that’s a nicer way to say it but the point
remains. She hasn’t thrown down the welcome mat for my folks, and
because they’re nice people, they haven’t pushed.”
But he was. Felicity stared at him,
mesmerized by the ease with which he spoke to her. It was like he’d
forgotten the past between them, preferring to resume his role as
wonderful and loving father. Felicity never fully understood why
her parents split. Her mom said it was because they didn’t see
eye-to-eye on things. Her dad once commented it was because her mom
was uncompromising. Several years back, Felicity had heard someone
say it was because of his drinking. When she asked her mom about
it, she acknowledged that he drank and that was part of the
problem, but lots of people drank. Didn’t mean they ended up in
divorce.
Whatever the truth, Felicity knew her
mom could be difficult. She was demanding and a bit on the
controlling side, but it was only because she was looking out for
her daughter. Whether it was forcing Ernie to stand by his promise
regarding the property rights to Ladd Springs or waiting at the
cabin every day when she arrived home from school, her mom didn’t
cut any slack.
It was possible she didn’t invite the
Fosters to spend time with her because it would bring up too many
painful memories. Felicity could imagine the same would be true if
it were her and Travis were in the same situation. Once you loved
someone, that love never went away. It changed or dulled, but
Felicity couldn’t imagine ever hating Travis. It would always hurt
to be apart from him, whatever the cause. Take Casey and Troy. If
Felicity were carrying Travis’ child and he left her?
It would kill her.
“ So what do you say? Dinner
tomorrow night?”
Glancing away, she pushed at her coke.
“I don’t know.”
“ What’s to know? You need to
eat, right?”
She allowed herself to look at him. No
horns were popping out of his head. She detected no demonic glaze
in his pupils. “Yes.”
“ You don’t have anything
against my parents, do you?”
Her neck and cheeks flushed warm. “No,
of course not!”
“ Well, then. What’s holding
you back?”
What always held her back. “I have to
ask my mom.”
“ What?” He dropped his head
back and laughed. “You’re eighteen, the owner of hundreds of acres
of land, the proud landlord to the fanciest hotel property in
Tennessee—you don’t need your mother’s permission to do anything
anymore. You’re your own woman.”
Felicity cast her gaze to the plate of
fries, her discarded novel. Distant thoughts wondered if Fran’s
eyeballs were focused on her at the moment. Contemplating her
father’s statement, Felicity disagreed. She might be her own woman
in theory, but in reality her mom still called the shots. “She
won’t be happy if I go without telling her.”
Jack dipped his head and peered up into
her eyes. “See what I mean?” He winked. “Thorny.”
“ Sweetheart, there’s nothing
to worry about.” Annie patted her daughter’s thigh as they sat in a
brightly lit patient room, waiting for the doctor to
appear.
Casey sat on the raised bed, idly
swinging booted legs to and fro, careful not to hit her mother who
stood beside her. The room smelled of alcohol. A small corner sink
counter was covered with exam supplies—a clear jar filled with
cotton balls, a box of latex gloves along with some instruments she
couldn’t identify. An instruction sheet was taped to an upper
cabinet. On the wall were posters depicting the female body, one
showing a baby inside, the other without. Casey thought it weird
how babies were tucked inside the womb, squashed in the cramped
confines of a woman’s womb. She looked around the stark white
office, a bit unsettled. This wasn’t her favorite part of
pregnancy.
“ Your weight is on the light
side,” her mother continued, “but it’s not out of range. Your blood
pressure is a little high, but that could be stress. You’re taking
your
remains. She hasn’t thrown down the welcome mat for my folks, and
because they’re nice people, they haven’t pushed.”
But he was. Felicity stared at him,
mesmerized by the ease with which he spoke to her. It was like he’d
forgotten the past between them, preferring to resume his role as
wonderful and loving father. Felicity never fully understood why
her parents split. Her mom said it was because they didn’t see
eye-to-eye on things. Her dad once commented it was because her mom
was uncompromising. Several years back, Felicity had heard someone
say it was because of his drinking. When she asked her mom about
it, she acknowledged that he drank and that was part of the
problem, but lots of people drank. Didn’t mean they ended up in
divorce.
Whatever the truth, Felicity knew her
mom could be difficult. She was demanding and a bit on the
controlling side, but it was only because she was looking out for
her daughter. Whether it was forcing Ernie to stand by his promise
regarding the property rights to Ladd Springs or waiting at the
cabin every day when she arrived home from school, her mom didn’t
cut any slack.
It was possible she didn’t invite the
Fosters to spend time with her because it would bring up too many
painful memories. Felicity could imagine the same would be true if
it were her and Travis were in the same situation. Once you loved
someone, that love never went away. It changed or dulled, but
Felicity couldn’t imagine ever hating Travis. It would always hurt
to be apart from him, whatever the cause. Take Casey and Troy. If
Felicity were carrying Travis’ child and he left her?
It would kill her.
“ So what do you say? Dinner
tomorrow night?”
Glancing away, she pushed at her coke.
“I don’t know.”
“ What’s to know? You need to
eat, right?”
She allowed herself to look at him. No
horns were popping out of his head. She detected no demonic glaze
in his pupils. “Yes.”
“ You don’t have anything
against my parents, do you?”
Her neck and cheeks flushed warm. “No,
of course not!”
“ Well, then. What’s holding
you back?”
What always held her back. “I have to
ask my mom.”
“ What?” He dropped his head
back and laughed. “You’re eighteen, the owner of hundreds of acres
of land, the proud landlord to the fanciest hotel property in
Tennessee—you don’t need your mother’s permission to do anything
anymore. You’re your own woman.”
Felicity cast her gaze to the plate of
fries, her discarded novel. Distant thoughts wondered if Fran’s
eyeballs were focused on her at the moment. Contemplating her
father’s statement, Felicity disagreed. She might be her own woman
in theory, but in reality her mom still called the shots. “She
won’t be happy if I go without telling her.”
Jack dipped his head and peered up into
her eyes. “See what I mean?” He winked. “Thorny.”
“ Sweetheart, there’s nothing
to worry about.” Annie patted her daughter’s thigh as they sat in a
brightly lit patient room, waiting for the doctor to
appear.
Casey sat on the raised bed, idly
swinging booted legs to and fro, careful not to hit her mother who
stood beside her. The room smelled of alcohol. A small corner sink
counter was covered with exam supplies—a clear jar filled with
cotton balls, a box of latex gloves along with some instruments she
couldn’t identify. An instruction sheet was taped to an upper
cabinet. On the wall were posters depicting the female body, one
showing a baby inside, the other without. Casey thought it weird
how babies were tucked inside the womb, squashed in the cramped
confines of a woman’s womb. She looked around the stark white
office, a bit unsettled. This wasn’t her favorite part of
pregnancy.
“ Your weight is on the light
side,” her mother continued, “but it’s not out of range. Your blood
pressure is a little high, but that could be stress. You’re taking
your
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