by Rachel Hanna
"I figured I would find you here."
He turned around, not shocked at all to see Mia standing there, her hands in the pockets of her white shorts. She was a tiny little thing, not at all like her mother. Charlene had been average height, so he wasn't sure why Mia was so small. Must've been somewhere back in the family generations.
"Sorry we missed dinner. Just trying to get ready for the trip back tomorrow. It's been a pleasure staying here."
Mia got right to the point. “You knew my mother. I know you did." She stared at him with an intensity that made him uncomfortable, even though he towered over her quite a bit.
"Mia, I don't know how to say this exactly so I'm just going to be blunt because that's my personality."
"Don't worry. I'm used to it. My sister is the same way."
“I’m your father."
Her face went white, and she put her hand on her chest. For a moment, he worried she might be having a heart attack or something.
"Mia, did you hear me?"
"I heard you," she said softly, still staring at him like she was looking at an alien.
"I think it's important for you to know that I didn't know about you."
"I know. I read that in Momma’s journal."
"I also think you should know that I didn't set up the profile on the DNA site. Sylvia did that without me knowing and then brought me here. I only found out when I saw your mother’s picture."
"I think I need to sit down."
Mia walked over and sat on the edge of the dock, her tiny legs dangling over the side. Jack joined her, much like he had the other day when he was fishing.
"I know this is a lot to take in. It has been for me too."
“So, you’re JR?”
“Jack Ronald Townsend, in the flesh. I was called JR back in those days.”
"Can you tell me what happened? Why didn’t my mother want to tell you about me?" She continued staring into the water, like she just couldn’t bring herself to look at him.
"I don't totally understand it myself. Your mother and I had known each other all the way through school. Met way back in grade school. She was a beautiful thing with that thick, dark hair and those great big eyes. They look a lot like yours,” he said, looking over at her. “We were in love. And I went away for a time, but I came back. I intended for us to get married, start our lives together but then I was offered this great job opportunity. I wanted her to come with me, but she didn't really want to go. She liked it here. You know, this place was in her veins. I was ready to give up the job, but she knew I really couldn't stay with my parents anymore because we had some bad blood. She wanted me to do well, so I guess she lied to me by telling me that she didn't love me anymore. I left town and that was that."
"Kind of like me and Travis," she mumbled under her breath.
"I'm sorry, what?"
"Oh nothing. So, I don't understand something. Why did you go away in the first place? I mean before you came back the last time.”
Jack sucked in a deep breath and then blew it out slowly. "There's more that you don't know, Mia. And there's also more that Sylvia doesn't know. I haven't figured out exactly how to break that to her yet."
"What do you mean?"
"Your mother and I were in love from the time we met. We dated in high school, and then something happened. She got pregnant."
"Yeah, with Kate's dad."
Jack looked at her for a long moment. "Mia, I am Kate's dad."
Again, Mia put her hand on her chest. "What? How is it possible that we have the same father?"
"Our parents wouldn't let us be together. Charlene got sent off, and I got sent away to a military style camp. So when I came back those years later, it was because I was finally on my own and I wanted to be with her. And we were together for a time until I got that job opportunity."
“So she sacrificed herself to give you your dream job?"
"Something like that. Although if I had known she was pregnant with you, I would've never left her side. Everything would've been different."
He looked out over the water. The whole time he had been at Sweet Tea B&B, if he was honest with himself, he had felt Charlene's presence there. He couldn't put his finger on what it was until he saw her picture. Once he’d realized he had been staying in the house where she lived up until her dying day, it was almost too much to bear.
"We have to tell Kate."
"We have to tell Kate what?"
Jack turned around to see Kate standing on the other end of the dock.
"Kate, I didn't see you there," Mia said.
"I just walked down here to make sure everything was okay. I saw you two talking. Figured I should probably be involved since it's about my mother too."
Jack and Mia both stood up, like two kids with their hands caught in the cookie jar. Kate looked at them speculatively.
