Shattered Chances: A Breaking Black Companion Novel (21 page)

“Oh! I almost forgot!” I said as I started to rummage through my pockets. I pulled out the ring box and dropped to one knee.

Cheyenne looked at me and shook her head.

“Randy, stand up.”

Sheepishly, I rose, confused by her actions. When I was standing squarely on both feet, she spoke again.

“Now ask me. Equal footing, remember?”

I opened the ring box, and displayed it for Cheyenne.

“Will you?”

“You know I will.”

67.

Cheyenne

We had decided on a November 13th wedding date. We had a little over seven months to plan, and while Randy just wanted to elope, I wanted to do this right. I was planning an intimate affair at the ranch and we had invited our family and friends. I had even extended an invitation to my mother, who I doubt would attend. Randy had reached out to his cousins in Minnesota and I had of course invited all my girls from Nebraska. It was going to be an event to be remembered, and with Randy’s birthday the day before, we had lots of fun planned for the weekend.

I have never been so excited in my life.

68.

Randy

The day before the wedding had finally arrived, oh yeah, and it’s also my thirtieth birthday, too. Chey, Averi, Tim, Colt and Shelly want to take me out. I’d really rather stay at home with a brew, but they refused to hear it. So after work I went straight to the Monkey Bar and told them I’d meet them there. I would pre-game with a few beers and throw a few darts before they came.

Danny Carmichael poured me a brew while I glanced up at the game highlights. The bell over the door rang but I didn’t pay it any mind. That is, until the person that walked in, came up to me. A pretty brunette with shoulder length hair approached me and spoke to me as if she knew me. She had on a red top, a pair of fitted Levi’s, and the coolest pair of cowboy boots I have ever seen. Seriously. I want a pair.

“Oh, Randy…”

“Uh…”

“Don’t you remember me?”

I have no idea who this chick is. She looks familiar. God I hope she’s not one of the in-between chicks. The girls I hooked up with during the seven year break with Cheyenne.

Her polished fingernails trailed my arm and squeezed my bicep.

“Honestly. Randy. I just don’t get it. I’m cute. I’m smart. I like to go off roading.”

“Oh, hell.”

“Buy me a drink!” she demanded.

“Uh. Okay… What kind of fruity concoction would make you sit down and be quiet?”

“Fruity… Oh, no, sweetie. Jack. Straight up. That’s how us Nebraska girls do it.”

“Nebraska.”

“My fiance is from Nebraska.”

“Oh, yeah? How ‘bout that.”

“What is your name?”

“Name’s Tessa. I know all about you…”

Tessa suddenly made herself comfortable on my lap. I try to push her off, but she held on tight, leaving imprints on my back where she held on.

“Now Randy… tell me something. If you have a fiance, why are you here with me?”

Suddenly the bell over the door rung again and in walks Cheyenne. As soon as Tessa heard the sound, she rushed my lips giving me a kiss that probably looked much more licentious than it was. No tongue. I was shocked still.

“Randy Ford!” Cheyenne yelled.

“It’s NOT what it looks like! I swear!”

“Yeah. RIGHT. YOU!” Cheyenne yelled at Tessa. OUTSIDE, parking lot!”

“Yeah, bitch… BRING IT!”

I watched in horror as my fiancé and the flirty bar chick got into an all out hair pulling rumble in the parking lot. Once it was over though, that’s when the trouble began.

“Take me home, Colt!”

Colt did as Cheyenne asked, and my terror began to quiver out of control.

No.

As I got to the house, there was a cab outside and Cheyenne was inside. It was an airport cab. No. No! Absolutely not!

She was leaving.

How did it come to this?

I sat under the dim red hue of the traffic light, not so patiently waiting for it to turn green. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.

I cast my eyes on the taxi cab in front of me, if looks could kill, the cab would burst into flames, right now. Cheyenne, as usual, refuses to listen to me. But this isn’t her fault. Not by a long shot. I am an idiot; a dunce-cap wearing imbecile who cannot manage to sit alone for ten minutes at a bar without getting myself into some ridiculous situation. I should have just waited for Chey, Colt and Averi at home instead of heading to the bar early, straight from work.

Even I had to admit that it looked bad. Real bad. Caught in a lip lock with some gorgeous girl from Nebraska that I barely knew. Her hands were all over me, and me with my bewildered
What the fuck is happening?!
look that Cheyenne apparently confused with my
Oh, Baby!
stare. How on earth was I going to talk my way out of this one? I had already explained that it wasn’t what it looked like, but Chey isn’t a stupid girl. I was going to pay for this big time.

I never thought that I would be chasing behind Cheyenne’s cab that was bolting up the road en-route for San Antonio International Airport. My heart pumped in my chest, rattled and stressed.  Tapping my fingers against the steering wheel as I waited for the light to change from red to green, I felt as if I was about to have a heart attack.

“C’mon!” I yelled at the light, my eyes glaring with a dangerous edge.

How did it come to this? Our reunion, which was so blissful, so victorious for both of us, how could a simple slip of the tongue from a girl I didn’t even know bring it all crashing back down again? Surely our love was stronger than that? But as I fought to catch up with the taxi-cab, my mind was giving me a million reasons why we failed.

“I’ll be damned if I’m gonna let her walk away without hearing my side of the story.”

Oh, how the tables have turned.

As the light turned green, the engine fired, catapulting me forward at 70 miles per hour, hell bent on setting the story straight and getting my girl to come home. This is
not
how I wanted to spend my thirtieth birthday, but I’m not about to let Cheyenne walk out of my life for good.

