This is the moment Scarlett always gets the best reaction from Will. He has adapted to most of her absurd off the wall tactics, but some still get him from time to time. He holds back his mouth full of beer trying not to spew it all over the place while clutching onto Tommie.
The two have really been my saving grace over the last year. I’ll never forget the day Will had to carry Tommie from my dorm room sobbing. She didn’t want to let me go and I for shit sakes didn’t want to let go, but knew, deep down, both of them had a life back in Iowa. Both had their own doctor practices, so I had to, for once, let go of my bratty and childish ways and let them go. It took everything in me on that crisp fall day not to run and jump in Will’s arms, while he held Tommie. Instead, I stood tall on my new prosthetic and waved good-bye to the only family I had left then bawled for the next twenty-four hours until my roommate opened the door and changed my life forever. Scarlett. Do I need to say more?
The nights I couldn’t sleep or the days I no longer thought I could take another breath, it was Will I texted or called. He was the strong, broad shoulder I dumped it all on. He took it all without question for one reason, he simply loves my sister that much, and in turn he is stuck with me. He wanted her, wanted to save their marriage and everything in her life after the day we both lost our parents. There hasn’t been one beat he has skipped or bitched about. He has made us both feel wanted and instantly, without question, replaced both of our parents in an instant.
One night at college, I desperately wanted to leave. I couldn’t stand another day in the dorms around all the perfect, typical college aged girls, who I so desperately wanted to be, so I called and begged him to come get me. Sobs, ugly tears and hurtful words were exchanged. I threw everything I had at him. Every dagger, sword and rock. He simply replied, “I love you, Tess, like a sister. You’ll always be a part of my life and I feel like I need to tell you what you don’t want to hear, stay, go be a college kid.”
Well, I stayed. Didn’t play the college kid role instead stayed in my dorm studied and stared at my missing leg remembering every single second of that last ride with my parents. My momma’s smell, my daddy’s pride and my asshole ways. Every single bit of it haunted me with the glimpse of my stump.
&nbs
p; Will can take anything. Even ‘fucking’ talk.
I finally sense the question in his face and whisper, “I let Finn fuck me at the G Spot the other night.”
So ashamed of my actions and feelings of want for the fucker, Finn, I bury my head. An odd silence takes over the room.
“It’ll be alright, Tess, he doesn’t have a girlfriend.”
His strange answer causes me to nearly fall off the couch.
Will makes his way over to me and sits next to me on the couch.
“Finn Evans is well known around this area. His family damn near owns this whole town. The boy is definitely not in a relationship, much to his father’s dismay. And he definitely doesn’t just fuck anyone. A massive flirt, yes. A fucker, like Scarlett likes to call them, he’s not. Finn has a wild heart just like his granddaddy’s. He was supposed to go to college and have the pick of his own business in town, but waved the middle finger and works next to his granddaddy everyday on the family farm. If there’s one thing about Finn, he is not dishonest. Now who was the tramp with him?” Will asks, with his eyebrow raised.
I know the eyebrow raised for approval of the word tramp. With all of our texts and calls, I always had to approve or disapprove of his terminology. When he called one of the bitches in our dorm a heifer even I cringed and had to explain the significance of being called a cow as a woman. The word heifer has never left his mouth since.
“Kara,” I finally reply.
“Kara Montgomery?”
“Perfect in every way. Snotty, a prude and a super-ultra mega bitch.”
“Yes, Kara Montgomery. That’s a daddy request for Finn. Those two have been destined to be married since birth, at least, that’s what their parents tell everyone.”
“There you go. He has a girlfriend,” I declare, mentally patting myself on the back.
“If you want to believe that then do. His dad wants him to have a girlfriend just like he wants him to have a dental or pharmaceutical practice and does he?”
I shrug my shoulders. Honestly, I don’t know what he does or doesn’t have at this point. Will said he stayed by his granddaddy’s side and that’s all I know.
“He doesn’t have a girlfriend. Get back to your ‘fucking’ talk. I’m going to feed the pups and go to bed,” Will says, as he kisses my forehead and then goes over to Tommie.
“Thank the shitting lord that talk was getting way too deep for me. I’m all for fucking,” Scarlett declares.
I throw the rest of the popcorn bowl at her trying to hold back my giggles. She jokes about her whorish ways, but I know they do bother her. We all have our inner demons and addictions we struggle with and Scarlett’s are clear as day. She can make fun of my missing leg, but I always tell her, “Even sluts need a little lovin’.” So fucked up in so many ways.
Will comes back into the house before heading to bed and gives me one final and very clear message. “If Finn wants you, he’ll have you or fight like hell to have you. Be ready to accept it or fight it the rest of your life, Tess. You couldn’t have picked a better man to be with.”
“You mean, you couldn’t have picked a better man to fuck in a dirty closet at the G Spot,” Scarlett hollers back.
“Go to bed,” Tommie finally demands. “We need our girl time.”
Will gives me his best attempt at his ‘you better listen kid, this is serious shit’ look and I just nod back. One day, one lucky kid will feel the love of the best father to ever walk the earth. And they will truly have no idea what kind of gift they have been dealt.
“So?” Tommie asks plopping down on the couch next to me.
“So, what?” I counter with a raised eyebrow.