Page 22 of Make It Without You

I swallow down my disappointment that my parents didn’t show up. I thought that after the talk we had, they would be more present. Silly me, huh?

“I wanna take you somewhere,” James leads with distraction.

“Okay.”

James dropped me off earlier as I needed to do a final run-through of my set. Since we knew we were spending time with each other tonight, him dropping me off was the smart choice.

We stop by the bathroom so I can change out of my performance dress. Taking off the dress, I pull up my maxi skirt that’s thicker than the normal skirt and pull the thick dark blue sweater down my body. The thick socks that roll around in my bag slide on my feet along with my flat ankle booties. I pull on my cream cardigan, roll my performance dress into my bag, and exit the bathroom.

James’s smile lights up his face when I reach him and then he’s slinging my violin case over his shoulder, taking my hand in his. We follow the trickling crowd out to the parking lot into the brisk winter air. “So how do you feel now that your big moment is done?”

I cover his hand with my free hand and lean into his side. “Lighter. I’m not sure if that’s the right word. But I worked so hard for this moment only for it to be done in an hour. So I guess I also feel a little empty.”

“All your hard work paid off. I’ll never get over watching how beautiful you play.”

“Thank you, baby,” my cheeks hurt from smiling so hard.

“Ice cream?”I turn to him with excitement coating my words.

His eyebrows raise with a goofy nod. Slowly leaning into my space he pecks me on the lips. “I got a craving for some Oreo ice cream.”

He leaves me watching after him as he strolls around to my side of his car. “M’lady,” he announces as he holds his hand out for me.

“You’re such a goofball. And I love you for that.”

Shutting the car door we walk into the ice cream shop. James wraps his arms around my upper body and our steps match aswe stroll up to the small line which has formed. “It’s an honor to be your goofball.”

Kissing his forearm, I order our ice cream when it’s our turn. After we’ve paid, we take a seat at our usual table. We people watch as we let the ice cream cool off our already cold bodies and talk about absurd things that will probably never happen.

“You can’t say something that insane!” I cough out. The cold from the ice cream makes me sound like I’m sick.

James chuckles. “If it were to happen. Trust me!”

“So you’re telling me that if an apocalypse were to occur, the first thing you’d do is rob a grocery store? Of all of the bread? What is wrong with you?” I say and burst out in hysterics.

“When you’re starving because everything else got wiped out by the zombies don’t come to me for some bread.”

“You’re so weird. You know that right?”

“I’ve come to accept that.”

I kiss the tip of his nose. “I think I’m accepting it too.”

“Where do you see yourself in five years?” James asks.

“With you hopefully. Maybe married or at least engaged.” I’m confident enough in us to know that’s where our future is heading.

“Pretty presumptuous don’t ya think?”

“I don’t think anything. I know. I love you. And I know I see our future wrangling our little boys to t-ball practice.”

“Boys huh?” His smile is contagious.

My nod is emphatic. “I wouldn’t mind having a daughter. But being around you and your brothers has fulfilled me in a way I didn’t know I needed.”

James leans forward and presses a kiss to my lips. “I like that. Knowing that we’ve unintentionally given you something precious. And I love you too, sweet girl.”

A comfortable silence takes place as we eat our ice cream and people-watch.

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