Under the Gun

by Kelsey Browning

  “No, I’m saying I think we can make this work. You’ll live here in Summer Shoals, and I’ll come stay with you—be your bracelet—between projects. And I’ll be very, very picky about the ones that I take on.”

  All the heaviness that had been living inside her for the past few years began to lift. “You would do that?”

  “That you have to ask kills me, but I understand because it’s always been about me, about my work.”

  She threw her arms around his neck and pulled him close. “You’ve given me such a gift.”

  He looked down at her, a sheepish grin on his face. “Now, I know you want to make your own way, but would you be willing to accept one more gift?”

  “I don’t need anything.”

  “I found a beautiful old farmhouse and started to buy that for you, but then I realized that would be silly because you love Summer Haven. But I wanted you to have something of your very own here.” He tugged her toward the old cotton gin. “How would you feel about being the new owner of the Gypsy Cotton Gallery?”

  “I would feel like the luckiest woman in the world.” She went on tiptoes to give him a heartfelt kiss. “I love you, Marcus.”

  “I love you, Serendipity Johnson.”

  Chapter 25

  With the small striped bag from A Charmed Life in hand, Sera walked into Lil’s hospital room, relieved to see her sitting up in bed. Her color still wasn’t good, but it was a huge improvement over when she’d been admitted.

  Maggie was perched on the bed next to Lil, and Sera could picture those two gals fifty years ago sharing popcorn and romance novels back at William and Mary. Their friendship ran deep. Abby Ruth stood straight and tall, one boot crossed over the other, flipping through the channels on the television, probably in search of a ball game.

  “Sera,” Lil’s voice didn’t sound quite steady yet. “I’m glad you’re here.”

  Jenny walked in behind Sera with a cardboard box full of drink cups. “Me too. Teague is beside himself over that gun baby outing.”

  “Great. Probably lecture time the next time we have dinner at your place,” Abby Ruth mumbled. “Chicken mull and a lecture is not like dinner and a movie, just sayin’.”

  Lil sighed. “Yes, well, I put us in jeopardy. I’m so sorry. I thought I could be part of your special team, but all I did was get myself nearly killed. I don’t fit in. I promise I won’t interfere again.”

  Maggie patted her arm. “Don’t say that. You are one of us. All of us—we’re a team.”

  Sera walked over to the hospital bed and pulled the rolling table closer so that Jenny could put the box of drinks on it. “I was thinking exactly the same thing,” Sera said. “In fact, I picked up something special for us today.”

  She lifted the bag by the silky handles, then emptied the contents on the table.

  With all five of them around the table, she pushed the Tiffany blue tissue paper to Lil, the red to Maggie, a turquoise bandana paisley patterned paper to Abby Ruth, white with silver stars toward Jenny, then took the pink and white striped paper for herself. Each bag matched the color of the bracelets inside. “I chose each of these out for a special reason.” She gestured for them to pick the gifts up. “Come on. All at the same time.” She slipped hers out of the tissue paper and held it up by the delicate ribbon.

  An appreciative gasp came from Maggie. “Typewriter keys with our monograms on them.”

  Abby Ruth turned hers over in her hand. “What’s the G for?”

  Sera laughed. “Okay, stick with me here. You need the context of this story. It seemed perfect in that moment.” She told them Marcus’ comments about the grannies. The hot, sexy, smart, kick-butt grannies.

  “I love it,” Abby Ruth said with a grin. “We’re cool grannies.”

  “We will always be there for each other. This bracelet symbolizes our unity,” Sera explained. “If we’re ever separated, as long as we wear these bracelets we can count on one another to get us through…even the toughest times,” she said, glancing to first Lil then Abby Ruth.

  Lil lifted her bracelet from the pretty tissue. Her blue eyes glistened as she read the quote punched around the bottom of each monogram, “She believed she could, so she did.” She held out her wrist and had Maggie clasp it into place next to her hospital bracelet. Then she helped Maggie with hers while Abby Ruth and Jenny did the same. Finally, Lil motioned for Sera to hand hers over, and she secured it around her wrist with hands that shook slightly. Then she held on and reached for Maggie’s hand too, nodding for everyone to do the same until they were joined in a circle. “Girls, in all my days, I have never had more special friends or shared a more special moment.”

