Page 2 of Everything I Desire

My mother knows how to get a point across, and Dad takes the hint, heading out my door and pulling my sisters with him.

“Baby doll, what is going on?” She pats the bed and I come over to join her.

“I love him, Mom. He loves me. I don’t understand why Dad is so angry.”

Patting my head, Mom holds me as I cry. “Oh baby doll, I know you feel like it’s love. But there are things you don’t know. Things your father is trying to protect you from.”

She is wrong. I do know Porter. I know all of Porter. Every good and bad detail about his life. We are one hundred percent honest and open with each other. His family is the reason I sneak out every night to meet him, to give him just a moment of happiness, to see the sadness, and the brokenness leave his eyes for just a fleeting moment.

Mom sits with me for about half an hour until I stop crying. I am not upset about Porter, I will never stop seeing him. I will never give him up.

But I am upset that my Dad is making this a strain on our relationship together. I’ve always been Daddy’s girl, and it kills me to blatantly ignore what he is saying. The guilt will eat at me, but never enough to lessen the love I feel for Porter.

Clink. Clink.

I sit up in my bed to listen, it sounds like something is hitting my window.

Clink.

I walk over to the window and see Porter in the front yard. I motion to him that I will be right down. He has his hands in his pockets and looks wild, like he’s afraid of something. His hair looks as if he’s been running his hands through it as it sticks out all over.

When I get to him I place my hands on either side of his face.

“What happened, Porter?” I ask.

“Baby. The cops. They’re at my house, looking for me. Someone called the cops on my buddies and insisted that I was with them when they broke into the old mill. They got caught with drugs, Adelaide. Given my family’s record and my sister’s recent run-ins with old Sheriff Miller, they believe this anonymous tip, my so-called friends even agreed, they said I was the one who bought the drugs and it was my idea to break into the mill. I don’t know what to do. They’re going to pin this on me and I’m going to jail.” He tells his story frantically, looking over his shoulder at the street constantly.

“That’s crazy, Porter. I’ll just go with you. Tell them we were together. You didn’t do anything.” He wipes a tear from my cheek. I didn’t even realize I had begun crying.

“You will do no such thing, Adelaide Harper. You will get your behind back in this house and never see that boy again.” Shit. I was so focused on Porter I didn’t hear Dad open the door. The sound of his voice sends chills down my spine.

“Mr. Harper. I’m sorry. I’ll go.” Porter squeezes my hand for comfort, but it isn’t comfort. The sadness haunts his eyes, and burns my soul. It’s goodbye. I can feel it in my bones.

“That’s right you will. And you will never come back here again, Porter. You understand me? Don’t even look at my girl.” Dad stares straight at him and I can feel the anger radiating from the porch.

“Yes, sir. I understand.” Porter grits out.

He leans down to whisper in my ear, “Adelaide, I will always love you. I promise.”

“No, Porter. Please don’t leave. I was with you. I can tell them.” I am desperately following him through the front yard, grasping for him just out of my reach.

Once he reaches the edge of the yard on the street, out of sight from my Dad, he reaches out and cups my cheek.

“Adelaide, I can’t. It was your Dad. He’s the one who called. I can’t prove it, but is it a coincidence that he was waiting for you tonight? Who are they going to believe? Your Dad carries a lot more weight in this town than I do. You know he won’t stop.”

“Then we’ll run away. We’ll leave tomorrow. Wherever you want to go. We can go to that small beachside town in Maine we visited in the fall. We’ll start our own life. Please, Porter.” I refuse to let him go. I refuse to accept it. I hold onto his arms like my life is about to beripped from me. Tears stream down my face, because I know this is it. As much as I don’t want to admit it.

“You can’t. You are meant for so much more than I can offer you. I was always kidding myself.”

“No, you weren’t, Porter. You are everything good in my world, please, don’t do this. Meet me tomorrow morning at our spot. Six, it’s only a few hours away. Please.” I bury my face in his chest.

“Ok, baby,” he hugs me close and holds me tight. “Just remember that no matter what happens I love you. And I will always love you.” His lips crash to mine, surely leaving a bruise, and kisses me deeply, as if he’s saying goodbye.

I run back inside to pack a bag and run right past my Dad. I never look back at him, I’m too angry.

I write a letter to my mother and sisters, dotted with the splashes of my tears to explain to them where I’ve gone. I only have a few hours to make sure I’m ready to go.

I wait for three hours until I hear my sister, Willow, calling me. I can’t even get up and go to her. I am frozen in my spot, tears falling down my face, knees hugged tight to my chest. Porter hasn’t come, and I know that he’s gone. It feels like half my heart is missing too.

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