by M. Allen
“Daddy! Stop it!” She smacked her hands on his butt. “You’re gonna hurt yourself.”
“You forget I wrestle with cows for a livin’.” He stomped down the stairs then turned to walk toward the back of the house. “You are like lifting a bird compared to them.”
“Where are you taking me?” All she wanted was a little peace and quiet, to let the world go by. Her old life was dead and gone. The least she could do was mourn it on her own terms.
“To have a bath. You stink.” He carried her down the long hall, through the living room, past the office, through the kitchen and straight out the back door.
Cold air stung her naked legs. Magnolia put her hand across her backside, holding down the nighty so her white cotton panties wouldn’t show. Fall had come upon them and even the sunny sky was dotted with gray clouds. Her skin prickled. Her temper began to rise. “The bathrooms are inside.” She kicked her legs, trying to squirm from her father’s grip. For a man in his late sixties, he was still built like a farm hand.
Masculine voices rose in the distance, and she squirmed even harder. “Don’t do this in front of your employees.”
“Sometimes, ya kids need a bit of tough love. Especially when they ain’t seein’ things straight.”
One second, she was over his shoulder; the next, she was tossed backward, landing in some kind of shallow pool. Her head seeped under. Freezing cold water blurred her vision and she fought to right herself. When she sat up, a chorus of laughter surrounded her. Grabbing onto the sides of the the metal tub, she looked around. “A trough? You dropped me in a trough?!”
Her father crossed his arms over his chest and smiled. “Damn right.”
The water overflowed and sloshed about as she wiggled to move around. “This isn’t funny! This is my life.”
“That’s right, darlin’. This is your life, and you need to face it. Lying in bed all day long ain’t goin’ to work for ya.”
Just as she was about to stand, a pig wandered by. Magnolia watched as three men she’d never seen before leaned up against the fence like this was the best show they’d ever witnessed. When she turned around, she spotted a wide-eyed Dax standing only a few feet away with a giggling Hayden at his side, clapping. “Mommy all wet.”
She pushed back the sopping hair from her face. “How do you know what’s workin’ for me?”
“Because you’re my daughter, and most of all, you’re a Reed. Now get your ass up. It’s time. We’ve all been through break-ups and divorce and all kinds of other shit. What makes you strong is not how you let it consume ya. It’s how you deal with it.”
“None of this is fair.”
He threw up his arms. “Well, darlin’, it’s not a fair world. Life isn’t about fairness. It’s about playing the cards you’re dealt.”
“Ugh, I don’t even know what that means,” she moaned.
“It means sometimes life deals you a shit hand. But if you play it the right way, you could end up winning and even happier than before.” Then, just like that, he turned and walked away, leaving her in the freezing water.
A cold shiver overtook her body and her teeth began to chatter. Maybe her father was right? Placing her hands on the sides of the trough, she hauled herself up, then notched her chin at the three stable hands who were still watching. “What? I don’t recall sellin’ tickets to see a show,” she barked. They turned around, scurrying in the other direction.
Then she turned her gaze on Dax. “What are you lookin’ at?”
She almost wanted him to start a fight with her so she’d have someone to take out her anger on. He cleared his throat. “Ah, Maggie. Um, yeah.” He nodded toward her chest then averted his gaze.
When she looked down at herself, she quickly grabbed the material of her nightdress and pulled it away from her body. “Son of a bitch.” The white cotton had soaked clear through, and the cold was doing nothing to hide any part of her body. “Ugh, wet t-shirt contest is not my thing.”
With a chuckle, Dax pulled the jacket from his shoulders and walked over to her. Without looking down, he handed it over. “Here.”
She had no other choice but to grab the jacket and wrap it around herself. His woodsy scent clung to the still-warm fabric. It was a denim jacket lined with thick white fuzz that came down past her knees and swallowed her arms completely. When he offered her his hand she took it, fearing she’d fall getting out of the water. The warmth of his skin seeped into her freezing palm. As her bare feet met the ground, mud squished between her toes. “Thank you.”
