"Well, it's been two weeks since Matt proposed. How are you feelin'?" Swayde asked as he drove with one hand on the steering wheel. He took his eyes off the road for a second to look at Renne.
A grin rose to Renne's lips as she replied. "Honestly, I'm feelin' good about the wedding. These past couple weeks have given Matt and I a chance to talk, and it's been...good. I feel like we are finding our rhythm again." She fiddled with her ring as she made eye contact with Swayde. "But, this trip we are about to make, that's what I'm not feelin' so good about." Renne looked out her window, changing the subject.
Swayde took in a deep breath. He reached a hand across the middle seat to rest it on Renne's knee. "Reggie, it's goin' to be alright. I know it doesn't seem that way right now, but the hospice nurses are doin' everything they can to make your sister comfortable. And, I know you don't want to hear it, but, when it's all over, she won't be in pain anymore."
Renne's eyes began filling with tears as she looked over to Swayde. "Thank you. I know you're right, and it's time I have to start talkin' about this, so I'm glad you brought it up."
"No problem." Swayde retracted his hand from Renne' knee, placing it back on the steering wheel to turn right into Doug and Mallory's driveway.
As always, Swayde opened the passenger side door for Renne, offering her a hand down from the cab, dropping it as they walked up to the front door of her sister's house. Taking a deep breath, Renne let her fist drop on the door three times, taking a step back as her and Swayde waited for the door to open.
After waiting a couple minutes, with no answer, Swayde lifted his hand to knock on the door, but the large wooden panel opened, revealing an exhausted looking Doug. His beard was long and scraggly, like it hadn't been shaved for a couple weeks. "Hey guys." His voice was groggy, as if he just woke up, but by the look of his appearance, it was evident that Doug hadn't slept for days. "You're here to see Mal, right?" Doug hadn't looked at Swayde nor Renne since they arrived.
"Yeah. How is she?" Renne asked, stepping forward, hoping Doug would let them in, but he didn't budge.
"I'm sorry, but I'm afraid that this isn't a good time right now." Doug's voice was defeated.
"We can't see her even for five minutes?" She pleaded.
"Reg," Swayde started, his voice firm. He placed a hand on Renne's lower back, telling her to listen to Doug. "We will come back later, it's alright."
Renne turned back to look at her sister's husband. "Please call us if anything changes."
Doug nodded before slipping back inside the house, closing the door, leaving Swayde and Renne alone on the porch.
Before Renne could address her worries, Swayde wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close to him, telling her everything was in God's hands as he stroked her hair.
"Let's go home, please." Renne whispered into Swayde's chest, refusing to allow a tear to fall.
With a sigh, Swayde led Renne to his truck, helping her inside before making his way to the driver's seat.
The truck ride was quiet as Swayde tried to think of something to make Renne laugh. "Do you remember my junior prom, I took you as my date and Doug was one of the chaperones? Mallory was at your house taking pictures of us and all Doug and Mallory did was fight the whole time? Mallory eventually got so mad at him that she stopped taking our pictures and just told us to go to prom?" Swyade was chuckling at the memory.
Renne tilted her head back against the head rest to let out a groan, followed by a chuckle. "They hated each other. What led them to decide to get married?"
"It's an ironic story, actually. They acted like they hated each other, but everyone could see through it and we all told them that they would get married one day. Despite their constant arguing and denial of feelings, the night that Riot and Cruiser's foal was born, something just clicked in Mallory and Doug, and he proposed right then and there. It must have been something to do with them havin' to work together while the foal was born. The rest is history."
"Wait, Riot and Cruiser had a foal? Doug proposed right then and there, without them even dating first?!" Renne was surprised by the news. "Why is this the first I have heard of it?" She asked, not upset, but surprised.
"Yeah, Riot got out into the pasture one day and she wound up pregnant. After the first foal was born and we saw how great it was, we decided to breed them. They have four foals together now. We froze some of Cruiser's semen, too. All of the foals are at one of my buddies ranch." Taking in a breath, Swayde answered Renne's second question. "Doug and Mallory had gone on a couple dates, but nothing super serious. Their engagement was extremely short; I mean like two or three months, and then they got married. Now, they're inseperable." Swayde paused to smile at Renne. "It's crazy how when two people love each other, they always find their way back to each other."
Renne held Swayde's gaze. For the first time since she had been back, she had wondered if Swayde was actually referring to her relationship with Matt, instead of her old relationship with Swayde. She couldn't be sure either way, and before she could make a decision, Swayde changed the subject to another funny story from when they were kids.
Renne and Swayde got out of the truck, laughing, once they were at Mamaw's house. She appreciated Swayde's gesture today. "I'll walk you up to the house." Swayde said after they stood in front of the truck awkwardly for a few seconds.
Once on the porch, Renne pulled Swayde into a tight hug. "Thank you so much for gettin' my mind off of Mal momentarily. I really appreciate it." She smiled, pulling back to look him in the eye, telling him she was sincere.
"Anytime, Reg. Glad I could help." Swayde smiled at her, his arms still around her waist.
Before Swayde and Renne could fully pull back, Matt walked out of Mamaw's house. Swayde was the first to see him walk out. Dropping his arms quickly from Renne's waist, Swayde greeted Matt before telling Renne he would see her later. Tipping his hat before he walked off the porch, Swayde gave Renne an indecipherable look.
Once Swayde was in his truck, Renne turned to Matt, giving him a kiss on the cheek, followed by a fake smile as she walked inside.
"Y'all looked pretty cozy out here." Matt's voice was cold as he commented from the porch.
Renne turned on her heels to walk back onto the porch. "Matt, don't, please. Swayde and I are just friends, you know that. Him and I have been friends our entire lives."
"Where did y'all go? I don't recall gettin' a text from you." Matt stood with his thumbs in his pockets.
"We went to see my sister, but Doug said it wasn't a good time, so we came straight back here." Renne replied.
"Okay." Matt let out a sigh, turning to walk off the porch.
"Now where are you going?" Renne asked, calling after Matt.
"I have some errands to run. I'll be back later." Matt slid into his truck, leaving without a proper goodbye.
With an eye roll, Renne walked back inside the house, kicking off her boots in the entry way before heading upstairs. Once in her bedroom, Renne flopped down face first onto her bed, stuffing a pillow under her head, to prop it up. Turning on her side, Renne looked at the picture on her bedside table. It was one of her and Matt...the one she used to have in her truck on the dashboard.
Grabbing the photo and frame off the table top, Renne took in a deep breath as she stared at the picture.This was real life, no longer high school or college drama, it was time she got her act together. Just then, something shiny caught Renne's eyes, looking at the hand that was holding the photo. Perched naturally on her left hand was the engagement ring that Matt gave her. She was 24 years old, and engaged. Engaged...it was at that exact moment that it hit Renne. After a long, hard journey, she was engaged, engaged to be married...to Matt. The last guy she ever thought she would be marrying.