Wyatt looks at me strangely, repeating “Upstairs?”
I nod and point upwards. “You know, where my room is?”
“Um.. Are you-”
“Wyatt. Do you want to? Yes or no? Clock's a tickin'. Think long.. think wrong.." I'm out of expressions now, so I lapse into silence, waiting for his answer.
“Of course I do, but-”
Oh, good Lord, this boy is going to talk it to death. I grab his hand and pull him up from the couch. “Good. That's more than enough thinking for the night. Come on.”
I pull him up the stairs and into my room, shutting and locking the door behind me. The
The next four months of summer flies by, filled with good times and laughter. Wilder cut back his hours at work so he's around more and we were able to do things with the kids. We'd spend the days at the lake, swimming or fishing, laughing and enjoying life. Wyatt would take the kids to his boss's clinic and let them pet the animals. We even took a little of the money and went on a weekend vacation to the ocean. Wyatt went with us, since he's practically a permanent fixture at our house these days. Wilder and I made weekly deposits of a hundred dollars each into a our joint bank account, finally getting all the money out of the house. We haven't seen or heard from Isolde since that night that she came by. We submitted the paperwork she gave us to a lawyer that goes to Grandpa's church. He said it's legally binding, so we are offici
“Um-” I freeze up. Is this when she gives me the dreaded 'talk'? The one I see in movies where the nice mother suddenly tells me that I am not good enough for her son. Where she tells me that he has a bright future ahead of him and that by being with me he is jeopardizing it and that if I really cared for him, I would cut him loose? “Well-” “I think it's wonderful that you two are finally together. I've thought for so long that the two of you would be perfect together. You are such a sweet and loving girl and he's so, well, himself. Besides al that, he has liked you for years.” She breaks off, giving me a huge smile. “I guess what I'm saying is that it's about dang time.” “I thought you'd think-” I stop. I'm so surprised by her words that I don't even know what to say. “I thought you'd think that I'm bad
Three days later It is the first time that I have left my room in hours. Or days. Grandpa asked me to come with him and I know he needs me. Not that I'm going to do him any good. I can't offer him comfort or support. I can't offer him anything. Instead I sit quietly beside him as he handles the arrangements. The funeral director gives me a curious look before he turns to Grandpa. “I was advised by police that it is best to have a closed casket for-” He looks down at a paper on his desk - “Wilder.” He clears his throat. “With the extent of the damage done, it is in the best interest that there are no viewings.” My whole body tenses at his words and I want to scream out in pain, but I can't. I have no more tears or sc
Hearing these words are like a knife to my heart, kill ing any last hope that I had that this was all just a huge mistake. Hearing these words breaks what little part of my heart that has remained intact into a million pieces. Tears brim in my eyes and I try to blink them back. His words ring in my ears, taunting me for my stupid belief that maybe this wasn't really happening. "Wilder passed away.." I stand up and rush from the living room, heading upstairs to my bed. Behind me I hear my name being called but I ignore it as I flee. I have to make it to my room before I break down. I just have to make it through the service without breaking down, I keep reminding myself. This is the hardest thing you will ever have to do, I repeat, but once it's over, it's over.
Fall “It's Halloween.” Wyatt says to me, anger in his voice. “Damn it, Callie. Come on! The kids want you to come with them. Get your shit together and do this for them.” I stare at the wall, ignoring his words. Over the last few weeks his words have gone from softly spoken and sweet, to pleading, to flat out annoyed. Now, he's angry. Still, I don't respond. I have nothing to say to him. I have nothing to say to anyone. I haven't in weeks. “It's bad enough that you wouldn't go with them to get costumes. The least you could do is bring yo
Over the next month I spend my time in my room still except for the times that I leave to go with Finn. I discovered that the nice guy of that night is actually a bored rich kid with a wild streak of rebellion. He does some crazy shit and the times when he takes me along for the ride are the only times I feel alive. It's a week before Thanksgiving and Finn asked if I wanted to hang with him while Harper is at work. So, here we are on a gravel road miles outside of town. Finn is sitting on the hood of his car, smoking a joint, as he always seems to be doing. I'm walking down the road, letting the cold wind bite into my skin. It's a surprisingly cool day and it matches my mood. Today I woke up in pain at the thought of Thanksgiving quickly approaching. My first Thanksgiving without Wilder.
“Happy Thanksgiving, freak. How's Cabo?” I ask with a laugh. “Paradise, babe. It's paradise. Tequila on the beach at night. Waking up ass naked the next morning face down in the sand. Alone. Before you get all jealous over me.” He laughs. “I'm glad you clarified because I was so jealous!” I laugh again. “I knew you would be. You know you are the only girl in my life.” He teases me. “How sad that you only have me. I know that I have too many boys to count. You're just one of many.” I tease back.
“Come on, loser!” “Bite me, jerk!” I call back to him. “Dude, you know she's not going to do it. She's scared of heights. And water. And fish. And lions, and tigers and bears, oh my!” Comes another teasing voice. “You are both jerks!” I yell down at them. “It's really not that bad! Just jump!” Wilder calls up to me. I look down to where he is already in the water, about sixteen feet below me. “Come on, baby,