Chapter 10 #2
Everyone agreed it was a good thing that Rory was taking time for herself, and that she and Chance were making plans. Paisley got the impression that Rory had been a bit of a workaholic before she got pregnant.
“So I heard Fern got into a fist fight with Mr. Watson today,” Callie said. “Nikki heard it from a friend who heard it from her cousin who got it from somewhere else. Honestly, I figured it was exaggerated.”
“It was a verbal altercation,” Paisley said. “In the library. Over a T-shirt.”
She relayed the story. The women snort-laughed at the slogan. Of course they did, because they were awesome that way.
“Unfortunately, she’s just one of those people who hates everything and everyone,” Emma said.
“She’s always been that way. When she left town, nobody thought she’d come back.
But she did. And she didn’t improve while she was gone either.
Her husband is a decent guy. Not a local, but people like him.
Can’t figure out why he puts up with her, really. ”
“I haven’t met him yet,” Paisley said. “I honestly don’t know if Fern quit today or not. She didn’t return to the library after she left the mayor’s office.”
She didn’t tell them about the text and her suspicions.
“She’ll be back on Monday,” Rory said. “Sitting at her desk like nothing happened. I don’t think she ever gave Miss Hettie that kind of grief, but I’ve heard of her acting like a first class bitch. And then acting like it didn’t happen.”
“Great,” Paisley said. “And here I was hoping she’d had enough.”
“I mean she could, but I doubt it.”
Daphne emerged from the house with a platter containing burgers ready for the grill.
Kane followed with chicken on another platter.
They both sported goofy grins like they’d just had the quickest of quickies in the fifteen minutes they were gone.
The women smirked knowingly at each other.
They included Paisley in it, but she felt out of place anyway.
She’d never felt that kind of happiness in a relationship—other than the short few weeks she’d spent with Ethan.
“Food will be ready soon,” Daphne said.
“I hope so,” Chance called. “I’m starving over here. What the hell—heck have y’all been doing in there anyway?”
“Getting the food ready,” Kane said. “What do you think?”
Chance opened his mouth to reply. Then closed it when he and Rory exchanged a look. She turned back to the women, grinning.
“We’re working on language. Both of us are fond of a curse word, but we’re trying to clean it up with the little one on the way. I’m sorry that one slipped out with Violet here.”
Paisley smiled. “It’s okay. Violet’s too enamored of Merrylegs to notice.”
“And of Ethan,” Callie said.
They all turned to watch the man lead the child around on the pony. He laughed as much as Violet did, throwing his head back, the laughter coming from deep inside. Paisley’s heart squeezed to hear it. If only. Those were the words she thought of in the moment.
If only.
If only Ethan hadn’t been sent away. If only she hadn’t fallen for Trey’s lies. If only she’d waited.
Ethan would have called, and maybe she’d have been pregnant anyway. Maybe Violet was his instead of Trey’s. If only she hadn’t been weak and vulnerable, she would still have Violet and the three of them would have been a family this whole time.
Her throat tightened as tears gathered in the corners of her eyes. She couldn’t cry, not now. Not in front of these women and not over something so simple as a man leading a child around on a pony and laughing. They would all think she was nuts.
“It’s okay,” Emma said, putting an arm around her shoulders and squeezing. “You don’t have to tell us anything you don’t want to.”
“W-what do you mean?”
Rory handed over a tissue. Paisley took it and dabbed the corners of her eyes.
“You’re a single mom. We don’t know anything about Violet’s father or your relationship with him.
And we don’t need to know. But you seem a little emotional seeing her enjoying a man’s company, so maybe you’re missing him or wishing things were different.
You don’t have to explain, but you can also ask for a tissue or a moment alone. ”
Paisley squeezed the tissue into a ball. “You’re scary good,” she said with a laugh. It was that or cry harder.
Emma shrugged and smiled. “I’m a doctor. I’m used to listening, and I see a lot of emotional responses. I don’t mean to call you out, but you’re with friends. Just wanted you to know it.”
“She’s right,” Rory said. “We’re all hot messes in our own way. But we’ve adopted you, so you can be a hot mess too. No explanations necessary.”
“Thank you,” Paisley replied. “I...”
She was planning to make an excuse, but then she thought, why not? Why not share some of the burden?
“We’re getting a divorce,” she said simply. “It wasn’t a good situation, and Violet and I are here to start over.”
“Oh, honey,” Emma said. “I’m sorry. Anything we can do to help, we will.”
The other women agreed.
“When I needed help,” Callie said. “These ladies were here for me. The men too. This is a really, really great group of people. If we don’t know how to help, we’ll figure it out.”
“Yep,” Rory said. “We gotchu. Daphne would agree if she weren’t over there making googly eyes at Kane. The Bookalicious Besties have to stay together. We’re a sisterhood.”
Paisley shook her head. “You’re so nice to me.
You don’t even know me, not really, but you’ve asked me to be a part of your book club and now you’re telling me I’m one of your sisterhood.
I…I just don’t know what to say. I’ve never really had that before, and I don’t know why it’s happening now, but I am grateful for it. ”
The three women exchanged a look. Rory seemed to be the one chosen to speak.
“Emma Grace and I are from Sutton’s Creek, but we both know how it feels when you think you don’t belong.
I’ve been something of an outcast my whole life.
Honestly, I think most people feel that way to some extent.
We never feel like we belong, do we? Anyway, Daphne and Callie aren’t from Sutton’s Creek—and neither are the guys, by the way.
But we’ve all felt something, that pull of friendship or whatever you want to call it, when we met each other.
I knew the night we had our book club that you belonged. I think all of us did.”
“Yep,” Callie said. Emma echoed it.
“You don’t have to say anything,” Rory continued. “Just know that you can call us if you need to talk, or you need somebody to watch Violet for a few hours, or whatever. We’ll make it happen. And if you need somebody to go and kick Fern in the lady balls, then I’m your girl.”
Paisley couldn’t help but snort. The other women laughed too. The tension that lived between her shoulder blades eased a fraction. Maybe it was all going to be okay. Maybe the bad parts were behind her and only good stuff lay in front of her.
She fervently hoped so. Even if experience had taught her that hope was a fragile flower, easily crushed.