24.
THREE MONTHS LATER
COURTNEY
“Woo-hoo, Mama! You look pretty!” Leo said as I walked into the kitchen.
“Your mom always looks pretty,” Zane corrected him as he stood up and looked me over. “But, damn, she went all out today, didn’t she?”
I spun around, mostly for Zane’s benefit, and then sat down in the chair he pulled out for me.
“Is today the day?” Dayton asked. When I nodded, he said, “Good, because I’m done thinking about it.”
“No sense in thinking about it at all, son,” Zane chided. “She’s not part of your universe anymore, and you’re better off for it.”
“Are you going with her?” Dawson asked Zane before he stuffed the last of his breakfast burrito in his mouth.
When Zane nodded, Dawson thrust his fist across the table and Zane bumped it with his as he took his bag off the back of the chair and started for the door. “Come on, Day, the bus is leaving.”
“You don’t drive a bus, Dawson!” Leo shouted after him.
I stood as Dayton picked his backpack up off the floor and pulled my brother in for a quick hug. I held him in my arms as I leaned my back to look up at him. I still couldn’t believe I had to do that now, but his most recent growth spurt had given him at least two inches on me.
“Don’t give her any real estate in your mind, Day. Remember?”
“Who?” he asked with a wink. “All I’m thinking about is the party tomorrow night. I’ve got a date, you know.”
“You do? With who?”
“I asked Blythe to go with me, and she said yes.”
“Oh, sweet baby Jesus,” Zane muttered. He looked at Dayton with an incredulous expression and asked, “You’re going to take Lark Forrester’s kid to the party with you? Are you freaking nuts?”
“She’s a smart and funny girl,” Dayton said haughtily. Then he blew my mind when he grinned at me and asked, “Isn’t that what you told me I should look for in a girlfriend, Mom?”
It still choked me up when he called me that, which was rare but becoming more common every day. “That’s exactly what I said.”
“There you go. She’s got the mom stamp of approval.”
“You better mind your p’s and q’s, little man, because if you don’t, you’ll be walking with a limp and eating your meals through a straw for the rest of your life.”
“If he doesn’t treat her with respect, I’ll make sure of it,” I warned. I gave him another hug before I said, “Dawson’s going to lose his shit if you don’t hurry up. Have a great day, sweetheart. I love you.”
“Love you too.”
Dayton gave me a quick kiss on the cheek and then rushed out the door just as Dawson honked, impatient to get on the road.
I sat back down at the table and looked at the burrito on my plate before I pushed it away. “I’m not sure I can eat right now. I’m too nervous.”
“What are you nervous about, Mom?” Alana asked.
“I’ve got a meeting downtown, and I’m worried about how it will go.”
“Everything will work out just the way it should, and if it doesn’t, we’ll all get together and make sure that you’re okay anyway. That’s what family does.”
“You’re right, sweetheart,” Zane assured her. “That’s exactly what family does.”
“You look really pretty, Mama,” Leo assured me. “You’ll be the prettiest mom there!”
“Thank you, baby. Now, finish your breakfast so you’re not late for school.”
“Who is picking us up today? Do we get to go see Miss Merida?”
“Yessir. The daycare bus will pick you up from school and then one of us will get you when the day is done.”
“I love Miss Merida,” Leo said dreamily. “I wonder if she’ll be my girlfriend.”
“Miss Conner might be a little too old for you, son,” Zane said with a laugh. When Leo looked crestfallen, Zane hurried to say, “But you never know. Maybe in twenty years or so, she’ll be in her cougar era and give you a shot.”
I slapped Zane’s arm with the back of my hand and frowned before I said, "Inappropriate!"
Zane chuckled as he picked up his plate and reached across the table to take empty plates from the kids. “Everybody saddle up. It’s time to ride!”
“Does that mean we’re getting a pony?” Alana asked, barely able to contain her excitement.
“That’s just an expression, Alana. It does not mean that you’re getting a pony.”
“Man, I’m batting a thousand today, aren't I?” Zane asked as he walked over to the sink. “Let’s get going, guys. You don’t want to be late.”
It took at least ten minutes to find Leo’s other shoe, and once we were in the car, Alana realized that she’d forgotten her favorite folder and had to go back inside. We finally dropped the kids off at the elementary school and were on our way to the courthouse.
“Do you think that the charges will finally stick this time and she’ll have to spend some real time in prison?”
“I talked to Zoey yesterday, and she said that the parole officer has a list of grievances a mile long. If you add that to the new charges, I’d have to guess that she’ll be gone for quite a long time, babe.”
“What if she gets out again and comes back?”
“We’ll deal with it then. I’ll be by your side regardless,” Zane assured me before he hopped out of the truck and rushed around to open my door.
As soon as I was out and had my purse over my shoulder, Zane pulled me into his arms and gave me a kiss.
“I love you, Courtney. I’ll stick by your side through thick, thin, and whatever prison sentence your mom happens to get. ”
“I hope they don’t just throw the book at her, I hope they beat the shit out of her with it and then stuff it up her ass.”
“God, I love you.”
◆◆◆
ZANE
I watched Courtney tap on the door and then push it open. I smiled when I heard her grandma’s cheerful greeting. I had offered to stay in the truck while Courtney broke the news of Jill’s sentence to her grandmother, but she insisted that I come in.
