Against the Odds: A Love Story (3 page)

The simple things in life are the ones that bring the most joy.

Six

E
arly one morning of the following week, Hayden found me by the hen house. I smiled widely, a feeling of accomplishment filling me at having gathered the eggs without any help. Caroline had shown me how it was done the day before. And now here I stood, a basket of fresh eggs hanging from my arm. I was proud of myself. Hayden told me he was proud of me too. He said he was looking forward to having some of the eggs for breakfast the next day, wanting to taste some of the fruits of my labor. I told him it was more the hens' labor than mine.

With each new day I became more amazed at myself over how much I was changing. I found that I didn't miss the city at all. Not one bit. I deeply enjoyed this new life and everything about it. I enjoyed the work and the challenges of doing new things. But more than anything, I enjoyed waking up to the sound of people in the house. Caroline and David treated me like a member of their family. They included me in everything. Caroline had even let me prepare breakfast the previous morning. I was grateful to her for allowing me to make myself more useful.

In all the years of pursuing my modeling career and living the high life while enduring a loveless marriage, I had missed out on so many things. I had missed out on living. But then again, I was never still long enough to even know.

Now I was learning to enjoy the simple things in life more. Things like the sound of birds chirping, watching a sunrise, a sunset, and even the pleasure of sitting under a shady tree silently enjoying a glass of lemonade. For the first time in my life I enjoyed little moments of contemplation and meditation. I was becoming like most of the people in Roswell. I was in no hurry to get anywhere, and I actually took the time to relax and take mental pictures of the world around me. Even something as simple as tying a quilt with Caroline and one of her friends, or helping to bottle fresh peaches added to this new level of contentment in my life. I was now doing meaningful things.

And of course, Hayden was always near with a warm smile and a sincere compliment for all my efforts. He was a good friend, and it was nice to feel appreciated for a change.

I spent that afternoon on the phone with Mama. It was so good to talk to her. She was truly the only thing I missed in Atlanta. I had no siblings and there was no other family to speak of, just Mama.

I knew Mama had been disappointed in my decision to leave because she was so used to having me close, and it didn't help that Jerome was rubbing my 'desertion' in her face every chance he got. But I also knew that Mama understood. She knew what it was like to have to deal with an unfaithful man. She knew the heartache of having to make the decision I did. She knew the questions every woman who has ever been in that situation has to ask.

Do you turn your head away and just let things go on or do you finally take a stand and say no more? Do you continue to be walked over or do you finally begin to respect yourself?

Mama had been faced with that decision with my own father. It had been hard, but she chose to respect herself and end the charade. That fact alone made the bond she and I shared that much stronger, spanning the miles between us and strengthening our connection.

Sometimes it still pained me to think about what Mama went through. She had been forced to endure my father's late nights, as well as the phone calls that would mysteriously and automatically result in an abrupt dial tone when she answered the phone. She had endured the stress and whispers of the neighborhood, yet she always held her head up high. She has always been an inspiration to me.

Little did I know I would one day find myself in the same situation . . . but there was one major difference; Mama truly loved Daddy, heart and soul. She truly deserved happiness. My own decision to marry hadn't been motivated by real love, a fact that I will always regret. And now I was facing the consequences of that choice. I suddenly wondered if I would ever know real love. Did I even know what real love was? Would I know it when it came?
If
it came? This was a department I was sorely lacking in.

Rein it in, girl,
I mentally scolded.

Abruptly ending another pity-party, I again gave my full attention to my mother.

Mama was once again filled with questions.  How are Caroline and David? How are things going for me? Am I happy? She put more emphasis on the last question.

I told her the change had been good for me and I was happier than I had been in a long time. Surprisingly, my answer seemed to satisfy her. I told her that I missed her and suggested that she come out for a visit. She promised me she would think about it. We talked a few minutes longer.

Before ending the call I felt the need to apologize to Mama for Jerome's behavior. I couldn't understand why he felt the need to annoy her. Mama said she was glad I had moved away because Jerome wouldn't have left me alone had I stayed. Even now he was still an unwanted part of my life because he was annoying my mother. He knew it would bother me, and it did. Still, I wouldn't give him the satisfaction of knowing just
how much
it bothered me.

I again urged Mama to come out to Roswell and again she said she would think about it. Then I told her I loved her and we hung up. I smiled as I thought about our conversation and decided to make getting Mama to come out for a visit my goal.

