“Why did you leave?”
“I loved alcohol more than myself.” Tears sprang to her eyes as she stared at me. “Every day that I’m sober, I wonder what could have been.”
“Dad still wouldn’t have been with you.”
“I meant if I’d stayed for you.” She offered me a small smile. “If I’d raised you. If I’d been there for you. What would life have been like?”
“You choose a different path.”
“I never stopped loving you.” She started crying. “Every day, I think of you. I see your face as a little boy. I see you asking me for ice cream. I feel you hugging me. I see your big blue eyes. I screwed up Rhett. I love you so much. I can’t even stand the pain I’ve caused you. The pain I’ve caused myself. Every night I go to bed and I pray that I’ll see you again. Hold you again.” The tears streamed out of her eyes as she sobbed. “Do you know what it’s like to mess up and keep messing up? I just can’t seem to get it right. I don’t wanna be this person. I don’t want to let you down. I don’t want you to hate me.”
“I don’t hate you.” I said softly and in this moment I knew it was true. I didn’t hate her. I’d never hated her. I’d been heartbroken, scared, rejected, confused, but I’d never hated her. Pitied her, yes, felt bad for herself and for myself, yes, but hate. Never.
“You’re a good boy.” She nodded and touched the top of my head. “You’ve got a kind heart.”
“Not sure how.” I joked.
“Clementine.” She ran her fingers to my beard. “Her soul is angelic. It’s only natural that it touched you.”
“She hates me now.” I sighed. “She hates me.”
“She’ll never hate you, Rhett.” Her eyes smiled at me. “That girl loves you more than life itself.”
“I…” My voice cracked and I looked away. “I screwed up.”
“That’s the beauty about love.” Her voice sounded wistful. “I was wrong before, when I told her she was like me. When I told her she was loving in vain. I was wrong. You love her don’t you? You really love her. Your face is different when you talk about her. She’s in your heart.”
“Why…how…” I sighed.
“I don’t know what happened with her, Rhett, but don’t let her get away.” She whispered. “You’ll regret it for the rest of your life.”
“I don’t know what to do.”
“Follow your heart, Rhett.”
“I didn’t know I had one until recently.”
“It always takes men a little longer to figure it out.”
“I’m sorry about dad, I know it must have hurt.”
“It’s not for you to be sorry. I’m the one that’s sorry.”
“I have to go now.” I jumped up, my heart beating and my head full of Clementine. “I need to speak to Clementine.”
“I know.” She licked her lips. “And Rhett…” She paused and looked at me with hopeful eyes.
“Here,” I opened my wallet. “I have $40 to give you.” I pulled the notes out and handed them to her.
“No.” She shook her head and refused the money. “I don’t want it. I’m back in rehab.” She half-smiled. “It’s hard, but I’m trying. I’m really trying.”
“Good for you mom.” I dropped the money on the table. “What were you going to say?”
“Will you come and see me again?”
“Do you want me to?”
“I’d like nothing more.” She stood up and walked towards me. “There’s nothing I’d like more, except maybe a hug.”
“Come here, mom.” I pulled her into my arms and hugged her hard. She hugged me back, even harder and I could feel her crying against my chest. I rubbed her back and we stood there for ten minutes just hugging.
“I love you, Rhett.” She sobbed against my chest. “I love you so much.”
“I love you too, mom.” I whispered against her ear. “I promise I’ll be back to see you soon. I promise.”
I walked out of my mom’s house feeling like a completely different man. I was ashamed of myself. Really ashamed of myself. Clementine had been right. My entire friendship with her had been selfish. Completely selfish. Only I’d chosen to ignore all the signs of my complete and utter jerk ways. Knowing that Clemmie and Nanna had come to see my mom all these years made me realize just how important I was to both of them. Both of them loved me more than I deserved. I thought back to a conversation, I’d had with Clementine many years ago. She’d told me that she would only give her virginity to a man she loved, but of course I’d chosen to forget that fact when I’d taken her. I’d been blind for so many years to her feelings and to my own. She’d been my de facto girlfriend. She’d done everything with me. Only I had not wanted to acknowledge the truth of my feelings towards her.
