Covering the Carolinas (2 page)

MARLEIGH

As the sun starts to descend from the beautiful,
blue Carolina sky, I’m pulled from my Kindle when Daddy tells us to
pack up our beach gear. Carleigh, Tinleigh and I help our parents
pack up the tent and roll the cooler two blocks back to our home
away from home.

With our parents behind us, we begin to make plans
for our final night in Garden City. It’s evident my plans involve
GC. This week I’ve fallen hard for a scrumptious country boy from
up North. To think there are country boys up North totally makes me
laugh. The moment he cruised by my sisters and me on Ocean Drive, I
knew I wanted more than a moment with him. Undoubtedly, he was
thinking the same thing because it took him all of two seconds to
find a turn around and offer us a ride.

“
Marleigh, what do you have planned tonight?”
Carleigh asks, and I can’t help but giggle inside at my “older by
ten minutes” sister.

“
Heck, I don’t know. I just know GC said he
and the guys are going to chill at the pier. Y’all know you want to
go too. Carleigh, you’ve been eyeing Diesel all week, and Tinleigh,
you can’t make up your mind which one you like,” I say as I apply
my mascara.

“
Just because I like to keep my options open
doesn’t mean a thing,” Tinleigh giggles as she slides on a tube
top.

“
What am I going to do with y’all?! I swear.
I’m the only one who thinks these days. Y’all throw a few hotties
in the mix and you’d think y’all were only thinking about one
thing,” Carleigh states placing her hands on her hips.

“
Might be,” I say as I shrug my
shoulders.

“
Marleigh, you can’t be serious,” she
states.

“
I’m
so
serious, Car. Nothing’s wrong with a little extracurricular
activities,” I say as I raise my eyebrows up and down. Tinleigh
falls right in line doing the same thing, then makes her own
comment. “Car, it’s like recess, we’re just playing with all the
boys until the right one comes along.”

“
Ohmygod, y’all! How did I get blessed with
being the only triplet with any sense whatsoever?”

“
Oh, we have plenty of sense, Car. We don’t do
anything
too
stupid,”
Tinleigh says.

“
Whatever,” she says as we finish getting
ready and then head into the kitchen to eat supper.

After supper with our parents, we are told to be
home by midnight and to call if we need them. Our parents know we
like to have a good time, but they’ve raised us right. Being
brought up in a small southern town, we have been taught morals,
responsibility, and respect even though we don’t always do as our
parents wish. In fact, at home, as soon as the sun goes down, the
Anderson girls become hell on heels. The only one of us who even
thinks twice about the consequences is Carleigh, but most of the
time Tinleigh and I can usually talk our big sister into doing what
we want to do.

As we walk from the house to the pier, I can hear
the sounds of the arcade, horns blowing, and the waves crashing in
the distance while the salty air tickles my nose. Crossing the
road, we sway our hips a little more as we cross the street, and
laugh as a truck horn blows, “Dixie”, at us. As we make our way up
the steps and onto the pier, we stop to listen to a local musician
play a few cover songs, and then make our way toward the end where
the party is really starting. As we get closer to the end, I can
see GC, Diesel and Mikey standing there, and lord have mercy, I’m
pretty sure tonight’s a night I’ll never forget.

Approaching them, a smile spreads across my
face and GC pushes off the railing and makes his way toward
me.
When we are close enough to touch, I wrap my arms
around his neck and place my lips on his.

“
I missed you today,” he says.

“
I bet you did. How was the game, Yankee
Cowboy?” I say.

He smirks when I use the nickname. “It was awesome.
I had twenty-three points in the championship game and we came in
first at the tournament. I’m pretty sure the scouts from Coastal
took note,” he says as his smirk becomes a cheesing grin.

“
I’m so happy for you, GC!” I squeal as I pull
him in tighter.

“
What about us?” Mikey asks.

“
I’m sure y’all were just as fabulous,”
Tinleigh says to him as she places her hand on his
chest.

“
Come on, let’s dance.” I look at my sisters
and we make our way to the dance floor at the edge of the Garden
City pier.

