If I'd Known Page 3
I jump down and grab the plates from the top shelf. Turning around, I see Mama’s eyes dart from me to my cousin and then back to me. With her arms crossed, she taps her red fingernails against her skin and leans back against the counter. I hold the plates to my chest as a slow smile spreads across her lips.
She sighs again in defeat. “Let me think on it, Charlotte.”
Jennie and I squeal and Mama laughs. “I said think, not yes.”
“I know, Mama.” I put the plates down and walk over to her. I give her a kiss on the cheek before Jennie and I walk out.
“Plates,” Mama calls after me.
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“Mama did say yes,” I say to Cynthia. “A year after I met Travis and a short time after graduation, we had the car packed up and were saying goodbye to our friends and family. I remember looking back in the rearview mirror as we drove away, thinking this is going to be the best summer ever. How little did I know that it would not only be the most memorable summer I’ve ever had, but it would be the summer that changed my life forever…”
Chapter Three
June 1973
“I’ll be back later,” I call out to Mama as I maneuver around cardboard boxes.
“What do you mean, you’ll be back?” she says with the bottle of Windex in her hand.
“I’m going to say hey to Jesse before he has to go to work,” I tell her. I push open the screen door and put one foot out.
“Charlotte, we have to unpack all of this stuff.”
“I’ll be right back.” I let the door shut before she has a chance to speak any more and walk the small distance to Jesse and Jennie’s house. A cool breeze blows across my face as I walk off the porch, and I hear a boat horn in the distance signaling for the drawbridge to be let up. I turn back, seeing Mama cleaning one of the eight enormous windows in the front of the house, and I give her a wave as I take off down the road.
The smell of saltwater and summertime puts a smile on my face, and I breathe in deeply. I can’t believe this is my life. Just last week we were stuck in that small town in that tiny trailer. Now we’re in a real house that’s only a little ways from the beach and close enough to Travis for me to see him hopefully every day. I hear music before I hear the car. I turn and see a royal blue GTO slowing down. I stop and look at the driver who happens to be none other than Travis. My heart starts hammering against my chest in excitement. He turns the knob on his radio, shutting the music off, and smiles. Those dimples.
“Charlotte, right?” he asks me.
“Yep,” I say, smiling back.
“Hop in. I’ll give you a ride,” he says as he leans over and opens the door for me.
I bite my lip, look back toward my house, and before I can think any further into it, I say, “Okay.”
“Where are you headed?”
“Jesse’s,” I say, getting in. The smell of leather seats and grease fills my senses, making me feel giddy, and I blurt out, “But I don’t really care where we go.”
He smiles. “Okay then. Let’s ride.”
He drives down to the stop sign and turns onto the highway. I reach up and turn his radio back on. He shows me those beautiful dimples and that crooked smile as he presses the gas, making us go faster while the Doobie Brothers sing about a sleepy little town.
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The next day I can’t wait to see him again, and as I’m walking into the kitchen, the telephone rings from the hall. I run back and snatch it up right before Mama can. I laugh as she shakes her head at me.
“Hello,” I say in a singsong voice.
“Hey,” Travis replies in a deep, cool voice. My heart smiles, like literally grins.
“Who is it?” Mama asks.
“It’s just Jennie,” I lie, turning away from her.
“Jennie?” Travis questions.
“Um, nothing,” I say. “What’s up?”
“What are your plans today?” he asks me.
“The beach in a bit.” I twirl the phone cord around my finger and keep an eye out for Mama.
“Which one?”
“Pepper Park.”
“What time?”
“In about an hour.”
“I’ll see you there,” he says before hanging up.
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Putting my key into the ignition, I roll the windows down and head over to Jennie and Jesse’s house. The sound of seagulls flying over the white powdered sand and the waves crashing against the shore confirms I’m just a street over from endless, blue, blue water.
A few minutes later, I’m pulling up in front of her yard. I blow the horn and run my hands over the steering wheel. I hear a lawnmower in the distance, and as the wind blows in through my open windows, I smell fresh cut grass. My mind drifts, thinking about Travis and riding around with him yesterday. His sun-kissed skin, the way his dark brown hair falls carelessly midway on his neck.
I jump when the passenger door opens and Jennie climbs in. She’s wearing a blue, white, yellow, and red striped bathing suit with short shorts.
“Scare you?” she asks me with a smile.
“Yeah, I was in deep thought I guess.”
“Let me guess. Was it about a brown-haired, dimple-faced boy?” She tosses her towel in the back and I press the clutch and shift my car into first gear. I press the gas and lift off the clutch. We jerk a little, but I don’t choke.
“Maybe,” I say with a smirk. We pass a few people riding their bikes down to the beach and others caring lounge chairs and big striped towels.
“I went riding with him yesterday,” I tell her.
“You did not. Your mama would never let you.”
“She didn’t know and doesn’t still,” I say as a matter-of-fact.
She grins but says, “Don’t let that boy get you in trouble.”
I have nothing to say to that, and unbeknownst to Jennie, that boy is meeting us in just a little bit.
Once we arrive, I put the car in neutral and pull the brake up.