"Is everything alright here?"
Mia looked at Jack and nodded.
"Kate, I don't quite know how to tell you this, but I found out that I'm Mia's father. I never knew about her, and I didn't know my wife had submitted those DNA tests."
"Wow. I mean, that's amazing. I am so happy for you both!”
"Kate, there's more." Mia said.
Kate looked back at Jack. At least he had one daughter who had definitely gotten his height. She was tall and lean, just like he’d always been. And her nose was definitely from his side of the family. “You see, I was in love with Charlene all throughout high school. But then we got separated, and it wasn't until years later that I came back to see her. That's when she apparently got pregnant with Mia.”
"Oh, so you might have known my father? I mean if you dated her in high school, surely you knew about…” Kate suddenly stopped herself and stared at him. "Wait. Are you saying…"
"Yes, I’m your father also, Kate."
Kate and Mia just stood there, staring at each other and then back at Jack. He knew they must both have been shellshocked.
"So, we are full-blooded sisters?" Kate said, cutting her eyes at Mia.
"It appears so," Jack said, smiling slightly. "And I have two daughters. Two very beautiful daughters."
"This is unbelievable," Mia said. She and Kate both started laughing simultaneously. It was more of a hysterical laughter followed by what he hoped were happy tears.
"You're our dad!" Kate said. Jack joined in the laughter.
"And you're my daughters!"
The three of them slowly moved together and formed a group hug. It was one of the sweetest moments of Jack’s life.
They stepped back so that Jack could look at them again. “I know your mother is looking down on us right now and smiling so big. She did this. I know she did,” he said, wiping a stray tear from his eye. “I always wanted kids, and now I have two!”
“So you want to have a relationship with us?” Mia asked, hesitancy in her voice.
“Of course! This is the greatest blessing I’ve ever had. I want to build a new relationship with each of you, which means I’ll be visiting Sweet Tea B&B a lot more in the future!”
"I just have one question," Kate said.
"What’s that?" Jack asked.
"Why is Mia so short?"
Mia slapped her on the arm, and they all went back into their group hug. This was definitely the best day of Jack's life.
Epilogue
October in the mountains was beautiful. Mia had always loved this time of year, and her mother had too. The leaves had changed to a beautiful mixture of orange and yellow. The smell in the air was also another reason why it was her favorite time of the year. It was a smoky smell, but not one of a house burning down. Instead, it reminded her of the years of campfires burning on their property, where they would roast marshmallows and make s'more's.
Today was an unusually warm day in the valley, so she gathered her family together for a cookout on the dock. The water was freezing cold this time of the year. In fact, one year her mother let some men come over and do some thing called the
polar plunge. She never understood why anyone would want to jump into water that cold.
As she finished making the last hamburger patty, she looked around at her family. It wasn't what she ever expected it would be, but it was more than she could've ever prayed for.
Kate was standing near the driveway with Cooper, arm in arm, of course. She was finally getting used to seeing them together, able to put those old memories from high school behind her. Cooper had been so good to her family, making every repair around the B&B without ever taking a dime. His guilty conscience meant really good deals for her.
She also saw Evie standing near the water’s edge with her new friend, Dustin. Kate had finally eased up on her, and she was thriving at school. Her grades were good, and she had avoided getting into any more trouble. At least so far.
Travis had also become a part of the family again with Mia agreeing to give things another try. They’d been on a few dates, and her heart still fluttered every time she saw him. She didn't know what the future would hold, but she hoped that it would mean never saying goodbye to him again.
Travis had bought a house near town, and she often went over there for movie night or so that he could cook dinner for her. It was good to get away from the B&B from time to time. Having Kate there to help her meant that some of the load had been taken off of her shoulders, and for that she was forever grateful.
Finally, she looked over at Jack and Sylvia. Jack was manning the grill, wearing one of her mother’s aprons and a baseball cap. He was so different than the man she had first met. No longer did he seem uptight and grumpy. It turned out he was a lot of fun, and one of the most caring people she’d ever met. She could totally see why her mother had fallen so in love with him. And he was already turning out to be the type of father she’d dreamed of her whole life.
