Love Me Through It

Chapter 3- I Got the Boy

I sit out on my back porch every summer morning and enjoy the sunlight before my daughter, Gracie, gets up. Most days it makes me realize why I'm still here in Leesburg. This is the house I grew up in. I lived here with my parents until I graduated high school, but they moved into a smaller house closer to town and put this house up for rent until I graduated college. It was my college graduation present. I did, after all, need somewhere to live with Gracie. Up until a few years ago I didn't mind living here. The house next door is where my high school sweetheart lived throughout my entire life. He was perfect. We had it all. The future was looking so bright for us, but I was young and dumb college student living in Valdosta. I went out one night right before Thanksgiving, got drunk, and cheated on him. I was so ridden with guilt I told him the next day. That was the day he slipped away. The day I lost him. He was the one who got away.

Several years ago I was reading the newspaper, like I do every morning, and what do I see, but his marriage announcement in the local paper. Luke Bryan had got married a few weeks before. Now, every time he comes around he has his wife. There are even times when she just brings the kids down without Luke so they can visit with Tommy and Kaye. Today is one of those days. Bridget arrived early this morning with Til and Kenzie. They have spent most of the morning out by the pool with Jordan and Kris. I look at Bridget with envy. She looked perfect in every way conceivable. Her body hugged that tiny bikini perfectly while she goofed around with the kids and it was very clear that she was confident in her own skin. But I also become jealous when I see her with Luke at all the awards shows. They look so happy together. So in love. So perfect. Why can't that be me?

"Kenzie, come on," Bridget hollered at her daughter, "If we're going to get to Macon, we need to be leaving now!"

"I'm coming!" Kenzie shouted back as she swam to the edge of the pool and climbed out.

Bridget stood at the side of the pool slipping a pair of short on and letting a skimpy tank slid over her chest while Kenzie dried off. Kenzie was built exactly like Bridget, but then every one of the women in the Bryan family's younger generation was built the same way; stunning hourglass figure, and skinny as a rail.

"Momma, I'm going to ride over to Ashley's," Gracie told me as she belted out the door stopping dead in her tracks when she noticed everyone next door, "Never mind. I'm going to walk over and see Kris."

"Wait for me and I'll go over with you," I told her as I ran in the house real quick and grabbed my flip flops.

Gracie and I walked across the yard getting there just as Bridget and Kenzie were walking towards Tommy's truck.

"How have you been, Jennifer?" Bridget asked me as I eyed her gorgeous physic and glistening engagement and wedding bands that I admired every time I saw her.

"Pretty good," I told her, "How have you been?"

"Same. Raising kids. And a grown man," Bridget laughed showing her sparkling white teeth.

"Sounds like the same old Luke," I chuckled in return.

"Hey, I got to get Kenzie up to Macon. I'll catch up with you when I get back. I'll be here all weekend. We're going to get Kris packed up for college," Bridget told me as she turned and walked away.

"I'll see ya later," I waved as they loaded into the truck and Gracie took off towards the pool.

"Hey!" Gracie yelled at Kris as she swam around in the pool.

"Hey! Why don't you come for a swim with us?" Kris asked as she splashed Gracie.

"Alright, I'll be back in a few!" Gracie said in excitement as she jetted off to the house to get her swimsuit on.