She belongs here.

***

I chased the cab clear across town, down the highway and to the parking lot of the San Antonio International Airport. It did not stop at the terminal entrance though. Instead it kept going, winding the back of the airport until it pulled up outside a restaurant called the Last Chance Saloon. It was a quirky bar that had a contemporary design but had memorable features of old time saloons.

What the fuck is going on?

I park my pick-up outside the bar and go inside, but all I see is the cab driver sitting at the bar. I look around, but Cheyenne is no where to be found.

Baby, where are you?

Slumping down onto a bar stool, I ordered a beer and my head fell into my hands. I was at the depths of my despair. I wanted nothing. I didn’t want the football game on TV. I didn’t want the beer in my hand. All I wanted was her. Suddenly the promise that I had made Michael West all those years ago came to the forefront of my mind.

“Take care of my Cheyenne.”

I’m trying.

Just then, the song changed, and out of the jukebox in the dining room
, Piano Man
played. I shook my head as I laughed.

Damn this man and his perfectly timed songs!

I felt like I was going to weep into my palm. Just then, as Billy Joel really began to wail on the piano keys, someone tapped me on my shoulder.

“What are you doing out here?” Colt asked. “Come on, I’ll buy you dinner.”

What the fuck is Colt doing here?

“I just want to be alone.”

“Alone? You’re depressing me! Come on!”

The music was getting louder. Was Billy Joel here? They must have live music.

I followed Colt through the dining room, but he didn’t stop. He approached a set of double doors. The music was increasing in volume.

“Colt, I really just want to go home. I lost her.”

“Did you?”

I stare at Colt with a confused look, but instead of saying something back, he flung open the double doors of the banquet hall that was attached to the restaurant. The room was packed and as I walked in, Cheyenne rushed me as the crowd roared. On the stage, Cheyenne’s cousin Danny, played
Piano Man
on his electric guitar and Shelly had her God forsaken tambourine. Tim was banging away at the keyboard, and Jax had his harmonica breaking it down. Everybody I liked was here, but I only saw one. Cheyenne was before me with a broad smile on her face.

“Randy, Randy Randy… you don’t listen to me, do you?”

“I don’t understand.”

“Let me break it down for you. TESSA!”

“Oh, hell.”

Tessa rose from her seat by the bar and gave me a hard pat on my back.

“Had you goin’, didn’t I?”

“What?”

“Randy, meet my cousin Tessa. We needed a fun way to get you to your surprise party.”

“So you’re not leaving?”

“I would never leave you. Happy birthday, baby.”

As the song came to an end the party-goers roared and Cheyenne brought me into a kiss. I had never felt so emotionally confused in my entire life. I was in shock, I was happy, overjoyed, and excited. For a split second I wanted to scream at everyone involved for manipulating me, but for all the pranks I had pulled on them, I guess I had this coming. As the song ended, another one came on. Danny took over the microphone.

“Stand up, everybody! We’re gonna need a little help from some friends!”

The old familiar tune played and
Wouldn’t It Be Nice
filled the space as my chest exploded with joy. Cheyenne couldn’t stop laughing as all the musicians surrounded them and it was like high school all over again. Averi and Colt danced along side us. Tim and Shelly broke out into song on the stage, and Shelly, in a tip to the good ol’ days, yelled out, “Get a room, Randy!”

Paul emerged from the crowd, and put his arm around Tessa’s waist as they began to dance. Now there was a dangerous combination. I should alert the local police now. Cheyenne’s friends and cousins from Nebraska all gathered around the stage, screaming at Danny as if they were at a rock concert.

“Are you ready for tomorrow?” Cheyenne asked me, as the song faded.

“I’ve been ready for the last seven years. Come here,” I said, as I pulled her head towards me. I kissed her lips and got lost in the minute. I knew then, that this is right where I am supposed to be. She is who I am supposed to be with. As the crowd all erupted into song, the tear that I was fighting not to release had finally fell down my face.

69.

Cheyenne

The day had finally arrived. November 13
th
– the day I would marry my best friend. We had opted for a late afternoon ceremony and a reception on the ranch under the twinkle of white lights. Tessa and Ashley woke me up at the crack of dawn. Dana had shown up to do my make up while Carly worked her magic on my hair. Averi stopped in for a quick moment to drop something off. She was already dressed in her gown.

“I have something for you, Averi said, as she carried a red velvet box towards me.

“This belonged to my mother, and Randy would want you to have it. It is not particularly fancy, but it has meaning.”

She opened the box and showed me the platinum eternity knot with a single diamond stone set in the center.

“It is beautiful.”

“My father gave this to my mother on the day Randy was born.”

I’m not a big crier, but tears had flooded my eyes. Averi could have easily kept it for herself. But she didn’t.

“Welcome to the family, honey,” Averi said as she kissed me on my cheek.

“Oooh! It’s beautiful!” Melissa gushed.

“That is gorgeous,” Mandy said.

“Now stop crying!” Dana said, “You’re messing up my masterpiece!”

I couldn’t help but laugh as I gave Averi a final hug before she went to help Randy.

70.

Randy

I was standing alone in front of the mirror when Averi walked in. I was scared shitless but I was absolutely sure that this is exactly what was meant to happen.

“Almost time, Rand…”

“Can I do this?”

“Of course you can… and you will.”

“What if I let her down?”

“You won’t.”