  * * *

  Although Abby Ruth wasn’t normally much of a jewelry gal, Sera’s gift had touched her heart. Yes, she’d been angry and hurt that her friends had hidden their investigation from her, but now she could clearly see they’d only been guilty of protecting her.

  In the hospital hallway, she let the light catch her bracelet’s metal charms.

  “Admiring your wrist?”

  Abby Ruth turned to find Jenny standing there, a weary smile on her face.

  “You have to admit Sera knows her stuff when it comes to baubles.”

  Jenny twisted her arm, her own charms making a pleasant chiming ping. “It was sweet of her to include me, especially since I’m not…”

  “Not what?”

  “Not one of you.”

  A pain far worse than she’d endured after surgery gouged Abby Ruth, and she slumped back against the hallway wall. She rubbed her hairline, no doubt making her grays stand out like the lights outside that strip club. Then she took Jenny’s hand and pulled her closer. “If by ‘not one of you,’ you mean not of a mature age, then you’re right. But Jenny, you will always, always be one of me. In fact, for a long time, you were the only bright thing in my world.”

  “Besides seeing naked men in locker rooms, you mean?”

  “Well, that’s a completely different situation.” Abby Ruth wrapped an arm around her daughter’s waist, and Jenny rested her head against Abby Ruth’s shoulder. “I’m sorry if I’ve ever made you feel left out. That wasn’t my intention when I stayed in Georgia.”

  “It’s not Lil or Maggie or Sera that I resent sometimes.”

  “It’s me.”

  “No, it’s—”

  “I’m sorry I tried to deal with this cancer diagnosis by myself.”

  Jenny’s body went limp next to hers. “Mom, I—”

  “But somewhere in my mind, I thought it would be better all-around if no one was burdened with all this.”

  “The crazy part of your mind.”

  She huffed a laugh. “Which is pretty much all of it.” Still, she stared at the opposite wall when she said to her daughter, “Even though the outlook was good, I was scared spitless when I found out. And for some reason, I figured the less I talked about it, the fewer people who knew, the less real it was. Because if no one else found out, the cancer wasn’t actually real, was it?”

  “You’re never scared.”

  “Pu-lease. Sugar, you’re a mother yourself. And scared is the friggin’ definition of the word mother. Tell me you don’t have that tiny alarm bell going off inside you every time Grayson walks out the door.”

  “That’s different. He’s just a little boy.”

  “Jenny, no matter how old you get, you will always be my little girl. And I will always want to protect you. It’s—”

  “—just what mothers do.” Jenny lifted her head. “I’m sorry I pushed you about the treatment. You were right, it’s your decision.”

  Dr. Dempsey’s recommendations for the radiation had been right. Her prognosis was excellent, but why tempt fate? She should do it even though it would probably further change the way her breast looked. Hell, it wasn’t as if she’d ever been Dolly Parton. What did it matter if her itty-bitty titties were even itty-bittier?

  But tiny tits would allow her to continue solving cases with
her friends.

  “I’ve made my decision. You don’t have to worry about me changing my mind because I will finish every last one of those radiation treatments. Dr. Dempsey says there’s no reason I won’t be around for a good long time. But maybe you and Teague might want to get going on that baby. I want to be buying cap guns and slingshots before too long.”

  “You already stock up on those for Grayson.”

  “Oh, but I have a feeling this next one is gonna be a girl, and she might have a hankering for weapons as flashy as Jessie Wyatt’s gauntlets.”

  “I can’t believe you’re not still frothing at the mouth about your own guns disappearing.”

  “When it comes down to it, they’re all just hunks of metal. Completely replaceable. But the people in my life? I couldn’t replace a one of them, especially Grayson, Teague, or you.”

  “Mom?”

  “Yeah?”

  “What about Red Jensen? Do you have any plans for him?”