I got into my car, ready to call Clementine and beg her to meet me. I needed to talk to her. Yet, I knew a talk alone wasn’t going to be enough. I needed to make a grander gesture. I pulled out my phone and called Nanna.
“Nanna, it’s me Rhett.”
“Rhett,” her voice was cheerful. “I’ve been waiting on your call.”
“You have?” I knew I sounded surprised.
“I’ve been waiting for you to come to your senses.”
“What?” My jaw dropped.
“I presume that you’ve come to your senses?”
“I love her, Nanna.” I whispered.
“Yes, so you’ve come to your senses.” She sounded pleased. “I was worried that you were going to be stubborn.”
“How long have you known?”
“Clementine has loved you since she was a child, Rhett.” She laughed. “I knew you were in love with her when you were 13.”
“What?” My jaw dropped. “What are you talking about?”
“A grandma knows these things, Rhett.”
“She hates me now.”
“She doesn’t hate you.” Her voice was firm. “Though I was ready to slap you when you started sleeping with her.”
“I’m sorry, Nanna.”
“It’s fine.” She sighed. “You young people do things so twisted these days.”
“I didn’t meant to take…”
“Rhett, let’s not discuss this.” She laughed. “I’m still an old-fashioned lady you know. I’m just glad you’ve come to your senses.”
“What if she won’t have me?” I sighed. “I kinda messed up.”
“You mean the issue with that Penelope?”
“Yes.” I sighed. Why did Nanna have to know everything?
“You didn’t sleep with her, did you?”
“No.” I was adamant and she laughed.
“Clementine’s just being melodramatic. You broke her heart, Rhett. Here she’s been loving you for years and just when she thinks you’re within reach, you betray her with her best friend.”
“I didn’t betray her. We weren’t even hooking up yet.”
“It doesn’t matter when it happened, Rhett.” She sighed. “Jealousy and love have minds of their own.”
“I haven’t even thought of another girl since we’ve been together.”
“Tell her that.”
“She’s not talking to me.”
“Well, that’s definitely a problem.”
“Can I come over this Sunday? I want to tell her how I feel.”
“In front of the family?” She sounded surprised.
“Yes.”
“A grand gesture then?” She sounded pleased.
“Yes. I want the world to know.”
“Good.” She sounded happy. “Come over around noon.”
“Great.”
“Oh and Rhett.”
“Yes, Nanna?”
“Sunday is her farewell lunch. She’s moving to Cambridge next week.”
“Oh.” My heart dropped. “Isn’t that fast?”
“Life goes quickly, my dear. That’s why we must seize every opportunity and live life to the fullest.”
“Yeah, thanks Nanna.” I hung up the phone, feeling excited and depressed. Part of me wondered what the point was. If she was leaving anyway, what did it matter? But I knew in that moment that it would always matter. She would always matter. I had to let her know of that fact.
***
Sunday came quickly. I felt like my whole life was on the line. This was the most important day of my life and I was scared that I was going to f**k it up.
“You guys sure you know what to do?” I looked at Tomas, Brody and Jake in my back seat.
“Yes,” They chorused and grinned.
“Don’t mess it up for me.” I glared at them, feeling agitated.
“We won’t.” Jake smiled. “I’m glad you’re finally admitting you have the hot’s for my sister. I wasn’t sure how long I could take it.”
“Very funny.” I groaned and grinned back at him. “Okay, sshh. I’m calling Nanna. She’s going to bring your parents and Clemmie outside.” I pulled up and parked a few houses up. “Hey, Nanna. It’s me. Bring them outside.” I looked at the guys and wiped my forehead. I was sweating bullets of fear.
“You’re going to be fine, Rhett.” Tomas grinned at me.
“I feel sick to my stomach.” I groaned and adjusted my bowtie. “Do I look like a fool?”
