Eli sits down on his childhood double bed and takes in his surroundings. There’s a row of football trophies on a shelf that runs from corner to corner, starting at Pop Warner and going all the way until his senior year of high school. On top of his dresser is a manila envelope, the contents are his acceptance to LSU.
There’s pictures on the mirror, and as he focuses in on them the bile begins churning. He feels sick over his decision to leave, but it’s her he can’t bear to think about.
Her smile beckons Eli. That cute ponytail with the long wavy curls. Those perfect white teeth. The way she always said his name. Her voice.
Eli has to turn away wincing. He can’t stand imagining what his life could have been like if he’d taken her with him. She’d never have to know the lie that forced his hand.
It’s ironic, out of all the women he’s shared his bed with, Clarke Mayville will always stand out. Making love to her was significant, even if he was too young to realize it at the time. No woman could ever hold a candle to the love Eli held in his heart for her. He wished he could have been the one to take her out of this town and give her the life she dreamed of. Wherever she is, he hopes she’s happy. Her potential for success would have kept her driven. Eli knows she’s probably still in college on the verge of becoming a doctor of medicine. The only thing keeping him from reaching out to her is knowing she was better off without him. He’d only hold her back, and they’d both resent each other for it.
Eli walks over and grabs the picture to take a closer look. She’s wearing that necklace he purchased after saving up for three months to afford it. On the night Clarke opened the gift, Eli promised to always be with her. Young jealousy had caused them many problems, so this was his way of reassuring her of his intentions.
He thinks back to the night he was leaving. She seemed so thrilled on the phone, telling him she could see their future so clear. Something was different about her. He figured it was school ending and the possibility of them really starting an adult together. He’d buried these memories, because they were too hard to bear. It was too much to consider. She’d been his everything. He would have laid down and put his life on the line for her. He should have.
The problem with Eli’s decision was that it was selfish. His father always said blood was thicker than water. Family was supposed to come first. With the burden of a lie so big looming over his head, Eli didn’t see any other way to escape. Clarke would have wanted to know why. The truth would hover until it broke them up. It would have been imminent, so he decided to walk away without a goodbye. It was better for the both of them, or at least, that’s what his juvenile mind told him.
Eli feels the photograph crumbling within his grasp. Before he realizes what’s happening, the past memory is nothing but a ball of paper to be thrown out with the trash.
Sitting on the edge of his bed, he lets his memories take him to his first couple weeks of boot camp. It was the only way to disappear from chasing demons. He’d made a promise to himself that at all costs he’d steer clear of his Georgia hometown. Against his better judgment, and knowing it would crush his father, he’d vowed to never return.
Eli didn’t think he’d have to meet his brother. He certainly didn’t want to look the boy in the eyes and know he’d abandoned him. Some things are too great to get over. There wasn’t anything to do to make amends. What’s done is done. There’s no going back to the one night his whole life was forced to change.
Chapter 3
The sound of a vehicle pulling into the driveway awakens him. Eli startles and sits up, peering around his childhood room. He scans the remnants of his reminiscing and recalls his last thoughts before exhaustion hit him.
Wiping his eyes, Eli brings his feet off the bed until they hit the hardwood floor. He stretches before walking to the window to find out who could be visiting so early.
Her figure is the same. Petite. Slim. Confident.
A low grumble escapes when he moves the sheer curtain to the side and stares at the blonde. Remembering the first day they’d met, Eli knew he hated her. Closer to his age than his own father’s, Siobhan always made it awkward. She’d try to be his friend, and hook him up with people she socialized with. It was bad enough he had to live in the same house as one flippant female, but add her girlfriends to the mix and it was unbearable. Eli spent most of his free time either out getting into trouble, or over Clarke’s house with her little kid neighbor annoying the shit out of him.
They’d started officially dating in eleventh grade. He’d forsaken his buddies for a chance to get laid. Then something happened. Feelings came into play. Soon he was just as smitten about her and she was with him. They were inseparable.
His hate for Siobhan only reminds him of all he’s lost. She’s the wicked devil who ruined his life, and now he’s supposed to pretend they’re cordial in order to plan a funeral for his father.
From the above bedroom, Eli can hear the clanking of her high heels in the foyer. He takes a few deep breaths and awaits her call, knowing her impatience is a virtue she’ll never correct. His lip curls the moment her voice fills the home.
“Elias, I’m here.” She’s climbing the stairs. “Don’t tell me you’re still asleep. One would think you’d outgrown such bad habits.”
Not bothering to brush his teeth or check his appearance, Eli opens the door to face the person he hates most in the world. “Siobhan,” comes off his lips like he’s seeing a haunting ghost.
Siobhan gives him a once over and spreads her arms as if she’s offering to hug him. This causes Eli to take a step back and reject her. He crosses his arms and shakes his head. “I’d say it’s good to see you, but it would be a lie.”
She nods and peers down at the floor while speaking. “You’re never going to get over it are you?”
