44 Forever Races
Trey
Eight months later
“Areyou ready to eat dirt, Mayhem?” I challenged, jogging back from the finish line to the starting line I traced in the damp sand.
The sun was finally showing signs of life in the early morning hour with the glowing horizon. The streaks of light set Maybelle’s frizzy curls ablaze. She didn’t pull them back this morning. She thought this was going to be a chill morning walk on the beach, but I had other plans.
My Maybelle was going to sprint today.
Her easy jogging was smooth, graceful even. She’d been trying so hard the last few weeks to sprint without losing balance.
“I don’t know. You saw me last week. I literally ate dirt and had to gargle water three times before I wasn’t crunching down on the sand hiding in my teeth,” she whined, but I knew she was capable of anything, except turning down a challenge.
She would do it; she just needed a push.
“Sounds to me like you’re scared,” I jabbed, and she popped a hip. “Come on. We go back to school next week. How awesome would it be to start the school yearhaving accomplished this?”
The mention of school already starting back up had my insides twisting. After winter break last year, Maybelle and I went back to school together. She wanted to finish out the year and be with me while I finished my second season of football. I think it helped her to be with our friends in the wake of the return of her memories and the accident.
Once the year ended, though, Maybelle and I retreated to the Mason home. We hid out there for the last few summer months, relishing in the secluded alone time.
We, of course, visited Mom multiple times and her new boyfriend, whom she finally introduced us to. Surprise wasn’t a good enough word to describe what I felt when Doctor Nathaniel Brown entered my mother’s living room.
Apparently, the two of them had reallybondedwhile taking care of Maybelle during her coma.
As caught off guard as I was by the pairing, I couldn’t help but be happy for my mom. She seemed over the moon in love and if she was happy, so was I.
Maybelle and I had also taken trips back to school for my football training together. We spent multiple nights with Penny and Williams when they stopped by to visit, but the rest was just us. We started routines living together, habits and a life. It was a reality I was not willing to let go of so soon.
“Fine,” she groaned, readying herself at the makeshift starting line. “Loser does dishes.”
I winked at my competitive girl before also readying myself at the line.
“Deal.”
And without warning, Maybelle was off, cackling like a deranged woman.
“Cheater!” I hollered, hustling after her, but I didn’t catch up as fast as I previously would’ve.
Maybelle’s short muscular legs were pumping, racing, sprinting and she was flying. Her movements were steady, deliberate, purposeful as she crossed the finish line.
She did it—and I fell to my knee.
Her back was still to me as she bounced with excited squeals. “I did it! I did it! I did—” Those blue-green eyes blinked rapidly as they found me down on one knee. Then to the velvet box I held with a gold band and solitaire diamond glittering in the sunlight.
Her hand flew to her mouth.
“Maybelle Mason,” I breathed, and she took a step toward me.
“Trey.”
My throat constricted as I choked out the words I practiced multiple times in the mirror and recited to Williams over the phone.
“These months of spending every waking moment with you, doing real life with you, have been the happiest days of my life. Every chore, the amazing nights in bed together, meals, and everything in between have been perfect with you.”
She nodded, continuing her approach as I spoke. Her glossy eyes never leaving mine.
