1988
"Nickolas Gene come on, we don't have all day." Bob Carter yelled from the
back door. Their fishing gear was propped up against the house, the cooler
packed with enough food and drinks to last until late afternoon.
"Sorry Dad, I was looking for my lucky shirt." Nick gave the screen door a
shove and walked out onto the patio. As they bent to pick up the tackle box
and cooler they heard the telltale squeak of the wooden gate. Nick looked up
at the pudgy face of his next door neighbor, Ashley.
"Oh no, she's not coming with us." Nick looked at his father with pleading
eyes. "Dad, you said it was guys day. Please. Not her, anyone but her."
Ashley's green eyes threatened to spill over with tears but Nick didn't
care. She was just a stupid girl.
Johnny's daddy was taking him fishing
When he was eight years old
A little girl came through the front gate
Holding a fishing pole
His dad looked down and smiled
Said we can't leave her behind
Son I know you don't want her to go
But someday you'll change your mind.
And Johnny said
take Jimmy Johnson, take Tommy Thompson,
take my best friend Bo.
Take anybody that you want as long as she don't go.
Take any boy in the world.
Daddy please, don't take the girl.
1998
Nick sat poised on the edge of the bed, phone in his hand, willing his
fingers to push the buttons. Butterflies filled his stomach and his hands
were moist with anxiety. "C'mon, Nick. Just do it." he told himself. He
sighed and pressed the buttons from memory. The phone rang only twice before
it was picked up. "Hello?" came a male voice. Nick paused a moment. Then
finally, "Frick? I can't do it, man. I can't call her."
Brian looked at Leighanne, rolling his eyes and smiling. This was the third
time Nick had called tonite. "Frack, I told you it'll be easy. Just call
her. You'll know what to say when you hear her voice."
Nick wasn't so easily convinced. "What if I don't? What if she laughs at me?
Or worse, hangs up on me?" Brian couldn't believe Nick was so nervous about
this. He was usually very confident with girls. "She won't hang up on you
Frack, you guys are like best friends. Now go call her before I sic
Leighanne on you." The laughter that echoed on the line before he hung up
conveyed that he wasn't upset about the call. But Nick hardly noticed, his
thoughts on a certain green-eyed beauty.
"I can do this," he told himself. His trembling finger pressed first one
button, then another, until he heard the faint ringing sound. He quickly
lifted the receiver to his ear just as he heard her tinkling voice. "Hello?"
Nick opened his mouth but the words got stuck in his throat. "Hello?" came
the insistent voice. His heart raced as he struggled to voice his thoughts.
After what seemed an eternity he finally spoke, if only one word. "Ashley?"
"Nick? Is that you?" He managed to get out another syllable. "Yeah."
"Nick, why didn't you tell me you were back in town? I would have come to
meet your plane." His mind formed a mental image of her. Auburn hair softly
curling around her face, lips that always curved upward in a Cheshire cat
style, and her eyes. Those emerald green pools that always managed to hold
his gaze.
Her voice had a soothing quality on his nerves and he felt sufficiently
recovered to answer with more than one word. "Ash, you know how it is at the
airport. All those screaming girls. You would have been crushed, or worse. I
couldn't let that happen to you."
"Well that's awfully gallant of you Mister Carter." She laughed, a bubbly
sort of sound and Nick felt the butterflies start up again. He decided to
come out and ask her quickly, before he lost his nerve altogether. "Um,
Ashley? The reason I'm calling . . . um, I wanted to ask you . . . well, I
was wondering . . ."
On the other end of the phone Ashley smiled. She'd never heard Nick sound so
nervous before. It must be something important. "Yes Nick?"
"Um I was just thinking that . . . well . . .Ashley will you go out with
me?" The silence was deafening and Nick wished the earth would open up
under him. 'Great,' he thought, 'now I really screwed up.'
"I'd love to Nick."
Same old boy same sweet girl
ten years down the road.
He held her tight and kissed her lips in
front of the picture show
Stranger came and pulled a gun,
grabbed her by the arm.
Said if you do what I tell you to do
there won't be any harm
And Johnny said
Take my money, take my wallet
take my credit cards.
Here's the watch that my grandpa gave me
Here's the key to my car. Mister give it a whirl
but please, don't take the girl.
