This is going to be good. I just finished reading the book yesterday…er…at 1 AM this morning, so I just HAD to write a story about it. I got excited when they mentioned Greensboro in the book because, well, I live there…here… It's really cool.
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I do not own The Truth About Forever
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The Truth about the Truth
I sighed as I pulled my car into the driveway. Friday. Freedom. It was the last day of my junior year at college. I decided to go to UNC Chapel Hill while I convinced Wes to go to Guilford College. That took a lot. After being accepted to Bennett College for Women, Wes seemed to think college was a joke.
On weekends, when I would be home, we'd spend time together catering with Wish, but other than that, between studying and other small things that always seemed to pop up and demand attention, I barely saw him. But thinking about it, the last four years I'd known him—and dated him—had been the best, even if I barely saw him during the school year.
Now it was different. It was summer. I had to wait until Sunday before Wes was done with exams, though. But by the time the end of the weekend came, it'll feel like it had been months. Months of classes, studying, tests, and exams. We both came home for Winter break and spent nearly every day of it together. But the summers were always the best. Since we saw each other more in the summer than any other time of the year, we had been playing a single game of Truth. It was the same game we had been playing since my freshman year when he won by asking me who I'd rather get in bed with, him or my favorite actor at the time. And so, just to tease him, I'd said pass.
I sat in my car and stared at the angel that now sat next to the front door—a Christmas gift from Wes two years ago. It was an angel with wings made from sheet metal. In her hands she held a heart made entirely from glass. Wes had never been much of a glass blower, but he'd done a good job with it.
I jumped when a light knock came from my window. My mind flashed back to the gotcha game. But this little guy, barely tall enough to reach the handle of the door to my car, wasn't around then.
I motioned for the two-and-a-half year old to back away from the door and pushed it open.
"Macy!" he squealed.
"Hey!" I swung my legs out and placed them firmly on the ground before scooping my nephew up and getting out of the car. "How are you today?"
He just grinned. He looked so much like my dad. I was sure that Caroline saw this too. Every time she looked at her son, it was clear she saw this.
"I'm home!" I called as I walked inside, my voice echoing softly off the walls of the quiet foyer.
I heard quiet murmurs from the kitchen, but both my mother and my sister shut up and grinned at me when I walked in.
"Hey," I said suspiciously. "You left this outside." I passed Brian to Caroline, who simply put him of the floor.
"Delia called about a half an hour ago," my mom said to me "She needs some help tonight at 7:30 and tomorrow night. She told me to tell you to call Kristy if you have any questions."
"Okay," I muttered, heading toward the phone. The muttering started as soon as I left the room. I tried to hang back for as long as I could without them being suspicious in hopes of hearing what they were talking about. But they must have caught on because there was a short pause, and then they started talking a little louder about ways to keep a house cooler or warmer.
My hand hovered over the phone as I tried to remember Kristy's cell number. It was 6 PM on a Friday. No doubt, she was going to a party. I realized how long it had been since I'd seen her last.
"I'll be back to unpack in a few hours," I said loudly from the foyer, picking up my keys. "I need to go someplace."
I didn't wait for an answer before I flew out of the house, pausing to smile at the angel, and then shot out of the neighborhood.
—x—
I grinned when the door swung open, revealing the back of Kristy's head.
"Monica!" she yelled. "Get off your lazy ass and help me pick something out!"
"Bettaquit," she muttered from another room.
"Hey," I said, not sure if my presence was known yet. I shoved my hands in my pockets as she whirled around to face me. She looked the same. Except she looked frazzled. A side of her that was rarely ever seen.
"Macy!" she yelled "Thank God you're here! I'm having a wardrobe crisis!"
I felt myself being yanked into the house. I waved to Monica just before I was pulled down the hall and thrown onto her bed. I looked around the room. Everything seemed the same, except that it was cleaner, more organized.
"I'm trying to go for an I'm-super-sexy-but-sorry-I'm-taken look without anything that may say I'm-taken-but-willing-to-cheat. So should I go with this—" she held up a denim miniskirt and a dark, wine colored halter with a low neckline. "—or this—" she held up a pair of tight, dark wash jeans and a simple black tank top.
I though for a minute, crossing my legs and placing a finger on my chin. "How about the tank with the skirt? It's summer. Jeans will be too hot."
"Perfect!" She gave me a hug and ran off to change. My eyes skimmed the show rack in the closet, knowing those were next. My eyes landed on a pair of black, sparkly sandals and I pulled them out. "Oh, I like those!" She exclaimed, ripping them from my hand. I smiled, whipping the surprised look off my face, and turned toward her. "What have I done with out you?"
It was then that I realized how much they had changed me for the better. My brain retained a lot of things I'd learned over the years of knowing them. Not just academically, but, in other ways, too. I knew one thing, and one of the only things that mattered. I was happy. I was finally, truly happy.
"So," I started conversationally as she readied her hair and make-up. "Where are you headed tonight?"
"I'm going out on a date with this guy I met a few months ago. Then when that's over, we're going to a party at his friend's house." She glanced at me. "I'll be going with you guys to cater tomorrow night. It's just, this is the last night that Brandon is in town."
