My eyes widen in shock. “Sam never told me she got accepted.”
“I know,” he replies soothingly. “Sam was young and in love and you were every father’s worst nightmare.”
I chuckle. As a teenager, I rode my dad’s old motorcycle. I skipped school and I was known for smoking a few joints now and then.
“I figured you the two of you had a case of puppy love and I wasn’t about to let that ruin my daughter’s future. Hell, I worked seventy-hour work weeks for years to save up enough money to pay her college tuition. I wasn’t about to allow her to throw it away for anyone.”
“Least of all me,” I add as he sighs again.
The night I broke up with Sam will always haunt me. I came here to take my girl to a party, and instead I broke both of our hearts. And in the end… I learned time doesn’t heal all wounds.
* * *
I push the doorbell, expecting Sam to answer the door; only seconds later, I’m greeted by her brooding father.
Forcing a smile and extending my hand I say, “Hello, sir. I’m here for Sam.”
“And exactly what do you plan to do with my daughter?”
My hand drops and I take a step back. Sam’s dad is rarely home when I’m around. The few times I’ve spoken to him, he was pleasant but tonight… he appears angry.
“Um… we’re just going to a… party.”
His eyebrows pull together. “Mr. Williams said he caught you smoking pot behind his store the other day. Is that true?”
Oh… shit...
“Sam is smart. Too smart to be hanging around some loser who ditches school, wasting his brain cells on drugs.”
From the second I met Sam, I knew she was better than me, but that didn’t keep me from acting like a selfish prick and claiming her as mine.
“All you’re going to do is drag my girl down. If you give a damn about her, you’ll break things off. Now.”
The sound of Sam’s feet running down the steps breaks our attention.
“What’s going on?”
She innocently looks back and forth between the two of us.
“Nothing, sweetheart. We were just chatting.” Edward glares at me one last time before walking off.
When I glance at Sam, my heart cracks in two. Her father’s right. I can’t drag her down with me, which means I need to do the one thing I vowed never to do with Sam… lie.
* * *
“You did the right thing,” I state.
“Oh, I don’t know about that. Sam went to KU, she earned her degree but I never calculated in the idea that she truly loved you. She was a kid. I figured she’d bounce back, maybe find someone while she was away at college, but once you left town she became jaded.”
I can’t keep the acid from turning in my stomach thinking about my next question, but I need to ask. “What about Katie’s father? Is he in the picture?”
Edward grunts. “He was nothing more than a sperm donor.”
I don’t know which is worse. Envisioning Sam in a relationship or imagining a world where someone would willingly walk away from their child, especially one as remarkable as Katie.
“I’m sorry for not only being wrong about you but for what happened later that night.”
“You weren’t wrong about me. I was bad news.”
“No you weren’t,” he quickly adds. “Your father died when you were young. You needed more guidance than your mama was giving you. From the time you left for the army you’ve done nothing but soar with the military. I should’ve seen that’s what you were lacking. I could have stepped in and been a role model but instead, I treated you like you were less of a person and… I’m truly sorry.”
His comment leaves me speechless. On some level, he’s right. I was lacking a role model, someone to put me in my place, but that doesn’t mean he’s right about me being with his daughter. If Katie were mine and some punk showed up on a motorcycle looking to take her anywhere, I’d flip my shit.
We both turn when the porch door opens. “Margie’s ready to go home,” Katie says with a soft smile.
“Thanks for letting me know, Katie.”
Her smile brightens when I ruffle her hair, walking past her and into the house.
“Ready, Mom?” Mom nods her head and pushes to her feet. “Yes, I’m exhausted.”
“Thanks for coming,” Katie adds once we’re outside.
“Thank you for having us.”
Katie and Mom share a private look before Mom tugs on my arm. “I guess the only question left to ask is, are you ready?”
My eyes narrow in confusion. “Ready for what?”
She smiles, looking drained and ready for bed yet weirdly… happy. “For a fresh start?”
“A fresh start,” I repeat, looking up at the light on in Sam’s room. “Yeah. I think I am.”
Sam
“I did something I don’t think you’re going to like.”
I place the milk back in the fridge and glance at my dad. “Oh…kay?” I can tell by the caution he used in his tone I’m not going to like whatever he plans to say.
“I said something to Luke.”
“What did you say?”
He loudly swallows before blurting, “I told him he wasn’t good enough for you. That he should get lost and leave you alone.”
“Well, that’s probably for the best. I don’t need Katie getting attached to him.”
“No, I don’t mean now. I told Luke that the night he broke up with you.”
“What?” my voice is barely a whisper.
“You were ready to abandon your dreams for a kid who was smoking pot behind the diner. I couldn’t let that happen.”
Emotions twisting like a Kansas tornado leave my mind reeling. I’m outraged that my dad would interfere with my life without telling me, but my temper is equally aimed at Luke who, without a fight or a second thought, gave me… us up.
“I was going to try to convince Luke to come with me.”
“But you were willing to drop KU if he didn’t,” Dad snaps.
“That night was a pivotal moment in my life, it changed… everything.”
