by KG MacGregor
The boy drew a deep breath of resignation.
"And besides, I’d like to think that Melissa could do a lot worse than marrying into the Sharpes and Halls. And in twenty years, when he sees what a happy life his daughter’s had, Walton Chandler’s going to know that too."
Trey enveloped his mother in a tight hug. Considering all the support she was giving for what he wanted, he was going to do his best to return it. Like she said, it was time to stop being a boy, and start being a man.
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**********
Justine pinned the boutonniere onto Trey’s lapel and brushed away a piece of lint that really wasn’t there. Her son was very handsome in the three-piece black suit his father had bought him yesterday. The three of them were waiting in an ante room until the minister gave the signal that they were ready to begin.
"Just so you know, I’m probably going to cry."
JT reached into his pocket and handed his ex-wife a handkerchief.
Trey laughed. "Nobody will even notice, because I’ll probably wet my pants."
That got them all laughing, and the tension dissolved, if just for a moment.
"I meant to tell you earlier…You remember that I mentioned my friend Carly?"
The teenager nodded, trying his best to appear casual.
"Well, her mama and daddy used to own the furniture shop, but they sold it to her cousin last week. Turns out he needs some help on the delivery truck. After school and Saturdays would work out pretty well for him, if you want to do that…."
Trey’s face lit up. "Heck, yeah! And what about in the summer? And after I start at UK? I bet I could work it out with my classes."
"Good, I’ll let him know, and you can go by there next week."
"Why wait until then? I’ll call him on Friday." Trey was eager to get started on this
"being a man" thing.
"I think you’re going to be a little busy until Sunday, son." JT pulled a packet of documents from inside his coat and stuffed it inside Trey’s. "That’s for the Gratz Park Inn in Lexington. They’re expecting you and Melissa later tonight."
"Awwww," Justine started to cry at JT’s sweet gesture.
"Cut it out, Mom. We haven’t even had the wedding yet."
"And speaking of weddings…." JT opened the door a crack. "I think it’s show time."
It was just a small gathering. Emmy had gotten back in town earlier in the day, and was predictably shocked at all that had happened in her absence. She sat next to her mom at the end of the pew, and JT, J2 and Alex filled out the row.
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On the other side of the aisle sat the Hatfields…er, the Chandler family. That consisted of Melissa’s parents, her older brother and his wife and two children, and an older sister, who was in college.
True to her word, Justine cried, especially when she caught Millie Chandler actually smiling during the brief ceremony. When it was all official, they headed to the fellowship hall for a small cake that Millie had procured on short notice.
Everyone posed for snapshots, and soon, the happy newlyweds were on their way. That’s when Justine noticed the sad look on her daughter’s face.
"What is it, honey?" They were walking out to the car, where Emmy would head home with her dad, and Justine would meet Carly at home to ring in the New Year.
Emmy shrugged her shoulders and looked away.
"Is it something I can help with?"
Emmy sniffed, a sure sign the floodgates were about to open.
Justine stopped and took both her daughter’s shoulders in her hands. "What is it?"
Her lip quivering and her eyes looking away, Emmy finally said what was on her mind.
"It’s just that…Trey gets everything…even when he screws up."
Justine was confused about what it was that Emmy resented. It wasn’t like her daughter to be selfish. Surely, she understood that these were special circumstances. "What is it that’s bothering you about this?"
"I wanted to move back to your house, Mom. I’ve been trying to do everything right…and not cause any trouble or anything. And now, he goes and does this, and he’s the one that gets to move back, not me." Her tears were coming full force now, and she was angry and frustrated that she had even brought it up. She knew it made her look like a spoiled brat.
"You wanted to live with me?"
Emmy nodded, still not looking up.
"Honey, why didn’t you say so?"
"’Cause you told me to leave…and go stay with Dad."
Justine couldn’t believe she was hearing this. "Sweetheart, I told you that three years ago, when I was crazy as a bed bug! And I’ve regretted it ever since. But my door’s always been open for you. I thought you knew that…I told you it was your home too."
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"I know, but…I didn’t think you wanted me to stay there all the time."
"Honey!" Justine wrapped her daughter up in her arms. "Nothing would make me happier than to have both you and Trey back at home."
"You mean it?"
"I sure do. As far as I’m concerned, we can start moving your things tomorrow. But you’re going to have to get your driver’s license, so you can go over and see Alex and J2.
They’re going to miss you something fierce."
**********
Justine kissed the inside of Carly’s thigh and crawled up to lay beside her lover, who was flushed from her climax and gasping for breath.
"Have I told you lately how much I appreciate your tongular dexterity?"
The redhead chuckled and nuzzled her neck. "There’s no such word as tongular."
"I don’t think any of those sounds I was making were real words." The women were savoring what might be their last night alone in the house, since Emmy was planning to move back home soon. "I love you…Grandma."
That earned her a pinch…which led to a tickle fest…which spawned a wrestling match…which resulted in Justine being pinned to the bed…where Carly slipped her tongue in Justine’s ear…which started the whole cycle of lovemaking all over again.
