Southern Seduction

by Alcorn, N. A.

  “Why didn’t you tell me?”

  “I was hopin’ you would remember on your own, that you knew it was me. I guess I wanted that day to be just as significant to you as it was to me.” I look down.

  “I haven’t felt that safe again, not until the first time you held me,” she breathes. I glance back up quickly and decide to take the seat next to her. I grab her hand.

  “I’d never felt so sure of my feelings until I looked into your eyes in our laundry room. When I held you for the first time, well, it was a done deal. I stand by my words from all of those years ago, Shelby. I will never let anybody hurt you. And I have, in fact, smiled every time I’ve seen the color red.” I chuckle. She laughs a little with me. “Honest to God! I just never knew why.” I shake my head.

  “Still think it’s pretty on me?” She looks over at me, grinning slightly.

  “Nope. Now I think it’s just plain beautiful on you.” I lean in and give her a soft peck on the lips.

  “So ...” She trails off.

  “So ...” I match.

  “The one, huh?” she asks.

  “The only one.” I squeeze her hand.

  THE END

  FIVE YEARS LATER ...

  Shelby

  Well, I don’t who’s been busier—me and Kip having babies, or our mothers spoiling them. Either way, it’s safe to say our lives have been nothing but full of blessings and love.

  The Taylors and Johnsons have joined properties. We all have our own homes on the same land, like a commune. I think some of the townsfolk find this freakish, but we don’t care. We’ve all spent enough years being divided by invisible lines, and we know enough to not let it happen again. We are all very involved with each other, our families, and our businesses.

  So, that’s right. Kip and I have been very busy. We already have three of our own, and no, we have no plans on stopping. Our boys are named after my two dads, one being Kip’s step-uncle, as you know. Our little girl we named Mary, after my mother. They keep our lives so full and rich.

  I finished equestrian-massage school and now have quite the clientele. My sisters? Oh, they’re doing quite well. Missy is sought after for her interior designs. She met her husband while decorating his house. He’s one of those fancy business guys, with a company that does computer stuff. Don’t ask, because it’s all Japanese to me! Maggie is traveling the world with National Geographic and—get this—her girlfriend! No, none of us saw that coming! I don’t think she did either, but we all love Darla.

  May? Oh, my May. I love all of my sisters, but you all know we have always been the closest. I’m getting ready to be her maid of honor next month. Yep, that doctor turned out to be a keeper. She’s finishing up her residency in a few weeks. I’m so proud of her. The girls and I, plus Ma and MeMa (Alma), have been having a blast getting this place ready for the big event.

  Yes. I said “Ma.” It didn’t take long for me to call her that, because the more I thought about it, the more I realized I have two moms. I look at the word “mama” and I see the both of them. Two “ma”s in one word, so I gave her half. She likes it, that’s all that matters. She and I have become close over the years. I cherish her. She’s so much like my mom (the one I grew up with) that it didn’t take much time for us at all. You know what she showed me? The box she has of “All Things Shelby.” That’s what she calls it. Everything my mom ever sent her is in there. She hid it from him all of my life.

  Him? Ugh! Prison for life! That asshole had his hand in everything shady, from embezzlement to mob connections. Good riddance!

  Kip’s brother, Todd, got married, too. They’re getting ready to have their first little one. The other boys are still at the main house with MeMa and Pop—which is what I call them. Having the kids around makes it easier. I felt weird calling them “aunt” and “uncle,” so now it’s just right. They’ve become like another set of parents to me. Blessed, I tell you—absolutely blessed!

  I think one of things of I’m most proud of is the foundation we started up to help families in situations like those I faced in my past. I don’t want anyone else to go through what I went through. Losing Nate is still so painful, and there’s not a day that goes by where I don’t think of him. Our eldest is Dale Nathan—we felt that was right, given he was Dale’s son. Kip wouldn’t let me give either of our boys Nate’s first name, and for good reason. It would’ve been too much for me.

  I look around at my family now, and I can’t help but smile at all this lemonade we made from the lemons we were handed. I love them all so much, and I’m so proud of each and every one of them.

