An Ordinary Me (19 page)

Epilogue

Four years later

Reese

“Garrison, will you come on, Foxy needs her walk!”

“I’m coming hang on a sec…”

Garrison and I moved in together in an apartment in San Marcos. He just got accepted to the academy and starts in just a couple weeks. Foxy lives with us since after all she helped bring us together. We were both fond of her.

I’m entering my sophomore year at Texas State, and I’m working towards my career as a meteorologist. The homework is killing me, but I’ll survive.

Oh, I forgot to mention… Garrison and I are engaged. Who would have thought all my firsts were my lasts. He proposed to me at the very spot he took me for my sophomore spring break. The Guadalupe River, where my favorite rope swing is. We go all the time and tube it. It is one of our favorite spots. He was right, in the summer it is perfect! We invite Dylan and Autumn out and they come when they are in town. Yeah, they started dating and have been for two years now. She travels with him and the band and loves the on the road lifestyle. Dylan confessed he had always liked her.

We are planning on getting married after I graduate from college. Two years and we will be married! We both wanted to wait until I graduated and he was officially working for the DEA.

As for his parents, he no longer goes to see his dad. His aunt now sends money to him through the mail. His mom no longer talks to him, and we all agree it is for the best. Garrison doesn’t feel the loss and in fact, feels relieved. He will always love his parents but knows now, they gave him birth, but that’s it. He had self-worth now. All the abuse he went through he now admits it helped him be a better man, just like my dad. He volunteers as a Big Brother and has started to mentor a young boy named James.

My parents and Natalie are doing great. Natalie is entering high school and much wilder than I ever was. I hope my parents are prepared. Although, they never thought I would have done what I did, so maybe Natalie will be smarter than I was. I can pray for that anyway.

Garrison and I don’t agree on a lot of things but one thing we do agree on is “Love is worth it.” For any child who is told they are useless and believes it, they are worth it. 

THE END

AN  EXTRAORDINARY  US

A Novella by:

     
Brooklyn Taylor

Reese

It wasn’t long after my high school graduation that Garrison finally popped the question. He took me to our special spot, the same spot that he had acted like he didn’t like me. It was that very same May day I had resolved to accept that and stop spending my time wishing for his affections.

Garrison brought a picnic and we spent the day out at the river, just us. He had a knack of thinking of every detail. There were no interruptions, no worries and no deadlines. We swam and then sat on the blanket and kissed the day away. I couldn’t imagine being with any other person in my lifetime. It was as if his initials were sewn onto my soul.

He pulled back when I moved closer and closer to him and removed his lips away from mine. He whispered my name and I stopped to look at him startled. I loved to kiss him now as much as I did the very first time.

He jumped to his feet and took my hands. “I want to show you something.”

“Now?” I questioned him somewhat peeved.

I followed his lead to a massive oak tree he had stopped at. The limbs hung down to provide much needed shade. The tree had clearly been alive longer than me. The side of the tree demanding my attention was facing the land rather than the water as if it was a secret for only us to see.

Garrison stood in front of it and waited for me to notice his sign of affection. I moved closer to the tree and ran my fingers over our initials that he had carved. GD <3 RO= 4 ever admiring the art work.

I smiled and went to hug him as he moved back and dropped to his knee.

I had no idea at what was about to occur. I had dreamed of this moment but never thought it would truly happen. My heart felt like it was going to beat out of my chest.

He took my hand. “Reese Owens, I never would’ve imagined I’d meet a girl and fall in love, completely utterly in love. You’re all I think about from the minute I am awake until the minute I fall asleep. I want to spend the rest of my life with you loving you and being with you. I love you. Will you be my wife?”

The tears came on full fledge now. I tried to take in every detail, my surroundings, the smell, the smile and the look in his eyes of true love and admiration. I was trying to burn the moment into my memory forever. I wanted to remember every single detail of this moment. 

I turned into a blubbering mess.  “Wha….” I mumbled while never letting my eyes leave Garrison’s.  He hadn’t moved an inch and stared at me like I was about to break his heart.

“What, what?” He asked as if he really didn’t want to know the question I was about to ask. His smile turned into a frown.

I giggled through my tears. “What took you so long? I love you Garrison. Yes, of course, absolutely, positively. You’ve always been it for me Garrison. I knew it long before you did.” 

“I don’t know about that.” He commented.

He slid the ring onto my finger and then cupped my face. He kissed me promising that every word he spoke was the God awful truth. I was positive he meant every one of them as they left his lips.

****

I’d learned sometimes in life you never want to forget a moment, a split second. The night before our rehearsal dinner was no exception.  I didn’t care about all the traditions, but Garrison wanted me to have it all. I already had him, what else could a girl want?