“No problem.” He put his hands on his hips and held his breath as though he meant to say something but didn’t.
“You keep standin’ there holding your breath, you’re gonna pass out.” She dared him to say something. Anything. “If you have something to say, spit it out.”
He sighed then looked her in the eye. “Everything will be okay.”
“How? How do you know it’ll be okay? You don’t know what it’s like, to feel like your whole world and everything you planned for is just gone in a heartbeat. It’s all over.” The cool seeped into feet making her toes prickle, yet she stood facing off against him.
That muscle in his jaw ticked, and he shifted from one foot to the other. “Oh, I know exactly what that’s like, don’t I?” He looked at her accusingly then continued before she could answer. “The Maggie I know wouldn’t just roll over when things got too difficult.”
“Yeah, well, the Maggie you know is dead.” Water ran down her legs in streams. Soon she’d catch cold, yet she wanted to stand here and fight with him. She wanted to feel that spark of fire she thought extinguished within herself so long ago.
He took a step back, his eyes going from liquid maple to hard oak in just a second. “Well, that’s a damn shame. Because that girl…” he paused, shaking his head, “that girl was fearless.”
Turning away from her, he called out to Hayden. “Come on, little man. Let’s go play with the cows.” And as he strutted away in those low-slung jeans, her son ran up and grabbed his hand. Wasn’t that a slap in the face? Hayden had never grabbed on to anyone else but her, not even Eric. And now his tiny hand was wrapped around one of Dax’s fingers.
“Hey, where are you takin’ him?” She took a step forward then slipped before catching herself.
Over his shoulder, he called, “You go on back to bed. Me and the little man have been just fine… without you.”
And just like that, the fire Maggie Reed had thought extinguished long ago exploded within her. She marched back to the house to get cleaned up and start picking up the pieces of her life.
Chapter 7
Sitting on the front porch, swinging back and forth, Magnolia felt her world start to right itself. She folded her arms over the back of the swing and rested her chin on them. One of her legs was tucked up underneath her, and she swung the other back and forth, moving herself gently. The hooks above creaked with each motion, and she couldn’t help but wonder if her swing had been neglected the whole time she’d been gone. A cool breeze ruffled her hair as she turned her face to the sun. The rays warmed her cheeks.
When she’d first arrived, she’d felt like her world was coming to an end, and up until this morning’s trough bath, she hadn’t realized all the things that had been wrong with that life. Even now, swinging gently, surrounded only by the sounds of the farm, she realized she hadn’t had a moment of silence in years, or time to just lie back and think. Up north was a different way of life—people didn’t pause or stop, it was always go, go, go. And now that she wasn’t constantly on the go, she could see how she’d grown used to being unhappy.
In the distance, the sound of tires rolling over gravel drew her attention to the road leading to her house. A large Ford pickup rolled into view. It was bright red and shining like it had just been washed. Magnolia stood and leaned up against one of the posts, waiting to see who it was. All the Triple R employees had been there since morning. Even her Uncle Mike was out and about, still working.
The passenger door flew open and two children only a year or two older than Hayden came tumbling out. Both blue-eyed and blond-haired, the little girl who was slightly older than the boy looked startlingly familiar. They darted past her going straight for the barn. “Uncle Dax! Uncle Dax!”
Uncle Dax? Dax didn’t have any brothers or sisters that she knew of. Then a friendly voice she hadn’t heard in nearly ten years came from behind the truck. “Freeze.”
Both the children stopped dead, giggling yet not moving. When the little girl gazed up at Magnolia, she sucked in a breath, knowing those blue eyes. “Calla Lily Turner!” she called out, waiting for the driver to make her appearance.
“I’m a-comin’,” the woman called back.
Magnolia raced to the steps and leapt off them. She jogged past the bed of the truck around to the driver’s side. Calla Lily’s legs hung from the open door like she was reaching for something. Her cowboy boots were nearly a foot off the ground, and the hem of her yellow dress fell just above her knees. Magnolia fought the urge to pull her from the truck. “Hurry up and come give me some love!”
