Gravity: A Country Romance

by Shayne McClendon

Swallowing hard, she asked for a can opener. He handed it to her and watched as she opened the mostly sealed coffee can and upended it. Cash and some stray coffee grounds scattered over the stone.

  She counted it carefully into stacks and cleaned up the grounds. “Just over two thousand dollars. I’ve been putting a little away at a time for Donna for almost two years. I didn’t know how much was in here. Whatever this doesn’t cover, I’ll take from my account.”

  “Jo, please let me help you.” She shook her head. Not matter what, she wouldn’t take advantage of his friendship. “Nothing that’s happened has made me assume anything has changed between us. I just want to be your friend, to make sure you’re okay. I don’t expect anything from you. I swear it.”

  Before she could answer, there was the sound of a door opening and small running feet. Two little girls – twins – charged into the kitchen and threw themselves at Holden’s legs. Both were talking animatedly as Holden tried to wrangle them.

  “Daddy! Meemaw and Pawpaw took us for donuts after the petting zoo! There was…” Noticing Jo for the first time, they stopped mid-sentence with huge eyes. “Who are you? I’m Abigail and this is Andrea…we’re almost five and we’re twins.”

  Jo had always been fascinated with children. She hadn’t been very normal as a child and thought it was amazing to see happy and well-adjusted kids.

  “I’m Jo. It’s nice to meet you.”

  The girls pulled away from Holden and came around the counter to tug her hands. She sank to the floor on her knees and sat back on her heels.

  Without the slightest hesitation, they proceeded to touch her face and hair, smoothing their little hands over her eyebrows and shoulders.

  They spoke in tandem, which she found charming. “You’re pretty and tall like Daddy. I wish I had light hair like yours. I like your eyes. Are you Daddy’s girlfriend? I hope so, you seem nice.”

  A voice behind Jo said kindly, “Girls…don’t overwhelm the young woman. It’s rude to ask grownups questions like that. Hello, dear. I’m Sadie Mayes and my husband Keith isn’t too far behind me. Holden told us about your loss and I’m so very sorry. He’s going to take you to the people who handle arrangements for our family and they’ll be kind to you. What’s your full name, honey?”

  “JoEllen Kya Astor, Mrs. Mayes. Thank you, ma’am. That’s real nice of you.”

  “Aren’t you proper? You call me Sadie and I’ll call you Jo. Is that alright?” Jo nodded. “The girls are right, you sure are pretty.” At Jo’s blush, she clucked her tongue. “Now, now, no embarrassment. We women need to know what we have to offer or men try to walk all over you.”

  She winked and turned to Holden. “Girls, go put your things away then you can visit with Jo.” They ran for their rooms dragging backpacks and stuffed animals. JoEllen watched them leave, the surprise clear on her face. “I can tell you haven’t told Jo about the girls. Any reason why?”

  His jaw was clenched and he rubbed his forehead. “She won’t date me as it is…I was trying to soften her up not turn her off the idea even more.”

  Jo gasped. “You think I don’t like kids?”

  “There’s a difference between liking kids and getting two five-year-olds in the bargain when you’re barely legal, Jo,” he ground out.

  She put her hands on her hips. “Not to me, Holden. I like kids! And stop bringing up my age all the time. It’s irritating since I usually feel and act older than you.”

  Sadie chuckled and took down cups to pour them all coffee.

  An older man entered rolling a small pink suitcase. “I like you already, Jo. You’ll keep my boy on his toes for certain. Keith Mayes.” Holden’s father held out his hand to her. She shook it and gave him a small smile. “I’m real sorry to hear about your mama, honey. You need anything at all you let us know.”

  “Thank you, sir.” Suddenly, a connection became clear. Clearing her throat, she asked Holden, “Are you…were you married to Carrie?” He nodded brusquely and she frowned. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

  “I didn’t want to claim it.”

  “Her behavior reflects badly on her, not you.” His expression was clearly surprised but she let it go. She had questions but she could wait to ask them.

