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Chapter Nineteen


"I was starting to wonder if you died up there," Kevin said as I slid into a seat at the kitchen table in our apartment three days later. "I knocked a couple times yesterday and didn't even get a grunt of a response."

I'd hit the pillow on my bed when we got home and other than a few brief bathroom breaks I'd been dead to the world since. I had no dreams to show for the time, just a refreshed attitude. My chest had stopped aching at last, and I was in the process of convincing myself that it had been just the stress of the tour bothering me all that time.

"Sorry," I replied, "I was tired."

Howie was standing at the stove stirring something that smelled like it was burning. "Tired," he laughed, "Tired. I'll say you were tired. You looked like a zombie."

Kevin nodded and took a bite out of an apple, dropped into the seat across from me and picked up the news paper. "Your lady's been here a couple times now," he murmured from behind the Orlando Sentinel.

I grabbed the edge of the paper and pulled it down to see Kevin's face. "Excuse me?" I demanded.

Kevin looked up from whatever article I'd just interrupted him reading. "You heard me," he replied. "She wanted you to give her a call when you woke up," he added.

"Someone's got a booty call," Howie sing-songed from the stove.

"Nuh uh, shut up," I said, jumping up and running for the phone in my barefeet.

"Boo-oo-oo-oo-ooooty call," Howie did a lil dance at the stove as he sang. I grabbed an orange from a bowl on the counter and haucked it at him, then took the phone and went down the hallway as far as the modem cord would stretch to get away. I could still hear Howie and he'd started beat-boxing the bow chicka bow bow porno music. Kevin was laughing.

Ignoring them and sitting on the floor, I quickly dialed Leighanne's number, which I'd memorized by heart.

"Hey," I said when she'd picked up the phone, "I'm awake."

Leighanne laughed, "You know, in the fairy tales, its the princess who sleeps for ridiculous amounts of time, right?" she asked.

"Yeah well I've never been conventional," I chided.

"This is true," she agreed, and I could hear the smile in her voice. "So how are you feeling? Revived?"

"And refreshed," I replied proudly. "How're you?"

"Oh well I guess it's my turn to be the tired one," she replied, "I've been working on that commercial all week I'm basically exhausted... Cameras and crews and craziness..."

"Don't I know how that feels," I said.

Leighanne laughed. "I was just on my way to the beach for the day, you wanna come?"

Leighanne on the beach meant bikinis and me having to put sunscreen on her. Did I want to come? Was she seriously even asking?

"Um yes of course," I replied.

"Okay," she laughed. "I'll pick you up in a few minutes?"

"I'll pick you up," I answered, "I haven't driven in forever..." I added.

"Okay," Leighanne laughed, "I'll see you when you get here. I'll work on packing us a lunch."

"Yum."

"You like pickles?"

"Love'em."

"I'll pack extra."

"Okay, you pack the pickles."

Howie walked by, "Told'ja it was a booty call," he said, kicking my foot.

I glowered at him.

"Was that Howie?" Leighanne asked, "What'd he say?"

"Howie's uncool, way uncool," I answered. "I'll be there in a half hour," I said quickly, "Loveyabye!"

I got up and coiled the phone cord back into the kitchen. Kevin was still reading the newspaper. He glanced up. "Well?"

"Going to the beach," I answered.

"Have fun," he said.

I grabbed an orange and peeled it as I walked back to my room at the far end of the hall to get ready. I tossed the peels into the trash bucket under my desk and stuffed a slice of the orange in my mouth as I started pulling open drawers looking for something to wear. It was too cold to wear trunks or to go swimming, so I ended up settling on a pair of khakis and a long sleeved shirt. I tugged on my Kentucky Wildcats cap and my favorite sneakers and tucked the ring in my pants pocket with my wallet. Grabbing my orange, I headed back out to the kitchen. "See ya later, Kev."

"Yep," Kev replied.

Howie came up behind me, "Going to answer the booty call?" he asked.

"Going to the beach," I answered.

"Wear a condom," he replied.

I rolled my eyes and ducked out of the kitchen. "It wasn't a booty call," I yelled as I ducked out the front door and went down the steps that led to the parking lot. My blue SUV was waiting for me, just where I'd left it, and I hugged the front of it melodramatically. "Ah I missed ya Steve," I said - because yes, I'd named my vehicle Steve. My car didn't respond of course, other than to viciously hum and growl once I'd turned on the engine.

