Chapter Six
“What time is the barbeque?” I watched Clementine as she pottered around in my kitchen.
“I told Nanna, we’ll be there around noon tomorrow.” She opened the fridge and pulled out some butter and cheese. “Want a grilled cheese?”
“Sure.” I nodded and sat on one of the stools that she had helped me choose out. “Don’t burn the bread.”
“When have I ever burned the bread?” She turned to me and raised an eyebrow.
“Well there’s a first time for everything.”
“There’s a first time for me to stab you with this knife.” She rolled her eyes at me and I laughed.
“Just don’t burn the bread.”
“Don’t just sit there watching me cook.” She grabbed a frying pan and put it on the stove.
“What else should I be doing?” I jumped up and walked over to her.
“Go and watch TV or something.”
“You’re the TV fiend.” I reached over and grabbed a slice of American cheese and started eating it.
“Rhett!”
“Yes?” I grinned as I nibbled on the cheese.
“You’re going to ruin your appetite.”
“Yes, mom.”
“Whatever.” She punched me in the arm. “Get out.”
“In case you forgot this is my kitchen.”
“What’s yours is mine.” She grinned at me and I groaned.
“Never.” I shuddered.
“Thanks, Rhett.”
“Sorry, but that makes me think of weddings and forever and evers.” I made a face and she gave me a look.
“There’s nothing wrong with forever and ever and happily ever afters.”
“They don’t exist.” I opened the fridge and grabbed a coke. “Unless you live in a fairytale.”
“Not true.” She shook her head. “There is someone out there for everyone, even you.”
“Even me?” I laughed and took a long swig of coke. “I don’t want anyone.”
“Don’t you ever wonder what will happen though, Rhett?” She looked at me curiously. “Don’t you want to grow old with someone?”
“I have you.” I laughed and she smiled at me softly.
“But I’m going to get married and have kids, what then?”
“You’ll still be my best friend.” I frowned and tried to ignore the pang that hit my heart at her words. What would happen if Clementine met someone and fell in love? What if she got married and had a bunch of kids. What would happen to us?
“I will, but my husband won’t like me hanging out with you every day.”
“You guys can adopt me.” I grinned.
“I’m being serious, Rhett.” She frowned. “We won’t be able to hang out every day. You can’t just come over. You can’t call me at all hours of the night. You can’t expect to just be in my life like you are now.”
“What are you trying to say, Clemmie?” I frowned now. “Are you mad at me or something? Are you still upset at the other night?”
“No.” She sighed. “I’m just saying you have to realize that everything isn’t going to stay the same.”
“I want us to stay the same.” I grabbed her around the waist and picked her up.
“Rhett, put me down.” She squealed as she squirmed against me. “Rhett.”
“What?” I laughed and carried her through to the living room and dropped her on the couch.
“You can’t just pick me up like that.” She sat up and glared at me, her face a red flush.
“Why not?” I grinned and winked at her.
“Because it’s not appropriate.”
“Since when have you cared if something is appropriate or not?” I sat on the couch next to her. “You’ve worn my boxer shorts to sleep in. That’s not appropriate.”
“That’s only because I slept over and didn’t have PJ’s.” She glared at me.
“You could have slept naked.”
“Yeah, that’s going to happen.” She rolled her eyes at me and I laughed. All of a sudden an image of a naked Clementine in my bed appeared in my mind and I stifled a groan. I hadn’t had sexual thoughts of her in a few days and I thought I’d controlled them, but I guess I was wrong.
“So you going to come to the truck race with me next week?” I said and then grinned as she flipped the sandwich in the pan.
“Not sure.” She grabbed a plate from the cupboard. “Maybe.”
“Dude, what do you mean maybe? It’s the beginning of summer. We always go together.”
“I said maybe,” She spoke softly. “We have a lot of traditions, Rhett and I can’t keep up with all of them. Sometimes things change and life gets in the way.”
“Uh huh.” I rolled my eyes and ignored the tenseness in my shoulders at her words. “Nothing has to change if we don’t want it to.”
