Read Online Saved By The Belles by Beth Albright - Free Book Online Page B

felt sorry for him. He was fast becoming such an outcast, right here in his old hometown. Not to mention right here among the people that were once his family.
    Lewis walked over and patted Harry’s back. “Thanks for coming, how in the world did you hear about Meridee?”
    I had to admit, I was still wondering that myself.
    “Well, here and there,” he hem-hawed.
    Just then the doctor interrupted. “Y’all can go on in and see her if you want. I just checked on her and she wants to know –and I quote—“if any damn body out here cares about the old lady.”
    “Okay why don’t you three go on in and we’ll all wait out here,” Sonny motioned to me and Kitty and Vivi as he rested his hand in the small of my back. I could feel his body next to mine now and it relaxed me in the chaos. For a moment, I forgot about Harry.
    Vivi nodded to me, “Let’s get in there now.”
    “Yeah, I got a few things to say to her myself,” Kitty winked at me and inhaled a deep breath of relief. The three of us headed into Meridee’s room not even thinking what we might see. None of us were prepared to see my lively vibrant grandmother lying in the hospital bed, tubes running in and out of her. A knot formed in my throat.
    “Oh, Blake, Oh, baby, come over here and give me a hug,” Meridee whispered.
    “Old lady, you scared me half to death,” Kitty said her voice trembling.
    “Nanny, my Lord, what are you trying to do to us? You really didn’t need to go to all this trouble to get some attention. You know we love you.” I was joking with her and got a funny little grin.
    “Yeah, I mean really-- all this?” Vivi played along motioning around the room at the machines keeping track of her vitals.
    “Well, I was wondering if y’all were gonna stay out there and party without me,” Meridee joked. She looked more frail lying there in that bed than I could ever remember. My heart was full. I loved that tiny woman more than life and I wanted her here to hold the life that was growing inside me. I felt in that moment, watching the room glow with the love of all the women in my life, that I was only a tiny part of the chain. From Meridee to Kitty to Vivi and me and now to mine and Vivi’s babies, we are all forever linked—reaching back into the past with one hand while our other rests gently on the future. I rubbed my baby belly as a gush of happiness filled me. I knew in that second Meridee was gonna be okay to see my boy.
    “Where are those men of y’all’s? Kitty I know that mayor of yours can’t be too far away.”
    “Hey ladies, did I hear somebody mention a mayor?” Charley Wynn, Tuscaloosa mayor and Kitty’s fiancé stuck his head in with a big grin. He was big, kinda round and reminded me of Jeff Bridges. Kitty rushed over and hugged him. He kissed her head and Kitty exhaled for the first time in an hour. He would be number five, as in husbands, for Kitty. But I thought maybe this one might stick. They seemed really in love. I could do worse than having the mayor for a stepdad.
    “Hey, we’re gonna need to get in here for a second,” Sonny rushed into Meridee’s room and shut the door. He had Harry by the arm. “The media is here. Somebody from inside the hospital must’ve let the cat outta the bag. They all know Harry’s here. I had to get him outta the waiting room.”
    “My God, Harry. It’s just not safe for you to be anywhere these days,” Vivi jumped in. No sooner had we gotten Harry in the room and everybody calmed, then a sudden knock came from the door. Kitty opened it without thinking as Dallas rushed in. Thank God, she was alone, her long-time cameraman, Daniel nowhere in sight.
    “Y’all, I thought we were gonna make sure to keep each other in the loop,” she said with her hands on her hips, her long bouncy blonde hair falling over her winter-white suit.
    “We had no idea, Harry just showed up here without any warning,” I explained.
    “Well, somebody had to tell him Meridee was