  Sadie gave her a warm smile and offered, “We take them on the weekends so Holden can get a break. He works so much and handles the girls full time. We get to spoil them rotten, hop them up on sugar, and bring them back home. Do you have any brothers or sisters, Jo?”

  “No, ma’am. My mama was my only family. She was an only child. Most of her messed up family died young. I think she has a cousin but last I heard he was in prison. I’m pretty much all there is and that’s probably a good thing, to tell you the truth.”

  “What about friends?”

  Sitting back on the stool, her voice was careful. “My mama…the people she hung out with were real…shady, ma’am. It’s just me. I thought I’d have her cremated and put in a pretty urn, maybe take her to church, and have a preacher say a prayer.”

  She stared through the large kitchen window. “I think I’ll scatter the ashes over this place down south called Beaver’s Bend. She went camping there once when she was a kid, before her daddy started drinking and…hurting them. She told me once it was her last innocent memory. I’d like to take her back there.”

  The adults in the room were still and quiet.

  Sadie had tears in her eyes. “I think that’s real kind of you. I bet it would be just what she wanted.” Then she stepped forward and wrapped Jo in a hug.

  She stiffened in surprise and then, to her utter humiliation, she lost it completely.

  Holden took a step forward but she felt Sadie shake her head.

  Instead, his mother pulled Jo into a small den, closed the door, and sat beside her on the sofa. “You go ahead and cry, Jo. You probably feel like a balloon with the string cut. I imagine you’ve carried so much on your shoulders and everything changed overnight.”

  The tears flowed down her face as shame bubbled up. “I feel…relieved, ma’am. I will never forgive myself. Not ever.” Sadie reached behind her for a box of Kleenex.

  “No, honey. I gather your mama…she had a lot of troubles?”

  Jo nodded. “Alcohol and some other things. I loved her and she loved me as best she could but I was getting so tired. At the end, I could smell the booze on her heavy but she was so clear, sober for the first time in a long time.”

  She took a moment to wipe her face and blow her nose. “Even as I kept pressure on the wound, I didn’t want her to struggle anymore. She was still so young but all she ever did was struggle from one day to the next. I wanted peace for both of us.”

  “Don’t judge yourself so harshly. As sad as it is losing your mother, I can imagine how much you worried for her. She would understand, Jo. More than you realize.”

  Holden’s mother hugged her again. “Once the sadness eases you’ll be able to start fresh. Build a whole new life for yourself.”

  “Yes, ma’am.”

  “You call me Sadie. I know my son is real taken with you, Jo. I’ve never seen him invest so much time and effort on a woman but I’ll tell you this, whether or not you get involved with my son, I’m happy to be a friend to you if you need one.”

  “Thank you. That means a lot. I…I’m not real sure what to do about Holden.”

  “The day Carrie left them, he came by with the girls, swearing women were not to be trusted. He ranted and raved for months. I could see he was becoming bitter and that isn’t my son.” Sadie reached out to smooth Jo’s hair from her face.

  “A few months ago, he told me about the first time he talked to you at the bar. He watched you for a long time before he got up the nerve to introduce himself.” She grinned. “He’s actually very shy, did you know that?”

  Jo shook her head in surprise.

  “Suddenly, he was smiling again. Kept saying you were too young and too good for him, but he wanted to be around you. I’ve heard how smart you are, h
ow hard you work, and how pretty until I begged him to bring you by.”

  Embarrassed, Jo’s eyes widened.

  “Every time, his answer was the same. Not yet, Mom…I need to give her more time. I finally realized he’d messed up somehow and was trying to make up for it.”

  “That part is real…personal.”

  Sadie nodded. “I figured and I don’t need to know. I can tell the two of you are good friends, moving in the right direction whether you get involved romantically or not.” She reached out to pat her hand.

  “I’m going to leave you with one thought…if you want a man to stand beside you and love you hard, that’s my Holden.”

  “He’s a good man. I can see y’all have a close family. He’s my best friend.”

  “That’s a good place to start. You become who you decide to be, Jo. You’re a shining example of that. Are you feeling a little bit better?”

  Jo took a deep breath and gave a small nod.

  “Alright, let me take you back out before my son wears a hole in the floor.”

