Looking to Jace, I smile. This is my forever. Yeah, we don’t have anything figured out, and we may have rushed into this, but we’ve got this.
He says so.
“What about school? That singing thing you’re doing?”
“I’ll go and I’ll sing. I don’t see a problem.”
“You have no money. You have my money.”
“We’ll figure it out. I’ll get a job, but Jace will be going into the draft soon and we’ll be fine.”
“And what if he doesn’t go in?”
“Dad, come on. You know he’s going in.”
“You can’t put stock in that. Be realistic here. Anything can change. He could start to suck, get hurt.”
“Then we’ll cross that bridge when we get there. Dad, I love him.”
“You don’t even know him. It’s been, what, a week?”
My eyes cloud with tears as I shake my head. “See, Dad, you don’t even know. It’s been almost six weeks, and if I remember right, that’s how long it was before you and mom were married. So don’t give me that crap that it’s too early.”
“But we were in our late twenties. You’re a baby. You don’t even know what life is yet.”
Looking at Jace, I smile. “Yeah, I do. I’m looking at it right now.”
“Oh Jesus, Avery. Get your head out of your ass. It’s puppy love. It won’t last.”
“How do you know? You don’t know him—you don’t even know me.”
Groaning loudly, I hear something crash as he lets out a long, frustrated breath. “Jesus Christ, Avery, you’re killing me,” my dad breathes and I shrug. “I do know you, baby. I love you.”
“Funny way of showing it. If you loved me, you’d support my decision.”
“Not when you are making a mistake.”
“But I’m not. I’m happy, Dad, and now I see the only mistake I’ve made today is answering the phone.”
With that, I hang up and hand Jace his phone as my hands start to shake. I’ve never spoken to my dad like that. Or my mom, but it just crushes me that they don’t support me. I don’t even know why I thought they would. I’m constantly setting myself up for failure with those two. Wanting more than they can give me. I really need to learn.
I close my eyes tightly, and Jace wraps me back up in his arms. I lean my head to his. Kissing me, he tightens his hands around me, and my lip quivers as my tears roll down my face.
“I’m sorry, Avery.”
“It’s not your fault.”
“I know, but I don’t want you to cry.” I nod, nuzzling against him. “But I promise, no matter what, I got you.”
“Jace?”
“Yeah?”
“I hope you’re right.”
Because I’m not sure what would happen if it goes to shit, and that scares me to my core. My dad is right; everything he said could happen, and then what? We have such big dreams we are depending on, and what happens if they fall apart? What happens between now and then? Will we make it? What if I get suicidal again? Oh Jesus, what did I do?
“Avery, I can feel your anxiety, but it’s not needed, baby, I promise you. We got this. I got you. I promise.”