In the Stars (8 page)

“Well now, Kyle, a girl does have to have some secrets. I guess this will give you a goal to try and accomplish. The whole discovering of what it is and where it is located.” With that, I give him a wink. In return, he grabs my face and kisses me hard again—giving me even wetter panties. He pulls away, looking oh so sexy. “Caroline, I have many goals I hope to accomplish with you. The tattoo just adds to the list.”

He then winks at me, exits the car, and comes around to my side to help me out. The way Kyle helps me in and out of the car isn’t in the, I-feel-like-you-are-incapable-of-doing-this-on-your-own type of way. Unlike Eric seemed to make me feel. No, Kyle is all manners. That is until he is sticking his tongue down your throat, but that works for me. I do catch my mind wandering, though, at the thought of Eric. Why would I be wondering where he is, or what he is doing when I have this wonderful man in front of me?

Kyle leans down, giving me one last soft kiss goodbye. “I will be calling you again very soon, Caroline, and I hope to get the same from you. I’m sure I will have plenty of dreams in the meantime, while waiting to be with you again. Enjoy your time at your mom’s, and be safe driving back to school. I, myself, am going to go home and take a very cold shower.” He then kisses my forehead and releases my hand.

Awe, so he is also thinking a cold shower is needed. I am happy to see he is just as affected. “I am sure I will have dreams to keep me company too, Kyle. I look forward to seeing you again soon.” I give him one more light kiss on the lips, and then turn to walk in the house. As I am opening the door, I hear his car start up and he drives away.

Raleigh practically tackles me when I close the door. “Damn bitch, you do move fast. I saw you two steaming up the windshield, and then trying to melt the asphalt on my driveway.” We both start laughing.

“Raleigh, I don’t know what has happened to me, but I am seriously thinking I should change the ring tone on my phone to Chuck Berry’s My Ding-A-Ling. That is all I seem to think about the last two days, ding a lings.”

Raleigh clutches her stomach, laughing and snorting. “Oh shit, Caroline, that was good. Don’t let me get hold of your phone. Because if you do I am so going to set that as the tone every time Kyle calls you!” We both fall into hysterics.

We walk into the kitchen to talk to Raleigh’s mom, Maggie. She asks me about my day, and I give her the details. At least the ones I feel she needs to know.

I start packing all my stuff in Raleigh’s room, and notice a drawing on her dresser. I pick it up, looking it over, and can feel Raleigh watching me. “Is everything ok, Raleigh? What made you draw it like this?” I look back up at Raleigh, and she shrugs her shoulders.

“I know, I typically don’t go for the mangled up carriage look; do I? I woke up the other night from a bad dream about our accident. They just won’t seem to leave me alone. I started sketching to try and calm my nerves, but somehow, this time, I ended up drawing my bad dream into my Fairytale world. I’m fine, though. Just like with all the rest of it, time will make it better.”

I reach over and give her a hug. “I had a dream about the accident for the first time in a while the other morning, myself. I know I will never forget it, but we are both still here together, and I’m just so thankful for that.”

“I know, Caroline; that is what is important. I couldn’t imagine life without you. Now, let’s make sure you have everything… since you are about to leave me again.” Raleigh is giving me her puppy dog face. “I really am going to miss you, Caroline. This whole not being at school with you sucks. We were supposed to experience all this together.”

I give her a big hug. “Hey, since I cut our day short, how about you come eat dinner at Mom’s with me? I know she would love to see you. Mark and his son, Sam, are supposed to be there too. I want you to meet them. I am pretty sure Mark is becoming an important part of my mom’s life, so you have to meet him. Plus, you will have the chance to meet Sam. My really cute, maybe one day to be step brother.”

Raleigh considers this for a moment. “Well, I guess it is your turn to help make me look good then. So hurry up, Caroline, and work some magic on me.” I roll my eyes at her. “You always look good, but I am more than happy to help you with anything.”

WE FINALLY GET to my mom’s—thirty minutes later than planned. “You know Victoria is going to be mad at you. She always has been big on punctuality.”

“Please Raleigh, my mother loves me. She hasn’t seen me in a couple weeks, so she is going to have nothing but love for me. Plus, if she says anything, I will just explain to her how it is your fault anyway.”

I then get a smack in the arm. “Wow Caroline, how are you my best friend again? You are such a bitch.” We are both laughing as Mom is opening the door.

“Well, if it isn’t my two most favorite girls on this earth. Glad to see you both so happy, as usual. Don’t you both look very pretty this evening. Did you have a big day?” We both reach in, giving Mom a big hug. “Caroline is the one that had a big day, Mrs. Reyes. She went out on a date with a very hot physical therapist.”

I glare over at Raleigh and her big grin. Mom gives me a big smile. “So hot date, huh? I am guessing Raleigh’s appointment went even better than you mentioned yesterday? For the both of you that is.” Mom winks at us, and we all walk inside, toward the kitchen.

Mark is sitting at the table, and Sam has his back to us, standing at the center island. They are talking, and stop when we enter the kitchen. Mark gets a big smile on his face, and stands to walk over to us. Sam turns slightly, looking in our direction. As soon as he sees us, he straightens up quickly and turns all the way; fully facing us now. I hear a very low gasp come from Raleigh, and she grabs at my wrist. Sam’s body seems to have gone stiff as he looks right at Raleigh. Well, that was easy.

Mark leans in to give me a hug. “It is so good to see you again, Caroline. I know your mom has really missed you. You remember Samuel, right?” With that, Sam seems to snap out of his trance and starts to walk over to us as well.

