Page 11 of Hometown Harbor 4

“What year are you in college? I forget,” Deenie asked.

“I just finished my sophomore year at the University of Vermont. Are the two of you college-bound?” Quinnie asked.

Deenie and Kylen answered yes simultaneously, then laughed.

“Is leaving home and having the freedom eighteen-year-olds crave as sick as it sounds?” Kylen asked.

Quinnie rolled her eyes. “School is fun, and I love Burlington. It’s beautiful, and the people are chill. It’s the opposite of anything I’ve encountered in Florida. It’s so laid back, and everyone is accepted for who they are. The problem with going away to any college or university is finding a balance between school and social life.

“Along with friends and parties, there are extracurricular activities that can take on an urgency of their own. I had a difficult time with that. I didn’t mess up by doing a bunch of drugs or going wild at parties. I just lost my way, and it sucks because I have to repeat some classes, and I’m on academic probation. If I don’t get my grades up, I’m coming home.”

“Does your mom know because I haven’t heard anything about this?” Deenie asked.

Very little went on that Deenie didn’t know about. She was a little nosy and always happened to be in the right place at the right time.

“I just told her tonight, which I felt horrible about since it’s such a special time for her and my dad. I guess my advice to you is to keep it simple. Learn to say no before you go. Your college years set you up for the rest of your life. I’m not saying everyone encounters problems like me. My brother Carson is a straight-A student at Carnegie Mellon in Pittsburgh.”

“My boyfriend is going to FSU, and I have another year of high school. Do you have any advice?” Deenie asked.

“You’ll be asking a lot of him. Freshman shouldn’t finally have their freedom and then realize they are weighted down by a new set of rules. You know what they say, ‘If you love it, set it free.’ I’ve known you since you were a baby, and I think you have a good head on your shoulders. My mom always commented that you were wise beyond your years,” Quinnie said.

The three of them ate the entire cake, told stories, and had a lot of laughs. They predicted they’d vacation together in Melbourne Beach in about thirty years. They were already putting dibs on the room with the great bath.

8

“I’m glad we were able to get away to your uncle’s place tonight,” Deenie said. “We deserve a proper goodbye without your siblings banging on the door.” She was going to mention her conversation with Quinnie because he should hear her cautionary tale.

“I know the twins are adorable, but they’re a lot, and they’ve totally fallen in love with you. My mother started to think of you as an extra set of hands around the house because you were a natural nanny. I wanted you to myself before you go to Houston,” Dalton said.

They were spending the night at Marcus’ place because she and Greg were taking off the next morning. As with most storms that brushed the coast, folks evacuated even when it wasn’t mandatory. They wanted to leave a day before it got worse so they could avoid the traffic crunch. Dalton had almost stayed in Melbourne Beach until the spring semester at FSU, but he went up to the campus, and they were going to accommodate his special needs. He moved to a dorm room on the first floor, and he met with a fantastic physical therapist. They worked out a way for Dalton to get class credits for the time he spent in PT.

“If you were staying in town, you would have been only twenty-five minutes from my house in Merritt. I’m happy that Tallahassee will work out, but at the same time, I’m sad for us, or at least for me,” Deenie said. She failed to mention the warning told to her by Quinnie.

“It’s going to be just as hard on me. Having you by my side during physical therapy has been a huge help. Every adult I’ve talked to thinks we will crash and burn. My mother told me the story of falling in love before her boyfriend went overseas with the military. She was planning to move to Germany to be with him and was waiting to be summoned. Eventually, he married a woman he met in Germany, and my stepfather had a similar story.”

“Sometimes I think they’re making it up because that can’t happen to everyone. I’m aware of temptation and having realistic goals, but I think if we’re honest, it’ll help. Don’t lie, and I won’t either,” Deenie said.

She put a pillow under his leg and another behind his head on the couch. Deenie had planned on losing her virginity to Dalton, but his injuries forced her to put that idea on hold. Navigating the cage around his leg was not the romantic scene she had in mind.

“Are you still planning to return for Mel and Dale’s wedding?” Dalton asked.

“Yes. My mom is flying me back for that, and then I’ll stay with my friend Cay in Merritt until my mom comes home. Are you still planning to be my plus one?”

“That’s the plan, but first, I’ll have to check my school and train schedules. I’ll let you know.”

Deenie felt a pinch in her heart because she feared it wasn’t the first time their schedules wouldn’t mesh. She breathed deeply before slowly exhaling and wouldn’t let her fears ruin their last night together.

“If you’re not able to make it, I’ll just go stag, and that won’t be a problem,” Deenie said. Compromise was going to come in handy, and she was starting already.

“I see the look on your face. Don’t get discouraged so soon. We’ll get the hang of meshing our schedules, and it won’t be easy initially. I love you, Deenie, and I’m not going to let a few miles get in our way.”

“I love you, too, Dalton. You first said those words to me when you were in the hospital, and I didn’t know if it was the anesthesia speaking or you.”

“I know that. You didn’t say it back until I was out of the hospital. You sure do know how to keep a guy guessing.” He laughed.

Deenie so loved the sound of his laughter that she considered recording it. She knew, however, that it was overkill to even think about it.

Deenie and Dalton spoke for another couple of hours as the rain intensified. Tears were shed by them both as they reminisced about the time spent together. They had fallen in love, but it was intensified by the gruesome accident. Dalton claimed that he wouldn’t change anything because his accident bonded them. Deenie wasn’t so sure about that declaration because he had almost lost his leg.

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