“Never in this lifetime. Believe me, I would if I could, but some things are etched in my memory. I’m not here to talk about the past. I’m here to bury my father and get the hell away from this town as quickly as possible.” He waits for her to absorb his blow to her ego before continuing. “What time does the funeral home open?”
“Nine maybe. I suppose it could be closer to ten. Small town. People don’t exactly live off stiff schedules.”
“Where’s Jonathan?”
“With my mom. He wanted to go to school. He’s trying to be strong, but I could hear him crying all night. He was so close to your father.”
Eli’s blood boils when she says it. He’s taken his place. There’s no resentment. Jonathan is just a boy in need of a relationship with his father. He’s happy they’re close and bonded. He only wishes the circumstances were different. “It’s a shame. I can’t imagine it happening when I was his age.”
A guffaw exudes from deep within Eli. Siobhan is his age. She would have been a child when he was growing up with his dad. Only being a few years older, she would have experienced the same upbringing. They would have watched the same television and enjoyed the same popular music of their era. Siobhan to Eli, is nothing but a gold digger who found love with her sugar-daddy husband. When the money started running out the marriage was over. Eli can't begin to understand why his father and Siobhan remained on good terms. Had it not been for Jonathan they probably would have raged war on each other. As it stands, Siobhan nabbed half of his retirement pension, and the family vehicle. She took half of his assets and gave him an ulcer from stress. Dad was left with the house and it's contents as well as shared custody of their child.
Eli only knows this because he read about it on social media. Having the conveniences of the Internet allowed him to occasionally check on his father, even if it was through Siobhan's personal account. He'd never sent her a friend request. The little slut had a public profile where her dirty laundry could be seen by anyone wanting to read her bullshit drama.
Eli snickers to himself when he remembers all the ridiculous things she posted that condescended her being a good parent. Parties. Clubs. Boating excursions. Pictures of her new relati
onships, and then comment about them being wrong for her.
It became so redundant he stopped looking. He hated the woman, and only found it entertaining she was miserable.
"You haven't changed." Siobhan accuses.
Eli shrugs and passes by her, heading for the kitchen to make coffee. It's too early for him to deal with this. "If they don't open for a couple hours why are you here?" he asks while going down the stairs.
Siobhan follows. "We need to talk about other things. My son is entitled to be a part of this. He deserves to have half of everything. It should be split between the two of you."
Eli twists as soon as his foot makes it onto the hardwood first floor. "Are you seriously pulling this shit already? Do you think I give a damn what you consider fair? Has it ever occurred to you that your attempts to play God could only keep you on top for so long? My dad is dead. I'm not obligated to give you shit, and I refused to stand here and listen to you tell me what Jonathan is entitled to. Did you honestly assume I'd forget?"
"No. Of course not. Regardless, he's still his son. He's the only father that boy has ever had. Would you seriously take that away from him, especially now when he's hurting? How cruel can you be, Elias?"
Eli clenches his jaw, his straight teeth grinding together and making a sound within his ears. Holding his anger in is seemingly hard when his adrenaline won't allow reprieve. "I'm not doing this with you. If you know what's best you won't cross me, not today. Go home, Siobhan. Leave the arrangements to me. I'll text you the information when I have it."
She huffs back up the staircase until he halts her. “Whoa. Now, what are you doing? I asked you to leave."
"There are things I want before you forbid me to take them."
She has tears in her eyes. For a second Eli relates to her sorrow. She loved his father, even if it wasn't always represented. A lot of her choices had been desperate because she feared losing her marriage. "Get them later. I need to be alone."
She stands in a staring duel with him for a few long moments. Then stomps back down the steps and out the door.
Not until the car pulls away, does Eli begins to realize the mess he's about to get involved in. He knows it's going to take more than a couple days to sort out, and it pisses him off.
Chapter 4
Clarke Mayville stares down at the traditional round solitaire on her left hand. She’s waited for as long as she can remember for a man to come along and give her what she needs.
Unlike most of the people Clarke grew up being friends with, she never had the opportunity to broaden her horizons or leave her hometown, not after an unexpected pregnancy was discovered. There’s always been something holding her back; first, a little person who depends on her every moment of each day. Then obligations to care for her elderly family members. Her biological mom hadn’t been in the picture since she was little, and she never knew her father. To Clarke, her grandparents were the only parents she had. She even called them her mom and dad when referring to them. It may have been unconventional, but they made her feel like she was there own. They’d done the best they could, always providing and giving her moral support, even when she was going to be a single mother.
While her friends have college degrees, she’s still lacking the fancy education she once predicted she’d have.
Clarke would never trade being a mother to little Tyler. He’s her reason for living. Without him, she would have given up years ago. Having been left behind by someone she trusted with her whole heart, Clarke has always put a wall up toward other men wanting to spend time with her.
She’d never dated another man until Tim came along. He wasn’t just someone she met by accident. He was a customer at the restaurant she worked. Every weekend, starting on Friday, after her daytime duties at a daycare ended, she’d have an hour to grab her son before rushing to be at her next job. Life was chaos, but she managed to juggle it all, mainly because she had to. There wasn’t a line of people waiting to take the place of the man she once thought to be her future. She couldn’t begin to explain how it felt to have hope ripped out from under her, only to discover she was carrying a child that would constantly remind her of that lost love.
