Welcome to Hell: Rediscovering First Love

In the morning Kerry was waiting by my car when he and Pop had lugged the suitcases outside to pack the car. I dropped my overnight bag with my toiletries by the back wheel. I walked over to him and hugged him tight in my arms not wanting to let him go. Then I thought about what my mother had said last night. I asked him what attracted him to me.

“Your soul,” he answered. “You have an old soul Gabrielle. Your kindness, your love of life has always touched me. Your nuttiness too,” he said touching my nose. “Why?”

“I just wanted to know,” I told him hugging him even tighter. “I can’t wait until we are together.”

“Me too,” he replied returning the hug.

His goodbye to Keegan was long and drawn out. Yancy and Pop stood on the porch with me while we wait

ed for their conversation to end.

“She’s happy,” my mother declared.

“Yes, she is.”

“I’m so glad they found each other. I’m so glad she could forgive him. You deserve to be happy too.”

“Yes, I do.” I knew that I would be too. “Thank you.”

“For what?” My mother asked staring at me questioningly.

“For interfering,” I told her.

She simply smiled.

Kerry hugged Keegan again before shutting her car door. He turned to look at me. I was still standing by my parents on their front porch. Dread. He was waiting for me.

I held my mother tight but not too tight. She was still tender. I didn’t want to hurt her. “I love you Yancy.”

“Be safe my darlings.”

Pop crushed me in his bear hug embrace making me chuckle.

“Be careful Pumpkin,” he whispered huskily in my ear before planting a soft fatherly kiss on my temple.

“I will Pop.”

I stepped off the porch waved one last time to my parents. Met Kerry at the back of my SUV where he wrapped his arm around my waist possessively. He guided me to the other side. He planted his back again my vehicle and drew me close to his chest. His broadness provided invisibility to Keegan watching inside to my parents watching from the porch. I loved it.

My cheek rested against the wall of his muscular chest near his heart. I could hear the steady beat of his heart thumping in my ear. A tear trickled down my face splashing against his shirt.

“Stop that,” he groused.

“I can’t,” I cried more tears soaking his shirt.

“You don’t have to go.

I do.

“I will be back.”

“Okay.”

He squeezed tighter.

“When?”

“Soon.”