Read Online Embracing Emma (Companion to Brisé) by Leigh Ann Lunsford - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Leigh Ann Lunsford
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Vanderbilt, Stanford. I bite my cheek to quell the nausea, thinking of how far three of those schools are. I know he will have different offers come in the week following, but selfishly I want him at UGA for distance, but that’s so unfair. His passion needs to be exploited, and he should pick whichever school will nurture that, where he will benefit the most.
“Why do you look like you’re going to lose your cookies all over these nice people?” My nana brushes my windblown hair out of my face.
“Am I that obvious?”
“Just to me. I know you.” She taps her finger against my nose. “Let’s go down and find a spot off to the side so you can see that young man and tell this old woman what’s bothering you.”
I feel silly, this is a big deal for him, and I’m having a mini pity-party. Nana tells everyone that we are going down to avoid the crowds when the stands empty. Our feet have barely hit the sidewalk, and she’s demanding answers. “Talk, baby girl.”
“All those schools will want him. I know it. Some of them are just so far.”
“But some of them aren’t.”
“I want him to go, Nana. I want him to succeed, but I don’t want to be without him.”
“Emma, you have two more years in school. You weren’t going to be with him every day anyway.”
“I would have had weekends.”
“Not during the season if he plays. And you still might, there hasn’t been a decision made.”
“I just need to fake it until I make it. Smile and let him choose.”
“No, you need to be honest. That’s all he wants.”
“How do you know that?”
“I’ve tanned both of your hides at one point or another. I’m pretty sure that makes me an expert on what you both need. Besides, I had this dilemma with your parents. Your daddy wanted your mom’s dreams to come true, willing to sacrifice his own.”
“I don’t want that.”
“Let me finish. I was going to say it wasn’t a sacrifice. When you love someone, his or her happiness is your reason. If you change your dreams or alter schools; it’s not a sacrifice. It’s a path towards a future together. You don’t get the time you want together, it’s fine because it’s setting you up to being able to spend all your time together when those years are over. What I’m saying is that if he is five hours away or fifteen it won’t matter because his end goal is you. Marriage. Kids. House. All of it but only with you.”
“Nana, I’m sixteen, and he’s just turned nineteen. I think we’re a bit young for all this.”
“Honey, I had this pegged fifteen years ago. Mark my words, you’ll be together. You two aren’t a ‘in the moment’ couple; y’all are for a lifetime. You fell in love with your best friend, many different times and in different ways. Life is like an atlas, but with you two, all roads lead back to each other.”
“Did you get into Mom’s wine before the game?”
“Young lady when you are my age you will realize it’s undignified to day drink.”
I stare at her knowing there is something to be learned from this life lesson, but I know her well enough she will leave it to me to figure out. “Okay, Nana.”
“Did you hear anything I said?”
“Yes.”
“Then unscrew that face. Your man is coming over here, and as much as it pains me with you young people, I know the game of cat and mouse is going to begin. You’ll pretend nothing is wrong, in turn you’ll put doubts in his mind by not being upset with the prospect of him going so far away. That will cause a rift, and then I’ll have to step in and fix it. Y’all exhaust me.” She huffs and spins on her feet, meeting Will she embraces him, graces him with her smile and a few words. He chuckles at whatever advice she embarks. His eyes meet mine, and if there were anything blocking his path to me, it would be knocked over with his determination.
His strides eat up the space. His hands grasp my waist, lifting me over his head. I look down at the shine in his eyes, the
“Why do you look like you’re going to lose your cookies all over these nice people?” My nana brushes my windblown hair out of my face.
“Am I that obvious?”
“Just to me. I know you.” She taps her finger against my nose. “Let’s go down and find a spot off to the side so you can see that young man and tell this old woman what’s bothering you.”
I feel silly, this is a big deal for him, and I’m having a mini pity-party. Nana tells everyone that we are going down to avoid the crowds when the stands empty. Our feet have barely hit the sidewalk, and she’s demanding answers. “Talk, baby girl.”
“All those schools will want him. I know it. Some of them are just so far.”
“But some of them aren’t.”
“I want him to go, Nana. I want him to succeed, but I don’t want to be without him.”
“Emma, you have two more years in school. You weren’t going to be with him every day anyway.”
“I would have had weekends.”
“Not during the season if he plays. And you still might, there hasn’t been a decision made.”
“I just need to fake it until I make it. Smile and let him choose.”
“No, you need to be honest. That’s all he wants.”
“How do you know that?”
“I’ve tanned both of your hides at one point or another. I’m pretty sure that makes me an expert on what you both need. Besides, I had this dilemma with your parents. Your daddy wanted your mom’s dreams to come true, willing to sacrifice his own.”
“I don’t want that.”
“Let me finish. I was going to say it wasn’t a sacrifice. When you love someone, his or her happiness is your reason. If you change your dreams or alter schools; it’s not a sacrifice. It’s a path towards a future together. You don’t get the time you want together, it’s fine because it’s setting you up to being able to spend all your time together when those years are over. What I’m saying is that if he is five hours away or fifteen it won’t matter because his end goal is you. Marriage. Kids. House. All of it but only with you.”
“Nana, I’m sixteen, and he’s just turned nineteen. I think we’re a bit young for all this.”
“Honey, I had this pegged fifteen years ago. Mark my words, you’ll be together. You two aren’t a ‘in the moment’ couple; y’all are for a lifetime. You fell in love with your best friend, many different times and in different ways. Life is like an atlas, but with you two, all roads lead back to each other.”
“Did you get into Mom’s wine before the game?”
“Young lady when you are my age you will realize it’s undignified to day drink.”
I stare at her knowing there is something to be learned from this life lesson, but I know her well enough she will leave it to me to figure out. “Okay, Nana.”
“Did you hear anything I said?”
“Yes.”
“Then unscrew that face. Your man is coming over here, and as much as it pains me with you young people, I know the game of cat and mouse is going to begin. You’ll pretend nothing is wrong, in turn you’ll put doubts in his mind by not being upset with the prospect of him going so far away. That will cause a rift, and then I’ll have to step in and fix it. Y’all exhaust me.” She huffs and spins on her feet, meeting Will she embraces him, graces him with her smile and a few words. He chuckles at whatever advice she embarks. His eyes meet mine, and if there were anything blocking his path to me, it would be knocked over with his determination.
His strides eat up the space. His hands grasp my waist, lifting me over his head. I look down at the shine in his eyes, the
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