Georgia took a step back, holding her hand up to wave at Landon.
“Wait.” He looked up as he finished dressing. “I’ll walk part of the way with you.”
Georgia nodded, relieved she didn’t have to say goodbye yet.
Taking her hand, Landon led Georgia out of the forest and back to the tall grass pasture they had run through the night before.
How different things appeared in the light of the day, Georgia thought to herself as they walked. She looked around at the tall grass that waved in the gentle breeze, remembering the adrenaline she had felt as she ran through this pasture with Landon last night, holding his hand, and the desperate, passionate love they had made next to the river.
She felt a slow blush creep into her cheeks as she thought of her naked body entangled with Landon’s. She was no longer a virgin anymore. Georgia smiled to herself just as Landon looked back at her.
His eyes lit up as he saw her smile, the corners of his mouth lifting ever so slightly. “What are you smiling about?” he asked.
“Nothing.” She shook her head and smiled demurely at him.
Landon narrowed his eyes at her, wondering what she was thinking.
They continued walking as he led her in a large loop through the pasture, avoiding his mom’s house. They walked for several minutes in silence, both lost in their own thoughts.
They soon reached a familiar street close to Magnolia Lane. They walked down the street together, and Georgia realized she no longer cared who saw them together, holding hands for the entire world to see. She tightened her grasp on Landon’s hand and looked up at him, admiring his profile. She felt a pang of sadness hit her squarely in the heart as she gazed at his face. What she wouldn’t give to have one more week with him!
They rounded the corner onto Magnolia Lane, and Georgia stopped. “Can we say goodbye now?” She turned to face him. As much as she didn’t care who saw them anymore, even Mrs. Sullivan, she didn’t want Landon to be exposed to her dad’s anger again. Georgia was unsure as to whether her dad would be home now or at work, but she didn’t want to take any chances.
Landon looked down at Georgia. “Of course,” he said, his voice understanding. He knew Georgia was anxious about seeing her dad. He leaned down and kissed her on her cheek.
Georgia wrapped her arms around Landon, wanting more, but knowing she needed to go home. “I love you,” she whispered.
“I love you, too. I’ll see you later today. I promise,” he reassured her.
Georgia inhaled deeply, breathing in the scent of Landon and committing it to her memory. “Okay.” She pulled away and took a step back, willing herself to smile at Landon. She didn’t want him to worry about her.
Landon gave her hand an encouraging squeeze before they both let go of each other.
As Georgia turned to walk down the street, she knew Landon was watching her, not wanting to leave her. She forced herself to not turn around, to not run to him, knowing she would easily break if she looked at him again. Georgia listened to the sound of her flimsy sandals hitting the pavement. It felt so odd to walk alone, to be alone after being with Landon all night. Even her hands felt strangely empty. Clenching her fists tightly, Georgia took a deep breath as she neared her house, preparing herself for the inevitable battle that was soon to follow.
She slowed as she reached the front of her house. She looked over her shoulder briefly to see if Landon was still there, but he was gone, and the street was entirely empty. She sighed, feeling both relieved and sad he had left, and knowing she had to face her dad alone.
Chapter 31
A Second Chance
Georgia walked up the front path, her eyes down as she tried to calm the pandemonium of thoughts in her mind. As she let herself into the house, it was eerily quiet. She went into the kitchen to see if anyone was home, but Millie’s bed was empty. Georgia checked near the front door and, seeing that both Millie’s leash and her dad’s shoes were nowhere to be seen, surmised that her dad and Millie had gone for a walk.
Georgia went upstairs to her bathroom and showered. As she showered and dressed, she found her thoughts anxiously flitting back and forth from her dad back to Landon in a relentless pendulum of emotion. She couldn’t escape the image of her dad last night when he had threatened her. She remembered the fear she felt when she stood in Landon’s garage, hearing her dad pull up in his car, and how Landon and she had run away into the woods. Georgia’s mind returned to their night together by the river, and she felt herself smiling as she remembered how Landon had told her that he loved her.
