My Old Friend

Chapter 38 (Summer 1984)

TIM POV: She's sparkling... Absolutely breathtaking... I can't help but freeze to admire her while Matt begins to rant about our offensive approach for the oncoming season. She looks back at me with a bright smile, as her natural blonde curls blow forward in the warm wind. She uses both hands to hold back her hair as she bites her lip, driving me nuts. Matt stops speaking and looks between the two of us quickly. 

"You're not even listening to a thing I say, are you?" He finally pipes out. I shake my head, and run over to her quickly, so I don't miss the moment. She smiles harder, and begins to laugh, with her arms extended out towards me. I pick her up, and kiss her vigorously, hardly being able to wait. She wraps her legs around my waist tightly, and places her hands along my jaw. 

"I love you..." She says breathlessly, pulling away for a second. I smile, and look at her lips and her complex eyes. She bites her lip, triggering my need for more. She begins to cackle again as I go in for more. 

"Get a room!" Nat screams, grabbing a beer from the cooler. Matt and her begin to strip to take a dip in the lake, trying to ignore our PDA. 

I put Audrey down gently. She and I look out at the mountains that surround the lake, before she looks back at me. Her hands straighten out my shirt collar as she begins to make plans. 

"We are going to build a house, and raise our kids here." She says, brushing off my shoulders and looking up at me. I smile. 

"Is that so?" I question, to be answered with her bright smile. She nods, and runs her fingers through my hair.

"And there will be a sunroom in there, and we will drink our coffee there every morning." She decides. She sounds like she has the whole idea set out. God, I love her... 

"What are we going to do when we are old?" I ask her, looking over gently to her. She smiles with the fireflies in her eyes as she looks up at the stars. She's incredible... We lay in the grass on the side of the lake and watch for shooting stars in the clear night sky. George Strait croons out of a distant radio. 

"We're going to be happy together..." She says, her voice filled with a sort of down-to-earth wonder. 

"What about when we are really old... What if you go first? Or what if I go first? What's going to happen if one of us gets sick or..." I begin to rant in a moment of panic about the uncertainty of our plan. 

"If I do get ill, you're going to stay by my side, because I hate being alone." She calmly explains, her voice sounding steady, firm, and confident.

"Okay." I agree with her plan. She smiles at me. "What else?" I want to hear her ideas for the future. I want to know what she wants for her life... I want to know what I need to do to make her happy 24/7.

"And if I can't walk anymore, you're going to wheel me around in the wheelchair, so I can still make it out to the lake." She continues, grasping tightly to my hand. 

"And if I can't talk, you're going to sing to me, and read to me." She places her head on my chest, letting the soft rumble of her voice tremble against my breast. 

"And if I can't see, you're going to describe things to me, like how our grandkids look." She wraps her arms around me as her voice becomes softer. I wrap my arm around her, pulling her in as close as possible.

"And if I can't hear, you'll hold my hand, and let me know that you're beside me." She says, shutting her eyes, and squeezing my hand once more.

"And when I can't feel anymore, you'll lay me down by the willow over there..." She concludes, her soft voice fading into the night. I shut my eyes tightly, before looking over towards the willow. 

"Why over there?" I ask. She smiles as if I've missed something. She looks at the stars, before turning her head towards me. 

"That's where you're going to kiss me in about three minutes, and then we are going to carve our names into it." She says, smiling and laughing. I begin to laugh too, as I agree with this section of her plan.

After we fulfill the first part of the plan, I pull out my swiss army knife and begin to carve out our initials in the thick bark on the willow. She sits on a branch and watches while taking a few moments here and there to peak up at the stars. 

"I want to stay here forever..." She says quietly, sounding more like a whisper. I smile at her, and watch as her gaze transfers to me. "I love you so much..." She says softly, placing her hand upon my cheek. I look up at her with a smile, and give her a quick kiss. 

"I love you too." I say, my deep voice sounding warm in the cool summer night. 

"How much?" She asks, teasing me. I laugh, and kiss her again. 

"More than the moon and stars." I announce, knowing it is a complete cliche. She laughs. 

"Nah, go deeper." She dismisses the corny line. 

"More than football." I say truthfully. Her smile appears triumphant as her importance is clear. 

"More than Matt?" She asks, raising her brow. I smile, and whisper in her ear. 

"More than anything or anyone." I say, kissing behind her ear. She wraps her arms lightly around me, seeming to be so delicate. I pull away, hoping to see the wonder in her eyes. Instead, a sort of fear is there. 

"What if something goes wrong..." She says quietly. I watch her face melt into tears as she begins to realize what's at stake. 

"Then I'll fix it." I assure her, cupping her chin in my hand. "You're everything to me... I'll never let something bad happen to you." 

"What if it happens to you?" She asks, sniffling. 

"Then I'll fight till it's over. I'll never stop fighting for you." I whisper, touching over foreheads together. She releases an exhausted laugh as the tears slip off her chin. 

"Wake me my lady, don't let me sleep. Open my eyes, to the wonders you keep. Let me look at you, see how you shine. I'll fall in love like I've done every time..." I sing to Audrey, watching her eyes gleam at me. What did I do to deserve a woman like that? 

"Lay me in soft green grass, down where the river runs. Under the mountain caps, gold with the setting sun. Walk me along the bay, beyond the verdant trees. Carry me with your grace. Forever comfort me..."