Dancing in the Florida Sun (Completed)

2- FS Hard to Stay

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     "I can't believe you would move with my kid to Florida!" Tyler shouted at Brooke. "I realize your mom's death is a huge loss. I'm trying to be sensitive here, but come on, you're going to have to suck it up and make Memphis work, that's too far!" he huffed out, waving his hands in the air. "Good grief, your step mom is a stay at home mom; live with your dad and she can help with Noah. Just don't take him to Florida, I'll never see him. It's hard enough coming in from Nashville as it is. Med school is too demanding for me to give up any more time than I do." Tyler's face was red with anger and frustration. "Won't you receive this house and whatever your mom had in savings? Surely you can stay here and afford child care with that."

     "You're making a huge assumption. My mom didn't have much in savings, and I think she still owes a lot on this house, so that's a moot point."

     "Whatever." He shook his head. "And how can we consider marriage, if you're living all the way down there?"

     "Hmph," Brooke rolled her eyes while dropping to the sofa. He had mentioned, before Noah's birth, that they would see how their relationship was after he was born and consider marriage. Since that time he periodically dangled it in front of her like a carrot to keep her going, but never had he mentioned specifics or made it official. She knew he would blow up about this, but she needed help with Noah, and wasn't comfortable enough with her dad and step mom to live with them. She certainly couldn't afford a place on her own. As she stared at the man she had loved for over three years, she realized that he was never going to choose her. She had hoped that when he thought she might leave the state, he would step up and finally ask her to marry him, officially. It would be tough making ends meet while he was in medical school, but they would manage. The problem was that his "plan" had been messed up the moment she announced she was having his baby. He'd been wishy-washy about their relationship ever since. She decided to challenge him. "So you're asking me to marry you? If we get married soon, then obviously, I won't need to move."

     Time seemed to stand still as she waited for his response. Before Noah, they had plans for a future together. Would he claim that future? Would he claim them? Sure the plans would have to change a bit, they had a child, but he had once treated her like she was his world. Couldn't they get that back? She looked into his deep blue eyes, the ones that always melted her and pulled her under. Watching him rake his fingers through his dark brown hair, she felt as though she couldn't breath. It shouldn't be this way, he should be sweeping her off her feet, begging her to marry him. Maybe, just maybe, this time he would see it. She watched him hopefully.

     "Well, no, not right now." Tyler shifted on his feet and looked at the floor. "I'm still not in a good place for marriage and a baby. You know that. I've got school loans for what my scholarships don't cover, and you certainly don't make enough to live on." Looking back up, his brows drew up in anger. "Why do I always have to rehash that with you?"

     The spell was broken. "By the time you're in a good place financially, Noah's going to be in grade school. You've still got two and a half years of medical school, then a minimum of 5 years of residency for surgery, when you still will make next to nothing. What am I supposed to do? Wait around forever while you decide if we're worth it. You've made it very clear that we are not! I realize that med school keeps you busy, but you rarely come here to see us, and when I offer to go there you usually blow me off."

     "Exactly! I'm always swamped with my studies! You can't hold that against me!"

     "I would expect nothing less than you pouring yourself into your studies, but you make no room for us at all. I've told you before that we could stay for the weekend and be there to spend together-time when you took breaks. Noah is a quiet little boy, you would hardly know he was there. For that matter, you never had to choose Vanderbilt in the first place! You were offered a full scholarship to UT here in Memphis where we have our parents to help with childcare! But no, it wasn't prestigious enough!"

     It hurt to constantly put her feelings on the line, only to be rejected again, but for Noah's sake she felt like she had to try. She certainly wouldn't force it, though, she knew from her parents the outcome of that. Her mom always told her to make sure the man she married treasured her and was head over heels for her, and never to marry for convenience or to someone who didn't make her feel like a queen. Clearly Tyler no longer treated her that way, but it was hard to accept.

     Tyler glared at her. "Whatever! It's too late to change now. Stop making this so difficult." He seemed to relax, and reached out to touch her shoulder. He spoke more softly, "Just stay in Memphis...please."

     Brooke's head dipped down. "It's too hard to stay. I need this. I need to get away." She looked up and saw his face tense again. "It doesn't have to be permanent. But it's what I need for now. It won't take much more time for you to get to us. Direct flights from Nashville are just under two hours, plus add the time at the airport and getting there, and you're about equal to the three and a half hours it takes to get here." She knew that time wasn't the real issue. If he wanted to see them, he would make time. That's part of why she needed to get away. Being so close just allowed her to get her hopes up that they would work out. After all this time with so little effort on his part, she needed to move on. Florida would give her a fresh start, and a chance to move past all of the things that were hurting her: memories of her mom, seeing her dad and his happy new family, and the constant hope that maybe Tyler would put Noah and her first.

     The bright Florida sun always seemed to bring happiness, and that's what she needed. She texted her grandmother, then looked up at Tyler, "Thanks for taking the time to come and talk. Grams is on her way back from the neighbor's with Noah, so you two can have some time." She paused and breathed deeply. "We will be going to Florida next week."

     Tyler shook his head and huffed. "Whatever. I won't fight it. I'm sure you'll get your way. With your dad and his law firm behind you, there's no way I'd have a chance." His face reddened as he narrowed his eyes at her.

     Brooke stood up and walked to the window, staring out at the gray skies. She felt a tear slide down her cheek. There was no use in arguing, but she knew it wouldn't matter whether they were in Kissimmee, Florida or Memphis, Tennessee. Either way they would rarely see or hear from him.