Page 98 of Till The Sun Dies (Checkmate 2)

21

Laine

Road Trip

Juliette and Alex’s baby arrived in the early hours of Friday morning, two full weeks overdue, and exactly the way we expected; loud and demanding. It was the first time in alongtime that I was part of a group chat again, but though I kept up to date, though I read all the texts on my tiny not-a-smart-phone screen, I didn’t participate in the chat.

I was a watcher, and Ang stepped up as our representative while I prayed everything would be okay… and ate Chinese takeout.

Alex sent out a million texts, starting with ‘she’s three centimeters!’ and moving right through to ‘the baby is blonde! I see the blonde hair.’

By two in the morning, with tired eyes and sluggish movements, I sat on the couch beside Ang and finally breathed easy when the final text came in.

Alex:She’s here. My baby’s here, and she’s a she.

Alex:Avery Hope Turner. Eight pounds, seven ounces, and twenty-one inches long.

Then a minute later when reality settled in, he followed it with:Guys. I have a baby girl. I’m so in love.

I cried for the guy I consider my brother, I smacked Ang’s shoulder and demanded my money, and when I couldn’t hold out anymore, when I couldn’t let the moment pass without saying something, I set up a brand-new group chat between my best friends; a chat that’s been active between me, Jess, Britt, and Kari since we first got cellphones back in seventh grade, but since my wild slide into Graham’s world, I let it die.

I ditched my friends for a guy, and that was really shitty of me.

Me:Britt…

I sat leaning against Ang with tears in my eyes and wobbling lips, and a nano-second later when her message shot back, I let out a silly sob.

Britt:Omg. Omg. Omg.Baby? You’re gonna make me cry.

That’s okay, because for that night, the tears in my eyes were cathartic and welcome.

Me:Congratulations, Aunty Britt. I love you so much.

That was three days ago. With confirmation that mom and baby are in perfect health, with beautiful flowers purchased, and tiny dresses that Jules will probably never use delivered, I stand on Kane’s front porch as the sun works to rise, a brand-new day beginning.

Wanda sits in the driveway, and after seven-thousand dollars and a new paint job, she sparkles and looks as good now as the day she rolled off the showroom floor.

I have Sonia’s blessing for this trip. I have her enthusiastic encouragement and her number on speed dial – just in case – so with my backpack hanging off one shoulder, and plastic bags full of snacks in both hands, I draw in a long breath, look into the horizon, and simply smile.

Freedom.

That’s what this is.

Pure, unfettered, unbreakable freedom that no one can ruin for me.

For there is one single minute in each day, that in-between moment where you’re not sure if it’s day or night; it’s the moment where you’re the only person in the entire universe.

You can breathe untainted air.

You can smile at the beautiful trees.

You can hear birds waking, and frogs croaking.

There are no monsters in this minute, no bad dreams, and no therapists. There are no grabbing hands except those of your lover’s, and only with your permission.

There’s nothing in this moment but you and however many billion cubic feet of unused air and the endless opportunities a brand-new day has to offer.

Today, I get to drive away from this town for just a little while. I don’t want to leave forever; this is my home, this is where my family is. But I need to leave long enough that when we get back, it comes with a reset button.

---