“Give you some love, after ten years of no lovin’ from you.” Calla Lily popped up, holding a plate full of cookies and a large, teasing smile.
When she hopped off the seat like a kid, Magnolia wrapped her arms around her and pulled her in tightly. Maggie stood at least four inches taller than Calla. When she wrapped her arms around her, she felt as though she was tucking her friend into her. “I missed you.”
The plate of cookies jostled in Calla’s hands as she tried to hug Magnolia back. “Missed me so much you couldn’t keep in touch.”
“Calla, I—"
“Hush, now. We’re gonna have us a visit.” She wrapped her arm through Maggie’s and steered her toward the porch. She called out to her kids who still hadn’t moved but were giggling like crazy. “Y’all turn around and say hi to Miss Magnolia.”
Calla Lily Turner was exactly as Magnolia remembered her. Physically she was all voluptuous curves and softness. Deep down, the woman was hard as nails with a tough love attitude her mother instilled in her. Though she was the shortest, Calla had always been the sensible strong backbone of their group of friends, making sure Magnolia didn’t drift too far and keeping Zinnia’s wild side in check. If anyone would forgive Maggie for her absence, it would be her.
Calla pointed to the little boy, wearing ripped overalls, a white t-shirt and beat-up boots. “That there is my son, Adam junior. He just turned four.” Then she pointed to the little girl. “And that is Poppy. She’s five now.”
“Oh, Calla, they’re beautiful.”
They both waved and unison and said, “Hi, Miss Magnolia.”
Calla nodded and smiled. “Okay, y’all go on.” The moment she told them to go, her son, Adam, ran off, but Poppy stayed behind.
Twirling her finger around one of her pig tails, she stared at Magnolia. “Momma?”
Calla stopped at the foot of the steps. “Yes, baby?”
“She has a flower name, too.”
Letting go of Maggie’s arm, she walked over to Poppy and bent low enough to be face to face with her daughter. At this angle, Magnolia could see just how far the similarities went. They each had a cute sloped nose, bright blue eyes, light blond hair, and heart-shaped faces. “Why, yes, she does.”
Poppy wrapped her hands in the hem of her dress and swung back and forth. “It’s a pretty name.”
Magnolia peeked over Calla’s shoulder, making eye contact with Poppy. “Why, thank you. I think Poppy is a lovely name, too.”
The little girl giggled as Calla tapped her on her nose. “A long time ago when I was about your age, I met Magnolia at school, and we became friends for that same reason.”
“Because you were named after flowers?”
“That’s right. Me, Magnolia over there and your Aunty Zinnia.” Calla stood up straight and patted her daughter on the head.
“Ooohhhh.” Poppy turned to look at Magnolia. “Aunty Zin doesn’t like you much.”
Calla pressed her hand over her daughter’s lips. “Hush, now. If we don’t have anything nice to say…?”
“We don’t say anything at all,” Poppy finished for her.
“Okay, now you go on and play with your Uncle Dax. Make sure those rowdy boys don’t go gettin’ into much trouble.” She turned her away and patted her on the bottom, sending her in the direction Adam had run.
A pang of hurt stabbed Magnolia deep in her chest. Now being back at home, she couldn’t imagine a life without the three of them being together. Hell, they’d been inseparable right up until she left for college. She shoved her hands into the front pockets of her jeans. When Calla turned to look at her, she said the only thing she could think to say. “I guess it’s my fault.”
With a deadpan look, Calla nodded. “Yes, it is.” Leave it to her to be completely honest.
“Oh, Calla.” A tear spilled over Magnolia’s cheek. “I-I’ve messed up so many things.”
“Well, don’t start crying just yet.” She waved her toward the swing.
Magnolia folded herself back down into the same position she’d been sitting in before Calla arrived. With her arm draped over the back of the swing, she made enough space for Calla to sit beside her. It was like no time had passed between them at all when they sat like this. “I’ve made such a mess of things.”
Calla patted Magnolia’s knee. “Maggie, I know you had this idea of what your life should be. Hell, when you left for college, I could already see them big city eyes of yours sparkling.”