“Of course I remember Sam. It is good to see both of you again too, and I always love to see Mom.” I gesture over toward Raleigh with my hand. “This is my best friend, Raleigh Jefferson. Raleigh, this is my mom’s boyfriend, Mark, and his son Sam.”

Mark extends his hand to shake Raleigh’s. “Well then, it is lovely to meet you, Raleigh. I have actually heard a lot about you.”

She finally seems to recover her own composure back. “Very nice to meet you, as well. I hope everything you have heard about me didn’t all come from Caroline. She tends to try and make me the fault of all things wrong. Victoria knows better, though. So, if what you heard came from her, then I am sure it is true.”

Mark laughs. “Oh, I like her; she is exactly what Caroline needs to keep her balanced.”

I get a shocked look on my face, and put my hand to my chest. “Hey now, how did this turn into dog Caroline? This is still my house, too.” With that, everyone starts laughing. Everyone but me, that is.

Mom takes my hand. “Oh Caroline, dear, you know everyone is just having fun. You would have said the same type of thing. This time Raleigh just beat you to it. How about we all have a seat?”

As mom and Mark walk away, Sam finally speaks up. “Hey Caroline, good to see you again.”

I go in for a quick hug. “Good to see you too, Sam. It has been a long time now. Glad you could make it for dinner.” He then extends his hand to Raleigh. She pauses for just a second before shaking it. “Hello Raleigh, very nice to meet you. You must be a real trooper in order to stay best friends with Caroline.” He gives me a big smile, and Raleigh laughs.

“It truly is a challenge, but honestly I couldn’t live without her.”

With that, I stomp my foot. “Seriously guys, all of you are in on it now? What the hell? I am not that bad!”

Raleigh gives me a hug, and makes a scene of rubbing her hand up and down my back. “Poor Caroline; it’s ok, we all love you.”

I pull away from her. “Yeah, I can tell. Maybe I should leave and head on back to school now. You guys can enjoy dinner without me.”

Mom is getting plates and glasses down from the cabinets, and Mark is getting food out of the fridge. “Ok now everyone, that is enough picking on my daughter for one evening. I am very happy to have you all here in our home. Also, Mark and I really want to talk with you about something. So, let’s enjoy our evening.”

Raleigh, Sam, and I all sit at the island. Mark has sat out some finger foods in front of us. Once mom has gotten us each our drink of choice, her and Mark go sit back at the table.

We start loading our plates, casually chatting with each other. Then Mark clears his throat and stands. “It is very special to Victoria and I that both our children could be here tonight. It makes it even better now that you have joined us as well, Raleigh. We wanted to share with you some very wonderful news. I have asked Victoria to marry me.”

Mom stands and takes his hand, looking him in the eyes. “I, of course, said yes.”

I hop up quickly from my stool, followed by Raleigh. I give Mom a hug and kiss on the cheek, then do the same to Mark. Raleigh does the same to my mom, and then hugs Mark. “Oh wow, guys this is great news. My mom hasn’t seemed this happy in many years, Mark. I can’t tell you how good it feels to see her this way.”

Mom is now crying, and Sam has walked over to us as well. He gives my mom a hug and wipes a tear from her cheek, before walking over to his dad and reaching for his hand. Mark pulls him in for a bear hug and pat on the back. “I really am happy for you two, as well. Victoria, you seem to be a wonderful woman, and Dad has always been a great man in my eyes. You both deserve true love and happiness.”

I notice Sam and Raleigh catch each other’s eye again, and they both smile. Raleigh and I gush over Mom a little more, then we all go sit back down at the island.

We all talk for a while, while eating our appetizers. Then they pull steaks and potatoes from the oven. The food is delicious. Mom asks me about my date, and I tell her about lunch with Kyle. She seems very impressed by the things I have told her. Again, I tell her what I feel she needs to know. A little more than what I told Raleigh’s mom, but still no full details.

It is now late, and I have had a very long weekend. As I am talking to mom and Mark, telling them goodbye, I notice Raleigh and Sam standing off to the side talking. I know Raleigh’s type, and I knew she would think he was cute. It seems as though he might find her attractive as well—huh, that’s interesting.

Once we are driving back so I can drop Raleigh off, she looks over at me with a big grin. “See, I told you Sam was cute, Raleigh.”

Raleigh lets out a sigh. “He is not cute; he is hot, Caroline. Seems really nice and laid back too. You will have to plan something again that puts us all in the same room.”

I give her hand a little squeeze. “Well, that sounds like a great plan. Before you know it, you and I will be going out on double dates again.”

I drop Raleigh off in her drive, giving her a big hug goodbye. I wait until she is inside, before I drive off back toward school.

IT IS A cold evening, so I have my trusty hoodie back on and the heat going. I feel loud music is in order for the drive back. The one good thing I did put into this Blazer was a nice radio. I have my IPod plugged in and playing loud.

Once I pull into the lot, I take a quick moment to look up at the night sky before going to my room. I am beyond tired, and can’t wait to get my pajamas on and climb into bed. When I open the door, Piper is sitting on her bed with her laptop and book in front of her. Seeing this, reminds me that I have a paper I need to finish. My first class isn’t until eleven, though, so I will just get it done in the morning.

She looks up at me, and then looks down to where I just dropped my bag on the floor, by my bed. I can see the irritation in her eyes at that. I could give a shit, though. “So Caroline, I haven’t seen you any. I was starting to think I had a room all to myself.” I am sure this disappoints her, knowing she can’t jump from bed to bed during her fun time. Then a shiver runs through me. What if she has done that before? Now that is a sick thought, which I don’t ever want to pop in my head again.