CHAPTER TEN
Found myself today
Oh I found myself and ran away
Something pulled me back
The voice of reason I forgot I had
Fallon flipped through photo albums, waiting patiently for Gavin to get home from school. She had been going through the attic when she found these. Tears steadily streamed down her face as she turned the page, her heart wrenching when she seen a picture of Jeff. He was standing besides a cradle, beaming proudly. She remembered that day. He had built the cradle with his own two hands for Gavin, eager to welcome the new addition to their family.
She laughed brokenly at the next her eyes landed on. It was of her and Jeff standing in front of the house, both pointing directly into the camera and making funny faces. God… she missed him so much. She continued browsing the pictures, forcing herself to remember these moments, refusing to forget even a single thing.
All I know is you're not here to say
What you always used to say
And it's written in the sky tonight
"What're you lookin' at mom?" Gavin asked, walking onto the porch. He sat down on the swing beside her, peering at the album on her lap. "Is that… is that you and dad?" He asked softly.
"Yeah, this is us, when we were teens." She said, smiling and reaching down to trace the picture, glancing at her son. "We had just gotten back from the swimmin' hole that's just outside of Uncle Matt's place."
"You guys grew up together? How come nobody told me?"
"I guess we never thought too."
Gavin wrapped his arm around her, resting his head on top of hers, smirking when she growled. "I can't help it your short, mom. Tell me about you and dad, please?"
So I won't give up
No, I won't break down
Sooner than it seems life turns around
And I will be strong
When I'm standing in the dark I'll still believe
Someone's watching over me
"Well…"
"Fallie, come back here!"
Laughing, 16 year old Fallon ran even harder, hugging Jeff's diary tightly to her chest. Her bare feet flew over the grass as she skirted a tree.
Growling, Jeff tackled her, pinning her to the ground with his body, his green eyes on fire. "Give it back."
"No."
"Now."
"Make me." She teased, holding the diary even tighter.
"Uh, mom-" Gavin interrupted. "Does this story end in things that are illegal for minors?"
"Oh yeah."
"Different one, please."
"I'm gonna shoot you both!" Matt screamed, flying out of the house with his BB gun in hand.
"RUN!" Jeff hollered, all but shoving Fallon behind his dad's truck. "Matt, it was a joke!"
"Ya'all shaved my head! I'M BALD!"
"Fallon giggled wildly, clamping her hands over her mouth, snorting through her fingers. Matt had been snoring away on the couch when she and Jeff had proceeded to use one of Gilbert's straight edged razors and… well, Matt would definitely be needing sun block this summer.
"Damn!" Jeff groaned, poking his head up only to duck again, a bb whizzing by. "Matt! Truce!"
"Not until I get both you-"
"Matthew Moore, stop shooting at your brother and Fallie. Boy, what did you do to your hair?"
Fallon and Jeff dissolved into another round of giggles behind the truck.
I've seen that bright light
And it's shining on my destiny
Shining all the time
And I won't be afraid
To follow everywhere it's taking me
"You guys really shaved him bald?" Gavin chortled, tears stinging his eyes as he tried to imagine Matt without his customary brown locks. "Really?"
"Balder than bald."
"Mom, how come you and dad never got married?"
Fallon sighed heavily, looking back down at the picture she had stopped on, a picture of her, Matt and Jeff. Matt sporting his bald head. "We never were in a hurry, honey. We figured we had all the time in the world and when the time was right, we'd know and we'd marry then."
Gavin nodded slowly.
All I know is yesterday is gone
And right now I belong
To this moment
To my dreams
Matt parked behind Fallon's jeep, blinking when he heard her laughing along with Gavin. That was a sound he hadn't heard for years. Wondering if maybe he was dreaming, he slowly got out of his car, walking around to look at them.
"Hey Matt." Fallon greeted when she seen him. "Come on up, we're just looking at old pictures."
"Bald pictures." Gavin snorted.
It took Matt several moments to realize what his nephew was talking about, finally turning red and bounded onto the porch, ripping the picture from Gavin's hand and staring at it. "You didn't…"
"She told me all about it, baldie."
Matt groaned, taking the photo album from Fallon and leafed through it. "I forgot about some of these."
So I won't give up
No I won't break down
Sooner than it seems life turns around
And I will be strong
Even if it all goes wrong
When I'm standing in the dark I'll still believe
Someone's watching over me
Kane watched as Fallon and Jalyssa talked animatedly together, shaking his head. He could hear Shadow hollering after their two year old daughter -Cadie- and grinned. He'd been so surprised when Fallon extended invitations to him and Shadow, Steve and Jalyssa along with their three month old twins to come over for a barbecue.
"Big change in her, isn't there?" Matt asked with a grin as Kane joined him by the grill. He glanced at Gavin and Dante. "Alright boys, enough."
"Aww man." Dante groaned, lowering the paint ball gun he'd been aiming at Gavin.
Gavin waited until Dante's back was turned before shooting.
"SUMBITCH!"
All heads turned as Dante tackled Gavin to the ground, the two teenagers beginning to throw punches.
Fallon shook her head when she seen they were both grinning, trying not to smile herself.
It doesn't matter what people say
And it doesn't matter how long it takes
Believe in yourself and you'll fly high
And it only matters how true you are
Be true to yourself
And follow your heart
"Hey, am I late?"
"Chris!" Fallon squealed excitedly, running from Jalyssa to jump into his arms. She laughed as he spun around with her. "Oh lord, now I'm dizzy."
Chris' blue eyes sparkled in the sunlight, pleased to see the change in her. She looked so much better, so much healthier. He fingered the streaks of blue running throughout her short hair. "This looks familiar."
"Gav seen old pics of me and thought it'd look neat. I tried telling him at thirty-seven I'm a bit old for this but…" She shrugged.
"You don't look a day past twenty-five." He teased.
"Flirt."
"Hey, Uncle Matt, what's up with mom and Chris?" Gavin demanded after pushing Dante away, walking over to stand next to his uncle.
"They used to date."
"Are they datin' now?"
"I don't think so."
"What ever happened to… you know, that idea of yours."
"He wouldn't do it."
"Why not?"
Matt sighed, flipping the steaks, staring at Fallon. "He loves her too much to hurt her again I suppose."
So I won't give up
No I won't break down
Sooner than it seems life turns around
And I will be strong
Even if it all goes wrong
When I'm standing in the dark I'll still believe
Fallon listened as Jalyssa chattered on about her babies, spooning macaroni salad into her mouth and nodded, wondering just how the hell she had wound up friends with this woman who had professed to hate her so many times. "You know, a little baby oil will take care of that cradle cap, or some olive oil." She suggested when Jalyssa lamented over it.
"Really? I tried Head and Shoulders like the pediatrician said but it made them break out… It looks like they have cornflakes on their heads."
"I used olive oil on Dante." Shadow volunteered, holding Cadie on her lap, trying to get the toddler to eat something besides cookies.
"I used it on Gav too."
Steve shook his head. "They're babies, it ain't harmin' them none so let them be."
All three women just rolled their eyes at him.
Kane just exchanged grins with Matt, aware Gavin was grinning too.
Somehow, Fallon had stopped mourning and started living.
That I won't give up
No I won't break down
Sooner than it seems life turns around
And I will be strong
Even if it all goes wrong
When I'm standing in the dark I'll still believe
That someone's watching over me
Someone's watching over
Someone's watching over me
Oh yeah, oh
Someone's watching over me