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Chapter 30: Charlie
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2022-10-26 14:22:02Related chapters
The Journey Collection Chapter 31: Charlie
Less than a week later, we were on our way to Laredo to have the procedure done. Thank God none of this had taken place in Mason Belle; everyone in town would know every detail of what we were going through. As it was, it had been hard to keep Jack from sniffing around, and I hated lying to him about where we were going and why. But my loyalty was to Sarah, not her dad. The ride there had been quiet, and when we finally arrived, we sat in the parking lot for a long time. We were early, and I knew Sarah wouldn't want to be inside any longer than she had to, so I put the truck in park and left the air running. I hadn't really known what we were getting into and worried that we'd face protestors, but this appeared to be just like any other doctor's office. "You okay?" It was a stupid question that I already knew the answer to. She stared at the entrance of the office and flattened her lips in disapproval. "Just thinking." Her chest heaved, and she took several
Last Updated : 2022-10-26The Journey Collection Chapter 32: Charlie
The last two weeks had been tense anytime Sarah and I had been together. We couldn't have a conversation without the baby situation coming up, which made being around anyone else rather difficult. Neither of our parents knew, and I hadn't even told Austin. I'd read more about spinal injuries and pregnancy than I ever cared to, and I was convinced, now more than ever that we needed to wait until Sarah was stronger. But at this point, we'd missed the appointment for the termination, and now Sarah had her heart set on an OBGYN in Laredo who claimed to work miracles. The last time I checked, Jesus was the only man who'd walked on water, but the one time I'd made that statement it had erupted in an argument I never cared to repeat. So, we'd left Mason Belle early this morning to get to Laredo on time. There was a wall between us that I couldn't figure out how to tear down, and I hated it. I missed my fiancé. Being around her these days just wasn't the same. Sarah had alway
Last Updated : 2022-10-26The Journey Collection Chapter 33: Sarah
There wasn't a lot of time to plan a wedding if I wanted to have one before I started to show. Thankfully, just like with everything else in Mason Belle, when a need arose, the town pulled together to make it happen. This was no different. Without Mama here to plan, several of the ladies stepped up, and Charlie's mom stepped in. There was nothing like a wedding to make me love or hate my future mother-in-law. Thankfully, Jessica and I clicked, and she filled in all the gaps that my mother had left. I'd never dreamed of anything over-the-top, but I still wanted elegant-simple. I'd grown up in a small town, and we just did things a certain way here. Charlie and I had debated between Cross Acres and the tree where the rivers came together at Twin Creeks. Ultimately, we decided on the spot at the Burins'. There was just something so fitting about having our wedding where two vessels met and became one, and I loved that tree. The unfortunate part of living in a smaller than
Last Updated : 2022-10-26The Journey Collection Chapter 34: Sarah
Charlie and I had gone to Gulf Shores for a quick honeymoon. We enjoyed the beach for a couple of days and then came back in time to make my first appointment with the specialist. It was the first ultrasound, and the doctor wanted to get it done to figure out just how far along I was. My best guess was about twelve weeks, but with all the risk factors involved, Dr. Nesbit wanted as exact a date as we could get. I hated that I was subjecting myself to more doctors' offices and appointments, but at least this had a prize at the end. A nurse had led us into an exam room and instructed me to hop onto the exam table. I wasn't going to be doing any hopping, but with a little effort and Charlie's help, I got situated just before the ultrasound tech came in. She dimmed the lights and introduced herself. "I'm Amy. It's nice to meet you." She had me lift my shirt and then tucked a paper sheet into the waistband of my pants and draped the remainder of the paper down my legs.
Last Updated : 2022-10-26The Journey Collection Chapter 35:Sarah
I stared at him, not knowing what to say. I was terrified before we'd walked into that exam room. I worried every day that I'd made the wrong decision, but I'd kept the faith that God would take care of me-of us. I tried to block out the possibility of what dying really meant or what kind of burden being paralyzed would place on Charlie, especially with an infant. That had been with the notion of one baby. I couldn't fathom or even conceive of what kind of drain I would be to Charlie if I survived. There was no way one man could take care of a wife and two babies and a farm on his own. "I don't know what to do, Charlie." My voice sounded as broken as I felt. He shifted in the seat and took my face in his hands. Green started to ebb its way into the brown the longer I stared into my husband's eyes. "Baby, think about the strain this is going to put on your body. I didn't want you to take the risk with one-but two? It's just not worth..." He was losing his composure.