“Honestly?” He laughed and I glared at him. “You look fine bro.”
“Argh.” I looked at my reflection in the window. My hair was recently cut and it looked as perfect as it could. I looked like a bit of a nerd in my tuxedo, but it was all a part of the act. “Brody, Jake, Tomas, you all know what you have to do?” I asked again.
“Yes,” they chorused again and I sighed.
“Just checking.” I looked at Jake and grinned. “That costume suits you.”
“I would never have dressed up like a white horse if you weren’t wooing my sister.” He made a face. “I look like an idiot.”
“You look fine.” I grinned. “Brody, you got the camera ready?”
“Yes.” He nodded.
“You ready to fight?” I grinned at Tomas and he nodded and played with his sword.
“Yes, Prince Charming. Let’s go.”
“They’re outside.” Jake exclaimed and I froze. “Let’s do this shit.”
“Okay, guys. Let’s go.” I took a deep breath and grabbed the reins on Jake’s costume. I tapped his shoulder and he pretended to gallop down the road. I pretended I was riding him and my heart was pounding as we came to Nanna’s house. Nanna and Clementine’s parents started laughing as they saw me, but Clemetine’s expression remained stoic.
“Has anyone seen the fair maiden, Princess Clementine?” I shouted out as we made our way up the driveway.
“Did someone ask where my Clementine was?” Tomas came running up the driveway with his fake sword.
“She’s not yours.” I shouted out. “I will fight you for her hand.”
“Who do you think you are, Prince Charming?” Tomas came charging at me and I pulled out my sword.
“My name is Rhett Charming.” I shouted and I could see Clementine’s lips twitching. That gave me the encouragement I needed and I got into character even more. “I’m here to win over Princess Clementine. I’ve come to show my love and to prove myself.” I turned towards Clementine. “I’ve come to woo you, Princess Clementine. Let me prove myself to you.”
“What is going on, Rhett?” She looked shocked.
“A long, long time ago, there was a girl called Clementine. She had a best friend called Rhett. He was a dumbass and for many, many years, he didn’t realize how much he loved her, until it was too late. Then one day, Rhett woke up and he remembered what his love had said. She said she wanted romance. She said she wanted a prince charming. She said she wanted her soulmate. She said she wanted someone who loved her more than life itself. I’m here because I’m that person. I never wanted or dreamed that I could be that person because I never believed in it. Yet, you’ve been here by my side this whole time. I never believed in it, because I was dumb. I didn’t realize that we had everything this whole time. Clementine O’Hara, you’re the anchor to my ship, the fire in my sun, the water in my ocean. You’re the love in my heart, the breath in my air, the voice in my dream. You’re my everything and I didn’t even know. I messed up and I almost walked away, but you never gave up on me and I’m not going to give up on you and your love.” I took a deep breath then. I could see Nanna grinning at me and crying. There was silence in the yard, asides from the sound from my beating heart. I walked over to Clementine ad grabbed her hands and fell to my knees.
“I beg for your forgiveness. I was young and dumb, immature and childish.” I bit my lower lip. “I love you Clementine, please say you can give me another chance.”
“Oh, Rhett.” Her eyes were full of love. “I can’t believe you’re doing this.” She shook her head and she pulled me up to join her. “I just can’t believe this is you, Rhett.”
“You gave me wings, Clementine. You let me fly. I don’t want to hold you back from anything in life. I’ll always be here to support you. I don’t want you to think I’m just saying this because I don’t want you to go to Harvard. I don’t want to hold you back. I want you to go to Harvard. I want you do whatever you want. Even if that means dating other guys. I’ll wait for you. I’ll wait however long it takes. All I want is you. I don’t want you to think I’m doing this for me. I don’t want to stop you from doing anything. I’ll wait for you, forever, Clementine. I need you to know that I’m here forever. I’ll love you forever. Whenever you’re ready for me, I’ll be here. All I want is you.”