Picking up the Pieces

by Jessica Prince

“How you doin’, sugar?” she asked again.

  I let out a small laugh. “I’m good, Mrs. Allen.” I wasn’t exactly sure why she was asking me that again, but I had a sneaking suspicion that I was in for a really uncomfortable conversation.

  “Please call me Ilene.” She sat there looking at me for a few moments before speaking again. I got the distinct feeling that she was studying me to see if my response was honest. That got my hackles up. “You sure about that, Emmy?” she asked, causing my spine to straighten in defense.

  “What do you mean?” I tried to sound casual, but I knew I wasn’t successful at pulling it off.

  “I’m gonna be honest with you right now. I know about everything that happened between you and Luke.”

  I did not want to have this discussion, let alone have it with Luke’s mother. “Mrs. Allen” I started but she quickly interrupted.

  “Please Emmy, call me Ilene, and before you go on the defensive, I just want you to know I’m not here to lecture. God knows I’ve got no business lecturing anyone on the choices they make.” She took a deep breath before continuing. “I just wanted to let you know that I know what you went through, and it probably doesn’t matter for much, but I just wanted you to know that I’m so damn proud of you.”

  I was taken aback by her declaration. I wasn’t sure what brought it on, but hearing her say that was very moving. The tears in her eyes caused me to choke up as well.

  “Thank you, Ilene,” I whispered. “That means a lot.”

  She reached out and wrapped her hand around mine. “I just had to come in here and say that before I left.”

  Wait…what? “What do you mean, leave? Luke just got back into town.” It pissed me off that I automatically jumped at defending Luke’s best interests. I didn’t want to care about him, but no matter how much I was hurt that feeling just never went away.

  “I’ve already talked to Luke about this. He knows where I’m going, and he’s very happy about it.”

  It was exceedingly nosey, but I couldn’t help but ask. “Where are you going?”

  Her smile brightened and reached all the way to her beautiful green eyes. I noticed for the first time in my life that she had the same emerald eyes as Luke. It was unbelievable how much the two of them looked alike. How had I never noticed this? They had the same stark black hair, the same eyes. Even their features resembled the other person’s. When Ilene spoke again, I was absolutely shocked. “I found an inpatient rehab facility in Houston. I leave tomorrow for three months.”

  The tears started running down my cheeks uncontrolled. “Oh my God,” I whispered on a breath. I knew that this had to have meant the world to Luke. I put a hand over my mouth and tried to stifle a sob. I wasn’t sure why I was reacting the way I was. I spent my entire childhood trying to be everything Luke needed since his parents weren’t there for him. To see this woman finally stepping up to be the mother she needed to be, was too much. My heart swelled with pride for her.

  “You gave me the strength to do this darlin’,” she said with a sniffle as her own tears fell.

  I didn’t understand. “Me? How?” In the past eight years, I hadn’t said more than two words to Ilene. How I’d given her strength to do anything was beyond me.

  “You don’t know this, but I’ve been keeping an eye on you all these years. You are the bravest, most beautiful person I’ve ever met.”

  Oh God. I thought.

  “Your courage gave me the strength to do right by my son. I knew just by looking at you that the mother you were while that child was still in your belly was a hundred times the mother I’d ever been to my own child.”

  My heart absolutely broke when she said that. I was so moved by her declaration, but at the same time it made me feel raw to listen to someone talk about Ella. Even after all these years, it was still a hurt that hadn’t dulled.

  “I know this might not matter to you, but I just wanted you to know that I love you, Emmy. For everything you ever did for Luke, I love you, and I’m so damn proud of the woman you’ve become.”

  I stood and walked around the table to her side and hugged her. We stayed wrapped around each other for so long that I was sure everyone in the diner was staring. I couldn’t bring myself to care. After knowing this woman for so many years, we’d just reached a place in our relationship that I never thought we’d get to and that made me so happy. “You’re wrong,” I whispered in her ear. “That matters so damn much.”

