AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Shit,” he growls, “that's my parents.”
“Your parents?”
“It's all right,” he says. “I bet they just wanted to make sure you were okay. They’re good folks, I promise.”
I nod, remembering what Leila said at the hospital. Red and Annie were some of the best people she knew.
We get up to the porch and he tosses my food wrappers in an outdoor garbage pail. “What are you doing here?” he asks his parents as we walk across the decking.
“Well, we just wanted to make sure what we heard was true,” his mom says as we enter the cabin. It’s obvious they’ve already been inside. If his family is as close as Leila suggested, they probably have a spare key.
“I brought some food,” Rye’s mom says. “I heard from Tammy down at the urgent care that you were going to have some company here for a night at least.” His mom looks over at me, smiling. “Well, I knew the state of your cupboards and your refrigerator. And I thought, well, Prairie probably could use some good meals, so I decided to stock your fridge before you got home.”
“Thanks, Mom,” Rye says. “And Mom, Dad, this is Prairie. Prairie, this is my dad Red and my mom Annie.
“Good to meet you, Prairie.” Red steps forward to shake my hand. “I know you've both had a long day,” he says, looking at Rye.
His mom stands there awkwardly, probably thinking of 100 things she'd really like to say.
“Thanks for starting the fire,” Rye tells my dad.
His dad clears his throat. “You kids sure you know what you're doing?”
“I am a grown-ass man, Dad. I think I know what I want.”
His mom presses her lips together. “I just worry,” she says. “Prairie, you've had a rough deal and I worry… you may need more care than you can find here in this cabin.”
“I know,” I say. “I understand your worry, Annie, but,” I walk over to Rye and take his hand, resting my cheek on his arm. “I just want to be here with Rye. It's where I belong.”
Annie and Red stand there in a bit of shock. And I can guess what she's thinking. She probably thinks I must be confused after the trauma I’ve been through, and that Rye’s lost his mind to get tangled up with me.
The thing is that his parents don't know or understand and maybe never will—I belong here with Rye. Plain and simple. And I can't do anything to change that. I certainly can't do anything tonight.
“Thanks for the food,” Rye tells his parents. “I mean it, Mom. I really appreciate it. I'm guessing we'll want some coffee in the morning, and I wouldn’t have had anything to offer Prairie in the way of breakfast.”
“Well, now you have some bacon and eggs,” Annie says, putting on a smile. “Call me if you need anything. You know right where I am. I'm just up the mountain.”
“All right, Annie, come on,” his dad says. “I think we got to let these kids be.”
His parents leave and Rye locks the door behind them.
And then it's just Rye and me in the house alone.
I look at him and he looks at me.
Then, just like that, it's more than a look.
Then, it becomes everything.
7
RYE
The room is so quiet you could hear a pin drop. Prairie is looking up at me, her eyes wide, her lips parted. I can feel her heart beating. Her body pressed against my own.
“I don't want you to do anything you're going to regret,” I tell her, my voice slow, gravelly.
All day long, while I was at the urgent care, I was telling myself that I would hold back, have restraint, give Prairie space, all the space in the goddamn world. But now we're here, alone in my cabin with the fire blazing and the door locked.
