Renne hoisted up a cardboard box into her arms, carrying it out to her truck. One of the open flaps on the box revealed to her what was inside. It was multiple picture albums, old toys and trinkets, and other paraphernalia from when she was younger that she had not taken with her when she left Alpine Ridge in a hurry five years ago.
Setting the box on the passenger side floor of her truck, Renne made her way back inside the house when she saw Swayde's truck pulling into the drive. With a wave, Renne greeted him, waiting patiently as he parked his truck, following Renne inside.
"You're getting an awful early start to your day. Leavin' already?" Swayde asked in a not teasing, but very serious, exhausted voice.
"Yeah, we want to get an early start so we can get back at a decent time." Renne thanked Swayde for holding the door open for her as she entered into the foyer to get another one of her suitcases. Before Renne could pick it up, however, Swayde grabbed it, along with the other remaining bags, heading back outside.
Renne followed him, watching as he carefully put her bags in her truck. She leaned against the side of her truck, waiting for Swayde to finish his task. When he was done, Swayde turned to walk inside, but Renne's hand on his arm stopped him. "Hey, can I please talk to you?" Renne asked, tucking some hair behind her ear.
Swayde looked at Renne, tucking his hands in the pockets of his jeans. "Sure, what's up?"
"You have been really quiet and not talkative to me these past few days. It almost seems like you are tryin' to avoid me. What's goin' on?"
Swayde hesitated, knowing he had to filter what he would respond with. He wanted to tell Renne that he was still in love with her, and it was killing him to see her with someone other than himself, but he knew that wasn't a conversation that should be had right now. "Just have a lot on my mind and wanted to give you space. I'm fine." He shifted slightly, hoping Renne would believe his bluff.
"Okay, well I know you well enough to know you are not fine. Seriously, what's wrong? What's on your mind?" Renne knew this wasn't the time, or place, to have a deep heart to heart conversation, but soon, Matt would be done with the barn chores, and Renne knew he would want to leave immediately.
Swayde let out a sigh. "I'm just tryin' to get used to you being gone again. For the past month, I have gotten to see you every single day. And now, you are marrying Matt and moving back to Montana and who knows when, if ever, I will see you again after your wedding. And, everything that has been going on has got me thinking...and I just want to tell you that I'm happy for you to be movin' on with your life, but this week has shown me just how short life is. I can't let you leave without you knowing that I have always, and will always love you, no matter what happens. I will always be in love with you, and nothing will change that. I know what is happening now is not the life we had planned for us, but it's God's plan, not ours. The ring on your finger isn't one that I gave to you, but nonetheless, you are still engaged, and I'm happy for you, that you will be doing what you love with the man you love in the state you love. But, life is too short for anyone to not be happy." Swayde took a deep breath, slowing himself down. He was talking as fast as a livestock auctioneer.
Renne stood, her head spinning, as she tried to wrap her head around everything that Swayde had just told her. It was exactly what she had reckoned was wrong, but she didn't expect Swadye to actually tell her. Knowing she was right about Swayde still being in love with her, Renne knew she couldn't tell him that she felt the same way about him. When she began to respond, Swayde stopped her by taking a step closer.
"Please promise me that I will never lose you again. Please, Reggie. I cannot lose you ever again. I know that you are marrying Matt, but I need you in my life, even though we can only ever be friends from here on out. I just pray that we can always stay close friends, no matter where life takes us." He rested his hands on Renne's shoulders.
Smiling for the first time in a week, Renne said, "Of course we can still be friends, Swayde. Nothin' is goin' to change that. You know you can't get rid of me that easy."
Swayde smiled. "Good. See, I told you I had a lot on my mind, but now that I said all of that, let's go get your casseroles packed up."
Before they could head inside, Renne leaned forward into Swayde, giving him a ginormous hug, forgetting what it had felt like to be held by someone who genuinely cares. "Thank you, bestie."
"Anytime, pal." Swayde smiled, knowing this time around he wouldn't lose his best friend.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
"It was so good to see you again, darlin'." Papaw gave Renne a hug, longer than usual.
"You too, Papaw." Renne smiled, turning to her grandmother.
"Drive safe, dear. Please let us know when y'all get back." Mamaw had a tear in her eye.
"We certainly will." Renne replied.
Forcing a smile, Renne saved the hardest goodbye for last. "Hey." Renne forced a smile, walking up to Swayde.
Swayde reached out his arms, tightly embracing Renne. "I'm gonna miss you, Reggie."
Renne felt the tears swelling up in her eyes. She tightly shut them so a tear wouldn't fall. "I'm goin' to miss you too, cowboy."
"Promise me you will call whenever you can." Swayde requested, still refusing to let go of Renne.
"I promise." Renne pulled back, knowing if she didn't now, she might never. "Goodbye, Swayde." It was just a whisper.
There was a look in Swayde's eye. Could it be a tear? Renne wasn't sure. "No, not goodbye, just...till I see ya again." He forced a smile to hide how sad he was that she was leaving. Repeatedly, he told himself that he wasn't going to do this because he was genuinely happy for Renne, but it still didn't make things any easier.
"Till I see you again." Renne smiled back. Swayde and her exchanged a long look before Renne added, "I love you, best friend."
"I love you too, best friend." Swayde breathed out.
Wiping something from her eye, Renne turned to Matt, asking if he was ready to go. Before she could get the full sentence out, Swayde reached out his hand to Matt, stepping closer so only he could hear what he had to say. "Take great care of Renne, and treat her how she deserves, which is the best. If you don't, you can guarantee I will be out there in a heartbeat to show her how she deserves to be treated." Swayde didn't realize how tight he was squeezing Matt's hand until Matt flinched under the pressure.
"I will take care of her, man." Matt pulled back with a jerk. Turning away from Swayde and too Renne, he asked, "You ready to go, babe?"
Renne nodded, hopping in her truck. Already she was wishing she didn't have to leave. There was still so many of Mallory's things that she had to go through yet. Loose ends needed to be tied up regarding certain things here in Alpine Ridge. Needless to say, Renne had come to realize that she wasn't yet ready to leave Wyoming and head back to Montana. Knowing she had to head back to reality one day or another, Renne started her truck, getting ready to back out and follow after Matt, who had already left.
Taking one last look at the her family, Renne lifted her hand in a wave, dropping it to shift her truck to reverse, refusing to look behind her as she drove down the road.
About an hour into her trip, sadness was beginning to take over Renne's mind. In an attempt to leave Alpine Ridge in the back of her head, and in her rear view mirror, Renne sighed, turning on the radio.
Looking ahead of her, Renne saw brake lights; seeing the police officer on the berm to her left, Renne glanced down at her speedometer, making sure she was obeying the speed limit. Before she could look back to the road, her eyes caught the white corners of the back of a picture. Reaching out to it, Renne flipped the picture over, remembering how she had turned it face down when her and Matt were on their break a couple weeks ago. Tucking the picture of her and Matt back into the corner of her dashboard, Renne grabbed the wheel with her left hand. Just then, her shiny, large engagement ring caught her eye. Taking a deep breath, it was then that it hit Renne exactly the kind of life she was going back to in Montana.