***
"Rhett, you made it." Nanna walked over and have me a huge hug as I walked in the door.
"Of course, I wouldn't have missed it." I grinned back at her and looked around. "Where's Clementine?" I asked, feeling irritated.
"Oh, she's in the back with her brothers playing softball." Nanna smiled. "She brought her friend Penelope as well."
"Yeah, I gathered." I responded politely. "I thought Clementine and I were going to ride over together. That's what we always do." I frowned as I stood there.
"I think her friend Penelope needed a ride." Nanna rubbed my shoulders. "Now come, let me give you some lemonade and you can go out and join everyone."
"Thanks Nanna. The ribs nearly done?" I looked at her hopefully and she laughed.
"You always did have an appetite, didn't you Rhett?" She laughed. "There’ll be ready soon, I promise. Did you bring anyone with you? I told Clemmie to tell you that you can bring your girlfriend."
"I don't have a girlfriend, Nanna." I grinned at her and made a face.
"Well how do you like that? You and Clementine both young, single, free, and disengaged and the neither of you has a girlfriend or a boyfriend." She shook her head. “I don’t understand you kids today.”
"We like being alone, Nanna." I shook my head at her expression and laughed. "Anyway we're too young for serious relationships."
"Y'all are nearly college graduates. I ain't never seen a college graduate that was too young to get married."
"Married?" I looked at her in shock. "I thought we were talking about boyfriends and girlfriends. I'm sorry Nanna but I'm never getting married."
"When you meet the right girl you will." She patted my shoulder.
"I don't think so." I shook my head and shuddered." No way am I doing that to myself."
"No way you're doing what to yourself, Rhett Madison?" Clementine walked into the kitchen with a huge smile and gave me a hug.
"I'm mad at you." I frowned as I hugged her back. I tried to ignore how snug her white t-shirt was across her chest and how short her shorts were. When did she go and get a pair of long tan legs and decide to show them off?
"Why?" She tilted her head and paused. "Another date go wrong and you want to blame me?"
"Very funny." I made a face. "I thought we were coming to the barbeque together." I frowned.
"Oh really?" She shrugged and poured herself a glass of lemonade. "My bad, I thought I told you I had to go and pick up Penelope."
"No, you didn't." I shook my head irritated, feeling like a jealous little kid.
"Well you're here now." She rolled her eyes. "Nanna, you got any brownies?"
"Not now, Clementine." Nanna laughed. "Plus, you sure you wanna be eating brownies. A minute on the lips is a lifetime on the hips."
"I'll take my chances." Clementine grinned at me. "Anyway for me it's hips and waist, so who cares?" She laughed and rubbed her stomach. I stared at her movements and laughed along with her, even though all I was thinking about was her taunt stomach.
"Is that a baby I see sticking out?" I grinned and reached over and rubbed her stomach as well. My fingers ran across the softness of her stomach gently and all of a suddenly she tensed as I touched her. Our eyes met for a few brief seconds as I continued to rub her stomach and then I stepped back, feeling hot and awkward.
"You ready to go outside?" Clementine looked away from me and turned around. "We're playing softball."
"Am I ready?" I choked out a laugh, though I still felt slightly tense. "Dude, I was nearly signed by the Red Sox."
"I thought it was the Yankees?" She laughed.
"I don't wanna be no damn Yankee." I retorted and we both laughed.
"You two never change." Nanna stared at us both as we left the kitchen. "Both of you are as blind as bats." She muttered quietly as she started getting the coleslaw together.
***
"Rhett, my main man." Clementine’s brother Jake hollered at me. "We've been waiting on you to get this party started."
