The Saddest Song (10 page)

“Max! Are you okay?” Rainey pounded me on the back and I continued to choke and laugh simultaneously.

“He’s fine,” Caitlynn gave me an annoyed look for interrupting such a huge development. “Take a drink of your water Max,” she grumbled. “Now Rainey, what do you mean? You want to do something? Tonight? With us?”

“Yeah, sure. I mean, if you want to. The football game is away so I thought you might be free. What about a movie or bowling or I don’t know, what do you think?”

I have to admit I was pretty taken aback by this momentous act myself but I just decided to go with it. A laughing, socially active Rainey sounded great to me.

“I’m up for bowling,” Hudson said, and Rainey looked at me and Cait, waiting for our response.

We both agreed and made plans to grab pizza and then go to the bowling alley. We parted when the bell rang and Caitlynn walked with me towards our English class.

“Wow Max, she’s doing so much better, it’s like she’s her old self again.”

‘Yeah, it’s a good day today, that’s for sure. Just be patient with her Cait, don’t let her see your disappointment if she has more bad ones.”

Chapter 12

Rainey

On Saturday we pulled up in front of Colin’s house in the morning. Rylee had texted me the night before and suggested the girls go out to lunch and shop while the boys worked. Colin would order in pizza for their lunch and then that evening we’d all go out for Sushi. Rylee seemed to have it all worked out and I envied her bubbly take- charge personality. She made my half hearted attempt to keep going and be normal a lot easier. I just hoped her enthusiasm would propel me through the day. As Max was getting his guitar and backpack out of the truck another truck, this one white, pulled up behind us and we waved at Sophie and Ethan.

“Hi guys!” Sophie greeted us as Ethan came around and stood beside her. I watched the way his hand reached for hers, and admired the sparkle of her engagement ring.

“You ready to write Max?” Ethan smiled and I marveled at his dimples. He was one of the rare guys who could be called beautiful. He rivaled any celebrity I could think of, and the way he looked at Sophie made my stomach ache. He was so in love. Lucky girl.

“I’m a little rusty, but yeah, I’m definitely ready.”

“You ready to shop Rainey?” Sophie grinned.

“I’m always ready to shop!” I said, playing along.

Colin opened the front door and Rylee pushed past him to hug each of us and before I took a breath we were leaving the boys to their guitars and on our way to the mall.

Fashion Valley was an outdoor mall that I had frequented all my life. When we parked and walked towards the doors to Bloomingdales I realized that the last time I had been here was July. July, that magical place where Garrett had existed. It was October now. A lifetime had passed since then. Or should I say a lifetime had ended since then.

I didn’t have time to dwell on the thought as Rylee immediately started pointing out things she wanted me to see. As we shopped our way down the mall, entering every store, she had Sophie and I laughing and giving our opinion over outfit after outfit that she tried on. She was naturally funny without meaning to be, then she would turn completely serious as she pointed out things she thought Sophie or I would look good in. She was right every time. My parents had been so excited to hear I was going shopping that they had told me to use my credit card and buy whatever I liked. I hoped they had meant it, as I soon found myself carrying three shopping bags.

We were in Nordstrom trying on shoes when a tall, very pretty blonde woman came up to us and said, “I knew you were here! I was upstairs trying on jackets and suddenly felt you in the shoe department!”

Sophie and Rylee both jumped up and hugged her, obviously happy to see her. “Kara, this is our friend Rainey. Rainey, this is Kara.”

The woman took my hand and held it tightly as she looked into my eyes and smiled warmly. “Hello Rainey, it’s so nice to meet you.”

I smiled and said, “you too.” Her gaze was so intense I almost began to feel self-conscious but her smile was so genuine it made me like her instantly.

“You ladies want to go to lunch? My treat.”

All three of them looked at me. “Sure!” I agreed and we walked over to The Cheesecake Factory.

No sooner had the waitress taken our orders Rylee said, “Rainey, Kara has the coolest job ever. She told me about Colin before we ever met.”

I looked into Rylee’s blue eyes, confused.

