A Chance at Destiny (8 page)

“Yes?”  He looked down at her.

“I should have told you. I'm starting my period so that's why I'm a little more upset than usual. I'm sorry.”

Tyler simply nodded. He hadn't expected that but living with a female meant he'd have to get used to dealing with her period. “It’s fine. Do you need anything?”

“Nope. I'm good. Let's see what we need,” Destiny walked toward the bedroom creating a list in her head. “Bathroom supplies, sheets and a comforter.” she said coming out of the room.

“Food. The dishes are already here,” he added to the verbal list walking to meet her in the sitting area.

“Well, let’s find a thrift store for bedding. And a dollar store for bathroom supplies. We'll see what grocery stores are nearby.”

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After three weeks, they'd finally settled into a routine.  Tyler and Destiny registered for classes. They chose to focus on different areas for the fall semester. Tyler decided to focus on the math and science subjects for the first semester since his major was engineering. Whereas, Destiny decided to focus on her fine arts, literature and history. Her major was still undecided.

In her British literature class, the professor asked for interested parties to apply as a library aid for extra cash. Destiny quickly signed up. In one week she'd know if she had her first paying job. She felt good about the possibility. She loved to read. She had a high grade in the class so she was anticipating a call any day.

Tyler had found his niche with the engineering department. They offered work study positions in the mechanical engineering lab. Tyler loved working with his hands so the position was perfect for him. On the weekends, he took a job as a mechanic working at a local garage near campus.

They'd both been attending church with Annie and Jess as part of the requirement listed in their housing agreement. Church was a new experience for both Tyler and Destiny. The congregation was large and diverse. Tyler enjoyed the casual teaching style of the ministry staff. Destiny really enjoyed peace she felt being at the church. The services were short. Both Tyler and Destiny loved that they weren't the only couple of mixed race and everyone seemed so nice.

After their first couple's meeting, Tyler and Destiny found out they weren't the only couple newly married. As they suspected, hosting the new couples was a personal ministry of Jess and Annie who were both alumnae of Bradford College. Jess and Annie married young and struggled early in their marriage. They’d married against their family’s wishes, Jess and Annie didn't have a mentor to help guide them through those rough years.

Annie, a stay at home wife, tried for years to have children but couldn't. She made a decision to focus on being married to Jess, their home, and being a stand in mother to newly married couples in the church. Because Jessup was one of the ministers, he recognized the call for her to nurture. It broke his heart that his wife couldn’t seem to get pregnant. But she could love. He’d seen her love people through many situations.

Jessup watch Annie for years agonize over not having children. He'd even agreed to adopt when they decided this was the best situation for them. Annie's still longed to have children of her own. She loved to see them grow and flourish. But loving the students she’d mentored over the years proved to be enough for her. Many of the students would come back for the holidays to visit bringing their children and called for advice over the years.

Once Annie started to meet new couples, she found a job at the university as an academic advisor. While advising married couples, she decided the reason many new young couples fail to graduate was because they didn't have the support necessary to navigate their marriage and school life. So she and Jessup created a ministry open to students who were newly married to help. The apartment style housing was built on the premises of their seven acre land just across the lake from Bradford College. Jessup, a retired business owner of a very lucrative and successful construction company, was all too happy to build the fourplex unit for his wife.

It was such a shock to find Annie and Jessup were normal people and not the Holy Roller types Destiny and Tyler had met over the years. Their house and their love were warm and easy. No one ever felt uncomfortable in their presence. But Jessup and Annie had the ability to see when something was bothering one of the couples. It was enlightening to hear the older couple’s story of jealousy, anger, control issues, envy, and an almost divorce. They talked openly about their problems as a young couple and welcomed a phone call or a visit anytime there was a concern with any of the couples.

Each month the couples gathered. They would focus on a specific activity. The first week was goal setting as a couple. Tyler and Destiny sat down the following week to define their goals as students. Each week they would talk about what they learned as a couple. Tyler and Destiny were happy to sit and listen to the other couples. They never really focused on their goals as a couple because they didn't see themselves as a couple. But they loved listening to the other couples talk about remaining faithful, date nights, and spending time talking. Tyler and Destiny even decided to put to us the practices they were learning. “We are a team and this can only make us stronger, right?” Tyler asked Destiny. She agreed.

The second month, they focused on budgeting as a couple. Which for Tyler and Destiny, this was a fairly simple activity. Neither were big spenders and had learned to live modestly very early from their life experiences. Tyler was amazed at the amount of stuff Destiny could find at the thrift store for their bedroom. She made it very cozy for almost no money. They’d budgeted a little money for traveling to Bradford College. They were prepared with only Tyler’s graduation money to buy a few things. At the dollar outlet, he watched as she purchased toilet and bathroom supplies and came in under budget. The food she bought was food for real meals and a few snacks. And they still had enough to rent a DVD from the machine in the front of the store.

That night they sat talking quietly before bed.

“I hate being poor,” Destiny whispered in the dark.

“I know. But, that’s why we have to make this work. You know?” Tyler nudged her gently.

She nodded. “When did you know you were poor?” She asked.

“I think I’ve always known,” she heard him sigh heavily. “I heard my mom tell me and James we’d always be white trash and to get used to it.”