  Kip has been my rock. Every day I fall more in love with him. And no, believe it or not, things have never been awkward between him and my sisters. I wouldn’t believe it if you told me, either. I just think things are different with our family. I think we know better what not to get hung up on and how to look for the silver lining. It took a lot of work to get this way—believe me.

  I wish my mom was here. I know she is in spirit, though, especially on days when I take the kids out for a stroll in the fields and the wind will start blowing nicely through our hair, making us smile. I know at that moment Mama is with us, and she’s wrapping us up in one of her famous hugs.

  Everything happens for a reason. Sometimes you have to go through a whole lot of sadness to get to a whole lot of joy. You gotta let that joy in, though, to see its full beauty. I did.

  I am grateful for it every day.

  I’d like to thank N.A. Alcorn, Kelly Collins, Laurel Ulen Curtis, Ella Fox, Elle Jefferson, M. Mabie, Aly Martinez, Stacey Mosteller, Rochelle Paige, Tessa Teevan, and K. Webster for their collaboration and friendship. I’ll miss the side chats about the box set that always seem to go off course into inappropriate (read: hilarious) discussions. I wish you all well on your future endeavors.

  To all who have lent me their support, once again, whether family or friend—thank you!

  To Wendy Shatwell, Claire Allmendinger, and Natalie Jane for your friendship, love, and all of the “Good morning”s, “Hey there”s, and “Goodnight!”s.

  A big THANK YOU to the members of the G-Team! You girls are the reason I put in the long hours! I’m so blessed to have you in my life!

  To the lady who makes my words shine, Jess Huckins, thank you for getting me through another one! You are a true gem!

  Thank you to Stacey Blake for taking this on! Can’t wait to see how pretty you make these pages!

  Lastly, thank you to all of the readers! I hope you enjoyed my story, as well as everyone else’s!

  The rumbling of the jet feels like an earthquake under my feet. My stomach drops at lift off and remains near the floor for several minutes. I’m not a fan of flying. If I had a choice, I would be back on dry land in Colorado or flying to someplace like Hawaii or Paris. No, I’m flying to Louisiana. It’s smack dab in the middle of the summer, where the bugs are out in full force and the humidity can choke you.

  As the jet levels off, the sound of the engines go from a roar to a whisper. The humming of the jet is like white noise to my overactive brain. Twelve hours ago, I was shuffling through papers for a class action lawsuit. Today, I’m flying straight into hell. This is the time in my life where my friends are supposed to be getting married and having babies, not dying and having funerals.

  I just can’t believe that she’s gone. How does a twenty-six-year-old die from a heart attack? I can still hear her voice in my head. We just talked on the phone three days ago. She seemed to be doing okay, considering. I remember our conversation verbatim. She wanted me to come back home and visit, and I said it would be a cold day in Hell before I stepped foot in Leesville again. Her last words were, “I’m going to get you back here one way or another.”A And she did. In just a few short hours, I will step back into a state that I had sworn off forever.

  I close my eyes and think about a life so far removed from the one I live now. I remember the day I left Leesville. I had a large suitcase packed full of everything I
owned. I had to sit on it just to get it closed. Jackson and I were going to drive to Alabama to live happily ever after. Oh, Jackson… He was the one for me. I knew it the minute I walked into algebra class and he pushed the kid next to him out of the seat so that I could sit next to him. I think I fell in love with him that very moment.

  He was a tight end for the Leesville Lions. I loved to watch his tight end in that football uniform. I was at every game. I had two reasons to be there—Dani was a cheerleader and Jackson played on the team. I spent every minute with Jackson, and when I wasn’t with him, I was with Dani. We spent four years falling in love, and it took only one moment to end it all.

  Stepping off the plane in Alexandria, Louisiana, I am not prepared for anything. Not the heat or the humidity. And certainly not Jackson’s little brother, Jefferson.

  “Hey, Savvy, how’s it going?” He stands there with his hands in the pockets of his blue jeans, rocking back and forth, seemingly nervous as he waits for my response.

  How the hell does he think it’s going? I’m back in flippin’ Louisiana to bury my closest high school friend. It sucks—that’s how it’s going.

