Shotgun Pretty

Moving On

It had been about a year since Brantley walked home that day. It had been about a year since him and I had an actual conversation. A year that brought on so many changes it was hard to pick where to begin.

Chase and I had gone out to dinner a few times. I had even joined him at a couple of his shows. We enjoyed one another's company. We enjoyed the sex even more. He ended up finding a new house out in Tennessee and I ended up being left back here in Georgia.

I then stumbled upon my own house a couple of months later, right down the street from Cream & Shuga. It was a little bungalow, and a little scary to make such a big girl purchase. Lauren came to visit every once in awhile. She mostly spent her time, however, with Brantley's brother Kolby. They now lived together and it was more serious than either of them had ever been with anyone. I recently went to a party over at their place. I did not stay long though when I heard Jana and Brantley would be headed that way shortly. Lauren never really spoke of them around me and I was okay with that. I was no longer upset about the relationship Brantley and I had shared. I did not miss him like I would on those Friday nights where I would sit on my couch and stare blankly at the television for an hour or two before heading up to bed. I no longer cared, laying in bed by myself.

Until one Saturday morning. It hit me like a ton of bricks. I woke up early and went for a jog, taking advantage of the nicer weather. I stopped at my mailbox at the end of the sidewalk that ran up to my front door. I pulled out two envelopes. One was a bill. I cringed. The other had no return address. I opened the envelope out of curiosity just as I reached my front door. There it was in black and white.

' You are invited to celebrate with us the engagement of Jana Rae Kramer and Brantley Gilbert.'

I didn't bother to keep reading on. I don't know if I would be able to even if I had wanted. The lump in my throat was causing my eyes to water, clouding my view. Rubbing my eyes furiously, I pushed my way through my front door and stood there for a moment. More tears began to form. My head was spinning. My ears were ringing. I sat down right there in my entryway on the hard wood floor. Engaged. Brantley and Jana were engaged. I let that sink in for a minute, if it actually could. He gave her a ring. Probably a beautiful diamond that any girl could only dream of having. He probably used her full name and asked for permission first.

I stopped myself for a second. Thinking about the whole situation was doing nothing but making me a hot mess. Emphasis on the mess. I wiped away the rest of my tears with the back of my hands and sat in silence. Sadness began to leave and anger was starting to set in. I reached my right hand in to my pocket and got out my cellphone. I dialed a number by memory and waited for an answer as it began to ring.

"Hey, girl. Wha..."

But I cut right in. "When were you going to tell me?'

There was silence.

"Huh? When were you going to tell me, Lauren?" I demanded.

"I'm sorry, Nora. I was afraid..."

"Afraid what? That I would be mad? That I would care? That I gave a flying fuck?"

"That you would act like a crazy bitch like you are right now, Nora. Listen to yourself. It's been a fucking year. Give it up. Brantley and Jana are happy. Let them have that. Grow up and move on."

The line went dead. She hung up on me. Fantastic. I was angry. I was alone. Lauren moved on with Kolby. Chase was the next best thing to country music at the moment. And Jana had gotten the man.

The man I still wanted. The man I still loved, but was too scared to admit. The man I wanted to be engaged to.

I picked up my phone and dialed another number. It rang once.

"Hello?" a sweet, southern voice answered.

"Hi Momma Gilbert, it's Nora. I wanted to RSVP to the engagement party."