Why not tell me the same story?” he said.
“He was different.”
Jake harrumphed. “I imagine he’s got the same thing as every other man.”
“I imagine he does. But that marriage was about companionship and company for his mother. I just didn’t think he’d ever know,” she whispered.
“And I would?” he asked.
“After I thought about things, meeting your family and everything, I decided I wanted to try, really try to be happy and make a husband happy. I don’t imagine that would go so well if I lied. It would always be between us. I know you weren’t looking for a grand love affair, but you’re close to my age. We’ll be together for many years,” Julia said.
“And since Jacob’s near sixty, you were hoping he’d kick off before your conscience got hold of you,” Jake said.
“That’s not a very nice way to put it, but I suppose it’s accurate.”
“Who was he?” Jake asked.
“Pardon?” Julia said, eyes wide. She lowered her head. “It was a long, long time ago. You wouldn’t know him.”
“I realize that Julia. But you’re my wife. I have a right to know.”
“Do I have a right to know every woman you’ve ever been with?” she said and raised her chin.
“If you want to know, I’ll tell you. The list is short. Most of whom were paid for. Do you want me to name names?” Jake replied. She sat silently so long; Jake was convinced she wasn’t going to reply.
“Turner Crenshaw,” she said finally.
Jake was confused. He could have sworn Julia mentioned that name when she was talking about her family. “Didn’t you say …”
“Yes. He’s my sister’s husband. It happened before Jolene and he married. I was seventeen.”
This confession had cost his new bride. She was staring out the kitchen door, apparently not willing to meet his eyes. Her profile was a picture of misery and guilt. Her pain and the shimmer of tears on her lashes, was wending its way into Jake’s middle. It was alive, thriving and tearing this woman apart.
“Do you still love him?”
She turned to him. Her lip was quivering. “Why would a woman love a man who doesn’t want her? Why would anyone put herself through that kind of misery year after year? How does she get through the sister’s wedding? Why would she still love him, seeing him day in and day out, worshipping the ground beneath the feet of another woman?”
She wasn’t talking about some poor faceless pathetic stranger. She was talking about herself and her hurt was raw and pulsing and still fresh.
“I don’t know, Julia. How did you do it all?” Jake asked.
“I put it all aside. I put it all aside for my family’s sake. So there would be no shame, no whisper of a scandal.” Julia said, her voice raised and quivering. “He took one look at Jolene and walked away from as if he’d never met me. Never touched me,” she whispered. “She was the oldest, my mother said. Said Jolene deserved him. She went to him a virgin on her wedding night. Something I could never do.”
Jake stood and went to Julia. He pulled her up from her chair and put his hands on her shoulders. “Your mother shouldn’t have said that. She should have never have said any of that.”
She looked up at him. “Why? It’s all true.”
“Bullshit, Julia. Your father should have hog-tied him and dragged him to the altar. You were a young girl. You made a mistake. He took advantage. They shouldn’t have wanted a piece of crap like Turner Crenshaw to marry any of their daughters. Let alone make you stand up for your sister,” Jake said.
He was mad as hell. He could have never been so cruel to his sisters, and he wondered what kind of parent could be. Julia was shaking all over.
“So you see I can never go back. I can’t take it. I don’t love him anymore, haven’t for a long while, but seeing him everyday, with his son, with Jolene. They won’t let me forget.”
Jake pulled her into his arms. She laid her head on his chest and he rubbed slow
“He was different.”
Jake harrumphed. “I imagine he’s got the same thing as every other man.”
“I imagine he does. But that marriage was about companionship and company for his mother. I just didn’t think he’d ever know,” she whispered.
“And I would?” he asked.
“After I thought about things, meeting your family and everything, I decided I wanted to try, really try to be happy and make a husband happy. I don’t imagine that would go so well if I lied. It would always be between us. I know you weren’t looking for a grand love affair, but you’re close to my age. We’ll be together for many years,” Julia said.
“And since Jacob’s near sixty, you were hoping he’d kick off before your conscience got hold of you,” Jake said.
“That’s not a very nice way to put it, but I suppose it’s accurate.”
“Who was he?” Jake asked.
“Pardon?” Julia said, eyes wide. She lowered her head. “It was a long, long time ago. You wouldn’t know him.”
“I realize that Julia. But you’re my wife. I have a right to know.”
“Do I have a right to know every woman you’ve ever been with?” she said and raised her chin.
“If you want to know, I’ll tell you. The list is short. Most of whom were paid for. Do you want me to name names?” Jake replied. She sat silently so long; Jake was convinced she wasn’t going to reply.
“Turner Crenshaw,” she said finally.
Jake was confused. He could have sworn Julia mentioned that name when she was talking about her family. “Didn’t you say …”
“Yes. He’s my sister’s husband. It happened before Jolene and he married. I was seventeen.”
This confession had cost his new bride. She was staring out the kitchen door, apparently not willing to meet his eyes. Her profile was a picture of misery and guilt. Her pain and the shimmer of tears on her lashes, was wending its way into Jake’s middle. It was alive, thriving and tearing this woman apart.
“Do you still love him?”
She turned to him. Her lip was quivering. “Why would a woman love a man who doesn’t want her? Why would anyone put herself through that kind of misery year after year? How does she get through the sister’s wedding? Why would she still love him, seeing him day in and day out, worshipping the ground beneath the feet of another woman?”
She wasn’t talking about some poor faceless pathetic stranger. She was talking about herself and her hurt was raw and pulsing and still fresh.
“I don’t know, Julia. How did you do it all?” Jake asked.
“I put it all aside. I put it all aside for my family’s sake. So there would be no shame, no whisper of a scandal.” Julia said, her voice raised and quivering. “He took one look at Jolene and walked away from as if he’d never met me. Never touched me,” she whispered. “She was the oldest, my mother said. Said Jolene deserved him. She went to him a virgin on her wedding night. Something I could never do.”
Jake stood and went to Julia. He pulled her up from her chair and put his hands on her shoulders. “Your mother shouldn’t have said that. She should have never have said any of that.”
She looked up at him. “Why? It’s all true.”
“Bullshit, Julia. Your father should have hog-tied him and dragged him to the altar. You were a young girl. You made a mistake. He took advantage. They shouldn’t have wanted a piece of crap like Turner Crenshaw to marry any of their daughters. Let alone make you stand up for your sister,” Jake said.
He was mad as hell. He could have never been so cruel to his sisters, and he wondered what kind of parent could be. Julia was shaking all over.
“So you see I can never go back. I can’t take it. I don’t love him anymore, haven’t for a long while, but seeing him everyday, with his son, with Jolene. They won’t let me forget.”
Jake pulled her into his arms. She laid her head on his chest and he rubbed slow
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