Cross Your Mind (An Emerson Novel Book 3)

by K L Finalley

  "Wait? You changed your names, too? This is all too much to take," Barbara said as she walked out of the room.

  "I can't believe you didn't tell us. We've spoke so many times. This is a big step to take without talking to your family first. You barely know this girl," Sheryl said.

  Jacqueline and Mallory tried not to listen. They tried to focus on the hugs and the well-wishes.

  "Oh, honey," Misty exclaimed and high stepped to Mallory. Hannah followed to ogle over the idea of going to Hawaii.

  Stepping away from Mallory, Jacqueline shook the hands of Guy, Nelson, Grant, and Bob. But, all congratulations ceased when the cake was unveiled. The four-square tiered cake that was decorated in blue fondant with edible orchids and hibiscuses was wheeled from the kitchen to the breakfast nook to be sliced. Children lined up like school was in session awaiting their slice, but the servers insisted that Jacqueline and Mallory slice into it. For the sake of tradition, they cut the first piece and fed it to one another without incident. Then, they moved away for the servers to serve the remainder. Returning to the living room, Jacqueline sat in the chair and Mallory sat on its arm.

  "This is bullshit," Alex said. "So, Jo went to the courthouse. Olive's having some hippy love circle. You two," she pointed to them with her index finger, "eloped by to a volcano under the waterfall on the moon or some shit. Pam's still married to some other fucker. I had a wedding thinking one of you would have one I could be in, but nooo. No one's going to," she chastised.

  "Hmm," Jacqueline thought. "Guess not," she shrugged.

  "I can't stand y'all," and the baby kicked. She placed her hand on her stomach.

  "See, Paislee's on our side," Mallory said.

  "She might be the only one, " Olive pointed out as looked around the divided room. In the foyer stood, Jacqueline's mother, aunt, uncle, and stepfather. They were whispering their displeasure. In the kitchen, Mallory's mother and brother had staged their protest.

  As Jacqueline was surveying the room, she heard Big Jack, "Excuse me, darlin'?"

  "Yes, Big Jack," she said as she started to stand.

  "It's time for this sack of bones to head home," Big Jack was standing in front of the living room. "I've had a wonderful time. You've got a wonderful home and a beautiful wife." Looking at Mallory, he smiled and said, "Congratulations on your nuptials."

  Heading to him, she said, "Thank you so much for everything. It was wonderful of you to come." And, she kissed him on the cheek, "Is your driver here?"

  "Of course, you don't pay as much money as I do for him to not come when you call," he joked.

  "I'll walk you out," Jacqueline passed him and opened the door. He said goodnight and was flooded with hugs and handshakes. Once the farewells were complete, he met her at the door and she waited as he navigated outside.

  "I knew," he said.

  "Knew what?"

  "Knew you'd married her."

  "How? What? No, you didn't," she thought he was teasing her.

  "I know everything," he said with a wink. Then, he pointed to her pocket and said, "The envelope."

  "Oh, I'm sorry, Big Jack. I haven't looked at it yet. I thought I would later. It seemed rude to look now," she said.

  "And, that's why you're mine. Jacqueline, God gave me two underwhelming boys. Jack, my first born, the world's worst business man," he held his hand up. "Before you defend him, tell me what's he ever sold? Now, he has political aspirations. God help us all," he closed his eyes in a fake prayer. "Then, there's my youngest, Tommy. Sweet boy, but I wanted to get him tested. His mother insisted he wasn't special. Lord, rest her soul. He decided he wanted to be a chef, so I sent him to culinary school. Goddamn boy failed out. Who fails out of cooking school? So, this lil fucker has been using his inheritance buying restaurants. Not one of 'em. Not a goddamn one of 'em has ever succeeded. Our family has fought for this state, for this country for over a century. We've got men in every war. We've got women in fighting against slavery and for suffrage. Boyds were building roads and railroads. Boyds were buying land, building ships, starting the first newspaper." He shifted his weight on his cane. "The whole damn thing rests on my shoulders. I've done my best. God knows I have. I reported the truth when it wasn't good news. I've been beat up and locked up and locked out. I own properties and businesses in most of these counties. I put my hands in everything I could. It's about legacy, but what happens when I'm gone?" he asked.

