Finally, Forever (22 page)

“Is it true?”
Dylan’s mom asks. Her eyes pass between Mike and Serena. “Are you two engaged?” From the anxious look on her face, I can’t tell if Dylan’s mom wants the rumor to be validated.

Mike nods. “I asked her a couple of hours ago,” he said. “It seemed an appropriate t
ime, when she was still doped up on drugs and didn’t have the sense to say no.”

No one objects to this reasoning. 

“She doesn’t have a ring yet.” He looks over at Serena. “I figure you might want to help pick it out?”

Serena nods. “I don’t trust your taste in jewelry. If it were up to you, it would be a pink diamond in the shape of a heart.”

Mike shakes his head. “You know I can do better than that. I was thinking more a
Lord of the Rings
design. We could each get gold bands with an inscription along the side that stands out when it’s heated. I’ve already been thinking about the words.
One ring to find us, one ring to bind us and in marriage to forever unite us.”

I
try not to laugh.   

“Wouldn’t that be romantic?” Mike asks.

“No,” Serena and her mother say at the same time.

“When will the wedding be?” her mom asks.

“Soon,” Serena says. “Before you guys head back home, once I’m out of the hospital. Mike’s aunt has a friend who can officiate it,” Serena says. “We just want something small, on the beach.”

Dylan
’s parents look at each other and nod. They know better than to say no.

“I need to make this legal before she changes her mind,” Mike says.

I look at Dylan and all the hostility in her eyes has vanished. She’s actually smiling at him.  

“Well, you two make cute babies,
I can say that much,” Dylan’s mom says and presses her lips to Luke’s forehead.

I stand up from the corner seat to offer my chair and Dylan’s mom looks over at me.
She studies me for a few seconds.

“Are you a friend of Mike’s?”
she asks.

“He’s like a brother to me,” Mike
nods, and I roll my eyes.

“Wait,” Dylan’s mom says.
She blinks hard and squints her eyes at me. “I swear, you look just like Gray,” she says. “Dylan, doesn’t he look a lot like that baseball player you showed me pictures of? The one you met in Phoenix, who you always called The Love of Your Life? Or your Soulmate? Or your Future Husband?”

Everyone turns to stare at me. If this were a movie with subtitles, the caption ‘awkward silence’ would work nicely right now.

“That is Gray, Mom,” Dylan says. “Gray, this my mom, Gail. And my dad, Dean.”

Her mom hands the baby off to Mike and walks towards me. I reach my hand out to shake hers, but she
stretches out both of her arms and I know she won’t settle for less than hug. I have to duck to meet her. Dylan’s dad must have been tall.

She leans back and looks in my eyes. “I’m so happy to finally meet you,” she says. “If I hadn’t talked to you on the phone that one time, I would have sworn you were just one of
Dylan’s made-up travel stories.”

Sometime I feel like I am
.

She looks across the room at
Dylan. “I thought you were driving with Nick?” she asks. She lets go of my waist, but one of her hands holds onto my arm, as if she’s afraid I’m going to run off.

Dylan
shakes her head, sadly. “Orson died in Omaha.”

“Who the hell is Orson?” Mike asks.

“Where the hell is Omaha?” Serena asks.

“Nebraska,” I clarify.

“Hey, what do you call a really hot girl in Nebraska?” Mike asks and we all turn to look at him.

“A tourist,” he says.

I start to crack up and Serena shakes her head at me. “Don’t encourage his bad jokes,” she says.

Dylan
’s mom looks between me and Mike. “You boys are going to fit in very well in this family.”

“Nebraska is a lovely state, full of lovely people,”
Dylan says, defensively.

“Who do you know in Nebraska?”
Serena demands.

“Chris and Sue Anne,”
Dylan informs her family. “We practically owe them our lives. A tornado almost lifted our car off the ground.”

“Orson?” Her mom asks. “That thing is a barge. Nothing can lift it.”

“No we were in Gray’s car,” Dylan clarifies.

“Just put it in a scrapbook,
Dylan,” Serena says.

“We also got arrested,” she adds, “a few nights ago in Texas. I picked up a wanted felon and offered him a ride.”

Everyone laughs out loud at this and I look around with surprise. No one believes her. Dylan meets my eyes and she shrugs like she’s used to it. She told me once that I’m the only person who understands her, who asks to see her pictures and listens to her stories. I didn’t believe it when she told me; I figured everyone appreciated her like I do. But she was telling me the truth. Dylan doesn’t need to exaggerate or embellish. She lives all her crazy thoughts out loud.

Her mom’s eyes
brighten. “Well, I’m so happy you two got back together.” She looks between Dylan and me and waits for one of us to confirm her statement. We’re both silent. I’m waiting for Dylan to talk first.

“You are back
together?” her mom asks. I can feel everyone looking at me. 

“We drove here together,” I offer.
Dylan looks down at the ground.

A confused crease appears in the middle of her mom’s forehead. I start to smile.
Dylan’s actions are probably the direct cause of that wrinkle line.

“Wait
a second,” her mom says. “Orson died on the highway, and Gray just happened to be there, in Omaha, to offer you a ride?”

“Technically his girlfriend offered me
a ride,” Dylan says.

“My fictional girlfriend,” I
clarify.

“What?” her mom asks.

“It’s a long story,” Dylan finishes.

“It always is with you,” her dad
says.

I’m afraid to look at
Dylan. I look at the balloons instead. There’s no way to explain our situation. I feel like we’re breaking up again, but when did we ever get back together?

“I’m really confused,” Serena says
.

I
stare at her.
You’re
confused?

