. I look down at his hand but I don’t remove it and he doesn’t either. “I don’t want him to hurt you anymore.”

“I know but… I do… I do love him.” why do these words feel so wrong when he is touching me? He isn’t touching in a sexual way, it’s just friendly.
“You know, I had a great time tonight, but I have to go.” I say quickly.