“Give it time, Seth. Don’t be like that. They’ll come around and like you said yourself you two won’t get married till after graduation,” Cris said.
“Give it time?! I swear he wants us to break up more than your Dad. I don’t get it, really I don’t.”
“I don’t think that, it maybe he thinks you two are too serious too early. You know your Dad hasn’t had a great life, and I know he did it to himself, but I think part of him might be afraid you’ll do the same thing he did. Getting drunk like we did scared him more and you getting drunk the other night didn’t help matters either,” Cris said.
“I guess you could be right.”
“Don’t let it ruin what you and Lia have. You two know how you feel about each other. Even though you’re engaged now it’s still going to be an adjustment for you both. Don’t hurt her anymore; you know you left her upstairs with your parents by herself. Do you think their giving her a hard time?”
“No, my Mom’s probably gushing about the ring, you know how Mom is. She actually gave me the idea to get engaged without her even knowing it.”
“How?”
“A friend of hers got engaged and the way my Mom talked it up as a great romantic gesture got me to thinking about Lia and me. I knew, you knew, everyone knew we would be engaged soon anyway so I just did it a little faster than originally planned.”
“”I’ll say. You planned it for Lia’s graduation, which is a year and a half away,” Chris said.
“Yeah I know, but this seemed like a better time to do it. What now you’re gonna give me a hard time about it?” Seth inquired.
“No I’m not just stating a fact. Hey I’m glad you did, it gives her a sense of protection. She won’t worry as much about losing you to someone else,” Cris said.
“That won’t happen,” Seth said.
“Hey anything can happen in life, bro.” Cris said.
“I know, but that won’t,” Seth replied.
“Time will tell. Let’s start getting this stuff up there so we can get back home. I’m sure Lia will want to show everyone her ring. By the way that must have cost you a fortune,” Cris inquired.
“Not really, Uncle Stefan and his connections helped a lot. His one friend owns a jewelry store so I got it at a discount.”
“Even at a discount it must have cost a lot,” Cris said.
“Yeah it did, but she’s worth it to me.”
“You’re not going to tell me how much you paid are you?”
“Nope. There’s an elevator around the corner there to take up the big stuff. Let’s get going.”
“Nice way to change the subject,” Cris laughed.
~~*~~
They got back to Pennsylvania around six o’clock that night. All three were tired, but they got home showered and changed. Since there was no game tonight, as this week’s the game was on Saturday, they were going to hang out at the Pizza Shack.
Sitting in the booth waiting for Cris to get there with Steph, Seth asked, “Lia what’s wrong?”
“Didn’t we do the right thing, getting engaged? It’s seems like we’re getting a lot of flack about it.”
Seth just sat there looking at her, “You regret getting engaged?”
“No! I love it, but I think everyone thinks it’s too soon.”
“I don’t care what everyone else thinks, it’s our life, Lia. We need to do what’s right for us.”
At that time Steph and Cris slid into the seat across from them. “I want to see your ring, Lia,” Steph said. Putting out her left hand and showing her the ring, “Wow that’s beautiful. I’m so happy for you guys. It’s prefect with Seth moving and everything, now you know Seth and you will be together forever.”
“Yeah it does,” Lia said grinning. She really needed someone to be happy for her.
Tina and Tasha walked up to their table. “Hey what’s new?” Tasha asked.
“Nothing much,” Seth said.
“Yeah ok,” Steph said. “Look at the ring Seth got Lia.”
“What?” Tina exclaimed. “Let me see it.”
Lia showed them the ring, “Wow you two are engaged that’s awesome,” Tasha said. “Not surprised in the least. That ring is gorgeous, Seth.”
“Thanks,” Seth said. “Cris let’s go order food and leave the girls here.”
They walked up to the counter to order the food and when Seth looked back at the table there were more girls their talking to Lia. “Good thing we left.”
“Why?” Cris asked. He looked back at the table and saw it was surrounded by a lot more girls. “Uh yeah I guess it was.”
“I’m glad some people are happy for us. Lia really needed that.”
“So did your parents give her a hard time?”
“No I asked. She said my Mom loved the ring and my Dad just ignored us both, which is good I guess.”
“Well I talked to my Dad and you’re sleeping at our house tonight. You’re not helping your Dad tomorrow?” Cris asked.
“Nope, I meant it went I said I was done with him. You know I never told you this, but my Dad wanted to use all the money I saved when he lost his job, I told him no. It was for college and he told me I wouldn’t go to college and that I would never amount to anything. So I was to give him all my money so we could live. He was drinking again right after he lost his job.”
“Why didn’t you tell me? Did you tell Lia?”
“No I didn’t tell anyone because I was too embarrassed.”
“Why be embarrassed? I thought your uncle helped you guys out.” Cris replied.
“Yeah he did once I went to him complaining about my Dad taking my money. He helped us out. My Mom threatened to leave him; she even looked at a few apartments. Then my Dad went back to his meetings to get help again. Then I pulled that little stunt with the drinking and driving it just pulled us further apart. I have no respect for him anymore. Don’t get me wrong I’m glad he got this job and it’s a really good paying one, but I don’t want to live with them anymore. I wish I could stay here for many reasons not just Lia.”