"I'm here now." I grinned and high-fived some of the cousins. "Hi, Penelope." I gave her a quick smile. I wasn't sure why we'd never hit it off. I'm sure it had something to do with the fact that Clementine didn't always come to me first like she used to before she met Penelope. It annoyed me knowing that sometimes she valued Penelope's advice more than mine. I also wasn't pleased that sometimes when I wanted to hang out, they already had plans. And well the guy thing pissed me off. I had no idea why Penelope was trying to push Clementine into getting a boyfriend. I felt like she was using that as an excuse to push me out of Clementine's life! Imagine telling her I was the reason guys didn't approach her! What the f*ck? She was such a bitch.
"Hello, Rhett." She smiled back at me with a thin smile. "I see you made it."
"Of course I made it. This is my family too. I've been coming to the barbeque since I was in grade school."
"Uh huh." She rolled her eyes and turned around. "Funny you never feel fit to bring someone with you."
"Who would I bring?" I gave her my ‘are you stupid look’?
"Maybe a girlfriend." Her eyes narrowed. "But I suppose you're only interested in girls for a night."
"Wish you were one of them do you?" I gave her a slow wink and watched as her face burned bright red and then turned away. "So you want me to pitch?"
"Duh." Jake shouted back with a huge grin. Jake was 18 and a recent high school graduate. I'd always felt like he was my little brother as well and I did my best to make sure he stayed on the straight and narrow. I tried to hang out with him at least once a month and was planning on letting him room with me when he started college in the fall.
"How'd your date go with that girl?" I shouted to him.
"Which one?" He winked and we both laughed.
"Rhett, I wish you wouldn't turn Jake into your mini me." Clementine shook her head.
"Hey, the girls love him. What can I say?" I grinned at her and she groaned.
"Okay, do we have teams?" I looked around and counted how many people we had. "I want Jake. Clementine and Penelope can be on the other team."
"That's not fair." Clementine put her hands on her hips and shook her head. "How are the two best players going to be on the same team?"
"I thought that was fair." I ran over and ruffled her hair. "The two best players on one team and the two worst on another. I've already got the team names picked, the winners and the losers."
"You're a loser." She stuck her tongue out at me.
"Don't let the wind change on you now or that's the face you'll end up with."
"You'll still be stuck with me, tongue out and all." She grinned and I pulled her towards me and grabbed her as I fell into the ground.
"Try and get rid of me."
"Guys, you're being so childish." Penelope's voice was irritated as she walked over to us. "Clementine, this is what I mean. Guys who see you acting like this with Rhett are going to get the wrong impression."
"What impression is that?" I looked up at Penelope and then jumped up, pulling a giggling and guilty looking Clementine up with me.
"That you guys are either dating, sleeping together or have some other weird relationship. Or," and she looked at Clementine. "That you're both really immature."
"Clementine is immature." I shrugged with a straight face.
"Shut up, Rhett." She punched me on the shoulder. "Penelope, Rhett is my best friend, he's like my brother, and we're always going to be close and goofy. The guy that comes into my life will have to accept Rhett."
"No guy is coming and staying as long as Rhett's around." Penelope shrugged. "But hey, maybe that's what he wants."
"Penelope." Clementine exclaimed and gave me a look. I shook my head and walked over to Jake.
"Hey bro, let's decide our team." I rolled my eyes at him. "Your sister and her new friend are debating our friendship."
"You know Penelope doesn't get you guys." Jake laughed. "I think she's has the hots for you."
"Who?" I froze, my heart thudding fast. "Clemmie?"
"No." Jake gave me a weird look. "Penelope. That's who we were talking about."
"Oh yeah." I made a face. "No thanks."
"Not even for one night?"
“Not even for ten minutes.” I laughed.
"What about a million dollars?" He grinned at me and I grinned back.
"That's the beauty of being rich. Not even for a million dollars."
"Show-off." He laughed. "I'd make out with her for ten bucks."
"Jake, don't lie. You'd make out with her for free."
"True that." He threw the softball at me. "You want a glove?"
"Nah." I shook my head. "Where are the ‘rents?"
"Grocery store." Jake rolled his eyes. "Dad wanted more beer and mom wanted some nuts, but she didn't trust dad to get the right ones."
"Ha, sounds about right." I threw the ball back at him. "You talk to them about staying with me next year?"
