The pre-rally party was in full swing, and I was sitting in front of the bonfire drinking beer with my family all around me.
There was only one thing that was missing, and he didn’t even realize I was gone yet.
“I like him,” I said softly, staring at the flames as they danced.
My mother snorted. “You know, when your daddy met me and got me pregnant, I never regretted one single thing. Not one. I knew from the moment that I met him that he was the one.”
My head dropped, and I picked at a loose thread at the edge of the comforter. “I know, mama.”
She stayed quiet for a long moment before continuing. “I regret it every day that I let you walk to the clubhouse. I regret it with every single piece of my being.”
I closed my eyes, nodding. “I know you do, mom.”
I heard her breath hitch.
“This last time you came back home was the first time I’ve seen you since you were twelve years old. Since the night you were attacked by that stupid dog,” she hissed.
I blinked and turned to her, “What?”
She nodded. “Yes. Yes, you came home. I’ve missed you so.”
She stood up and ran her fingers down my hair, running the tips down the back of my neck, coming to a stop on the scars at the base.
I didn’t have much feeling there. I could feel pressure, but not touch of any sort.
But right then, with my mother curling her warm hand around my neck and looking into my eyes, I could feel the warmth.
“He did that for you, baby. Let him in,” she whispered.
A tear slipped down my cheek. “He’s ignoring me.”
It came out sounding petulant, but I reserved the right to do that every once in a while. Especially since I just finished having my period, and my boyfriend was ignoring me. And he didn’t know I was even out of the apartment, let alone out of the state.
“Your daddy ignores me. You wanna know what I do when he isn’t paying me enough attention?” My mother asked.
I shook my head. “Not really.”
She grinned. “I make him see me. I annoy the shit out of him. I go to his work and see him. I follow him to the clubhouse.”
“She stalks me,” my father rumbled from behind us.
We both turned to find my father standing there. He had a beer in his hand, and he was looking at my mother and me with his whole heart in his eyes.
I knew my father loved me, and I loved him. Dearly.
“I don’t stalk you. I make you see me,” my mom snapped. “There’s a difference.”
“Yeah, right. Whatever helps you sleep at night,” he laughed.
“Oh, dear. I fear we’re needed over there,” my mother said quickly.
I turned to her with a questioning look. “Over where?”
She was already gone, though, pulling my father through the crowd in her wake.
My father liked it, though.
He loved having my mother. He called her his blessing in disguise.
Apparently, when they’d met, he’d been on the fast track to Loser Ville.
My mother had shown him what it was like to be loved, and they’d gotten pregnant with me very early in their relationship.
Which then caused them to marry at a young age, and then, from there, they raised their child.
My father had gotten into the police academy when my mother had been six months pregnant, and the rest was history, according to them.
I found myself smiling as I watched them walk away.
I loved that they still loved each other now, just as much as they did then.
They were one of a kind that was for sure.
“Hey there, Mimi,” Sean said.
“Hi yourself, Seanshine,” I said to one of my best friends in the whole wide world.
Sean, or ‘Seanshine’ as I like to call him, was one of my childhood friends who’d stuck with me through it all. Mostly because he had to, not because he wanted to.
He was gorgeous, which meant that he sort of stuck out around here, just like I did.
He was the son of my father’s VP, Big Papa. Everyone always thought we’d get together and have copious amounts of babies.
However, we didn’t see each other like that and never would.
He was my confidant, and I’d missed my friend over the last couple of years.
He’d joined the Marines when he was just barely eighteen, and I hadn’t seen him other than at his graduation from boot camp since then.
It was good to see my old friend, even if he did seem a little off and distant.
He seemed to be having a good time, though.
“All these people are making me claustrophobic,” Sean said softly.
“It helps if you can watch the entire area. Twist your seat around until your back’s to the tree trunk,” an achingly familiar voice said from behind me.
I looked over my shoulder sharply, seeing Downy in all his badass glory standing directly behind us, arms crossed over his well-defined chest.
“Tried that already. When they started setting off fire crackers, I nearly flipped a lid,” Sean said, eyeing Downy from top to bottom.
He must’ve seen something he liked, because when Downy offered his hand, Sean took it. Pumping twice before letting it go.
“What are you doing here?” I asked rudely.
Sean looked at me with wide eyes. “Is this not the man you’ve been going on about all night?”
I flipped my best friend off. “No. Shut up.”
His lips kicked up into the beginning of a smile, but he ducked his face and said, “Ahh, Memphis. I gotta go, have a good night.”
Sean practically skipped in his haste to get away.
Sean had never been one for confrontation, much preferring to stay on the outsides looking in.
He hated attention on him, too, and I had a feeling that the deployment only served to exacerbate that issue.
“Come with me,” Downy said, pulling me deeper into the shadows.
“I don’t want to go anywhere with you,” I grumbled, going with him. “I’m mad at you for ignoring me.”
He stopped when we made it to the shadows, about fifteen feet away from the bonfire, as well as my blanket.