  “You know, I wish the circumstance were different, but it is what it is. What are you doing here, Jefferson?” Of all the people to run in to, I have to run in to a Moore.

  “I’m here to pick up some of Danielle’s relatives. There are several people coming from out of town. Her mom has so much to take care of with the funeral and all. I’m just trying to help out where I can,” he sighs. “Can you believe it?”

  “No, I can’t. I just talked to her last week. I can’t believe that she’s not going to pick up the phone when I dial her. I’ve been dialing her number nonstop just to hear her voice. I recorded it so when her phone gets turned off I’ll still be able to hear her.” I tighten my grip on my handbag, trying to hold on to something tangible. “Do you think that’s crazy, Jefferson?”

  “No. I think that’s preservation, Savvy,” he says as he shakes his head. “How the hell do you wrap your head around this situation?”

  He hangs his head and continues to rock on the balls of his feet. I know this has been awful for him as well. He was there when Dani died—watched her take her last breath. I should have been the one there, but I took off when I was eighteen and never came back.

  “I’ve got to go, Jefferson. I’ll see you around.” Picking up my suitcase, I begin the short walk to the rental car counter. I barely make it five feet before I hear Jefferson call out to me.

  “Where are you staying, Savvy?” he asks as I turn to listen. “Do you need a ride? I have plenty of room in the car for you,” he fires off.

  “I’ve got a room at the Super 8. I’m going to check in right away and head to Dani’s moms house to see if there’s anything I can do. Do you know if her sister is back home yet?” I ask.

  “She is. I saw her yesterday. She came as soon as she heard,” he says as he looks to the arrival monitor. “Hey, it looks like their plane has landed. I’ll see you at Dani’s. It’s really good to see you, Savvy. You look great by the way.” Tapping his forehead, he adds, “Oh, I almost forgot. Jackson, is here.”

  Of course he is. Can the week get any worse? How am I supposed to deal with the death of Dani and deal with Jackson at the same time? Jefferson is still as sweet as can be. It’s hard to believe that he’s related to Jackson.

  The humidity hits me like a bat to the head. I just stepped out of the airport and I’m already drenched. I hate this place. Peeling my sweat-soaked shirt from my chest, I venture into the parking lot to find the white Ford Fusion—my rental. I do the obligatory pre-inspection of the car. Noting that nothing is damaged, I hand the form to the attendant, jump into the driver’s seat, and hit the road. Once I’m on Hwy 67, it’s pretty much a straight shot home.

  Wow, did I just think that? Leesville is no longer my home.

  I ruminate on my previous life. I was born and raised here. As soon as the opportunity to leave presented itself, I took it. We all did—Jackson, Dani, Sterling, and me. Dani and Sterling got married straight away. In fact, their wedding was the weekend after graduation. Everyone thought Dani was knocked up but she wasn’t. She was in love. Sterling had enlisted in the Army and was heading off to boot camp. They tied the knot before he left. Jackson got a football scholarship to Alabama. He was going to be a tight end for Alabama Crimson Tide. I was supposed to follow him there. That’s when all hell broke loose and I had to change my plan.

  I had no direction. I grabbed a map, closed my eyes, and placed my finger on it. When I opened my eyes, I was surprised to see that I was heading to Colorado Springs, Colorado. I had always dreamed of living in the mountains No one cared where I went “after the incident.” My only goal was to get the hell out of Louisiana.

  The landscape passes in a blur, and before I know it, I am pulling into the bustling metropolis of Leesville, Louisiana, with a population of just under seven thousand. It’s been seven years since I’ve been here and a lot has changed. There’s actually a Walmart now. Tookie’s is still standing. It was the go-to place after football games. It’s where Jackson asked me to date him so long ago.

  A lot can happen in seven years. I moved to Colorado, went to college, and found a job. Dani and Sterling miraculously got stationed at Ft. Carson, Colorado. We spent four years living in the same apartment complex. It was just like old times, except that Jackson was missing. He had moved on and I haven’t really talked to him since our breakup.

  The Super 8 is a new addition to Leesville. It’s probably one of the nicer hotels in town. Check-in was super quick and the front desk clerk was really nice. That’s one thing that I miss about the South—people, generally, are nice. They’re certainly polite.

