Chapter 31

CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE

T ully

“Are you talking to me today?” I slammed the front door behind me, startling Mama as she sat at her dining table with a plate of quiche. I walked right in and gave her a smacking kiss on the cheek and patted Hayes on the head when he popped up. “Oh, that looks good. Can I have some?”

She batted her hand through the air in front of her face. “Did you drink the entire distillery last night?”

I laughed, even though I did feel a little rough around the edges. I wasn’t a big drinker these days and those ladies had urged me on something fierce. My only consolation was that Gabi texted me early this morning while I’d still been asleep, grumbling about having to make the kids’ lunches when she felt like she might puke. I’d woken up, slammed down some ibuprofen, and went back to sleep. Ah, the life of a childless woman.

I helped myself to the quiche, coming to sit down at the table with Mama. Hayes lay back down, his snout on my foot. Mama waited until I put my fork down and rubbed my full belly.

“I am always talking to you, Tully. I just wasn’t happy seeing things fall apart between you two again, that’s all.”

Leaning over to place my hand on hers, I wished I would have been brave enough to talk to her years ago. After Dad died, she’d been so fragile. She’d cry at the drop of a hat. She stopped leaving the house, and while she kept up with normal parenting duties within the walls of this house, I began to see her as too fragile to share my own feelings. I’d swallowed them back and let things slide, which wasn’t fair to me or to her. It was most definitely part of the reason I hadn’t come back to visit her much over the last two decades.

“Mama, can we talk?”

“Of course. Always.” Her pretty brown eyes were still there, just bookended by more wrinkles than before. So much time had passed and I suddenly didn’t want more years to go by with distance between us. I still had to be careful though. I wasn’t here to lash out and hurt her. I just wanted to be honest. To clear the air between us and work toward a closer relationship.

“One of the reasons I left Colson years ago is because I felt suffocated. I felt like I was going down a path that didn’t leave me any room to be me. I know you grieved over Dad and still do, but it was hard for me as a kid to live in that shadow.” Her eyes instantly coated with a sheen of tears, so I gripped her hand tighter and kept going before I lost my nerve. “I’m like Dad. I have energy for days, places to see, things to do. I loved Colson but I just couldn’t see myself having kids and never leaving Blueball. I needed to really live first!”

“Did you ask Colson to go with you?” Mama asked, her voice wobbling.

“No. I tried to explain how I was feeling and he just doubled down harder on providing a life for us here in Blueball. He didn’t hear me. I felt like no one understood me, so I filed for divorce and left before I lost my nerve.” I leaned even closer. “Please know that I love you, but I just couldn’t let my life turn into yours. Your world got so small after Dad died, and I didn’t want that for me.”

“Oh, Tully.” Mama’s voice cut off and a tear tracked down her cheek. “Your life would never be like mine. You’re so much better than me in every way.”

“Shh, Mama. No, I’m not.”

She squeezed my fingers to get me to shut up a second. “I tried to be the best mother possible to you, but my heart was broken. I know I let you down, and I let Aldo down too. He wouldn’t have wanted this life for me and you, I know it. I’m so sorry, honey. Can you forgive me?”

I let go of her hand and pulled her bony shoulders into a hug. “Already forgiven, Mama.” We held each other tight, both of us sniffling. “I’ve made plenty of my own mistakes.” I pulled back and kept going. “I hurt Colson and I feel terrible about it. I told Joselyn no, by the way. I’m not leaving Blueball.”

“Oh, Tully!” Mama’s hand clapped to her gaping mouth. “Thank goodness. I couldn’t lose my baby a second time.” Hayes whined and lifted his head. His big body shifted slowly and flopped down on Mama’s feet.

“Mama,” I groaned. “You aren’t losing me at all. I promise. But I think Colson thought I was leaving again.”

“He did look pretty upset,” Mama agreed. “He told me not to tell you, but I think you need to know he’s in Texas with Boon.”

