Southern Gossip: A Complicated Love Story

by Tiece

  She softly rubbed her hand up and down his back then backed away. His warm sweet hug was tempting her. “We’ll see each other again.” She said looking into his seductive eyes.

  “As long as you’re here, I’m sure we will.” He commented. He smiled, but hated to see her leave as she walked away. “Take care of yourself, Miss Kent.”

  She threw her hand in the air. “You too, Mr. Gray,” she said not once looking back. It was hard seeing him again, but with A’keem came nothing easy. She knew the real reason as to why she was back, but she didn’t want to get sidetracked without figuring things out first. The only thing she could do was pray about it and hope that things worked itself out for the better.

  Chapter 6

  “Mrs. Hilton, I can’t thank you enough for giving me a chance to work for your newspaper. For just giving me this opportunity period,” the bright eyed eager woman stated. “You answered my prayer and I promise to work very hard for you.”

  Lynn looked over at the woman sitting on the passenger side of her black tinted out Bentley and smiled. She continued to drive through the main strip of the city, passing the court house as she headed toward the country where she lived at on the Gray Plantation.

  “I’m just glad that you accepted my proposal. It’s going to be nice to have you on the team.” Lynn was definitely proud of the Newspaper. It always kept her relevant. It was a company that was started by her grandfather and passed down to her father then down to her when he’d gotten too sick to run it. He had taught her the tricks of the trade and how to run a successful newspaper. However, it was once rumored that a secret source had to step in to keep her from losing the company a few years after her father’s death. Apparently, the said source put up enough money to help save her family home and the newspaper had been a hot topic ever since.

  “There are a few studious employees who work directly inside the company for me. They handle any marketing ads, business calls, etc and most importantly they make sure that the printing of the news chronicle comes out on time every Sunday morning at eight a.m. sharp.”

  The young woman wanted to know a little more. “So your newspaper consists of classified ads, display ads, obituaries…” She pondered.

  Lynn cut in. “And don’t forget about the editorial opinions, the crime report, business and the most important thing that keeps the paper running is-”

  “Rocky Spring’s, ‘Here’s The Tea,’ section,” the woman added.

  Lynn grinned. She was very proud of the gossip column. “Hot gossip and speculation always keeps a city on its feet,” she confirmed continuing to drive further out in the country. She looked over at the woman who was very pretty and could easily fit in on the plantation with no questions asked, but she had to be sure that their arrangement would work out. “So why did you say that you’d prefer to be called Fen instead of by your real name Chelsea?”

  “Fenmore is my last name and for some reason with the jobs I’ve held down, Fen is what I’m usually called. It’s been stuck with me for years and I’d prefer to just continue to stick with it for now.” She replied as they passed a small country store that was called Country Store owned by none other than the Gray’s.

  “Fen it is,” Lynn remarked as she pulled up to the entrance gate of The Gray Plantation. She looked over at Fen quickly. “Did you do your homework?”

  “Yes I did,” she responded, mouth still partly open from seeing such a humungous gate. “Wow, this is really nice.”

  The gray haired security guard stepped up to the car. “Good evening Mrs. Hilton.” He spoke always admiring her smooth, tan colored skin that looked like she’d just left the tanning booth. Her long, dark brown hair was straight and always so pretty.

  Mrs. Hilton cracked her window. “Good evening Bill,” she spoke as the gate automatically opened. “I didn’t know that you were working the late shift tonight.”

  “Yeah, I’ll be here until six in the morning.”

  “Okay well, don’t work yourself too hard tonight.” She said as her car eased up a bit to pull off. “Have a great evening, Bill.” She added, letting her cracked window back up and driving through the gate onto the huge Plantation.

  Fen was taken aback at the beauty of the plantation. The open country space outlined the roadway with huge, beautiful green bushes and trees. “The grass is greener on this side of town.” She whispered.

  “Don’t be too fooled my dear. Living this nice always comes with a price. Now, let’s get down to business.” She said driving around a long narrow brick road that led them in front of a very big yard with a beautiful two story house that sat back off of the land.” Fen smiled, noticing the beautiful horses that roamed inside the fence just feet behind the house.

  “This is a lot of land?” Fen blurted out as she admired all the open space consisting of beautiful flower gardens and sprinklers letting off a misty drizzle every twenty seconds.

  Lynn nodded her head in agreement. “This house sits on twenty acres of land. That’s the only way the Gray’s would sell it back then, because they knew that only a few could afford it.” She said. “Speaking of land, this is Brandy Foster’s family home. Brandy is the city’s hottest attorney. She has clients like Richard Wise and Sheryl Chipper, the prominent doctors of the city. But more importantly, she is the Gray’s family attorney and closest friend to Dr. Celeste Gray.

  “Dr. Celeste Gray, that’s the Mayor’s wife,” Fen confidently stated.

  “Yes, the Mayor’s wife.” Lynn confirmed. “And, Brandy has one child, a daughter name Serenity.”