"Dad thinks it's great." Jake nodded. "Mom not so much."
"Why not?" I frowned.
"She said Clemmie doesn't think it's a good idea."
"What why?" My frown deepened. Clementine hadn't said anything to me.
"She thinks it's too much." Jake shrugged. "She says it's not right to live with you for free." He made a face.
"Are you joking?" I looked back at Clementine as she talked to Penelope and my eyes narrowed. I bet I knew why Clementine didn't think it was a good idea all of a sudden. "Don't be ridiculous, you're my brother from another mother." I gave him a look. "You're staying with me."
"It's a great saving." He nodded. "Dad’s already worried about having both of us in college at the same time." He looked around and chewed his lower lip. "Clementine’s even looking into transferring to a school where she can get a scholarship." He made a face. "I'm not meant to say anything."
"Why hasn't she told me?" My heart dropped. "I had no idea."
"Yeah, it's pretty recent." He shrugged. "I guess her new friend told her about it."
"Penelope?"
"No, her boyfriend, that guy she's seeing."
"What guy?" My voice rose. "Clementine doesn't have a boyfriend."
"Yeah, I guess it's new. Some guy called Elliott."
"Elliott?" I frowned and immediately thought back to seeing Clemmie kissing him the other night. "Not that loser she met online?"
"I dunno." Jake looked like he regretted bringing the subject up. "I guess you'll see tonight. He's coming."
"She invited him to the barbecue?"
Jake nodded and I frowned.
"Excuse me a second." I threw the ball back to him and ran over to Clementine. "Hey, we need to talk." I grabbed her arm.
"Huh?" She looked at me in confusion.
"We need to talk!"
"Now?" She looked at Penelope and then back at me. "We were kinda in the middle of something."
"That can wait," I looked her in the eyes. "We. Need. To. Talk. Now."
"Listen to your husband, Clem." Penelope rolled her eyes. "Oh wait, he's not your husband or your dad."
"Clementine," I gave her the look. It was something we had come up with as kids so we could let each other know that it was imperative we talk right away.
"Fine, excuse us." She gave Penelope a quick smile and grabbed my arm and dragged me into the house. "What's going on, Rhett?" She sighed as we walked up the stairs and went into one of the spare bedrooms that Nanna always had ready and waiting for guests.
"Transferring?" I stood there with my arms crossed and raised an eyebrow. "What's that about?"
"Oh." She chewed on her lower lip and sat on one of the two twin beds in the room.
"Yes, oh." I sat on the other bed directly in front of that. "Though, I'm thinking OH."
"It's not for sure," she gave me a weak smile.
"I didn't even know it was a thought."
"It's just something I've been thinking about to help dad out. He can't afford to pay for me and Jake and I don't want Jake to take out loans and well he's not going to get any scholarships."
"We always said we were going to graduate from State." I tried not to look angry. “And we’re graduating in just over a year.” My voice rose. The news had turned me on my head and I was not happy.
"Well that was the plan, but plans change."
"Where did this come from?"
"Nowhere." She looked down at the ground.
"So Elliott had nothing to do with it?"
"Jake has got a big mouth." She muttered.
"Why didn't you tell me?"
"There was nothing to tell."
"You don't think it's news to tell me you might be moving. Where are you going? Chapel Hill? Duke? That's a long drive you know."
"I was thinking Harvard or Yale."
"What?" My jaw dropped. I stared at her in shock as my stomach dropped. There was no way I could make weekend drives to Boston or New Haven.
"I figure if I'm transferring, I should go to the best."
"Harvard?" I ran my hands through my hair and stared at her in shock. "What are you talking about?"
"You know I got in for freshmen year."
"But you didn't wanna go and hang out with those snobs."
"I just need to do what's best for me and Jake." She sighed. "It's not like I want to leave you guys, but I'll see you still."
"What the f*ck." I felt a certain satisfaction as I watched her eyes expressing their dismay at my choice of words. Clementine hated the fact that I used the f bomb so much.
