Dear Future Husband

IV

Brandon

Dinner at the Websters. Something that I was looking forward to and not looking forward to all at the same time.

Mr. Webster probably hasn't forgiven me for leaving his daughter and to be honest I don't even know if I've forgiven myself.

"Brandon! Come on hun we're gonna be late!"

"Alright mom! I'll be down in a minute."

I fixed my tie then threw it off because this dinner wasn't that formal. The Websters didn't do ties. They did button downs and a nice pair of pants.

I jostled my hair a little bit and found my new bottle of cologne, Terror by me.

I didn't come up with the name but it's sold over a million copies in the last few months that it's been out so I wasn't complaining.

"Brandon Miller let's go!"

I quickly sprinted down the stairs to reach an angry mother at the bottom tapping her foot on the ground like she used to when I came home after curfew.

"Mom, come on it's always good to show up a few minutes late that way you can make a more noticeable entrance." I winked.

"You do remember that we're going to the Websters right? You aren't exactly their favorite neighbor."

I chewed my cheek and nodded. "Let's get this over with shall we?"

Once we reached their house my mom gave me a "pep talk" on how I should behave and how I should watch what I say and only engage in conversation where I know it's safe.

I usually wasn't nervous about these events that my mother always found a way of dragging me to but I was nervous about this one.

I hadn't seen Kathryne in almost six years. I barely knew what to say to her when we bumped into each other at the cafe. What was I gonna say during an entire dinner?

"Hey yall!" Mrs. Webster greeted us at the door.

"Hi." I waved and she nodded giving me a soft hug.

"Come on in. The whole gangs here."

And she was right. This wasn't just the Websters, it was the entire army. The girls had brought their husbands too and as soon as I walked into the living room I knew it wasn't going to the way I'd hoped.

Even though right now all I hoped was that I walked out of here with all my limbs in tact.

The stares alone gave me the clue that they had already been brought up to speed on my past with Katy.

This was going to be a long night.

~

Kathryne

As soon as mom opened the door my stomach dropped. Kris gripped my hand while Kim patted me on the back.

"You've got this." She whispered as she joined her husband in the living room.

I wanted to believe her but I knew I didn't "have this" in fact I was losing it!

I stayed in the kicthen as long as possible until my mom finally threw me out.

"Katy this is rude! At least say hello to Adilyn. She deserves that."

Adilyn Miller. The mother of Brandon Miller, the woman I thought would one day be my mother in-law and spoil my children rotten but no. I was so wrong. Wrong about it all.

"Adilyn!" I smiled walking confidently passed Brandon.

"Hello dear! It's been a while since I've seen you. You look beautiful this evening."

"You do." I heard Brandon say behind me but I just closed my eyes and walked straight to Kim to join their conversation about how many presents she had gotten from people for the baby today.

I didn't talk to Brandon at all during the entire dinner. No one really did. Dad brought up a few of his movies and life in California but no one made a real attempt to include him in a true conversation.

I tried not to stare at him. He hadn't changed a bit. His smirk, the absent minded winks he would give, the soft looks. They were all that I've seen before.

Memories of before he left flooded back to me until my eyes got cloudy with tears. Him just being here made me angry. I needed air. I needed to get away from this intoxicated table.

"Will you excuse me..." I said on the verge of a break down.

"You alright honey?" My mom asked shifting her eyes to my sisters.

"I'm fine. Really. I just need some air."

Once the fresh Georgia air hit my skin I felt all at once refreshed.

"Beautiful night huh?" I heard him ask.

I shook my head just staring at the sunset. "You can't take a hint huh?"

"No uh...I definitely got the hint. I just chose to ignore it."

"So what'd you do? Push past my pregnant sister to get to me first?"

"No. I convinced them that I should be the one to talk to you. After all...I am the one who ruined your life right?"

I stared at him. Stared at his defined jawline and structured cheek bones.

"You didn't ruin my life. You...made me stronger. You taught me that there are few people in this world that like to keep their promises."

"Katy I will never-"

"You know what?" I stopped him. "I didn't come out here to discuss our past. I came out here to breathe and you are making it very hard to do that."

He walked closer to me and pressed his back against the railing of our front porch.

"It's my cologne isn't it? Gosh, I thought it would've worn out by now but I guess Terror just likes to stick."

I couldn't help but laugh.

"Seriously? You're wearing your own cologne?"

"Yes? Aren't I kind of entitled to?" He laughed.

I shook my head again and let out a soft laugh.

"You always did have a sense of humor huh? I see Cali hasn't taken that away from you."

"I'll always be willing to make you laugh. Even if it's when you insult my cologne."

"It is pretty awful..." I mumbled.

"Excuse me?" He gasped dramatically.

I laughed again and our night ended in a tickle war like we were back in high school and nothing had ever changed.

Except everything had.

****

Vote. Comment. Share.