July Raine

An Easy Run...

I could I ran to my mom and met her in an embrace, "I'm so glad that you are here." I pulled away from her, "Where is dad?"

She grabbed my hands an squeezed, "Oh you know your dad; he thinks he has to unload the car as soon as we get here."

At that moment the door swung open and my dad was loaded down an armload of luggage. It looked as though half of it was barely balanced up there, I wasn't sure exactly how he carried so much. I just shook my head. My dad really was something else. He had a huge grin his face.

"Let me help you dad." I walked up to him and grabbed the luggage and set it next to the door.

After he sat the rest of the luggage down he pulled me into a hug. "How's my sweet pea? Where is little miss July?"

"Dad, I'm a little old for nicknames. July stayed the night with Rainey." 

With those words, both of my parents got shocked looks on their faces. My mom spoke first. " You really let July stay overnight somewhere."

"Yeah I really can't believe it myself. It just worked out best this way." 

After tthey got over the shock, we all sat down and I told them about everything that had been going on. I told them told how it worked out that July stayed with Rainey. I had really great parents, they just sat and listened as I spilled my guts to them.  They just sat and nodded their heads and I went on and on about Rainey and July. When I told them how happy July was, an instant smile emerged on their faces.My mom placed both their hands on my face. "Now that we know how July is, how are you?"

I really didn't know how to answer that question. I wasn't really ready to get into how I was feeling with my parents. I just wanted to focus on July, after all this was what this was all about. 

I was a bit relieved when the front door opened. "Hey babe, sorry it took so long. "  He stopped in mid-sentence as soon as he spotted my parents. My parents looked at Maddy and then back at me, giving me a questioning look.

I quickly stood up and walked towards Maddy. "Maddy this is my mom, Georgia and my dad, Wilson. This is one of Rainey's best friends, Maddy." Maddy held his hand out my dad, and firmly shook his hand.  I thought he was going to shake my mom too, but then he surprised me by hugging her. My mom was a little taken back but when he pulled away from her, she was smiling. "Well aren't you a friendly young man."

Maddy blushed a little, "Sorry, about that. I tend to be a hugger."

The smile on my moms face grew larger. "That is fine, we are a hugging family."

When my parents weren't looking Maddy gritted his teeth and smiled at me. His eyes were  so wide.

"Are we still on to run, or should I go."  He pointed in the direction of the changing room, and then in the direction of the door. He did this over and over as I just stood there and stared at him. The longer I stood the bigger his smile got.  Still I said nothing, and then he headed for the door. I wasn't sure I could go run with him now that my parents were here.

"Hey wait." Those were not words that exited my mouth, that was my mom.

Maddy stop and turned. "Ma'am"

She just shook her head. " No need to call me Ma'am, just call me Georgia."

Maddy nodded his head and smiled.

I wasn't sure why my mom had stopped Maddy, but it didn't take long for me to find out.

" I was just curious as to how exactly you got Melonie to agree to go running with you."