"Nothing's going to change, Rhett." She got up and sat next to me. "I'll still be here for you."
"What are you talking about?" I glared at her. "I'm talking about something we agreed upon years ago."
"Sometimes things change." She put her arm around my shoulder and I shrugged her off of me.
"I know that."
"Have you seen your mom recently?" She asked softly and I frowned as my stomach lurched.
"No and I don't want to." I frowned. "This has nothing to do with her."
"I was just asking." She sighed and lay back. "I know you don't like to talk about her, but I think it would be helpful."
"It won't be," I looked down at her and tried to ignore the stirrings in my heart as I stared into her wide concerned eyes. Clementine was my rock. She was the only person I knew who truly loved me and had my best interests at heart. I had no idea what I would do if she left me.
"It might be good for you as well." She offered me a weak smile and I stared at her lips as she spoke.
"What might be good?" I frowned as I realized my eyes had fallen to her chest. I wasn't sure why I was so interested in her breasts all of a sudden. I felt uncomfortable admiring her body. I tried to look away, but I couldn't keep my eyes off of the swell of her breasts and the imprint of her nipples as they pushed against her t-shirt.
"Me going away." She sat up and her hair swung in front of her face.
"How will that be good?" I gave her a look.
"Maybe it will help you..." Her voice trailed off.
"Help me how?" My voice rose.
"Find someone to be serious with." She bit her lower lip and shrugged. "Maybe you can have a real relationship."
"I like how everything is now." I lay down and stared at the ceiling. "I don't want anything to change."
"We'll still be best friends, Rhett." She lay down on her side and stared at me.
"So why do you want to leave?" I turned over and stared at her.
"I don't," she shook her head and her nose crinkled. "But we have to face up to it sometime. One of us is going to move away sooner or later."
"No, we don't have to face up to anything." I reached over and played with her hair. "You need a trim."
"Thanks, another one?" She rolled her eyes and grinned. Then she reached over and played with the hair at the front of my face. "So do you."
"You're not cutting it." I winked at her and we both laughed as we thought back to the time in tenth grade she had given me a Mohawk.
"Hey," she laughed. "Maybe I was just jealous of your blond locks."
"Uh huh." I grinned and stared at her for a few seconds in silence. "I don't want this to change." I sighed.
"I know," she bit her lower lip. "But people don't understand our relationship now. They think we must be dating or something."
"Eww no." I shuddered and she laughed.
"Thanks, Rhett."
"No offense or anything, but dating?" I stared at her and ignored the sudden rapid beating of my heart. "Hell no."
"I know you don't do relationships." She giggled and rested her hands on her arms.
"We'd ruin our friendship if we tried to be more than friends." I spoke slowly. "Not worth it at all."
"Don't worry, Rhett. I don't want to date you either." She grinned and I felt a pang of some unknown emotion in me.
"Now you have Elliott huh?" I frowned, feeling angry again.
"No." She made a face.
"Why is he coming anyway? I thought he was a crappy kisser?"
"He's not that bad."
"Oh!" I attempted a smile, though I wasn’t feeling very happy at her words, and moved towards her. "Want to know what a better than not bad kiss feels like?"
"Huh?" She frowned at me and looked confused.
I wasn't really sure why I decided to kiss her. It shocked and surprised both of us as I pressed my lips against hers and kissed her lightly. Her lips felt soft and moist beneath mine and I felt myself deepening the kiss as her lips pressed against mine firmly. My arms instinctively reached towards her and brought her into my chest. I felt her breasts pressed against me and I felt something in me loosen up as I internally groaned at the same time. I was sexually attracted to her and I wasn't sure what the f*ck I was going to do.
"Rhett," she breathed against my lips. "What are you doing?" She pulled away from me with wide eyes. I stared at her for a few seconds wanting to kiss her again, but instead I started laughing.
"I wanted to show you how a real man kisses, so that you have something to compare a great kiss to."
