Chapter 19
NOT A JOKE
“What a surprise that you flew home to see your niece,” his mother said on Sunday night.
Nelson was tired of traveling and couldn’t wait to stop for a bit.
You’d think he’d be used to it, but he was doing more than normal going to visit Kenzie.
It’d been worth it and hopefully life would slow down just a touch in the next week.
“I was on my way back and thought since I was at the airport, might as well do this now, visit with my mother and niece, then go home.”
“How long are you staying?” his mother asked. “You’re lucky I’m even home right now.”
“I’m sure Talia kicked you out and she’s tired.”
Stella Samantha Rigby was born last night. His mother would have been there for the entire delivery, the same as Jace and Jace’s family.
He’d texted this morning that he was on the way and when he was landing and expected to be at the house.
It gave his mother more than enough time to visit with his baby sister and the newest addition to the family, then come home to see him.
“She needs her rest,” his mother said. “Come here and give me a hug and kiss.”
He moved into his mother’s arms and gave her a kiss on the cheek. Best that she was happy to see him because she wouldn’t be so thrilled when he confessed what he’d kept hidden.
“I think you’ve missed me too,” he said.
“I’m always happy to see my children. Especially when it’s a surprise visit. Tell me you’re staying here and not a hotel. And how long are you here for?”
“I’m flying back late tomorrow morning,” he said. With no direct flight it was almost four hours rather than a little over an hour if he was on West’s jet.
He’d tried to talk his brother into flying in to see Talia so he could catch a ride back. It was slim and hadn’t worked.
West said he didn’t want to be anywhere within screaming distance when their mother found out that three of her other children knew the secret Nelson was keeping.
Calling his oldest brother a wuss only got the laugh it deserved.
“I’m glad you’re here, no matter how short of time it is. I expect you’re going to visit Talia before your flight?”
“Yeah. As soon as I can get in, I’ll stop to see her. She’ll still be at the hospital, right?”
“She should be. They will probably discharge her tomorrow, but it won’t happen until later in the day. Are you hungry? You didn’t say where you flew in from.”
“Salt Lake City. I’m starving, but don’t go out of your way.”
“Nonsense,” his mother said. “Come to the kitchen while I look around and throw together something quickly. This is out of your way from Utah.”
“It is,” he said. “I wanted to talk to you.”
She spun around, a bag of frozen chicken patties in one hand and a bag of fries in the other, then dropped them on the counter with a thud that echoed through the spacious kitchen.
Kenzie wouldn’t think he was so fancy or loaded if she saw the meal his mother was preparing for him. One that she’d done since he was four and they were pretty poor.
“What did you do?”
“Got married in Vegas,” he said, a huge smirk on his face.
“Hilarious,” his mother said, then opened the fries and dumped them in the air fryer with two chicken patties and pushed it in to start.
He knew she wouldn’t believe him, so he pulled the copy of the marriage certificate that he’d made out of his pocket and unfolded it to put on the table.
“It’s not a joke.”
His mother marched over, yanked it close, then picked it up and put it even closer to her face.
“Nelson John, what the hell is wrong with you? Who is this woman?”
“Her name is Kenzie Raye. She graduated from law school yesterday. I went to attend it.”
His mother's hands went in the air. “Hang on. There has to be a story behind this. Start somewhere and you better have it make sense.”
“It’s not a pretty story, but it’s working out.”
He told his mother everything. Or most things.
From waking up next to Kenzie and not knowing her name or that they were married, to finding out he’d been drugged and robbed.
Then the few flights back to spend time with her and figure out their next step.
His mother’s face went from disbelief, to concern, then finally landed on annoyance.
“West and Braylon know about this!” she shouted.
“I called Braylon right away. I’m not stupid, Mom. He told West and they flew out.”
“I’m going to kill them for keeping this from me.” She marched over and swung her arm as if she wanted to whack him, but he jumped out of the way. “And you too. How could you be so stupid?”
He’d heard that statement enough in his life too.
“It’s not my fault,” he said. “Don’t you have any sympathy at all over the fact I was drugged and robbed?”
“I do. And if you weren’t standing here three weeks after it happened I’d be sick with worry.”
“I’m glad you’re not. Really. I felt like shit and tried to hide it.”
“Why?” she asked. “Sit. I’m not happy. Don’t take my concern for that. We’ll talk more about this wife you’ve got. I’m assuming since you went to see her graduate you’re going to make this work or was it for her to sign divorce papers?”
“I hid it because I didn’t want to worry anyone. And as for Kenzie, you’ll like her. I mean really like her. She didn’t back down from West. She’s prideful and doesn’t come from much. Her parents are farmers and she’s put herself through law school.”
“I hope she’s not after you for something more? You’re positive she had nothing to do with what happened to you?”
He snarled, his fists clenched. He expected to be questioned but didn’t think it’d come from his mother.