I drove over to Leighanne's house which was on the otherside of the city on the outskirts. I parked in the driveway behind her little white car and jogged up to the door. She opened it right after I'd rung the bell and was wearing a yellow sundress with little purple flowers all over it. She looked beautiful - and I rather enjoyed the way the dress was cut if you know what I'm saying. I leaned in to kiss her, "Hey," I said, "I missed you. You look gorgeous."

Leighanne smiled and kissed me back, "Thanks," she replied. "I'm just finishing up packing the lunch. Come in." She led the way back through the small home to the kitchen, where she had a stack of sandwiches made and was putting them into a picnic basket. I watched, leaning against the frame of the door, smiling. Only Leighanne would actually own a real picnic basket. It looked like something out of Yogi Bear cartoons, complete with the red and white checkered table cloth and everything. "I packed extra pickles and crackers with cheese and some juices," she was saying as she laid the sandwiches into the basket. "I hope you don't mind they're juice boxes, I find they're easiest to toss into a bag when you're gonna be out for the day so I stock up on them," she was rambling as she worked. "Juicy Juice," she said, "Fruit Punch."

"Sounds perfect," I replied.

Leighanne looked over at me, "Yeah? You aren't thinking how lame juice boxes are?"

"Juice boxes were always a favorite," I answered. "I'm pretty sure that I still have some of the green Little Hugs in my fridge at home if it helps?"

She smiled, "Well I'm glad to know I won't be judged for my juice boxes then."

"At least yours are like 5% juice," I said, nodding, "Mine are 100% sugar concentrate."

She laughed, "It explains a lot if you drink them frequently."

"I'm naturally hyperactive, babe," I replied.

Leighanne hoisted the picnic basket off the counter, but I swooped over and took it away. "Let me carry that, it looks heavy," I said, tucking it into the crook of my arm.

"Are you sure you're okay to?" she asked, concern on her face.

I sighed. I had worried about this. "I'm fine," I replied, "I'm not weak or broken or anything like that. I'm fine."

Leighanne frowned, "I didn't mean that you were weak or broken," she said, "I was just making sure it wasn't going to strain you where you've been having the problems."

"I'm fine," I replied.

She led the way back out to the door, grabbing her purse and a blanket that she'd put on a chair in the entry way. "Did you make an appointment yet?" she asked.

"No," I said. I'd lied to the ER doctor in Indiana, but I couldn't lie to Leighanne, "Not quite yet. I was going to today, but --"

"No buts Mr. Littrell," she replied.

We walked across her front yard to Steve and I put the picnic basket in the back and climbed into the driver's seat. She had the blanket and her purse tucked neatly on her lap. "I'm serious," she said after I'd gotten in and my seatbelt had clicked into place, "You shouldn't be waiting and putting this off, not even for me and my silly beach date."

"I'll make it tomorrow, one extra day won't kill me," I replied. I winked.

Leighanne sighed, "Okay, you're right. But you need to do it tomorrow."

"I will," I answered.

"Okay." She smiled, "Then let's have fun today."

"That I can do." I pecked her cheek.

We drove to the Canaveral National Seashore, about an hour away, the radio playing and the windows down. The air was cool, and Leighanne had a scarf tied around her hair and sunglasses on. She looked like she belonged in the 1950s or something, and she smiled and ran her hands through the air alongside the car.

Canaveral is one of my favorite beaches in Florida because they've got this amazing wildlife program, including sea turtles that hatch there every year. Birds fill the area during the dry winter season, and there's a ton of great hiking trails. We parked the car and I carried the picnic basket and Leighanne carried the blanket and we walked along the Castle Windy trail that led in to the Mosquito Lagoon side of the islands. Trees overhang the walking trail along Castle Windy the way they do in the movies, which is another of my reasons I really like Canaveral. It's just such a beautiful place, and it's laden with history from the Native American tribes that inhabited it so long ago.

Leighanne and I walked along the trail, talking about whatever came to mind. Birds scattered through the trees as we walked and we passed another couple - an older couple with a dog - who said hello. Leighanne smiled after they'd rounded the corner and were out of ear shot. "Isn't that sweet?" she asked, "I want that someday."

"A dog?" I teased.

She laughed, "No. Well yes, but also no. I want to be married and go walking even when I'm old." She smiled.

"That'd be nice," I answered.