“I know this really blows you leaving and all, but we’ll all be here when you get back, just keep in touch with us,” Cris said.
“Yeah I will, but it won’t be the same,” Seth said taking their food back to the table.
“Hey ladies you think we could sit down now?” Seth inquired of the group of girls hovering around the booth.
Giggling they moved so Cris and Seth could sit down, but they weren’t leaving. “So much for a quiet time here at Pizza Shack.” Seth whispered.
“When is it ever quiet here?” Lia giggled.
“You feeling better?” Seth asked.
“Yeah I needed someone to be happy for us, genuinely happy for us, not just the lip service of my parents and the yelling of yours. It just made me think we were wrong in doing this now.”
“And you don’t think that now?”
“You know I never really thought that, but a little doubt entered my mind this afternoon. I’m all over it now. In a way I wish we could get married now, I know it’s not a realistic thing as we’re both under eighteen, but I do wish it. Seth I’m gonna miss you in a few hours we have to say goodnight and then good bye,” Lia stammered as tears formed in her eyes.
“I’m staying at your house tonight so there won’t be a goodnight, we can stay up all night if you want,” he suggested.
“Yeah I do,” she replied. While they were talking the rest of the girls started to move away from the table. When Mr. Grayson walked up to the table.
“Seth, Lia how have you two been?” he asked.
“As good as can be expected under the circumstances,” Lia replied. “We were going to stop by your house tomorrow. Are you going to be home?”
“Yes I’ll be home all day. I thought you forgot about coming to see me before you left, Seth,” he replied.
“No, I didn’t forget just had a lot to do this week and Lia said t
o go by tomorrow before I leave,” Seth replied.
“Very good, I’ll see you tomorrow,” he said starting to walk away.
“Mr. Grayson, are you meeting someone here?” Lia asked.
“No, no just ordering to take home,” he replied.
“Why don’t you get your food and eat with us?” Lia invited.
“I can’t impose on you like that,” Mr. Grayson answered.
“Why not? You’re not imposing on us,” Cris said.
“If you really don’t mind.”
“No we don’t. In fact we just got our food and Seth and Cris ordered enough for an army so if you like pizza with everything on it you’re welcome to share the two large pies we have here,” Steph said.
“That’s real nice of you kids. I don’t know the last time I ate out with friends. Since Mrs. Grayson past away I don’t go out much,” he said.
“Well now you have some friends to eat out with. Cris get him a chair and pull it up to the booth,” Lia said.
Mr. Grayson sat down with them and was eating when he noticed the ring on Lia’s hand. “Good thing you did there, Seth,” he said pointing to the ring.
“What?” Seth asked not realizing what Mr. Grayson was talking about.
“Getting engaged to Lia. Smart thing boy, she really loves you, keep her happy. Never know when it’ll end. Even though I had many wonderful years with my wife, when she was gone it was like our whole life when by in a blink of an eye. We were childhood sweethearts too. Fell in love in my senior year and never stopped loving her since. Oh the ups and downs of it all, but it was all worth it in the end. I couldn’t find anyone I could argue with as fiercely as I did with her, and the next minute be so in love with her and the fight forgotten. And oh the making up it was always better after a good fight,” Mr. Grayson reminisced laughing.
They all laughed with him. It was so good to hear that an adult was rooting for them. Thinking what they are doing is a good thing. “Mr. Grayson thank you so much for not being like our parents and thinking what we did was so wrong. It makes me feel so much better,” Lia said.
“Honey, you have to do what makes you happy, no one else can do that for you. When do you plan on getting married?”
“Not before I graduate high school,” Lia answered.
“Then I think this is the right thing for you two to do. You are both being reasonable with the time frame of it all. I have to go now, I’ll see you tomorrow before you leave Seth,” he said.
“Yep be there in the afternoon around one, if that’s ok?” Seth asked.
“That will be fine and make sure you bring your beautiful fiancé,” Mr. Grayson said.
“I will,” Seth said.
~~*~~
They went back to the Lombardi’s house to watch the movies they rented on the way back. Lia let the guys pick the movies as she didn’t want any sappy love stories she would have picked. She was going to have a hard enough time keeping herself from not crying all night anyway and if she watched her normal chick flicks she would be crying that much harder.
She went up stairs to get in her pajamas when she ran into her Dad in the hallway. “I don’t want him sleeping in your room, do you hear me?” he said gruffly.
“Dad I wouldn’t do that. Besides Cris, Seth and I are hanging out in the living room all night watching movies and having the last night together, just the three of us like old times,” she said through tears.
“Ok just wanted to make myself clear. Don’t worry, Lia, the next few months will fly by, and you’ll be back with him everyday like before,” Mr. Lombardi said.
Giving him a hug Lia said, “You really think so? You don’t mind us being engaged? Lia asked.
“I wish you would have waited until after graduation, but like your Mom said it was going to happen so we might as well give you our blessing instead of our disapproval. I want what’s best for you Lia, what makes you happy in life and I guess I’ll just have to put up with it being Seth,” he retorted.
“What did Seth ever do to you, or me that you don’t like him?” Lia asked.
