AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Shane, don’t go.
* * *
We’re walking through the bazaar. Our smiles are wide and we are taking in all the decor. We just stopped by Grace’s booth, where she was selling the cookies we had earlier, along with some homemade ornaments she likes to do for fun this time of year. They’re little figurines she makes by hand, then bakes, leaving space to personalize them with a name or date for those purchasing them as keepsakes or gifts. Her booth was incredibly busy so we left that area once she had things under control and began strolling around. So many new booths surface each year, and it makes me happy to see a community come together as our small town has.
We had just gotten some hot chocolate from the nearest booth. A little girl with a coat so big, she reminded me of the kid fromA Christmas Storyall bundled up, walks by us. Right after she passes us, she starts crying. We look over to find her hot chocolate had spilled on the ground. She looks devastated. Becs kneels down to comfort her and I immediately run toward the booth to replace her spilled beverage.
When I return, the girl looks up to me, tear-soaked cheeks red from the cold. After I hand her the new drink, she gives me a huge toothless grin. She is absolutely adorable. She has dark, curly hair and beautiful green eyes. “Thank you,” she says, a lisp carrying over in her speech due to the missing teeth. Becs pulls out a Kleenex to wipe her tears right when her mother walks over. Turns out they are visiting Mr. Franklin, the veterinarian, from Ohio and are staying for the holidays. No wonder this little one didn’t look familiar. Once we say our goodbyes, we start walking away.
I take one last look toward the little girl and she is still looking at me. She gives a tiny wave, her smile still bright. My chest squeezes. I turn back around and look at Becs. She is looking around at all the lights and decorations throughout the bazaar, and I can’t help the thought that comes barreling out of my mouth.
“I hope we have a daughter.” Becs tries to keep from reacting, but I catch the way her eyes get big from the sudden topic. I continue to talk, knowing she needs to know where my head is.
“I hope she comes out looking just like you, but loving football like me. She has to have a unique name, but nothing that would make kids tease her.”
Becs has stopped in her tracks and solely looking at me, the holiday decor completely forgotten. She starts laughing a bit but when I don’t join in, she stops chuckling and abruptly quiets.
“Oh, you’re serious? Shane, there’s so much life yet to be lived until we discuss kids.”
I look at her, knowing she has thought of this before, but I have a feeling she doesn’t want to put pressure on me about topics like these.
“Becs, I’m having kids with you. I wasn’t aware you didn’t think I was serious. I will be buying you a ring and marrying you the moment we are in a position to start that step together. Will it be challenging at times? Yes. Is it worth it? Most definitely.”
“Okay, Mr. Positive, what names were you thinking?” Becca kids around with me.
Right then, the little girl we had just replaced the hot chocolate for comes running past us, laughing as her father chases her through the bazaar, teasing her, “Olivia, I’m going to get you!” This eggs her on to run faster and laugh harder. I can’t help the smile that spreads across my face.
“What about Olive? It’s unique but not weird.” Becca seems to digest the word I just threw out there on a whim.
“I don’t hate it.”
She’s back to looking at our surrounding. Well, it’s not a no. We’ve got time to talk about it so I’ll table this until a later date. But talking to Becs about the future just makes me excited for the next chapter. And it’s a fact we will be apart for a portion of the future, but I know our hearts will stay connected in so many other ways. I know that my heart will always belong to her until my last breath.
ChapterEighteen
SHANE
Present
I wake up before the sun and look by my side to find the bed empty. I glance at the time on my phone and realize I forgot to set an alarm. My flight is early this morning, and I should start my day so I can get to the airport on time. But first I need to find where Becs went.
I find my clothes strewn throughout the room and slowly get dressed. The house is quiet so I know she isn’t upstairs. No lights are on, but using the light coming in from the street I make my way downstairs.
As I reach the bottom step, I see the kitchen light is on. I start my way over there and I walk in to see Becca dancing, to what looks like no music. It isn’t until she turns her head to the side that I notice the AirPod in her ears. I walk up to her, waving to make sure I don’t scare her. It’s no use, I scare her anyway. That’s what she gets for listening to music in her headphones while she has someone sleeping upstairs.
“Shane, you scared the shit out of me! What the hell?” She huffs.
Luckily, she hadn’t poured her coffee yet, or we would have a repeat of the shards of ceramic mug on the floor again. Betty comes walking over, sniffing me again, as if I am a new human from the night before. Once she says her hello, she nudges her head on my leg. Becs looks down and frowns.
“What’s wrong? Is there something wrong with your dog wanting affection from me?” I say as I bend down to scratch behind her ear. She leans into it and I bet if she were a cat, she’d purr. She’s so damn cute.
Although she usually acts like a grouchy old lady with Becs, she seems to like my company. It’s hard not to fall in love with her sweet face. She’s got sad eyes all the time, so I cannot confirm nor deny I sneak her some treats when Bec has her back to me.
“No, nothing wrong with it per se. But I have cared for her since she was a puppy, feeding her, taking her out for potty breaks, and she gives me no such attention. She pretty much needs me for survival, but she never wants that kind of love from me. Do you have bacon in your pocket?” I laugh at that.
Of course, Becs is jealous because the dog loves me more from the way she’s showing affection. But what Becca fails to realize is this dog is her shadow. She may not be too affectionate, but wherever Becs goes, Betty is right behind her. And after I first met Betty, I started to carry some dog treats in my pocket, but that’s a discussion for another day.
I stand up, grab Becca’s cheeks, and give her a kiss. I feel like I’m home each moment I hold Becs in my arms.
