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Damn it, after all these years, the mere thought of Rachel still does this to me.
Inexorably, I find myself drawn into the deep well of memories of my time with Rachel. I go back to the fateful morning my world tilted on its axis.
I remember waking to Dr. Bradly screaming at me to get the hell out of their house. I’d never been so terrified. I was only half-dressed when Mr. Bradly bodily removed me from their premises. All the while, Rachel kept begging her mother not to call the police on me.
Two agonizing days passed before I heard from Rachel.
“How bad was it?” I asked her when we met in our computer science class.
“Very,” she said, falling into my arms and giving me a huge hug that set my world aright. “I’m grounded for a month with no car privileges, and they’re monitoring my cell phone. That’s why I couldn’t even text you.”
“No car?” I replied. “How’d you get to school this morning?”
“My mom gave me a ride, and she’ll be here after cheerleading practice to take me home.”
My lip curled. “Jesus, Rache, that sucks.”
“Ya think?” she said sardonically as she pulled away as the other kids streamed into the classroom. “This is the only time we’ll be able to see each other over the next few weeks.”
“It’s going to be alright, babe,” I said, trying to soften the forlorn expression on her lovely face. “We’ll get through this, and then we’ll have the whole summer to be together. You’ll see.”
“Not if my mother has anything to do with it,” she complained. “She’s threatening to make me go with them on their six-week European vacation this summer.” She looked like she was about to cry, and the sight broke my heart. “I hate this, Rhence. I can’t go practically a whole summer without seeing you.”
My own heart retched at the idea, but I tried to be hopeful for her. “Maybe they’ll cool down in a few days. Let’s not panic just yet.”
She shook her head. “I don’t think they’re going to budge an inch on this. My mom’s completely lost her shit over it. She’s been trying to get your mom’s number to get her to help keep us apart.”
“What?That’s all I need. Mom’s already giving me enough shit about it. If she finds out your mom hates me, that’ll just give her more ammo.”
Rachel grabbed my hands. “Babe, what are we going to do? This is killing me.”
Seeing her like this made me want to take her into my arms and protect her from everything. I squeezed her hands back. “Fuck ’em all. Even if they keep us apart for the summer, they can’t keep us from getting married.”
The grief melted from her face, and her hazel eyes lit up like Christmas. “Wait… What are you saying?”
“I’m saying that after we graduate and you get back from Europe, we’re getting married. Then we’ll head off to college together.” I loved the way she looked at me right then, grinning from ear to ear. If we weren’t in the middle of the classroom full of students, I know she’d leap up and throw her arms around me.
Instead, she gave me that sassy look that drove me wild. Cocking her head to the side, she said, “I don’t recall you proposing to me, mister. So that’s awfully presumptuous of you.”
I rolled my eyes and then fixed them upon her. “I’d go down on bended knee,” I glanced around the room, “but…”
“This will do,” she said with fingers entwined with mine. She lifted her chin. “Proceed.”
“Rachel Lynn Bradly, love of my life,” I said with all sincerity. “Will you please marry me?”
She didn’t hesitate a second. “Yes, Francis Lawrence Dalton, I’ll happily marry you.”
I was so happy that my vision blurred. It was settled. Our future was secure. I felt so generous of spirit that I added, “And don’t be so hard on your parents. It must have been quite the shock to find us in bed like that.”
She pulled a face. “Maybe, but I still think my mom’s going a little psycho over it.”
I shrugged. “Someday, we’re going to be parents, and if we have a daughter anywhere near as beautiful as you, I’m going to have her locked away in a tower so no boys like me can get their grubby little paws on her.”
Rachel threw her head back and laughed, and it's like the sun had burst through the clouds on the gloomiest of days.
“Hey, Rache,” I felt obliged to add. “There’s a chance your parents will be so pissed off at us getting married that they might refuse to pay for Harvard.”
Her joy didn’t diminish even a fraction. “Harvard’s more Mom’s dream than mine, so she’d be cutting off her nose to spite her own face. Besides, I also got into Chapel Hill and NC State. With the help of student loans, I’ll still get a great education. So, don’t you worry your pretty little head.” She giggled. “As long as we’re together, this girl is going to be just fine.”