  Jenny’s questions set Abby Ruth’s heart to jumping at what had to be an unhealthy rate, so she forced a casual note into her voice. She wasn’t quite ready to tackle Jenny’s curiosity about Red or Red’s sudden move to Summer Shoals. “Why do you ask?”

  “Because he’s handsome and his eyes sparkle when he looks at you. Something about him feels special.”

  Oh, he was special in so many ways. “Let’s just say that a part of my past might become even more important in the future.”

  * * *

  Finally feeling like her personal life was back on track, Sera walked into the parlor where Abby Ruth, Maggie and Lil were playing a hand of crazy eights. “I have some news.”

  Abby Ruth folded her cards into one nice neat stack in front of her, and Maggie fanned herself with hers. Lil fondled the charm on the bracelet Sera had given her. “What’s going on?”

  Sera climbed into the fourth chair and sat cross-legged, her whole insides as tight as Tupperware bowl that had already been burped. “I’ve decided I’m going to LA with Marcus.”

  The air seemed to evacuate the room.

  Lil reached for her hand. “Honey, he’s a good man.”

  “I know. He’s been so patient while I tried to deal with my dad’s death and my midlife confusion.”

  “When we lose a parent,” Maggie said, “or a spouse like Lil and I have, it can turn your world topsy-turvy. Marcus loves you, and I know you’ll be happy together.”

  Abby Ruth crossed her long lean legs. “I’m going to miss you.”

  “Thank you, Abby Ruth. You know all of you are like family to me.” She sucked in a long slow breath. “Lil, I’d like to keep my van here, if that’s okay with you.”

  “Of course, dear, but don’t you want it with you?”

  “Actually I do.” She broke out into a smile. “And it will be, because I’m coming back to Summer Shoals to live. If you’ll have me.”

  “What?” Lil leaped to her feet. “But I thought you just said…”

  “Marcus and I have finally figured it out. I’ll live in Georgia, and when he’s between projects, he’ll come here. With this creative lifestyle, Marcus and I might end up happier than we’ve ever been.”

  “That’s perfect,” Abby Ruth agreed.

  “And if you’re open to it, I’d like to live here at Summer Haven,” Sera said. “But Lil, I want to pay rent.”

  “Don’t be silly.” Lil shook her head adamantly. “I will not take your money.”

  “But there are so many things that need to be done around here. Marcus thinks it’s a good idea too. After all, he’d be staying here when he’s in town. We want to ease the financial concerns here at Summer Haven. He’s truly smitten with this place, Lil. Don’t be surprised if he sends me back with a contract for that movie shoot.”

  Lil clapped her hands. “I’d love that, but I have some other ideas to ease the financial constraints around here too,” she said with a smile.

  “Oh Lord, when you get to thinking I always get a little nervous,” Abby Ruth said. “Teague warned me about you. It took me this long to figure out exactly what he meant.”

  A sly grin spread across Lil’s face.

  “Look what came today,” Lil said, getting up from her seat at the head of the table. She crossed the room to the mahogany breakfront china cabinet. She opened one of the glazed glass pane doors and took out a deep burgundy box the size of a ream of legal paper. She carried it across the room as if she were one of the wise men bearing gifts, then set it down in the center of the table. “New beginnings.”

  The girls exchanged glances and waited. That eyebrow of Abby Ruth’s was dancing around on her forehead the way it did when she got suspicious.

  Lil nodded toward Sera. “You gave me the idea with our bracelets. You do the honors.”

  Sera blinked, and then leaned forward and carefully lifted the top of the box. She peeled the top piece of heavy linen stationery from the stack, then passed a sheet to Maggie and Abby Ruth. A logo bearing a typewriter key of the letter G with the word team in swirly embossed letters graced the top. Below that, a local PO box. Along one end of the box was a row of business cards printed with the same information.

  “I’m not sure I understand,” Sera said.

  “If we’re going to do this investigation stuff, we should do it right,” Lil said. “And every respectable organization should have letterhead and business cards.” She reached into her pocket and pulled out an iPhone, one of those big models. “And…we have a phone number, too.” She waved the phone in a royal blue case with a black typewriter key logo on the back. The letter G.