  ***

  LUKE

  I would rather have my nails ripped out with pliers and dump salt on the wound than do what I was about to do. I was sitting on her front porch, practicing my deep breathing to keep from hurling all over the Azalea bush in front of me. If I upchucked on Savannah’s flowers, she’d have my ass.

  I’d been waiting on her porch for over an hour, waiting for her to get home from work, and the closer it got to her getting home, the more anxiety twisted in my gut, making me feel sick. When her cherry red Lexus pulled up in the driveway, I wanted to take off running. I’d done two tours in Iraq, yet the idea of a confrontation with a blonde 5’3 chick that couldn’t weigh more than a buck twenty soaking wet, terrified the ever-loving shit out of me.

  She threw her car into park, opened the door and stepped out. Glaring daggers at me over the roof of her car, she crossed her arms over her chest and stomped up to me. “I’m so glad you’re here, Luke.” She said with an evil smile plastered on her face. “I just got me a new handgun, and I’ve been dying to break it in. You’ll make an awesome moving target.”

  I ignored her barb and pushed forward with what I came to do. “We need to talk,” was all I responded with.

  “See, that’s where you’re wrong, Deputy.” Sarcasm dripped from her voice as she said my title. “We don’t need to talk about jack shit. You need to get your ass off my property before I shoot a few extra holes in it.”

  “Look, I know that you hate me and, honestly, it’s not like you’re my favorite person in the world, but I’ve got shit I need to tell you that might make you understand a few things. Is it too much to ask for you to hold off the fire power until we’re done?”

  She studied me for several long seconds. I could see the warring emotions in her eyes. A large part of her wanted to deny me, but there was a small, minuscule part somewhere deep, deep down, that people probably didn’t know existed, that wanted to hear me out. I was praying that part won out. Finally, she responded. “Fine. You’ve got exactly five minutes to tell your story.” She turned and unlocked her front door, and right after it opened, she turned back to me before entering. “But if I don’t like what I hear, I designate the right to cut your balls off.”

  I had no doubt she meant that. She’d gladly rip my nuts off and keep them in a jar by her bed if she could get away with it. “Yeah… I’m not gonna agree to that, Savannah.”

  She shrugged her shoulders and pushed through her front door. “It was worth a shot.” I was shocked as shit when the door didn’t hit me in the face. She was actually letting me into her house. I glanced around to make sure there wasn’t some sort of Luke Allen voodoo shrine in her living room before entering. “What, no altar or Luke doll with pins in the eyes? I’m a little disappointed.”

  She kicked her heels off by the stairs and removed her suit jacket. “I keep my pagan altar in the guest room, don’t worry.”

  “I’d expect nothing less,” I deadpanned as I took in her house. There were pictures hanging on the walls and on the fireplace mantel. Some of her and Emmy, others with the whole gang. On the bookshelf next to the bay window facing the front yard, I noticed a couple of pictures of her and Jeremy. I was surprised to see those, considering they hadn’t been together for years. I didn’t know the whole story behind their breakup, but it wasn’t lost on me that there was still something there between the two of them.

  “You gonna stand there staring at pictures, or are you going to tell me what you came here for? The clock’s ticking.” She tapped her watch to drive her p
oint home.

  I walked over to the recliner and took a seat across from where she was sitting on the couch. Her legs were curled up under her, all casual and confident. I was on edge, and Savannah was cool as a fucking cucumber. I leaned down and rested my elbows on my knees then made eye contact. “A couple of months before I enlisted, my dad came to see me.” I never wanted to tell this to anyone, especially Savannah. But I knew if I didn’t tell her the truth, she’d never forgive me for what I did to Emmy, and I’d never have a chance at getting her back.

  “He came back to town wanting money. My mom wasn’t home when he showed up, and I thank Christ for that. I never wanted her to have to deal with that asshole again.”

  She shook her head in confusion. “I don’t understand. I thought you never saw your dad again after he took off.”

  I rolled my neck, trying to loosen some of the tense muscles. “I didn’t want anyone to know. That’s why I didn’t say anything.”

  “Not even to Emmy?” she asked.