“No. They caught the two people who did it, and they confessed. I remember little from that night. Braylon showed Kenzie and me the report of the investigation. Four people were robbed, and more were drugged but not robbed. No idea why, maybe they got cold feet or ran out of time. Charges were pressed because two other guests insisted, but I didn’t want my name added to it.
It’s not important now. Just the spark that set my chain of events in motion, not the thing that’s going to steer them from here. ”
His mother nodded. “Understandably. And you’re sure you’re fine? Did you see a doctor after?”
“I did,” he said. He hadn’t wanted to but listened to West when it was suggested, as it’d be the smart thing. “Everything is fine.”
“That’s good. Tell me about Kenzie.”
“She’s twenty-four. Going to be twenty-five in a few months. We get along well. She even joked she was glad it was me she accidentally married. Her parents are old-fashioned and religious and don’t believe in divorce, but she is her own person. I had to convince her to give this a chance.”
“You did?”
“Mom, I know what I feel around her and I saw the same out of her. Because she doesn’t want anyone to think she’s staying for what she can get out of marriage. Braylon and West both commented on compensating her for her troubles and I thought she was going to light them on fire with her eyes.”
His mother smirked. “Good for her. Money can’t buy everything.”
“I know. She feels the same about me but would never make that step. I asked and I had to convince her to move.”
“She is?”
“Yes. She’s flying back to Utah in July to take the bar there. She can’t take the one in New York or New Jersey until February. I gave her an out so that if things don’t work with us, she has lost nothing and can still practice in Utah if she wants to return.”
The air fryer beeped and his mother went over to open and shake it and push it back in, then grabbed rolls out of the drawer.
He walked to the fridge and got a bottle of water, cheese for his sandwich and barbecue sauce.
“Your voice got tight when you said the last part. You don’t want her to go back?”
He sighed. “I can’t explain it. I have my work cut out for me.
She does too. I met her parents yesterday.
They are concerned for a lot of reasons.
They don’t even know who I am. Not that West is my brother.
They just think I’m some young guy with a good job that travels and they worried that Kenzie was taking on my debt with her own.
By the way, they don’t believe in a lot of things and debt is one of them. ”
His mother laughed. “She’s going to have to handle her parents on that part of it. I’m not sure it’s smart to hide who you are.”
“They won’t know or understand. They live in this small town in a little bubble. If she thinks that’s best, then it is,” he said.
He had too many other things to worry about more important than that.
“When is she moving and what is she going to do for the next few months before she flies home? Live off of you?”
“Mom,” he warned. “It’s my life, my money, and my decision.”
“It is. But as your mother, of course I’m going to be concerned. Don’t think your other siblings won’t be.”
“Rowan understands. He was going to come to the graduation so I wasn’t alone, but I told him it was fine. And I pointed out that Saylor had moved in with him after one week together.”
“Rowan knows too!” His mother’s hands landed on her hips.
“Come on. You had to know that out of all of my siblings, he’d know.”
“I suppose,” his mother said.
His dinner finished, his mother put it together for him, then slid the plate full of two sandwiches and the fries in front of him.
“Kenzie is finishing a few things up this week, spending two days with her parents and then flying in on Thursday night. I’m working from home on Friday and spending the weekend getting her situated.”
“When are you telling the rest of your siblings?”
“Tomorrow when I’m back,” he said. “Or you can do it.”
“Nope. You can confess to them like you did to me. I don’t want to say anything wrong.”
He took a bite of his sandwich and chewed. Should have figured it wouldn’t be that easy.
His mother walked away to make a cup of coffee.
“She’s going to study for the bar,” he said.
“But she already told me I can’t take care of her.
She’s got debts and loans and she won’t let me pay for them.
She’s going to find at least a part-time job to cover those expenses.
She was a server through school and figures she can find something easy enough. ”
“How do you feel about that?” his mother asked.
“Not great. If she doesn’t pass the bar I’m going to blame myself on top of it.”
“Maybe talk to Braylon about something in the office part time?” his mother asked.
“It crossed my mind, but I don’t know if I feel right about it.”
“Don’t be silly,” his mother said. “I’m sure there are all sorts of things Braylon could use help on that a clerk or assistant or whatever it’s called can do.”
He laughed. His mother always played dumb about things, but she was smarter than them all. At least he thought so.
“True. I suppose it doesn’t hurt. He’ll know I’m not putting pressure on him, just looking for advice. Maybe that is how I’ll bring it up.”
His older brothers loved to tell him what to do and give their opinions.
“Can I at least see a picture of her? Or better yet, if you want to call her and let me talk to her?”
He smiled. “I knew you’d want to. I told her to expect it.” He pulled his phone out and found the first of a group of shots he’d taken of Kenzie over the past few weeks. “Here you go. I’ll text her when I’m done eating to see if she’s around to meet you.”
“She’s very pretty.”
“She is.”
“Not big.”
“No. Maybe your height. Don’t let her size fool you, she’s tough.”
“She’ll need to be to put up with you.”