Forever Best Friends - Odis and Dalton

Book Clip from Chapter Twelve

Forever Best Friends - Odis and Dalton

Copyright ©2016 Suzie Tyler

Odis and Dalton were planning a trip to Conroe the first week of August. He wrote: “I don’t know if Dalton will take off on Friday or not, if not we will come Saturday. Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Sueday. Have your arms open and put on your kissing lips. You are going to be kissed Friday night from a guy from AR-KAN-SAW. His name is Odis. I want a big Texas kiss and I am going to handcuff your arms around me and throw away the key. I want you to lay your head on my chest over my heart and I want to hold you for hours, O.K.?” On the way, the radio played ‘Houston, means I’m one step closer to you’ and he was counting down the miles and the minutes.

It was just a week after the divorce was final and it was his first time to see Sue in ‘her big city domain’. The first two times they were together after their fifteen year separation was in her home environment of Texarkana or his surroundings of Hot Springs. It scared him that he might lose her to a single lifestyle and, as he observed and realized, “a different world from his”. All he knew was that his heart was totally committed to her!

Attending a Houston Oiler game in the AstroDome, Odis was so happy being with the love of his life. Love grew stronger and he and Sue were realizing what it would mean with the changing tide of bringing their worlds together. It was beautiful to be together but a little scary that their lives were about to change. There would be no more road trips for the guys and Sue and JoAnn’s friendship would soon be miles apart. Sue had accepted a job at a dealership in Texarkana and would be moving from Conroe at the end of August. JoAnn was selling her dress shop and taking a job in September with Word Records in Waco, Texas her hometown.

They were enjoying the weekend being together and not thinking of future events. Their thoughts were to Love, Laugh and Live for the moment.

With the night ending, the guys went back to their hotel room to pack and prepare to go back to Arkansas the next morning. Odis was feeling blue and empty and went out by the pool for awhile thinking of the wonderful day he had experienced and told Dalton he felt like Sue would call him. When he came back to the room, the phone rang and they both looked at each other. They knew it was Sue calling and he was so glad she did.

On the way out of town, he was so sad and ready to cry thinking of leaving the only girl he had ever truly loved! Concerned that she might like a single life being free and not give him a chance, his tender heart was broken. Thinking of living a life without her love was almost more than he could bear. He was feeling so unsure that he would still be able to have her love. Their worlds seemed so far apart right now!

As they were driving away, Dalton looked at him and was shaken when he realized that he cared so much for this girl he was leaving behind in Texas. He wanted to go back, grab her and take her home with him and would have if he thought she would come with him. They stopped by and took a picture of JoAnn’s dress shop ‘What’s Happenin’ before they left Conroe. He said “As we left Conroe, a couple of tears came into my eyes, the farther we got they got larger and larger. I actually cried, Sue, I can’t help it, I am sorry I have such a tender heart. You can’t possibly realize how much I love you darling. I felt funny with Dalton sitting over there. He looked at me, then looked again, he said ‘settle down now, I did not realize you were hung up on Sue like that’. I was so choked up, I couldn’t say anything for a while, and when I did, I said ‘she doesn’t realize it either’. I wanted to come back Sue, so did Dalton, but he had to work that night.

I would have come back, regardless, if I would have known that you would come with me. I hurt for you Sue, I actually ache and hurt I love you so much. You did not hurt me, it is just me. I thought my head would burst, holding back the tears. I knew I was driving away from the only girl I have truly loved. I was leaving someone I love more than anything on this earth!”

It had been a really great weekend. For Sue, love grew stronger but she admitted to herself, it was scary thinking about changing what she had known for several years into an unknown future. She knew that she loved him and that he loved her and even in her "craziness", felt it would be okay but Odis was so scared that he would lose her again.

As he is driving away, fear was in his heart as he doubted they could bring their worlds together. He was afraid Sue would not make the move to Texarkana and even then wasn’t sure if she would still want him in her life. He was pretty blue when he wrote:

“If you find someone else, Sue, make sure he loves you as much as I do, please. If so, I know you can be happy. Don’t let anyone touch you, Sue, be cautious . I don’t want you to ever be hurt again. I know how you were hurt and it is the worst feeling on earth, love can hurt deeply and leave deep scars in a person’s life. I want to help you forget all the hurt, please let me.

I want to make a home for you and Diane with God as the foundation! Please don’t be afraid Sue. I will not hurt you. And don’t feel guilty about asking me to wait. I understand why you are afraid and I pray that God will take those fears away. I will wait for you darling, I don’t change, Sue. I mean everything I have said to you. I will love you just as much 20 years from now as I do now. The hard part is waiting and I am so afraid you will find someone else.”

His love was so deep within him but so scared he would not have the dream he had let go of fifteen years ago. He wanted to make sure I knew he loved me, He wrote, “Ask God if I love you, ask Him if I will be true and faithful. Ask Him if I will be good to you. God knows my feelings for you and He will tell you, Ask Him, Sue.”