  I rubbed the back of my neck. “Especially not to Emmy. I never thought I was good enough for that girl. She had this light inside of her, and I was this damaged kid that clung on to her like a fuckin’ life line. She was the one good thing I had in my pathetic life, and when my dad left, I was so fuckin’ glad. Not because I wouldn’t have to put up with his shit anymore, but because, maybe with him gone, I’d be good enough for her.”

  I found the courage to look at Savannah after my speech. She was watching me with what I could only guess was a combination of pity and sorrow. I didn’t come here for that, so I had to push forward. “I gave him everything I had. I wanted him to get the hell out and never come back, so I didn’t even blink. I just wrote him a check for every dime I had in the bank and handed it over. I hoped it was enough to keep him from showing back up, but I guess it wasn’t.”

  “He came back?” she asked in a hushed voice.

  “Yeah. A few weeks later, he came back, drunk as shit and askin’ for more fuckin’ money. I didn’t have anything left, and I wasn’t gonna go to Ma and tell her he was back. He wouldn’t leave. Just kept goin’ on about what a worthless piece a shit I was and how he regretted letting my mom keep me. I just lost it. I beat the shit outta the miserable bastard right there in my mom’s living room. She came home and found the two of us going at it and threatened to call the cops if he didn’t get out of her house. Since he had warrants out, he didn’t even blink before he bailed again.”

  Savannah surprised the hell out of me by leaning forward and placing her hand on top of mine. “I’m so sorry, Luke.” I couldn’t stand the pity in her eyes. I stared down at my shoes as I told her the rest.

  “Mom ran upstairs to get the first aid kit for my hand, and I followed him out the door to make sure he left. The last thing he ever said to me was that I was just like him. A miserable, good-for-nothing piece of shit that would blacken everything I touched.”

  I made myself finish telling her what I came to say, even if I felt like a chick pouring my heart out. I needed to get Emmy back, and this was the only way I knew how. “At that moment, I knew he was right. I was never going to be good enough for her. I freaked out after that night with her. I kept picturing her broken down and miserable, just like my mom. I couldn’t risk her losing that light because she settled for me. So I did the one thing I knew would push her away.” I looked up and caught Savannah quickly wiping tears from her cheeks. “Jesus, are you crying?”

  She let out a strangled laugh. “What? I can show emotion when it’s warranted, you prick.”

  I let out a laugh of my own. “Woman, I didn’t even know you had tear ducts.”

  “And there goes our Hallmark moment.” Savannah sniffled through her smile. “Go on,” she said.

  “Honest to God, I thought I was doing the right thing. I thought if I cut off all contact, Emmy would find a guy that actually deserved her and she’d be happy. If I’d known she was pregnant, I would have done everything differently.” I raised my hand when she started to interrupt. “It’s no one’s fault but mine that I didn’t know about the baby. I didn’t give her the chance to tell me, and I’ll regret that until the day I die. But I need you to know that I’d give my life to take away the pain that girl has gone through.” I leaned forward so she could see how serious I was. “I’ll do anything, Savannah. I’d walk through fire for her. I need you to help me get her back.”

  I was terrified that I’d just spilled my guts, and she was going to kick me out the door. I wouldn’t blame her if that were the case, but she was the only person who could help me get through to Emmy. I wasn’t above admitting that.

  “Fuck!” she huffed. “I really don’t want to like you.”

  I threw my head back and let out a deep belly laugh, thankful that Savannah could make light of a tense situation. “Does that mean you’ll help me?

  She blew out a breath and looked at me with a smirk. “Yeah, I’ll help. But I want something in return.”

  Uh oh.

  “What’s that?” I asked cautiously.

  “You see, I’ve got these speeding tickets…”

  CHAPTER 28

  EMERSON

  It had been a few days since my talk with Ilene Allen and I was still reeling. What she said hit me so deeply it was the only thing I’d been able to think about for days. Our conversation and thoughts of Ella ran through my head on a continuous loop. It took a great deal of concentration, but I managed to pull myself out of my head just enough to get my work done at the diner. I was in the middle of the lunch rush and wasn’t paying full attention when the bell over the front door of Virgie May’s rang. When I turned to greet another customer, I was assaulted with the stench of cheap perfume. Allison was standing there in all her slutty glory. She had one hip cocked with her hands resting on them. The smug smile that was spread across her face wasn’t really that intimidating, considering she had a busted lip and the proof of Savannah’s ass kicking was still very evident with all the black and purple bruises.