Clarke also knows she can’t dwell on the past. A high school romance doesn’t compare to the relationship she’s found with Tim. He’s such a good man, a provider and carefree soul, who would do anything for Tyler. She knew the first time the two met there was something special about the man.
Not only was he a good role model, he came from a good family. His father owned the town hardware store, and his mother was the librarian. They spent their summers in Florida in their RV and often invited Clarke and her son to come along. They’d welcomed her with open arms, which is something Clarke never assumed she’d have. Being a single mother gave her a complex. She never thought anyone in their small town would think she could be anything more than a mediocre waitress with a kid to feed.
Having lived with her only living grandparent up until six months ago, when she’d moved in with Sam, Clarke did the best she could to save money. She’d always hoped they could have a home of their own.
Ever since her grandmother passed away two years ago, Clarke and her grandfather haven’t seen eye to eye. He was recently diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes, and refused to take the measures to change his eating habits or regulate his sugar intake. Clarke was the person keeping him alive. She’d pre-make his meals, sort out the portions, and explain to him that carbohydrates also turn into sugar. Her pasta-loving grandfather had become hateful. He was lonely, missing the only woman he ever loved. Her grandma had done everything for the man, and as much as she tried, she’d never fill her mother’s shoes, not in his eyes.
It wasn’t that they hated each other. Clarke loved her father, and was grateful of everything her parents had sacrificed for her to remain at home to raise her son. They were babysitters so she could work. Supporters, when she was feeling down. They were the only people she knew she could count on. Now it seems like little Tyler is the one taking care of his grandfather.
The excitement of getting married takes Clarke away from all the negative she’s surrounded herself with. Tim is handsome. He’s not the kind of guy she would have been instantly attracted to. He’s tall with sandy brown hair. His dark eyes always seemed like the kind that would deceive her. She couldn’t explain why they made her feel that way, but she’d always been against brown-eyed men, at least dating them. Clarke remembers something her mother told her when she was a young child. ‘Never trust those brown-eyed boys. They’ll break your heart.’ At the time she’d been speaking of a little boy who’d given me a Valentine.
Tim proved her wrong. The age difference was a big factor in her apprehension at first. Tim is in his thirties. He’d been married before to a woman who passed away from ovarian cancer in her early twenties. For the next several years he’d become an alcoholic. Now recovered, Tim has turned his life around. He tells her it’s because she came into his life at the perfect time. Clarke smiles at all the fantastic moments they’ve shared between the two of them. He appreciates each and every day, and because of that, she’s been able to accept maybe this was meant to be.
Tim is so darn perfect she can hardly contain her reaction when he walks into the room, or compliments her in front of others. For once she’s on a pedestal. Tim wants everyone to know she’s going to be his wife.
He’s in the market for a larger home so Tyler will have more room to entertain his friends. An in-ground pool was always something Clarke could never afford, but Tim insists they have one. Added to that, he wants land. He’s promised her a forever and it’s overwhelming at times. It’s the kind of home she always wanted for her son.
Being an entrepreneur, Tim seeks out business opportunities. He’s currently revamped three local buildings on the main street of their small town. First it was the corner coffee shop. While Tim was working to remodel the downstairs, he lived in the upstairs loft. Once it was finished he offered the place to the ne
w manager, who jumped on the opportunity to be so close to work.
Tim’s second project was the place next to that. It had been a barbershop for longer than Clarke can remember. The old signs and barber’s pole still remained on the exterior. When the original owner retired he’d let the shop go. Tim went in and gave the place a makeover. It wasn’t long until a new barber came along who was interested in making it his own. His third and last project was the pharmacy. It’s old wooden floors were bowing and the ceiling had seen better days. When Tim was finished the owners were so grateful. They did a huge interview with the local newspapers making Tim a bit of a hero. He’s often recognized and praised for what he’s done for his community. His only response melts her heart each time she hears it. He tells them it was his late wife’s dream to make an old town new again. He’s only living out her wishes.
Clarke realizes her daydreaming has caused her to lose track of time. She hurries into the bathroom to pull her long darker hair up into a bun before brushing her teeth and rushing out the door to make it to work before she’s late. Hating the lunch shift because it doesn’t allow her to grab her son from school, Clarke reminds herself that Tyler is in good hands. Tim usually picks him up and they visit the hardware store before coming home to make something for dinner. He’s been teaching Tyler how to make easy meals. So far they’ve done spaghetti a few times, and some shake and bake styled chicken. Tyler has become a master of heating things in the microwave, which makes Clarke proud to know he’s learning to do things independently. She wants him to know how to take care of himself, because each new day is never a guarantee.
It’s not until she’s rushed into the diner and starts putting on her official diner designed apron that Abigail, another waitress she’s become quite close with, approaches Clarke. Abigail is still in college. She’s only nineteen, and with a partial scholarship she’s well on her way to being successful. “Did you hear the news this morning?”
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