A Summer's Dream

Chapter 27~Just One More Memory...

“You didn’t tell him??” Lucy nearly blew my eardrum out. The next morning her gaze shot lazerbeams through my forehead and she hadn’t stopped hounding me until I told her every detail. So I did. I explained how he wanted me to come to the treehouse and added how perceptive he was. I also explained how we talked the night away and not once did I utter a word that rhymed with dove.

“It never felt right.” I raised my shoulders and let them fall.

“It doesn’t matter how you feel. The fact is that he has to know!” She was dramatically leaning forward on the countertop, me by the cash register.

“But I don’t want to force anything. I want it to just be…”

“Natural?” Eleanor’s presence spooked me from behind, but she couldn’t have been more accurate.

“Yeah.” I felt defeated, as if I was being scolded by an adult and I knew I was wrong. But I don’t want to say those words just to say them. I want to mean them, right in that moment, and I want Terrence to understand just how much I mean them. Was that so wrong?

“Em, I don’t want you to think you have to run home and tell him right now.” She paused a moment, looking at me. “But I don’t want you to stall. I know you, even if you don’t think so. You never know when it’ll be your last moment. He has to know.”

I looked down. I knew that. And I also knew I was stalling. I couldn’t help it. Love wasn’t something I encountered every day. How are you supposed to proclaim your feelings to someone; just like that? Don’t proposals take months to plan? Granted I wasn’t proposing, but it was the same concept.

Pumpernickel.

“I know that look.” My face tilted upright and I tried masking my expressions. “You’re thinking of not telling him, aren’t you?”

Blast. Is everyone in the UK intuitive??

I felt an arm wrap around me and I looked over to see El, a kind smile on her face. “It’s not wrong to feel nervous. But what good do your feelings do if you don’t say anything?”

I swallowed whatever spit was inside my desert of a mouth and nodded.

~*~

The whole day was mundane and that small fact bothered me. It gave me nothing to occupy my mind with; nothing to keep me busy. Therefore, Terrence was all I could think about. The sun was hot on my back as I peddled home and I nearly burnt my hand off while opening the back door. The metal felt like molten lava and I’m sure it left a burn mark.

On top of that I spent far too much time in the shower. By the time I got out all the hot water was gone and my fingers looked like mini prunes. But it wasn’t my fault. I had lost track of time and I got soap stuck in my eye at least three times. Surely that warrants me some sort of pass.

After drying myself off I slipped on a pair of shorts and my black and white Franky shirt. It was one of my favorites and made me feel like the cat’s meow. I combed a little mascara onto my lashes and pinched my cheeks. After the whole charade of getting ready I skipped up the steps only to trip over myself at the sight of Terrence. He immediately made me feel embarrassed, no matter how confident I was moments ago. Kakki’s, a jean button up, and hair that splattered everywhere; just like my heart.

“Supper won’t be ready for a while Deary.” I looked over to see an apologetic Mrs. Holmes. “My nap went a little too long so I’ve got a late start. Why don’t you just go watch the telly with Terry.” I thought I saw a mischievous smile but decided against it. Surely she wasn’t that desperate…Right?