  "Don't talk that way," she said. "You're fine. Your mind's as sharp as it's ever been. You're the same newsman I remember when I started. I'm still amazed at how people react to you."

  "It's the cane," he winked. "You're the future," he pointed to her chest. "You're the one I'm proud of. You're picking the stories and guiding that paper. You're making things news for people who barely read and you're doing it with responsibility."

  "The news'll always be relevant," she said.

  "And, that's why you're a Boyd. You believe in something." The driver started up the steps to assist him.

  "I'm fairly certain that mean, old lady in there did not have sex with you, which prevents me from being a Boyd, but I do believe in the paper," she hugged him tight. "I'm so happy you came," and the envelope fell out of her pocket. He was walking towards his car when she picked it up and opened it. It was a check. "Wait, Big Jack, wait." He didn't stop. She hustled down the steps and towards the car. As she jogged to catch up to the old man with the cane, her mind thought pavers would've been better. "Big Jack, this is too much."

  Despite her run and her conversation, he nor the driver stopped. The driver opened the door and helped Big Jack into the backseat. He sat down and buckled in and the driver closed the door. By the time, she reached him, he had peppermint in his mouth. "Didn't I tell you - you were a Boyd?" he waved his finger at him.

  "Yeah, I know, I know."

  "It's more than that. I love ya, darlin'."

  "But, this...this is too much. I can't accept this," she tried to hand it back to him.

  "Course you can. I buy all my kids first houses, and, I might add what you did was amazing. Those boys could learn from you." He waved his finger at the house. "This thing is worth a million and a half, but they were about to foreclose on a half a million-dollar mortgage, so you offered them just enough to pay the mortgage, pay the agent, pay the closing costs, and have few dollars. Nice move." The peppermint clanked. "Helluva deal. So, I figure the house, the renovations, the insurance, and a little something extra."

  "I can't take this. I can't take advantage of you," she pleaded.

  "Oh, darlin'. I know that. Now, go in there and love your wife and tell the rest of them eyesores to get the fuck out. You gotta remember that not everyone is gonna be happy when you are. All you have to do is be happy and let them worry about their damn selves. I love ya, darlin'. Goodnight." And, the driver eased away before she could say another word. She stood there in the street for a few minutes staring at the taillights of his car. Then, she folded the check four times and placed it carefully into her pocket.

  She ran her hand through her hair, turned, and faced the house. It sat staring back at her. With all the lights on, the second floor looked like eyes and the myriad of lighted windows on the ground floor looked like a smile. She paced in the street.

  The lights under the porte-cochere were on and they lit the catering van. One of the servers was sitting on the front of it smoking. She startled him. He looked as though he wanted to run away, but she waved off his fears with a smile. No words were exchanged. She didn't have any. She'd run out of words. She walked over to the garage and pulled out her phone. Using the app, she opened all the bays. She didn't enter the garage, but she stared at the Laredo, Mallory's car, and the new truck. Each was sitting quietly in their homes. She looked at the flooring and wall. She felt the rush of air conditioning. She examined the overheard lighting and smiled at the empty bay. She knew Zoe's car would sit there one day; then with a swipe of her phone, she closed the bays.

  Her words hadn't
returned. She felt so many different things, so many emotions that she tucked her hands into her pockets. Her fingers ran across the check that rested in her pocket. She leaned against the side of the garage. Her mind was racing, recollecting the events of the night when she heard voices. She couldn't hear the conversation, but she had a strong feeling that whatever was being said wasn't celebratory. Her mind repeated what Big Jack had just said to her tell the rest of them eyesores to get the fuck out. So, she opened her unlocked gate and walked around the pavers onto the back porch and discovered Owen on his phone showing Cody live video of the house.

