No Turning Back (Full Circle) (8 page)

I wake up Saturday morning to my phone vibrating like crazy.  I have five missed texts from Tessa, seven from Cash, and two missed calls from Mom.  She knows.

After reading all the texts, I decide that I have to face the music.  I call Mom.

“Hey, Mama.  Sorry I left my phone on vibrate last night.”

“Hey, sweet girl!  So, how’s life?”

“Really good, Mom.  Um, I wanna tell you something. Please don’t be mad, but I joined the swim team here, and Cash brought me my bag this week.”

“Charley, you can’t hide things from your mama.  I knew the minute Tessa started doing all her chores without being told that you girls had a secret.  Then Cash stopped by Wednesday night asking your daddy some random question.  I thought that you wanted to put that in the past, but if this is what makes you happy, then I’ll support you.  I have one condition.”

“What’s that?”

“Check the schedule and make sure that Montgomery University is not competing against you.  If so, you can’t do this.  I won’t let you get near Dylan again.  As a mother, I have to protect you.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

“So, word from Tessa is that Cash is back in your life.”

“Mom!  Well, I really don’t know what we are, but you know as well as I do that I’ve always loved that boy.”

“I’m happy for you.  Well, sweet girl.  I gotta get going. I got three apple cobblers to get to the church’s bake sale.  Take care and I love you.”

“Love you too, Mama.”

I need to get outside for a little while.  I grab a pair of athletic shorts, tank, and running shoes.  I’ve got to do something today or my body will be dead by the end of the week.  I grab my iPhone, running station, and head down the stairs.  I decide to make a loop around campus and then see where I go.  I notice a trail, take it, and after about thirty minutes I end up back at the dorm.  I’m drenched in sweat, but feel fabulous.  I’m in such a good mood.  I decide to get ready and read a good book on the lawn.  Heck, I might even have some of that famous Kool Aid after lunch.

I spend the rest of the afternoon hanging out with the Kluft girls.  We agree that we deserve a meal out.  We all ride in Tori’s Explorer to Sagebrush.  I can’t wait for a steak!  We have the best time at supper.  We laugh, Caroline flirts with the bartender and gets herself a free drink (underage I might add), and we head back to campus. 

We can hear the music blaring before we get upstairs.  Jenny has it blasting.  We all enter the hall and start busting moves.  Caroline gets some of her famous Kool Aid, and everyone but me decides to partake.  I’m unsure of Hank’s Tavern, and I want to be fully aware of my surroundings.  I know that if I drink too much, Cash won’t be here to save me, or better yet, I might mess things up with him again.

We eventually make our way to our rooms and begin to get ready.  Before I do, I decide to call Cash.

“Hey, Cash.  Whatcha up to?”

“Ah, I’m just fixin’ to go down to the pool hall a little while.  Tessa said her and her friends were going and she wanted to know if I would go with her.  I think she gets nervous there.”

“Well, that is super sweet of you, Cash.  I appreciate it.  If I was there I’d kiss you right now.”

“Char, you can’t say stuff like that and not be home.  It has me wanting to get in my truck, break every speed limit law, and make you prove it.”

“Oh, that would be nice, but I’ll make it well worth your wait if you take care of my sister.”

“So, what are y’all doing tonight?”

“We are going to this place called Hank’s Tavern.  It’s like redneck turns ghetto fabulous on Saturday nights.  We’re going to check it out.  I even got a new outfit!”

“You have got to take a pic for me, but Charley promise me that you will be careful.  I’m not there remember.”

“I will, and just so you know, I’m never taking off the necklace.  I guess I gotta get ready.  I’ll text you soon. Love you, Cash Money.”

“Love you, too.”

I stop for a minute to take in everything—college, swimming, and Cash.  I feel like this is a fairytale.   Once I have my moment, I decide to get ready.  I take the new clothes out of the Charlotte Russe bag, remove the tags, fix my makeup, hair, and grab my boots.  I can tell this is going to be a great night.  I look at myself in the mirror and approve.  I then take out my phone and text Cash a pic.  He’s my anchor; I need him even when the storms are rough, but I crave him more when the sea is calm.

Cash: Hot damn woman! UR killin me here!  Be careful, have fun, and text me when you get in tonight love u

Me: Will do $ Love u 2

As eleven o’clock approaches, everyone on the hall finishes their final touches.  I take one last look and wish Cash were here.  I just love dancing with that boy.  I double check my wallet making sure I have my ID even though I’m unsure how it is going to get me in.

I walk into the hall, and Tori throws me her keys.  I guess I’m DD tonight, and that is fine by me.

“Hey y’all.  Crystal texted me and Lucas told her for us just to take our school ID.  It will get us in! Eeekk! I’m so excited!” Caroline exclaims.

I go back to my room, grab my school ID, license, and a few bucks.  I decide to ditch the purse and just use my pocket.

We all pile in the Explorer and take the short trip to Hank’s.  Georgia is drunk as a skunk and it is hilarious.  She’s singing every word to Snoop Dogg.  I just never pictured a 4’11’’country talkin’ girl from Alabama rapping.  I guess that is what happens when you assume.

There is an old wooden sign that is barely legible on the left side of the highway. It looks like it has been there for fifty years.  We make a few quick turns, and there it is. Hank’s Tavern.  It’s a party in the middle of nowhere.  Something about this makes me feel like home.

As we make our way to the door, Georgia slips on the gravel.  She starts laughing and the rest of us do as well once we help her up. 

