“You’re the strongest. Remember…I told you? You’ll be fine and besides your father would be a puddle without me.”
“Where is Pop?” Noticing for the first time that my father was missing in action.
“I sent him home. He needed a shower, food and a nap. He was growing mold he smelled so bad.”
“I’m sure he didn’t smell that bad.” My mother chuckled. “Yancy, I want to come home but I want Keegan to finish high school in Eden so that she can be valedictorian. I want to be here for you too…now.”
“I’ll be fine with or without you Gabrielle. Maybe it’s time for me to learn to do things without relying on you for support. Your sisters are here anyway. Bout time they were front and center don’t you think? Besides I do have your father here. Let them pick up the slack. Gabrielle, Kerry has nothing to do with this desire to be here…in Hell?” She asked me skeptically.
“Yancy, he has to go where I go because if you need me I’m here. Anyway we haven’t discussed our future. I have to settle my problems with a certain husband before taking on another relationship,” I said wiping away the tears.
“Gabby, Keegan just wants to come home. Hell has a new stable on the old Simpson farm where you can put those horses. Come home.”
All my arguments were put aside with a logical plan of action from everyone now I just needed to put that plan into action and come home.
“How do I leave him?” I asked my mother tearfully.
Yancy rolled her eyes heavenward and said, “Jesus Christ in Heaven, Mother Mary of God, please help me. Jack and I have raised idiots for children.”
I laughed out loud which came out somewhere between a sob and a hysterical laugh.
“Gabrielle, what do you mean how do I leave him?” Her voice was soft. My mother was growing tired.
“I know how this sounds…stupid but I don’t know how to do it. I don’t know whether I should leave or I should ask him to leave. He told me weeks ago that he’ll never divorce me. I’ve played this scenario out in my head so many times. I’m afraid. Yancy, I’m afraid of him.”
“Gabrielle, it’s time for a coming to Jesus meeting with James. “ Again, my mother’s favorite term. I wasn’t sure it applied here but I let her go on. “Just leave the man. Go home if you must, tell him goodbye and come home. He can’t force you to stay.”
“How did I get into this mess?” I asked my mother.
“Because you didn’t listen to your mother. Gabrielle, I have a confession to make.”
Glancing up quickly I stared into my mother’s beautiful blue eyes. She looked guilty.
Oh good Lord! Now what?
“I think I’ve complicated your life with my actions and I’m sorry for interfering again.”
“What did you do?” I asked softly already knowing that no matter what I would and had forgiven her.
“Esther and I wanted you, Kerry and Keegan to be together. I specifically asked you to co
me home for my appointment because I knew that Kerry was here with his mother. We hadn’t figured out how to get the two of you together but you took care of that yourself.” Yancy chuckled to herself.
“I should be pissed at you,” I replied huskily.
“I made many mistakes when dealing with your situation.” Her sigh escaped her lips with a soft noise so soft I barely heard it. “I wanted to make it right for you. You should have been with Kerry. If I had left things alone the two of you might have worked things out.”
My mother’s eyes filled with tears. Caressing her hand so gently as if she would break, I replied, “Don’t. Yancy, please don’t cry.”
The door to my mother’s room opened. We thought it was my sisters and daughter returning. Turning towards the door I expected to see them but Kerry was there instead. In his eyes I could see his devastation.
“Where’s Kat?” He asked me with a quiet determination that belied a pain that cut to his soul. He didn’t come completely into the room.
“What’s wrong?” I asked rising from the stool at my mother’s bed but still holding onto her hand.
“Yancy, I’m sorry for intruding,” he replied so tenderly that my heart broke for him. Coming further into her room without looking at either of us he asked. “How are you feeling?”
“Like hell,” she replied thickly because of the medicine and the tears she had cried, “Come in Kerry. What’s wrong?” She asked him next.