2003
"Nick, the trash is full again." Ashley yelled through the house. No doubt
he and Brian had snuck up to the playroom to play video games with Brian's
children. She smiled thinking it was sweet that they still played, even if
they tried to hide the fact. She gave up on getting his attention and gently
lowered herself into the kitchen chair, her swollen belly keeping her from
scooting close to the table. Leighanne sat across from her, absently sipping
on her lemonade. They picked up their conversation where they'd left it,
discussing baby names.
"Well, if it's a girl I want to name her Victoria Brooke. If it's a boy I
want Nickolas Gene Carter II, but Nick hates that idea." Leanne smiled,
imagining the look on Nick's face at having a namesake. It was just like him
to hate that name. "He wants it to be Brendan Michael." Ashley wrinkled her
nose at the sound of the name.
"Well, at least you still have time to decide. How many days do you have
left now?" Leighanne asked.
"Ugh. Twelve. But it feels like an eternity. The good news is I've been
having Braxton-Hicks like crazy and yesterday the doctor told me I'm dilated
to 3 cm."
"Well, only 7 more to go!" Leighanne could sympathize with Ashley, having
been through it twice herself. "The contractions aren't that bad are they?"
"Well no, but I'm having them constantly. And they're getting stronger."
Leighanne looked up from her glass with concern written on her face. "Did
you call your doctor about it?"
"No, it's no big deal right?" Leighanne decided to shrug it off, "No, no
big
deal, everyone goes through it."
"Oh man, I gotta pee again," Ashley lamented. "I'll be so glad when this is
all over and I'm not in the bathroom all the time." Rising from her chair
she felt a gush. Leighanne's eyes flew open at the sight of red-tinged
amniotic fluid splashing on the tiled floor.
Same old boy, same sweet girl
five years down the road.
There's gonna be a little one and
she says it's time to go
Doctor says the baby's fine
but you'll have to leave.
Cause his momma's fading fast
and Johnny hit his knees
and there he prayed
Take the very breath you gave me
Take the heart from my chest
I'll gladly take her place if you'll let me
make this my last request.
Take me out of this world
God please, don't take the girl.
2007
It was a bright spring day, the trees were gently swaying and there was a
smell of freshly mown grass wafting in the breeze. Nick kept his eyes down,
focusing on the path cut through the lawn. In his left hand he carried a
large bouquet of flowers. His right clutched the small hand of a child, who
chose that moment to bend down and inspect a caterpillar crawling along in
the dirt. "C'mon son, we need to go see Mommy," he said, tugging on the boy'
s arm. The boy trailed behind his father.
They got to their destination and Nick stared at the stone, his heart as
cold as the marble that stood before him.
Ashley Marie Carter
Beloved Daughter
Cherished Wife
Adored Mother
"Show me the meaning of being lonely.
Is this the feeling I need to walk with?
Tell me why I can't be there where you are.
There's something missing in my heart."
May 18, 1980 - April 6, 2003
Nick gently touched the stone, as if caressing her face. He opened his mouth
to speak, the words only coming out in a whisper "I miss you Ashley." He
placed the flowers in front of the cold marble and knelt down to his son's
level. "Daddy, if Mommy is in heaven why are we here?" Nick smiled at his
son. He was the spitting image of his father except for one thing. His
emerald green eyes. Sometimes Nick could hardly bear to look into them.
"Mommy does live in heaven but this is our special place where we get to
visit her and leave her flowers." For the sake of Nicky, he tried to keep
the tears at bay but one tear slipped down his cheek. Nicky brushed his hand
on his father's cheek, wiping away the tear. "Don't cry Daddy. Mommy is
watching over us right now, see." He pointed his chubby four-year old hand
skyward. Nick could no longer hold back his tears, allowing them to spill
down his cheeks.
A butterfly flew in front of them and Nicky followed it in fascination. Nick
touched the stone again, not wanting to leave her. "I'll never stop loving
you, baby." He brought his hand up to his lips and kissed the fingertips,
brushing them back on the stone. "I'll be back next week." He turned and
walked away.
Johnny's daddy was taking him fishing
when he was eight years old.
***Inspired by the song Don't Take the Girl by Tim McGraw***
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