Best Of My Love: (Love in Emerald Creek)

by N. D. Jackson

  She sat there and pouted, lip stuck out and eyes brimming with tears. Dre shook her head. “Those tears don’t work on me Shayna so make up your mind.”

  “My muscles are a little sore so I’ll stay here but maybe next time.” She sniffed again and though Dre remained unaffected, Eli did climb into her lap and wrapped his little arms around her.

  “You’ll be okay Mommy. Just rest and take your meds. Auntie Dre promised you’d get better.”

  She smiled and let her tears fall while Dre waited patiently by the door. She loved her friend, really she did. But some days the only thing that kept her from killing Shayna was limited internet in prison. “I’ll record the game for you Shay.”

  Ten minutes later she and Eli were finally on the road. They made a quick stop to Emerald Creek Goods & Such to get all the ingredients for an afternoon picnic. She’d never really done the whole picnic thing and today seemed like the perfect chance to give it a try. “Do you think my mom is sad?”

  Dre wasn’t sure if telling kids the truth was a thing parents did but she didn’t have the energy to lie. “I think it sucks when you want to go out and be with people you love and you can’t. Like when you’re sick and can’t go hang with your friends, doesn’t feel good right?” He gave an exaggerated nod and she ruffled his wild hair. “That’s how she feels. Maybe we’ll stop and get her something to make her feel better after the match?”

  “Like a dog,” he asked, wide grey eyes so hopeful she wanted to laugh.

  “Nice try Squirt but that’s up to your mother. I was thinking maybe flowers or some other mom type gift.” He nodded and hopped from the car, waiting impatiently at the back for what he could carry. “Alright let’s go find some prime real estate?”

  “Huh, what’s that?”

  She laughed. “It means land or property.”

  “Like you want the best spot?” She nodded and he giggled. “You talk funny sometimes.”

  That pulled a laugh from her. “You’re not paying attention buddy, I talk funny all the time.” He laughed and took the two blankets while she grabbed the picnic basket and the cooler filled with water, juice and ice packs for Zoe. “Right there under that white oak.”

  “You sure know a lot of stuff,” Eli told her as she straightened the blankets on the grass.

  “I have a really good memory so random bits of data get stored and I pull it out when I need it.” He nodded as they got settled under the tree. They both turned towards the field, cheering when Zoe’s team ran onto the field. “She’s pretty good.”

  Eli nodded as he absently munched on granola. “She practices a lot because she wants to be good and ‘cause Mommy wants her to do dance.” He rolled his eyes in a way too mature for his young age. “I told her to do what she wants. When I’m older I’m gonna do what I want.”

  “That is one of the perks.” She stopped trying to please other people when she realized that the nice lady hugging her at her mother’s grave was her future stepmother. “Then you are responsible for your mistakes.” He thought about that for a moment, frowned and turned back to the game, conversation forgotten. That was fine by Dre, she turned and watched the cluster of little girls chasing the ball. She could hardly remember being so carefree, then again she’d been a serious child, preferring debate and chess club and later long distance running. She hoped Shayna stayed separated this time, the idea of the munchkins having to grow up too fast broke her heart.

  “Get up Auntie Dre, they won!”

  She blinked a few times to focus and noticed all the parents crowded at the sidelines. “I zoned out for a second,” she told Eli as she hopped up. Joining the rest of the parents’ brigade, Dre waited down the line until Zoe spotted them.

  “Oh my goodness Zoe you played so well today and you said you would score one goal for me but you scored two. Awesome!” The little boy threw his arms around his sister, nearly knocking her down.

  “Way to go Zoe. You kicked ass out there.” She realized her mistake right away and pointed at each of them. “Don’t repeat that.”

  They laughed and made their way back to the blanket. “We did a picnic,” Eli explained.

  “My friend Orchid is over there and her dad hasn’t shown up yet,” she hesitated with her request and that made Dre fume that she had to be wary about asking for something so reasonable.

  “Go get her and she can wait with us.” Zoe smiled and took off, returning seconds later with the little girl.

  “This is Orchid.”