I smiled. “I know. Gabi got the information out of Joey. Do you know when he’ll be back?”

Mama smiled. “I do. He’s supposed to be back tonight. He texted me that he’ll pick up Hayes around eight.”

I looked at the grandfather clock in the corner of the dining room. “That doesn’t give me much time.”

Mama’s spine straightened. “What do you have planned?”

My smile was full of nervous energy. “I intend to put a ring on that man’s finger and lock him down!”

Mama laughed so hard she had to wipe her eyes. It was good to hear her so happy. “I don’t think you’ll have to beg too hard once he hears you never intended to leave.”

I stood up and then sat back down again, my brain stuck on one more issue. “Can I say one more thing since we’re being honest with each other?”

“Tully…” Mama chastised. “Always be honest with me. Please.”

Tears hit my eyes before I even got the words out. I’d only talked about this with my therapist in Hollywood. I’d never told another soul. “It hurts me to see that you took Colson’s side after our divorce. I felt like I had no one on my side for years. Even now, when he left town, you kept his location from me. It feels like you always take his side and not your own daughter’s.”

“Oh, honey.” Mama’s face crumpled and tears streamed down her cheeks. She was the one to lean forward this time, pulling me into a fierce hug. “I’m so sorry. I just keep hurting you when you’re the most precious person in the entire world to me. There are no sides when it comes to you. You’ll forever be my best friend, my favorite person.”

I inhaled and let myself relax in her hug. The scent of flour and sugar clung to her like it always had. Then I exhaled and let the past go. I couldn’t keep clinging to the wound when I hadn’t even told her she was hurting me. We both deserved a fresh start.

“I love you, Mama,” I whispered.

“Oh, honey, I love you too. So much,” she whispered right back.

And then I let her go, needing to put my plan into action and get my man.

“Wait! Where are you going?” Mama said, standing with me.

“First to Gigi’s house. Then the jeweler, the tattoo parlor, and finally the fire station.”

Mama rolled her shoulders back and looked me in the eye. “I’ll come with you.”

We both froze, knowing the implication of that simple offer that was anything but.

“You’ll come with me?” I asked, giving her a chance to back out. “That’s a lot of places, Mama.”

She nodded. “Just give me a chance to get dressed. I’m coming with you, daughter of mine.”

I watched her march back to her bedroom, tears in my eyes and hope growing in my chest. As far as I knew, Mama hadn’t left this house at all for a few years now. I knew she was facing her fears today for me. She was showing me she would always be on my side, even when things got difficult.

“Slow down!” Mama cried.

“If I slow down anymore, I’ll be stopped completely!” I hurled back teasingly, turning into Gigi’s long driveway. Seeing the wooden Timberwolfe Farms sign out front felt like coming home. Mama facing her fears didn’t come without some major handholding, but if she was willing to put in the work, so was I. “Stay there and I’ll come around to help you out.”

She listened, letting me help her out of the car and hold her arm as we walked up to the house. “I’m not an invalid, you know.”

“I know. I’m just staying by your side in case anything gets to be too much.”

She squeezed my arm, but otherwise stayed silent as we headed up the stairs and knocked on Gigi’s screen door. Gigi answered, reading glasses on top of her head, another pair on the tip of her nose, and another one on a string hanging down over her bosom.

“Oh my gosh! Tully! Sofia! Please come in!” She pushed open the screen door and gave us both warm hugs as we stepped inside. I had nervous energy to burn off in the form of running a bazillion errands before Colson was back, but I needed to make sure things were right between me and my ex-mother-in-law first.

“What’s going on?” Gigi asked after she led us to her living room and we all found seats.

“Well, I don’t have time to beat around the bush, so I’ll just tell you. I plan to ask your son to marry me, but I need your help.”

Gigi blinked repeatedly. Then she took off the pair of reading glasses on her face, tossed them on the couch, and nearly tackled me when she came over to give me a hug. “Thank the good Lord!”

