bluegrass tunes. The old men show up for all occasions including the lighting of the town's Christmas tree on the courthouse lawn at Christmas playing tunes. The locals gather in front of the make-shift stage, dancing and swaying.
Aunt Pepper pops up and hugs Blaine. "We're going to miss you Blainey boy, aren't we Gracie?" She smiles to her daughter, Blaine’s cousin.
I smile and nod, my eyes misting again. Tomorrow morning I'm sending the love of my life off to Africa for God-only-knows how long. I'm not too thrilled about it. I just hang on as the tears stay behind my lids threatening to spill forth any second. I draw in a deep breath trying to control my emotions.
Blaine pulls me along from person to person who is giving him their well-wishes. Many ask if he's taking me along too. I just shake my head feeling angry that I wasn't invited. So many others believe he and I are a team and so, of course, they’d assume I’d be going along.
"Hey man, best of luck," Judah says while shaking Blaine's hand. I feel a little better having my best friend there.
Judah gives me a sympathetic look. He's hurting for me, and I love him for that. He's such a good friend. He gives me a quick hug. "I'll be here for you," he whispers in my ear sending goosebumps traveling down my neck. He leaves and I feel the pull to follow him, my safe friend, who is always there for me.
Instead, I follow Blaine as he pulls me away from the celebration meant just for him. "Come on," he says as we race up the road toward my little house. I look back at the gathering and giggle.
"Don't you want to stay for your celebration?"
He chuckles. "No, I celebrated, I said my good-byes, now I need a proper send-off from you," he says to me and raising his eyebrow. I know what he wants, what he always wants.
He pulls me to the couch where he brings me to him and lands on me with his lips, kissing passionately. "You know what would make me happy for a proper send off?" he asks with a desirous look in his eyes.
As if I didn't know. I smile and comply with his wishes as I unzip his pants and give him just what he wants. It's not mutual, though. He's too preoccupied to think about spending quality time with me, and I try to understand.
Afterward, he rises and pulls up his pants. "I have to finish packing. Thanks for the time. It will have to see me through all those hot African nights I have ahead of me," he says with a grin as he zips his pants. A quick kiss good-night and he's gone leaving me to my sad thoughts about how I’m being left here.
Judah is waiting at my door the next morning. "You don't think I'm going to let you send off Blaine alone do you?" he asks as he takes my hand and lays it upon his arm. I smile wearily at my friend, grateful for his support. If sweet had a name, it would be Judah.
The large van filled with all the supplies Dr. Kendall will need is packed and ready to pull out in front of his old surgical clinic. Blaine is busy helping with the last minute load to pay much attention to me. I stand back with the tears, once again, threatening to spill forth. I'm so tired of crying as I have the past several days. I feel selfish for wanting Blaine to myself right now, but he’s too busy to notice.
"Oh hey," Blaine calls to me. I walk over to help hoist the large box onto the van. "I think that's it." He smiles and nudges me playfully.
"We wanted to give you a proper send-off," I say with a forced smile and nod toward Judah, who is quietly standing beside me.
"I thought last night was a pretty good send-off," Blaine says grinning. I squirm as I’d rather he not say that in front of others. Judah looks away as anger washes over his face. Sometimes Blaine can be so irritating. He does it on purpose.
I turn to Judah. "I'm sorry; can we have a few moments?" I ask hoping he’ll understand.
Judah shrugs and walks around the van. He’s not too thrilled with me at the moment, but it can’t be helped.
Blaine takes me into his arms and
Aunt Pepper pops up and hugs Blaine. "We're going to miss you Blainey boy, aren't we Gracie?" She smiles to her daughter, Blaine’s cousin.
I smile and nod, my eyes misting again. Tomorrow morning I'm sending the love of my life off to Africa for God-only-knows how long. I'm not too thrilled about it. I just hang on as the tears stay behind my lids threatening to spill forth any second. I draw in a deep breath trying to control my emotions.
Blaine pulls me along from person to person who is giving him their well-wishes. Many ask if he's taking me along too. I just shake my head feeling angry that I wasn't invited. So many others believe he and I are a team and so, of course, they’d assume I’d be going along.
"Hey man, best of luck," Judah says while shaking Blaine's hand. I feel a little better having my best friend there.
Judah gives me a sympathetic look. He's hurting for me, and I love him for that. He's such a good friend. He gives me a quick hug. "I'll be here for you," he whispers in my ear sending goosebumps traveling down my neck. He leaves and I feel the pull to follow him, my safe friend, who is always there for me.
Instead, I follow Blaine as he pulls me away from the celebration meant just for him. "Come on," he says as we race up the road toward my little house. I look back at the gathering and giggle.
"Don't you want to stay for your celebration?"
He chuckles. "No, I celebrated, I said my good-byes, now I need a proper send-off from you," he says to me and raising his eyebrow. I know what he wants, what he always wants.
He pulls me to the couch where he brings me to him and lands on me with his lips, kissing passionately. "You know what would make me happy for a proper send off?" he asks with a desirous look in his eyes.
As if I didn't know. I smile and comply with his wishes as I unzip his pants and give him just what he wants. It's not mutual, though. He's too preoccupied to think about spending quality time with me, and I try to understand.
Afterward, he rises and pulls up his pants. "I have to finish packing. Thanks for the time. It will have to see me through all those hot African nights I have ahead of me," he says with a grin as he zips his pants. A quick kiss good-night and he's gone leaving me to my sad thoughts about how I’m being left here.
Judah is waiting at my door the next morning. "You don't think I'm going to let you send off Blaine alone do you?" he asks as he takes my hand and lays it upon his arm. I smile wearily at my friend, grateful for his support. If sweet had a name, it would be Judah.
The large van filled with all the supplies Dr. Kendall will need is packed and ready to pull out in front of his old surgical clinic. Blaine is busy helping with the last minute load to pay much attention to me. I stand back with the tears, once again, threatening to spill forth. I'm so tired of crying as I have the past several days. I feel selfish for wanting Blaine to myself right now, but he’s too busy to notice.
"Oh hey," Blaine calls to me. I walk over to help hoist the large box onto the van. "I think that's it." He smiles and nudges me playfully.
"We wanted to give you a proper send-off," I say with a forced smile and nod toward Judah, who is quietly standing beside me.
"I thought last night was a pretty good send-off," Blaine says grinning. I squirm as I’d rather he not say that in front of others. Judah looks away as anger washes over his face. Sometimes Blaine can be so irritating. He does it on purpose.
I turn to Judah. "I'm sorry; can we have a few moments?" I ask hoping he’ll understand.
Judah shrugs and walks around the van. He’s not too thrilled with me at the moment, but it can’t be helped.
Blaine takes me into his arms and
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