"I see." She frowned. "I don't know why you did that."
"I was playing around." I jumped off of the bed and smiled at her as if it were nothing.
"You can't just do that." She stood up slowly.
"Sorry, it was a joke."
"I see." She touched her lips gingerly and she had a dazed expression on her face.
"What did you think of the kiss?" I asked her softly, unable to resist.
"I've had better." She grinned and I watched as she walked out of the room. Better, my ass! I thought to myself as I followed behind her. She was lucky she was my best friend or I would have gone back for seconds to show her that there was no one better than me.
***
"So, who's ready for some baseball?" I walked into the yard and flexed my muscles as if I hadn't just been kissing Clementine and enjoying it.
"Let's get this party started." Jake hollered back at me and I grinned.
“Winners vs. Losers baby.” I ran over to him and held my hands out for him to throw me the ball.
“Where you been?” He looked at me curiously.
“Nowhere.” I laughed, guiltily and looked over at Clementine who was tying her shoes. I turned away and pretended that I hadn’t just overstepped a boundary. It was just in fun. It didn’t mean anything to either of us. It was just a kiss. Nothing more and nothing less.
“Elliott.” Penelope’s voice was loud and happy. I looked up and stared at Elliott as he made his way into the backyard. Of course she would like him. I frowned as I watched Clementine walking over to him with Penelope. Both of them were smiling widely at him and I felt my face growing hot.
“Hey guys.” Elliott waved to all of us and he gave me a short smile as our eyes connected. My eyes narrowed as I looked at him and I turned away without acknowledging him.
“Ass.” I muttered under my breath.
“What?” Jake asked me curiously.
“Nothing.” I shook my head and looked back over to Clementine and Elliott. I felt my face growing heated as I watched him giving her a bouquet of flowers. “Really?” I mumbled under my breath, feeling angry. “What a suck up.” I muttered. Why was he bringing her flowers? He was really trying to play a strong hand. I watched as Clementine smiled and gave him a kiss on the cheek after taking the flowers. She looked happy and pleased and I frowned at her expression. Was she really falling for his crap?
“You guys ready to play or are we going to stand around in the sun all day?” I shouted out and I saw Penelope turn towards me with a smug smile.
“We’re ready.” She gave me a look and then turned back towards Elliott.
“Clementine.” I called out to her. “Can we get this game going?”
“Yes, Rhett.” She stepped back from Elliott. “Let me go and put these flowers in a vase. I’ll be right back.”
“I’m going to get a drink.” I turned to Jake and followed Clementine into the house.
“Wait up.” I ran up behind Clementine.
“What’s up?” She turned to me with a small smile.
“Just wanted another drink before the game. I can’t wait to kick you guys asses.”
“Okay.” She nodded and turned away from me.
“Also, about earlier. It didn’t mean anything. I was just playing around.”
“It’s fine.” She mumbled and I saw her face flushing.
“I know I’m an ass.” I tried to joke about it. “I was just being goofy.”
“It’s fine, Rhett.” She sighed. “Hey Nanna, do you have any vases? Elliott got me these peonies.”
“Oh beautiful, of course Darling.” Nanna rushed over with a tall vase. “How thoughtful of him.” She bent down and sniffed them.
“Careful, Nanna, you don’t want a bee to sting you.” I muttered.
“Oh, Rhett.” She smiled at me gently, her eyes glinting. “They smell wonderful, darling.” She rubbed Clementine’s shoulder. “I’ll have to sit down and have a longer chat with him later.”
“Chat about what?” I frowned at her.
“His intentions with my granddaughter.” She replied promptly.
“Nanna, no.” Clemmie groaned and I could see her face going red again.
“Isn’t it a bit fast for that?” I walked to the fridge and opened it slowly, feeling myself growing agitated.
“It’s never too early to find out a man’s intentions.” Nanna’s voice was soft. “If he’s serious about you, it’s important for him to know that you have a family that is looking out for you.”
“Nanna, we just started dating.” Clemmie’s voice was weak. “Do not say anything to him.”