  They stood together and Sadie opened the door to the hallway. Holden stopped mid-pace, his gaze locking on her, as the girls following behind him bumped into his legs.

  “What did I tell you?” Sadie nudged her with her shoulder and Jo smiled.

  “You okay, Jo?” Holden’s concern moved her and she gave him a nod. He exhaled hard and his pretty green eyes lit up. “Good.”

  Chapter Eight

  Abigail and Andrea began to chatter. “Daddy said your mama went to Heaven. We’re sorry. What you need is Fruit Loops and cartoons. That always makes us feel better.”

  With that, the twins each grabbed a hand and pulled Jo to the family room, settling at her sides. The one on her right picked up the remote and turned on a massive television.

  Glancing over the back of the couch, she met Holden’s eyes. He rubbed his hand over his heart and she smiled.

  “Daddy! Jo needs Fruit Loops!”

  The yell from one of the twins surprised her. “I’m not sure which of you is which. You shouldn’t yell at your daddy like that. It isn’t polite. I don’t eat Fruit Loops but I can get myself a healthy snack because I have two good arms and legs. I don’t like people to wait on me, it makes me feel embarrassed.”

  “You don’t eat Fruit Loops?” they asked in sync.

  Jo shook her head. “I love eggs. Hmm, waffles with strawberries. I love oatmeal with a little brown sugar in it. I eat pretty much any fruit. I like stuff with sugar but if I eat too much I get a headache. I save that for Friday and Saturday and try to eat healthy during the week.”

  “You’re pretty. Is that from not eating Fruit Loops?”

  “I’m average but I’m healthy on the inside where it’s important. I drink tons of water. I try to eat right and I get lots of exercise. What do you do for exercise?”

  They told her, “We play with our dolls and we like to color.”

  “What about things that make your heart race and get you all out of breath?”

  “Well…Daddy bought us a trampoline but he works all the time. Our mama hated being outside so we didn’t do much out of the house.”

  “You have a trampoline? I love trampolines. I’d rather do that than watch cartoons. It’s so pretty outside with clear skies and lots of sunshine. What do you say?”

  “You’d jump on our trampoline with us?” They looked like they didn’t believe her.

  “Sure! I used to babysit a little boy who had one. We’d jump until it got dark.” The girls were up and running for the backyard before they ran back and grabbed her hands. “You have to ask an adult for permission, girls.”

  “You are an adult, silly. Come on.”

  The simple statement made her laugh. “I forget sometimes but I’m still not the adult you should ask. That would be your dad or your grandparents.” They pulled her toward the door and she met Holden’s smiling face. “Make sure it’s alright.”

  “Daddy, we’re jumping on the trampoline.” They tried to pull Jo and she resisted. They stared up at her with a small frown. She arched her brow. Sighing heavily, they asked politely, “Is it okay if we go outside with Jo and jump?”

  She winked at him and he nodded with a huge grin. Allowing herself to be pulled through the kitchen to the back door, she complimented them.

  “You did that so well. Adults are always impressed when you have good manners. Your Daddy knows how lucky he is to have such smart, pretty, and polite little girls.”

  She followed them outside and took the cover off the massive trampoline. Helping them each up, she lifted herself up behind them and they started bouncing lightly once they kicked their shoes off in the grass.

  After ten minutes, they were all jumping without restraint. Then they jumped in a circle holding hands as they sang Ring Around the Rosie at the top of their lungs. When music started playing on outside speakers, they sang along as the other adults came out to sit at a shaded table.

  Jo stopped bouncing long enough to go the one of the poles holding up the safety net. “Holden…aren’t you coming?” He stared at her with his lips slightly parted and she made a funny face. “Are you too old or cool to act silly?”

  Holden removed his wallet and phone. Walking across the grass, he kicked off his shoes, powered up on the side, and stood in front of her. They stared at one another for a long moment and then she pushed him over and darted away. He gave chase on the flexing material.

  Jo and the girls ran around the trampoline screaming and laughing hysterically as he tried to catch them. If he got close to one of the girls, she hauled them in front of her. He collapsed on his back with his tongue lolling out. The girls approached carefully.

