a bouquet of multicolored daisies and had them delivered to the house with instructions to leave them on the front porch. He knew it would be a welcome surprise when Candice returned from her drive. If he knew her, and he thought he did, she’d love the vibrant rainbow flowers more than stereotypical red roses.
Once traffic thinned, he arrived shortly at the home he grew up in. There were good memories and he was thankful for being able to live without financial worries. He had grown up to be a wild, arrogant young man. He’d stayed that man for a long time. It would have been easy to accuse his uncaring, distant father or miserable mother, but he knew he was the one to blame. The choices were his.
An unfamiliar butler greeted him at the door and escorted him to the sitting room where his mother was waiting. She sipped carefully from a steaming cup of tea. When she looked up, her eyes widened. “My dear son.” The cup was placed on the serving tray and she crossed the room in a stride that still held grace and elegance to welcome him.
“Hello, mother. You look well.”
She took a step back and looked him over. “Something is different about you. Have you lost weight?”
“A few pounds. I haven’t been drinking and partying.” He’d never been fat, but his mother was perceptive because that’s how moms tend to be.
His mother raised her eyebrows. “Come, sit. Is this because of a girl?” She took his hand and led him over to a chair.
“It’s so weird, Mom. I saw this clumsy, upset girl and the world suddenly made sense. I told father already that I’m going back and I’m done with publicity.”
“How did that go?”
“Err… not great. You know how he is. She is not from a great background or wealthy.”
She was shaking her head. “You have to do what makes you happy. I married your father because that’s what my family wanted.”
Logan frowned. “I want to marry her, Mom. Can you make father leave us alone?”
“I can’t promise anything, but I will try. What I can do is give you this.” She gave a twist and removed the engagement ring that he’d never seen off her finger before. When Logan hesitated, his mother smiled. “Take it.”
He extended his hand and she placed the antique in his palm. “She will love it.”
“It’s an heirloom handed down through my family. My mother gave it to your father to propose to me. He almost said no because he wanted to give me one of his own choosing being that he owned a jewelry business.”
“Why did he use it?”
“He thought I would turn him down.” She laughed. “I almost did.”
“Thank you.” Logan stood suddenly and kissed his mother’s cheek. “I’m going home to her. I don’t care if it pisses father off or not.”
His mother stood and gave him one last hug. “Be a good man and a good husband.”
“I will.”
At the same time Logan was visiting the Harworth Estate, Candice had come to the end of an old country road and exited her car. Where her home once stood, only a crumbled foundation remained. Flowers and weeds with tiny purple flowers had taken over. The yellow dandelions and green vines entwined haphazardly over the grey stone. Like life, the mess of growth was somehow beautiful in its own way.
It was the first time she had returned home since the fire took the lives of her parents. Her fear kept her away, kept her from facing the full assault of the pain. After nearly a decade, it still hurt.
An old tire swing hung from a large oak tree. She remembered it well. For hours, she’d take turns with her sister. One would swing and the other push before they’d swap places. A smile crept up on her as she stepped toward the memory and sat down in the swing.
“Dinner’s ready, girls!” Her mother would call. Candice thought she actually heard the familiar voice briefly.
Life was so simple then. God, how I miss them.
The tears came, but it wasn’t the frantic, earth clawing breakdown she’d expected. It was
Once traffic thinned, he arrived shortly at the home he grew up in. There were good memories and he was thankful for being able to live without financial worries. He had grown up to be a wild, arrogant young man. He’d stayed that man for a long time. It would have been easy to accuse his uncaring, distant father or miserable mother, but he knew he was the one to blame. The choices were his.
An unfamiliar butler greeted him at the door and escorted him to the sitting room where his mother was waiting. She sipped carefully from a steaming cup of tea. When she looked up, her eyes widened. “My dear son.” The cup was placed on the serving tray and she crossed the room in a stride that still held grace and elegance to welcome him.
“Hello, mother. You look well.”
She took a step back and looked him over. “Something is different about you. Have you lost weight?”
“A few pounds. I haven’t been drinking and partying.” He’d never been fat, but his mother was perceptive because that’s how moms tend to be.
His mother raised her eyebrows. “Come, sit. Is this because of a girl?” She took his hand and led him over to a chair.
“It’s so weird, Mom. I saw this clumsy, upset girl and the world suddenly made sense. I told father already that I’m going back and I’m done with publicity.”
“How did that go?”
“Err… not great. You know how he is. She is not from a great background or wealthy.”
She was shaking her head. “You have to do what makes you happy. I married your father because that’s what my family wanted.”
Logan frowned. “I want to marry her, Mom. Can you make father leave us alone?”
“I can’t promise anything, but I will try. What I can do is give you this.” She gave a twist and removed the engagement ring that he’d never seen off her finger before. When Logan hesitated, his mother smiled. “Take it.”
He extended his hand and she placed the antique in his palm. “She will love it.”
“It’s an heirloom handed down through my family. My mother gave it to your father to propose to me. He almost said no because he wanted to give me one of his own choosing being that he owned a jewelry business.”
“Why did he use it?”
“He thought I would turn him down.” She laughed. “I almost did.”
“Thank you.” Logan stood suddenly and kissed his mother’s cheek. “I’m going home to her. I don’t care if it pisses father off or not.”
His mother stood and gave him one last hug. “Be a good man and a good husband.”
“I will.”
At the same time Logan was visiting the Harworth Estate, Candice had come to the end of an old country road and exited her car. Where her home once stood, only a crumbled foundation remained. Flowers and weeds with tiny purple flowers had taken over. The yellow dandelions and green vines entwined haphazardly over the grey stone. Like life, the mess of growth was somehow beautiful in its own way.
It was the first time she had returned home since the fire took the lives of her parents. Her fear kept her away, kept her from facing the full assault of the pain. After nearly a decade, it still hurt.
An old tire swing hung from a large oak tree. She remembered it well. For hours, she’d take turns with her sister. One would swing and the other push before they’d swap places. A smile crept up on her as she stepped toward the memory and sat down in the swing.
“Dinner’s ready, girls!” Her mother would call. Candice thought she actually heard the familiar voice briefly.
Life was so simple then. God, how I miss them.
The tears came, but it wasn’t the frantic, earth clawing breakdown she’d expected. It was
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