“That sucks. Tyler, I’m sorry.”

“Thanks, but I guess I did get used to it. But I knew I was smart. Smarter than those rich kids. So I vowed to never be poor again. What about you?” He focused his icy blues on her.

She was silent for a while, “I guess when I realized I had to eat a tray lunch every day and I never brought food from home.” She paused clearing the thickness in her voice. “I remember one time I had planned to pack a lunch. I went to the fridge and there was no food.” He grabbed her hand offering support and encouraging her to continue. “I guess until that day I didn’t realize the school was the only place I have breakfast and lunch through the week.”

They lay there silently holding one another. The understood agreement was lingering in the air. This marriage had to work. Finally Tyler spoke, “It’s me and you against the world. You’re my destiny.” Destiny listened to the sound of his mellow voice as she dozed off thinking about being Tyler’s destiny.

Chapter Six

For the fourth of July, Jessup and Annie grilled and all the couples brought side dishes.  They spent the evening sitting around the lake. The community fireworks were visible from the spot all the couples occupied. They all sat closely and watch after the parade. Destiny felt a little uncomfortable watching all the other couples kiss and snuggle as they watched the fireworks. She wished Tyler would make love to her again. Destiny knew her inexperience must have turned him off. She didn't push. He simply kissed her cheek and held her hand.

It was Friday night, Tyler and Destiny Duggan were sitting in front of the television. They had another hour before they were required to be at the couples outing with Jess and Annie. Each couple decided to bring a dish as part of the gathering. Destiny had the chicken spaghetti in the oven cooking while Tyler was channel surfing.

Destiny found she was a little nervous about the outing tonight. Jess and Annie announced they'd be playing games again. The first outing was meant as a getting to know you kind of gathering. It served as a way to learn about the other couples and how they met. With Tyler and Destiny, it was an eye opener. When they received the list of questions, they were floored. Neither was prepared to share.

Jess read the first question and went around the room for answers. The first to answer where they met was Bethany and Brody. The looking lovingly into each other's eyes then giggled. They met at their summer job in high school and have been inseparable ever since. Maria and Markos, who occupied the apartment next to Tyler and Destiny, met volunteering and soon they were pregnant with their daughter Gracie. Eva and Devin met at a party-they giggled. It was apparently a wild one. Then all eyes shifted to Destiny and Tyler.  Tyler simply blurted out they met in kindergarten. To which everyone ohhed and awed thinking they'd loved each other since then. Destiny didn't stop them from thinking anything different. They were school mates didn’t really know each other until a few weeks ago.

The next question was about what you love about your spouse and your favorite physical feature about them. To that question, there we there were quite a few giggles and playful jabs. When the question was posed to Tyler first, he looked at Destiny and said, “She is the most generous person I know. She's always giving, and she never asks for anything in return.”

Destiny was struck dumb. She could hear the warmth and sincerity in his words. Her heart began to fill and tears came to her eyes. She'd never had any speak about her in such a great way. Tyler saw her tears and used his hands to cup her face and his thumbs to wipe her tears. Then he kissed her forehead. “My favorite feature on Destiny?” He stopped as if he had really think about his answer.

Truthfully, Tyler hadn’t been prepared to talk about her in front of a crowd. He was attracted to her and thought about the one and only night they'd made love. Since then they’d slept in the same bed. He wanted to touch her, but he didn't believe Destiny wanted to be physical again after their fight. When she announced she had cramps the next morning after their fight he knew he should just back off. But his attraction to her was still as strong as ever. So in this moment he'd have to fess up, “She has the most beautiful luscious lips I've ever seen. They are so soft and kissable.” To accentuate his point he ran his thumb over Destiny's bottom lip. He wanted to kiss her but refrained. He could feel Destiny tremble under his touch. He almost gasped when she tucked the corner of her gloss covered bottom lip in her teeth and bit down and sucked. Which she did a lot as a nervous habit.

Destiny could not believe her ears. Her body was trembling with need right there in the room with all three couples and her mentor/advisors watching. His hands touched her lips, and she became nervous.  Destiny thought Tyler wasn't impressed with her bedroom naiveté so he'd chosen not to be intimate with her again. Sure she had her period the first week they'd gotten here, but he hadn't touched her since other than to kiss her on the cheek or the forehead.   Destiny assumed his late night studying was to avoid her. So she’d just gone to bed early every night.

“Tyler does exactly what he says he's going to do, and he never lies to me. I respect that about him so much,” was how Destiny answered the first question thinking of all the things Tyler had done for her. He'd provided for her every need. He knew her almost as well as she knew herself. Tyler watched her as she spoke. He was mesmerized by her voice and tone. She sounded almost worshipful. She had come to rely on him and he loved it.

“Tyler has the strongest hands I've ever seen. I love the way they look when he's worked all day and the way he holds a pencil and twirls it. I love the way he caresses my face with those hands.” She glanced up at him. “They're so big and strong. His hands are a beautiful extension of his heart.”  She spoke quietly and methodically. Tyler had never looked at his hands. He could sense that she was choosing to be discreet. They both knew where his hands had been on her body. As Destiny spoke of his hands, she gently scraped her nails between each digit as she described what she loved.