Southern Seduction (35 page)

“Hank, I believe you’ve taken too kindly to underestimatin’ people, especially the people you think are weaker than you!” She points her finger at him. “Your ass is gonna fry for it now! You’re nothin’ but a big bully, and I’m gonna take you down! I’m pretty sure I’ll have no problem getting back up.”

“Ain’t that the truth,” I sigh.

Just then, a couple of Hank’s henchmen (let’s call them what they are, right?) barrel into the foyer.

“Help me up, boys.” Hank holds out his hand, but Bea puts her own up to stop them.

“Curtis and Tom, if I were you, I’d leave this piece of shit right where he lies,” she says. They look back and forth between her and Hank. “Unless you want to be carted off to jail with him right now, of course. And I can’t guarantee that won’t happen anyway. Lord only knows how much you two been dippin’ your hands in his honeypot.” She raises a brow, and by George, if they don’t back down right fast.

We all shift a bit when sirens scream in the distance. Hank’s eyes go wide, and though his balding head is bloody, there’s now a good amount of sweat mixed in, too. Side note: That must sting like a bitch!

“What do you want, Bea?” he asks her softly, like he’s some sort of loving husband all of a sudden.

“
You
out of
my
life!”

“I love you, Bea. We have a family. I give you everything you need, sweetheart.” He gets up on his own accord and reaches for her. She swats his hand away.

“You have taken everything I need away from me! No longer! I’ve been sitting back a long while, biding my time. I knew there was gonna be a day, like a beacon of shining light, where I’d know it was time to fuck you up the ass without any lube!”

“
Mama!
” Maggie and Missy both gasp. Me? Oh, I’m holding my gut, trying to prevent it from busting with laughter. The sirens get closer and closer.

“Bea, please.” Hank’s lip starts quivering.

“I will
never
forgive you for what you’ve made me into. I will
never
forgive you for the years I’ve lost with my daughter, or what you allowed to happen to her. I will
never
forgive you for the years I lost with my sister—my only family—and taking our goodbye away. You, sir, are not worth the piece of dog shit on my shoe, and I am looking forward to a ringside seat when you burn in hell!” She says this through her teeth and tears, following it up with a good ole slap across his face.

Maggie jumps to answer the pounding at the door. Hank looks around like he’s gonna run.

“Don’t you even think about, Big Daddy!” Missy snaps at him. “Big Daddy?” she scoffs after hearing the words leave her mouth. “Maybe we need to change that to Big Jerk!”

“Missy, honey, I love you girls. Please don’t think poorly of me.” He gives her the sad puppy-dog eyes—which I know for a fact she always falls for.

“Oh, hell no! That ain’t gonna work on me no more!” She shakes her head as an officer throws the cuffs on Hank. I look around for Shelby. She’s sitting on the stairs, a bewildered expression on her face.

“Baby?” I crouch down in front of her. She looks straight into my eyes and holds me there for a moment. But then that perfect chin of hers starts quivering. She takes in a short, deep breath.

“Kip?”

“Yeah, baby?” I cup her left cheek and thumb away the tear that falls.

“Did she just step up to the plate for me?” she asks, almost like she can’t believe what just transpired.

“I believe she did, baby, with both guns a-blazin’.” I nod. “I think it’s pretty fair to say you’ve never been far from her thoughts or her heart, Shelby.” As soon as I close my mouth, her dam breaks.

“Shelby,” Bea says quietly behind me. We barely hear her, what with Hank yelling about revenge on his way out the door. Shelby looks up. “Will you excuse us, Kip?” Bea asks.

“Yes, ma’am.” I nod but give Shelby a quick peck on the lips. I move to the side, ignoring the curious looks from Maggie and Missy. I can’t deal with them right now. Shelby is what’s important. I want to stand right here by her side.

“Shelby,” Bea starts as she sits one step below her daughter. Shelby reaches for the hair tie at her wrist, and Bea takes her hands to stop her from fidgeting with it. It’s quite the habit when Shelby’s nervous. “I can’t even begin to tell you how sorry I am for everythin’ that has happened to you. No excuse is great enough. Nothin’ I say could ever take back any of that ugliness. I tried to get to you ... I jus’ ... I didn’t try hard enough. I could’ve done more.” She looks down and shakes her head.