The sound of the front door slamming downstairs jolted Georgia from her reverie. She heard Millie’s nails scraping against the floor, and her dad walking into the kitchen. Georgia took a deep breath as she finished brushing her wet hair. She knew she had to confront her dad.
As she came out of her room, Georgia heard the front door slamming again. She went down the stairs and looked through the front window. Her dad was sitting outside on the swing. Steeling herself, Georgia went outside and shut the door behind her. It felt like her heart was beating in her ears now as she turned to face her dad on the porch swing.
Coffee in hand, he was looking out at the street, and appeared to be lost in thought. It was as if she wasn’t even there. Georgia waited for him to say something, anything, but he refused to look at her. Moments passed in silence and Georgia bit her lip, willing herself to not cry as her dad ignored her.
“Dad?” she asked, her voice trembling.
He didn’t answer.
Georgia looked down and took a step back towards the door, reaching for the doorknob. She didn’t want her dad to see her cry. Opening the door, she began to walk inside, but suddenly her dad spoke.
“Your sister may be the spittin’ image of your mother…” He paused.
Georgia froze, her hand still on the doorknob. She looked over at her dad as she held the door wide open.
Her dad adjusted himself on the swing and turned to look at her. “But it’s you that reminds me the most of your mother, with all that brazen gumption you got.” He sighed and looked down at his lap.
Georgia exhaled with relief and closed the door gently.
“Come sit with me for a spell,” her dad said. He looked up at Georgia again and gestured to the seat beside him.
Georgia walked over to him slowly and took the seat next to him on the padded swing. Millie lay underfoot, her soft fur brushing against Georgia’s bare legs. Georgia sat stiffly, unsure as to whether she should look straight ahead or at her dad, opting instead to look down at her hands in her lap. Glancing sideways at her dad, she spoke, “Dad, I’m sorry—”
“No, Georgia,” he said firmly.
Georgia looked over to him, confused.
“It’s me that should be apologizin’, not you.” Her dad took a deep breath, mentally preparing himself for what he was about to say. “I’m sorry, Georgia. For…well.” He cleared his throat. “For everything,” he finally managed to say, shrugging his shoulders uncomfortably.
It was rare to hear an apology from her dad, and Georgia could tell he had sincerely thought long and hard about what happened. She felt herself relax as she let his words soak in, and the walls she had built up in her mind dissolved almost instantly. Landon had been right, she thought to herself. She felt an invisible weight lift off of her shoulders. Georgia looked over at her dad, her face hopeful. “It’s okay, dad.”
Her dad looked over, meeting her eyes. He pressed his lips together and nodded, swallowing his emotions.
“I know you said what you said and did what you did because you love me, and because you don’t want to see me get hurt.” Her voice wavered slightly as she spoke.
Her dad rubbed his forehead. “I should have trusted you and your decision to see…”
He paused, and Georgia waited for him to say, ‘that boy.’
“…Landon Young,” he said slowly, as if he had never heard Landon’s full name before. “You were right. I don’t know Landon the way yo
u do, and it’s been years since I arrested him that night,” he admitted with a sigh. Her dad looked out across the yard, surveying the neighborhood. “For all I know, the boy’s changed since high school.”
Georgia followed his gaze as they watched a car drive by.
“Kids grow up. They change. They become adults.” Her dad turned back to look at her again. “And you’ve grown up, too. You’re not just a lil’ girl anymore,” he said, a hint of sadness in his voice.
Georgia looked up at her dad, fighting back the tears that were threatening to flow as she listened to him.
“I swore to your mother that I would do whatever it takes to protect you and Virginia, and to look out for you...but you’re capable of makin' your own decisions now, includin’ who you wanna be with.” He swallowed, trying to keep his voice steady. “And one day, you’re not gonna need me. You’ll have someone else to take care of you…and that’s good. That’s what’s supposed to happen. Because I won’t always be here to look out for you…” His voice faltered, and Georgia could see that his eyes were glistening now with pent-up tears.
“I’ll always be your little girl, dad,” she said softly.
