Love Endures All

Chapter 6: No Longer Sixteen

Over the next couple of months things were becoming a little more serious between us. We never did anything but hold hands, hug, kiss, and cuddle a lot. So for Valentine’s Day I decided it was time for the “L” word to end the night. On Valentines night Bryson and Sara went out, Brady and Jada went out so Jay and I decided to stay at my house and watch romantic movies and cuddle. In the middle of one movie I looked over at him. He blinked as he looked out the corner of his eye at me. “Why are you looking at me like that?” I put my hand on his face and made him look at me, “because I love you Jay.” He smiled and kissed my forehead, “I love you to Bailey.” When the movie was over and it was time for him to leave I walked out to his car with him. He leaned his back up against his car and I wrapped my arms around him. “Jay I meant what I said to you. I know and I meant it too; I love you Bailey with every beat of my heart,” he said as he put my hand on his chest. I closed my eyes and soaked it all in. I opened my eyes as he rubbed my cheek and then he leaned down and kissed me. We kissed for so long we lost track of time and my mouth ended up sore. “Go inside before you get sick. Okay, be careful driving home and I’ll see you tomorrow okay; bye I love you.” He smiled as he opened his door, “I love you too Bailey. Yeah, just remember who said it first.” With that I turned around and went back inside.

As I closed my door and fell on my bed my cell phone buzzed; it was Jay, “Hello…hey beautiful...what are you doing…I’m turning on to my road; do you want to come to my house to see meet my family again…I’d like that very much…It’s been a long time since you have seen my folks…I know I miss them…great. I’ll come pick you up in the morning and we can hang out all day…okay…I love you Bailey…I love you too Jay.” I closed my eyes and fell sleep.

In April the seniors and juniors started focusing on the prom. The date was set for the 2nd Saturday in May. The closer it got we started looking for Jay a tuxedo. I loved the color he chose. The pants and jacket was black, the shirt was white but the tie that my dress was going to match was a beautiful deep blue. I asked if the tuxedo place had a sample fabric of the same color so I could match the dress. The lady helping us gave me a square sample and then we ordered his tuxedo. A couple days later I found the perfect dress. The color matched perfectly and it had sheer fabric on both of my sides starting under my rib cages and stopping at my hips. I bought the dress on sale and got matching heels to go with it.

My birthday was the same day as prom so the boys decided to have a party for me the weekend before prom; which was perfect because I needed some advice from Sara and Jada. The boys were out back grilling when there was a knock at the door. I answered it to find a man standing there. “Can I help you? Bailey, it’s me your dad.” I backed into the door and the door knocked a picture off the wall and broke the glass. “I’m sorry to pop in on you like this but I wanted to see you on your birthday.” I had mixed emotions; glad to see him but also angry it took ten years for him to want to see me. I saw red. “Why now? Honey, I have always wanted to see you but your mom…” I interrupted him. “Don’t blame her because you left.” That’s when Sara and Jada went to get the boys. Bryson, Brady and Jay came in. “Dad, I remember the night you left so well. You tucked me in bed that night and kissed my forehead and told me you would see me in the morning but when I woke up you weren’t there.” Bryson walked up behind me and put his hands on my shoulders. “I think it’s time for you to leave.” He pulled a box out of a bag and handed it to me. I took it from him and he turned and left. I walked over to the couch and sat down and stared at the box. Jay sat down next to me, “are you okay?” I nodded my head. The boys went back outside. Sara sat down on one side of me and Jada sat on the other; we sat in silence for a little while.