“Why didn’t you say anything? Why didn’t you tell me I was a fool?” Magnolia whispered.
“Because you needed to find out for yourself.” Then Calla muttered, “I didn’t think it would take this long, but better late than never.” She unwrapped the plate of cookies and handed one to Magnolia.
“Are these peanut butter sugars?” She snatched the cookie from Calla and shoved it in her mouth, then moaned around the flavor.
“That’s right. Momma’s own recipe. She says hi, by the way.”
A genuine smile spread across Magnolia’s face. Not the one she’d had plastered on the past few years, but a real one. “How’d you know I was here?”
Calla rolled her eyes. “Dax called me this morning. Told me you could use a friend.”
“And you came here? Just like that, after I’ve behaved so badly?” Magnolia looked down at her hands and knotted her fingers together. She’d never had true friends in New York. Yes, they were mom friends, but not real ones who would drop their plans and come just to visit. In her blinded state, she’d forgotten what truly mattered—friends like Calla. Guilt hung heavy with her, settling low in her stomach. She’d been such a bad friend to them all. Magnolia knew she didn’t deserve their love after the way she’d acted. But, oh, how she wanted it and needed it more than ever. “Should’ve never stayed away this long, Calla. Y’all deserve so much more than what I’ve done. I think I was just running.”
“I suspect you had your reasons for stayin’ away. And I’ll forgive you this time because we were family and still could be.” She bent down her head, catching Maggie’s eyes. “Next time, though, I won’t be so forgiving. But Dax said you’re going through a rough patch.”
Maggie nodded and sighed. “You heard about that?”
“Yeah, I heard. I think the whole town heard.” Her face grew solemn. “Only thing Dax said was your man stepped out on you, and it wasn’t pretty. But I reckon the other workers on the ranch been gossipin’ like old women.”
“You know, the longer I’m away from Eric, the clearer things become. I feel like I’m thinking for myself and doing what I want. I can’t explain it, but when I was with him, I think I lost sight of me and just became an ‘us’.”
“Oh, honey, sometimes when you’re with someone for so long, you forget where you begin and they end. Sometimes, I think Adam and I share one brain.” She rolled her eyes.
“I c
an’t believe y’all ended up together.”
“What? Why wouldn’t we end up together?” When Maggie didn’t answer right away, Calla playfully poked her in the arm, prodding her.
“Okay, okay.” She squirmed in her seat. “Because he was so goofy in high school, always following around Dax and Finn.”
Calla tilted back her head, laughing. “That’s true. I forgot about that. Well, a lot’s changed now.”
“That it has.” The smile dropped from Maggie’s face as she gazed off into the distance. “I didn’t think I’d ever end up like this.”
“Like what?”
“A single mom, with no job and no income, no way to take care of myself or Hayden. Thank God for my family. If I didn’t have my father, I don’t know what I’d do.” Magnolia paused, thinking about her next sentence. “I can see why some women decide to stay and work things out.”
Calla’s eyebrows shot up. “Would you do that? Stay with him?”
“Calla, I chased him and his mistress out of my house with a bat.”
They sat in silence before fits of laughter overtook them. Calla hunched over and wrapped her hands around her stomach, laughing so hard tears ran down her face. “You went Carrie Underwood on his ass! Good for you.”
“Not quite, but I hit a home run using a lamp.” Just the thought of how crazy she must’ve looked in that moment had her laughing even harder.
Calla sucked in a breath and brushed at her cheeks while smiling. “Oh, well, you know what they say?”
“No, what’s that?”
“If you didn’t go Carrie Underwood on his ass, then you didn’t really love him.”
Magnolia was beginning to think that same thing. Maybe she hadn’t loved him enough. “You know, my momma said that.”
“Well, she was probably right.”
“I’ve been home for only four days, and I’m starting to feel better. Almost like Eric had his claws so deep into me that I couldn’t think with him around me. I needed this time to get away.” She brushed her hair from her face.
“What have you decided?” Calla sat stone still, waiting, her face a mask of calm, though Magnolia could see the concern in her eyes.