Chapter Two: The Past Is Stronger Than The Future


“How was your appointment?” Tia’s mother asked when she stepped inside the house and set down her keys.
She was staring off into space, thinking of her run-in with Brian.
“Tia, hello?” Her mother approached her and waved her hand in her face.
“Oh, it was fine mama, I’m doing good,” she smiled at her.
“What’s wrong Tia Marie?” She asked.
“Mama, do you remember Brian Littrell?” She searched her eyes.
Her mother’s heart lit up a bit; Brian had played a very important part in Tia’s childhood. She saw him as someone else who was as “abnormal” as she was, yet normal all together. They both suffered from the same conditions, but nonetheless were active playful children.
“Yes sweetheart, why?”
“I saw him at the doctor’s office today,” her face glowed showing how excited she was to see him again after all these years.
“You’re kidding, isn’t he in that famous music group now, what’s their name? Backstreet something,” her mother squinted trying to remember.
“Yes Mama, but he’s home for a while and he wants to see me again,” her southern accent was revealing the emotions she kept deep inside.
“Now Tia, don’t forget about the weekend coming up you are to spend with Donny and his family,” her mother chastised. How could she forget? Donny’s family came from wealth, her parents and his had been raised together all in the same wealthy neighborhood and made these stupid pacts when they were five about how their children would marry. She didn’t think her parents were stupid enough to follow through with such childish crap, but nonetheless, look at where she was today.
The Jonesburg family held an annual party up in the mountains outside of Lexington every year. It was a weekend event, one Tia had been forced to go to every year of her entire life – accept when she was in the hospital.
“Yes, I remember Mama,” she sighed.
“Well good, because you’re going to have a great time,” her mother replied as she patted her on the back.
“I am? What about you and daddy, you’re not coming?”
“No, we have to go see grandma this weekend, she’s not doing too well lately, so you’ll be going by yourself.”
Great, even better. Now she was stuck with a bunch of rich snobs and no one to talk to that wasn’t discussing their BMW or their plastic surgery.

~ONE DAY LATER~
Tia shoved her belongings in her old gym bag. Donny’s parents were to pick her up tomorrow at seven in the evening and take her with them since her parents were not attending. It was a weekend long thing and she would stay in the Jonesburg cabin.
She folded her clothes carefully and thought about Brian. She looked over at her cordless phone, which lay lifeless on her pillow. She slowly set down her clothes and strolled over to the phone.
It only took her seconds to remember the number as she punched it in quickly and listened to the ringing. She was almost hoping for the answering machine.
“Hello?” Brian answered.
Tia looked around, she just wanted to hang up.
“Uhh, Brian?” She asked.
“Yeah this is he.”
”Brian this is Tia,” she said almost too quietly.
“Hey Tia, I was hoping you would call,” he smiled.
She smiled too.
“How are you?” She asked.
“I’m good, listen do you want to grab a bite to eat at dinner time? Maybe catch up on old times?” He asked.
“Yes of course, do you remember where I live?”
”You still live there?”
“Yeah, your parents still live there,” she teased with a chuckle.
“Oh yeah, huh, ha, ha. Well I’ll pick you up at six, is that okay?”
“Yes, fine, I’ll see you then.” She smiled as she cradled the receiver.

~5:45~
Tia stood in front of the mirror and stared at her long flower pattern dress. It was so simple, it wasn’t anything striking or appealing, just your typical sun dress.
She sighed; she was not anything that Brian would gawk over.
“Where you going?” Her mother asked peaking in her room.
”Out to dinner with Brian,” she said turning side to side in the mirror and studying her dress.
Her mother looked annoyed as she left the room.

~6PM~
The doorbell rang just as the clock struck six.
“That’s Brian, he’s never been late a day in his life,” Tia chuckled to herself as she went downstairs and opened the door.
He was standing there in a pair of khaki’s and a black t-shirt, nothing fancy, yet strikingly handsome on him. His blue eyes sparkled as he studied her curves.
“Wow you look beautiful,” he nearly gasped.
“Thank you, not bad yourself Littrell,” she winked.
“Bye Mama,” she called up the stairs.
Her mother didn’t answer.
“I’d like to say hello to your parents when we come back, it’s been a while,” Brian said as he opened his car door for her.
Tia sat down and looked around uncomfortably.
Brian hopped in the other side and saw her face.
“What’s wrong?” He asked.
“My mother loves you Brian, you know that, but, well, let’s just say we’ll talk about it at dinner, okay?”
He nodded.

~AT DINNER~
The restaurant was simple, it served steak and seafood and it was in a quiet setting.
Tia sat explaining to Brian about her situation with Donny and his family and gushed about how she hated the whole thing. She told him what had happened with her heart and the surgery she had.
He sat and listened intently sipping on his ice tea and when it was his turn to speak she listened even more, barely even sipping on her water.
He told her of the past eight years, his career, the new people he’d met, and his family.
“So why are you here now?” She asked.
“They think I might be having some more problems with my heart, so I came home for a second opinion and to have some tests run. I also wanted some time to just relax and I missed home.”

~TWO HOURS LATER~
Brian walked Tia to her doorstep; the night air was brisk against her face.
She smiled at him with a glow she hadn’t felt around herself in years.
“I had a really great time tonight Brian, thank you so much,” she kissed his cheek.
“Listen, I’m going to be flying into New York this weekend for some small things and I would like you to come with me. Meet the guys, meet some friends,” his blue eyes pierced into hers. Oh God, why this weekend?
She opened her mouth to tell him no when suddenly the words “I’d love to,” came flying out of her mouth.
“Great, just pack some warm clothes and I’ll pick you up around 6:45 or so, okay?” He couldn’t stop smiling as he kicked some rocks around on the ground.
“Okay,” she smiled. “Good night.”
“Good night.”
She watched him walk back to his car and get in it before she opened the door and went up to her room.
“Oh God, what have I done?” She plopped down on her bed and stared at the ceiling.


Chapter 3
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