Tides and Tidings

Chapter 19

Blythe

A side from the cuticle picking, seeing Charlie on the bench in his white T-shirt, black windbreaker and black jeans had me wondering what I had done right in this life to have such a beautiful man. Dayum .

I sat beside him, “Is everything okay with Wren?”

“Oh yeah, she’s fine.” His eyes met mine, “She just wanted to alert us that she would like a Barbie Jeep like you had when you were a little girl for Christmas.”

My heart lurched, “Just from what I told her a few weeks ago?”

“Apparently that had a lasting impact.”

“I’m sure we could find something similar for her.” I fought the urge to pull out my phone and start looking for one. “Are you okay?” I observed the look of apprehension on his face.

He immediately straightened up, “Yeah, why?”

He was a terrible liar. “You just seem like something is wrong. Just making sure you’re good.”

“Never been better.” He wrapped his arm around me. “Where to next?”

“We have two hours before we have to go back to the hotel to get ready. What did you have planned?”

“I was thinking we could just walk by the riverfront. Maybe pop into some of the stores?”

“That sounds wonderful.” I snuggled into his side and rested my head on his chest.

“Are you tired?” There was a slight tone of amusement in his voice.

“No way,” I couldn’t contain my yawn any longer.

“Would you rather take a nap at the hotel?” He offered up a counterplan.

“If I lay down in that bed, I’m not getting out of it.” I stood up, “To the riverfront.”

Charlie locked his hand with mine and led me in the right direction. It was a beautiful, sunny day and the air was crisp but not cold. We strolled by the water, taking in the beautiful sights. I had gotten so used to the smell of salty ocean air that the lack of saltiness made me miss home.

“There’s a toy store. Should we go in and see what we can find for Wren?” Buying things for her healed my inner child. Growing up, it was just my mom and I and there wasn’t much money for me to have new things so being able to spoil Wren felt like a full-circle moment.

“Do you think they have Barbie Jeeps in there?” Charlie joked.

“There’s not a chance,” I bumped his shoulder.

We entered the store and the small bell alerted the owner that we were there.

“Afternoon, folks!” He greeted. The owner was a plump man in his mid-seventies.

“Hello, sir.”

Damn . Charlie’s manners and Southern accent made me want to jump his bones right then and there.

“Is there anything I can help you find today?”

I shook my head, “We’re just lookin’. Thank you.”

“There’s one thing. Our daughter wants a Barbie Jeep. Do you, by chance, know where we might be able to get her one?”

Our daughter . I know it’s probably easier to say that rather than explain the situation. Nevertheless, it made my heart beat a little faster.

A wide grin spread across the older man’s face as he tapped his chin, “You know what, I think I might have exactly what you’re lookin’ for.”

Charlie and I shared a look of doubt as the store clerk made his way to the backroom. Was this man about to break out a machete and kill us on the spot?

I need to stop bingeing true crime podcasts.

“Do you think he has it?” I broke my gaze to peek into the dark area he escaped to.

Charlie craned his neck, “My guess? He has a small toy replica.”

Loud bangs rattled the wall, and I jumped.

A moment later, the man returned. My mouth hung open as I stared at a piece of my childhood.

There was a pang of nostalgia in my chest.

“Judgin’ by my w—girlfriend’s reaction here, I think this is exactly what we’re lookin’ for.”

What in the actual fuck did he just start to say?

I pretended I didn’t catch that because how do you broach that conversation? To quote Dakota Fanning in Uptown Girls, “You’re not gonna.”

“Ma’am?”

The man snapped me back into reality. “I asked if you were alright.”

“All good. just feels like I went back in time.” I laughed it off.

I always rode around in that pink car up and down my driveway. The one time that my uncle sat in the passenger side and we laughed until our sides hurt. The times that being an only child felt so …lonely. When it’s just you, all eyes fall on you—all day and all night. You’re held to a standard that kept getting higher. The expectation grew each and every year. I felt that loneliness bubble back up.

That’s why Charlie has been such a blessing. He makes me feel seen, heard, loved…

He makes me feel enough .