Relativity (26 page)
Authors: Lauren Dodd
Tags: #Literature & Fiction, #Genre Fiction, #Coming of Age, #Romance, #Contemporary
As Knox slides himself inside me and we rock back and forth, our bodies still in sync, never noticing the time we spent apart. We come together so hard that I’m thankful most of the dorm is gone or the whole place would have heard us.
“Ripley Parsons,” Knox whispers, laying his head on my chest. I smile, hearing my married name for the first time. I gaze, admiringly, at the beautiful diamond ring on my finger until the sound of Knox’s gentle snoring lulls me to sleep.
I wake with a start the next morning, scared it was all just a dream until I see my ring and feel Knox’s arms around me.
“Good morning, my future wife,” Knox growls softly in my ear. I flip over to face him then realizing he really is real, I smother him with kisses.
I pull back sharply, realizing that we have to tell Dad. I’m not sure how excited he is going to be that his eighteen-year-old daughter is getting married. And what does this mean? Do I have to quit school? I want to be with Knox more than anything in the entire world but I never imagined myself getting married at such a young age.
“What’s going on in that crazy head of yours?” Knox teases. “I can practically see the gears turning.”
“I’m afraid Dad will be upset and I don’t know if I want to quit school,” I confess.
“I asked your dad over Skype before I even bought the ring. I never would have asked you if he didn’t approve. And I want to marry you today, but I just re-enlisted for four years. This is going to be a long engagement. I just want that ring on your finger so everybody knows you’re mine. Then, someday, when you’re ready, we’ll get married.”
I breathe a sigh of relief, knowing that as much as I love Knox I’m just not ready to marry him yet. I have a few things I need to accomplish for myself first. But knowing that we have made this commitment to each other makes it that much easier to concentrate on my goals.
“Is it corny that I kind of feel like fate meant for us to be together? I mean the way our parents were connected and how things worked out is pretty crazy.”
I nod my head in agreement, knowing I will never forget the sacrifice that Mom made so many years ago so that Knox could have a happy life with both of his parents, together. Mom. Chad. Bea. Dad. Natalie. Knox. And me. All connected to each other, a family by fate.
“Relativity,” I say, using a term I learned in physics class this semester. The term was referring to Einstein’s theory of relativity but the connections between Knox and I’s family definitely applies as well. Knox and I have been connected since before we were even born and have been gravitating toward each other our whole lives. We will never be apart again.
I know that Mom is smiling down at us right now.
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