Families had begun to occupy the hay bales and I was thankful I had arrived when I did.
“Do you mind if I sit then?” I motioned to the hay bale that she was already occupying.
“Of course not. Come sit.” She tapped the spot beside her.
“My aunt is working the face painting booth. This is the first time I have come and she invites me every year.”
“She relieved me just a bit ago. She told me you would be here and to look out for you.”
“I bet she did.” I smirked.
“The poor victims who had me paint their faces. It was pathetic. And every year I tell them to assign me to a different booth, but they always send me there.”
She moved a little closer to me and stretched her blanket out, offering me a corner of it. These little gestures meant so much that my heart ached a bit. I’d been in love before, but never with someone who wanted to care for me.
I stopped my thoughts in their tracks and got angry with myself for a minute, thinking about how my past girlfriend treated me, although I couldn't help but compare.
Kindness was overlooked so often, especially in my relationships.
I know, I know, I sound like a chick. Must be the scene around me. Thank God she can’t hear my thoughts.
I took a little bit of the blanket after a slight hesitation and looked up at her observing my face.
“Why do you look so shocked?”
“I’m not…I just didn't expect that you would offer me the blanket is all.”
“My grammy always says I am a mother hen. I guess I can’t really help it, since I got it from her.”
“I’m not complaining by any means. I’m just not used to it is all. My mom was caring toward me but she was never really hands-on. My aunt was the only one to really show me emotion or care for me in a way like that.”
“Sounds like you were pretty lucky to have her.”
“You can say that again. Boy, don't I know it.”
“I think a lot about how lucky I am to have had my grammy in my life. She put up with a lot from me…I was a hot mess and got into tons of trouble, rebelling as a teenager. I guess looking for what I never had in parents, but my life wouldn't have been the same without her. She is my angel. I could never repay her.”
“I find it hard to believe that you were a troublemaker. I actually was the exact opposite. I was the kid always wanting attention from my mother, which she gave me, when she wasn't busy doing her housewife clubs. It was never enough. My dad was never someone I strived to spend time with. My aunt stepped up to the plate and has been the most important person in my life for a very long time.”
“So I guess we were both lucky.”
“I guess so.”
The movie started and the introduction began to roll. The conversations all around us ceased and everyone was anticipating the movie.
The smell of kettle popcorn and coffee filled the air.
Sweet Home Alabama was never a movie I would have intended to see, but after tonight, I had a feeling it would be one of my favorites.
BREIGH
“Okay, ten more minutes and then I really do have to get going,” I said smiling, not wanting to leave any more than he did.
Who would have thought, sitting and watching a family movie in the town square on a pile of hay bales would have been this nice? I always enjoyed this night of the year, but not like this.
The movie ended over two hours ago. The crowds had cleared out and the only people remaining were the city crews cleaning up the square, preparing it for normal business tomorrow.
Grammy never showed up to sit with me to watch the movie, but instead walked over to me halfway through and said she had a friend taking her home. She had come down with a headache and was ready to get into bed.
Yeah, right. I didn't believe it for a hot second, but I wasn't going to argue with her. She had wanted me to find a man in my life, like my grandpa, and hated I hadn't begun to start my life with someone yet.
“So why have you never come to this before?” I asked, while admiring him in his sheriff’s uniform. I would lie if I said I didn't enjoy his body when he walked away in his fitted cargo pants when he did a coffee and M&M run. I don’t recall ever enjoying a uniform like I did Wyatt’s.
I had the blanket wrapped around me now to keep me warm.
“I’m usually working, but besides that, I just really didn't have an interest in watching a bunch of kids running around. It just seemed more like a family thing, and I don't have a family yet…hopefully, one day.”
“Then you want kids?”
“I’m not sure about all that. I’ll take it as it comes. I want to find a woman I can’t live without first.”
“And how’s it looking?”
“I haven't had much luck.”
“Yeah…”
The sky was breathtaking tonight. Stars were scattered without a cloud in the sky and I couldn't take my eyes off of it, except for when I looked at him. Mostly when he wasn't looking at me. There was something about his eyes that made me want to trust him. To want to know him. To want to take the steps to see if we could have something.
“All right, so totally out of the blue, I want to know something. You don't have to answer it if you don't want to, but I do feel at home in a way with you, like I could ask you anything and you aren't going to feed me a bunch of crap.”
I waited a minute to give him a