  She smiled at the little girl with white blonde hair and stuck out her hand. “Nice to meet you Orchid, I’m Dre.”

  She frowned. “Isn’t that a boy’s name?”

  Biting back a laugh she shook her head. “Isn’t orchid a flower’s name?”

  “Oh. Yeah,” she laughed and took Dre’s hand. “Nice to meet you too. Do I know you?”

  She laughed, wondering when kids became so funny. “I don’t know many kids so I think I’d remember you.” Orchid said nothing, just stared at Dre for a long time until Zoe nudged her in the side.

  “Sorry but you look like I know you.”

  She had no idea how to respond to that so she didn’t. “Do you know your phone number?”

  “Aunt Dre,” Zoe admonished.

  “Yeah,” Orchid answered in an annoyed huff before rattling the number off quickly. “Let me please?”

  Dre handed over the phone and watched carefully, waiting for her to speak to her parents. “Tell your mom or dad we can stay here if they’re on the way.”

  “It’s just me and my dad,” she answered sadly.

  “Sorry kiddo, I lost my mom when I was your age.” Then the phone was being shoved back into her hands and she lifted it to her ear. “Hello? Oh. My name is Dre and I have your daughter Orchid with me. I’m the aunt of her friend Zoe from soccer team. You’re running late and it’s starting to cool off so call this number when you get this message.” She knew just how easy it was for a parent to forget all about a child and their needs. “Everyone have enough food in their bellies?”

  They all answered a resounding yes and—surprise, surprise—they even helped toss the trash and repack the basket. What species are these odd creatures? “What about Orchid?” Zoe held her friend’s hand, giving her best puppy dog eyes.

  “We’re leaving her here,” she said seriously.

  “Aunt Dre we can’t!”

  “Oh that’s right, you’re still a kid.” She bobbed her head up and down adorably. “Then I guess you’re coming with us. You trust me to drive you around?”

  She shrugged. “Zoe does and her mom does. That’s good enough for me.”

  Dre laughed and guided them all towards the car. “Let’s pile in then. Driver picks the music,” she yelled, making Eli laugh.

  “Auntie Dre listens to weird music.”

  “You want to drive?” He nodded. “Too bad you can’t reach the pedals.” She stuck her tongue out as she made sure they were all secured with seatbelts.

  And then, they drove.

  As the excitement of riding around and listening to music died down she noticed all three kids dozing off behind her. Thank goodness. Still she couldn’t go home until she found out who this little girl belonged to.

  “We can go to my grandma’s house!” Orchid woke up with wide blue eyes and an even wider smile.

  Oh thank fuck! “Just tell me where to go.” She listened carefully and had to occasionally look over her shoulder when little Orchid forgot to say left or right. Slowly the houses became familiar, the route suddenly all too familiar.

  “Right there with the-,”

  Please don’t say red shutters.

  “Red shutters!”

  Maybe they sold it. Yeah, they probably sold it. “You stay in the car while I check out your story little girl.” She winked and the girl smiled while her face flushed an adorable shade of pink. She knocked on the door with the same phallic knocker that never failed to draw snickers from her. Except now, of course. She was just
about to knock again when the door opened. Dre sucked in a breath.

  “Andrea? My aren’t you a pretty little thing. Sight for sore eyes too.”

  Dre tried to swallow but her mouth had gone dry. Standing in front of her wearing her trademark floor length skirt and gauzy blouse was a woman who’d been very important to her growing up. “Lookin’ good Mrs. Hawthorne.” She waited a second and then another before she wrapped her arms around the woman. “Hi.”

  “Hi.”

  “Hey Ma I was running super late to pick up Orchid. Please tell me you picked her up?” He’d been going out of his mind on the short drive back from the soccer field, hoping like hell that something bad hadn’t happened to his little girl. That some stranger hadn’t absconded with her.

  “So what you’re saying is that you lost my grandbaby?” Erick heard a trace of amusement in his mother’s voice. “Sorry I didn’t.”