Last Updated : 2022-10-26The Journey Collection Chapter 36: Sarah
The number was typed in, and I held the phone between both hands. Each time the screen dimmed, I'd touch it to bring it back to life, but I'd yet to press call. I'd battled this war in my mind non-stop since we'd left Dr. Nesbit's office. The only part of me that wanted to do this was the part of me that wanted to live. The rest of me argued vehemently with myself. Death terrified me almost as bad as living a life without mobility. Charlie was right. I knew he was right. Everything he had said, sitting in the parking lot at the doctor's office was spot on. But that didn't stop the images of two heads and two little spines popping into my mind. Prior to the ultrasound, the pregnancy was a notion-it wasn't a child. Now it wasn't just a child; it was two. They were very real and very much alive inside me. But as soon as I'd resigned myself to telling Charlie I couldn't go through with it, I thought about what it would be like for them not to have a mother. I knew that pain
Last Updated : 2022-10-26The Journey Collection Chapter 37: Sarah
Charlie had remained relatively quiet for the last two days. We both knew nothing would ever be the same, yet we weren't talking about it. Neither of us admitted it out loud. Now, walking into Dr. Nesbit's surgery center, the wound had festered until puss poured from it. It was infected, and it had the power to kill us. I kept trying to tell myself that this would all start to go away once we got through today, but it was a lie. Nothing would ever right this decision. The wrong could never be undone. He had held my hand as we made it through the parking lot. It was still dark out, and dew glistened on the flowers near the door. I'd managed to get the first appointment of the day, and while this wasn't an abortion clinic, I was worried that everyone would know why we were here. My shame was amplified by the cover of night, and the drops of water on the grass only reminded me of things that were made anew...every day. If only I had faith the size of a mustard seed... I sighed an
Last Updated : 2022-10-26The Journey Collection Chapter 38: Charlie
Not once in my life had I ever experienced rage so strong that I had to force myself to keep my mouth shut and then isolate myself to temper it. But that was exactly what I'd felt driving back from Dr. Nesbit's office. I forced myself to drive the speed limit. I refused to let a word slip passed my lips because nothing I said would be nice much less loving, comforting, or supportive. Sarah was being reckless and irrational, and I'd be damned if I could keep from telling her just how selfish I believed her actions to be. So, when we'd gotten home, I left her in the living room and made my way to our bedroom. While she thought she was doing the noble thing, she hadn't considered what life for those kids would be like without her. I'd resent the hell out of them for taking her from me. It might be a dick move, but it was the truth. She hadn't thought about us at all in making her decision, only her guilt. Sarah wasn't the one who'd be left to clean up the mess she could leave beh
Last Updated : 2022-10-26
Latest chapter
The Journey Collection Chapter 105: Jack-Epilogue-Five years later
I threw the truck in park, glanced at the clock, and then jumped out, slamming the door behind me. It had been over an hour since I'd gotten the call, and I hadn't been able to reach Austin since. My feet refused to carry me as fast as I wanted them to move, and the second I made it inside the emergency room, I came to a halt. A flood of memories hit me, and they weren't the good kind.The last time I'd stood in this room, I was blind with rage. It was also the day Austin became a man, and I lost my little girl to the person who owned her heart. It took guts for him to step in front of her that day. Almost as much as it took for him to confront me when he got back from New York. I'd hoped that day would never come, but I prayed for it all the same. In order to atone for a sin, I had to confess it...and then deal with the punishment. Austin had made damn certain I understood that if I ever raised a hand to Randi again, there wouldn't be a hound in the world who'd sniff out my remains.
The Journey Collection Chapter 104: Austin
My phone rang for the fourth time since I'd left for work this morning. I couldn't stop the smile that spread across my face seeing Randi's name flash across my screen. Her calls came at inconvenient times, but damn if it didn't make my day. I slid my hand from the glove I was wearing to swipe my finger across the screen. "Hey, sweetheart." "What are you doing?" The boredom in her voice was palpable, and it caused me to snicker when I responded."I'm working. The same thing I was doing the other three times you called.""Oh... I'm sorry. I'll let you go."I tucked the phone between my shoulder and my ear so I could talk to her and at least make it appear like I was working to anyone who might see me. "Everything okay?" "Yeah, I'm just bored."We'd had this conversation several times in the last few days. "Why don't you get out of the house? Go into town. If nothing else, go grocery shopping." She was afraid of the reactions she'd get without me, Sarah, or Jack at he
The Journey Collection Chapter 103: Austin
There'd never been a day in all the years I'd been coming to Cross Acres that I'd dreaded it. Even when Randi had shown up unexpectedly, it was never the ranch I didn't want to be near. For years, this place had been my solace. Today, however, I had to have a conversation I wasn't keen on having with a man I'd respected my entire life. Not even the sound of the gravel under my tires soothed the ache in my chest.I'd debated on whether or not to go straight to the farmhouse or get the guys out working before I pulled Jack aside. I'd opted for the second. If there were a scene, no one needed to be around to witness it. I didn't care if Jack had deeded the ranch over to me; this was still his home, and these men respected him.It had taken me a little over an hour to get everyone out of earshot, and once I had, I climbed the steps to the front porch. At a little after six, there was no doubt in my mind Jack was awake-it was in his blood. He'd get up when the rooster crowed for the res
