Nouveau

Chapter 65: Bridges

8 weeks ago....

Laive 

Pavement centered  by rustic and scenic landscapes seemed endless as L headed 85 mph driving I-90 and took the exit towards I-10. L grinned at Tremaine's breath evening in the passenger seat. They were on their way to her home town just cause MéMé fussed that L was going to forget who she was if she didn't return soon.

How right and wrong MéMé was concurrently.

Laive felt kind of bad that Tremaine was so willing to go. Knowing the drama that would come along with it, L wanted him to put up a fight or not be as interested. She practically refused to be around his family for the holidays. Too shamed to admit she didn't hold a place with her family at that time. Baby girl tried convincing him she could go alone, and if L needed anything, she wouldn't hesitate to call. Tremaine didn't take no for an answer, and cancelled all his plans.

L shook her head while driving over the upcoming city's overpass, Overprotective ass.

But Laive evolved to better. Everything wasn't always a fight or a long ending road to denial. And learning how to be present for Tremaine, just as he was for her, came with it's rewards. The accomplishments of feeling, showing, and saying she was in love were finally catching up.

Making a pit stop to one of her favorite locations, baby girl smiled putting the car in park. She was about to get more than her fair share of fried boudin balls and fresh cracklin.

"You good?" Tremaine's half awaken voice jolted her brain back to reality watching as he at wiped the sleep from his face.

"Yes babe," Laive grinned. "Remember when I told you about those boudin balls and cracklins?"

She'd described them as home in a bag. Boudin uncased, battered into round balls, and deep fried to perfection. L gushed that cracklins were fresh fried pork belly. Nothing like the dehydrated and weak skins sold in the corner store. Cracklins made of tender well seasoned meat and fresh crispy top skin. Said it was something Tremaine had to try in order to understand.

Laive indulged in memory, "A blessing in every bite."

The excitement anticipated beat both her feet's pace to the ground with dirt mixed gravel. Taking in seldom sounds of a nearby overpass, the small town they'd stopped in still managed to keep its cajun country flair. The building proceeded by southern charm was not a typical brick and mortar. From wooden horizontal beams surrounding the outside to a notable screen door and windows, even on down to the huge steel porch covering that offered shade from the Louisiana sun. It looked more like some sort of old style bayou home than a store front.

Tremaine softly caught Laive's wrist on the exit away from the car. Her body didn't expect the quick halt in direction, and L ended up face to face with her love. His right hand cupped behind her nape as Laive looked into his eyes confused of the need of affection in that moment.

Tremaine

"Where you goin'?" He asked.

"Move!" Laive grinned and pushed away Tremaine's  embrace. Knowing he'd always get on her about moving so fast and not letting him be a southern gentlemen like his Mumma and Grandma raised him to be.

They decided to fly in to New Orleans, and take the 4 hour road trip to the place L used to call home. It wasn't the closest airport, but the flight was almost a grand cheaper.

During Christmas, Tremaine confessed that he wanted to marry Laive while his momma damn near jumped out of her skin that Eve. The grin that swept his cheeks when recalling Momma doing a little dance in the kitchen that day was brief. She exhaled tears that she was happy for him.

He'd relinquished the holidays with a clear vision of what needed to be accomplished. Tremaine thought about what Laive's face would look like when he would make her a fiancé into the new year. Hell, he even thought about if L would say no.

It was also on his mind how to ask L's family for her hand in marriage. Would they sabotage it or try and ruin the moment? Tremaine didn't have a clear answer. All he knew is he wanted to do right by Laive. How bad could it be trying to do things the traditional way and have her family's blessing? Tremaine exhaled in a silent prayer.

He would just have to wait and see.