“Hey,” she softly says and takes a seat next to me on the bench. Wrapping my arm around her, I take my other hand and place a finger under her chin and kiss her.

“Good morning,” I whisper. See that, parents, I’m not some pervert spying on your kids.

“You want to go for a walk, there’s a trail?” She points her finger toward the wooded area.

“Sure,” I agree and stand up, holding my hand for her to take. Her shaky hand clasps mine, and I hold it firmer and tighter.

Pine needles and stray branches break under our feet as we follow the gravel path. Silence remains between us until we’re a little further into the wooded surroundings. The path is void of activity, except for the sounds of animals scurrying from tree to tree. “So,” her voice shaky, “I want to start off by saying, I like you, Trey.”

“Feelings mutual,” I chime in, but she stops walking and turns towards me.

Her lips turn up in a small smile and uneasiness surrounds me that she brought me here to end this between us. “My sister Jen, is dying. She has a rare form of liver cancer called Fibrolamellar-Hepatocellular Carcinoma.” Her voice steady while she lets the statement roll of her tongue, sounding like she just introduced herself to a twelve step program. She turns and starts walking again.

My feet move a little faster, trying to catch up to her. “I’m sorry, Kailey.” I lightly clasp my hand on her elbow.

“I know, everyone is,” she says while her eyes remain forward. “Before you ask, there’s nothing else we can do. No more surgeries, or chemo. Me being her closest living relative, I’ve been poked and prodded every way imaginable, and I can’t even help her.” Her voice shakes, and she wipes a lone tear from her cheek. “That’s why I was in Colorado, there’s a medical team starting an experimental treatment. It was the last hope, but the results came back Monday and according to them we don’t meet the criteria. I’m sorry for lying to you,” she apologizes as her eyes find mine. Those green gems focus in on mine like always to find out exactly what I’m thinking. The trouble is for once, I don’t know what to say. I’m sure she’s heard sorry a zillion times. Searching my brain for something more meaningful to say, I stare down at her, and her pleading eyes tell me she wants something, anything from me.

I pull her to me, wrapping my arms around her smaller frame. Her body starts to shake and her breathing stutters. Keeping my lips sealed, I comfort her while she releases all the pent up emotions, figuring we’ll finish this conversation when she’s ready. Without skipping a beat, she pulls back and brushes her hand against the wetness of my hoodie. “I’m sorry,” she repeats again.

“Hey, don’t be sorry about anything. I wish I knew what the hell to say. Believe me, I wish things were different for you.” I reach for her again, but she shuts me down and turns back toward the path. The sun streams down through the trees, and I stay grounded, watching the girl who just finished taking my heart. In such a short time, she took hold of it, and I’ll never get it back the same way—not that I want it back.

“You don’t understand, Trey. The doctors say a few months at most. Six if we’re lucky. She has a family, a husband and kids. My responsibility is to them. That’s why this thing between us, I don’t know what will happen,” she continues talking, even though I’m a few steps back. “I won’t have time. I’m barely hanging on right now between school, picking up the kids, and work. Caden, her husband, does what he can, but he has to work for the benefits and money. We’ve made plans that after Jen...passes, I’ll move in with Caden and the kids temporarily.”

“I’ll help you,” the words leave my mouth before I can even debate if she would even accept it. Hell, you can see how she’s barely living. All of her actions from the last two weeks finally begin to come together. At this point, staring at her so torn apart, I’d let her screw me for fun and toss me aside, leaving me in a wake of heartbreak. It might kill me in the end, but if it made her happy for even a moment, I’d gladly participate. I’ll do anything to make this girl happy, anything to make her life a little easier.

She stops and looks at me again. “Thank you,” her sincerity clear, “but I can’t ask you to do that. The reason I asked you to come here is, if we continue this—relationship,” she says, and I think damn right it’s a relationship, “you have to know, I can’t always go to your shows or out to the bars. We won’t be like a normal dating couple. That’s not to say, I don’t want to try. I do. But I completely understand—.”

“I do,” I say simply. “We’ll find ways to see each other. Even if it’s just a movie with me massaging your feet at two in the morning.”

She smiles up at me, the first true one to grace her lips since last night. “Okay, but if at any time you want out, tell me. I’ll understand.” At that statement, words won’t be enough. So, I grab her by her shoulders and pull her into me, letting my lips be the first contact. Leaning her against the thick tree truck, I bring my hands up to her face and pour everything I feel for her into this kiss. Hoping it allows her to realize she’s all I want, and I’ll take her anyway I can have her.

We remain tongue tied for a few minutes and when I pull back, I commit the smile spread across her face to memory. “Thank you, Trey,” she whispers.

“You have nothing to thank me for, being with you could be the most selfish thing I’ve ever done in my life. Trust me, Kailey, I’ll take you anyway I can get you,” I say back, and when my lips beg to be on hers again, I don’t deny them.

After making out, like teenagers hidden from their parents in the woods, I grab her hand and start to walk out of the park. “So, there’s one more thing,” she devilishly smiles up to me.

“What?” I ask scrunch my eyebrows.

“Do you want to meet my sister and her family?” Her lips turn up so high, there’s no way I’d decline the offer, even if all the blood just drained from my veins.

“I’d love that,” I tell her and squeeze her hand in mine.

“Good, they’re expecting us for lunch,” she says as a small giggle escapes her mouth when I stop in my tracks.

“Now?” I clarify, and she bites her lower lip and nods her head. “Why the hell not? Sister has to be better than the parents, right?” I joke, still scared slightly.

“I guess,” she shrugs. I pick her up, toss her over my shoulder and smack her ass. “Hey now!” she squirms.

“Now that I’m your boyfriend, I get to smack this fine ass as much as I want,” I arrogantly tease her, trying to ignore the bewildering stares of the parents.

“It’s all yours,” she places her own hands on my ass, slapping it like she’s playing the drums. “Just remember, what’s mine is yours and what’s yours is mine,” she jokes before grabbing my ass, making me wish I was taking her home rather than to her sister’s.

“After your sister’s, I’ll be showing you what’s mine,” I tell her seriously, stopping outside my car, letting her body slide down mine. “Thank you for trusting me,” I change our fun moment to serious, and she cups my cheeks, her eyes remaining on mine.

“Something tells me you’re worth it,” she says and rises up on her tiptoes to kiss me. When I open my passenger side door and she scoots in, I secretly pray she’s right.

Kailey instructs me down the two side streets. There’s a beat up white Honda outside the house and she tells me to park behind it. The small beige two-story All-American house, it even displays the requisite American Flag hanging from the pole attached to the siding. The small front porch is decorated in an Easter theme of pastel bunnies and eggs. It’s the dream home little girls probably envision when they’re younger. That living happily ever after shit with a husband, two kids, and house in suburbia. Kailey pats my leg, similar to what I did that night she was going to hang out with the gang in Breckenridge. Giving her my best smile, I try to keep my nervousness at bay. I open my door and walk around to open hers. As she steps out, the front door swings open and there’s the little girl from the airport, running out of the house.