“Stay away from my daughter.”
“Your daughter came looking for me because she’s lonely and her mother works on weekends.”
“Don’t bring up my job. That is none of your concern.”
“It is when I see a little girl hurting.”
“She’s not hurting.”
“Then why isn’t she talking correctly? That hurts her. She wants to be like other little girls, but her mother is lax in her therapy.”
He hit her right where she’d feel it most—in her heart. For a moment she was powerless to defend herself. “It’s not that easy.”
“Did anyone say it was supposed to be?”
“You think you know it all.”
“I know she can string words together. She did it today.”
“What?”
“I was teaching her to catch a ball and she missed it every time, but when she finally caught it she jumped up and down and said ‘I caught it’ and didn’t pause once. She said it twice.” He held up two fingers.
Becky was tired, so tired, and this bickering was not helping, but she couldn’t ignore that her baby had put words together for Bo and not her. “We’re going to practice speaking tonight,” she mumbled almost to herself.
“What if Luci cries?”
Becky sighed, wondering who Bo had been talking to. She couldn’t deal with much more today. “Bo, please go home.”
“Okay.” He took a step toward her and she had to resist taking a step backward. A musky scent mixed with Irish Spring soap drifted to her, weakening her resolve. “I’ll go, but first, I want to know who Luci’s father is.”
“Bo…”
“I’m her father, aren’t I? You’ve kept it from me all these years.”
“You are not Luci’s father,” she snapped, getting edgy from his dogged persistence.
“You said that just a little too quickly.”
“Because it’s true.”
“I don’t believe you. Luci responds to me and we have a connection. There has to be a reason for that.”
“She’s a little girl wanting attention. That’s the only reason.”
“I still don’t believe you. How could you do that? I know I hurt you and I’ve apologized many times, but keeping my child from me is the worst.”
“You’re not Luci’s father,” she repeated, losing what little patience she had left.
“Prove it.”
She stormed out of the room, went to the kitchen and found a plastic bag, and hurried back to the bedroom. Bo was still standing there as if he didn’t know what to do and she was sure that was a first for him. He was a take-charge kind of guy. She went straight to Luci’s little dressing table where she kept her brush and comb and her ribbons, hundreds of pink ribbons. Putting the bag under her arm she picked up Luci’s brush, removed several hairs and stuffed them into the bag. She handed the bag to Bo.
“You’re a cop and I’m sure you can have a DNA test run quickly. If she’s your child, this will tell you the truth.”
He took the bag from her. “You think I won’t do it.”
“I dare you to do it.”
He shook his head. “What’s going on, Bec?”
“Just stay out of my life. I don’t need you anymore.” She walked out of the room with as much dignity as possible and headed to the kitchen. She heard the front door close and her body sagged with relief.
Luci was watching cartoons on a mini iPad and Becky hurried to her bedroom. She needed a moment. Sitting on the bed, she tried to calm her nerves, trying to figure out what Bo would do. She had to be prepared for the next round because Bo wasn’t through disrupting her life.
* * *
LATER THAT NIGHT, Bo sat in his bedroom staring at the strands of hair in the bag. She thought he wouldn’t have it tested. Becky had said Luci wasn’t his in a voice strong enough to cut through steel. But…there was always that but. The problem was that he felt like Luci was his. All the signs were there and he couldn’t ignore that. He’d played a lot of poker when he was in the army and now sometimes played with the SWAT guys. And he was willing to make a big bet on this. He picked up the bag.
“Becky Tullous, I’m calling your bluff,” he said to no one in particular.
His mother had gotten a call and had to go back to the store. It closed at ten and there was a problem, so he was all alone with his thoughts. With nothing to do but watch mindless TV, he called Cole and told him about the hair.
“She gave it to you?”
“She did, and she thinks I won’t have it tested.”
“Bo, you really need to go back to work. You’re fixated on this little girl.”
“I know. I feel there’s something there and I can’t let it go.”
“Do the DNA test then, but you have to accept whatever it says.”
“Yeah.” As he put his phone down Bo wondered if he could. All his feelings for Becky were tied up with his feelings for Luci. He recognized that and he had to deal with it in his own way. He’d never thought love would hurt this damn much. With that thought on his mind he went to bed.
The next morning his mom left early for work, as usual. It was after eleven when she’d come in the previous night and she had to be tired, but she was financially independent now and he wasn’t going to question her about her life.
He placed the hair in his briefcase and headed for Austin. Since it was Sunday, there was only minimal help in the lab. He texted one of the technicians and told her what he was bringing in. She thought it had to do with a case and he had to tell her differently. When she took his DNA, she had a smirk on her face, but didn’t say a word. He told her to bill him privately and since he’d been with the force so long she didn’t question it.
After that he drove to Temple to visit with his grandmother, as promised, and he braced himself for another round of why aren’t you married? Enchanted Oaks was a new retirement villa and he had to agree with his mother that it was a very nice place. The Austin-stone structure was nestled among large oaks and pines, and had a fresh, appealing look. The building was a large square with rows of apartments facing inside the square, downstairs and upstairs. Blooming flowers and well-maintained shrubs dressed up the manicured lawn.
