Hearing You Say I Love You

~*~Two~*~

•OAKLEY•

Summer had to be my favorite time of year. There was just something about sitting on the deck with a sweating glass of ice cold sweet tea, the warm sun kissing your skin, the smell of fresh cut grass or fields of wildflowers. Some people would say that I am nuts, that summers in Tennessee were too hot, too unbearable but not me. I lived for the warmth, for the months when I got to be carefree. The sweet taste of freedom was always something that I enjoyed and that was what the summer months brought me.

The rays of the sun burst through the large floor to ceiling windows in my bedroom, the sheer curtains not doing much justice of holding it back. I pulled the covers from me, sitting up stretching my arms over my head before wrapping them around my legs, hugging them to me as I rested my head on my knees gazing out the windows at the sun that was giving the grass a neon glow, making the dew sparkle like diamonds. I smiled as the wind billowed through the open windows, the curtains fluttering in the breeze before the warmth of it gently hugged my cheeks.

I giggled at the feeling, almost as if the outside was wishing me a good morning in the best way it knew how. With a small sigh I pulled myself from the plushness of the bed, throwing the crisp white duvet over my light pink sheets, my hands fluffing up the pink and white pillows while placing them perfectly on the bed.

For years my momma had instilled a morning routine in me and twenty eight years later, here I am still doing the same thing the same exact way she taught me. She always hinted that a girl with a good routine would be a good wife one day, I'm guessing it is one of those stereotypes of Southern women that she was talking about. But, I was still waiting in that department so I'm still not sure if those words are true.

My momma married my daddy when she was twenty five. They set down their roots here in Columbia, had me and my two sisters and I don't think they ever dreamt of leaving. Of course my two sisters are married and gave them two amazing granddaughters and one grandson. They too set down roots in Columbia, kind of makes me feel like it is the family thing to do, but I'm not sure I want to stay here. Well if I even get to leave here.

I've had complete bad luck in the dating department. It always started out great, but then after they meet me they don't tend to stay around long. It was devastating the first few times but after a while I always went into them with the expectation that it was going to end before anything serious was going to happen. That's just how it went for me. I didn't need sympathy though. I was content for now. I had my family, my friends, my cute as hell nieces and nephew and that was more than enough for me.

I reached for my perfume, spritzing a spray on my wrists and one on the front of my pale yellow dress covered in small white daisies. I ran my fingers through my soft wavy hair giving it a little more volume. I smiled at my reflection. I was a perfect combination of my parents. I had my momma's soft green eyes, olive skin that tanned perfectly and a button nose. But I had my daddy's deep brunette locks, plump lips and believe it or not high cheekbones. Some people may say that I was flawless, but I was anything but.

My bare feet bounced down the stairs towards the kitchen. I glanced around the large space seeing my parents sitting at the farmhouse table, their eyes shifting in my direction when they heard me come in. I gave them a small wave and a warm smile that they returned with a bright good morning. I stood on my tiptoes grabbing a mug from the cabinet pouring myself a cup of coffee with just a dash of cream and spoon of sugar.

I tapped the spoon on the side of the mug, setting it down on the small plate my momma always had set next to the coffee pot, my hands wrapping around the hot mug pulling it to my lips taking a small sip wincing slightly at the burn that touched my lips and tongue. My hip rested against the counter while I watched my parents chatting, a smile tugging on my lips. I hoped to find what they had one day. Someone that would love me and want to be with me no matter what. I took another sip of my coffee pushing myself from the counter, my hand grabbing for my book as I passed.