  “Sorry, no dogs allowed in the diner.” I grinned back at her then turned to help my customers.

  “Bitch,” she mumbled under her breath because she was too chicken shit to say it out loud. “I just wanted to let you know that I’m pressing charges against you and Savannah.” She had a cat-who-ate-the-canary look on her face. “I’m going to make sure you bitches pay for what you did to me.”

  I turned back to her and cocked my hip as well, mimicking her stance. “I’m not sure what you’re talking about, Allison. What did Savannah and I do to you?” I asked with fake confusion.

  “Oh, please. Don’t give me that shit, you stupid skank. You know exactly what I’m talking about.”

  I tilted my head to the side and feigned thinking, then I turned to all the diners sitting at their tables, staring at the exchange between me and Allison with blatant interest. “How many of you were at Colt’s two nights ago?” I asked the entire diner. More than half the people raised their hands. “Do any of you recall the events of that night?”

  Missy Clearwater spoke up then. “I don’t recall you and Savannah doing anything, but I clearly remember Allison tripping and falling on her face.” Missy looked in Allison’s direction. “Sweetie, you really should rethink heels that high if you’re planning to get completely shit-faced. It’s just not wise.”

  I tried so hard not to laugh at Missy. I wish I’d had my phone on me to capture the moment, because the look of disbelief on Allison’s face was legendary. “Anyone else remember Allison falling on her drunk ass that night?” I asked.

  Mr. Clements stood then. “I do remember seeing you and Savannah leaving Colt’s the other night. Neither of you fine ladies even glanced in Allison’s direction, so I’m not sure what she’s talking about.”

  It was then that I remembered why I loved living in a small town so much. I might have had my fair share of shit to deal with in the past, but Savannah and I were loved by the people in this town, and when you have the love of
a small town, they will back you through thick and thin.

  “Are you fucking kidding me?” Allison shrieked. “Y’all all know what those two bitches did to me. Just look at my face!”

  “Now, there’s no need for name-calling, Ms. Crabtree. If you can’t be polite to our little Emmy here, then you just need to go on,” Mr. Clements stated. God, I loved that man.

  “Unbelievable!” Allison’s shrill voice was really starting to give me a headache. “Well, Luke was there, and I know he’ll back me up.”

  Right at that moment, as if he was just waiting for the perfect opportunity, Luke walked through the doors of the diner with a determined look on his face. He was heading straight for me when he caught sight of Allison. She immediately grabbed on to his arm with a death grip and plastered a pathetic look on her face. “Honey, you know what Savannah and Emerson did to me Thursday night! Everyone is claiming I slipped and fell, but I know the truth and I want to press charges.” She batted her fake eyelashes at him, causing me to throw up in my mouth. “You’ll help me, won’t you, baby?”

  Luke looked at me with a blank expression then glanced back at Allison. “Ms. Crabtree. You can’t press charges against someone just because you got drunk and fell down in a bar. The law doesn’t work that way.”

  “But…” she started. “Baby, you know. You saw what they did to me.”

  Luke pulled his arm from her grasp and came to stand beside me. “I didn’t see anything,” he stated in a voice so cold, I almost felt sorry for her. Almost. “But I do know one thing, if you weren’t such a conniving bitch, maybe the people in this town would back you up when you needed them.” Whoa, I honestly didn’t expect that to come out of Luke’s mouth. I was even more shocked when he continued. “Despite what these people saw or didn’t see, I feel confident when I say that you got what you deserved. Now you need to get the hell out of Emmy’s diner.” He stalked over to where Allison stood, and if his size wasn’t enough to intimidate, what came out of his mouth next most certainly was. “And don’t come back. If I ever see you near Emmy or Savannah again, I’ll arrest you for harassment.”