His eyes soften when he says, “I know and I should have told you what I said to him long before now and for that I’m sorry but I’m not sorry for interfering. You were willing to follow him to the end of the rainbow only what you couldn’t see was, there was no rainbow.”
I turn around, busying myself by putting away the dishes in the strainer.
“What’s going on?” Katie asks from the doorway.
“Nothing,” both Dad and I say at the same time.
“O…kay. Do we have any eggs?”
“Let’s go out for breakfast,” I state instead of answering her.
Katie hesitates, still glancing back and forth between us. She’s picked up on the tension in the room. “Granddad, do you want to go?”
Dad looks over at me and sighs. “I need to get down to the Mill. You ladies enjoy yourselves.”
After he walks out the back door, Katie asks, “What’s going on?”
“Nothing to worry about. I promise. Let’s go. I’m sure Pam has a huge order of biscuits and gravy waiting with your name on it.”
After grabbing my purse and keys, I follow her to my truck. The second we step outside the summer humidity is enough to take our breath away, even at seven in the morning.
“I wish we had a pool.”
“I’m glad we don’t. The last thing I need to worry about while I’m at work is you drowning while no one is home.”
“Fine, I wish Margie had a pool.”
Minus a few summer camps I enroll her in, Katie is juggled between Dad, Val, Margie, and myself over the summer. Since Margie is the only one who doesn’t work, she keeps Katie the most. In the beginning, I felt like I was taking advantage of her, but the last few summers, it’s nice knowing someone is there to watch over Margie as well.
“I can’t believe you start school in three weeks.”
“I don’t think I want to go this year.”
<
br /> I laugh. “What are you talking about? You’re nine; you don’t get to take a year off.”
“I bet if we asked, Margie would be willing to homeschool me.”
My heart sinks. This isn’t about school, this is about not leaving Margie. The only person Margie’s fooling about her declining health is herself. Even Katie, who’s only nine and Luke who’s just returned home, can tell something’s wrong.
I park the truck in front of the diner then glance at my daughter. “I think Margie is feeling worse than she’s letting on, but I don’t think she realizes the seriousness of her condition.”
“Is she going to die?” her voice cracks and her eyes fill with tears.
“We’ll all die someday, Katie bug.” When she groans, I quickly add, “But I think Margie’s time is closer than any of us would like.”
She turns her face away from me, staring out the window.
“Let’s not focus on things we can’t control. I don’t know about you, but I’m starving.” I open the truck door and jump out. Thankfully, she follows my lead. Quickly wiping her tears away, she heads into the diner.
I typically avoid coming here at all cost. Memories of a life that was never mine to keep, flood my mind the second I walk through the door.
Without hesitating, Katie walks straight to The Booth and takes a seat. “Let’s eat at the counter.”
“I hate eating at the counter.” She sits down and grabs the menu even though she knows exactly what she’s going to order.
With a slight sulk, I give in knowing she’s still upset from our earlier conversation. Sliding into the booth across from her, I notice she’s carefully watching me. “What?”
“This was your booth, wasn’t it?” she asks with a smirk. “I saw Luke sitting here the other day. He looked sad.”
Luke was sitting in our booth?
“He was eating a vanilla milkshake with fries, just like you do. Luke…” She pauses to wag her eyebrows. “He used to be your boyfriend and you two always sat in this booth. Why haven’t you ever mentioned him before?”
I tuck my shaky hands under the table hoping she doesn’t notice the eternal onslaught of emotions looming within me. I don’t talk about Luke, with anyone. He’s a closed subject, one I was determined to keep in my past. But Katie spends a great deal of time with Margie and like it or not, he’s her son.
“We dated, we broke up. Besides, it was years ago. There’s nothing to mention. And exactly who has filled your head with stories?”
“The other day, after I saw Luke here, I told Margie how sad he looked. She kind of…maybe filled me in on the rest.”
We silently stare at each other. I can tell she is worried that I’m upset with Margie and while I’m not thrilled to know she talked to my daughter about my relationship with her son, I can’t exactly fault her for truthfully answering Katie’s questions.
“Hello, ladies. Are we both having our usual?” Pam questions.
“I am,” Katie answers.
I glance at Pam, wondering if she remembers what my usual is, seeing as I haven’t eaten here in years. “Um, sure.”
“Coming right up.”
Pam walks away as the bell on the door rings. Instantly, Katie’s face lights up when she says, “Luke’s here.”
You have to be freaking kidding me…
I glance over my shoulder in time to see Luke walking our direction.
“Well, if it isn’t my two favorite ladies.”
Katie giggles then without an invitation, Luke slides into the booth next to me. Within seconds, he places his good hand on my thigh.
“I thought you said your mother never comes here?”
Katie shrugs. “She doesn’t. Her and Granddad were arguing so she offered to take me out for breakfast.”
I can feel his eyes on me but instead of looking at him, I glare at Katie.
“Have you already ordered?” Before either of us can answer him, Pam arrives with our food, placing a milkshake and fries in front of me.
Luke squeezes my leg. “There are some things in life that no amount of time or distance can change.” He grabs a fry and dips it into my milkshake.