He went through the large foyer decorated in a Southwestern motif of oranges, yellows and browns. Strolling down a long hallway he headed for the back door and the center of the complex, which was also well maintained with a waterfall and flowers. The babbling water and the birds chirping gave the place a tranquil feel.
His grandmother’s apartment was downstairs, and as he walked along he spoke to people as he made his way there. He knocked on the door and no one answered. He knocked louder. Still nothing. He tried the knob and the door was open.
“Grandma!” he hollered.
She came out of the bedroom in her customary polyester pants, print blouse and comfortable shoes. That wasn’t what caught his attention, though. It was her hair, which was now a yellowish gray and resembled an Afro. She had naturally curly red hair, but he’d never seen it like this.
“Beauregard!” she shouted. “Come give your grandma a hug.” She was the only person who called him Beauregard because she’d named him.
He walked forward and she grabbed him in a bear hug and then slapped him on the shoulder. “Where have you been? You should come see your grandma more often.”
“I work a lot.”
She sat in her chair with a groan. “That’s what Ava told me.”
He moved her big purse out of the way and sat on the sofa. “Grandma, your door was unlocked.”
“I know. I hardly ever lock it. Lost my keys three times and I got tired of looking for them. Besides, it’s a safe place and I don’t have anything in here that’s worth stealing.”
As a cop that bothered him. “You really need to lock your door, especiall
y at night.”
“Oh, I do that, if I remember. Like I told you, there’s nothing in here that anybody wants, including me.”
“Grandma…”
“Haven’t you learned by now not to argue with me?” She frowned, looking closely at his face. “How old are you now?”
She knew how old he was because he was the oldest of her grandchildren.
“When are you getting married?”
He gritted his teeth. “Not anytime soon.”
She clicked her tongue. “I have six grandchildren, five girls and one boy, and that boy is determined to stay single. I don’t know if it’s you or the girls you date.”
To turn the tables on her, he asked, “What happened to your hair?”
She slapped her leg with her hand. “Now that’s a story. Flora told me this ol’ wives’ tale…”
“Who’s Flora?”
“Beauregard, you know Flora. Lamar’s mother.”
Lamar Jones lived in Horseshoe and owned an auto repair shop. The Joneses had been in Horseshoe as long as anyone, and his family was a big part of the community. If Bo had anything wrong with his truck, he always took it to Lamar. His mother was usually sitting in a rocking chair on the porch.
“I had no idea Lamar put his mother here.”
His grandmother shook her head. “No one put her here. She came of her own free will because she was tired of her daughter-in-law telling her what to do, just like I was tired of Lois telling me what to do. Here, we can do whatever we please and we don’t have to cook and we don’t have to clean or put up with anybody’s crap.” She reached down and pulled up her support hose.
“I’m glad you’re happy here. What was the old wives’ tale?” He thought he’d better change the subject before she gave him one of her come-to-Jesus talks.
“You know, I’m always complaining about my curly hair and Flora said her mother heard that if a Black woman gave herself a permanent it would straighten her hair. We figured that might work on mine. I told the beautician I wanted a perm. And, of course, she asked what for, since I had naturally curly hair. We went round and round and finally I threatened her and she gave me the permanent.” She pointed to her head. “This is the result.”
Bo tried not to laugh and it was hard. “Guess the old wives’ tale was false.”
“Yep, but we had a good laugh about it. If ol’ Sam could see me now.”
“Grandpa would laugh, too.”
“Nah, Sam wasn’t into laughing that much.”
“Sure he was. He used to tell me and Cole all kinds of stories and laugh.”
“That was when he was drunk. When he drank he talked and carried on.”
“I don’t like it when you say things like that about Grandpa.”
“It’s the truth, Beauregard. Ask your mom. Ask Lois.”
He shifted uncomfortably on the sofa. Grandpa had been Bo’s hero all his life and he couldn’t make himself believe otherwise. His grandfather would say, “Forget about your father. You got me.” That made Bo feel safe and reassured that he would never be left alone. For a kid, that had been important.
“I know you put your grandfather on a pedestal and he could do no wrong, but I’ve held my tongue long enough.”
Bo’s patience snapped. “He was more of a father to me than Mason ever was.”
“And do you know why?” His grandmother’s voice rose in a tone that, when he was a kid, usually had him running for the back door. But he stood his ground on this one.
“Because I was his grandson. That meant something to him.”
Grandma nodded. “You got it. You were a boy and he’d been waiting for one just like you. All boy, tough and rowdy with grit in your gut. You see, Mason wasn’t the son he wanted. My boy had gentle ways and your grandfather tried to break him, but it didn’t work because I made sure he had music lessons to further the talent that he had.
“My Mason didn’t care about ranching and farming, and he couldn’t throw bales of hay onto a trailer or fix fence in the hot sun. It just wasn’t something he liked to do and your grandfather couldn’t understand it. So he belittled Mason every opportunity he had. He called him sissy and called him other words I’d rather not use. He tried to break his spirit, but I was there to make sure he didn’t.”
