One Day

Part 24 - Too Late

When I was in the third grade, I met the man that my mom had been dating for a while and who would eventually marry my mom and complete our little family. I immediately loved him – he played outside with me, took me fishing, came to watch me cheer and play softball, and loved and respected my mom. He didn't run when my mom told him she had two young daughters. Although he is gone now, he is the man who I call dad and the one who helped raise me.

So, back to the third grade: I was a stringy-headed little girl who was full of life and attitude. I was so happy that my mom had brought him into our lives and I told my best friend so on a daily basis. One day as we were getting ready to walk to the buses to head home, I turned to her and said, "One day, I'm going to marry someone just like Jamey."

"Huh? That's weird," she said.

"I mean that I'm going to marry someone that makes me happy. Someone that takes me to the lake, does the things that I like to do, and likes to hunt," I said imagining that boy in my head.

"You're crazy sometimes," she said giggling.

It's funny how that boy that I dreamed about such a long time ago was standing right in front of me for many years and I didn't even give him a second look until three months ago. I am wrapped in his arms looking out over the ocean on the pier at St. Simon. He kisses my hair and takes my hand as we walk.

I had been on vacation with my family all week in Orlando which also happened to be the first time we had been away from each other in three months. He rode his motorcycle down to the beach that day to meet us for a long weekend.

Once he arrived, we didn't get any time to catch up before we were all heading to dinner. Our brief walk to the pier was the first time we had been alone so we were enjoying our few moments together before we went back to our separate rooms. We hadn't told our families that we were living together and, although they probably knew, we had no intentions of telling them anytime soon.

The next two days went by too quickly and were a blur of motorcycle rides around the islands, lounging on the beach for hours, playing in the ocean, and eating entirely too much.

Neither of us were ready to return to the normal world where the stress of life and the drama of exes awaited us. Things had not been easy over the past month, at all, and this weekend was just what we needed to focus on us. While my heart believes that he really does love me, I know that a piece of his heart continues to be with January. There are nights that I still wonder if he questions his decision to be with me instead of her.

We arrive home and walk through the door carrying our bags when my phone receives a text.

"Who's that?" he says as he takes my bags from my hands and carries them to our bedroom.

I shake my head and sigh, "Jacob."

"What does he want this time?" he says as he puts the bags on the bed and takes off his shoes.

I glance at my phone, "I'm not sure. All it says is 'hey.' I'm just not going to respond. I haven't heard from him in several weeks."

I've done my best to avoid Jacob at all costs. We were high school sweethearts – you know, the perfect couple. Head cheerleader and star football player that were set to go off to college together, be married and have two kids living in the perfect little neighborhood. We started dating while we were freshman in high school and made it half way through our sophomore year of college before things ended rather badly. He moved to Florida after our break up to "get away from things" but still calls and texts sporadically, mostly when he is in town and drinking. Although I've tried my best to explain to him that we are not getting back together and that I'm in love with Jace, he continues to lean on me when he needs someone to drive him home from some party. I loved Jacob for a long time and still care deeply for him so I feel obligated to always help him out. I'm not sure why Jace puts up with it but he understands my need to make sure that Jacob is okay. I always feel somewhat to blame for his excessive drinking.

"He may need something. For some reason he still comes to you. Just see what he wants," he says as he changes into shorts and walks to the bathroom. "I'm exhausted though. So if he's drunk and needs a ride, you are on your own."

"Thanks," I say sarcastically as I type out a simple message: Hey, what's up?

Jacob: You home?

Me: Just walked in the door.

Jacob: I'm leaving to go back to Florida tomorrow, just came home for the weekend.

Me: Okay...

Jacob: Are you still with him?

Me: Yes.

Jacob: How are things?

Me: I'm not doing this right now, Jacob. I just got home from being on vacation. I need to unpack and get ready for work tomorrow.

Jacob: I just don't understand.

Me: There is nothing to understand.

Jacob: We could have made it work. We could be happy and you know that.

Me: Again, not doing this. We have been down this road so many times. We were together for five years and couldn't make it work. I'm going to bed. Be careful going back. Don't drink, please.

I plug my phone into the charger as Jace walks into the bedroom and collapses on the bed, "What did he say?"

"Nothing really, just the norm," I say as realize I'm too tired to unpack tonight and get ready for bed instead. I turn off the light and crawl into bed beside him. He wraps his arms around me and is asleep before I have time to get comfortable. I close my eyes as my phone sounds again.

Jacob: Too late.

Thanks for reading One Day! I look forward to where this story takes us as it is a work in progress.

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