  “The G Team, huh?” Abby Ruth said. “G for Grannies. Hot, sexy, smart, kick-butt grannies.”

  “When in the world did you have all this made?” Maggie asked.

  Lil ducked her head. “Does it make me sound opportunistic if I say the idea came to me right after Jessie’s gauntlets disappeared? It became very clear to me that we’ll never lack for cases to investigate.”

  “Amen, sister,” Abby Ruth said. “Except next time, I hope our case doesn’t involve any of my possessions.”

  Maggie, a grin on her face, held up the letterhead. “Lil, you know no one writes letters these days, right?”

  Lil sniffed in that Southern belle way she had. “I aim to change that. If we expect to attract repeat clients, it’s critical to send thank-you notes.”

  They each held out a hand, presenting their solidarity bracelets. “Here’s to the newly created G Team,” Sera said. “Looks like we have all the resources we need the next time we’re under the gun.”

  * * *

  Abby Ruth was so darn relieved to hear Sera wasn’t abandoning their little Summer Haven commune that she didn’t even put up a fuss when Jenny insisted on driving with her to Atlanta again.

  Now she could admit that transferring her care from MD Anderson in Texas was the best decision she could’ve made. The medical care there was second to none, but the people here in Georgia, especially her friends, made all the difference.

  Dr. Dempsey had reconfirmed today that early detection and surgery had left her in a good position. Sure, there’d be the radiation and more checkpoints, but for now things seemed to be going in her favor, and she felt as if she were walking ten feet off the ground as she left his office today.

  Jenny kept pace with her. “Dr. Dempsey was totally flirting with you, and if I didn’t know better, I’d think you were flirting back.”

  The surprise in Jenny’s voice irked her. What? Did her daughter think she was too old to flirt? “Did you get a good look at him?”

  “Yes, I saw him. But he’s your doctor.”

  “He’s single. And hot. A Falcons fan, but hey…can’t hold that against a man born and raised in Atlanta. And he did have Dallas Cowboy blue eyes. I would catch that man’s passes all day long.” Except now she was much more interested in Red Jensen’s…curve ball.

  “Lord, Mom.” Jenny’s laughter indicated she was doing a mental eye roll. “I think
there’s some kind of rule against doctor-patient fraternization.”

  “Don’t be a prude. You’ve got Teague. Maggie has Bruce. Sera has her hot Hollywood hunk Marcus. Why can’t I have some fun? And besides, you heard him. I won’t be in his care much longer. A little zip zap on the old boobage and I’ll be good as new.”

  “I bet they add that testimonial to their next hospital brochure: ‘The finest zip zap boobage treatment in the Southeast. Satisfaction guaranteed!’”

  “You can be a real smart aleck, you know that?”

  Jenny pulled her in for a hard hug. “I learned from the very best.”

  A shrieking hello came from down the hall, followed by a woman’s voice. “There they are!” Sera, Lil, and Maggie came rushing toward Abby Ruth and Jenny.

  What were they doing here?

  Sera took Abby Ruth by the hand. “How’d it go?”

  “Good news, things look shipshape. We’ve got a plan, and I’m doing the radiation. But you drove over a hundred miles. How did you know where we were?”

  “It was on your calendar,” Lil said.

  “My calendar is in my room.” Abby Ruth’s face took on a suspicious cast. “You went in my room? Do I have to remind you what happened the last time y’all barged in on my space?”

  “Hold on to your bootstraps,” Lil said. “I was dusting the baseboards. I saw the note on the calendar when I was cleaning behind your bedside table.”

  “You can blame me,” Maggie said. “We wanted to be here for you and it was my idea to surprise you.”

  “And the doctor thought the treatment would be the hardest thing for me to deal with. He’s obviously never met y’all!”

  “Thank goodness you’re done,” Sera said, pulling Abby Ruth along as she skipped down the corridor. “We only have four minutes to get over to the atrium. We have another surprise for you.”

  “I hope it’s lunch.” Abby Ruth let the group herd her down a long hallway where a group of people were congregating at the end.