“Mama, you almost died!” Maggie pipes up.

“I should’ve,” she cries. “Lord knows I just died anyway, hearing what my baby went through.”

“Mama, you didn’t,” Missy says softly. “I have never, in all my years, seen you come to life like you just did. I’m so proud of you, Mama.”

“She’s right, Mama.” Maggie’s voice shakes.

“Proud? How can any of you girls be proud of me? What have I shown you? What kind of role model have I been?” Bea rubs the tears from her eyes.

“You’ve shown us plenty. Especially to never give up on yourself, even when everyone else has written you off,” Shelby says softly and grabs Bea’s hand. “I don’t know what I expected. I can tell you—it wasn’t this. You wouldn’t even look at me when I arrived. I didn’t think you would care.”

Bea gasps a sob. “I had to hide my feelings. That was the only way I could keep you near. I had to walk around like a shell of a woman. If he knew there was anythin’ left in me, I would’ve never been able to pull a fast one on him. Well, it wasn’t
that
fast—I’ve been plottin’ since before my sister died. That son of a bitch is more crooked than a question mark! He’s gonna be gone for a very long time,” she asserts with a nod.

“Mama? This was all an act—zombie mom?” Maggie asks.

“Mostly, yes.”

“Mama, you’ve had everybody thinkin’ you were one fry short of a Happy Meal!” Missy adds. Oh, that Missy! We all can’t help but laugh—until Bea turns her attention back to Shelby.

“Shelby, if you can find it in your heart to offer me some forgiveness, I promise you won’t regret it. There hasn’t been a day that’s gone by where I haven’t thought of you or your father. He was the love of my life.” She starts crying again. “Oh, he must be so disappointed in me.”

“I think he’s probably proud of you. I am. Now that I understand everything, I am. You couldn’t keep me, but you made sure I had the most wonderful parents. Had my dad never died, things wouldn’t have happened the way they did. My stepfather wasn’t bad until he became a drunk. You couldn’t have predicted any of that. My mother championed you until her death—even after. She begged me to forgive you, insisted you did the best you could. I believe her. I’m sorry you’ve lost so much time—not with just me and my mom, but with my sisters.” She sniffles.

“You are the most amazin’ thing. I can’t thank my sister enough for the job she’s done in raisin’ you. I wish my other girls had that. I’ve been such a poor excuse for a mother.” She looks over at them. “I am so sorry. I promise, things are gonna change around here.” She stands up.

“Don’t you ever say that about yourself, Mama,” Maggie says sternly as she pulls her in for a hug.

“I agree with Maggie, Aunt ... eh ... I don’t know what to call you,” Shelby says, looking a bit confused.

“You call me whatever you’re comfortable with, until and if you are ever ready to call me somethin’ else.” She holds her hand out, and Shelby takes it.

“Okay.” Shelby smiles. “Maggie’s right. Don’t say that about yourself. What you did for me, for all of us, was very brave. I love my sisters ... Jesus ... my
sisters
.” Shelby starts watering up again. Missy and Maggie pull her in for a group hug. “They couldn’t be this wonderful without having your guidance. Don’t sell yourself short,” she finishes.

“Well, at five-two, I can’t really sell myself as anything else,” Bea jokes.

“Shelby, you’re right. That’s just something Missy would say.” I chuckle.

“I do get it from you!” Missy states happily. “You always used to joke with us like that when Daddy wasn’t around.” They all look a little somber at this.

“Well now, first things first.” Bea breaks from the girls. “Shelby, you’re gonna move back over here straight away!”

“No!” I bark. All four women look at me. “Shelby is stayin’ with me. I know you have a lot of catchin’ up to do, but she’ll be right next door.”

“Kip, I know you love my daughter—”

“
Mama, no!
” Maggie and Missy say in unison.

“Oh relax, I don’t mean you two. He’s in love with Shelby.” She winks at me.

“Mrs. Johnson?” I ask, feeling a cold sweat coming on.

“Oh yes, Kip. I know all about you datin’ all three of my daughters,” she says, then looks at them. “I also know none of you knew he was seein’ all of you. And I
also
know none of you are goin’ to get upset now, right? You didn’t love this boy. If you did, the whole world would’ve known about it.”

