How It Rolls (23 page)

             
“Then we have time to wait for—whatever.  Anyway, I still have a list of places we should make out.”

             
I gasped, “You’ve been keeping secrets.  Falcon’s make-out tour—tell me where.” 

             
“The salt mine, the factory, and one very specific place in the jungle gardens.” 

             
“Really?  When do we go there?”

             
“Not telling.  Let’s just get some sleep.  I don’t want you falling asleep tomorrow.”

             
“I will if you will.”  He nodded and went into the bathroom and came out with a pair of gray lounge pants and nothing else on.  I curled up next to him and let the wave motion of his breathing carry me to sleep.

              Saturday we spent all day touring the salt mines and the Tobasco factory.  To my disappointment, we weren’t visiting the jungle gardens until the next day.  But I cheated and picked up a brochure from the restaurant at breakfast.  It was stunning on paper, so I could only imagine what it would be like in person.  And true to his word he pulled me behind a pillar in the salt mine and we got caught by a little girl in pigtails.  Falcon gave her five bucks and winked at her.  I think I fell in love with him a little more at that point. 

             
And then at the factory, he kissed me with hot sauce still on his lips.  I love hot sauce again.  We had dinner at the same place and then tucked in early, no long talks or future plans made that night. 

             
Sunday he took me to the famous gardens.  He didn’t complain or look impatient when I perused the camellias for at least two hours.  He listened intently when I pointed out different species of them, including one called the ‘Rebel Yell’, my favorite.  It was a white flower that looked like it was caught in a pink paint splatter war.  My mom used to have tons of them. 

             
When the sun began to set on us he pulled me into an arch.  It was monstrous.  At least twelve foot tall and covered dirt to sky in wisteria.  It was a tunnel of every hue of violet imaginable.  It was there that Falcon Livingston Black vowed to love me for the rest of his life and before I could answer, kissed me until our lips were sore.

             
We packed up our bags and as we left I was the happiest I’d ever been in my life.  I studied his profile as we drove away.  He was just as happy as I was.  Saturday morning he had dropped one of his contacts down the sink drain and for the rest of the time worn his black rimmed glasses.  Those glasses plus the newsboy hat equaled perfection in my book. 

             
“You keep looking at me like that and I’m turning around, Poppy.”

             
“That’s not really a threat. In fact,” I took off my seatbelt and scooted over to the middle seat and fastened the new belt.  I let him drive for a few minutes before ‘oops’ my hand found his thigh. 

             
“You’re killin’ me.” He said through a clenched jaw. I giggled back at him, maybe I had it after all.

             
We were almost home when he sprung the news on me.  “So, I’m not supposed to tell you until tomorrow because they said you would throw a fit about it but Wednesday you have a dress fitting.  My mom wants to buy your dress for the wedding thing—yours and Nellie’s.  Is that okay?” He cringed as he waited for the answer.  How could anyone deny Sylvia?  Truth be told you really couldn’t.  She was sweet as pecan pie but she was also relentless when she wanted something.

             
“It’s fine.  Anything for your mom.” 

             
“See? That’s why I love you.” 

             
He dropped me off at my house after inspecting under my bed and in the closet.  He claimed he was checking for burglars but to me he was looking for the boogie man.  My man, checking for monsters that go bump in the night.  He spent the night at his apartment and I fought with myself about how I felt with him gone.  So about two in the morning I gave up and texted him.

             
R: You’re not very nice.

             
F: That’s not what the ladies say.  Wait…

             
R: HA! Can’t sleep.  Missing things: muscled arms, chest, Mohawk, lips.  The list goes on 4 eva

             
F: You need me, I’m there.

             
I took me awhile to admit it.

             
R: I need you.

             
As soon as I hit ‘send’ I heard his key in the front door.  And when I saw him enter the bedroom, kick his shoes off and stretch to pull his shirt off, I couldn’t imagine being without him again and it scared me to death.

~~~~~~

              Wednesday was a blast.  Nellie, Sylvia and I went dress shopping and Nellie made me go into the dressing room with her.  She pulled off her shirt and in the mirror I screamed at what I saw.

             
“What the Hell is that?” I pointed at her chest.

             
“What this?  It’s my titty pistol.” In the mirror I saw her pull something metal and shiny out of her bra. 

             
“Are you shitting me?  That’s so bad ass.  I totally want one!”

             
“Oh no, little sister, you have to be twenty one before you can get a concealed weapon permit.  And when you do I will buy you a titty pistol myself.”  Then she got closer and lowered her voice to a whisper.  “Sylvia has one too.”  She winked at me and I giggled on and off for the rest of the day at her coined phrase, ‘titty pistol’. 

             
She finally decided on an off the shoulder dress in bright pink because she said it reminded her of Jem.  I knew who she was talking about from hearing her and Falcon talking about the show.  And she was right.  With the hair and the dress she was totally that girl. 

             
I sucked at picking a dress for myself so the girls picked for me.  They argued like two hens fighting over a nest and finally chose a bronze colored dress, empire waist, with thin straps. We then scoured the stores for shoes and by the time they were done with me, I was exhausted. 