  I sit in the driveway of Dani’s house for what seems like an eternity. Three doors to the right of Dani’s house is my house. My childhood home is where we played Barbies and talked boys. It’s still the same white house with blue trim, a ceramic pot on the porch filled with fake flowers. The broken, rusted porch swing is missing and has been replaced with two plastic lounge chairs.

  A knock on the window startles me. Standing beside my car is Sterling. “Hey, Savvy, are you coming in or what?”

  I am stunned by his presence. Pissed off actually. He has no right to be here. He’s the reason Dani is dead. When I throw the car door open, Sterling is forced to step back or get hit.

  “What are you doing here?” I scream.

  “I am here to support the family of my wife, Savvy. What do you mean what am I doing here?” he bellows back.

  “She’s not your wife, Sterling. You asked her for a divorce. Remember?”

  How dare he play the victim. She’s dead because he killed her. He may as well have stuck a knife in her chest. What’s the difference between stabbing someone in the heart and squeezing their heart until it bursts? The results are the same.

  “Oh come on, Savvy. Our divorce wasn’t final. I’m not a divorcee, I am a widower.” He gives me a look of sorrow, like somehow I’m supposed to feel bad for him. All I really want to do is punch him in the face. He’s such an ass.

  “Move out of my way, Sterling, and stay the fuck away from me.”

  “Come on, Savvy. Is that a way to treat an old friend? We go back a long way.”

  “Sterling, I want you to listen to me. You and I don’t go back at all. Dani and I go back a long way. Dani was my friend. You were just the guy she married.”

  A car pulls into the driveway behind us. The glare from the sun reflecting off of the windshield makes it impossible to see who is driving. The door opens and a pair of cowboy boots emerge. The long legs connected to the boots unfold and Jackson Moore steps out of the car. I can’t help but let out a groan. My life is going to hell in a handbasket.

  “Jackson, my man! How are you? Long time no see,” Sterling says as he makes his way to where Jackson is standing.

  Jackson has stepped back and looks back and forth between Sterling and me. I
know he witnessed some of the exchange between us, but I have no idea how he is going to react. It’s not like we left on good terms.

  “Sterling, sorry to hear about Dani. It must be an awful shock.”

  I can’t stand this any longer, and I turn to leave, but not before letting out an exasperated groan. “I can’t believe this,” I say as I head to the front door and walk into Dani’s childhood home. There are people everywhere as I make my way to the heart of the home—the kitchen.

  “Savannah Morgan Steele, is that you? I would recognize you anywhere, child. That black hair and those green eyes will always give you away!” Standing next to the sink is Dani’s mama. “Just look at you, all grown up. Turn around and let me see you,” she says. I twirl in a circle in front of her. “Dani sent pictures of the two of you when you were in Colorado together. You have grown into a beautiful woman, Savannah. Give me a hug, sweetheart.” Mrs. St. Clair wraps me in her arms and just about squeezes the life out of me.

  “It’s nice to see you, Mrs. St. Clair. It’s been a very long time. I’m so sorry for your loss. She was my best friend and a wonderful girl. It hurts so much to lose her. I can’t imagine what it feels like to lose your daughter.”

  “It was such a shock,” she says as she releases me. “I’m not feeling much of anything right now. I’ve been going through the motions. I don’t think it will hit me until next week when everyone is gone and my life is supposed to go back to normal. How do go back to normal when your baby dies?”

  “I don’t know. I have no frame of reference for comparison. It makes no sense.”

  “It’s been a tough few months. It was an adjustment when she moved back in with me, but I got used to her again, and now that she’s gone, I’m going to miss her so much.” The tears begin to pour from Dani’s mother’s eyes as she talks about the loss of her daughter. I pull her into my arms and hold her until I can’t contain my own tears.

  Pulling away, I grab the Kleenex box on the counter, hand it to her, and bolt for the front door. What was I thinking? Did I really think I could come down here and not be flooded with memories? I feel like I’ve been thrown into the deep end and I can’t swim. I find a quiet place next to the big tree out front. Sliding to the ground, I put my head in my hands and cry.