Her dad nodded awkwardly, and Georgia could see he was struggling to restrain his tears.
Georgia scooted closer to her dad, and he put his arm around her. She rested against him, Landon’s words echoing in her mind. Landon was right. Her dad was the only dad she had, and now the only parent she had. Time was an unknown quantity with those she loved most, and she didn’t want to spend any more of it fighting with her dad.
She and her dad sat together in silence, listening to the cicadas and the occasional car driving by. Georgia sighed. She finally felt at home again after the last week.
Her thoughts abruptly turned back to Landon, and she felt her heart sink again as she remembered his impending departure. She instinctively lifted her hand to her forehead and rubbed it, attempting to massage the worries away.
Her dad shifted on the swing to look at her better. “What’s wrong?” he asked.
“Oh,” Georgia said, putting her hand back in her lap. “It’s just that…well, Landon is leaving tomorrow, dad.” She bit her lip anxiously. “Back to Afghanistan,” she added. Georgia straightened up, turning so that she could face her dad squarely. Being that her dad had only just apologized for the last week’s events, Georgia was mindful of pushing things too far in this fragile moment. She waited for her dad to speak.
Her dad squinted at her, studying her carefully. “You really like this fella, don’t ya?”
Georgia nodded, unashamed to admit the truth. “I do.” She paused, her eyes roaming across the front yard as she thought of the night she had just spent with Landon. “I love him, dad.”
Her dad heaved a deep sigh. How much Georgia reminded him of his wife, he would never be able to convey to her. “Well, love knows no distance, Georg,” he said thoughtfully. “In fact, it’s not the distance that matters. It’s the trust you have in each other for things to work out, no matter where the two of you are, together or apart. And when you truly love someone, it doesn’t matter what’s happened in the past, or what the future holds.” His thoughts turned back to his wife, Delilah, and how her limited time on earth had robbed them of a future together. Even if he had known earlier on that one day, his wife would die young and leave him a widower with two daughters, he would have never given up the short time he had with her.
Georgia creased her forehead in thought as she listened to her dad, thinking of Landon’s past. She wondered if she should finally tell him the truth about what happened years ago with Landon on that awful night, the night her dad had arrested him. “Dad…” she began, taking a deep breath.
“Hm?” He reached for his coffee and took a sip.
Georgia clasped her hands together in her lap, preparing to tell her dad the truth. “I think it’s time you know what really happened that night with Landon. There’s more to the story than you know,” she said slowly.
Suddenly, Millie jumped up and started barking, sounding the alarm at an unknown trespasser. Leaping off the porch, Millie took off across the yard. Georgia and her dad’s eyes followed Millie, wondering what it was that Millie was barking at. And then Georgia saw him.
Standing on the front path under the magnolias was Landon. He stood there, looking as handsome as ever with that barely-there smile as he looked up at Georgia. Georgia smiled at him, and his smile went from barely-there to full-on grin.
“Actually, dad.” Georgia stood up. “Why don’t I let Landon tell you himself?” She shifted her gaze back to her dad.
Her dad set his coffee down on the table and stood up, shoving his hands into his pockets. Georgia looked at him expectantly, and her dad gave her a small smile before turning to look at Landon. “Landon Young!” he called out. His voice was authoritative and sounded more like the sheriff than Georgia’s dad.
Landon’s eyes moved from Georgia to her dad, his grin fading fast.
“Come on up here,” her dad said, waving Landon up to the porch. “We got things we need to discuss.”
Georgia could feel Landon’s nervousness from the porch as he quickly walked up the path, taking the porch steps two at a time with Millie on his heels.
“Take a seat, son,” her dad directed Landon, gesturing to the porch swing where Georgia had just been sitting.
Georgia fought back a smile as she watched Landon sit down anxiously. Never in her wildest dreams would she have imagined her dad and Landon sitting down together on the front porch swing.
Landon sat down, his shoulders stiff with apprehension of what was to come with Sheriff Summer.
Satisfied that he was now seated and ready to talk, Georgia’s dad turned to face her. “Georgia?”