We reached this old bridge that zig-zagged over one of the many channels that broke up the land along the cape and Leighanne spread the blanket along the edge and I put the basket down. We climbed up on the railing of the bridge and looked down at the water as it moved along below us. A bird of some sort was poking around fishing a few feet away and we watched him. Leighanne pulled a camera out of her purse and snapped a picture of it, then turned and snapped one of me. We played Pooh Sticks - you know, like Winnie the Pooh and his buddies play in that Winnie the Pooh and the Blustery Day? Leighanne laughed as we watched her pinecone outspeed my stick and I called for a rematch. "Sore loser," she whispered as she laid a kiss on my cheek.

"I'm just competitive," I replied, kissing her back.

"Mmm, it's Nick's fault you're so competitive I suppose?" she asked.

"Actually I blame Kevin," I answered.

She laughed, "Kevin?"

"Yes, he was always trying to beat me at Monopoly when we were kids," I answered. "But he couldn't because I'm the king of Monopoly."

Leighanne kissed me softly. "I probably could beat you at Monopoly," she said, "I have an undefeated record."

"Oh yeah?"

"Yeah."

"If I had it with me I'd whip it out and challenge you," I whispered, our lips touching still.

"Oh you'd whip it out would you?" she asked, her voice husky.

"Mmm," I answered, nodding slightly.

We locked in a kiss for a few minutes and my hand rested on her thigh, our legs hanging over the side of the bridge. I thought I might be rounding a couple bases until she pulled away and laughed breathlessly. "Aren't you hungry?" she asked, reaching for the picnic basket we'd been leaning over during our kiss.

"Uh.. yeah, sure," I replied, a bit disoriented from all the hormones that were flying all over my body. I was pretty sure my nervous system was on fire.

Leighanne opened the basket and handed me a sandwich. It was balogna with ketchup and it was warm but in that delightful way that food gets warm on a picnic that made it delicious instead of gross. We ate sandwiches and pickles and cheese crackers and drank juice boxes and talked some more. I felt like I could spent my entire life with her right there in the middle of the trees on the Castle Windy trail.

I slid my hand into my pocket and felt the ring box there, pressing against my leg. I stared at her, sitting across the picnic basket from me, talking, smiling, her hair shining in the light that filtered through the leaves. I wondered if the right moment was now, if I should pull the ring out and ask her. Yes, do it, my inner voice told me, and I started to slide the ring out of my pocket.

"Leighanne," I said, my voice serious, "We've been together a long time now," I started.

"Almost eight months now," she answered, smiling.

I nodded, "Yeah, almost eight whole months, and I've never been happier than I am when I am with you."

"Aw Brian," she smiled.

"Leighanne," I said, clearing my throat, "I have a question."

"Yes, Brian?"

My fingers started to slide the ring from my pocket. "Will you --" And that's when that dog the old people had suddenly came running across the bridge and licked my face, effectively interrupting me.

"Ugh!" I yelled. The dog barked and ran back into the trees.

"Oh gosh, do you think he's lost, Brian?" Leighanne asked, concerned and completely distracted from what I'd been about to ask.

I wiped the dog's spit from my face, "I don't know," I answered, "Good Lord he has some nasty spit though."

She peered past me, into the trees. "Should we go find him?"

I started to answer - I was gonna say that anything with that much drool in its mouth would fare a-okay on its own - when he came back, bounding around the trees, barking, followed by the couple we'd passed earlier, who were now windblown and happy looking. They were well into their seventies by the looks, and the dog bounded ahead of them playfully.

Leighanne looked relieved to see the dog was with his people.

Personally, I was just glad I didn't have to hunt him down with his big drooly tongue.

They passed by us once more, and disappeared with their barking drooling dog, and Leighanne smiled after they'd gone. "They're so sweet," she drawled, "Did you see how he was holding her hand?"

I hadn't.

Leighanne sighed, smiling. She turned back to me. "What were you going to ask me, sweetie?" she asked, snapping back to our conversation pre-dog.

I realized I still had my hand around the ring box in my pocket. But the moment had passed thanks to Snoopy the Hell Hound and I pushed the ring back in all the way and removed my hand. "I was just going to ask if you wanted to go back and walk on the beach," I replied.

A smile spread across Leighanne's face, "Yes, let's do that."

We packed up the picnic basket and folded the blanket and walked back to the car. She slipped her fingers through mine as we walked and I looked down at our clasped hands and she smiled up at me and I leaned over and kissed her head. Outside, I was smiling like crazy at her and laughing and talking and playing around like normal; but inside, I was cursing that dog to canine hell for interrupting.