The Unforgettable Infatuation

Chapter Seven

The pic on the side is Casey's Mom and Step-Dad

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Another two months passed of me being completely silent at therapy. It's October 12th now, and I'm sitting on the couch with a bowl of cereal, staring blankly at some winter storm heading for New England.

I hope Tyler is okay.

Stop. He doesn't care for you anymore, Casey.

I hear the front door open and close, and then Kathryn comes into view.

Something is behind her back. Kyle sits on my right, Mom on my left, and Mitchell on her left.

"So Casey, I was in Tyler's old bedroom today." Kathryn announces. "We're taking out the carpet and putting in wood floors. Anyways, there was a spot where the carpet was lifted, and one of the wood floorboards beneath it were lose, so I pried it open."

She moves her arms, exposing a small wooden intricate box.

A memory hits me like a truck

Eight years ago, the day before Casey left for Florida:

"I have to show you something." Tyler says calmly when we get into the house from shopping with Mrs. Kathryn.

"What is it?" I ask. He takes my hand and starts pulling me to his bedroom.

"Keep the door open!" Kathryn calls.

He walks straight into his room and shuts the door, leaving it open just a tad.

He pulls a tiny wooden box from his pocket.

"I stole these from my Mom." He whispers.

"Tyler." I gasp.

Tyler doesn't steal!

He points to the bed, a painful but excited glint in his eyes.

I sit down on his bed.

He gets down on one knee in front of me and opens the box.

A diamond ring sits in it, along with a gold chain.

"What is that?" I ask, wide-eyed.

"This is my parents engagement ring. My Dad said the son who gets engaged first gets it. The chain is what my Mom got my Dad when they got engaged, so he didn't wear a ring until he was married."

I frown.

"So why do you have it?"

"Let's get married." He says.

"Tyler! We're only fifteen!"

"I know that." He says calmly. "But who cares? I have the ring. We get engaged now. When you turn eighteen, you come back to Arizona. My parents will let you move in. We can get married at the courthouse and go to college together. It's only three years."

"We don't know what could happen in that time, Tyler. Why don't we save the rings and wait until we get reunited. I know we will once day. Let's hide them."

He frowns, but then he nods.

"Okay.

He leaves the rings in their boxes and pulls out a notecard.

For Casey and Tyler, when they reunite

He scribbles the date on it, folds it up, and sticks it in the box.

Present day:

Kathryn knows. She already knows exactly what that box holds.

Without a word, she holds it out to me.

"I've rented you an apartment in Boston." She announces. "Preston and I had it furnished. Here is five hundred dollars to fill up your truck to get there. I spoke with a salon and the owner wants an interview. You have one month after you get there to get a job. Here are the keys." He drops a set of keys in my hand, along with the box. "Tyler loves you, Casey, and I know you know that. He left you so you would be happy."

"Tyler doesn't love me." I shake my head.

"He was with Sara for a year. He saw you and broke up with her without a second thought. He's single, lonely, and in love with you. I had your Mom pack your things while you were working, so you will go in your room and find that everything is in boxes. Please don't waste the money, Casey."

I'm moving to Boston?

"When you get there, you let me know and I will text you the address of a good mechanic shop I know of to give your truck an oil change, and to give you tires for the snow. Please call us when you cross state lines."

Is she serious?

"Let's get the truck packed." She rubs her hands together.