  "Well, good evening," she said. "Is that Cody?" Owen didn't respond. He stood there in silence still holding the phone in his hand. She walked over and stood beside him. Peering over his shoulder, she looked at the screen. "Yes, it is. Hi, Cody. Did you get a good glimpse of the backyard? It's kinda dark back here. And, I'm not sure Owen knew enough to explain all of it. Let me help." Removing the phone from Owen's hand, she turned on the backyard lights and walked around the backyard giving him a tour of the outdoor kitchen and the pool. She explained that the pool's automatic cover that would withstand a thousand pounds of weight. She clarified how it worked and, technically, why they didn't need a fence but had one anyhow. She showed him side of the garage and explained that the upper deck was a mother-in-law suite. Then, she explained how she'd had the half-bathroom in the garage turned into a poolside bathroom, which included a changing area and two shower stalls with a side door in the backyard. She showed him the porch swing and other backyard furniture. Then, she said, "You know what, I'm not a horrible person. I don't intend to start being one, but I could. I invited Owen and his family into my home. Cody, why don't you tell Owen how many times we've talked on the phone. How many calls you've made to me when Zoe wouldn't answer? How many times I've made her call you? Tell him that I paid for her visits to you when you didn't have the money and I never asked for it back. I know what the problem is. I know exactly what it is, but what are we going to do…."

  "Everything okay?" Elet said as he stepped out of the glass doors. He and Alex had been watching from inside the house.

  Jacqueline shook her head. "Everything's just fine. Cody's on the phone and Owen's been videoing the house."

  "Well, it is a very nice house," Elet said with a beer in his hand. Owen nor Cody had said a word.

  A hand touched Elet on his back. "Thank you, Elet, but this time, it's my turn to have her back," and Mallory stepped outside.

  "I think I'm gonna stay," Elet said.

  "I think we will, too," said Drew. He had Olive, Paige, and Brett with him.

  "Well, it's not a party if you don't have all the Walden boys," Silas said as he and Reese joined them.

  Mallory took the phone from Jacqueline's hand. "I don't know if everyone can see this person on this phone or not, but this man is Cody Dean Russell, my ex-husband and Zoe's father. Oh, and my brother's best friend. Cody, why are you on the phone?"

  "He called me," Cody threw Owen under the bus.

  "He needed to know..." Owen started to say.

  "Shut up, Owen," Mallory said. "Just shut up. You know, you're never gonna get it, are you? Cody doesn't care. He's not your secret agent. You're not the Commissioner and he's not Batman, but whatever. I don't care. I'm not doing this with you. Cody, I'm hanging up on you. If you want to fight me for custody, you know how to do it and you know where to do it. If you want to see your daughter for the next holiday, call me and make arrangements. If you want to call her tomorrow and ask how she likes her new house, new room, new puppy, call her tomorrow and ask her. That's how this works. Period. You got it?"

  "I got it," he said.

  "Good. Bye," Mallory hung up on Cody and threw Owen's phone over the fence.

  "Dammit. That's my damn phone!" Owen yelled.

  "Right, the one you used to take videos of my house to send to my ex to cause trouble," She crossed her arms and extended her leg. "I'm your only sister and you're more loyal to a friend than me. I'll never get it, Owen. Ever. But, you know what," she walked over to him. "I don't care anymore. I don't care one damn bit. Call Mom and Dad out here. Send a letter. Call Cody. Let the world know. I don't care. This is it."

  The patio doors opened and Barbara walked outside. Mallory continued, "Good, the gang's all here. I can't do this. I can't play your little game. I love you, but I can't and I won't. I can't care anymore. If you can't love me, accept me, my family, my wife, then this is it. You don't have to come around, but it's your choice. I invited you and this is what I got. So, okay. This is it."

  "You're the one that's always been different. The one that's always done her own thing. You couldn't just stay close and go to school. You couldn't stand by your husband. You were the one that nothing was good enough for. If you don't like how your life worked out, don't blame us, Mallory Ann," Barbara screamed.

  "What are you talking about? I went to college in Orlando, because I got a scholarship. So, I went. That led to job opportunities. And, you're right. I didn't stand by Cody. Because I didn't love him…"

  "Don't you dare say that where Zoe can hear you!"

  Mallory started to laugh. "Do you honestly think that Zoe doesn't know that I don't love Cody? I mean, honestly. We weren't even married when she was born."

  "And, what a disgrace that was...and, now this," Barb said as she waved her hand around in the air. "I have no idea what's wrong with you, but we weren't the cause of whatever your problem is."

