Shoe Strings

understand a few things.   Your dad and I were very young when we got married…too young.”
    He polished off his second biscuit and slurped the remains
of his Coke until it was gone.   “I
know you got married because of me.   You don’t have to explain.”
    “I think I do.   Ty, when you fall in love and get married, I want you to understand it’s
forever.”   She held up her hand when
he took a breath to respond.   “I
know your dad and I aren’t married anymore and that seems to void this whole
conversation, but it doesn’t.   We
got married because we were stupid.   We were too young to be having sex, especially unprotected sex.   I hope you understand how dangerous that
can be--and for more reasons than just pregnancy.”
    “I do, Mom.”   He’d slouched down into the seat and his eyes darted around the
restaurant, making sure no one overheard their conversation.   “You don’t need to lecture me about
this.”
    “Ty, I loved your father when we had you.   I still love your father, but more like
a friend.   We weren’t supposed to be
together and if I hadn’t gotten pregnant and we’d had the time to figure things
out, we would have seen that.   Neither of us would change what happened, not for a second, but I don’t
want you to think you can marry and divorce like it’s no big deal.   It’s a very big deal.”
    “Mom.” Ty leaned his head toward her and whispered, “Dad’s
already explained about the divorce and everything.   He said it was his fault you two split
up and he threatened to kill me if I even thought of having sex without using a
condom.”
    “He said it was his fault?”   She couldn’t believe her ears.   Since when did Jesse beat her to the
punch on the hard issues with Ty?
    “Yeah.   He said
he was too selfish and immature to deal with a marriage.   He said he left because he couldn’t
handle things anymore, not because of anything you did.”
    Well, she ought to look in the sky for flying pigs because
she never saw this coming.   “Oh,
well…”   She sipped her tea.   “What were we talking about?”
    Ty rolled his eyes.   “You and Bryce are dating…sound familiar?”
    “Oh, yeah, right.   He’ll be spending a lot more time with us, around the house at night and
stuff.”
    “No problem, Mom.   He’s always been around.”
    “It’ll be different.”
    “I know, I know.   You’ll kiss and hold hands and stuff.”   He rolled his eyes again.   “I’ll just look away.”
    Kerri Ann felt tears threaten.   Her little boy was growing up right
before her eyes.   She’d never loved
him more.   “I love you, Ty.”
    He gave her a killer smile as he eased his big body from the
booth and stretched.   “Enough to
take me to Asheville and buy me a new PS3 game?”
    “Don’t push it.” But she’d have bought him the moon if she
could.

 

 
    Chapter 20
    Lita ran for the Scout and didn’t give a hoot about Jesse,
out in the rain, lugging the raft and their gear to shore all by himself.   When she realized he’d left the doors
off, she cursed him again and ran for the pavilion another fifty yards from
where she stood fuming.  
    The sky had opened up, literally opened up like a dam, and
poured not only rain, but hail down on them for a solid hour.   The drizzle that fell from the sky now
felt like mist compared to the drenching they’d rafted through.   Jesse had the nerve to hoot and holler
in joy as the river rose and he steered them through the quickening
waters.   The man had proved himself
insane.   The only good news was that
their increased pace got them to the car faster.   The car with no windows or doors, where
the clothes she’d taken off earlier sat puddled in the backseat.  
    It didn’t take long for Jesse to drag everything to the
Scout and saunter toward her like a man with absolutely no reason to
hurry.  
    “Did you see your car?” she sputtered before he’d made it to
the pavilion.   “It’s soaked, just
like we are.   We’re going to freeze
on the drive home.”
    Jesse shook the rain from his hair and grinned at her.   With his dripping hair and glistening
chest, she almost forgot to be angry.   “Good thing we’re not headed home.”
    “What?   What are
you talking about?”
    He looked at his watch.   “It’s after five.   It takes
three hours to get home.   Plus, as
you pointed out, my car’s soaked.”   He pulled a small towel out of a bag and handed it to her.