“Luke, are you going to the fair this weekend?”
With my heart thundering in my chest, I take a quick glance in his direction. The local fair was another thing we did together.
“That depends. Are you going to the fair?”
“Yes, I love the fair.” Katie beams a beautiful smile at Luke, who’s without a doubt eating it up. “Maybe you could you ask Mama to the dance on Saturday?”
My eyes widen. “Katherine Michelle, that is enough.”
“If your mom is there, then I’ll be the first man in line to ask her to dance.”
A smile lingers on Katie’s face but she knows she’s pushed her limits. “Excuse me, I need to use the restroom,” she mumbles, darting out of the booth.
“Don’t be so hard on her,” Luke whispers.
“Excuse me? Who do you think you are suddenly showing up in our lives only to tell me how I should handle my daughter.”
Instead of getting pissed, he chuckles. “There’s that spitfire I once knew.”
“Don’t do this.” I wave back and forth between us.
“Do what?”
“One night. One conversation with my dad and you’re gone. You told me you didn’t love me and tossed me to the side and never looked back. You don’t get to just show up with your good looks and dazzling smile and think everything will magically return to the way it once was.”
He gives me a smug smile. “You think I’m good looking?”
A chill travels down my spine from the look he’s aiming at me; it’s the same look he’d give before he’d take his time ensuring I knew exactly how he felt about me. Even as a teenager, Luke knew exactly how to please me, both with and without clothing on…especially without.
Thankfully, Katie slides back into the booth, breaking the tension. “Finish eating then I’ll take you to Val’s before I go to work.”
“I can watch her,” Luke states.
“That’s a great idea. Margie asked me the other day to help with her garden.”
“Sounds like a plan.”
“You’re not driving her,” I bark before sucking in a deep breath that does nothing to calm me. Katie goes to Margie’s house all the time but I don’t care for the way Luke stepped in and offered to watch her without even asking me first.
“Of course not. I’ll follow you back to my mom’s.”
Pam places our ticket on the table, Luke snatches it and stands up. “I’ll go pay then I’ll meet you two beautiful ladies out front.”
My heart still wants this man but my mind… it knows better.
Luke
My dad died when I was I eleven. My younger brother died when I was eighteen; right now I’m positive my mother is dying.
I don’t fear living alone, seeing as that’s exactly how I’ve lived the last twelve years of my life, but after being around Sam and Katie, I know I want them maybe even need them in my life.
Sam followed me back to Mom’s, where Katie immediately hops out of the truck and runs inside. I love how attached she is to my mother, except I know when the day comes that she’s no longer with us it will hurt Katie— unlike anything she’s felt before. But I’m selfishly happy that my mother has Katie—a grandchild I’ve never given her.
By the time I climb out of the truck, Sam is already out of hers and is waiting on me. “This isn’t Margie’s normal day so if anything comes up, have her call me. I should be done with work by three.”
She turns, ready to leave when I say, “You have an appointment with me at one. You can check on Katie yourself then.”
“I traded your file with someone else.”
“And I called and refused this other nurse. I think I might need help showering after all and the only person I want seeing me naked is you.”
Her eyes thin in anger. “Seriously Luke, what are you doing?”
>
“I’m doing what I should’ve done twelve years ago.” I take a step closer, reaching for her hand. “I’m fighting for the woman I’m meant to be with.”
She takes a step back. “Why didn’t you fight for us then? Why didn’t you tell me you needed to enlist in the army? We could’ve had our own plans—separate plans—without losing each other.”
Her voice cracks while the pain I single-handedly instilled in her bubbles to the surface.
“I was a clueless kid. I had no idea what to do with myself. I was probably going to end up working at The Mill like your old man.”
Sam’s eyes widen. She loves her father but she never wanted to get stuck in this town. Her dreams were always bigger. “That night…when your dad confronted me, I had no idea what I could offer you but I damn sure knew I wasn’t going to hold you back.”
“But… you never even told me goodbye. One day you were just… gone.”
“I owed it to Mom and Casey to enlist and I knew if I told you goodbye, I wouldn’t have left. I loved you too much to walk away a second time.” I pause as tears make their way down her cheek. “I told myself years ago that you probably married some wealthy man with a degree of his own, someone who’s worthy of you. I figured you probably had kids… it is because of that, I wouldn’t allow myself to imagine a future with you but now… everything is different.”
There’s no middle ground where this woman is concerned. I can’t pretend to be friends with the woman I was put on Earth to love.
She wipes her face and shakes her head, then without a word, she walks to her truck and leaves.
Forcing a smile, I walk inside, hoping like hell Katie didn’t notice her mother in tears. Mom walks straight for me with Katie nowhere in sight. “God couldn’t create the world in a day and you’re not going to fix things overnight.” She squeezes my hand. “Give her time to process what you told her and be thankful that Samantha is a very forgiving woman.”
“Who’s ready for ice cream?” Katie shouts from the kitchen.
Mom laughs. “We better not keep the little lady waiting.”
At one o’clock, the front door flies open and a very angry Sam storms in. “What did you say to Judy to get her to agree to this nonsense?”
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