Two Little Words

2007

He couldn’t say the words. Sure, he loved her, but he couldn’t, wouldn’t say it.

She adored him and felt she could live the rest of her days with him. They had met in 2005, so now, two years later, Tamra wondered why Todd never said, "I love you” back to her.

1995

RaeLynn sat in the passenger seat, and Todd sped around the curves of the country gravel road. The convertible’s roof was down, her ponytail blew back in the wind, and the dust made her spit.

“Todd, let’s go to the lake.”

Home for the summer from college, they were enjoying a Monday off of work. He cranked the wheel hard and drove onto a road that jutted at a right angle to the one he left. Rae saw the Mustang's speedometer climb to eighty miles per hour, but she wasn’t worried out in the country. Corn fields were high on each side of the road, their tassels gently fluttering in the breeze. The sky was brilliant blue, music blared from the radio and her pink toes rested on the dashboard, sandals kicked to the back seat. Suddenly Rae careened upward, and if the car lid had been up, she would have hit her head. Todd had roared over the wooden hump crossing at the creek without slowing down. Once again, he cranked the wheel, spinning the tires, and slid into the dirt parking area adjacent to the lake. No one was there but him and his girl, and he hopped up Ford Mustang.

"Sweet! We’ve got it all to ourselves,” Todd grinned, climbing into the back seat and pulling RaeLynn with him. She couldn’t stop giggling, but he shut her up fast, grabbing her cheeks with a thumb and index finger and slamming his lips onto hers. His other hand grabbed her hair and yanked the tie from it. He smoothed it back behind her ears as he continued to French kiss her.

She was his champagne, all bubbly and effervescent with a cherry on top. To RaeLynn, Todd was like a digestive aperitif; calming, her syrupy Galliano with a twist of lime. They perfectly complimented each other; they were the famous Quad-cities couple, together since eighth grade.

Banana cream pie was her specialty and people offered to pay her for them. Todd experimented with chocolate bonbons, rich and gooey. Their plan was to open a shop after college and offer both. Rae had even sketched a wedding cake like a banana cream pie.

Jeff's horn startled them as he pulled up beside them.

“Whatcha two doing?” Jeff had his clown grin on, eyeing Rae’s bare breast. She saw Jeff ogling her, and appreciated the attention, knowing her perky boobs were a famously admired feature. RaeLynn squirmed to the side so her other breast would pop out into the open. She put her hands under them, lifting them higher.

“Rae, what are you doing?”

“Your friend was staring, so I’m giving him a full look!” All three laughed, but RaeLynn had to take it a step further. She got out of the car, topless now, and leaned into Jeff’s window. “You want some, Jeff? Go ahead.” She pushed his face into her cleavage until Todd roughly pulled her away.

“Get in the car, Rae!” She gave him the middle finger but returned to his car, pouting. Rae stared at the guys as they had a private conversation, and soon, Jeff left.

“Let’s skinny dip.” Rae hoped he would agree.

“It’s kind of cold to swim; we probably shouldn’t get in.”

RaeLynn jumped out, pulling her bottoms off, and ran to the lake. She turned around, backing in, her eyes on Todd. At each step, she squealed, the water hitting her higher and higher. Todd waited until he saw her breasts floating upward in the water and then walked to the edge.

“Come on in, Baby, it feels good.” He shook his head no, refusing to give in. “I love you, but not today.”

She swam out to the makeshift raft kids had built and anchored fifty yards offshore years earlier. Todd sat in the grass watching her; she had always been a strong swimmer, and he admired how her arms cut through the water with her legs barely kicking.

Now, though, something was wrong. She had slowed, and her head bobbed up and down as she trod water. “RaeLynn!” he shouted. Her head disappeared. He waited, counting aloud. At the count of fifteen, he partially stripped and ran into the water, swimming as fast and hard as possible. She was ten feet off the raft when she went under. He dove, but the water was too dark. Todd tried again and again, even diving under the raft. She was gone. He climbed onto the raft to rest a minute but realized it was useless. They were there alone with no rescue near, and he had to get into town for help.

Fourteen months later, Todd was the best man at Jeff’s wedding to Lisa. Sixteen months after the wedding, he agreed to be godfather to their son Willy.

Because she felt the loneliness and despair seeping out of him, Lisa included Todd in all their family gatherings. Willy adored his “uncle” Todd. Occasionally, he made tiny bonbons and chocolate-covered jellies for Willy and his parents. Lisa was overjoyed when Todd met Tamra and seemed to be lowering the walls that encased his feelings.

2007

“He’s just afraid to get hurt again. Don’t let it get to you.” Lisa was advising a teary-eyed Tamra, who had confided that Todd was moody; and he never shared his feelings or reciprocated the normal I love you. “You need to work this out because having a long-term relationship won’t work if he won’t communicate and you are sad most of the time.”

“I’m happy most of the time. It really hurts my feelings that he never says he loves me.”

“Did you ask him about it?”

“I tried, but he shut me down quickly. That was the end of it. He turned from chuckling Todd to sullen, scary Todd. I was afraid to say anything else.”

**

While Todd played with her son Willie, Lisa decided to intervene. “Do you love Tamra? She loves you, but you have to open up, Dude.” He nodded vigorously. “Tell her! Is this still about Rae? Or is it something else?”

“It’s that there was no closure. They never found her body; how can that be?” Todd stared down at his hands.

“We have talked about this over and over. The police and rescue people – everyone has explained about the depth of the lake and its frigid water.” He turned away and looked out the window, and Lisa left him alone.

**

“Tam, I’m sorry I clammed up the other day.”

“It’s difficult to have a relationship with someone who goes from cheery to dark instantly. I cannot continue with you if your moods swing like this. We have to be able to talk about everything. I know your girlfriend drowned; she was a strong swimmer, and you tried to save her. I know all of it. And it was years ago, and you are here with me now.”

He took her hands. “You're right, and I want us to be happy. I know Rae would want me to be happy and to marry you.”

“Todd, that is the most insightful comment you have made! So, my question for you is, do you love me?”

“I do.”

Copyright © 8/23/2024 by Andrea O. Corwin

Author notes: 11/2/2024 This story was written in August 2024 for Reedsy Prompts fiction - End your story with someone saying, “I do.” I edited it before posting on Vocal.

I am grateful you read my work! 😃 If you liked it, please give it a ♡, drop a comment, and subscribe for free. Vocal allows tips and pledges - - Andi