“Say anything to who?” Mr. O’Hara bellowed out as he and Mrs. O’Hara walked into the house with some shopping bags. “Are you and Rhett finally dating now?” He grinned as he dropped the bags onto the floor. “Here we go momma.” He kissed his mother on the cheek.
“Dad.” Clementine rolled her eyes. “You know Rhett and I are not dating.”
“What she said.” I gave Mr. O’Hara a small smile as he gave me a quick hug.
“Good to see you, Rhett. We haven’t seen you in a couple of weeks.” He patted me on the back and stepped back as Mrs. O’Hara gave me a hug.
“You must come to dinner next week, Rhett. We want to hear how finals went.”
“They were fine.” I made a face.
“And how is your dad?” She asked me softly and looked me over with an interested face.
“Same as usual.” I shrugged.
“You’re looking very handsome, Rhett.” Mrs. O’Hara ran her fingers along my shoulders. “Such a handsome man, you’ve grown up to be.”
“Surprised?” I said and laughed.
“I always knew you’d be a handsome man.” She shook her head and smiled at me sweetly. “Even when you were a troublesome little boy.”
“That we did.” Mr. O’Hara nodded. “We always worried about what was going to happen when you and Clemmie became teens. We thought we’d have to ban you from seeing each other.”
“Dad.” Clementine rolled her eyes and gave me a small smile.
“But we had nothing to be worried about.” Mrs. O’Hara patted her husband’s shoulder. “You two have always been so good. We almost forgot you were friends of the opposite sex.”
“Almost.” Her dad laughed. “I wasn’t about to let you guys have sleepovers once you hit puberty.”
“We still had sleepovers dad.” Clementine made a face.
“With the door open.” Her dad laughed. “And trust me, I didn’t want to let you have them.”
“We’ve been friends since we were little kids, dad.” Clementine rolled her eyes. “Nothing happened.”
“I know.” Mr. O’Hara grinned at me. “I thank God, that Rhett is a gentleman.”
“Thanks, Mr. O’Hara.” I smiled back at him.
“Though, I’m not sure why neither of you have dated?” He looked at us curiously. “Is one of you gay?”
“Dad!” Clementine exclaimed and Mrs. O’Hara rolled her eyes.
“Come on, Hank.” She grabbed her husband’s arm. “Let’s go and see Jake and the others, while momma finishes cooking.”
“What did I say?” He laughed as they walked out of the kitchen.
“Dad is too much.” Clementine shook her head and spoke to Nanna. “I hope he doesn’t say anything crazy to Elliott.” She bit her lower lip. “In fact, I think I better go outside and make sure he doesn’t ask when he’s going to propose or something crazy.” She hurried out of the kitchen and I watched her go, before looking at Nanna.
“What?” I frowned as I realized she’d been staring at me.
“I don’t normally like to get involved in other people’s business.” She stepped towards me and looked up into my eyes with a serious expression.
“What do you mean?” I stared back at her with a puzzled expression. What was going on here?
“You and Clementine have been best friends for a long time.” She said softly and handed me a plate of brownies.
“I thought we had to wait ‘til later to have a brownie?” I smiled at her as I grabbed one off of the plate.
“I’m going to let you have one now.” She smiled and sat at the table and patted the chair next to her.
“Thanks, Nanna.” I grinned and had a seat. “So what did you want to talk about?”
“Elliott seems like a nice boy.” She started and I frowned.
“He’s seems okay.” I shrugged and took a huge bite of the brownie.
“He really seems to like, Clementine.”
“I guess.” I muttered, unenthusiastically.
“Clementine is ready to grow up.” She spoke softly. “I’ve been waiting for this day to happen. It’s come slower than I thought it would, but I suppose in the circumstances it’s understandable.”
“What day? What’s slower than you thought?” I frowned confused.
“Clementine is a true romantic.” She nodded to herself. “She gets it from me. I’ve told her stories about me and Hank Sr and how he wooed me. He was my true love you know.”