We had decided to get married outside at a country house that hosted small Texas weddings and events.  He wanted to make a big deal out of everything and I was the complete opposite. Yes, I had dreamed of this day since I was a little girl but none of it seemed to really matter anymore as long as we were together. Even with all my hesitation, when I laid my eyes on the location he had found it was as if he had seen the images I had imagined as I grew up. It was an inside and outside venue that had a spot to sit and dance on a hard wood floor with white tables set up. It was unique and screamed comfort when you walked into it. Nothing ritzy titzy. No, that wasn’t us. Every detail of the location was perfect. The greenery outside the sitting area was perfectly manicured with big oak trees and flower beds. There was a path that led to a trellis that would be covered in whichever flowers I had requested. On the green pasture to the left of the home they had large white wood letters which spelled out love we would take our wedding pictures around. 

I walked down the aisle after my mother, sister and Autumn with my arm wrapped around my dad’s toward Garrison. He smiled from ear to ear and I could’ve sworn I had seen tears in his eyes.

We did a run through of the official ceremony and the only thing that I cared about was Garrison. I had wished the ceremony was today instead of tomorrow so that I could finally call him my husband.

After the rehearsal which ran smoothly, we met for dinner at a local barbeque joint. As I sat around the table I smiled and looked at the happiness I had been blessed with, never wanting it to end. We had everyone that we loved with us, Aunt Ellen, my family and our few friends that were still in our lives.

When we were ordering dad pulled me to the side and asked if he could have a word with me. I was worried my sister had done something else to give him a challenging time. Natalie was becoming a total pain in his ass and I was worried he wasn’t going to be able to continue to handle all the stress that he was being put under.

He put his arm around me and led me to the back of the restaurant sitting on the antique wooden swing.

“My grown Reese. Damn…. You sure do make a father proud.”

“Thanks dad.” I smiled happy that he felt that way about me. I always wanted to make him proud.

“I wanted to tell you something before tomorrow.” He paused.  “I sure hope I can hold myself together. You know, walking your little girl down the aisle isn’t something that is going to be easy. You’re going to turn me into a blubbering idiot.”

“I know.” I agreed. My dad was never one to hold back his emotions. It was one of the things I loved about him.

“I couldn’t have asked for a better man to be marrying you. You know…. I loved you first, and will always love you, but Garrison… he’s a good guy. I know he’ll love you through it all and you will him.  I knew when you found the one, it would be forever.”

“Just like you and mom.”  I glanced back at his baby blue eyes looking at me but didn’t stare for too long. His voice was emotional and I didn’t want to see any actual tears for fear of breaking down myself.

“Yes, just like your mother and me.”

We sat in silence for a minute and then he continued, “I love you Reese.”

“I love you too daddy.”

“I never thought I would be willing to let my first daughter go but now I know I’m just sharing you with a man that loves you just as much as I had hoped. He would give up his own life for you.”

“Yes, yes he would.” I knew without a moment’s hesitation he was correct. It was another sign Garrison and I were meant to be.

“We better get back in there before everyone eats all the brisket.”

“Yeah we better.”

I followed behind dad and I wiped the tears that had slipped through my eyes.

Garrison looked up at me from what looked like an intense conversation with his aunt and mouthed “Are you okay?”

I shook my head yes and tried to smile. I hoped he was okay too.

That moment with my dad was a moment I would always cherish.

Garrison

Reese was staying the night at her parent’s house tonight to keep her away from the groom. Another tradition I wanted to follow through with for her. It was so hard to be away from her when she had been with me every night since we moved out together. Seeing her tonight had me rethinking my idea, but I knew it wouldn’t kill me right?

Although I knew I would miss her, I was cognizant of the fact I needed time to deal with what Aunt Ellen said tonight. She said words that I knew would be coming eventually, but not words I wanted to hear. I never wanted to hear them in fact and especially on the night before my wedding. It was just another example of my mother putting herself before her son. I was lost in thought while driving Reese home. I could see the worry in her eyes and although I wanted to reassure her everything was fine, I had to figure this out myself. I needed to process it.

Her sweet voice interrupted my thoughts. “Did something happen with your aunt?”

I gripped the steering wheel tightly and took a deep breath and debated with myself whether to tell her the truth or just deny it all. Reese was going to have to deal with my baggage for the rest of our lives together. Couldn’t I spare her one last night of it?

“Garrison….”

“What?” I snapped not really sure what to say yet.

“Are you okay?” She reached over to put her hand on my thigh.

“Do we really need to get into this tonight?” I abruptly stuttered.

“Yes, we’re about to be married! We damn well do.” She snapped back.

