Southern Sunshine (Southern 8)

"I’m going to go and check on Sofia," I tell them, and they smile at me. I turn, walking back into the yard. There are kids everywhere. I look over to the side and see Sofia being chased by a boy her age and laughing the whole time. They run over to the fenced area, and she follows him in getting up on the bottom part to look over.

I’m making my way over to her when I see him walking from the other side of the property. He smiles and waves at a couple of people. "Maybe he won’t see her,” I say softly to myself. Even though I’m moving, I can’t seem to get to her fast enough. It’s almost as if my feet are stuck to the grass.

He stops when the little boy next to her calls him over, and I know it’s only a matter of time before the box I closed all those years ago is opened.

Chapter 13

Reed

I can hear the kids screaming as soon as I walk out of the woods and get closer and closer to my grandparents. I’m shocked so many people are still there. I thought for sure it would be dying down, but instead, it’s like more people have arrived. I see Gabriel on the side as he chases another kid. I spot Amelia sitting down in a chair, her stomach even bigger than it was last week. I see a couple of teenagers off to the side, and it brings me back to all those years ago with Christopher. I smirk. Back then, I thought I was the shit.

I shake my head, stopping at the barn, and look around to see if I can find my grandfather. "Where were you?" Harlow says, walking out of the barn and looking at me. She has JB on her hip. “Go see Uncle Reed,” she says. He refuses to come to me by hiding his hand under him, making it hard to grab him, and Harlow laughs. “It’s okay. He’ll get to know you. He’s used to you being in a phone." She laughs at her joke. "Quinn got here an hour ago."

"Did he?" I ask. “I actually went home and showered."

"I think he smells like shit all the time,” she says, looking at JB and rubbing her nose to his. “See you later. I’m going to hand this boy off to someone else. I need some sleep,” she says, walking away from me.

I stand here looking around, my gaze roaming everywhere, knowing exactly who I’m searching for. I look toward the house, and I see her standing there laughing with Amelia and Chelsea. Hazel, the whole reason I’m here two hours later than I should have been, stands looking toward the fence.

"Uncle Reed." I hear my name being called and look over to see Tucker. "Uncle Reed." He holds the top of the fence with one hand while he waves with his other. He is standing on the bottom of the log, looking into the fenced area. Some of the horses are walking around. He looks over to a little girl beside him and tells her something. One look at her, and I know she’s Hazel’s girl. She looks at him as if he’s telling her his biggest secret. She wears green Rubber boots, and her brown hair has little curls at the bottom.

I walk over to them, and they both get down from the log. “That’s my uncle Reed," Tucker says, pointing over at me.

"Hey," I say, looking at them both but my eyes are on Sofia’s. “What are you two up to?" I look at Tucker, and then my eyes go back to look at Sofia. She pushes the hair away from her face, and I see that her eyes are exactly like Hazel’s.

"Sofia wants to ride the horse again," Tucker says. “But she said she doesn’t have one."

"Well," I say, squatting down in front of her. “I have a horse." Her mouth opens, and her eyes go big. “Want to come ride on my horse?"

"Yes." She claps her hands together and jumps up and down. I swear it’s like looking into a mirror, and I’m seeing Hazel from when she was young.

"Come with me,” I say. She slips her hand into mine, and I can swear something in me sparks to life. “You coming, Tucker?" I ask, and he shakes his head.

"I’m going to eat,” he says, turning now and running to the table where there is food.

We walk into the barn, and I go to my stall. “Is this your horse?" she looks up at me and asks.

"Yeah, my granddad gave it to me,” I say. “Stay here,” I say, opening the gate. Turning, I see her standing there with her hands on her hips and her head cocked to one side. I laugh, thinking I’ve seen that look before. I grab the horse by the reins and walk him out, going over to get my saddle. "We have to get the saddle on him,” I say.