-Chapter 2-
"Uh, hey there May-Alice. I, uh, heard you was out here alone today and was probably needing some company." Rennie tipped his hat toward her and awkwardly made his way to the couch where May-Alice sat in silence. He gave a slight chuckle as a crimson streak ran across his face. He eyed her nervously, not quite sure as to where he should sit in case he ended up too close or possibly not close enough. Rennie fiddled with his hat, continually passing it between hands. He cast her a timid glance, trying to judge her reaction.
"Rennie, I thought perhaps you'd forgotten the way out here." She tilted her head toward him and looked up through her eyelashes effecting a demure look. She saw him clear his throat and shift shyly. The sight of his discomfort gave her pause before she let out a light snicker.
"Uh, well you know May-Alice, this here's a busy time for me. Them tourists been wanting to stay out to the bayous sun up to sundown. Gotta go out while the interest is extra high. 'Sides, I couldn't forget where you is, May-Alice." He said the last part in a lighter tone trying to hide his embarrassment.
She gingerly reached out and laid her fingers on his forearm dragging her fingernails lightly across his skin. The tingles her fingers left in their wake was mesmerizing and she felt goosebumps raise in response. Her breath caught as she felt him move closer while taking her hand in his. She found herself stroking small circles across his thumb while savoring the feel of callouses on his skin. A soft hum rolled through the back of her throat as her eyes closed while she tried to steady her breathing. Rennie leaned closer to May-Alice and she thought her heart stopped a moment when his breath blew across her ear.
"May-Alice, you, uh got any lemonade or maybe some iced tea?"
She was shaken out of her reverie by the removal of Rennie's hand as he lifted himself from the couch. She watched as he made his way to the kitchen and sat in sadness until he poked his head around the corner. "Can I get you some, May-Alice? Getting pretty hot out there." He flashed that crooked little smile that turned May-Alice into mush, and all she could do was nod demurely.
Returning with two glasses filled with iced tea, Rennie sat down once again, this time a mere inch or two between them. May-Alice took a sip then placed the glass on the side table next to her. She allowed her hand to fall, gently grazing Rennie's thigh as it did. She coyly looked him in the eye before blushing and turning her head to the window. "I was outside earlier, it wasn't too bad but I could feel it would be changing soon. Took some pictures of a heron catching its lunch." She rambled on, stopping and starting several times while trying to get her courage to ask the one thing she'd been thinking on for weeks.
"Why'd you really wait so long to come see me Rennie?" She didn't say it with anger or accusation, instead there was a hint of sadness he heard in her question.
They sat in silence for several minutes while Rennie collected his thoughts. He took so long to answer in fact that May-Alice thought perhaps he was thinking of walking out instead. She sighed and fiddled with her skirt's edge shooting him glances. The seconds felt like boulders falling over a cliff splattering themselves into minutes. As she was opening her mouth to once again speak, Rennie cleared his throat and angled his body toward her.
"I never wanted much from life. Hell I never thought I could get much from life anyway. I'd watch you with them friends uh yours. I always thought you had the most beautiful smile I'd ever seen. And when you'd laugh it was like bells being carried on the wind. I wanted to dance with you and take you away where I could listen to that laugh for hours, where no one could interrupt. I wanted your eyes to look at me like they are right now. Like I was the most important person you knew. You left and those dreams I had kinda went away. I settled for knowing I'd missed my chance. Then Arlene come along and she wasn't you but I laughed sometimes and she tried to save me with her smile. Them kids of mine was the closest thing to the happiness I felt when I thought about where my life could've gone. These last several years ain't been what I imagined but they was what they were. Then you come back here May-Alice and gawd help me but a part of me was glad you was in that chair. It meant you wasn't gonna leave me again. I been tormented with that for months now. Arlene got it when she say I'm going to hell, cause thinking something bad as what I been thinking ain't right. To know you would never choose me any other way made me mad. I ain't said no prayer in a long time but I sure as hell said thanks to the Man upstairs when He went and sent you back here. That first time I seen you smile and them eyes lit up, I knew I was in trouble. They wasn't gonna be no turning back if I came and seen you again May-Alice. You told me to come visit and I knowed what you meant and part of me said stop but the other louder part been yelling at me for weeks. It saying, why you ain't go seen that woman who lights a fire in you every minute of every day. Only thing keeping me away is I knew what could happen and a part of me don't want to be hurting Arlene. She trust me even though she think I'm a lost cause. You see my problem May-Alice?"
He ran his hand through his hair and took a few deep breaths to steady himself. His hands had developed a slight tremor and with each confession it had grown. Chancing a glance, Rennie aimed his gaze toward May-Alice. Instead of being met with emerald eyes he found so alluring, he saw instead her profile. May-Alice had turned toward the door in an attempt to calm herself. He was mesmerized by her still all these years later. Circumstances may have changed, but the same forbidden feelings lingered under the surface. He stared a moment before noticing a single tear role down her cheek. He strained to hear as a whispered tone floated back to him. "I'd choose you every time Rennie. Every time, no matter what."
She turned to face him and was taken aback by the earnest stare in his umber eyes. She hummed and with something stronger than she felt the words began to flow.
"Rennie, there are so many things I wish I could change. I wish I'd had the courage when I was younger to tell you how I felt. To let you know you weren't the only one dreaming. I didn't leave you, I left this place. I felt trapped and forgotten. I needed to get away to know what real adventure and living was. It wasn't until my accident I realized this was a life worth living. I felt an emptiness for years, always searching for something to fill it. When I saw you on the porch that day building the ramp, I knew it was you all along. I hate this chair. I hate the reason I'm in this chair but I understand why you said what you did. Part of me is still restless here and I feel like maybe I can't stay, but dammit Rennie when you smile at me or you look my way, I forget all of that. I want to make everything good again, but I can't change it. You have Arlene and she's everything I can't be. This body is useless in so many ways and I hate it." She banged her hands on her legs, not feeling their impact. With each hit the tears fell harder.
Her voice lowered and she gulped back air trying to keep the hiccups at bay. "I think of you all the time, Rennie. God help me I do. And I know it's wrong and I know you won't do anything you shouldn't, but I want you to. You're a good man no matter what Arlene thinks or says. But still, I want you to love me, I want you to kiss me, I want you to touch me and Lord help me, but I want to feel it."