Caroline
Stop crying, stop. No wonder my dad has never touched any of her things. This is so hard. I'm sitting on the chair in front of my mom's vanity trying unsuccessfully to pack up her stuff. Everything I pick up brings back a memory I'd pushed way back into the back of my mind and I start crying thinking about her.
My dad sat me down last night and told me that he decided to sell the house. He said he didn't need this big house just for himself so he's going to move into a condo downtown. When he told me he looked a little nervous. I think he was scared I was going to get upset but the truth is I'm happy. I have so many good memories of this house but there are also tons of bad ones, I know he feels that way too.
I volunteered to pack up mom's stuff and get rid of it. I'm going to donate her clothes except for a few things I want to keep. Standing in her closet earlier it amazed me how everything still smelled like her. She would be proud of me and the way I decided to get up and live my life. I think she'd be especially happy if she could see the way my dad and I are getting along now.
I put what I'm throwing from the vanity into a box and move on to her dresser. Sitting right there on top is the ring box my dad left for me in the hospital. I open it up and take the engagement ring out, it's so beautiful. I remember when she told me how hard my dad worked to get it for her. They got engaged so young, barely out of high school. He worked sixteen hours a day that whole summer and spent every penny he had on it. It wasn't some big 7 carat rock or anything just a simple princess cut diamond only 1 carat, maybe 2.
The night I woke up in the hospital and saw the ring box sitting on the tray next to my bed I was pretty shocked. We had talked earlier that day about Luke saying he wanted to marry me. My dad said I was too young and I explained to him how I felt about Luke. That I felt for him the way he had felt about mom. He just left and I was so upset thinking he didn't understand and then he brought the rings and I knew we had his blessing.
Having the talk with Luke about it in the morning was a lot easier than I thought it'd be too. I knew how I felt, I knew the second the words had left his mouth that I wanted to marry him but it just seemed too fast.
I woke up that morning with Luke's arms wrapped around me, breathing in his sweet outdoorsy smell, like grass, smoke and somehow always a small hint of beer. I guess that's to be expected with a country boy. I moved just a little burying my head into his chest. He reached up with one hand and stroked my hair saying "Good morning city girl." In a deep sleepy voice.
"Morning." I said my voice muffled cause I still had my face in his chest trying to take in every second I could with him holding me before the day started.
"How are you feeling? You sleep ok?"
"I'm ok, just a little sore. I slept pretty damn great. How about yourself?" I ask looking up at him.
He gives me a quick peck on my forehead and says "I had you in my arms all night, I can't think of any better way to sleep."
Will I ever get tired of his sweet little comments? Are all southern boys this charming? I definitely grew up in the wrong state if they are. "When are you going to be heading back to Georgia?" I ask.
"Why are you always trying to get rid of me?" he says with a fake hurt look on his face.
I wince trying to sit up without hurting my side that's still sore. "I'm not. I was just wondering how much longer I was gonna have you here."
"You can have me every day for the rest of my life, Caroline." He helps me up propping a pillow behind my back and goes to get out of the bed. I grab his hand holding him there not wanting him to move away yet. "You can't sit comfortably with me sitting here. I'm not going anywhere." He gets up and pulls the chair right next to the bed and sits holding my hand in his.