Chapter Eight
Silas
I have no desire to find a date for the wedding, especially since I’m still processing my own getting canceled. If Mrs. Langston hadn’t invited me herself, I wouldn’t go. But if everyone else is bringing a date, then I guess I need one too.
In one week, I was supposed to stand at the altar and exchange vows with who I thought was the love of my life.
But now I realize it was a lie.
Aundrea’s parents hired a wedding planner so there wasn’t anything for me to do besides tell my family. After telling my parents and siblings the day after she left, they’ve given me space, but now they’re on my ass for an update.
“Silas, darlin’!” Mom beams, giving me a hug. As soon as she pulls back, she smacks my cheek. “Why haven’t you called?”
“Ma, was that necessary?” I rub my palm over where she hit.
“I’ve been worried about you.” She walks to the stovetop and stirs the gravy. “Are you sleepin’ okay? You look tired. Are you gettin’ enough vitamins in your food? You look pale. How—”
“I’m fine, Ma. Got a new job and temporary place to live. Eatin’ and sleepin’ just fine.”
Perhaps it should be telling that I’m not more sick over the breakup but mostly embarrassed that I didn’t see it coming.
I glance around the kitchen that hasn’t been remodeled since the nineties.
Old wallpaper that’s seen better days and a wood panel that goes midway down to the floor.
Although it’s outdated and no longer stylish, it makes me smile at the nostalgia from growing up here with my three older sisters.
Our dad passed when I was thirteen from an aggressive form of lung cancer, so it’s been the five of us ever since.
As the baby of the family and only boy, my mom’s always been overprotective of me. My sisters too. Although I’m thirty, they treat me like I’m still a teenager.
“Where’s the job and house?”
“I’m workin’ at the goat farm on the Langston ranch. Warren’s sister, Posey, runs it and she has a spare room, so I’m stayin’ with her until I find my own place.”
“Posey…which one’s that? The blonde or brunette?”
I chuckle at why it matters. “Blonde.”
“Oh, she’s a cutie. Are you two…” She arches a suggestive brow.
“No, she barely tolerates me. We’re just roommates.”
“Well…doesn’t mean that can’t change.”
“I wouldn’t hold your breath. We’re goin’ out tonight to help each other find dates for her cousin’s weddin’ next month.”
“A date? Shoulda told me. My nail lady has a daughter—”
“No blind dates.” I quickly shake my head. She tortured me enough with that before I met Aundrea.
“You’re not gettin’ any younger. Your sisters were all married by twenty-five and had their first babies by twenty-seven.”
I nod along because it’s nothing I haven’t heard before. They were thrilled when Aundrea and I got engaged and now they’re going to try and set me up right away.
“Thirty ain’t that old, Ma. Plenty of people in my generation are waitin’ to get married until they’re older.”
“You wanna be fifty with a newborn? Trust me, you don’t.”
I snort, taking a drink of my pop that she handed me in between her ranting about my love life. Or lack thereof.
“Mama, leave him alone,” my oldest sister, Celeste, walks in with my niece on her hip.
Mama puts her big spoon down, then quickly grabs Abbie from my sister’s arms. “I’m just tellin’ him he doesn’t have much time to wait.”
“Meanin’ she thinks I’m gonna die sad and alone.”
Celeste comes over to hug me and ruffles my hair. “You need a haircut.”
“I’m gettin’ one in an hour, actually.”
My other two sisters, Sabrina and Corinne, come for lunch along with a few of their kids. Mom called for a family luncheon so we can discuss the tragedy that is my life.
“Have you talked to Aundrea since it happened?” Sabrina asks while we eat.
“She texted on Sunday before I left to leave her keys on the counter and that’s it.”
“Her family wrote a post on your engagement website that it was canceled due to a mutual split,” Corinne says, curling her lip in annoyance. “Mutual, my ass.”
“Corinne, language,” Mama scolds, nodding her head toward the kids.
Corinne’s only two years older than me, so we’ve always been closer, but she made it clear months ago she didn’t like Aundrea.
“I think she had a side piece,” Sabrina says. “It’s already goin’ ’round that she’s datin’ another guy.”
“Who?” I ask.
“Some suit from Knoxville.”
I scoff. “Probably an investor her dad knows. I wouldn’t be shocked.”
“An even better reason to move on,” Mom exclaims.
“It’s only been a week,” Celeste reminds her. “Give him time.”
“Thanks,” I mouth to her when my mom continues talking about how I’m too good for a woman like Aundrea.
“He’s livin’ with Posey now.”
“Warren’s sister? She’s adorable.” Sabrina grins, reaching across the table to swipe a butter knife out of Henry’s hand after he swung it around like a magic wand. “Is she single?”
“Uhh…yes, but—”
“You two would be cute together!” Corinne gushes, putting mashed potatoes on a fork to spoonfeed Nico who spits it right out.