Georgia snapped to attention. “Yes?” She nervously tucked a strand of hair behind her ear as the two men watched her.
“I’m gonna need you to make us some breakfast. Landon and I are gonna be here for a while.” His voice was slightly warmer towards his daughter, yet still commanding.
Georgia felt the corners of her mouth lift into a little smile as her dad turned to walk over to the swing where Landon sat.
But her dad suddenly stopped and turned around to face Georgia again. “And we’re gonna need more coffee,” he added.
Georgia nodded. “Sure. Comin’ right up,” she answered, barely able to contain the giddiness in her voice as she watched her dad take a seat next to Landon.
Georgia began to walk inside, but not before Landon caught her eye. Her hand on the door, she saw the faintest trace of a smile on Landon’s lips as he looked at her. She smiled encouragingly at him, and then went inside, leaving the two of them to talk.
Georgia smiled to herself as she shut the screen door behind her. She nearly skipped to the kitchen, where she quickly got to work making breakfast.
✽✽✽
Over maple buttermilk pancakes, scrambled eggs, bacon, and sausage, Landon and Georgia’s dad talked. Georgia could only hear snippets of their conversation as she went in and out, delivering hot plates of food and refilling seemingly bottomless coffee mugs. Most of the time it was Landon’s voice she heard while her dad listened, letting Landon tell his story from years ago.
Landon spared no details as he opened up to Sheriff Summer. He told Georgia’s dad everything, including what really happened that night that Maddox broke into his father’s house. From describing his distant relationship with his dad, to that fateful moment of when he decided to join the Marines, Landon disclosed all, knowing it was time to tell the truth. He even told Sheriff Summer about his father’s suicide note, choosing to leave out the detail that it was Georgia who had found it and given it to him.
Georgia’s dad listened carefully as he absorbed the answers to the questions he had long been asking. As Landon spoke and the truth became clearer, Sheriff Summer’s perception of Landon evolved. He no longer saw Landon the way that most Willow Creek residents did, as the high school de
linquent turned outcast. Rather, he saw before him a young man that, against all odds, had grown and thrived in the face of adversity. Contrary to those who had thought Landon to be weak, or even immoral for supposedly stealing a gun from his own father, Sheriff Summer realized that morning that Landon’s moral compass was indeed strong. What Landon had done for Maddox, for Emmarie, and even for Monty had revealed his own upstanding character.
Nearly two hours passed as the two men talked, and Georgia grew accustomed to hearing the rise and fall of their voices, the intermittent pauses, and sometimes, a chuckle or a laugh shared between them.
Well after Georgia had cleared away their plates, she decided to go out again to see if they needed another topping up on their coffees. Taking the coffeepot off the warmer, Georgia made her way to the front door, walking slowly to avoid spilling the hot coffee. As she reached for the screen door with her free hand though, she paused when she heard her name. It was her dad speaking.
“So, Landon, what’s really goin’ on between you and Georgia?”
Georgia dropped her hand back down to her side, and even though she knew she shouldn’t, she listened in, moving closer to the screen door so she could hear better.
“Well, sir, I really care about Georgia,” she heard Landon say. Landon cleared his throat. “I want to be with her.”
Georgia smiled to herself, practically overflowing with happiness.
“But aren’t you headed back overseas tomorrow?” her dad asked, not beating around the bush. Though Georgia couldn’t see them, she imagined her dad leaning back in the swing, arms crossed against his chest as he scrutinized Landon.
“Yes, sir. I fly out tomorrow night,” Landon replied quietly.
Georgia could feel her heart aching as she was reminded of this fact, and her previous glee was quickly replaced with disappointment.
“Georgia’s a tough gal,” she heard her dad say. “But this is gonna break her heart, you know.”
A moment of silence passed between the two men as Landon absorbed this.
“I don’t know what to do,” she heard Landon say. His voice sounded oddly muffled, as though his head were in his hands. “I didn’t plan this…any of this…” Landon’s uncertain voice trailed off.
Georgia Summer Page 28