  Fen smiled. “And, she’s twenty-seven years old and loves horses.”

  Lynn glimpsed over at Fen. “I’m glad that you absorbed all the information I sent you.” She winked. “Keep in mind that the mom and daughter have made the gossip column a few times. The hot and sassy lawyer has a thing for younger men. It’s always a thrill to have the city speculating about who that could be.”

  Fen’s mind was taking notes as she listened.

  Lynn continued. “The story never has to be anything big, just clever enough to make the people of the city’s mind wonder. It’s always a good thing to be able to draw someone in and hold them there for a moment then give them the “big story” at the end. The big story is what we call the truth. Always remember that ‘Here’s The Tea,’ doesn’t start speculation unless there is a big story behind it. Nothing heats a city up as much as that.”

  This made Fen feel good for some reason as she smiled. Lynn stopped in front of another lavishly laid out pad.

  “Now this is nice!” Fen exclaimed.

  Lynn graciously smiled. “This is my home. This home has been in my family for many years. Once it was passed on to me I did a little remodeling.” She grinned.

  “You did a great job.” Fen added, admiring the home and the beautiful landscape.

  “Thanks,” Lynn responded. “I’ll take you on the inside once you get settled here.”

  “That sounds great to me.” Fen continued to gaze at the house. “Do you live alone?”

  “Yes, most times.” She confessed. “My daughter Kenzi usually stays weekends with me and she brings my adorable grandbabies with her. She resides in the city though for personal reasons. Speaking of Kenzi, she works at the newspaper and can be a lot of help to you. She knows people who know other people and more importantly all these people gossip.”

  Fen laughed. “I can’t wait to meet her.” Lynn drove past a pasture of cows roaming behind a huge fenced in area. Then just above the hill there sat four, one story, single family homes. Quite unique in their own way and certainly distanced enough from the other on the twenty acres of well kept grassy land.

  “So why are these homes out here, but are smaller than the homes that I’ve seen already? Don’t get wrong, they are still very nice, but I wouldn’t have expected them to be out here on the plantation.” Fen stated.

  “John Gray, also known as Ol’ man Gray, the Mayor’s uncle was always full of surprises. These
houses were built for rent only for those who could afford too and wanted the pleasure of living closely to the Grays.”

  “That’s crazy,” Fen said.

  “Listen, everybody wants a piece of living like the wealthy and well-known. If you ask me I think this was just another way for John Gray to expand the community while possibly adding more drama on the plantation. That man loved himself some drama.”

  “From the information that you sent me, he also loved himself some Eleanor.” Fen remembered still admiring the homes.

  “He sure did, which is why I believe that he’d done a lot of things he did out here on the Gray Plantation. He wanted nothing more than Eleanor’s approval of him. However, she could never give him exactly what he truly wanted and that was her.”

  “Wow, talk about a crazy love story.” Fen said thinking back at reading about John’s brother also being madly in love with Eleanor and couldn’t have her.

  “Well, in one of these cute little houses lives Jennifer Faraday. She is the Mayor’s assistant.”

  “And she’s also Marlon Gray’s girlfriend.” Fen added.

  Lynn smiled. “You have been doing your homework. “Another house belongs to Cal. He works for the Gray’s as well. He, his lovely wife and their two daughters live there. He takes care of the animals on the plantation and he does a great job keeping the smell of shit out of the air.” Fen laughed. “The other house belongs to Gary, the gardener. He has a green thumb and a great vision for landscaping. He keeps the lawn cut, grass green, flowers growing, trees trimmed, etc. Oh and he’s been living there alone for years, but recently his grandson moved in with him.” She pointed out.

  “So I guess the cook lives in the fourth house.” Fen commented while trying to be funny, but was very serious at the same time.

  “No, actually you will reside there now,” Lynn said as Fen’s eyes widened.

  “Me?” she questioned with excitement.

  “How else can you get up-close and personal with stories about the Gray and Kent family? I need an insider who’s smart, witty, clever, and eager for a big story; someone who is hungry and ambitious.”

  Fen smiled looking over at her new residence. “Oh my God!!! This feels like a dream right now. I am so ready to make ‘Here’s The Tea,’ one of the most talked about gossip columns around.” She said, elated about her new house.

  Lynn drove passed another pasture of cows. They seemed content grazing on the grass. Cal must’ve been doing his job, Fen thought as they drove near the Plantation Lake. Two light poles had just popped on due to the sun setting which gave the water a sparkling effect as the geese and ducks enjoyed their habitat. Lynn pulled up to the park-like area. There were park benches which sat close by the lake and an outdoor grill intended for a special occasion. The area was beautiful.

  Lynn smiled. “You see what I mean to live on the plantation. It’s beautiful out here and you can enjoy the amenities that come with your stay on this one-hundred and fifty acre land. This is literally its own community.”

  “A community that I hope I’m a part of for a long time,” Fen whispered still admiring the view.

  The Bentley pulled off and eased around a small curve and neared another mansion. The mailbox read: THE GRAY FAMILY, under it in smaller letters read: Main House. “This must be the Mayor’s house.” Fen asked.