~~~~~~

              I tried not to get too beat up on Saturday night at the bout, but it didn’t work.  One girl named Hilary Killed-them popped me in the face and I could tell by the throbbing that it would be wicked in the morning.  Sylvia made light of it saying that she had the perfect cover up stick to make it look like nothing had happened.  I hadn’t seen Falcon since Thursday morning.  His mom gave him a list of things to take care of before the ceremony.  He took the list without complaint, without even the faintest eyeroll and did as she asked. 

             
Sunday afternoon, Sylvia, Nellie, Sylvia’s friend Rose, and I got dressed together and rode in a limousine to the ceremony site.  It was an outside venue on the river’s edge under a canopy of Cypress trees.  Candle lit lanterns hung from hundreds of different heights and gave the whole place a romantic feel.  We snuck Sylvia into the back entrance so she and Chase could have a few minutes before everything started.  Nellie went straight to Owen and I looked for Falcon.  I finally spotted him talking to someone dressed in a white button down shirt and a black vest.  I assumed it was someone with the catering company.  But when his eyes met mine, the man and whatever he was talking about was forgotten.  I twisted and twitched under his glare as he stalked towards me.  He finally reached me and I avoided the obvious and commented on the décor.

             
“It’s so beautiful out here.  Someone worked very hard to get all this together.”  He shrugged and dug his toe into the Spanish moss on the ground. 

             
“You did all this, right?  You’ve been working your ass off this week making sure it was perfect for your parents.”

             
“They deserve it, Poppy.”

             
“You’re amazing, really.”

             
“Me?  Look at you in this dress.  I’ve never seen you look so amazing.” I blushed under his praise and he rubbed his knuckles against my cheeks in recognition. 

             
Music started around us and we took our seats next to Owen, Nellie, Maddox and Maddox’s scantily clad date who introduced herself as Allie.  The pastor went through the motions and as Sylvia and Chase said their own vows to each other, there wasn’t a dry eye under the trees.  And when Chase held Sylvia’s face in his hands and said, “I lost you once, but I promise I’ll never lose you again.” Nellie broke out into chest wracking sobs beside me. 

             
The reception followed after the chairs were picked up and after eating, Falcon and I danced until it was time to tell the couple goodbye.  And after everyone was gone, including the caterers, Falcon pulled me back under the trees and like the song waited for us; the speakers played I Found A Reason by Cat Power.  I twitched with frantic energy.  I knew what was coming but I couldn’t make myself stop it.  I begged one of the lanterns to fall, the river to form a wave over the bank, anything to stop the train I could hear in the distance.  But at the same time I was completely lost in his eyes. 
Please just leave us be.
 

             
“Reed,” he whispered and I couldn’t help but cry at the desperation in his voice. 

             
“I’ve told you how much I love you as many ways as I can.  This is where I show you.”  He pulled a ring out of his pocket and kneeled in front of me.  It was the single most beautiful ring I’d ever seen in my life.  “Reed Elaine Wolfe, I would do anything for you to marry me.”

             
I took a step back from him and he his eyes told me the internal panic had already set in.  I placed my hands on my stomach, consoling it and begging for my food not to betray me.  I tried to remind myself of the reasons I didn’t want to get married. 
What were they again?

             
“Falcon, I’m only eighteen.” I practically screamed it at him.

             
He stood up and smiled at me.  Smiled at me!  “Poppy, I’m not asking you to run off and get married tonight.  I’m just asking if one day you will marry me.”  I frantically spit out another excuse.

             
“Do you know what married people do?” This time he blushed and I realized what I’d said to cause it, “Not that.  I mean married people are mean to each other.  They hate each other.  They betray each other.  I won’t do that to you.”

             
He put the ring back in his pocket and reached for my hands.  “Did you see something different than I did tonight? My parents love each other.  Even when they weren’t together they never fought in front of us.  Did you know that?  Even when they split up my dad came over to take the trash out every day.  I know you’ve seen some shitty marriages, I know that.  But we can make a choice to have a happy marriage, together.  We don’t have to be those people who backstab, nitpick and nag.  We can be the rebels of the married people.”  He ended his spiel with a laugh.

             
“If it’s so easy then why are there so many divorces?” That was my last string of argument.  And I was almost ready to admit that I had lost this battle.

             
“I don’t know.  I can’t answer that.  But I do know that loving you is something I’m never willing to give up on.”

             
“Yes.” I let it slip through my lips.

             
He smiled momentarily and then straightened it, “Yes, what?  Be specific.” 

             
“Yes, I will marry you,” I held up my hands, “Not today or tomorrow but one day I will, okay?”

             
He picked me up and spun me around until we were both dizzy from the turns and from pure joy. 

             
“See these lanterns?” He pointed into the tree limbs.

             
“Yeah.” How could you miss them?

             
“No one asked for those.  Those were just for you.”

             
“They’re really beautiful.  Thank you.”

             
“Ok, let’s go home.  I’m exhausted.  I don’t think I’ve slept well in days.”

             
We turned off a switch, darkening the lanterns.  I thought they were real candles but they were electric ones.  He walked me out to his truck and he pulled out of the driveway. 

             
“My house or your apartment?” I asked.  I thought about when I used to sleep in my car.  It probably wouldn’t have been so bad with Falcon. 

             
“I packed a bag.  But if you want to stay at my place we can.  I don’t care.”

             
“Let’s go back to mine.  That’s where we’ll live, right?” Oh holy hell, I couldn’t believe I just said that.