Bo rubbed his hands together, wondering if Grandma was off some of her medications, making her talk crazy. But with his grandmother he could never tell.
“I don’t want to talk about my father.”
“Well, then, you can just listen. When you were born, Sam thought he’d hit the jackpot. His son had had a son and he went on and on about how Mason had finally done something right. As you grew it was plain to see you were not like your father and your grandfather delighted in that. You followed Sam around like a little puppy and learned everything from him. Mason never had a chance to be a father.”
Bo stood, anger swelling in his chest. “Because he was always running off with some woman, leaving his kids and his wife. That’s the kind of man he is and I’m not going to have you talk like that about my grandpa. Without him I’d probably have ended up on the wrong side of the law. He taught me right from wrong and he taught me everything I know about good and bad.”
His grandmother looked straight at him, her green eyes a little dull, but as strong as cast iron. “When Lois was born, Sam left the hospital and didn’t return for hours. He was mad because she wasn’t a boy. Yes, that’s the man who walks on water to you. He ignored Lois most of her life. Just ask her.
“And ask Kelsey how much interest her grandfather showed in her. He bought you things and took you places, but he never took Kelsey anywhere or bought her anything. Now Sam has five granddaughters and I imagine he’s turning over in his grave. Keep your dream of Sam, but I want you to know that your father is still living and it’s time for you to forgive him and have a man-to-man talk.”
That’s what this was about. His grandma was always on Mason’s side and she’d do anything he asked of her. “Are you giving this same speech to my mother? He was at her house the other day. I assume he needs a place to stay and you know how weak my mother is where he’s concerned. But he will never move back into the house because I own it.”
“Oh, Beauregard, you’re too young to have this much anger. And I don’t have to tell your mother anything. She lived through it.” She reached down and pulled up her support hose one more time. “And Mason doesn’t need a place to stay. He’s doing very well now.”
“If not for him, you’d still be living on the farm.”
Her head jerked up. “Living on the farm? Are you insane? The house had no insulation or air conditioning. It was cold in the wintertime and hot as a firecracker in the summertime. Do you think I wanted to work that farm at my age? Here—” she glanced around “—I’m free to enjoy my life and not worry about too much, just a grandson who can’t seem to get his act together. Hand me my purse.”
He picked up the big purse and passed it to her, giving him time to cool off. His mind was whirling like a fan, going back through all the memories, trying to prove his grandmother wrong. His grandfather hadn’t treated women differently. Bo had never seen that.
His grandmother was fishing coins out of her purse and placing them on the end table beside her.
“What are you doing?”
“Getting my poker money ready for this afternoon.”
“Poker? Grandma, you’re Baptist. You don’t play poker.”
“Nah, they kicked me out long time ago.”
“No, they didn’t.”
She looked up, her green eyes narrowed. “Sure they did. I bumped my toe on the pew and said a cuss word, and the pastor suggested I not come back until I could speak in a more pleasant manner. I started to tell him what he could do with his suggestion, but Lois pulled me out of the church. I haven’t been back since. But that’s ok
ay, they have services here every Sunday morning and I go with Flora and Imogene. We just walk to the chapel.” She slapped her hand against her leg again. “Oh, did I tell you Mason came by on Friday? He brought his guitar and we sang so loud everybody started gathering outside and listening. The director suggested we take it to the family room and did we have a good time. You know Mason gets his talent from me.”
The only fond memory he had of his father was his singing. Bo had woken up many mornings to his father singing in the bathroom, and then his dad would get his guitar and he and Kelsey would sing with him. And laugh because Kelsey’s singing was similar to that of a cat with its tail caught in a screen door. That was a good memory, but his father had ruined it all by leaving, as if they meant nothing to him.
Grandma pulled up her hose again and diverted his thoughts. “Grandma, you need new support hose.”
“Lois bought me some, but I’m getting the goodie out of these first. What time is it?”
Bo looked at the large clock on the wall that had big numbers. He was sure she could see it all the way from Austin, so why was she asking him? Maybe she needed new glasses. “A little after one,” he answered as politely as possible.
She sat up straight in her chair. “I gotta go. The game starts at two and I like to visit a little bit before we start playing.” She rummaged in the purse again and glanced around the room. “I can’t find my glasses.”
“They’re on your face.”
She reached up to touch them. “Oh, that’s good. Sometimes I lose them.”
A question burned in his mind and he had to ask it. “Did you love Grandpa?”
She stopped digging in her purse to look at him. “Oh, my gosh, yes. The first time I set eyes on Sam Goodnight I fell in love for the first and only time in my life. There were some things about him I didn’t like and one of them was his disrespect for women. And I didn’t like his drinking either, but that didn’t change my love for him. It just made me want to kill him a time or two, but we survived.”
She stood and patted his chest. “Hold on to your views of your grandpa, but don’t let them destroy what could be.”
Harlequin Heartwarming December 2020 Box Set Page 30