"What time is Monica leaving?"
"She's heading to Delia's house as soon as I leave." She capped her lipstick and turned around, her hands smoothing out her skirt. "You gunna help out tonight?"
"Yeah," I replied with a small smile. "I mean yes. She's going to need all the help she can get. I mean, with you and Wes gone."
"Yeah. Oh, I should probably tell you. Delia started making a checklist because a few months ago she broke the record for the most things forgotten in one month. So before you guys leave you go over this checklist twice."
"We've never had a job this late before," I mumbled randomly.
She laughed. "Yeah, somebody's anniversary. The comets are passing tonight."
"Oh."
She glanced at the clock. "Alright. How do I look?"
I smiled. " Like you're super sexy, yet apologetic because you're taken."
She laughed again and I followed her down the hall.
"I should be back before eleven," she told Monica, who turned off the TV and stood up.
"You ready to go?" I asked her, shoving my hands into my pockets again. I realized I wasn't exactly wearing uniform after Monica was staring at me for a few seconds. "It was short notice. I didn't have time to unpack anything."
"Mmm-hmm," came her standard response. I sighed and stepped out into the night, heading toward the house back in the woods.
"Macy!" I began to think that I should have been counting how many people had called out my name in excitement in the last hour alone.
"Hey, Bert!" he calmly walked out of the house and right up to me. He had definitely shot up since I'd met him. He picked me up easily.
"Delia's inside the garage taking inventory of the car and everything in it."
"Aw," I said, feigning sadness, as we walked toward the garage. "No more chaos?"
"Oh," Delia laughed. "There'll be chaos, but we'll just have everything." I smiled. This felt like a second family. Except they weren't gossiping, falling silent when I entered the room. "How are you?"
"I'm pretty good."
Delia turned to check a few more things off her list when a girl walked out of the house.
"Macy, you haven't met our newest recruit yet," Bert said, now standing in front of me. "This is Alyssa, my girlfriend."
"Aww," I teased. The brunette blushed and handed tongs to Delia.
"Great," Delia shouted. She slammed the door shut. "I think we're ready to go." She paused, looking at me.
"I just got back," I mumbled. "I haven't unpacked anything yet."
"Right. Let's go, then."
On our way out, I caught a glimpse of something that shouldn't have been there. As the headlights swept over the trees. I caught sight of a certain truck that shouldn't have been there until the end of the weekend. I felt my heart pick up, but decided that, instead of asking then what he was doing back, I'd ask him himself and make him explain.
—x—
The night started good. Then, with it being so dark, I tripped over a rock and sliced the side of my hand on the broken screen door. Other than that, and Monica dropping her tray, the night went smoother than it had ever been.
The drive back was silent. I hadn't said much at all for fear of blurting out the question that was bouncing off the edges of my mind all night like a little kid on Halloween.
Since I'd been so quiet, I'd given myself plenty of time to think. Think about why, if he really were back early, he would lie to me. I'd already thought up many scenarios. Such as him cheating on me. But I had quickly dismissed that one after convincing myself (not a hard thing to do, since I knew him so well) that he wasn't that kind of guy.
Then my mind fluttered to the last time we'd talked. We were playing Truth. I had asked him when he was getting back. He'd responded with May 4th. That was Sunday.
"Ill drop you off here, it's kinda late." Delia's soft voice snapped me out of my daze.
"Thanks," I muttered, ignoring her when she called my name as I shut the door.
My mom, Caroline, and Brian were fast asleep when I walked through the house at 10:00.
I quietly walked into the kitchen, looking for a snack, when I noticed my phone on the counter. I smacked my forehead and reached for it when I realized I'd left it in the car when I got home.
2 MISSED CALLS
1 NEW
MESSAGE
Oh goody, I thought sarcastically. As soon as I saw the numbers, I smiled. Oh goody, I thought a little more excitedly.
"Hey," his recorded voice greeted. "Call me when you get back. I tried calling but your phone was off, so I called your house but you weren't home. So call me when you get in."
I dialed the number I knew by heart and he picked up on the third ring.
"Hey," he breathed into the phone.
"What are you doing?" I questioned after hearing a tingling and rustling in the background.
"I'm trying to pack my truck." The truck. Right.
"Ah. I can't wait for you to get home. Those men would not quit groping me today. Hopefully they won't be doing that tomorrow night." I laughed in my head, imagining his face.
"What?" he sounded alarmed. "I thought you were catering tonight and tomorrow!"
"I'm just kidding. But seriously, who takes an exam on a Saturday? And who told you about the catering?"
He sighed in relief. "I called Delia earlier."
"Sure you did," I accidentally muttered out loud.
"What's that supposed to mean?" He sounded suspicious…and hurt.
"Uh, nothing. Never mind. It was something my mom wrote on the fridge. Listen, I have to go. I'm completely wiped. I'll see you Sunday, okay?"
"Okay."
"Love you."
"Love you, too."
—x—
Saturday passed, slowly but surely. I felt like I was waiting for Christmas on Christmas eve. But it passed. The next thing I knew, my light was out and I was lying in bed, waiting. Waiting for sleep to take over, waiting for Wes to 'come home'. Waiting.
