Part 4 (1/2)
”Sharon, you're not listening.”
”Oh, sorry, I just meant that I don't want to wait any longer. I want to-”
”Shhh.” He stared at her for a long time. Was she saying yes before he even got to ask? No, that wasn't right. She was saying yes to the wrong thing. And he wasn't about to let her do that, as much as he really wanted to drag her off somewhere and get her naked. If he did that, she wouldn't respect him-or herself-in the morning. And that mother of hers would never let her hear the end of it.
”I'm not taking you to the Peach Blossom Motor Court.”
She startled and dropped her arms from around his neck. She stepped back, her brown eyes widening. ”But on Wednesday you said-”
”I know what I said, and it was shameful. Really. You've made it clear that you don't want to do that. I don't know why I suggested it. I've been going over it again and again, and I realize that I got it all wrong on Wednesday, too. I'm just not good at this.”
He dug into his pocket and pulled out the little box Aunt Arlene had given him. He dropped to one knee. ”Sharon McKee, will you marry me?”
She looked a little scared, so he figured he should keep talking.
He sucked in some more air and continued: ”I know you really value your independence, and I guess we could go somewhere or something, but I want more. I mean, I know that you want more. And I respect you for it. I want you to be mine even if you are independent. I know that doesn't make any sense, but it does if you think about it long enough.
”I'll be gone a lot. And you wanting to be independent is probably a good thing. But, see here, you'll still be my wife. And I want it that way.
”And I did a little research. We can't get married in South Carolina without waiting a bunch of days, but we could drive to Georgia and get married tonight.”
He'd run out of words and air. He gazed up at her. She was kind of smiling, but her eyes looked all watery too, like she might cry. His heart raced. He didn't know what else he could do to talk her into marrying him. But he was determined to do it if, even he had to stay here on his knee for the next three hours.
She got down on her knees, too. ”You planned this out?”
”Yeah, I guess.”
”Did you come to the house last night to say this?”
He nodded. ”Your mother said you didn't want to see me.”
”Mother didn't ask. She just a.s.sumed.”
”After she sent me away, I got really mad. And then Sheriff Bennett gave me a speeding ticket. Shoot, honey, I didn't know that carnations weren't as good as roses. I've been out here fis.h.i.+ng all day and worrying that you might think I wasn't-”
”Oh, for heaven's sake, my mother told you that carnations weren't good enough for me? She said that to your face last night? Good grief. Stony, honey, I don't deserve you, but I love you with all my heart. These last few days have made me realize it. I don't ever want to be away from you. You're like my anchor or something.”
A fountain of pure joy sprang up inside him. ”You think I'm your anchor? Really?”
”Yes.”
”Miz Miriam said that exact same thing to me. She said I was supposed to be your anchor. And I want to be that for you, Sharon. I love you so much. I'm going to love you until the day I die.”
She gave him a fierce hug. ”Don't you say that, Stony Rhodes. I'm so scared for you. Have you heard the news about Iraq?”
”Yeah.”
”Well, if you get sent there, just remember that I plan for us to grow old together.”
He laughed. ”Are you going to make a list to go with that plan?”
”Don't you laugh. This is not funny. You come home to me.”
”I promise. We're going to be together forever, honey. We've got Miz Miriam Randall to thank for that.”
She kissed him, and her mouth was like a hot summer night, full of stars and moons.h.i.+ne and first-time love. She never really said yes. She just kissed him until he couldn't breathe. And that's when he got off his knees, and carried her all the way to his truck.
”Oh c.r.a.p, Mother's home,” Sharon said as Stone pulled his truck to the curb. He responded to this news with a truly filthy curse word, and for once, Sharon wasn't of a mind to object.
”You're sure I need my birth certificate? Wouldn't my driver's license be good enough?” she asked.
”Not according to what the Georgia authorities told me on the phone. Do you know where your birth certificate is?”
She nodded. ”Yeah, it's in a file in Daddy's study. Mother doesn't go in there very often. The room is kind of a shrine to Daddy. But still, if she hears me, I'm dead. She thinks I'm at the barbecue, and it won't be long before I'm missed.”
”Are you sure you want to do this?”
She smiled at him. ”Getting cold feet?”
”No, but I don't want you to get into trouble with your mother. She already hates me.”
”She's going to really hate you after we elope, but I don't care. That's her problem. You stay here. I'll be back in no more than ten minutes.”
”And if you're not?”
”Then you come busting in like the marine you want to be. Give me ten minutes.”
Sharon headed to the front porch, walking on her bare feet, her Watermelon Queen dress swis.h.i.+ng with every step. She opened the front door.
All was dark in the house except for Mother's room, down the hall. She could hear Mother stirring around in there, waiting for her.
Sharon turned the other way, toward Daddy's study. She sat at her father's desk and opened the top drawer. He always kept the key to the file cabinet there. She found the key without any problem. But she hesitated when she saw the little leather ring box sitting right there in the middle of the drawer.
She didn't remember the ring box being there the last time she'd looked for the filing cabinet key.
She opened the box and gasped. It was Daddy's wedding band.
She closed the box and pressed it to her heart for a moment. Daddy had always liked Stony. Maybe this was his way of giving her away.
She quickly opened the file cabinet and found her birth certificate. Daddy had been a very organized man during his lifetime.