The Journey Collection Chapter 102: Miranda
The four-day drive back to Mason Belle turned into seven. Austin and I used the time to catch up; although, not a lot had gone on in either of our lives. Our greatest sticking point had been my relationship with Eason. It took a FaceTime call to him and Garrett to get Austin to relax about the security of our friendships. By the time we'd hung up, Garrett had Austin howling with laughter and Eason shaking his head in the background. Austin and Eason would need to get to know each other, and that could happen over time. For now, they seemed to appreciate what the other brought to my life and left the mutual understanding at that.After stopping at the airport to pick up his truck, we arrived at Austin's house before lunch, and he'd insisted we go inside to eat before he went to Cross Acres. Unable to convince him that food and a nervous stomach didn't make a happy union, I gave in. It dawned on me that it wasn't his refrigerator he wanted to show off. Austin was proud of the two-story
The Journey Collection Chapter 101: Miranda
Every inch of my body coiled, and each step I took required more effort than the last. I'd left Austin to explore New York-well, the bagel shop at the corner-while I went to have a conversation with my best friend and boss. My stiletto-clad foot slipped on the marble floors in the lobby, and an older gentleman kindly prevented my fall. Heat rose in my cheeks, and embarrassment gripped what little hold I had on reality. "Don't worry, sweetheart. Happens to me all the time." He lifted his hand, and a nervous giggle passed my lips. Even at his age, he was spry, and I found humor in the cane he showed off with pride. I wondered if women found that attractive later in life, although I didn't ask. Instead, I patted his hand and thanked him. He then shooed off my apology. "A girl as pretty as you, the pleasure was all mine." Yeah, this guy definitely played the geriatric field. The man straightened his suit jacket, tipped his cane to the up arrow, and then pressed the button to ca
The Journey Collection Chapter 100: Miranda
It took me a moment to recognize the arms wrapped around me and realize the heat behind me wasn't a blazing inferno I needed to escape before the house burned to the ground. In the haze of waking, last night was more like a dream than reality, and his embrace reminded me that life didn't always follow an expected path. I wiggled free without rousing him and rolled to my side. As soon as I did, I regretted losing the comfort that being close to him provided. Although, the view made up for the loss of contact. Austin's disheveled hair gave him a boyish appeal in direct contrast to the maturity that age had given his body. My heart swelled, knowing I could think about him and not feel like a dagger had pierced my chest. He had the capacity to forgive, and despite the unknowns, that trait had the power to heal. Couple it with devotion and love, and somehow, we would get through this together. Austin stirred in front of me, and my picture of perfection came to life when he moved. His
The Journey Collection Chapter 99: Austin
We had talked late into the night. I didn't know where her roommate was, but I was glad he hadn't interrupted. Eason would throw a monkey wrench into any progress I made once she realized she hadn't factored him into the equation. By the time she had convinced me to spend the night, I didn't have a commitment from her to come home with me. She had, however, admitted that she wanted to be together. If that meant I needed to sell my house in Mason Belle and relocate to New York, then I'd do what I had to do. Life without Randi was no longer an option.She held my hand and led me down a dark hallway and up a flight of stairs. Randi didn't bother flicking on a light until we stepped into her room. Her life had changed drastically while she'd been in New York. Her family had money by Mason Belle standards-at least they had while she lived there-but she lived in luxury here. Her bedroom was the size of my den and kitchen combined, her king-sized bed overflowed with pillows, and while I did
The Journey Collection Chapter 98: Austin
I'd made it this far without nerves taking over or second-guessing my trip, not even on the flight from hell where I swore the masks were going to fall out of the overhead compartment at any given moment. Oddly, I'd been most apprehensive over leaving my truck in an uncovered parking lot at the airport. Now, standing on Miranda and Eason's doorstep, I hesitated to lift my fist to knock.For two days, I'd tried to reach Miranda, and for two days her phone went to voicemail, even after I assumed she'd gone back to work. That same lost feeling I'd experienced when she left the first time had returned, except this time, I wasn't willing to accept her decision as my fate. I didn't ask Sarah where she lived. I didn't talk to Jack about where I was going when I told him I needed a couple of days off. Not even my parents were aware I'd left the state. I made the choice to chase her, and no outside influence would alter my plans, so there was no point in discussing it. It proved a tad diff
The Journey Collection Chapter 97: Austin
I'd expected her to call. After the things Miranda had admitted, I thought she'd use my number when she got up. The minutes and hours barely moved on the clock. Exhausted wasn't a good way to spend a day on a ranch. The work was physical, the sun was brutal, and I needed it to end. Hearing from Miranda would have broken up the monotony, and I'd hoped the two of us could sit down to talk. The few hours of rest I'd had last night were spent mulling over every word she'd said. The things she had confessed brought on more questions than answers. I doubted I wanted the answers, but in the end, I'd need them. Since she hadn't called, it was clear, I would have to force the conversation. She needed to get her rental car from The Hut which gave me an excuse to be alone with her without making an issue out of it.But when I got back to the barn, the only vehicles there were mine and Brock's. I'd successfully avoided him all day, and if I played my cards right, I'd get out unnoticed. I didn