"How did I ever live without this?" Justine panted.
"It wasn’t really living."
"You can say that again."
"It wasn’t really living."
Justine was tempted to deliver another pinch, but her body couldn’t take another round right this minute. "It wasn’t living, Carly. My whole life was just getting from one day to the next. Now all of a sudden, I feel like I have everything. I have you. I have my kids. I never used to think I could have both of those things, and I wasn’t even sure I could get just one of them."
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Carly rolled onto her side and draped her arm across Justine’s waist. "You always had me, Justine. You just didn’t know it."
The redhead smiled and pulled her close.
"I mean it. I’ve been in love with you nearly all my life."
"Oh, Carly. My life would have been so different if I’d just been honest with myself back in high school. You lit a fire in me back then…and it never did go all the way out."
"I know. It was the same way for me." She laid her head on Justine’s shoulder, thinking about how that little flame would rise up all those times she climbed that hill to look down on this house.
"I can’t wait to see the look on Valerie’s face when I tell her that I don’t think I’m going to need any more therapy."
Carly chuckled. "Maybe you should wait until you get past being part of the diaper brigade again."
"Boy, this is going to be one crazy house. I bet you’re glad you’re going to miss that part."
Carly didn’t have an answer for that. At least, she didn’t have a funny retort. The truth was, she really was going to miss that part. She’d been thinking over the last few days about what her cousin Perry had said about marrying a woman who already had a child.
He said it was all a package deal, and that loving Debbie meant loving Kevin too.
She already liked Emmy, and in time, she thought she might even make some headway with Trey. Hooking him up with Perry at the furniture store was a good start.
But what she realized when she started thinking about having a life with Justine was that Justine needed all of it to be happy. And Carly didn’t want to be on the outside of things; she wanted to be part of Justine’s family too.
**********
Carly slipped in the back door of the coffee shop, trading her coat for an apron. Already, the shop was abuzz, and Daniel was swamped.
"Where do you want me to start?"
"I need whole milk and soy from the back."
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She went back into the cooler and emerged with the supplies, shifting over to the cash register to start taking orders. In thirty minutes, they had everything under control.
"Mom was kind of bummed about not coming in today. I think she really liked it."
"Tell her again how much I appreciate that. And you too."
"It was no problem. How’s Rich?"
Daniel nodded grimly. "He’s…doing all right, considering. He said to tell you thanks for coming to the funeral, by the way. Oh, and the flowers!"
"That was Darlene Johnston’s idea. Practically everybody that came in on Monday put money in the jar."
"They were beautiful. And that really meant a lot."
"It just goes to show you. People around here like you. It’s not just the coffee house, either. They like you."
"I like them, too. I’m going to miss this place."
Carly knew this was coming. "So you’ve decided for sure."
"Yeah, Rich wants to head on out to the west coast. He’s trying to get the house ready for sale, and I’m going to need to find a buyer for the store."
"What kind of time are you looking at?"
"I don’t know. But the way Rich is feeling, he wishes he could turn it all over to a real estate agent and leave tomorrow."
**********
An unfamiliar green Corolla pulled into the driveway on Sandstone just as Justine was getting out of her car with two grocery bags.
"Carly?"
"Hi, there. So whaddya think?" She took one of the bags and led her lover over to see her new wheels.
"Where’s your rental car?"
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"I turned it in. Bought this one just this afternoon. Wanna smell the inside?"
Justine obligingly stuck her head in the new car, which still sported its window sticker from a dealer in Louisville. "You went to Louisville today?"
"Yep. I’ve been lots of places. I’ve been to the coffee house, the bank, your ex-husband’s office, back to the coffee house, Worldwide headquarters, the airport rental office, the Toyota dealership…and now here."
"Wow! And here I thought I wore you out last night. I do believe you’re holding out on me."
Carly grinned and followed Justine into the kitchen. "I quit my job." She lunged to catch the bag of groceries that dropped automatically from the redhead’s arms. "And I bought the coffee house from Daniel." For cash.
"And Madrid?"
"Maybe we’ll get there one of these days and see if it’s as pretty as everybody says. They have one of the best art museums in the world, you know." Carly heaved the grocery bags onto the counter and turned back around, just in time to feel her feet leave the floor as she was swooped up and twirled around the kitchen.
"And you’re going to stay in Leland and watch me be a grandmother?"
"I’m going to stay in Leland and watch you be a great-grandmother."
Justine hugged her tightly. "Carly Griffin, do you have any idea what you’re getting into?"
"Yeah…I’m getting into being really happy for the first time in my life."
"And I’m going to see to it that you stay that way."
And standing there in the kitchen, Justine dipped her head to kiss the woman she loved. A rush of emotions filled her heart and overloaded her senses. And without even thinking, she raised her hand to cover Carly’s breast, just as she’d done twenty-six years ago in the chemistry closet.
The End
Thanks very much for reading. I’d love to hear what you thought of Justine and Carly.
Write me at [email protected].
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