Southern Chance (Southern 1)

“Cowboy.” Olivia gets up and walks to him, grabbing his hand in hers. He looks at her, and something she says settles him, and he just looks at me.

“That’s not fair,” I say. “I didn’t tell him. I told no one. I couldn’t …” I wipe away the tears. “He was my secret, and he was my everything.”

“Kallie,” Olivia says softly, and Casey now puts his arm around her. “I’m so, so sorry that you had to keep this to yourself.”

I blink away the tears. “It was hard not to tell everyone how beautiful he was.” I smile. “But now I get to share him with you all.” I turn to look at Jacob. “We can share him with you now.”

“I love you,” he says, burying his face in my neck, and I feel his tears on my neck.

“I’m a grandfather,” my father says, looking at my mother, who cries her own tears and wipes his away. “You should have told me.”

“I know,” she says softly, “but it wasn’t my story to tell.”

“I want to put his picture up on the wall,” my mother says. “I want his picture on the wall where he belongs with our family.”

“Right after lunch, we can go into town and get frames.” My father pulls her to him.

“Well,” I say, “this was a bit easier than I thought it would be.”

“We haven’t told my mother yet,” Jacob mumbles, and I look at him. “Might as well get it over with.”

“There is no way she is going to Cristine’s house without me,” my mother practically yells. I look over at her and so does Jacob.

“Charlotte,” my father says, and my mother shakes her head.

“No.” I look at her, and she looks back at me. “You aren’t going to her house. If you want, invite her here.”

“What am I missing?” Jacob says, and I look back at my mother, wondering the same thing.

“Nothing.” My mother tries to pretend that there is nothing, but now Casey speaks up.

“If we are sharing everything, might as well share that, Mom.” He looks at her, and I know he knows. When I look at my father, even he avoids my eyes.

“What is going on?” I ask them, angry.

My mother just looks at Jacob. “I’m sorry,” she says. “When you left, your mother came over here.” She sits down, and all eyes are on her. “She was angry that you were suffering and blamed it all on Kallie.” My leg starts to tremble while she continues the story. “Everything was her fault.” My mother points at me. “Well, I told her that we should let you two work out your own things. She said some not nice things, and I’m not repeating them, but—”

I hear a roar come out of Jacob at the same time I look at my mother. “Tell me.”

“No,” she says, shaking her head.

“I want to know,” I say, and my stomach is already in my throat.

“Kallie,” my mother says softly, “it doesn’t matter now.”

I stand and drop Jacob’s hand from mine. “It matters to me.”

My mother looks at Jacob almost for permission, and he just nods at her. “I want you to know that her words were nothing but her being angry.”

“Mom.” I say her name too loud.

“That Jacob obviously didn’t love you or he would have never strayed.” My mother says the words, and although I thought I was ready for it, it cuts me right through the heart. “That if you kept your house in order, this would never have happened.”

“That fucking—” Casey says. Olivia’s hand snaps out, and she blocks his mouth.

“Excuse me,” I say, looking at the floor, the tears making it difficult to see. “I need to …” Walking toward the stairs, I run up them and barely make it to the bathroom before a foot is shoved in right before I can close the door.

“Oh, no, you don’t,” Jacob says. I don’t say anything because his arms go around me, and I sob in his arms. “She is never going to talk to you like that ever.” I can’t say anything. “I swear, Kallie, she won’t.”

Pushing off from him, I leave him standing there, looking at me, as I close the door. “She isn’t the only one who is going to think that or has thought it,” I say, wiping the tears from my face, “and I know I shouldn’t care, and I know it isn’t the truth.”

“It’s not the truth.” He comes to me. “I’ve loved you my whole life. I’ve loved you when I didn’t know what love was. I wish I could make it all go away. But …”

I raise my head. “I know, and I would never let you put Ethan in that position or take you away from him.”

“Now with regard to my mother, she will never ever say those words again. I promise you that,” he takes me in his arms. “I agree with your mother. I’m going to tell her to come here. No way will you walk.”