Tuff Chaser (The Outsiders FF)

Chapter Twenty-Nine

Chapter Twenty-Nine 

Tammy's POV

The next two days were peaceful and I reconnected with my grandmother, picking up where we left off all those years ago. I taught her to use a camera and we developed the film together. Evenings were spent in front of the fireplace and she'd tell me her childhood stories all over again and I'd listen like I always did. Even though she seemed fine, sometimes I would wake up in the middle of the night breaking out into fierce sweat. And sometimes I would dream about my friends back in Oklahoma and wonder how they were doing, wonder what they were up to at that moment. Everything was moving slowly, a little too slowly for my liking.

It was a regular morning. I woke up at sunrise to watch the sun come out. As I stood on the porch, I was reminded of how this pure color was soon to be tarnished by the azure that would be wiping it away. Walking back into the living room, I made myself a coffee and sat down to read the morning paper, since there really was nothing to do. An hour passed and I had read through the entire paper a good five times. I walked into the kitchen, made my grandmother a coffee and toast, placed it on a tray and sat it on the tabletop; ready for her when she woke up. The thing is, she never did.

I looked back at the quaint little house that had been my home for only a few days, remembering everything; every single word she had said to me. I didn't regret coming here and being with her for the end of her life. It was possibly one of the best choices I had ever made.  

My heart was threatening to spill itself onto the sidewalk; and lately I was beginning to find it harder to keep up the strong façade. I was tired and emotionally wrecked; all I wanted to do was to curl up in Dally's arms. I was foolish enough to believe he could fix anything.  

The train ride passed slower than a snail's pace. As soon as I reached home, I would take a hot shower and find Dally. The old lady sitting beside me was clicking her knitting needles and producing the most annoying sound ever. 

I pressed my fingertips to my lips; conjuring a mental image of his impossibly handsome face - the full lips, deep eyes and the little flick of hair at the crown of his forehead. I shivered with anticipation and the lady beside me almost jumped out of her sear. I apologized and she began talking to me.  

"Are you headed for Tulsa?" 

"Sure am," I beamed at her.  

"What are you doing there?" 

"I live there with my mother and uncle."  

"That's nice." 

I stared out the window and watched the quickly setting sun dipping behind the grassy hills in the distance. It must be quite late. I thought of Pony and realized that I missed him and Johnny a lot. As soon as I'd found Dally, I'd go hunting for them. I had gone without communication with the outside world for too long.  

My grandmother had said I should tell Dallas that I loved him. What if I regretted saying it afterwards? Or would I regret not saying it more? How would I start? What tone of voice would suit it better? Do I touch him gently while talking? What about in between kisses? This was a huge deal; I'd never said anything like this to anyone the way I was preparing to do it. I sighed and pressed my cheek against the cool, smooth window pane.  

When I awoke, Tulsa was just coming up as the next station. I sat up straight and steadied my nerves. Butterflies were rapidly forming in the pit of my stomach and my heart was pounding at about ten thousand miles a second. Even after half a year of seeing him, he still had this stupid effect on me.  

I wrapped my jacket tightly around me and wheeled my suitcase into the Tulsa station. The air was slightly chilly and I wished that someone had bothered to come pick me up. My mom was getting some official papers organized and so would not be home, but Buck would be and I doubted he remembered that I would be coming home earlier than I was supposed to. Flagging down a taxi, I told the driver my address, liking the way the words rolled off my tongue. It felt so homely.