The Past
Hunter age eighteen
Grandpa Charlie pulls a small black velvet jewelry case from his pocket. I can tell it’s something serious from the grave expression on his face. “This belonged to your grandmother, boy. I’m giving this to you because that’s what she would want.”
Nodding, I run my fingers over the soft velvet.
Charlie sips from his beer bottle. “Now don’t runoff and get arrogant, giving it to any girl in a skirt. No. That won’t do. You give that to the woman you’ll die for. You hear me, boy?”
“I hear you, Grandpa.”
“Good. Now let’s go grab dinner while your bitch of mother is out. Don’t wanna rattle a rattlesnake.”
***
My heart is pounding wildly in my chest and my breath is shallow as I walk up to Isabel’s front door. I wipe my sweaty palms on my jeans.
“All I wanted to say is that I love you and I’m not afraid,” I whisper, practicing on what I’ve wanted to say to Isabel for years, the black box of velvet burning red hot in pocket.
She can always say no.
Isabel probably doesn’t love me anymore.
I’ve been a dick to her.
So harsh.
Cold.
And cruel.
She can say no.
But will she?
Squeezing my eyes shut, I ball my fist and knock on the door once. The door flies open and I quickly confess my one-liner, “All I wanted to say is that I love you and I’m not afraid.”
“Well, that’ll make things awkward,” Tyler says through laughter.
I open my eyes and sigh heavily, smiling at him. “Fuck. That will make things awkward.”
“Isabel’s gone to Roxie’s to get takeout. You wanna come in and finish the last part of Titanic with me while we wait?”
“I got things to do,” I say, wanting to take him up on his offer. “Don’t tell her I came by. Okay, Tyler?”
“She’d want to know.”
Shaking my head, I hold his sadden gaze. “Don’t tell her anything.”
He’s silent for a moment and then he whispers, “You’re killing her, Hunter.”
My throat constricts and closes. “She’s stronger than you know. Isabel will be fine.”
“Without you?”
“Yeah,” I say, regretting every word from my mouth. “Isabel will be fine without me. She has you.”
“But I’m not you.”
“Tyler, stop.”
I know what he’s doing.
It’s working.
Guilt trips never fail on me.
“Talk to you later. Okay?”
He nods, glowering at me. “Later, Hunter.”