“Y’all, I think the ground and curbs are out to get me.  I mean they come out of nowhere.  The next thing I know, I’m on my ass again!”  Georgia is a hoot.  She always makes light of situations.

Hank’s Tavern is not exactly what I pictured.  It’s an old, worn down, wooden shed.  There are five parking spaces in front of the restaurant section of the place.  The rest of the parking is located across the road in a gravel lot.  It’s gravel, no pavement anywhere.  The bouncers are dressed in jeans and Hank’s Tavern t-shirts that fit just a little snug around their arms showing off their muscles.  They ask for our IDs, take a brief glance, and in we go.  I will have to say, the guys don’t get in quite as easy.  They get patted down and driver’s license checked.  Sometimes it pays to be a female.

We enter through another set of glass doors and immediately cigarette smoke and stale beer hit my nostrils.  The room is open except for a few pool tables and the bar.  It is dark, lights are flashing, and the music is bumping.  We do exactly what any group of girls would do, walk straight to the restroom.  You have got to kidding me!  No door really!  There is no freakin’ door on the last stall.  After taking a few minutes to get over the negative stall door and freshen up, we walk out and head straight to the dance floor.

I have to say that this is exactly redneck meets ghetto fabulous.  Whoever thought a place like this would play Mystikal, Dr. Dre, Lil Wayne, throw in a little “Downtown” by Lady A and Old Crow Medicine Show?  We have the best time just dancing in a big group.  I notice Crystal and Lucas on the floor; she smiles and waves before continuing to do things she should be embarrassed to be doing in public.  I am so thankful that I don’t have to deal with that in my room.  That is one benefit to her dating a Resident Assistant… he has his own room.

By midnight, Hank’s is packed.  I decide to grab a bottle of water, and as I’m about to pay, I hear that oh so sexy voice.

“I got that.”

“It’s okay, Joe.  I got it.”

“No, I insist.  I was an ass earlier.  I didn’t mean to make you feel bad.  It’s the least I can do.”

“Damn straight!  I’m proud of who I am and where I’m from.  I just hate when damn Yankees come down here and then try to make us look like hicks.  You don’t like the way we live, then don’t cross the Mason-Dixon,” I say as playful as possible.  It did tick me off earlier, but I don’t want him to think I’m a bitch.

“I swear I won’t do it again, and nobody is gonna pick on you eating squirrel but me,” he says with a smile.

“Okay, I’ll give ya that.”

“So Squirrel, you wanna dance?”

“Mr. Scaredy Cat, I’d love to.”  He takes the water bottle from me and leads me to the dance floor.

About the time we get to the floor, I hear “Mirrors” by Justin Timberlake begin to bleed through the speakers.  I sure do love some JT!  Joe and I make it to the dance floor.   I notice all the baseball players didn’t dress up for this event because they are wearing sweats.  Joe takes my hands entwining our fingers and pulls me closer to him.  We move back and forth.  I do my best to keep my body at a distance, but it is almost impossible.  The way he moves, the firmness of his body near mine, and the way my body is reacting to him is almost scary.  He is so sure of himself. 

As if he is reading my mind, he turns me around to where my ass is now at his other brain.  I think it’s time to have a little fun.  I know it’s a sign when I hear
To the windows, to the walls.
When I know the chorus is about to start, I get ready.  I’m about to show him what this country girl is made of.  I bend over to the floor and touch my toes just like the song says. When I do, I know I have him because that second brain of his is at full attention.

As the song ends, I decide I better break up this party before it has time to get started.  I turn to walk to the Kluft girls who are still dancing.  He grabs my hand and pulls me back to him.

“Not so fast, Squirrel.  You can’t leave me after that number.”

I just smirk and walk back to my friends.  We all continue dancin’ and I know I’m about to get the third degree.

“Shit, Char, you should have seen his face when you did that.  I thought he was gonna explode right there!”  Anna says.

“Well, he ticked me off earlier today, so I thought it would be fun to leave him with a different impression.”

“You are so bad! I love it!” Anna states.

We finish the night dancing with whomever and whatever comes our way.  We laugh at the old redneck guy with no teeth that Anna is trying to fend off.  It’s so funny we can’t even help her.  Finally, one of Lucas’ friends comes to her rescue.  Georgia finds a guy named Donte and her hips don’t leave his all night long.  They are like a boat riding the waves.  Tori, Caroline, and I have fun dancing, and then I feel that hot, muscular, surfer body behind me. Joe. 

Joe and I dance the remainder of the night.  We laugh and just have a great time dancing.  As closing time approaches, you can almost feel all the hormones raging as they begin to play a little Marvin Gaye, “Let’s Get it On.”  I try to make my way off the floor, but before I can, Joe pulls me into a tight embrace.  I have no choice but to put my arms around his neck, my head on his chest, and enjoy this last song with him.  I start to giggle as Joe begins to sing when the chorus comes through the speakers.  I pull back and sing with him. I am completely focused on him as we stare into each other’s eyes.  As the song ends, the DJ makes the announcement, “Y’all it’s that time.  You ain’t gotta go home, but you gotta get the hell up outta here!  Same place, same time next Saturday night. ”

As we distance ourselves from each other, Joe looks at me and smiles.  I walk across the floor to round up the girls.  That’s what happens when you’re DD for the night.  You end up being everybody’s mama. 

We walk across the road to the Explorer.  I make sure everyone is accounted for and then back to Southern we go. We don’t get far before I see blue lights ahead. 
Dang. Road block.