I agreed with the condition that I wait outside the room until Grandma came to terms with the news, knowing that she probably wouldn’t want me to see her cry.
I was surprised when I heard my mom’s voice and then saw her walk out of the room and pull the door closed behind her.
“Hi, baby,” Mom said as she stepped into my arms for a hug. “I take it Courtney got some good news.”
“Jill took a plea deal for twenty-four years, and the judge added the restriction that she won’t be eligible for parole until she’s served twenty.”
“Thank God,” Mom said as she leaned against the wall beside me. “Dawson and Dayton know where y’all went today, don’t they?”
“They knew and didn’t seem all that upset about it. I’m sure Courtney will call Emerald with an update so she can feel Dayton out and see if he’s really okay, but they were both fine this morning.”
“That’s good. Whatever happens, we’ll get them through it.”
“You’re really loving this Yaya thing, aren’t you?”
“I am! I’m just waiting for all of you to give me a few more. I think I’m down for at least two more for you and Courtney and maybe three or four each from Zoey, Pax, and Xavier.”
“Good grief, Mom. Paxton and Xavier are still single. Do any of them know about your evil plans?”
“Not yet.”
“Where’s Dad?”
Mom looked a little uncomfortable when she said, “He’s out with Rowdy, looking at a horse.”
I gasped in horror before I said, “You wouldn’t!”
“I’m not doing anything. Do you see me walking through a field full of horse shit? No, you don’t. This is all your father’s idea.”
“I’ll kill him. No, I won’t have to kill him. Courtney will.”
“God, I love that girl.”
“I’m glad. I always thought I’d never love another woman as much as I love you, but Courtney blew that out of the water.”
“As it should be. She’s a great girl, Zane. I’m happy you found her.”
“I’m going to ask her to marry me soon.”
“Do you think she’s still gun-shy about the idea?”
“Have you met her?” I asked sarcastically.
“Is she really okay with Jill going to prison for so long?” Mom asked.
“The only way she’d be more okay with it is if they gave that bitch the death penalty.”
“For a woman who has been holding onto so much rage for so many years, she’s surprisingly upbeat.”
I laughed before I said, “You haven’t seen her before her first cup of coffee in the morning.”
“You know you can’t judge a person by what they say before they’ve finished their second cup,” Mom reminded me.
“I learned that from you.”
“Damn right,” Mom muttered as she pushed away from the wall. She smiled at me before she said, “I’m going to go see if there’s anything I can do to help Zoey get the flowers ready for Bella’s wedding. Will you call me if Courtney needs anything?”
“I’ll take care of her, but I promise to call if she needs you.”
“Good. I always wished that I had another daughter, so I’m glad you’ve found one that I can love like my own.”
“Love you, Mom.”
“Love you, too, son. Now, go in there and hug those women. Whether she wants to admit it or not, today was an emotional one, and she’ll need your support.”
“On it,” I said as I turned toward the door. “I need you to do me a favor on your way to see Zoey.”
“What’s that?” Mom asked.
“Please go find Dad and talk him off the ledge.”
“Can’t do it. Your father’s a stubborn guy, and when he gets an idea in his head, there’s no changing it.”
“Are you ready to have a horse living in your backyard?”
“Not happening, son. Looks like you need to build a bigger fence.”
I let my head fall forward and thump the door a few times as Mom’s laughter trailed behind her as she walked away.
“Come on in,” Courtney called out from inside the room.
I walked in and found Courtney with dry eyes but Grandma with red-rimmed ones and a tissue in her hand. I leaned over the edge of the bed and kissed her forehead before I asked, “How’s my favorite lady?”
“Shouldn’t she be your favorite lady?” Grandma asked.
I wiggled my hand and shrugged before I said, “It’s sort of a toss-up, but you’re usually ahead because you’re always nice to me.”
Grandma blushed like she always did when I flirted with her, and I was glad to see a smile on her face. I looked over at Courtney and saw the love in her eyes because she saw that I adored her as if she was my own grandmother.
“What do you say we bust you out of this joint and take you down to Martha’s for a piece of pie?” I asked. Grandma’s eyes lit up, and I smiled at her before I said, “I’ll wait out in the hall while you get ready.”
“I’ll go tell the nurse that we’re taking you out for a while,” Courtney said as she stood up. “Do you need any help?”
Grandma scoffed before she said, “I’ve been dressing myself for going on seventy years now, sweetheart. I think I can manage.”
We left Grandma in the room and walked out into the hall together before I pulled the door closed behind me.
“How did she take it?” I asked.
“She was upset, but I think she knew that it was going to happen sooner or later.”
“I’m glad she has you to support her.”
“And she has you too. And your mom. All of us do.”
“That’s what family does. We hold each other up when we need help and then stand by each other’s side when we don’t.”
“I asked your mom where your dad was today, and she got all flustered. I wonder what that was about.”
I winced before I said, “I think my dad may be doing something epically stupid that’s going to cause repercussions for years to come.”
Courtney looked alarmed for a second before she said, “Whatever it is, we’ll help him get through it.”
“You say that now,” I muttered as I pulled her into my arms. “Are you really okay, babe?”
“I’ll always be okay as long as I have you by my side.”
“I’ll be by your side forever and always or until the stars fall out of the sky.”
“I love you.”
“I love you too.”
THE END