Page 37 of Back Then


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Macie:Fly safe.

Booker:See you soon.

Booker + Macie

Booker:I’m home. It’s weird being back in my old bedroom. There are pictures of us everywhere. All my homecoming garters are pinned to the wall. My letterman jacket. It was in your closet when I left, so I’m assuming you brought it back to my momma. The teddy bear I gave you for Valentine’s Day when you were thirteen is sitting on my bed, waiting for me. Did you give back everything I ever gave you?

Macie:I packed it all up and I left it on your momma’s front porch. I was so hurt, so crushed, and confused. I wondered what I did to make you leave me like that. Having all your things around me made it worse.

Booker:I understand, baby. It’s okay.

Macie:It feels strange knowing you’re in town. It’s been so long since we lived in the same space.

Booker:There’s no pressure, Macie. When you’re ready, I’m here.

Macie:Is it selfish I’m not ready?

Booker:Not at all. We have all the time in the world, there’s no rush. I’m not going anywhere unless you’re coming with me.

Macie:Do you want to stay here? In town? You’ve seen so much of the world now. Is this place still what you want?

Booker:You’re what I want. I want to be where you are. If you want to live here for the rest of our lives, then so do I. If you want to travel from one coast to the next living out of an RV and homeschooling our kids, then me too. Whatever you want, I want to give it to you.

Macie:Just like that? Whatever I want, it’s mine? Marriage, kids, the whole nine yards.

Booker:Just like that, baby. I told you. We were always endgame. There was never a future for me that didn’t have you in it.

Macie + McCall

Macie:He’s home.

McCall:Yep, he is. I’m so glad you texted me at 6:00 in the morning to state the obvious.

Macie:You seem cranky.

McCall:I know people think being a small-town detective is a cakewalk, but I do work long hours. Yesterday two kids at the high school got into a hellacious fight over some girl or some little league game beef from back when they were nine. I still can’t figure it out. Either way, one needed stitches, and one is pressing charges.

Macie:I heard about that. The rumor is, it’s both. I swear, it’s likeWest Side Story. They hated each other after the Sharks accused the Stingrays of bribing an umpire. This happened about eight years ago. Then Stingray guy stole Shark’s girl the beginning of this semester. So old beef meets new beef. But people are saying that Shark guy, Justin McCreevy, treated that sweet girl terribly. Everyone agrees, he deserved those stitches.

McCall:I should’ve come straight to you and not wasted all that time questioning the boys and their families. You ever tried to get the truth out of two pissed-off momma bears?

Macie:I can only imagine.

McCall:You going to go see him?

Macie:Probably.

McCall:I’m going to go later today, if you want to join me.

Macie:I appreciate the offer to be my buffer, but I think the first time we see each other after four years needs to be without an audience.

McCall:I get it. I’m going back to bed now.

Macie:Sorry I woke you.

McCall:The girl, from the fight. You think she has a story to tell about the Shark? I’d hate for the Stingray to have charges filed against him.

Macie:Coraline? Oh I bet she does. Her daddy works down at the sand plant, and I’m pretty sure they live out that way too. Mrs. Pinkston told me a few months ago Coraline came to cheerleading practice with a nasty bruise on her arm that wasn’t there at the start of the school day.

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