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“Thanks for always trying to help me see it,” Austin said. “This all just means more work, though. There’s more on the line. If I mess up now…” He shook his head. “And he said we might be called here and there for photo shoots, and Adam is dying to do a commercial.”
Charlotte swallowed her selfishness and pushed a smile to her lips. “That’s great, Austin. Your dreams are coming true.”
“Are they?” he asked, but he pulled his eyes away and leaned back in his seat.
A heavy silence fell over them, not like the comfortable peace that filled them as they watched a sunset side by side, but one filled with the tension of unspoken words and thoughts and fears.
“How’s Pops?” she asked, needing something to cut the heaviness of the air between them, but the question seemed to add on weight instead.
“This last round of treatments has made him pretty sick,” he said. “They say he has a good chance…but what do they really know?” The resentment in his voice surprised her, though it shouldn’t have. He’d always been resentful about what happened to his first dad, thinking that the hospital staff failed him, the doctors failed him, the treatments failed him, even God failed him.
“They wouldn’t give false hope,” she said gently, reaching to lay a hand on his leg in support.
“You sure about that? Because I’m not.” His words hung in the tense silence, then he leaned forward and looked at her with his intense green eyes. “How long until you leave?”
“I told you, after Tucson, I have to take Emilia back to Texas.”
“Yeah, but then? When does your residency start?”
“I…I… well, it depends. I have to make a decision in the next two weeks…then if I go to Wyoming, it’s a month after that. California starts early, a month from Monday.” She drew her hand back to her lap, her fingers wringing each other.
Austin gave a single nod and stood up. “So, at most, I have six weeks until you’re fully engrossed in your work.”
Her heart splintered, not a full shatter, but the sharp edge made her suck in a breath. “I’m not my parents, Austin. You know that. I will still have time…for you. I’m not one to cut things off, remember?” The slight edge to her voice caused him to snap his head up, and his eyes met hers in a glare.
“So, it’s like that?” he said, folding his arms. “You’ll throw that back in my face.”
Charlotte closed her burning eyes and drew in a slow breath, asking God for help. “No. I’m sorry. I only meant that I’m not going anywhere…even if I’m not right by your side all the time.” Her heart raced with that admission, that surrender of truth, knowing that the words were honest…she would hold out for him for as long as she had to.
His forehead softened, and his eyes closed. “I’m sorry. I’m under so much stress.” He shook his head, then he met her eyes. “Tell me we’ll figure this out.”
She gasped and searched his face for the exact meaning of his words. “We’ll figure this out.” She didn’t know how, but she trusted God led her back to him for a reason, and she would not give up without taking a stand that she wished she had had the confidence to do eight years ago.
He pulled her into his arms, holding her until his phone rang. With one more squeeze, he let her go and pulled back to look at his phone. “It’s that sponsor scout. I’ve got to take this.”
“Of course,” she said, swallowing, and wondering just how much God expected her to give up to follow His lead.
TEN
Austin’s throat felt the size of a softball as he lifted his hand, watching Charlotte pull out of the Tucson fairgrounds. He had done his best to enjoy the last nine days with her, but he knew he had failed. Anytime she had broached topics of the future or of Pops, he had shut her down, made some excuse about needing to focus on his event or talk with Bill Holiday.
Bill had pulled through. Austin and Adam had worn their first sponsor patches in Tucson and had sent the money they earned from it to Mama and Pops. Their parents put up a fuss, but Austin told them that if they didn’t accept it and use it, he’d pay their bills directly if he had to.
Tucson also gave them the final earnings to secure their place in the Nationals. Last night, they had celebrated, the four of them…together for the last time, at least for a while.
Adam shifted beside him. “I think I’m gonna miss that little spitfire of a gal,” he said.
Austin tried to laugh, but it was a poor attempt. “Well, guess you could see how you do long-distance relationships?”
Adam grunted, turning away as Charlotte’s truck disappeared around a corner to finish hooking up their trailer. Austin came over to help him, the routine almost soothing to him. How long had they lived their life like this?
“I’m gonna miss having the next month or two off like normal,” Austin said.
“We’ve got a few weeks before Bill wants us in Colorado.” Adam secured the hitch with a final clamp and turned to him. “We should go see Pops.”
“He’s sick. He said he doesn’t want company,” Austin answered gruffly.
“All the more reason to go,” Adam said. He touched Austin’s arm. “I don’t even want to think it, but what if…what if, you know…”