As I was waiting, I saw headlights spread across the wall in front of me and stay there. A minute or so passed and I decided to see who was there. But as I rolled over, the car left.
After pondering that for an hour and a half or so, I was finally able to fall asleep.
—x—
I opened the front door, Brian on my hip, and walked out to get the Sunday paper. But when I walked back, I saw a letter. The letter was wedged in between the heart and the angel's hands. I plucked it out and headed inside.
"What that?" Brian asked, taking it from my hands.
"Mommy's," Caroline took it from her son and walked away. "Or not," I heard her mutter from behind me.
"Is that for Macy?" My mom asked excitedly, taking Brian from me and placing him on the ground. Brian fell to his butt and began sucking his thumb. I picked him back up again.
"What's it matter?"
"It just does," she said with authority, handing me the white envelope as Caroline took Brian away from me.
I opened the envelope and my eyes skimmed the text.
Macy,
I got back
early. Meet me outside your house at 7.
-Wes
I glanced at the clock. It was only 10 AM.
"What's it say?" Caroline looked over my shoulder.
"He got back early. You mean Friday?"
"No," my mom said from the kitchen. "From what I heard, he was supposed to get back later tonight, wasn't he?"
"Oh," was my response.
So there I sat, at 7:30 on my porch, making sure the words were right. I had just began to wonder whether he meant 7 AM, when I saw his truck I felt myself get excited; my stomach dropped like I was on a rollercoaster and my heart sped up.
I jumped up off the steps and ran to him. The truck was barely stopped and I was already in it. I had surprised him.
"Sorry I'm late I had to—"
But I cut him off. I mean, I was excited to see him. More than ever. Usually we got home the same day, but this time he was two days late—or so he says.
I pulled away when I needed air, and I felt my face turn red.
"I missed you, too," he chuckled, pulling away from my house. After a few minutes of silence, he asked, "So who's turn is it? Yours or mine?"
"Mine. But I have one new rule I want to put into effect for the rest of the day."
He grinned. "I do, too."
"Me first. I want it to be this: You can't pass. At all. The rest of the day. You have to answer, as much as you don't want to."
"Wow."
"What?" I glanced at him. He was smiling.
"That was the rule I wanted to place," he laughed. "Anyways, your turn."
"Okay. Why was your truck home on Friday?"
He was silent.
"You have to answer."
He sighed. "I didn't think you'd see it."
I was getting just a bit frustrated. He was avoiding the question. "But why was it there?"
"Because…I was…"
"You were home? Why would you lie?"
"No way," he glanced at me. "It's my turn. No follow up questions allowed."
"Fine."
"My question is…are you mad at me?"
"Yes," I blurted out, then regretted it.
"Macy," he mumbled. "Technically I didn't lie."
"Then what would you call it?" I asked angrily.
"Why are you getting mad over this? So I misunderstood when my exam was! Big deal! When you asked me, I honest to God thought that's when I would be home. Then when I—"
"Why didn't you call and tell me you were coming home sooner?" I felt my face turn red, but not like it did when I first got in the car. I felt it heat up with anger. "I've been so anxious these last two days."
"Because it worked out perfectly for something I've been planning to do for a while now," he said softly. I felt the car come to a stop in an abandoned parking lot.
"And just what," I asked, a little calmer now that he was explaining, "were you planning to do for a while now?"
He just looked at me.
"New rule. It's my turn," I quietly reminded him.
"Can I ask you—"
"Nuh uh," I grinned. "It's my turn! You have to answer me."
He faced forward and looked out the windshield, jamming a hand into his left pocket.
"My answer is…" he muttered to the setting sun, clear in front of us. It was a pretty view. We were parked in front of a lake with the forest just underneath the setting sun. "My answer is my question."
"Fine," I sighed. What's your question slash answer?"
He got out of the car and walked around to the front of the car, motioning for me to follow him.
"Wes?" I was currently questioning his emotional state. What was he doing?
"Macy Queen," he started. Uh oh. God what… "Will you marry me?"
Out of his left pocket, he pulled a ring.
And so I started crying. It was irrational, I knew, but I couldn't help it. I was crying too hard to answer, but I was able to smile and nod.
And then he was close to me, kissing me. In front of the pretty sight. Right after I was just yelling at him.
I felt terrible, but I knew it didn't matter. He loved me, and he wanted to be with me forever.
"I love you," he whispered to me. "So much."
Just like I wanted to be with him forever.
I pulled away from him. "So, my mom knew, then?"
"Yup. I asked for her permission on Thursday before I came home."
"And Kristy? And Delia?"
"Delia, but that's it. Maybe anyone she told…"
"I love you," I muttered, placing my ear to his chest and studying the rock that now lay on my finger, conceivable, until the end of time.
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Ending: Kinda corny. And maybe rushed. But this is what sat in my head all ay. Hope you like it. If I get enough reviews asking me, I MAY just make this a two-shot with the next chapter being the preparations for the wedding, and the wedding itself. But you have to ask and want it, or I won't waste my time.