  He blew out a breath because he’d been afraid she would say that. “I went up there but I was about an hour and a half late. A woman said she was with a friend of hers, a girl from the team. None of the moms knew the woman but all the kids seemed to.” His kid knew better than to take a ride from a stranger. He’d just have to remind her again. When he found her.

  “She probably tried to call you.”

  “Dammit,” he groaned as he remembered yet another thing he’d forgotten to do today. “I forgot it at home. Either that or I lost it.”

  She groaned in that frustrated yet disappointed way she had to let her boys know she wasn’t happy with them. “That’s not exactly her fault is it, Erick?”

  No he guessed not but hell the woman had to know she had parents who might be worried about her. Well at least one parent. “I’m sorry Ma.”

  “Oh hell I must be seeing things…is that? Erick I have to go.” She clicked the phone off before he could make sure she wasn’t in trouble or distress. Dammit what the hell was he supposed to do now?

  Scowling at the phone wasn’t helping anything but he couldn’t help wondering what his ma had found so fascinating that she would hang up with him when Orchid was missing. He knew she would do all she could but ten minutes later he couldn’t wait anymore. His mind spun with the possibilities, each one progressively worse than the last and Erick knew he needed to be out there looking for her. The dining room was half full which was better than good for late Saturday afternoon, but frustrating when you needed to leave.

  “Kerry you’re in charge until I get back. And yes, you still have to wait tables,” he tossed over his shoulder as he left Maverick’s. Fifteen minutes later he came to a screeching stop in his mother’s driveway—a place where he learned how to drive and then spent endless hours practicing kissing on Dre’s plump mouth—and stormed into the house. “Ma! Have you heard anything?”

  “Daddy you forgot me again!”

  Turning with relief burning his gut, he flashed an apologetic grin. “I know Pumpkin and I’m sorry.” He knelt down, braced for tears or a tantrum but not for what he got which she was a chatty little girl eager to tell him all about her busy afternoon.

  “And I had a picnic with Zoe and her kid brother Eli and their Auntie Dre. Oh, Auntie Dre is so cool too Daddy, she says bad words but we can’t say them. She says it’s hypercritico but that’s just how some things are.” She shrugged and Erick knew it was probably the same move Dre had made when she’d taught his daughter about hypocrisy.

  He looked up into his mother’s smiling hazel eyes. “Auntie Dre?”

  Orchid bobbed her head excitedly. “She’s not an old aunt though, she’s young. And really cool. And pretty with crazy hair.” She went on and on about what they ate at the picnic, and how amazing Auntie Dre was.

  He couldn’t believe she was the good neighbor who’d not only helped out his abandoned daughter but apparently showed her a good time. What were the odds that’s how she would meet his kid for the first time? The reason he’d broken her heart and sent her running far away from her hometown. If he didn’t know Dre so well he’d be worried that she hated his little girl. But she didn’t. Did she? “Did you have fun?”

  “Oh my gosh Daddy, so much fun! We had fresh apple juice in fancy glasses like old time people and we had sandwiches and antipasti. And we got to eat with our hands!”

  Erick shrank away from his squealing little girl, happy to see Dre hadn’t held his sins against his daughter. Yet another way she’s too good for me. He knew it all the way down to his fucking bones but he didn’t care. He would try to win her back. Even if he failed, he had to try one last time.

  “Is she the girl in the photos Daddy?”

  He froze and his gaze slid to his mother’s which held a mountain of sympathy. “What pictures?”

  “In the box under your bed with all the pictures of me.”

  “Yeah that’s her,” he pointed at his daughter’s smiling face, wearing his best dad scowl. “And we’re gonna talk later about you snooping through my things.”

  She gasped, chocolate eyes round with outrage. “I didn’t! Mom showed me.”

  Of course Calista had. She’d been jealous of Dre for every minute of their short and disastrous marriage, which he understood since she was the love of his life. But she’d cut him out so thoroughly after that video call that his wife’s jealousy only fueled his anger. “Fine.”

  “Was she your girlfriend?”

  He nodded even though calling Dre his girlfriend seemed inadequate considering just how important, how vital she’d been to him. “She was.”