Hayden called from his place that evening and told Caroline he wouldn't be there for dinner. It seemed the drain under his kitchen sink was leaking and he was trying to fix it. So Caroline dished him up a plate of food and sent me to deliver it.

Even though his house could be seen through the trees in the distance, it was still too far to walk with a plate of food and get it to him warm, so I drove David's truck. I had only been to Hayden's once. Caroline had taken me over to see the place after Hayden and I got back from our unforgettable outing at the UFO Museum.

Hayden's home was beautiful. It was a colonial-style brick home with white siding and black shutters on the windows.  It boasted a three-car garage, which he never used. There was a large white vinyl deck on the back that wrapped around the side of the house to make a lovely veranda. There was even a vinyl porch swing.

I knocked on the screen door lightly. A minute later Hayden appeared, his tall, massive, shirtless form filling the doorway, a smile on his face. I was startled at the sudden feel of unwanted goose-bumps on my arms at the sight of him. I mentally put myself in check.

“Hey there,” he said, opening the screen door and moving aside so I could enter.

“Hey, yourself. I just came to bring you some dinner.” I grinned slyly. “We wouldn't want you to starve.”

He grinned back. “Good thing I've got ya'll looking out for me.” He took the plate of food. “Mmmm, smells good. Thank you.”

“You're welcome.”

“Come on in the kitchen.”

I followed him through the house, again take in the beautiful interior.

Hayden didn't have much as far as decor, but the combination of the over-sized, rustic leather and fabric furniture, set off by hard wood floors, made it homey and inviting.

As I entered the kitchen, I was freshly awed by the large, stained pine-wood table and six matching chairs. The table was bare, as were the walls in the kitchen, but it was still lovely. I noticed various tools scattered on the floor in front of the sink. The cabinet doors were open and an old towel was lying beneath the drain pipe.

Hayden put the plate of food on the table. “Have a seat,” he said, pulling out a chair for me. Then he went back over to the sink. “I managed to get it fixed.” He knelt down and wiped up the excess water with the towel. Having finished, he grabbed a fork from the drawer, sat down at the table next to me and started on his dinner.

“So, how has your afternoon been?” he asked between bites.

“Good,” I replied. “I had a good talk with Mama today.”

“How is she?”

“She's good. My goal is to get her out here for a visit.” I slowly grinned. “What do you think? You think Roswell is big enough for two big-city girls?”

“Well, I don't know. The one who's already here is pretty much throwing us simple folk for a loop. We might need to get a little more prepared first.”

I laughed and hit his arm playfully. “Honestly, I'm not that bad. Besides, I'm adapting.” I stood. “I mean, look at me,” I said, turning around for his inspection. “I'm wearing Wranglers and boots. Now you never could have convinced me a year ago that would happen.”

He studied me quietly for a moment, allowing his gaze to roam over me. A sudden softness enter his gray eyes as he said, “You're wearing this life well.”

I was instantly warmed, not only by the unexpected compliment, but by the look in his eyes as well. I couldn't remember the last time a man looked at me without lust or something close to it in his eyes. Hayden's eyes were sincere.

“Thank you,” I finally said.

“You're welcome.” He cleared his throat before returning to his dinner.

“I think I'll get her out here sooner or later,” I said, charting my drifting thoughts back toward safer waters.

“I'm sure you will.”

I let my gaze roam around the large kitchen again. “Have you never lived anywhere else?” I asked as he finished his dinner. He took the plate over to the sink

“Nope. I've never had a desire to. I travel every now and then for ranch business, but this is home.”

I smiled. “I don't really blame you for not wanting to leave. It's beautiful here.”

“It is,” he agreed, his expression thoughtful.

We moved into the living room. I sat on the leather sofa and Hayden sat down next to me. He leaned back, stretching his long legs out in front of him and draped an arm across the back of the sofa.

“So, what made you decide to come here? I mean, there are plenty of places you could have started over. Why Roswell of all places?”

“You mean besides wanting to see aliens up close?”

He chuckled. “Yeah, besides that.”

“Well, I guess I just wanted to completely start over and get as far from Atlanta as I could. And when Caroline and David offered to let me stay with them I thought, why not? Roswell is as good a place as any, and at least I would be with friends. So, here I am.”

Hayden smiled. “This is a good place to be.” He ran a hand back through his hair. “To tell you the truth, I think I'd go out of my mind in the city. Too noisy and too much traffic. I guess I've always needed breathing room.”

“I can understand that.” I sighed. “Before coming here I couldn't have, but I do now.”

He grinned. “So you really like it here, huh?”

“I do.”