Sylvia had also become part of the family. Mia didn't think of her as a stepmother, necessarily, but more as an extra friend. She had asked a lot of questions about Charlene and seemed genuinely interested in that part of Jack's life. There was no jealousy, only a desire to know more about her husband and what made him tick.
"Medium well okay?” Jack asked Mia.
"Actually, I like mine well done."
He shook his head and laughed. "You didn't get that part from me."
“Definitely not. Momma liked her burgers burned to a crisp.”
They had enjoyed so much over the last few weeks getting to know each other. Jack had stayed longer at the B&B after Sylvia went home, and they spent a lot of time together looking through her mother’s things.
She was finally able to get the office cleaned out with the help of her father and Kate. There was a lot of crying, and laughing, during that process. But they were finally able to turn the office into something that Kate and Mia could use.
The library had also opened the extra room to house Charlene's book collection. They put a little placard on the door in honor of her, and that made Mia’s heart smile every time she went to check out a book.
"I meant to tell you that I’m going to be ordering the bees in a few weeks," Kate said, clapping as she walked up to the grill.
"I've got a friend who's an expert beekeeper. He said he doesn't mind coming down here to give you a crash course," Jack said.
"I guess it's a good thing to have a dad with connections!" Kate said, smiling.
It had become so natural for them to call him dad. Mia hadn’t expected for everything to have been so easy, but she knew her mother had a hand in that. She was looking down from heaven orchestrating everything, and both women were so thankful to have a caring father in their lives. Finally.
Travis walked over and put his arms around Mia’s shoulders, kissing her on the top of the head. "You should take a picture of those leaves. They're beautiful."
"I've lived here my whole life. You know I have plenty of pictures of leaves," Mia said, laughing.
Cooper walked closer, not wanting to be left out of the conversation. Thankfully, he and Travis had pretty much mended fences, although Travis would occasionally give him grief about his escapades in high school.
As they all stood together, looking out over the lake and watching Jack cook the hamburgers, Mia had never felt more like a true family. She had everyone that she loved in the world standing all around her, and she would never take that for granted again.
"Well, fine, then I'll take a picture," Kate said, pulling her phone from out of her pocket. “Cooper, stand on the dock so I can have a picture of you for my desk.”
He walked over to the edge of the dock and posed like he was in a bodybuilding competition. “Like this?” he said, laughing.
She walked closer. “No. Like this.” Without warning, she pushed him straight into the water. Everybody gasped. Cooper popped back to the surface.
“What the heck?”
Kate laughed. “Remember that bet when we played air hockey? It was time to pay the piper.”
Cooper came flying out of the water, laughing, and chased Kate all over the yard. “You come here, woman!” he yelled, trying to get her wet.
“No…” she yelled as she ran from him, her long legs keeping her just out of his reach.
“Mom?” Evie called from the other side of the yard.
“Hang on, honey! This man won’t quit chasing me!”
“Mom…” she called again. Mia heard something different in her voice and turned around.
“Wait… I’m coming…” she said, still running.
“Mom!” Evie finally yelled. Cooper stopped chasing Kate, and she stopped a few feet from her daughter.
“What’s wrong?”
Evie’s face looked stunned as she handed her phone to Kate.
“What’s going on?” Mia asked, walking closer.
“It’s Brandon. He wants to see Evie.”
In that moment, Mia knew things were about to get really uncomfortable, but she also knew that Evie had a whole new family to protect her from getting her heart broken by her father all over again.
Ready to pre-order the next book in the Sweet Tea B&B series? Click here to reserve your copy of SWEET TEA & HONEY BEES right now!
Also, don’t forget to check out my women’s fiction series that starts with THE BEACH HOUSE!
Copyright © 2020 by Rachel Hanna
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No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.
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