GUNNISON

The moment I see Marleigh walking toward me with
those long tan legs peaking out from the short denim skirt, I knew
tonight was going to be a great night. There’s something about this
girl that I can’t explain. Every year my family goes on vacation
based on where my travel team is playing and I always meet girls,
but this one is different.

As Marleigh and her sisters make their way to the
dance floor, I can feel my heart beating in sync with the speakers.
I swear it’s about to bounce right out of my chest as I watch her
hips move with the beat of the music. I can’t take it any longer
and motion for the guys to make our way to the dance floor and
dance with the Anderson triplet of our choice. Taking Marleigh by
the hand, I spin her around to face me as she giggles sweetly. We
dance and two-step through several songs until the music slows. As
the pier lights shine on us, flecks of gold shine through her hazel
eyes. Mesmerized by her in this moment, I know I can’t share her
with anyone else tonight because I don’t know if I’ll ever see her
again. Without thinking, I quickly pull her from the dance floor.
She looks at me suspiciously, but follows willingly.

Standing on the pier, I press Marleigh against the
rail and look into her eyes. “Mar, I can’t share you with anyone
tonight. What if I don’t see you again?” She takes her arms and
wraps them around my neck.

“
GC, there’s no way I’m letting you leave my
life now that you’ve crashed into it.” She kisses me deeply as a
firework is shot into the night sky and she holds onto me for dear
life. Glancing over my shoulder, I see a group crowded around a
roaring fire.

“
C’mon. Let’s go check it out,” she says
standing and pulling me down the pier.

Weaving my fingers in Marleigh’s, we walk toward the
fire.

As we approach, I realize it’s a private celebration
of some sort, and I pray we won’t be noticed. As the music gets
louder and the flame rises higher, we ease our way into the crowd
and take a seat on a piece of driftwood facing each other.

As sparks fly into the night sky, I notice Marleigh
watching them.

“
What are you thinking about?” I
ask.

“
Have you ever thought about what happens to
those embers?”

“
They burn out?” I say unsure of where this is
going.

“
Yeah, but I can’t help but feel like that
roaring fire when I’m with you. You probably think I’m crazy since
it’s only been a week,” she says while covering her face with her
hands as if she’s embarrassed.

Taking her face in my hands, I raise her eyes to
mine. “Mar, I don’t think you’re crazy. In fact, I feel the same
way.”

“
You do?”

“
Yes, but we aren’t like the embers. When this
week ends, it will be a beginning for us.”

“
How can you say that? You’re going to be like
twenty hours away or somethin’.”

“
More like nine, but who’s counting.” As a
smile crosses her face, I’m happily caught off guard when she
crashes her lips into mine. Our kiss heats up like the fire beside
us and my heart soars like the sparks into the sky.

As our kiss slows she pulls away and keeps her
forehead on mine, “GC, can we get outta here?” Without another
thought, I stand and take her by the hand and lead her down the
beach.

As the waves crash against the sand and the moon is
high in the sky, Marleigh playfully pulls me further from the
crowd. “What are you doin’?” I ask. “I don’t know. I was just
thinkin’ maybe we should go somewhere a little more private. Ya
know, since I’m leaving tomorrow.” She almost whispers then giggles
nervously.

As a grin escapes my lips, I stop and pull her into
me and crash my lips into hers. When our kiss ends, she continues
to pull me along. When she catches a glimpse of an old abandoned
house, she glances my way and pulls me faster. Reaching the house,
I notice a worn beach chair and she reads my mind as she playfully
pushes me into the chair and climbs on my lap. I weave my fingers
in her long blonde hair and look into those hazel eyes. “Are you
sure?” I ask her. She bites the side of her lips and whispers yes.
I pull her lips to mine.

As my body begins to react to her, I know it’s not
just a summer fling. I have fallen completely head over heels for
Marleigh Anderson. Never in my life has girl caught my heart. There
is something connecting us mind, body, and soul.

