“I have one more Christmas gift for you too, but it isn’t wrapped, and it doesn’t come in a box.” Her voice is quiet, but sure.
“Pres, you don’t have to.”
“Have to what, Robert?” She sits up and looks at me, arching her brow and waiting intently on my answer. Shhhit. Not where I thought this was going. I shrug my shoulders, dipping my head in the direction of the bed. “Oh God! Did you think I was gonna sleep with you while everyone is out there getting breakfast ready?” she whisper screams.
“No!” I hesitate.
“Oh, my God, you did!”
“Well, after the conversation out there, and what you said about them throwing a party, I didn’t know.”
“You are unbelievable! No! Our first time will definitely not be like this!” She turns her back to me forcing, me to sit upright to pull her back down to me. She hesitates for a second, before complying to my wishes. She’s silent for a few moments. “I sent in my college application to Ole Miss.”
A smile spreads wide across my face, and I know it must reach from ear to ear. “Did you really?” She nods and kisses my chest.
“I can't stand the idea of going to school without you. Please tell me you’re happy about this.”
“Pres I’m ecstatic! I never expected you to even consider it.”
Rolling her on her back, I straddle her hips. I lean my body over hers, cupping her face and peppering kisses on her cheeks and down her neck. She giggles, pulling Kringle out of his sleep, and soon he joins in on the fun too, hopping back and forth between the two of us, placing rough puppy kisses on both our faces. This may honestly be one of the best days of my life.
“Come on, you two. Breakfast.”
Kringle hops off he bed and waits by the door; Presley stares up at me as I drink her in. “Let’s go. It’s only a matter of time before one of them comes in here.”
*****
After breakfast, Robert and I excuse ourselves and move into the living room. Kringle is curled up in a ball next to the fireplace while our mothers and Gram start preparing stuff to take over to Diane’s for tonight’s dinner.
“Take a walk with me?” I whisper.
“Everything okay?”
I nod. “Yea, I want to talk to you away from listening ears.” If one thing has become clear, it’s we’re never alone. Robert follows my gaze to the kitchen and nods his understanding.
“Go, get dressed, and I’ll meet you outside.”
I pet Kringle and quickly get changed: skinny jeans, with calf-high fur-lined snow boots, a red pullover thermal, my heavy military green down jacket, and a red knit beanie. I’ve learned my lesson about going out in the woods unprepared for the sudden weather changes this area is known for.
Linking my arm through his, we head off into the woods following a wide horse trail. “So, about this morning. Our mothers. It’s weird, right?”
Robert doesn’t say anything. The crunch of snow underfoot is the only sound.
“I mean, we couldn’t actually end up marrying each other, could we?”
Again another hesitation. Step by step, it seems as if a huge weight has been placed upon us before he stops, standing in front of me, looking unsure of himself. “Why couldn’t we?”
“Robert, come on. We’re eighteen.”
“So? Do you know how old Gramps was when he figured out Grams was it for him?”
I don’t know much about my grandparents’ relationship, so I shake my head no.
“He was five, Presley. Five. No one is saying we get married now, but someday. That it’s a possibility for us.”
“But what about school and making our own way in the world. Do you have any idea how much we’ll change in the next few years? We won't be the same people we are now. There’s so much neither one of us has gotten to do yet. There are things I want to do before I decide to settle down, Robert. And if I’m being honest, all this talk of grandpups and marriage, the way you hold me in front of them, the way they let us do whatever we want whenever we want, is kinda freaking me out. Other parents have rules and there are boundaries.”
“We have rules, Presley.”
“Yeah. Don’t get pregnant because we aren’t raising your kid for you. It’s not exactly a rule, but more of an action consequence type thing.”
“I’m sorry I got you the dog, Presley. I’ll take him back with me if you aren’t ready for him.”
“No!” He turns away from me and I’m left kicking myself. Why couldn’t I have left it alone? “Robert, I love Kringle, it’s, it’s a lot to grasp my mind around.” I know he’s upset, but he’s still here, and we’re having this discussion.
“Presley,” he turns back to face me. “Tell me why we can’t try those new things together? Why do you feel like you need to be alone to do them?”
I don’t have an answer for him.
“And I’m sorry if I’m overly affectionate towards you. If it bothers you that much, then I’ll stop. But you have to know when I thought I lost you, I knew I never wanted to spend another day without you. I’m in this a hundred and ten percent. I even told Coach to put South Carolina on my scout roster.”
“What?”
“I didn’t say anything because I don’t know if anything will come of it, but like you, the thought of going to school without you is something I can't do. It’s something I won't do. And look, our mothers concocted this crazy plan back when we were three, not knowing we would be forced apart. But we found each other, Presley. That has to have some merit. If it doesn’t work out, then we can at least say we tried. But if it does—we’ll have one hell of a story to tell our kids and our grandkids and if we’re lucky enough, our great grandkids.”
“Our moms aren’t stupid women, and if Gramps is on board with it, then they might actually be onto something, because let’s face it, he can be scary as hell. Yes, it’s strange and unconventional, but it could also be the absolute best thing to happen to either of us.”
I stand there staring at him before starting my way back towards the house.
“Are you gonna say something?” he shouts after me causing me to freeze. He’s right on so many levels, but I don’t know how to process everything he’s told me. I hear his boots crunch on the snow making their way towards me. His hands grip my shoulders, running slowly down my arms before turning me around.
“I’m processing everything,” I can't manage more than a whisper.
His lips meet mine, his tongue strokes along my bottom lip, begging me to open. Timidly I break the seal, allowing him full access to my mouth. His tongue is thrust into me as he pulls me closer to him, holding my head in his hands as if it were a glass bowl, delicately, urging our kiss to move deeper. He is gentle and loving, emotions spilling from every pore on my body. My head swirls, my eyes water, a smile plays on my lips as my knees give out. I cling tightly to his jacket, and he pulls back from me to capture this moment, one too large for words.
“Tell me you don’t feel it too, Presley.” His eyes frantically searching mine. As much as I want to pretend it didn’t have a searing effect on me, I can't. Admitting my growing feelings towards him only makes this situation more real.