Page 50 of Our Moon
“I want to,” she says immediately, surprising me. I think it surprised her, too, because her eyes widened as soon as she said it. “I mean, if you really want me to.”
I laugh, “I wouldn’t have said it if I didn’t mean it. But I don’t want you to feel pressured. I want things to work out with your family on Sunday, but I wanted you to know that there was another option in case it didn’t.”
“I don’t know what’s going to happen on Sunday, Chase. But I do know that I love you, and I want to be with you. And just knowing that you’re here on this path with me, it’s everything that I’ll ever need.”
I lean my forehead against hers. “And you by my side, that’s all I’ll ever need, too.”
She smiles up at me and kisses me. “Everything’s going to be okay,” she affirms. I’m not sure if she’s trying to convince herself or me.
I nod, “Yeah, it is.”
“You promise that no matter what happens, even if they get really, really angry, you won’t leave me?”
I lift her chin so that she’s looking in my eyes. “I will never, ever leave you. I promise. No matter what happens, I will never, ever leave you. We will get through this together. You mean the world to me, future Mrs. Baker the baker.” I add that last part to get a smile out of her and she rewards me with something even better, a laugh.
“I love you, Chase.”
“I love you, too, baby girl.”
Chapter Twenty-One
The Monroe house is absolute chaos the morning of Ally and Alex’s graduation. Mrs. Monroe is whipping through the house like a tornado, calling out orders and making sure everything is perfect for her twins’ big day. I’m sitting in the living room with Trevor, Joey and Mr. Monroe, watching it all unfold. There’s really nothing for us to do but stay out of the way. Alex was sitting with us, until his mother demanded he make himself presentable. She refused to go along with his idea to be naked under his gown, and insisted he wear a suit. He argued with her until they finally agreed on slacks and a button down, but she insisted on a tie and gave him “the look” until he caved.
And Ally. God, Ally looks gorgeous. She’s wearing a knee-length navy dress with a dark red ribbon tied in an elegant bow around her waist, an homage to our high school’s colors. Her sandy blonde hair is done in curls, spilling over her shoulders and down her back. She’s positively glowing.
Once everyone is dressed, it’s time for pictures. There are ones of Ally and Alex with and without their caps and gowns. There are pictures of them with their parents, with Trevor, and of the whole family together. Mrs. Monroe insists on getting shots of Alex with the band and of all the kids together. Ally convinces each of the guys to take an individual picture with her, I know this is so she’ll have a picture with me from her graduation. It’ll actually be our first real picture that isn’t a selfie taken from one of our cell phones. I hope no one can detect the love, lust, and adoration in our eyes.
About an hour later, we’re finally on our way to the school. The plan was for the ceremony to take place in the school’s auditorium, but since the weather worked out, school officials went with their alternative plan of having it in the football stadium. The school is small, only about one hundred students per class, so the change works out without a hitch, and the stadium actually accommodates more people, so it won’t be standing room only.
Ally and Alex are whisked away behind the scenes with the rest of their class, andTrevor, Joey and I find a seat in the middle of the stands with Mr. and Mrs. Monroe. It isn’t long before the commencement commences, and the guys and I are bored to tears by the faculty speeches.
I’m fidgeting in my seat, trying to pick out the back of Ally’s head in the sea of navy blue caps up front, when Mrs. Monroe, who is sitting next to me, leans over and quietly says, “I see the way you look at her.”
I freeze. I stop fidgeting, and I think I even stop breathing.
“You two are not as subtle as you think,” she continues whispering. I look past her to Mr. Monroe and Trevor, and thankfully they’re not paying us any attention. Wasn’t looking forward to getting my ass kicked in the presence of all these people.
Not knowing how to respond, I just sit there. I can’t confirm her findings, not without Ally. But I can’t exactly ignore her either, that would be rude. This woman has been like a mother to me when my mother couldn’t, or wouldn’t.
I startle when she places her hand on my knee, I look to her and she’s still facing forward, but she’s smiling. “I love you like a son, Chase. I just want my daughter to be happy. You make her happy. Don’t think I didn’t notice how down she was after she and Blake broke up. She thinks she’s good at hiding that stuff from me, but she’s not. She did a complete one-eighty last summer and Iknow part of that was because of you. I know you’ll take good care of her. You’re a good boy.” She removes her hand just as quickly as she had placed it there and continues watching the ceremony.
What the fuck just happened?
What do I say to that?
I can’t just sit there and not say anything, so I say the only thing I can think of to let her know that I will do what she asks, I will take care of her. “I love her,” I whisper. Out of the corner of my eye I see her smile widen.
“We know you do,” she affirms.
“We?” I panic.
She turns to look at me and lets out a small laugh at the petrified look on my face. “Her father and I. You don’t raise three teenagers without learning a trick or two.” She winks.
I groan.
“I think it’s almost over, man,” Joey says from my left, squirming in his seat, assuming my groan meant that I’m as disgruntled about the length of the ceremony as he is.
I nod to him and turn back to Mrs. Monroe. “We were going to tell you.”
