I check on my house in ten minutes. Everything is automated, and I already checked my mail the other day. Aside from it getting dusty and warm, the house is fine.
What do I do with the other hour and fifty minutes?
I drive downtown to Bluebell Jewelers, and pick out a gorgeous engagement ring. It’s a vintage style, radiant cut moissanite band full of small diamonds, with a main stone in the center, something I can see shining on Clara June’s delicate fingers. The jeweler said less is more on petite hands, but I went with 3.74 carats in a halo setting, because the moment I laid eyes on that diamond, I saw it on Clara June.
I envisioned that ring on her finger as she says I do. I saw that ring on her finger as she held our next child together. I saw that ring on her finger as I held her breasts while I forced her to ride me, taking at least three orgasms from me until I followed.
It’s the ring. So I buy it.
CHAPTER
TWENTY-EIGHT
DEAN
Tanner hadone helluva game on Friday night, so after Clara June gets off shift this afternoon, we’re having a Saturday night celebration. I’m celebrating the fact that I bought a ring and am going to propose to Clara June, and after we get done tonight, I’m going to ask herabout going to my parents house tomorrow… and once my parents have met everyone, all I need to do is… it.
“You sure?” I ask, my last attempt at trying to rope the boys into going to the store with me.
Rawley grabs a can of off-brand soda from the fridge and stops at the end of the hall. “I’m in-game, and Jo Jo is gonna call me in like, an hour.”
Tanner, from his spot splayed across the couch in nothing but boxers and one sock, yawns. “I was up til four in the morning talking to a girl on text. I’m gonna stay and nap.”
I look at Archie, my last ally. He grins. “I gotta poop.”
I tip my hat at them. “Alright then. Text me if anyone thinks of something they want.” Rawley nods and slides down the hall. I look at Tanner. “Rawley’s got his headset on. He can’t look out for Archie, but no going outside until I’m back, okay?”
Tanner rolls over, facing the TV where an episode of an old cartoon plays. “Okay.”
The house is still and quiet when I close the front door behind me. The sky is blue, with a few gauzy clouds floating by. The temperature is perfect, and birds sing from rooftops, a dog barks in a yard not far from here, and a little girl pedals by on a bike with pink tassels coming from the handles. A blue car passes by.
The day is beautiful and perfect, and it feels symbolic for what’s ahead.
“Looks like someone’s hungry,” the checker says as she slides the third bag of chips across the scanner.
I scratch at the side of my head as I watch a gallon of peach ice cream move past next. “Three boys at home.”
Her eyebrows lift. “Ahh, that explains it. I have one of my own. He’s only four but man can he eat.”
I laugh, thinking about how Archie is always hungry. “I know how that is.”
She scans a small cake next. “You celebrating?”
We technically aren’t, but because I’m planning to pop the question soon, and the boys are all good with it, it feels like saying no would be wrong. So I don’t. “Yeah, we are.”
“Yeah?” she asks, popping her gum as she scans the box of dryer sheets next. “Whatcha celebratin’?”
“Just how lucky I am, I guess.”
She makes a funny face, like the answer doesn’t quite make sense to her. But it makes perfect sense to me. I push my cart out, load the groceries into the back of my pickup, and double-check my phone to make sure one of the boys didn’t think of something that they need at the last minute. When I see no messages queued, I hop in the truck and head home.
I keep the windows down on my drive back, hoping the cool wind licking at the back of my neck will bring me some new ideas on how I should pop the question. I’m five minutesdown a mental road involving a word puzzle and scavenger hunt when a blue car catches my eye.
The same blue car I’ve seen a handful of times, if I force myself to really place it. In fact, I just saw that blue car drive past the house before I left. Didn’t I?
I did.
And as I let off the gas nearer to Clara June’s place, I realize that blue car is parked at Clara June’s place. I pull into the driveway, throw my truck in park and jump out.
