To Not Let Go

Chapter Eleven

         "Reggie, what's wrong?" Swayde asked, concerned. 

          "Do you remember what we talked about last night?" Renne turned back to the breakfast that was cooking on the stove. Adding the finished bread pieces to the plate, Renne dropped more onto the hot griddle, making them sizzle loudly. 

         "Yeah, and I said that you should go." Swayde leaned against the counter, watching Renne as she worked. 

          "You do realize that we are talking about me going to Montana, a state like six hours away, for an unknown length of time?" Unsure why, but Renne felt herself becoming upset that Swayde seemed so chill and nonchalant at the mention of her leaving. 

         "Yes, I do realize that. Why are you so concerned about this?" Swayde asked, keeping his calm like usual. He reached down to the drawer beneath the oven when Renne stepped away from it for a second, pulling out a skillet, and adding the sausage links to it. 

           "Honestly, I don't know. I just expected you to be more concerned that I have to go back there." Renne took a breath, calming down even more when Swayde rested a hand on her back, comfortingly. 

         "I know, sweetheart. I'll miss you when you're gone, but I understand that you have a business to run, and part of that business is in Montana. We both knew that with you moving back here, it would include you havin' to make the occasional trek there." He flipped the small sausage links over in the skillet.

         "You're right. Thank you for being so understanding." Renne grinned. Just then, a thought popped into her mind. "Oh my gosh. Why didn't I think of this before?" She turned to him, resting a hand on his bicep. "Swayde, what if you came with me? We could make the trip together." A smile rose to her lips.

          "Did you really think I would let you go by yourself anyways?" Swyade winked, teasing. "I'm glad you asked, because I was goin' to ask you if you wanted me to come along anyways. Yes, I would love to join you." A smile rose to his lips, the kind of smile that made his dimple on his left cheek wink at Renne. 

          "Seriously? You would do that? What about your ranch?" Renne flipped over the pieces of french toast. 

       "Don't worry about that. I have friends who can watch it for me. No worries." Swayde waved a hand in the air. "So, when we leavin'?" 

        With the look in his eye that Renne gave him, it made her want to take off with him right there and then, but just then all of her nieces came running into the kitchen, with Taylor right behind them. 

        "Y'all wash up, and take a seat at the table. Breakfast is almost done." Renne voiced, surprised the kids listened to her the first time. Lining up at the kitchen sink, Renne watched with a smile as each kid soaped up and washed their hands, obediently taking a seat around the kitchen table. It made her know that they had to be hungry, or maybe they were finally learning that they had to listen to their aunt and uncle the first time they asked something of them. Renne turned off her burned on the stove, carrying the full plate of french toast over to the table. Swayde, grabbing the syrup from the fridge, took his plate of sausage links with him as well. 

        "Let's say a prayer, then we can eat." Swayde, sitting at the head of the table, held his hands out, and for a few seconds, the kitchen was completely silent, then Swayde started his prayer. "Thank you, Father, for allowing us to be able to spend this time together. I pray that today will be a great day for all of us, and that we will get done what you want us to get done. Bless this food we are about to eat, and help it to nourish our bodies. We thank you for this day. In your name we pray, Amen." Everyone joined in the closing word in unison, making Swayde smile before he let go of Taylor and Hope's hand. 

       All too soon, breakfast was gobbled up, the dishes cleaned and put away, the kids packed up and in the truck, on their way back to their dad. The ride was much quieter than Swayde, or Renne had expected. Maybe, perhaps, the kids were worn out from their fun weekend with their Aunt and "Uncle." 

        Turning around in her seat to look behind her, Renne grinned. "So, it looks like this will be the last weekend that y'all spend with Auntie Renne and Uncle Swayde before goin' back to school. Are you guys excited to go back?" 

      Susan looked up from her book to nod ecstatically, Taylor kicked Swayde's seat and acted like he would throw a temper tantrum, MJ seemed like she didn't care either way, and Hopie clapped her hands, repeatedly saying, "Yes!" 

      "Well good. School can be a lot of fun. I know I miss it sometimes." Renne tried to make conversation, just as Swayde pulled into Doug's house. 

       Thankful that the doors were locked on his truck because of how quickly the kids tried to jump out, Swayde put his truck into park and unbuckled his seat belt before unlocking the doors, letting the kids jump out and run to their house quicker than a bucking bull from a chute. 

       "Guess they're excited to be home." Swayde chuckled, shrugging his shoulders, glancing at Renne. 

       As they exited the truck, Swayde grabbed Renne's hand as they meandered their way up to the house. Just as they were walking onto the porch, Doug exited his house, his youngest daughter on his hip. 

      "Hey, man. How are you?" Swayde dropped his girlfriend's hand to shake Doug's. 

      Letting out a breath, Doug smiled; it was the first one that Swayde or Renne had seen for months. "I'm doin' really good, actually." Setting Hope down on the ground, Doug bent down to be eye level with his daughter. "Why don't you go see what Susan is doin'?" Seeing his daughter smile, giving him a hug before she ran off into the house, it made Doug smile. Standing back up straight, he said, "I seriously cannot thank you guys enough for takin' the kids this weekend. It really helped me a lot." 

       "It's our pleasure." Swayde grinned. 

       "We really enjoyed having them again. And we mean it when we say anytime you want them to come over, we are more than willing to watch them. Especially that school is starting up now. I don't mind driving them and picking them up from school, if need be." Renne offered. 

        "I will most certainly take you up on that sometime." Doug replied, sounding truly thankful. Behind them, somewhere in the house, a loud thud could be heard, followed by a loud shouting. "Well, I better get back in there, make sure that crash wasn't any of the kids gettin' hurt. I'll see y'all later. Thanks again." Doug gave the greeting as he entered back into the house. 

       With full hearts, and spirits high, Swayde and Renne walked hand and hand back to the truck, thankful for the time spent with the kids, but mainly glad it seemed like Doug was on the mend.