  When he sat up growling, they squealed as he wrapped them in a huge bear hug and delivered sloppy kisses on their cheeks. The girls went back to jumping and Jo sat cross-legged in front of him with their knees touching.

  Holden reached out to hold her hand and bring it to his lips. “Thank you, Jo.”

  She smiled but said nothing.

  The twins took turns doing her hair. They told her she was like their Barbie and took all the clips and bows from their own hair to put in hers. When it was done, Holden took a picture with his phone and showed it to her.

  Somehow, he managed to say seriously, “Very stylish.”

  She sighed. “Girls, you didn’t make it crazy enough. We’re going to have to work on getting it higher. More clips and bows next time, maybe bobby pins.”

  “You’re a lot of fun, Jo.” They laughed and took all the accessories out and handed her back her ponytail holder.

  Smoothing her fingers through it, she pulled back a sleek braid and dropped it down her back. “That’s the only thing I can do with mine. Brush it, ponytail it, or braid it.”

  She sat each girl on her lap and did her hair in a French braid. They loved it. “I learned from a neighbor. It came in handy when I babysat her little girl. You both have beautiful hair like your daddy.”

  “Our mama’s was red. I like yours better.”

  “Lots of hair is really pretty. I bet your mama’s was pretty, too. It’s okay to think that even if you’re upset with her.”

  They sat beside her. “Jo, did you have a nice mama?”

  It was hard to balance the truth with kindness. “My mama loved me but she did some bad things. She didn’t know how to be a good mom but I know she tried.”

  “We have a mama who does bad things, too. We were all alone the day she left.”

  Remembering how many times her own mother had left her alone when she was very small, she chose her words carefully. “One day, when you’re grown, you’ll still remember the bad things but you’ll remember nice things, too.”

  “Do you remember nice things about your mom?”

  “I do. She didn’t know how to cook but every year, on my birthday, she made a huge salad with all kinds of toppings because she knew it was my favorite.”

  “Was your mom pretty?”

&nbs
p; “Very and she had the most amazing laugh. She made mistakes but I love her anyway. As you get older, you see that even bad people can do good things and sometimes, good people do bad things. We try our best but no one is perfect.”

  “You’re real smart, Jo.”

  “Thanks. So are the two of you.” She stretched. “I have to do sad errands today but I hope you’ll let me come back to jump on your trampoline with you.”

  “You should stay here. You don’t have any family now so we can be your family.”

  “That is a very nice offer but grownups do things a little differently. I’m too old to be adopted.” That made them laugh loudly.

  “No, silly! You can marry Daddy and be our mother.”

  She imagined her eyes must have been huge in her face. “Um, thank you so much but I’m not even dating your daddy yet.” She realized her slip of the tongue at the same time Holden did and their eyes locked over the little girls. “I mean, I…”

  “I’m happy with the statement as you gave it.” His voice was low and his longing for her was clear. Without breaking eye contact, he said, “Girls, why don’t you go visit with Meemaw and Pawpaw. I need to talk to Jo for a few minutes.”

  The twins kissed each of their cheeks and climbed off the trampoline. They walked to their grandparents whispering with their arms around one another.

  “Great, you have co-conspirators now. As if you needed help.” At his wide-eyed expression, she rolled her eyes. “Holden, who wouldn’t be attracted to you? I mean, come on.” She took a deep breath and thought carefully about what she needed to say.

  “I’ve tried very hard to forget because it wasn’t a small thing. You weren’t mine. I had no claim on you, but it bothered me then and if I think about it, it bothers me now.”

  Neither of them needed her to spell out to what she was referring. In all the time they’d been friends, there were two negative experiences. Both involved her mother.

  Holden closed his eyes and an expression of pain crossed his face. “Every day since it happened, I’ve regretted it. Every single day, Jo. I wish to god I could take it back.”

  “You can’t, Holden. It was a mistake that doesn’t just disappear when you regret it.” She paused and swallowed hard. “I need to tell you something. It made the knowing a little less painful for me.”