“Tell us about your trip,” Agnes insists. The heaviness and sadness that was in her eyes when we walked in are now masked by her happiness for us.
“It was fun,” McKenna says, glancing up at me.
“Best trip I’ve ever taken,” I say, keeping my eyes on McKenna. I need her to know that my words are true. I might not remember every detail of our night together, but I do remember going back to her room and her asking me to stay. I remember us falling into bed, and after that, it’s a fog, but the condom wrapper on the floor and the condom in the bathroom trash tell me the ending of our night at least. I hate that I can’t remember, but that’s okay. I plan to repeat that night, sans alcohol, very soon.
“We’re going to have to celebrate. Dinner,” Harold says, looking at his wife.
“As long as they have heart-healthy options on the menu. Or I could make us a family dinner at the house,” she offers.
“As long as we get to celebrate these kids and their future, I’m fine with it,” Harold tells her. I’d expected him to be at least grumpy from being in the hospital, but he’s always been a happy guy.
“He was whining about staying here, so this news comes at a great time. It gave me a break from all the fussing.” Agnes rubs her hands over her husband’s affectionately.
We spend the next thirty minutes or so catching up. Agnes tells us about the ride here in the ambulance. Apparently, they didn’t want her to ride along, but she wasn’t taking no for an answer. McKenna gets so much of her fire from her, and I wouldn’t have it any other way. When Harold yawns, McKenna tells him that we’re going so he can get some rest but promises to come back in a few hours before visiting hours are over.
“Can you stay with Rip tonight? I know you two are an item now, and well, I’d feel better if you weren’t staying at the house alone,” Harold says.
“Gramps, I’m a big girl.”
“I know you are, sweetheart, but let your boyfriend take care of you. That’s his job.” He reaches for Agnes’s hand.
“She’s staying with me,” I tell Harold. I can feel McKenna’s stare, but I don’t meet it. I’m not having this conversation with her here. She gives both of her grandparents a hug goodbye, and we’re back on the elevator. I tug her back into my arms, and she comes willingly, which I take as a good sign.
“Are you hungry?” I ask once we’re on the road.
“Starving,” she says, turning her head that’s resting against the back of the seat to look at me.
“How’s a drive-through sound? We can take it back to your grandparents’ and eat while we grab some of your things.”
“Food, sleep, and then we can deal with everything else. We’ve made a mess.”
“What mess?” I ask, knowing damn well what she’s talking about.
“This.” She holds up her hand, motioning between the two of us. “They think we’re together now.”
“We are together now.”
“Rip,” she sighs. “You’re off the hook.”
“We are,” I insist. At least I hope we are. I’ll do everything in my power to make her mine.
“This is crazy. Do you hear yourself right now?”
I pull up to the drive-through speaker and order my meal and then hers before turning to look at her. “Want to add anything else?”
“How did you—? No.” She shakes her head. “That’s good.”
“That will be all,” I tell the speaker. The server gives me my total, and I pull forward.
“How did you know what I wanted?”
“I pay attention, McKenna. This isn’t something new for me. I’ve been attracted to you for years, but I refused to hold you back. I was afraid if we started something, you wouldn’t follow through with school. I wanted to make sure you followed your dreams.” Grabbing my wallet out of my back pocket, I pass my card through the window. When the girl hands it back, I hand McKenna my card and my wallet. “You mind putting that back in for me?” I ask, pulling up to grab our food.
“What-What is this?” she asks.
I set the bag of food on the back seat floorboard and pull forward so I don’t clog up the line. Glancing over, I see a picture of McKenna at the lake. It was the summer she graduated from high school, about a week or so before she left for college. “A picture,” I reply, looking both ways before pulling out onto the road.
“It’s a picture of me.”
“I know.”
“Why do you have it?”
“I missed you.” Never again will I hide what I want with her. I’ve waited long enough. A picture of her is the last thing she expected to find. I know that she’s battling with her feelings, and it’s taking her a little longer to be on board with us, but we’ve crossed that line, and going backward seems silly when I know there will never be anyone else like McKenna in my life. She’s it.
“Are you feeling okay? Are you still hungover from last night? Should you be driving?” she rattles off.
“I’m feeling great, happy about us, sad about Harold. I’m not still hungover, and I’m fine to drive.”
“Rip, I’ve been home for a few weeks, we spend one night together, and suddenly we’re in a relationship, and you want us to stay that way? Do you not hear how crazy that sounds?”
“It sounds crazier to me not to be.”
“I need sleep,” she mutters.
“Why don’t we go straight to my place so you can eat and take a nap? We’ll go to yours after.”
“Your place is fine,” she says with a sigh.
Glancing over, her eyes are closed. I know today has been a lot, waking up to hear that her grandfather was in the hospital, finding out that we slept together last night, and cutting our trip short… it’s a lot to process. I just hope I can convince her to give this a shot. To give us a shot.
At the house, I grab the food and follow her up the steps to the front door. She kicks off her shoes and goes straight to the kitchen island, where we eat in silence. This is the first thing we’ve had other than some snacks on the plane, so we both devour our food. Standing, I don’t bother with the trash, leaving it on the counter. I offer her my hand, and to my surprise, she takes it. “Let’s go sleep.”
She follows me, exhaustion setting in as I guide her upstairs to my room. I quickly strip out of my clothes, offering her my T-shirt to sleep in. I watch as she disappears into the bathroom to change. Sliding under the covers, I wait for her. My arms itch to hold her. I just need to be able to show her this is what I want. I know she wants it too. I know she does. I see it in the way that she looks at me. The way her breathing accelerates whenever I’m close. She wants this, but she’s afraid to want it. I just need her to give me time to prove to her that we can go the distance. I need her to know that the two of us are going to be forever.
When she slides under the covers, I pull her into my arms, and she comes willingly. Her body shakes with silent tears, and it breaks me in two. I know our night together is putting pressure on her when she’s already stressed and worried about her grandfather.
I hold her tight, kissing the top of her head. “I’m right here,” I tell her. “I’ve got you, and I’m not going anywhere.” Eventually, her tears subside, and her breathing evens out. Once I know she’s resting peacefully, I allow myself to drift off to sleep.