“It’s been too long since I’ve seen the beach,” I say, squinting my eyes from the sun.
“You’ll get used to it,” Jennie says with a shrug.
“Nah, I don’t think I’ll ever get used to living here,” I argue as I get out. I pull the seat up and grab my beach bag.
With our hands loaded, we walk across the hot pavement and climb the steps leading up to the wooden walkway. The summer sun beams down on my shoulders, and I know tomorrow I’ll have fresh freckles and tender skin. Our feet stomp loud across old wood that’s been lightened by overexposure to the sun, and my flip-flops sink as soon as I hit the white sand.
I adjust my bag on my shoulder and slide my shades down over my eyes as I look out toward the ocean. The sand is thick and I peer down the beach, taking in the view of huge umbrellas and sky blue tents.
Once we’re close enough, we put our things down, kick our shoes off, and shimmy out of our clothes.
“Let’s go get our feet wet,” I say to Jennie as she lays her shorts down on top of her bag. We tread into the water, and I see tiny fish scatter as I take a few more steps forward. The waves come in, brushing against my shins and crashing onto the shore behind us. A few kids have boogie boards and moms and dads build sandcastles with their kids far enough away from the rushing tide.
A boombox plays music from a blue and white blanket surrounded by other teenagers like us. They have red Solo cups filled with beer, I’m sure. I also get a whiff of grass, which is probably coming from them, too. I look down the beach at the lifeguard who sits up high on his post watching the people who are on floats and swimming. A few joggers pass by, leaving shoeprints in the compacted sand, and I lower down into the water, wetting my shoulders and lifting my hair to keep it dry.
After we’ve had enough of the water, we walk back to our towels, and I lather on some sun protection and sit down. A cool-warm breeze blows my brown straight hair across my face, and I close my eyes and drown out everything but the calming waves.
I open my eyes and follow her gaze. Travis and Jesse walk with a beer can in their hands and no shirts on. I swallow when my eyes land only on Travis. A lit cigarette rests between his lips, and he removes it to take a swig from his drink as they make their way over here. My heartbeat picks up, and I smile when he looks at me. I’ve only met this boy twice, but the feeling I get when he looks at me… it’s like I’ve known him forever.
“You two wanna come to a party tonight?” Jesse asks as he takes a seat on his sister’s towel.
“I don’t think I can,” I say as Travis sits down on my towel, causing my heart to pump even faster. He bends his knees up and rests his elbows on them.
“Why not?” he asks, taking a drag from his smoke before he puts the glowing butt out in the sand. I watch his lips as he blows heavy smoke up and away from my face.
“I don’t think Mama will let me go to a party.” I roll my eyes and play with the fringe on my towel, feeling like a child.
“Let’s tell her we’re going to a movie,” Jennie chimes in, surprising me. I look over at her before looking beside me at Travis. He doesn’t speak, just searches my face waiting for me to respond, almost daring me with his eyes to say yes.
“Okay,” I say to Jennie. “That’ll work.”
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Once the summer sun sinks, I drop Jennie off and head home to get ready for the movies aka party. Walking into the house, I notice Mama has been busy this afternoon, and the living room is looking somewhat organized. I hurry past it to my room and change out of my bathing suit. I grab my brush to try to remove the tangles the beach wind caused before twisting open my mascara.
I put a little on my eyelashes and run some lip-gloss against my lips. I spray some hairspray on top to keep the flyaways tamed before sliding some platforms on with a pair of my high-waisted bell-bottoms and a blue halter-top.
I notice that my shoulders already have that pink sun-kissed glow, and I grab my perfume and spray a little across my neck. Giving myself a once-over in the mirror, I smile before I run out and turn into the kitchen as Mama walks out of the pantry.
“Going somewhere?” she asks me.
“Well, depends,” I say as I walk to the fridge and grab a glass bottle of Cola. Popping the top against the counter, I toss it into the trash and take a sip. It burns going down, and I wince.
“I’m waiting,” she says as she watches me with an amused expression.
“Do you care if I go to the movies with Jennie?”
“The beach wasn’t enough?” she asks.
“Not really,” I reply with a grin.
She sighs, and I know she is going to say yes.
“When will you be home?” she asks me.
“As soon as the movie is over, I’ll drop Jennie off and head back.”
“Okay, but don’t make it too late.”
“I won’t,” I reply as I walk over and give her a kiss on the cheek. “Thanks, Mama.”
“Remember, come straight back once it’s over.”
I can’t help but roll my eyes. This woman babies me to death.
“You’re going to look real cute when your eyes get stuck like that,” Mama calls out as I walk out of the kitchen and head toward the door.
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After Jennie gets in, I hit the gas and head to where she directs me. Cars are parked on both sides of the road, and I pull mine over before we get out.
“This house looks empty,” I say to her after I shut the door.
“That’s because it is,” she replies.
“So where is the party then?”
“It’s down at the beach. This way,” she says as she starts to walk, and I see a small path big enough for one person. “Everyone likes to have it here because no tourists are around.”
