Page 56 of Take Me to the Valley

When I pull into Cody’s driveway, his truck is there. Going up to his door, I knock loudly and repeatedly until he answers the door.

“The fuck Cal! What is it?”

I push my way in.

“I’m not going to be moving in with Mom and Dad. I’m moving in with Evan and, for the first time in my life, doing what I want. While I cared for Grandma and Grandpa on my own, our family took a step back and let me do it. Do you know what that was like?” I ask.

“Calista…” he starts, but I cut him off.

“It was like being given two large kids and having no help. If I wanted to so much as go to the grocery store, I had to find someone to sit with them. I had no social life and no friends. If I had even had a chance to meet a guy, there was no way to have him to the house or develop any sort of relationship. I had. No. Life.

Then I looked up and I’m in my thirties. I was back in my hometown, with no relationship, husband or kids. All of which I wanted before I turned thirty. And now you guys want me to move in and take care of more people, and you have the nerve to be mad that I finally did something for myself?”

“I didn’t….”

“No, what you didn’t do was think about me. You didn’t want to give up your social life, so you expected me to give up on mine. But here is a news flash. I’m not going to give up my life anymore. Right now, Mom and Dad don’t need help, but when they do, it won’t be me moving in. So when that day arrives, youand the guys better step up because it’s your turn.” I cross my arms and finally pause, giving him a chance to talk.

“I didn’t know you couldn’t have a social life.” He looks rueful as he sits on the couch.

“Because you never came to visit. I was promised you guys would come to help, but no one ever did. Though Mom and Dad did visit once a year. Some social life. You weren’t willing to give up your twenties to take care of someone,” I say.

I know Cody was out sleeping around and having a good time at parties, rodeos, and who knows what else.

“I’m sorry. Of course, we will help when the time comes,” he says.

“No, you will take care of it, and I will be the one helping. But it’s my turn to be selfish. I plan to have a family while I still can. That will take priority. Now, as far as Evan. Yes, we should have told you, but we didn’t because we knew this would be your reaction, and we didn’t know if it would work out. Plus, how DARE you tell anyone I’m off-limits? It’s for me to decide. If you hadn’t been a jerk about that, we could have both been happier sooner!” I say heatedly.

I know it’s not fair to put that all on him, but I’m fuming, and I want to get my point across.

“Evan, really?” Cody snorts. “I asked you to talk help him. My best friend!”

“So, we should remain unhappy just so you can be happy? If that is how you want to keep thinking, you are about to lose a lot more than just the two of us,” I say, standing prepared to walk out the door.

“Wait. How…” I turn to look at Cody, and he’s sitting on the edge of his seat and looking down at his feet with his arms resting on his legs. I wait for him to ask his question.

“How did it happen?” he asks.

“When I came home the first time, he was the cop who arrived at the accident scene where that lady crashed. We talked some, but that was it.

Then, when he was lying on the ground bleeding out, something shifted. Even though I had people I knew come into the ER before, I was able to focus and do what needed done. But it was different this time,” I say.

“Even so, neither of us acted on it. But being in close proximity was difficult. One night when I was changing his bandage, it all came to a head. Damn, it was just a kiss. But you know what the first thing we both thought of? Yeah, it was you. The first kiss I’ve had in years, and I had to feel guilty about it because of you!” I sit on the chair beside the couch because I’m not sure my legs will hold me, I’m so angry.

“Then Skye had a sleepover and that’s when we decided to give in and get it out of our system. When I moved out, it ended. Onlyby then, we had both fallen in love. Evan showed up tonight to propose and that was the first time I’d seen him since I left.”

“And Skye?” He asks, the anger from his voice gone.

“I love that girl as if she was my own. She didn’t know what was going on. We kept it from her. But she’s important in this new life we want. So part of the proposal was to ask me to be her mom,” I say.

Cody sits there without speaking, but the silence is uncomfortable.

“And if this doesn’t work out?” he finally asks. “Does he lose his entire support group?” Cody looks grim.

“These are questions that I went over and over in my head. He only loses them if you let him, but Cody, this is happening. It’s not just dating. We are getting married. The question is, are you going to be supportive and part of our lives, or are you going to let your anger ruin it all?”

Cody bounces his feet while still staring at the ground.

I can tell he’s trying to process, and maybe I should have let it be until tomorrow like Evan said. But that would mean I wouldn’t have been able to sleep, and I’m not going to sit on this to make Cody feel better.

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