Chapter 5

Wyatt's voice telling me Grams had passed, still ringing in my ears, and all I could think about was getting to my mom. We were a tight-knit family, and mom and gram had been very close. I couldn't imagine losing my mom and what my mother must be going through right now. 

It's now three o'clock in the morning, and Rob is agitated and yelling because he says we don't have the money for me to take off of work and run to my family. So much for a bit of sympathy that I had just lost my Grams. My Grams was the shit. I loved the mess out of that lady, and knowing I'd never have another chat with her on the porch with a glass of her delicious sweet tea was tearing me up. Grams, conversations, and tea were life-changing. The woman had lived and learned, and she always had a wise piece of advice to impart. 

After arguing that I needed to be with my family and him getting angrier and angrier then lapsing into his condescending voice like I'm a child and I just don't get it, I decided to agree with Rob before it became violent. So I will leave tomorrow while he's at work. I'll work my shift and then rush home to pack and take off before he gets home. Of course, there will be hell to pay later, but I'm going to my mom. So he can kiss my ass. 

"Nova, we can't do it. We can't afford it and you missing work. But, you see, sometimes in life, we have to do what we have to do, like it or not." his condescending voice was strumming every one of the few nerves I had left, but I bit my tongue. 

I nodded my head, "okay."

"Now I have to go to bed because I have to go to work tomorrow and keep food on the table. So it would be best if you got back to bed too because you aren't calling off work. Like it or not, the bills won't pay themselves around here, and I need your help."

"I'll be there shortly. I need a few minutes." I assured, holding my breath and hoping he wouldn't push me any further tonight. I felt my control over my temper slipping. 

Rob glared at me but turned away and went back to bed. 

No, sorry about your Grams, nothing. If it wasn't about Rob, then it wasn't important. When Rob's grandmother passed, it was a big deal. We went and spent days with his family. Rob acted like he was devastated and would complain that I wasn't showering him with enough attention. Then he got into a fight with his family when he found out he was left out of the will, and we took off back home. He hasn't spoken to his family since, and he has never again mentioned his grandmother. 

The next day I went in to work as usual, but I pulled Beth aside and told her about Grams and that I needed to go home and be with my mom for a few days, attend the funeral and then get back. She told me not to worry about a thing that my shifts would be covered. But, she insisted that I go ahead and leave to get home to mom. So I rushed to the condo and packed a few bags, hopped in my car, pulled up the GPS, and drove to Myrtle Beach. I called Wyatt and gave him my ETA on the way, and asked about mom. Mom was taking it hard and had barely left her room. 

My phone went crazy with calls and text messages when Rob got home from work. I ignored them, and my nerves were a mess. I knew that this would piss him off to the extreme, and there was just no knowing how bad it might be for me when I came back. I tried not to think about it, but the persistent calling and messaging had me on edge. So I dug the cigarettes out of the glove box and chain-smoked them on the ride home. 

It was seven o'clock when I finally pulled in the drive, and Wyatt walked out and met me at the car door. He wrapped me up in a bear hug, and that's when I lost it. I cried for my Grams, and I cried for mom. I cried for the children Wyatt, and I might someday have who would never know Grams and how special she was. Finally, after a few minutes and Wyatt holding me tight through it, I pulled myself together. 

"Where's momma?" I tried to clean my face, and Wyatt pulled his already soaked with my tears tee shirt up and wiped my face.

"She's laying on her bed. She's been out a few times to speak with church members and friends that have been by dropping food off. I'm glad you're here because I don't know what to do with all of it." he sighed. 

"She'll want the house spotless with people dropping in, and she'll want us to keep up with who brings what so that she can send thank you cards."

"Jenny has been doing all of that."

I nodded, grateful to my brothers' flavor of the month for being good girlfriend material. Maybe she'll last for a while. 

"I'm going to go see mom."

"Nova, we need to chat a minute first."

"I have thought about nothing but getting home to momma since you called, so that can wait."

I marched past him.

"Nova!"

I kept going ignoring my brother, but when I made it to the porch, I saw what it was my brother wanted a chat over.

Brodie was sitting on the porch swing with a glass of sweet tea in his hand, lightly swaying the swing with his feet planted on the porch. It was such a shock to see him that I stopped and stood frozen. He had changed so much but not at all. He was still Brodie all over but bigger, full of muscles, and he was a man now. There wasn't anything boyish about him. Dark hair that looked like he was a week or two past needing a haircut, he had a little scruff like he hadn't shaved in a day or two, smile lines on his face, and his tee and jeans fit him perfectly in all the right places. He looked like sin and chocolate with red wine or whiskey and silky soft sheets. Geez, why did he have to look so hot still? He just sat there watching me with those beautiful green eyes, then he stood up, and it broke me out of my thoughts. So I started babbling and talking fast.

"Hi, Brodie,... umm good to see you, but I want to go see momma. Maybe we can catch up.... sometime later..... You look great." I rushed by and went inside but heard him trailing off as I made my way inside.

"Sure, you look great too, darlin."

I slipped into the bathroom a minute to get my shock under control. I had worked hard at making sure that never happened. If someone mentioned Brodie was in town I would hibernate like a grizzly bear until he left. I had worked out avoidance methods to an artform if I had to be in places he might show. I never expected to get taken unawares like that. I looked at myself in the mirror and groaned. Why, why, was God punishing me? "What did I do that was so bad big man? huh?" I whispered. I looked like a complete mess. I finger-combed my hair to try and get some knots out of it put it was useless. I washed my face and scrubbed at the raccoon eyes; waterproof mascara my ass. 

I was about to open the door when a light knock came on it. I bit my thumbnail then said, "Just a minute."

Brodie's voice came through the door, " You can try to hide from me like you always do but we are eventually going to have a talk. It's overdue darlin and we both know it. I'm sorry about Grams and since I never got to tell you in person I'm sorry about your dad."

I didn't reply. I just stared at the door and listened until he walked away. No. No way in hell were we going to have a chat about the past. Mooning over old times because my life is shit is one thing but being back around him and him wanting to hash up old wounds is something entirely different. He can have that chat with himself for all I care.