Chapter 67 I GIVE YOU MY WORD
CORMAC.
AGE 15
I could feel the tension in the air as Lorelai drove, her grip tight on the steering wheel, evident displeasure written all over her face. “You really think crashing Mere’s mom’s memorial is a good idea?” she scolded, throwing me a quick glance before returning her attention to the busy highway. “I don’t understand this spur-of-the-moment decision. But did you think it through?”
I couldn’t stop bouncing my feet, the nerves bubbling up inside me.
I just… I don’t know.
I kept thinking about that phone call last night.
Mere had said she wished I’d come. So while my sister’s concerns were valid, I had a feeling that Mere needed me.
And no, I didn’t think it through. I just acted.
Lorelai sighed, shaking her head. “You know, you can’t just show up uninvited like that. It’s not right.”
I could hear Lorelai’s voice, but I wasn’t paying much attention. She scolded me throughout the drive, but all I could think about was the months Mere and I spent getting to know each other. Each conversation had peeled back layers of her, revealing bits of her life, her struggles, and her hopes. I wished I could know more—wished I could understand her completely.
“I just want to be there for her, you know? I want to understand what she’s going through,” I finally replied to my sister while staring out the window.
I might be young and new to these feelings, but ever since the day Mere smiled at me in my driveway, I had been swallowed whole by emotions I never expected to feel.
I was falling for her—and hard.
Lorelai let out a frustrated sigh. “Cormac, you realize Mere and her father might be with family, right? It’ll be weird if we just showed up unannounced. It could cause a commotion, considering our status."
Well, none of that mattered to me.
I was consumed by the memory of Mere’s voice from our late-night phone call. She had sounded so… sad.
Her mom passed away three years ago. During one of our long conversations, she confided in me that the anniversary always hit her hard.
I just wanted to be there for her, to help her through it, no matter what anyone else thought.
Staying up all night talking, or keeping the call going until one of us drifted off to sleep, had become our thing. I tried to hide my smile at the simple thought of those moments.
In those moments, we shared secrets that made me feel closer to Mere than I ever had with anyone else. Sure, Valtor and Lorelai had been through life with me, but this was different. Inviting someone into my world through words felt so much more intimate.
I pulled myself from my thoughts and glanced at Lorelai. “You should want to be at the memorial too, you know. You and her are best friends.”
Lorelai sighed, a hint of frustration in her voice. “I do want to go, but Mere told me not to. That’s exactly why I think your plan is a bad idea.”
I simply kept my gaze fixed ahead because I was not about to change my mind. I couldn’t shake the feeling that being there for her was the right thing to do, regardless of what anyone else thought.
From our many conversations, I knew where Mere’s mother was buried, and that’s where I told Lorelai to go. I wanted to drive myself, but when Lorelai caught me fumbling with the keys that morning, she made the decision to tag along.
As we reached the cemetery, she cut the engine in the parking lot. “You can go on without me,” she said, her voice light but her eyes serious.
I looked at her, surprised. I really thought she’d come with me, considering how close she and Mere are.
lorelai smiled softly, gently pushing me out of the car. “You don’t have all day, do you?”
With that, I stepped out of the car and made my way toward the grave. Most of the guests had already left, and I spotted Mere standing by the grave. I also saw her father standing far off, deep in conversation with another man.
I wasn’t sure how to approach her so I stayed hidden among the trees, watching her.
When she finally caught sight of me, she walked over, and I felt my words tangle in my throat. “I—I didn’t know if you really meant it when you said you wished I was here,” I stammered, “but I’m here now.”
Before I could say more, she cut me off with a hug.
I gently wrapped my arms around her, feeling her body shudder against mine. “Oh, Mere,” I muttered, holding her in a comforting hug.
She immediately broke the hug and looked up at me, tears shimmering in her eyes. “I hate when people call me that,” she said, wiping her eyes.
“Why?” I asked.
“My mom loved calling me by my full name,” she explained, her voice breaking. “But ever since she passed, it feels like my name died with her. I miss hearing it.”
She looked up and away from me, as if trying to hold back her tears.
I stroked her cheek gently, my thumb brushing away that one tear. “I think your name is beautiful,” I told her with a smile.
She smiled too, her eyes lighting up, and she hugged me again. “I’m glad you came,” she murmured against my neck.
“I’m glad I came, Merrielynn,” I replied, the name feeling right as it left my lips.
She looked up at me, her eyes lighting up with a big smile spread across her lips. “It sounds good when you say it.”
“Do you want me to call you that from now on?” I asked, hoping to see that smile again.
She nodded seriously, smiling again. “Promise to never shorten it?” She asked, tilting her head.
“I give you my word, Merrelynn.”