“Are you two waiting for an even bigger sign that you’re meant to be together?”
Serena asks. “Do you need a meteor to drop out of the sky saying GET MARRIED on it and land at your feet?”

Probably.

“Our relationship usually falls under the heading of Crappy Timing,’” I explain.

The room is quiet
. Even Luke appears to be interested in the outcome of our conversation. Dylan’s mom sighs and she gives up on the topic.

“Well, Gram and P
op are at the hotel,” she says.

“You brought Grandma and Grandpa out here?” Serena moans.

“We had to. It’s their first great grandchild. Your aunt’s on her way too, with your cousins. They’ll get in tonight.”

“This is exactly why I ran away,” Serena states. “
Does everything have to be a family event?”

“Yes,”
Dylan and her mom say at the same time. I can see why Dylan left after high school. She needed to stretch out, and she couldn’t do that at home. Serena starts talking wedding plans with Dylan and her mom.

Dylan
’s dad walks over to me and extends his hand. “I’m Dean,” he says. “Nice to finally meet you.”

I nod and shake his hand.

“I’ve been reading
Baseball Weekly
this summer, keeping tabs on you. Your name was all over the place. I heard the Dodgers are interested?”

I nod. “My agent’s going back and forth with them,” I say. “I’m not sure if I want to sign or
play another year at school. Their offer would have to be pretty good.”

The baby suddenly
interrupts us with a hungry wail. Everyone in the room sucks in a breath and lets it out with an “awww,” and it’s amazing what you find yourself able to love.

I excuse myself so Serena can nurse and her family can talk wedding details. An edge of jealousy sets in and I don’t want to hear about their happily ever after, how all their mistakes turned into a victory. Most of my victories turn out to be mistakes. Thanks a lot, Fate.

I walk slowly to the elevator. I’m still wondering why I ran into Dylan in Omaha. Serena’s right. Do we need an even bigger sign that we’re meant to be together?

I have about a week of sleep to catch up on and my feet drag
down the hallway. I could use a nap before I hit the road. I head down to the lobby and I’m greeted by the noise of footsteps and voices and overhead announcements. I look around at all the people sitting and waiting, like we’re in a strange airport going nowhere.

I sit in the lobby and watch people coming and going. I watch people walking in with balloons and flowers, with smiles and excitement. Other people walk in looking anxious and forlorn. It is the most emotionally charged place on earth.

I close my eyes and lean back in the seat. The last time I was in a hospital was the night of my sister’s death. I haven’t stepped inside one since. Walking in the emergency room doors was like pushing my way through a brick wall. I was afraid I was going to walk right into Amanda’s ghost.

My brain is a myriad of thoughts that refuse to have ending points, just jumbles and knots and loose strings. I need answers.

I keep replaying Mike’s proposal to Serena. How perfect it all was. How she was nodding before he even finished asking. How much I would give for Dylan to react that way to me.

I sigh and open my eyes. They’re so dry they burn. I want to leave and drive around or walk or run until my knees give out. I grab my cell phone out of my pocket and there’s a text from Lenny. A text. Wow. She must really be worried about me. I
read the message. 

I’m worried about you. Did you work things out with
Dylan?

I call her n
umber and after a few rings, Lenny picks up.

“Hey. Are you okay?”

The concern in her voice makes my throat knot. I swallow because I can’t lie to Lenny.

“I’m messed up,” I say and run a hand over my head. My
thoughts feel heavy, like rocks. Is love just an illusion, a mean trick that life plays on you? It diffracts your world into brilliant colors but is it ever constant? Is there a way to make it permanent?

“I don’t care about baseball,” I hear myself say.

“Gray, don’t be stupid. You’re amazing at baseball. Didn’t you get some VIP trophy this summer?”

I roll my eyes. “MVP, not
VIP.” Why is that so hard to remember?

“Sorry. I don’t speak meathead.”

“Thanks.”

“
Gray, you need to stick with baseball. You love it. And you could make a ton of cash, are you nuts?”

“
It’s just a game,” I say. “It’s just entertainment. Maybe I should just be with Dylan. I always expected her to follow me. Follow my life, my dreams, my path. And I was pissed off when she didn’t want to, when it didn’t fall perfectly into place the way I wanted it. So instead of trying to work it out, I pushed her away. That was the biggest mistake of my life.”

“What are you saying?”

I bite my lips together. What am I saying?

“M
aybe I should give something up. I might be okay with that. I can do something else. I can finish school. Maybe I could coach.”

I breathe out a sigh.

Lenny breathes out a sigh. It’s like an echo.

“I wouldn’t even be playing baseball right now if it wasn’t for
Dylan,” I add. I’m grabbing for excuses. “I’d probably still be in Phoenix, living with my parents, hating my life.”

“That’s not true,” Lenny says. “
Dylan helped you get back on your feet, but you did the rest on your own. You’re just delusional right now. You’re suffering from a post sex high. Your hormones are all out of whack. You can’t make any rational decisions.”

“Yeah, right,” I laugh.

“I’m serious. You have sex brain. It’s basically making you stupid. When sex is on the brain you have no common sense, logic or practicality. It’s dangerous, Gray. Let it wear off for at least two days before you make any life-altering decisions.”

I smile. She might be right.

“Is Bubba there?” I ask. “Is he telling you to say this?”

“We broke up,” she says. “Last month.”

She doesn’t sound sad about it, more like she’s stating a fact. I almost say I’m sorry, but sometimes breaking up is the best thing you can do. I never felt like Bubba was good enough for her.

“Congratulations,” I say, instead.

“Thank you,” she says. “I told you I don’t date athletes.”