“Ry!” Sophie exclaimed.

Kara simply laughed. “It’s okay. I’m a psychic Rainey. The profession chose me. I really had no say in the matter.”

“Oh,” I said surprised. “I went to a psychic not too long ago. She helped me a lot. She was able to talk to someone I lost.”

“Okay. You saw a Medium. I’m not usually able to do that kind of work. Now and then some soul will surprise me though. Did you like Melissa? She’s a really good friend of ours,” she said, gesturing to the girls. They both chimed in with how great they thought Melissa was. I nodded and looked at them, feeling shocked. I hadn’t mentioned Melissa’s name. How did she know?

Sensing my confusion Kara said, “You are going to be completely happy again Rainey.” How did she know that? How did she even know I wasn’t happy now? Goosebumps rose all over my body as she looked at me intently. Her eyes were kind and seemed to look right into my thoughts.

“But Kara, Rainey lost her soul mate,” Sophie said.

“Well, he was her first love and that is very special, but not every love is our soul mate.”

“What?” I asked.

“The term Soul mate is thrown around a lot, but in a nutshell it is the person we are meant to spend our lives with. Some people have many loves before they meet theirs. Her eyes flashed to Rylee and back.

‘Some, through a twist of fate are unable to spend their lives together. They may meet at the wrong time or choose the wrong person. It’s not a sure thing for all of us. Sometimes Soul mates travel life times to be together.” She paused, looking at Sophie.

“What about mine?” I said, picturing Garrett.

“I can tell you what I see if you would like.”

I nodded, “please.”

“Well, you shared a special bond with your boyfriend, but you were complete opposites, am I right?” Again, I nodded.

“He wasn’t ever meant to be your soul mate. Your soul mate is out there but you’re not quite ready for me to tell you too much. You need the experience along the way. Let me just tell you one thing. When you run across a black cat, pay attention to the emotion you feel. The truth is there.”

“A black cat?”

Kara smiled and nodded.

Rylee laughed and said, “Kara, now you sound more like a witch than a psychic.” They all laughed but I knew I wouldn’t forget. I also knew I didn’t agree.

Of course Garrett was my soul mate.

When we returned to Colin’s house that afternoon the guys played us parts of two songs they had been working on and I was so impressed. We all took our own cars when we went out for Sushi so we could head home after dinner. Max warned me on the way that they would be inviting us to Colin’s Halloween party the following week. I told him I already knew about it and would like to go if he would. Sophie and Rylee had made it sound like fun, and fun was what we needed more of. Max looked happy and that made me happy. I thought of Garrett and how proud he would be of us.

After school on Monday we did our homework at my house so that we could go through my parents’ old Halloween costumes. Mom and Grandma made them every year and I thought we could borrow a couple for Colin’s party. Mom had said that she and Grandma would have plenty of time to alter anything we chose by Saturday. She wasn’t home when we got there so we did our homework first. Max finished before me and was in the fridge looking for a snack when mom came rushing through the door.

“You beat me home!” she exclaimed, dropping her purse on the counter and hugging Max. She kissed my cheek and said, “Grandma sent you two a loaf of her Pumpkin bread.”

“Yum! With chocolate chips?”

“Of course.”

“Sounds delicious,” said Max politely. I looked at him confused.

“You remember it don’t you? Grandma sends it to your family every year.”

“She does?”

“Garrett loved it. He could eat a whole loaf by himself.” I said, realizing suddenly why Max had never gotten any.

“Well, obviously Garrett didn’t want to share!” Mom laughed, and we joined in.

“Typical Garrett,” Max smiled. “Let me see what I missed.”

He took a piece from mom. “Wow, this is awesome.”

We finished half a loaf of the bread then went with mom to the guest room and watched while she reached into the closet and began to pull costumes out, two at a time.

“This is Cinderella, and this,” she said pulling another hanger out, “is Prince Charming.”

“Wow,” Max said, clearly at a loss and obviously trying to turn it down without hurting her feelings.