Then I uttered words that I knew I shouldn’t but they came out so fast there was no way to control them or to later take them back. “Reese, you think you know my life just from what I’ve told you or what little you have seen. You have no idea. I can never just be happy. Do you know what that feels like?”

She started to answer and I could see her beautiful eyes tear up but I interrupted her. Her chin was shaking trying to hold her emotions in.

“You have NO clue of what I feeling. You could never understand the hell I have lived in so stop trying. Stop trying to resolve something for me that can’t possibly be resolved! ”

She said nothing to me the remainder of the drive and I knew I hurt her by my words. The last person I ever intended to hurt. I fought the urge to pull the car over and tell her to forgive me for the words I spurted and didn’t mean. I struggled with the urge to grab her hand that had become second nature when I’m with her or pull her close to me just so I could feel her next to me.  She was the good in my life; she was the sunshine and the reason for my happiness, her strength when I was weak.

We finally pulled up to her parent’s house and I unbuckled my seat belt to let her out. I always let her in and out of the doors. Before I got my door open to make my way to her, she was already out and slamming my door. Those were the longest seven minutes of silence I had ever experienced and hoped to never experience again in my lifetime.

I wanted to scream my soon to be bride’s name to tell her I loved her, but instead I sat there. I had said enough tonight already.

She leaned in the car and spoke the only words she could say through her emotions.

“I’m sorry you’re hurting Garrison. I’m sorry you are angry and most of all I wished I could take your pain away. I want to get one thing straight though. I have NEVER pretended to know what you have been through. Hell for all I know you are still going through it, but I will tell you… DO NOT ever treat me like that again. I’m on your side and will always be on your side, but you have to let me.” She paused.

“I love you.” She reminded me.

I watched her walk away without waiting for me to respond to her sentiments. Clearly she didn’t want to hear what I had to say and I didn’t try.

After I saw she was in the house safely, I pulled away and parked just a couple blocks away where my old home was. My mom was evicted not long after I moved for college. It looked like a new family lived there now with a new door color and a swing hanging from the tree. The home to me was out of a bad dream. It appeared to be bringing happiness to this family by the care it seemed to be receiving now.

I remember standing on the porch looking at the pathetic tree and the old branches that shed its leaves mimicking the way I felt. I was lost.  Bare and never feeling the love parents should give to their child.

Ellen came to the rehearsal dinner like always lending her hand of support. If it wasn’t for her, I would’ve ended up in a foster home or worse homeless on the streets begging. She kept food in my mouth and a roof over my head.

“I’m so proud of you Garrison.”  She smiled warmly at me just like she did, when she came to my band concerts, my graduation and my official pinning of my Drug Enforcement Agent badge.

“Thank you. That means a lot to me.” I hugged her genuinely.

“I need to talk to you before tomorrow. It is a big day for you and Reese.”

I paused not sure what to expect so I didn’t speak.

“I never would have thought I would be getting married…” I mumbled.

“I never had any doubt. You have a lot to give Garrison.” She smiled and paused.

“Anyway, I hate to be the bearer of bad news but…”

I sighed. This conversation was going to go one place from here and that was down.

“Your dad sent me a letter saying that he had hoped to be able to come to the wedding although I didn’t invite him. He wanted to see you on your special day. Unfortunately, they don’t let you out of prison for a funeral much less a wedding.” 

Thank God. The last thing I need is him here. Why would I want him here on a happy day when he was never there growing up on any of the sad. Why should he have that reward?

“Your mother...”

“You’ve got to be kidding me?”

“She’s out of rehab. She seemed to be doing really good and wanted to come. She asked me what I thought.”

“What did you tell her?” I asked.

“I told her that I didn’t think the wedding would be a good place for her to show up to. It’s your day and you deserve for it to be a happy day not stressed with her here.”

I was satisfied with Ellen’s response to my mother. It’s exactly what I would have wanted her to say.

“But…. I don’t think she’s going to listen to me. She wanted to see you and Reese. She said she had things to say, things to make right.”

“I bet she does.” I snorted.

“Garrison, I’ll support you in any way that you feel but just sleep on it would you? Sometimes we get to a point in our lives that maybe one really does decide to clean up and make amends. Maybe she really does regret her mistakes now that she is sober, what she did to you and wants to make a true apology. Maybe…”

“Do you know how many times she has apologized to me? Her apologies don’t mean shit to me. They’re a bunch of lies that have never amounted to anything but that, lies and more lies.”

“I agree. I get it. No I wasn’t the kid that went through it, but I was the person that tried to help as much as I could. I know one thing though, if you don’t listen to her, and hear her out, you might regret it deeply one day. Maybe you won’t but… I’m not here to tell you what to do, Lord knows I’m not good at giving advice. I’m just here to tell you what’s going on. I didn’t want you to be caught off guard if she showed up.”