“I know.” I nodded. Nanna’s husband had died five years previously, but I could still remember what a great guy he had been and how he’d doted on nanna.
“She’s been waiting for her Prince to come find her since she was a little kid.” She smiled. “She wants the fairytale love.”
“It doesn’t really exist though.” I mumbled and she shook her head at me.
“Oh, Rhett. Typical bitter man.”
“I’m not bitter.”
“You know that things will change between the two of you once she gets serious with her young man.”
“You think she’ll get serious with Elliott?”
“I wouldn’t be surprised.” She smiled at me gently. “I don’t want to see you getting hurt, Rhett.”
“Why would I get hurt?” My eyes narrowed. “I don’t want to be with her. We’re just friends.”
“Things will be different between you, once they get serious.”
“We’ll always be best friends.”
“Yes, yes.” She sighed. “What I’m trying to say is. Sometimes we don’t realize what we have until it’s gone.”
“You think she’ll stop being friends with me?”
“You guys have a very special friendship.” She sighed. “I’ve never seen two people closer in my life. You both play very important roles in each other’s lives. I don’t think ya’ll realize just how important.” She reached out and took my hand. “Sometimes the things we run away from are the things we already have.”
“I’m not running anywhere, she’s the one that’s trying to find a boyfriend. I’m happy with our friendship. I don’t need a girlfriend.”
“Maybe because you get everything you need from a girlfriend from Clemmie already.” Her eyes softened as she stared at me with a loving glance.
“We don’t sleep together, Nanna.” I laughed.
“Sex while important is not the be all and end all of a relationship, Rhett.”
“It’s a lot of fun though.” I grinned and she shook her head.
“It’s not for me to ask if you’re attracted to Clementine and I don’t want to stick my nose in where it’s not wanted, but I don’t want you to lose someone that could be everything you never knew you wanted.” She paused. “Sometimes God makes two people that are perfect for each other in every way. It’s always a shame when they miss the signs.”
“I don’t know that God always gets everything right.” I gave her a weak smile and stood up. “I mean what’s love really? And what’s perfect? Maybe his plans don’t always go to plan? My mom loved my dad more than her own life. She always told me that. She also used to tell me that I meant more to her than the moon and sun combined. And where is she now?” I shrugged. “Sometimes God’s plans don’t always work out.”
“I think he got his plans for you perfectly right.” She whispered behind me as I walked out of the kitchen and towards the backyard. I wasn’t sure what she’d expected me to say. Did she really think Clementine and I were perfect for each other? I stopped at the back door and watched Clementine running to catch a ball and throwing it to Jake. She was laughing about something and her hair was flying everywhere. I stared at her for a few minutes and watched as she moved and started chatting to Penelope. My breath caught as I watched Elliott walking over to her and I saw him giving her a quick hug. My body tensed as I realized that I was in serious trouble of losing my best friend and I didn’t know what do to. I wasn’t what Clementine wanted. I didn’t believe in happily ever afters. I didn’t want a girlfriend. I didn’t believe in true love. And I didn’t know how she felt about me. Maybe she didn’t even like me like that. I could feel a headache coming on. I watched them talking and I felt loneliness creeping in. Elliott was already replacing my role in Clemmie’s life. Her family already seemed to like him and I knew that a boyfriend would have precedence over a friend. I’d be inched out of this family, just like I’d been inched out of my own. I pulled my phone out of my pocket and sent a few texts. “Want to grab dinner tomorrow?” I sent to a few different girls. I had to stop relying on Clemmie so much. I needed to keep going out. I needed to occupy my time with other women. I knew that if I was getting my needs met by them, I would stop thinking about being with Clemmie. I wouldn’t want to kiss her and I certainly wouldn’t fantasize about being her. I put my phone back in my pocket, plastered a big smile on my face and ran out into the yard.
“Who’s ready for a game?” I shouted exuberantly and flashed my million dollar smile as I made my way to the grass, ignoring the look I was getting from Clementine.