I hugged her back, laughing. When she finally pulled away, she was wiping her eyes. Then she went over to Sofia and gave her the same treatment.

“First, I wanted to get your blessing.” I rubbed my hands together and then jammed them under my legs to keep from fussing.

“Already have it!” Gigi answered right away.

I released a relieved smile. “And second, I would like to see if you know what happened to Colson’s old wedding ring. It’s not a problem if no one has it. I can just buy another one, but I thought I’d at least ask if the original?—”

“I have it,” Gigi interrupted me.

“You do?”

She hopped up and hollered over her shoulder. “I have it in my old sewing kit upstairs. Be right back!”

Mama gave me a thumbs up, which made me laugh. Gigi hurried back, a plain gold ring in the palm of her hand. She gave it to me, watching as I examined it. A rush of feelings slammed into me, seeing it again. We’d been so young. So poor, but so in love.

“May I take it?”

“Heck yes!”

I jumped to my feet. “I’m so sorry to rush off, but I have like twenty things to do before Colson gets back. Mama, you ready?”

Gigi looked between us, probably seeing Mama’s reluctance to keep going on this mission. “How about Sofia stays here with me? I’ll take her back to her place.” She looked over at Mama, a devious smile on her face. “After we plan a wedding, of course!”

Mama laughed, clearly comfortable here with Gigi. I gave Mama a quick kiss. “Okay. I’ll call you when I have it all set up. I’m counting on you two ladies to be there when I get down on one knee.”

Mama was the one to answer, her voice clear and firm. “We wouldn’t miss it for the world.”

I hit the first two places on my own. Both took more time than I thought they would, but they had to be done. By the time I made it to the fire station at four in the afternoon, I was frazzled, running solely off the quiche from this morning, and worried I wasn’t going to get this all put together in time. Joselyn was standing in the open bay in a blue plaid shirt and ripped jeans, chatting with Captain. I groaned, wondering what she was doing here. I got out of the car and headed over, woman on a mission.

“Hey, Joselyn. Captain.”

They both looked over, but Joselyn looked more excited to see me. “Oh my God, this town, Tully! It’s the cutest thing I’ve ever seen! No wonder you don’t want to leave!” She leaned into the captain, wrapping her arm through his. “And look. I met a handsome single man!”

Captain’s cheeks went a ruddy shade of red. He looked a little uncomfortable, but I had bigger things on my mind than saving him from the city girl looking for a Hallmark meet-cute.

“Hey, Captain, can I ask a favor?”

He looked at Joselyn’s smiling face upturned to his, then to my insistent one. His shoulders sagged in defeat. “I have a feeling I’ll be dragged into this no matter what I say.”

I nodded. “For a single guy, you sure are smart.”

“I’m single too!” Joselyn sang, her fingernails digging a little deeper into his forearm.

Captain’s eyes bugged out, but he kept his cool. “What can I do to help, Tully?”

I explained what I needed. He hemmed and hawed and put a bit of resistance, but between me and Joselyn, we got it done. You just don’t say no to Joselyn. Captain learned that pretty quick. I left with assurance my favor would be fulfilled, and Joselyn left with the promise of a date the following evening.

I headed back to the carriage house to spread out the flower petals and chocolates I’d bought in hopes Colson and I ended up back there after we talked tonight. A shower would also do me good, along with a careful selection of clothes, shoes, perfume, and makeup. I had my most important performance tonight.

My phone vibrated as soon as I stepped into the carriage house. I fished it out, hoping it wasn’t Captain canceling on me after all. My heart sped up when I saw it was a text from Colson.

Colson: Can we talk tonight?

Holy shit, he actually texted me back! This was a good sign. Had to be. I wouldn’t let it be anything else.

Me: Of course!

Colson: Meet me at You Got Served around eight?

Me: I’ll be there!

Then I fired off a text to Gabi.

Me: Change of plans! Spread the word! You Got Served at eight.

Gabi: Ohhh, he’s gonna get served alright! EEEP!