“Mom, no Cinderella. It’s too much. We don’t have to match. Max, pick out whatever you want to wear and I’ll pick mine.”

“What! They were made to be worn together Rainey!” Mom said, upset.

“Yeah, we should choose a theme we both like,” Max added.

“You sure you don’t mind matching?”

He nodded. “Sure, why not?”

I shrugged. I didn’t care that much so I decided to let him choose. Mom proceeded to show us a pilot and stewardess, priest and nun, Aladdin and Jasmine, pirate and gypsy, cowboy and Indian, and several more. Mom and Dad had been going to the same party since I was a toddler. This year they were going as a king and queen.

“Well? What do you think?” Mom asked, looking at both of us.

“Max, you choose,” I said, putting him on the spot.

“I will wear whatever you like except Prince Charming or the priest,” he smiled.

“Okay, which do you like best between the cowboy or pirate?”

“Let’s go with the cowboy. You will make a perfect Indian,” he said, tugging on my long dark hair.

“Oh, Max is right! You won’t even need the wig. You’ll be perfect in this!” Mom held up the brown suede one shouldered dress, complete with fringe and a feathered headband.”I have the matching moccasins here somewhere.”

She stood on her tiptoes and searched the shoe boxes until she found the ones she wanted.”Here honey, try this on and I will pin it and Grandma will help me alter it tomorrow.”

“Uh, can I do it later?” I suddenly felt self conscious. Maybe this party was a mistake.

“Oh, go and put it on Pocahontas.” Max laughed, and I reluctantly headed for my room, dress in hand. I heard my mom say, “your turn,” as I closed my door.

I returned a few minutes later as an Indian in a very form fitting dress. I wondered whether or not Grandma could make it a little bit longer. Mom was as thin as I was but she was four inches shorter. I tugged the back down as if I could make it grow longer.

“Oh Rainey! You look gorgeous!” Mom ran her hands down the dress looking for loose fabric. “It fits like a glove!” She kept going on and on but I wasn’t listening. I was watching Max and my reflection in the closets mirrored doors.

“Gotta hand it to Grandma, she makes a hot cowboy costume, “ I teased Max.

He wore a cream colored long sleeve thermal shirt pinned to fit skin tight, covered by a brown suede vest that matched my dress, and cowboy boots and hat in a darker shade of brown. An elaborate leather holster complete with fake gun rested on his hips. We grinned at each other in the mirror.

“Rainey, maybe you should have a spray tan Saturday morning. You are the palest Indian I’ve ever seen,” Mom said, putting another pin in Max’s vest.

“No spray tan, mom. I’ll use that lotion with tanner in it that Caitlynn uses but that’s it. Do you guys think this is too short? I tugged it down again.

“No! You have great legs! You should show them off.”

“
Mom
!”

“Yeah, listen to your mom Rainey!” Max raised his eyebrows at me, teasing.

“You two take those costumes off and be careful with the pins. I will see if Grandma thinks we can take the hem down a half inch or so Rainey, but I really think it’s perfect.

My Grandma was at my house the night of the Halloween Party. She had added suede fringe to the bottom of my costume making it just long enough that I wouldn’t be tugging on it all night long. Mom had braided my hair and I applied my makeup using just enough bronzer to make me look like I had a perfect tan. For the past four days I applied the lotion with self tanner and I was so happy with the result that I decided to make it part of my daily routine.

“Oh honey, you look beautiful!” Grandma stood behind me while I finished my makeup.

“Thanks Grandma, you did a great job on my costume. Thank you for adding the fringe.”

She handed me a small suede handbag decorated with tiny hand sown beads. It was just big enough for my cell phone and my lip gloss. “Oh, it’s so pretty grandma. Thank you.”

“I ‘m glad you like it. I worked on it all week.”

She smiled and I kissed her soft cheek. My grandmother was tall like me and she looked me in the eyes and said, “Rainey, I’m sure you’re thinking about Garrett tonight and I want you to know that I think he would be proud of you and his brother for trying to go on with your lives. I can see the effort it is taking you to keep going. Just relax and have fun tonight.”