Chapter 1

July 2011

MARLEIGH

“
Marleigh, you ready yet?” Tinleigh hollars
through the bathroom door.

“
Yeah, I’ll meet you downstairs. I just need
to call GC real quick,” I say as I finish removing the hot rollers
from my blonde hair. I run my fingers through them and look in the
mirror. I look like hell. I swear, I hope it’s not what I think it
is. I have cheerleading camp in two weeks and I can’t miss
it.

Finding my recent contacts, I dial GC but no answer.
I shake it off. Over the past few months, he doesn’t call or text
as much as he did when we first left the beach. I know it was just
a random chance we met during Spring Break, but I feel like there’s
a reason he drove into my life.

I make my way downstairs and find mama and dad
waiting to tell us bye before we head out.

“
Girls, y’all be careful. Please call if
things get out of hand,” Mama says.

“
Yes, ma’am.”

We get in Carleigh’s car and make our way to the
party on Broad River. Our small town is right on the North Carolina
and South Carolina border and on the weekends both Carolinas
collide for a good time.

As the evening progresses, I try my best to have a
good time, but all I can think about is why I feel like shit as I
take a drink of my beer. When Carleigh walks over to see if I want
a bite of a s’more, I feel my insides turn upside down. I quickly
shake my head no and hurry away from her.

As soon as I’m out of sight, I spew the
contents of my stomach. Then, as if a light bulb goes off, reality
sets in…
Oh my gosh. I can’t deny it
anymore. I’m late, like two months late.
No, this can’t be happening. It was the only time I’ve ever
been so stupid. This has got to be some bug. It can’t happen, not
my senior year!
Deep down, I know I’m lying to myself
and as I make my way back to the party, I’m confronted by my
sisters.

“
How late are you?” Carleigh asks.

“
What? What are you talking about? It’s just a
little upset stomach.”

“
Mar, we live with you remember? You look like
you’ve been run over by a tractor, you’ve had one beer to your
normal eight, and just tossed your cookies when I offered you
chocolate! Sis, I think it’s more than a stomach bug,” Tinleigh
says surely.

“
I don’t know. I hadn’t really thought about
it,” I say as tears fall from my eyes knowing I’m lying because
it’s all I’ve thought about, but prayed it wasn’t true.

Carleigh takes the beer from my hand as they
both embrace me.
Probably shouldn’t drink
any more of that.
After trying to hide my emotions, we
decide it’s best to leave the party but we don’t go home. Instead,
we go to the city park.

“
Mar, what are you going to do? I mean are you
going to keep it?” Carleigh asks.

“
How can you even say that? I can’t get rid of
it. That goes against everything we were taught growing up. I know
regardless of the situation, there’s a reason for everything. No,
I’m not happy. In fact, I’m scared shitless. I mean I know I do
stupid shit and Mama and Dad kinda expect that from me, but they’ve
taught me better than to think it wouldn’t happen to me. I need to
just pray the test is negative in the morning.”

“
I sure hope you’re right, but regardless,
we’re here for you.”

After a few moments of silence, Tinleigh breaks it.
“So did y’all see Mark? He was totally wearing high waters. I don’t
know what Sally sees in him. He’s a total dork.” We all burst out
laughing as she stands and does her best impersonation of him.
Leave it to her to take the attention off me. We sit, laugh and
enjoy just being sisters trying to forget what is on the horizon.
Before we head home, we stop at a convenient store for a pregnancy
test.

Chapter 2

MARLEIGH

Saturday morning, I wake with the light of day. I
didn’t sleep well last night, and I know that this morning is going
to be an end to a lot of things I’ve planned in my life. I don’t
need a test, I know what it’s going to reflect. It’s going to be
positive. I just have a gut feeling.

Looking at my phone, I see I have a text from
GC.
Oh gosh!
My stomach does
a flip-flop and my heart begins to shatter when I think of him
losing his dream because of one stupid act.

GC: Sorry I missed your call last night. I was at
the court with the guys and knew you’d be out. Call me when you
wake up!