“How did you know?” Shelby pipes up.

“You think I’d let my girls go off in the night without checkin’ on them?” She cocks a brow at them. “All those times you thought you heard somethin’ and blamed it on an animal?” She adds a smirk.

“Well, this is just downright embarrassin’.” I hang my head.

“I never said nothin’ because I was happy you were all going behind your daddy’s back. I also happen to think highly of this fellow.” She pats my arm. “You never seemed disrespectful to them, and I know that, relationship aside, you deeply care for my girls’ well-being. I also noticed a big change once Shelby came along. I had a feeling that was comin’, though.” She winks at me.

“I knew the moment I met her that she was the one,” I say under my breath, my heart swelling with nerves.

“She’s been your ‘one’ ever since that party when you were kids. I knew back then.” She bites back her smile. “Took her right under your wing and protected her all day.”

“That was you?” Shelby’s eyes widen.

“Don’t you remember, Shelby?” Bea smiles, tilting her head. “Those kids were bein’ so mean to you, makin’ fun of your height and your red hair. Ooh, I coulda strangled them!” She imitates with her hands. “I didn’t have to, though. Kip here came along and told them to buzz off if they knew what was good for them. You asked him why he was bein’ so nice to you. He said, ‘Because you’re the one I’m supposed to look after, I jus’ know it. Stay by my side, Red. I won’t let nobody hurt you—ever.’ You got so mad at him for callin’ you ‘Red.’ It was awfully cute. He said, ‘I like red. I think it looks real pretty on you. Whenever I see red now, I’ll smile ‘cause it’ll make me think of you.’ Well, that straightened you right out. He grabbed your hand and you two were inseparable for the rest of the day.” Bea giggles a bit.

“That is the sweetest story ever!” Maggie covers her mouth. “You were a sweet talker even back then!”

Shelby’s eyes bounce between all of us. I can almost see the fight-or-flight thoughts crossing her mind.

“I need a minute,” she says, and turns to run out the door.

“Oh hell,” I sigh.

“Go after her, Kip. Don’t waste no time—it goes by too quickly.” Bea rubs my back to encourage me.

“Maggie, Missy ... I do apologize for my dishonest behavior. I hope you don’t think too poorly of me. If I hurt you, it was never my intention.” I look to them.

“You know, Kip,” Missy starts, “I think we all learned a lot of lessons tonight. Our time together was fun, and though I should be destroyed—or at least rip-roarin’ mad—I don’t feel any of that. Mama’s right. Time goes by too quickly to be wasted on anythin’ but good.” She heads toward me and pulls me into a hug.

“I agree,” Maggie adds. “Now, you go and get our sister!”

“All right, then.” I nod and smile before heading out the door.

“I bet she’s on the porch swing,” Bea says as I walk out.

I turn to the left, and sure as shit, there she is, swingin’ at the end of the porch. I walk slowly toward her, trying to capture what it is exactly that I want to say—only I end up in front of her before anything brilliant comes to mind.

“When did you remember?” she asks without looking at me.

“The day I got sick and you came to take care of me. I flashed back to that party and the prettiest green eyes I’ve ever seen in my life.” I crouch down in front of her.

“Why didn’t you tell me?”

“I was hopin’ you would remember on your own, that you knew it was me. I guess I wanted that day to be just as significant to you as it was to me.” I look down.

“I haven’t felt that safe again, not until the first time you held me,” she breathes. I glance back up quickly and decide to take the seat next to her. I grab her hand.

“I’d never felt so sure of my feelings until I looked into your eyes in our laundry room. When I held you for the first time, well, it was a done deal. I stand by my words from all of those years ago, Shelby. I will never let anybody hurt you. And I have, in fact, smiled every time I’ve seen the color red.” I chuckle. She laughs a little with me. “Honest to God! I just never knew why.” I shake my head.

“Still think it’s pretty on me?” She looks over at me, grinning slightly.

“Nope. Now I think it’s just plain beautiful on you.” I lean in and give her a soft peck on the lips.

“So ...” She trails off.

“So ...” I match.

“The one, huh?” she asks.

“The only one.” I squeeze her hand.

THE END