Looking at my family, it’s pure chaos, but I’ve never known anything else so it’s almost comforting.
“We’re just roommates,” I repeat for the second time. “We agreed to keep things platonic.”
“Why?” Celeste asks. “Do y’all have history or somethin’?”
When I stay quiet, my mom and sisters stop what they’re doing and all stare at me.
“What? You never told me!” Corinne shouts, throwing a piece of broccoli my way. Daniella, my five-year-old niece, picks it up and throws it at her little brother.
“No throwin’ food!” Sabrina catches it midair.
I’d laugh if everyone’s attention wasn’t on me again.
“It was a long time ago, okay? It was one time.”
Their jaws drop and Mama’s eyes brighten with ideas.
“But we’re only friends now.”
“Give it time…” Sabrina snickers. “I was friends with Reid once upon a time too.”
“We’re goin’ to Honky’s tonight to be each other’s wingmen, so don’t get your hopes up.”
“Oh, can I come and help? Please?” Corinne smacks her palms together in a prayer gesture. “Oliver can watch the kids.”
“Me too!” Sabrina smirks. “Celeste, you come too. We need a sister’s night out.”
“Oh God…” I groan, mentally slapping myself for telling them.
“I’m too old for that,” she tells them. “Plus, I don’t have a sitter.”
Celeste’s husband passed away a year after their youngest was born from a car accident and she’s been doing it on her own ever since.
“I’ll babysit,” Mama offers. “The kids can sleep over. You deserve a night out.”
“Really? You don’t mind?” Celeste looks conflicted but she probably hasn’t had a night out in years.
“Absolutely! You girls have fun. And watch your brother.”
“Yes!” Corinne high-fives Sabrina. “The Mathiesens are hittin’ the town!”
Just great.
I’m gonna need to give Posey a heads up or they’ll be on her like cheese on pizza.
Once we finish eating and help Mom clean up, I say my goodbyes and tell my sisters I’ll see them tonight.
Michelle’s expecting me for my haircut in five minutes and there’s no open parking available near the salon, so I have to jog half a mile to get there.
“Silas, you ready?” She greets me with a smile, and I follow her down a hallway to a private room.
“How’re you doin’?” she asks, motioning for me to sit and then stands behind me.
“Good. You?” I ask into the reflection.
“Great but even better now that you’re here.” She threads her fingers through my hair.
Michelle plays with my hair and it puts me under a trance at how good it feels. Then she turns the chair and lowers my head into the sink to wash it.
By the time she finishes, I’m half asleep.
While she trims my hair, she talks the entire time, barely giving me time to respond before she says the next thing. She tells me all about why she moved here and that she’s saving up money to go back to school to become a nurse.
Since I have plans with Posey tonight, and apparently my sisters, I suggest we meet for lunch tomorrow when she asks if I’m free tonight.
“Oh, I’d love to. There’s this cute little cafe that has the best sandwiches.”
“Willow’s Corner Café?”
“Yes, that’s the one!” She slides her fingers between my strands, checking the length.
“Sure, how’s one?”
“I’ll be there.”
“Perfect.” She softly brushes the hair off my neck once she’s removed the cape. “And speakin’ of apartments, there’s a vacant one in my buildin’ if you wanna use me as a reference.”
Once we got talking, I told her a bit more about how I ended up living with Posey and that I’m hoping to find my own place.
“Where is it?”
“Just a few minutes away, which is nice since I can walk to both of my jobs. It’s on Oak Street.”
“Oh, those are nice ones. I’ll check it out.”
After I’ve paid, I head back to Posey’s. We’re not leaving until nine, so I’ve got the rest of the evening to do some laundry and cleaning.
“Wow, she didn’t butcher it.” Posey glances at my head, smirking around her spoon while she takes a bite of her food. “Looks good.”
“Thanks.” I scrub my palm through it and notice how much softer it is than usual. “We made a lunch date for tomorrow, so if I strike out tonight, all hope won’t be lost.”
“You’re underestimatin’ my skills as a wing woman.”
“Not at all, but speakin’ of that, I should warn you about somethin’.”
She takes another bite before setting her spoon down. “What?”
“While I was havin’ lunch with my mom and sisters, I told ’em about our plans tonight and now all my sisters are comin’.”
“All of ’em?” She giggles. “You’re in deep shit now.”
Pulling out the chair across from her, I take a seat. “You’re tellin’ me. My mom says I better hurry up and find someone before I’m too old to raise a baby, which gave my sisters the green light to come help you find me a wife.”
I leave out the part where they know we have history, but I didn’t give specifics since they don’t need to know.
“Wow…they sound more aggressive than my family.” She stands, taking her dirty dishes to the sink. “Do you think they can help me find a husband?”
I bark out a laugh. “Don’t give ’em the idea or they definitely will.”