“He didn’t do anything other than get you arrested for grand theft auto.”
“Dad!”
“Well it’s the truth. It’s not so much him as you, Lia. You have always acted like you can’t live without him. Ever since you were a little kid, if he moved one way you went with him, he moved a fraction of an inch the other way you moved with him. At the time everyone thought it was cute, but as you got older it’s the same way. Then when you two broke up for that month, you fought everyone in your way back to him. You would badger Cris so bad to get Seth to see you I just didn’t think it was healthy for you. I wanted to see you go out with other guys, date other guys, get away from Seth for your own good, but that wasn’t happening. I just wasn’t going to sit back and let you continue on with this, but your Mom told me to stay out of it. I think my anger grew and I just took it out on him. Then when I found out you were the one to supply the alcohol that night, I realized I can’t change how you feel and I could no longer take it out on Seth. I hope someday he can forgive me for the way I treated him,” Mr. Lombardi said.
“If you give us your honest blessing I can forgive you anything,” Seth said coming up the steps. “Sorry I didn’t mean to eavesdrop, but I came up to go to the bathroom and didn’t want to interrupt you.”
“I give you my blessing as long as the wedding is after Lia graduates.”
“It will be,” Seth said smiling.
Chapter 17
Lia walked back downstairs like a zombie would. She walked over to the couch and flopped down on it, transfixed not saying a word.
Looking at her in confusion Cris asked, “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing, I think she’s in shock. Your Dad gave us his blessing,” Seth said grinning from ear to ear. Feeling a huge weight lifted from his shoulders.
“Wow! Really? What happened?” Cris asked.
“He told me he didn’t like the way I was with Seth. He said it wasn’t normal the way we are so in tune with each other. He wanted me to go out with other guys. He didn’t think it was healthy for me to only be with Seth, but he realizes there’s nothing he can do about it. So instead of taking it out on me, he took it out on Seth. Really it was messed up what he was saying, but in a weird way I get it. He just said as long as we wait till after graduation he gives us a blessing.”
“Way cool for you, now’s the time to ask for that car,” Cris said.
“Naw it’s alright, I’ll get one on my own. With Seth gone I’m just going to go to school and work. So I should be able to get more money saved. By Christmas I should be able to get one.”
“Hopefully, I don’t want to cart your butt around here forever,” Cris said.
“Ha ha, real funny, like I said the only places I’m going is to school and work.”
Seth winced, “Babe, you can’t stay in the house all the time. You need to go out with your friends,” Seth said.
“Seth I’m not going out without you. Seeing all the couples together will be no fun for me. Don’t worry, I’m not gonna become a hermit. I’ll do what I have to for school, including cheerleading, but I’m gonna work a lot more than I did. We have a lot to save for and I’m not leaving that all up to you. I have a car, college, the wedding. If at all possible, Seth, I want us to pay for most it. I don’t want either of our parents paying for it. Do you think your uncle will cater it for us at a discount?”
“He’ll probably do it for nothing, he’s always loved you, Lia just like a niece,” Seth said.
“You know when I was younger he used to scare me. He was always trying to get me to talk to him, but he was so overwhelming I was afraid of him. I don’t feel that way now, but did back then,” Lia confessed.
“Yeah I remember you would never be around him unless Seth or I were around you,” Cris said.
“Sorry I never knew he made you feel that way. Why didn’t
you ever say anything?” Seth questioned.
“Why would I tell you anything, we were little kids,” Lia said.
“It would have been nice to know that’s all. I would have never taken you to his restaurant knowing this,” Seth said.
“No that’s not it, Seth, I’m not afraid of him now. When I was younger I was. My family isn’t like yours, when yours gets together their loud, robust, and full of life and I was a shy kid back then. Your uncle kept trying to get me to talk to him all the time. He overwhelmed me at times, geez I was like eight years old. Don’t make me feel bad now. I love your uncle. He’s done so much for us through the years,” Lia said.
Putting his arm around her he said, “I’m not trying to make you feel bad. I’m the one to feel bad because I never realized how you felt.”
“Ok let’s put the movies in and change the conversation,” Cris interjected. “What one do you want first?”
“Don’t care you guys picked them,” Lia said cuddling up to Seth.
“Put the one on top in,” Seth said sitting back on the couch and pulling Lia with him. They wanted to savor this last night together, knowing it will be awhile till they can do this again, especially for the whole night.
They watched two movies back to back when Seth looked at Lia and saw she was asleep on his shoulder. He stared at her for a few minutes drinking in the sight of her. He looked at Cris and said, “Take care of her for me. Make sure she doesn’t lose herself. I’m so afraid she won’t be able to handle this. If she can’t you have to tell me right away. If I have to I’ll move back here, I don’t care what my Dad says. The only reason I’m moving is because of my Mom. I don’t want to make it harder on her, but if I have to pick it’ll be Lia,” Seth said.
“I think Lia will be fine, but I’ll let you know if she’s not handling it well. You know the first few weeks are gonna be hell for her. So don’t get too upset with her when she cries on the phone. She’s been trying real hard not to around you, but she cries herself to sleep ever since you told her you had to move,” Cris said a little accusatory.