  “And the infamous Dr. Celeste Gray,” Lynn added.

  The house was two stories and very big. One fit for a King and Queen. She could barely see it from all the trees and how it was sitting, but from what she could see it was to die for. Fen loved it and wished someday she could live the same way.

  Lynn smiled. “Of course you know that this is also the family home of Marlon and A’keem Gray.”

  She stared at the huge house in awe. “I bet they were spoiled.” Fen said.

  “Any child that has had the pleasure of growing up on The Gray Plantation was very privileged and spoiled.”

  “It would’ve been nice if I grew up here.” She whispered. Lynn sadly looked over at her thinking about what she’d known about Fen’s past.

  “Well, you’re living out here now and I’m sure we’ll make the very best of it.”

  “Yes we will,” she responded while thinking about how much her life had changed. “I love all the houses out here. Especially the one I’ll be living in.” Lynn smiled to be able to please her newest employee. She knew that she would be more than gracious being that her most recent living situation was inside of her car.

  Lynn drove further up the road and around the corner and there sitting right in the curve, but off from the road was the Kent’s residence. The mailbox proudly displayed it as if this was actually their plantation.

  “Wow, so this is where the Kent’s live?” Fen questioned.

  “Yes, this is it.” Lynn stopped so that Fen could get a good view. Fen admired the white and black two story huge family home. “It’s nice to have neighbors like these.” She whispered while smiling as she spotted a horse walking in a fence behind it. The home was beautiful. The landscaping was amazing and the green grass definitely looked greener making her wish that she was a Kent woman.

  “Are they as pretty as I read about?” she asked.

  “Yes, I won’t take that away from them. They’ve always been known for their strong genetic features. That of their almond shaped eyes, long eyelashes, small button noses, and caramel skin color. Not to mention their shapely figures. It’s all the same.”

  Fen smiled she couldn’t wait to finally see a Kent woman in person. The legend about these women had her feeling like she was amongst the most famous people in the world. “These people feel like celebrities to me.”

  Lynn smiled. “In Rocky Springs, GA they are.”

  “You all are living out here on the Gray Plantation.” Fen added.

  “Maybe,” Lynn commented slowly easing past the Kent’s house. Lynn drove further down the road then stopped shy of a big mailbox that read: THE GRAY FAMILY and under it in smaller letters read: The Big House.

  “So this is Mama Gray’s house.” Fen said as her heart pumped a little from the rush of being so close to the matriarch of the whole plantation.

  “Yes, this is Mama Gray’s house.” Lynn said as she pulled up a little closer near the driveway. “But it’ll always be Mrs. Gray when you meet her unless she ever tells you otherwise.”

  “Understood,” Fen said looking down the driveway wishing she could get a better look. The house could only be seen a tad bit from the road. The winding long driveway and tall trees was the only thing that kept Fen from getting a better view. But what she could see was a fountain flowing with water, sitting in the middle of a fish pond covered with green lily pads and flowers. The Welcome sign displayed on the fountain was definitely luring. “I wish I could see more.”

  “You’ll have your moment to see more of the house. Trust me; it’s certainly full of southern charm and holds plenty of secrets. Her oldest son, Sheriff Evan Gray Sr. and his only son, Evan Gray Jr., both reside there. His wife once lived there too, but word was that she and Mama Gray couldn’t get along. Unfortunately, this took a toll on their relationship and she finally moved out of The Big House to somewhere in the city. I mean, I don’t see why nobody should move out anyway. The house is certainly big enough for them all.”

  “Evan Gray Jr.,” Fen whispered. “Also known as Seth,” she added with a smile. Lynn grinned while passing by the big house, followed by green pastures, and then ending back up at the entrance gate. The plantation seemed to be of one big circle. There was one way in and one way out.

  “I have enjoyed my tour.” Fen said as Lynn exited the gates. “I’m eagerly excited to get to work.”

  “Good,” Lynn said. “The newspaper comes out in the morning. I would like to see what you can come up with for the gossip column before it hits the city.”

  “Wow, that fast? I don’t even know where to start. Who should I get something on?” Fen asked feeling a little rushed and unprepa
red to have something that soon.

  “It doesn’t matter. I would like to see how eager you are to actually get to work. It’s a story out there you just have to find it. What you need to do is find someone who can give you open access to meeting new people. Once you’ve found that connection, everything else should come easy.”

  Chapter 7

  Mrs. Gray sat on the side of her bed preparing to wind down for the night. She looked over on the wall at the clock. It was nearing 8pm and her husband hadn’t called or come home yet. She hadn’t spoken to him since after their late lunch date a couple of hours earlier. It was nothing unusual for them to have busy schedules but his schedule was starting not to add up. She knew he was working later hours and was bombarded with work, but something just didn’t seem right.

  Footsteps heading her way caused her to look up. “Hey Mom,” Marlon said stepping inside of her master bedroom suite.