Childhood Crushes

Chapter Fourty-Two - Olive Garden

It was Sunday morning, a moment all students could just sigh and relax a moment. This particular Sunday morning was free for us all; the first of the football season. The principle, being a hard-core Dallas fan, decided that the big game tonight was a holiday to be celebrated, and we had to cancel school for tomorrow, leaving us all without homework to cram into our brains. Plus, being the anniversary of 9/11 helped, too.

Mellisa decided today was the day to sleep, and probably never wake up. I doubted she would at least. I couldn't sit around though, just listening to the radio or surfing the web; everything was talking about 9/11 and it was a little depressing. I wondered if I should call Bale, or maybe my mom, or Dad, but I chose instead to go on a walk. It was a nice fall day, still warm, but the leaves were just beginning to change their colors. Aside from summer, fall has always been on of my favorite seasons. The colors and smells, along with the perfect weather, it's always been so beautiful to me. I slipped on a pair of worn jeans, not bothering to change out of my sleep shirt that was five sizes too big, and completed with some tennis shoes.

With a single glance to a snoring Mellisa - though she doesn't believe me that she snores - I headed towards the door and opened it. When I did, I was surprised to trip over a small package in the floor, sitting just outside the doorway. After catching myself on the wall, I picked up the little shoe box, duct taped like it was being sent through the war.

It only took a second the read the big TN that meant it came from the one and only Tennessee, along with 'Dad' written in the top corner, even though the proper thing would be to put his name. I smirked and went back inside, forgetting all about my walk, hugging the box to my chest. Grabbing a pair of scissors from my desk I sat on my bed, tearing at all the silver tape. When the lid opened, I felt my eyes water.

The leather book, weathered from being read too many times, was tagged with several bookmarks, all marking favorite quotes throughout the pages. The title The Notebook pressed into the spine with gold foil seemed to glint slightly in the light. My smile was bigger than imaginable as I looked back into the box and found an envelope with the name Silly Belly written on the front. I quickly put down the book and ripped open the letter.

Dear Annabelle,

Though I didn't go to college, I've heard it can be hard. I bet you're under a lot of stress, probably workin' on getting all those tests done. I can't tell you how proud I am, though! My baby girl, goin' to college! I still can't believe it... Anyway, I thought I would send you a little something that will get you through the rest of the semester. I don't know if you still remember this book, ever since you told me you're engaged, I kind of forgot about it myself... I thought I would send a work of art such as The Notebook to you, in hope maybe you'll find comfort in it and some relaxation. (Jimmy told me how to spell that. Damn English was never my strongest class.)

I hope you enjoy reading this, and I'm sorry we never got to finish it together. Don't worry about me, I've already read it a total of 1,000 times. I just hope you like it.

Love always,

Dad, Jimmy, Joel & Billy

I smiled to myself as I read the letter again and again, happy to have heard from him. It felt like forever since I've seen Dad smile, or hugged him, or even listen to him read to me while we sat in his recliner. Holding the book in my hand just made last summer even more real; the first time I rode Juliet again, seeing Bale, meeting Ashley for the first time, really, and seeing how well she's turned out. We still e-mail each other regularily. She'll tell me how Harry bugged her for a while, saying everything I told her was a lie, but she ended up just changing her number and even began dating again. Last I heard she was dating this cute guy named Leo.