  "My problem? I got married to someone who loves me and my daughter. We live in a nice home. We have careers. I've done so well that I offered to help with your mortgage, but I have a problem," Mallory squinted her eyes. She peered at her mother, then her face went blank. Then, she approached her mother and said, "You know what, Mom, you're right. There's something wrong with me. I've tried too hard. Too hard to make you happy. Too hard to make you proud, but I'm done. I really am."

  "Make me proud?" Barb said as she rolled her eyes.

  Standing her ground, Mallory explained, "That's right. I tried. I swear I did, but I quit. Think whatever you want about me. You do anyhow."

  "Mallory, you're so damn dramatic. I never know what's gotten into you, but I can't be a part of this insanity."

  "And you shouldn't," Mallory said with her arms folded.

  Without moving, Barb retorted, "If that's the way you want it, Mallory." Then, she turned and walked inside the house. Over her shoulder, she said, "Come on, Owen, we're leaving. I won't stand here and take this."

  "Mallory, you've always ruined everything," Owen said as he re-entered the house.

  In shock, the outside party dissipated and, slowly, returned to the inside of the house. Mallory followed with Jacqueline behind her. Upon their return, Jacqueline saw Sheryl and Lee and the rest of Jacqueline's family standing in the foyer preparing to leave. Sheryl chimed in, "Q, I'm not sure what to say to you. You've never really wanted us around. Never wanted our help or advice. Never thought you needed it. I guess your grandmother taught you that."

  "Mom, I don't need your advice or help with my love life. You didn't even like the idea of my love life until recently," Jacqueline snickered.

  "I'm not sure what's so damn funny," Sheryl said. "You brought us here to make fun of us for being regular folks."

  "You're right, Mom. You're the perfectly regular folk who won a Grammy and has three gold records. Perfectly regular." Shaking her head and speaking to herself, she said, "I can't do this. You want to feel like I did something to you, then fine. Feel like it. Live in that little prison all by yourself." And, she walked away.

  "Excuse me, Jacqueline," Sheryl said with her hands on her hips.

  Without hesitation, Jacqueline replied, "Mama, I've spent years telling you I'm not mad or sad or embarrassed by your career. Everyone you meet has gushed over your talent. Everyone but Pops. He's convinced you that I'm this crazy, screwed up kid who is mixed up, because her parents were minor stars. But, I'm not screwed up. Yo
u let him treat me bad..."

  "I never did any…"

  "You did. That nickname's insulting. He's insulting me. You let your husband insult me with a nickname, but I took it. Because I can take it. Fine. Whatever. But, listen, don't come in here and pretend like you're coming to save the day when you don't have to. I'm not in trouble. The thing I'm most proud of is the period of our life that Pops wants you to hide. The part of you that you think you need to give to me is the part I don't want. I'm not pushing you away. I don't hate my sisters or my cousins. I'm not ashamed of who I am. I know who I am. I'm the daughter of Sheryl Ralph and Dexter Emerson of The Measure. They went on to do other things after their time in the band but that's who they were. I can admit it. You can't."

  Sheryl stared at her daughter. "I gave that up for you," she said.

  "That's fine, too, but don't forget you did it. And, doing it will never make you or me ordinary," Jacqueline said.

  Lee said, "Sheryl, we gotta get on the road."

  "Pops, the van'll take you to the hotel. You don't have to get on the road til the morning. Miami is too long of a drive tonight."

  "I'm not staying where I'm accused mistreating you," he said.

  "Tell me this…why do you call me Q?" she looked around at them all. Her mood had changed. Mallory stood beside her. Elet stood at the entrance to the living room, watching but not speaking. "Did I ever laugh? Was it funny to me or was it funny about me? When I was upstairs in my room writing or playing music, did you think I couldn't hear you? Did you think I couldn't hear what you said? Was it nice?" No one answered. "Was it nice when they said that I wasn't like regular kids, Mama? Did you stop them?"

  "Q... I mean, Jacqueline…they didn't understand that you hadn't grown up playin' outside..." Sheryl tried to defend them.

  "Save your excuses for them. I forgave all of you years ago, but please don't stand here and blame me for not being close to you. This is my life. We can work on being close, but, as my wife said, we aren't playing by old rules anymore. I love you all, but I will never be called Q again. Never. My mother and my father named me Jacqueline and that's what I will be called from now on."