“Oh,” I say as we follow the path up a hill and around the house. Once we hit sand, I slip my shoes off, and she does the same. We climb down the hill of sand, and I see the fire by the water. There’s a breeze coming off the ocean, and it sweeps over my slightly sunburnt arms, giving me chills. I hold my shoes as we make our way down, and I notice Travis sitting in front of a piece of dried up driftwood.
“Hey, girl,” he says as we walk up.
“Hey,” I reply with a smile.
“Jennie,” a girl calls out from down by the water.
“I’ll be back,” she says to me. I watch her run toward the girl.
Travis says, “Come sit down here.”
I nervously bite the inside of my cheek but go and sit down beside him, placing my shoes in the sand.
“Your mom think you’re at the movies?” he asks me.
“Yeah,” I say.
He nods. “She strict on you or something?”
Shrugging, I reply, “I guess. My real mom was a wild child, so Mama is extra worried I’m going to be the same.”
“Your real mom?” he asks me, taking a sip of the beer in his hand.
“Yeah. Mama is actually my grandmother.”
“Oh,” he says. Jesse comes up and sits down beside Travis. I smell grass and see the joint in his hand. He takes a hit and passes it to Travis. I watch as Travis brings it to his lips and inhales deeply. He holds the smoke in his lungs and offers me some. I shake my head no.
He shrugs and takes another hit before giving it back to my cousin. I look down at the beach and see Jennie laughing with the girl who called her.
“You want a drink or anything?” Travis asks me.
“No, thanks,” I reply.
“So you don’t smoke and you don’t drink. What do you do?”
“I like to bake.”
“Bake?” he asks me.
“Yeah,” I reply.
“Think you could bake me something one day?”
I look over at him as he blows smoke from his lips. His eyes shine, and the fire reflects in his pupils.
I smile. “Yeah, I think I could do that.”
He grins and looks ahead. “All right,” he replies with a cool nod.
____
“We spent the rest of the evening together, talking and laughing until I realized what time it was. I grabbed Jennie, and we hurried out of there. The interrogator asked me a million questions because I was late getting home, but I went to bed that night with a smile on my face because I knew I really, really liked Travis Cole, and I was pretty sure he really, really liked me, too.”
Cynthia leans back in her chair, giving me a small smile. She sighs and closes her notebook. “I do believe you are one of the rare ones,” she says.
“What do you mean?” I ask.
“Finding your true love at such a young age.”
“Yes. I guess I am.”
She puts her notebook into her polka dot bag and stands up. “I’m going to go home and work on this. Can we meet back up the day after tomorrow for lunch?”
“I’ll be here,” I reply.
Cynthia walks to the door and turns the knob, but before she steps out, she turns back to me, looking slightly uncomfortable. “Thanks for doing this. I know it wasn’t an easy thing for you to agree on, being it took you so long to do it.” She lifts her lip. “Anyway, I just want you to know I’m grateful that you’re letting me tell your story.” She adjusts her bag on her shoulder and clears her throat. “I’ll see you later,” she says before she disappears.
I sit at my kitchen table, staring at the closed door, processing everything we’ve just talked about.
“Just wait until you hear it all,” I murmur.
Chapter Four
Walking along the shore, I reach down and scoop up a faded pink and pearl white seashell. Seagulls scurry across the compacted sand, and if you stare out, you can see dolphin fins as they swim in the distance.
With the bottoms of my jeans rolled up, I let the rising tide run over my feet while I toss the shells into my bucket. I look behind me when I hear my name being called. Cynthia Rose drops her bag onto the g
round and slips her sandals off. Holding them with two fingers, she makes her way over to me.
“I thought you were coming at lunch,” I say, remembering our conversation from two days ago.
“Marty woke me up early because she’s taking off to Austria. We had coffee together, and once she left, I decided a walk on the beach would be nice.” She smiles and shifts her shades up onto the top of her dark hair. Her bright pink toes glow against the white sand, and I can’t think of the last time I painted mine.
“Who’s Marty?” I ask her.
“She’s my aunt. I’ve lived with her since my parents died.”
“Oh,” I say. “And she took off to Austria?” I question.
“Yes. She’s a flight attendant. She travels all over the world.”
“Oh, what an interesting career.”
“Yeah. It is,” she says as she looks out at the water, and I do the same. “It’s peaceful this early.” Way out, someone sails a boat, and there’s a cargo ship that looks like an ant from here.
“Yes, this is my favorite time of the day, before the beach gets too crowded,” I reply.
We don’t speak for a moment, both just enjoying God’s creation. But then my stomach growls and I realize I haven’t eaten yet.
“Have you had breakfast?” I ask, looking over at her.
“No, I wanted to see if you’d like to go to Seaside’s with me?”
“Seaside’s?” I ask her.
“Yes. You know, the place people eat at.” She lifts a brow.
“Okay, smarty. I know what people do at Seaside’s.”
She grins. “Well, you wanna go?”
“I usually just fix myself some cheese sausage and toast here.”
“Umm, okay,” she says slowly. “I was really craving some of their coffee, though. It’s like the best. Can you do the cheese sausage and toast thing tomorrow?”
I sigh. “I guess, little girl.”