“What do you say you give me one more chance?” Grant whispered, and Hailey melted at the sound of his voice.
“You look like you want to kiss me,” she gulped.
“Guilty as charged,” Grant whispered as he flipped the switch on the flashlight, dropped it to the floor and took Hailey’s face in his hands as they began to kiss.
Hailey was lying awake, hiding under her covers, shuddering each time a flash of lightning lit up the dark room. Jessica and Emily were sound asleep, despite the rain pounding against the roof, the wind howling across the field, the booming thunder and the striking lightning that illuminated the entire room with a loud pop. Hailey had been scared of lightning all her life, but, in the room where she grew up, there was no window, at least not one that wasn’t covered entirely by a chest of drawers. She eased herself from her bunk and tiptoed out the bedroom door. She crept through the hall and snuck into her old bedroom, easing the door closed behind her. “Grant,” she whispered loudly. She tiptoed over to the bed and shook Grant’s shoulder. “Grant, wake up,” she insisted as she turned on the bedside lamp.
“What?” Grant grumbled.
“You have to trade beds with me,” Hailey whispered.
Grant rolled over and looked up at her. “What are you talking about?” he groaned.
“Grant, I’m scared,” Hailey insisted. “Get up and go sleep in my bed.”
“I just got comfortable; I’m not moving,” Grant insisted.
“I can’t sleep in the other room,” Hailey gulped. “The lightning flashes in the window, and I can’t stand it.”
Grant threw the covers back. “If you’re really scared of the storm, then you can sleep in here with me.”
“Oh my gosh, you’re not wearing any clothes!” Hailey exclaimed as she averted her eyes.
“You’re so dramatic,” Grant rolled his eyes. “I have boxers on…socks even.”
“I can’t sleep in here with you!” Hailey insisted.
“Why not?” Grant shrugged.
“Because,” Hailey gasped. “You’re a boy; I’m a girl, and those are the rules!”
Suddenly, thunder crashed, and Hailey yelped as she jumped into the bed. The wind whistled, and she began to sob. “I’m so embarrassed,” she sighed. “I didn’t want you to know what a big scaredy-cat I am.”
Grant put his arm around Hailey. “If you don’t tell me the things you’re afraid of, how can I protect you from them?”
Hailey reached down and picked up Grant’s t-shirt off the floor. “Will you put this on?” she gulped.
Grant pulled his shirt over his head. “Do you want me to get out of here and leave you alone?”
“No,” Hailey shook her head. “I want you to stay; I feel safer with you next to me. It’s just that it’s you, and it’s me, and I don’t know if I trust myself around you.”
Grant grinned. “Well, it is my birthday,” he winked.
“Gosh!” Hailey said, slapping his chest. “You’re so bad.”
Grant’s mind drifted to the low key celebration that had taken place over dinner. Granny Miller had come over, and, after supper, Nora had put a candle in a Zinger, so everyone could sing Happy Birthday. Nora had deliberately forgone the decorations and fanfare that were her signature because, though she tried to hide it behind her loving smile, she knew that Grant’s eighteenth birthday brought with it the independence he had always wanted. Surely, he would disappear, set out to forge his own path and rarely, if ever, think to call and check in with his mother, and that wasn’t something she was in the mood to celebrate. Granny had managed to be relatively pleasant, even if her persistently curled lip spoke volumes about her disapproval, not only of Nora’s living arrangements but of Grant’s budding friendship with Hailey. So, naturally, Grant had made sure to show Hailey a little extra attention, massaging her shoulders and going as far as feeding her a bite of his cake just for the sheer pleasure of watching Granny squirm.
“What are you thinking?” Hailey asked softly.
“I’m sorry,” Grant said after a moment, “it’s just that my brother and his wife called earlier to wish me a happy birthday, and talking to them really got me feeling rather introspective.”
“And that means?” Hailey drew the words out with a little laugh.
“I’ve been doing a little soul searching I guess you could say,” Grant exhaled.
“Grant, before you say anything,” Hailey sighed, “I’m sorry I wasn’t in the best spirits for your birthday; it’s just that you keep saying…”
“I’m gonna stay,” Grant cut her off.
“Really?” Hailey seemed shocked. “I thought…but…okay…wow…why?”
Grant shrugged, and a coy grin flashed across his face. “Well, there’s this girl…”
Hailey swallowed. “This better not be your idea of a joke!”
“I’m good at taking the easy way out,” Grant admitted. “This time I think I’ll stick around and see what happens.”
“You have no idea how happy it makes me to hear you say that,” Hailey smiled.
Grant thought about the money that awaited him and gone were visions of a lavish home in Hyannis Port with its regulation-size, indoor basketball court with a dome ceiling, a complete library with a comprehensive collection of books on everything from political science and military history to Faulkner and Capote, and a silver Camaro parked in the garage. “While I was talking to my brother tonight, something struck me,” he said seriously. “He put his little girl on the phone; she has Autism, and she doesn’t talk or anything, but my sister-in-law said she responded to my voice…she knew it was her Uncle Grant…and she got excited.”
“That’s sweet,” Hailey sighed.
“You’ve got to meet Leah,” Grant beamed. “She’s awesome! And she’s like the cutest kid you’ve ever seen in your life!”
“I can’t wait to meet her,” Hailey said seriously.