  “She’s not married and she doesn’t do boyfriends. I asked what that means and she said I would understand when I was older.” She shrugged and picked up her tablet.

  He turned again to meet his mother’s amused smile. “What happened?” Erick followed her into the kitchen, listening to her tale of how Orchid and Dre came to be together.

  “She came to the door on her own at first to make sure she wasn’t dropping the girl off to a pervert. Her words not mine,” she added and couldn’t stop smiling. “She’s as beautiful as I knew she would be and still downplaying her looks, what a shame. Gave me a great hug though.” Her smile changed and she turned to busy herself with making coffee. “More guarded than ever, except with the kids.”

  “Thanks Ma,” he huffed out a bitter laugh. “I don’t already feel bad enough.”

  She shrugged, not looking at all sorry. “I hear she’s doing well for herself. A millionaire and a business owner.”

  “I’m a business owner,” he growled although he knew he was nowhere in Dre’s league. She’d sold her website—their future—for several unspecified millions of dollars. It happened the day he’d told her their future was gone. “How was she, being here?”

  “Didn’t look around much if that’s what you mean. And Erick her aura was so dark, I suggested a cleanse. She seemed happy to see me, and Orchid took to her like you wouldn’t believe.”

  He found it very difficult to believe considering she’d barely been civil to the few women he attempted to date after Calista left. Calling her unwelcoming would have been charitable. And then there was Dre, the prickliest woman he’d ever met and most people didn’t take to her. Yet his daughter had.

  “Her friend’s kids are adorable and seem to love her. She’s good with them in a strange way, but really good.”

  “Ma,” he groaned, “stop. Please.

  She laughed and slid the coffee and a plate of cookies between them. “Fine I’m stopping.” Hands up in a defensive gesture she gave a cheeky grin and sat.

  “Thank you,” he smiled and took several big gulps of the steaming hot liquid.

  “But I did invite her to Sunday dinner so you can show up or you can stay home.”

  Slowly his hand lowered to the countertop until the mug was upright and pushed out of his seat to wrap his arms around his mother and brush a kiss to her cheek. “You’re the best, Ma.”

  Chapter Five

  “Do you know Iron Man?” Eli hopped up on his knees, grey ey
es shining with anticipation.

  “Of course she doesn’t, Iron Man is just a character,” Zoe scoffed sounding much older than her ten years. “Do you know Beyoncé?”

  “Stop asking so many questions,” Shayna gave her kids an affectionate smile and shook her head. They were a handful.

  Dre laughed at them and their exuberance. “Sorry to disappoint but I only know the Iron Man that hangs out in front of the Chinese Theater and I’m not cool enough to know Beyoncé.” Their smiles deflated so much she was tempted to lie. “But I do know a few cool people,” she added with a hint of mischief as she handed Zoe her phone.

  “Oh my gosh you know Derek Winters? He’s my favorite member of Boys of Memphis!” Zoe squealed, squeezing her eyes shut and trembling over the young pop singer. “He is so hot!”

  “He’s also a nice guy. Good manners and a great voice even though his music is crap.” Zoe’s eyes widened and for a moment Dre thought she might attack.

  She didn’t. What she did was much worse. Much. Zoe shook her head, ponytail swinging back and forth and rolling her eyes as she mumbled, “Old people.”

  “I guess what you’re saying is I should keep the autographed CD and learn to love it?”

  Eyes comically wide, mouth too with no breath escaping Zoe finally gulped. “Seriously? I can have it?” She frowned. “Why don’t you want it?”

  Now it was Dre’s turn to smile and pat her head. “Silly girl. I have one but you didn’t think I forgot about you, did you?” At her words, the not so little girl did attack, flinging her arms around Dre and doing her best to blow out an eardrum. “Alright settle down,” she mumbled, half-amused and only a little uncomfortable. “I guess that means you want it?”

  Zoe nodded and held out her hand for the CD. She read it and squealed again, this time loud enough to interfere with planes. “Mom he wrote my name. My name, Mom!” She held the CD to her chest for a long moment and then went back to her sandwiches. They were on a proper picnic today and there were no soccer balls flying around, which she counted as a win.