Calumet, page 22
going to find it with you or Daniel. It’s none of my business,
but you’ve kept her waiting long enough.” Nancy kissed her
cheek and they walked out to the party that was now in full
swing.
“Hey, I’m glad you could make it,” she said, kissing
Daniel quickly on the lips. Adding a pissed-off Daniel on top
of Sean and Jaxon was too much to think about. “Would you
like a beer?”
“I’ll get it. You go ahead and mingle. I’m sure you’re
excited to see all your old friends.” Daniel winked at her and
smiled. “Some more than others.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?” This was getting
ridiculous. She wore his damn ring and slept in his bed
every night. “Never mind. I don’t want to hear it.”
“Calm down. I don’t want to cause a scene.” He took her
hand and led her outside. There were people standing
around, so he walked almost to the water. “What happened
today with Sean?”
“Nothing that I know of. You know what she’s been like
lately. We weren’t much different when we were young.”
God, she should’ve pressed Sean before she left the house.
The anger Sean had would only grow if Jaxon had told her
anything about what had happened. She doubted that, but
the thought of what Jaxon must’ve thought when she saw
Sean terrified her.
“Are you lying to me, Iris?” Daniel said sighing.
“I was at work, and she asked to stay at Adeline’s—that
was the extent of our talk. She’ll be there for the weekend,
so they can finish some assignments they have.” That was
the truth as she’d known it before she talked to Nancy. This
wasn’t the time to get into it.
“I can’t keep you from something you’ve wanted from
the day you left it behind, but I told you I refuse to let my
kid get in the middle of this cluster you’ve created.” His
voice was low and cold. “I wasn’t the brightest guy in high
school, and I waited for you to graduate because I wanted
you. When I saw Sean, I knew instantly she wasn’t mine, but
I didn’t care. I raised her, and she’s my daughter. My love
for her has nothing to do with DNA.”
“No one is saying otherwise.” She took his hand and
stepped closer to him. “To be honest, I do want to talk to
Jaxon before she leaves, but not for the reasons you think.”
“What do I think?” Daniel turned and stared at her as if
he could see right through her.
“That I want to rehash something that’s dead. I know you
well enough to think that’s what it is. What you can’t seem
to understand is I’m happy with my life. I love my family,
the family we’ve built together.” She didn’t touch him and
didn’t look away.
“You lie well, Iris. What you can’t seem to understand is
that she’s been here the whole time. From our very first
night together, Jaxon Lavigne has been there with us like a
ghost in an old house.” That last statement sounded like it
hurt to say. “That you’re so anxious to see her again cuts a
hole right through me.”
“Daniel, you’re an honorable man, and I respect you.
That you doubt that makes me sad, but what I’m doing isn’t
for me. It’s for Sean. She needs someone who isn’t either of
us to help her make that next step.”
He laughed, but it sounded bitter. “And you think Lavigne
is the answer? She’s got the counselors at the school and us
if she has any questions about school and her future. Over
my dead body, Iris. You do that, and you’re on your own. I’m
not sticking around to be humiliated again. I’ve been the
butt of every guy’s joke in this town, and I’m not reviving
the old rumors to make you feel better.”
“Daniel, it’s more than school. I know it hurts you, but
Sean is a lot like Jaxon, and she can help her because of the
experience she has with what comes next. I don’t want our
daughter to suffer if she doesn’t have to. I think that Jaxon
can—”
He put his hand up to cut her off. “Tell me you
understand, because I’m not fucking kidding.”
She hesitated but nodded. “I understand.”
* * *
The lazy current of the water moved pieces of debris like
it had for hundreds of years, but the sight failed to provide
Jax with any solace. She walked across the street to sit by
the water after Bert had left and was still there as the sun
started to set. The journal sat on the arm of her chair, but
she couldn’t get her thoughts together to put a word in it.
All she could think about was Sean and what her existence
meant.
Her phone rang before Jax had figured out how the hell to
approach things, and the ringtone left no doubt she’d
answer it. The sound made her think her plan to leave in the
morning was as sound as passing on the cocktail party
tonight.
“What’s wrong?” Margot’s question sounded as if she’d
put an exclamation point on the end.
Despite the day, Jax smiled and stretched out her legs.
“Hello, pretty lady, it’s nice to hear from you.”
“Honey, I don’t have time for niceties. After I talked to
you, all hell broke loose around here, ending in a fire. A fire
that unfortunately didn’t touch any of the furniture that
smells like Satan’s crotch. We’re having to work late now,
and the evil spawn who is our director is about to ring that
goddamn bell summoning us back to the set in a minute, so
tell me what’s wrong.”
“Ah.”
“And, Jax, honey, think very carefully before saying your
usual nothing. I know you like to work these things out on
your own, so I won’t worry about you, but let me warn you.
If that’s how you want to play it, that’s fine by me. But I
promise, I’ll set up a driving vacation for two weeks with
you, me, Mom, and Daddy. A trip where I’ll gladly sit in the
back and let Daddy give you directions for the three-
thousand-mile trip I’m planning in my head. If there really is
a world’s largest thimble, we’re going to see it.”
Jaxon stayed quiet but did do a full body shiver at the
image of being trapped in a car with Margot’s parents for
that long. “I went to teach Miss Landry’s class today.”
“Let’s dispense with the stuff I already know.”
She laughed. “You know, the two guest appearances on
that law show make you annoying at times.”
“Think how annoying I’ll be if you don’t start talking.”
Margot listened as Jaxson launched into the tale of her
day. The only interruption for the rest of what she had to say
was Margot uttering uh-huh a few times as if reminding her
she was still on the line. It was a bizarre situation, and there
weren’t words in existence that would make the situation in
any way plausible. Hell, plausible was living in a land far
away and was inebriated on drinks that came with fruit and
umbrellas.
“Of all the times for me to be stuck in this stupid trailer,”
Margot said as she sighed. “I’m so sorry, my love. That’s a
shitty thing to go through alone.”
“There’s nothing to be sorry for. I wanted to blame Bert,
but he swears on his life that he didn’t know anything about
this.”
“Why is she not talking to your brother? If she looks like
you, that has to be the answer.” There was some banging
from Margot’s end, and it signaled the end of their talk.
“Okay, I heard you the first time. Give me a minute,” Margot
yelled, presumably at whoever was banging. “For fuck’s
sake, you’d think we’re working on a cure for cancer.”
“I’d ask him that, but the shit’s not answering his phone.
Believe me, I called a few times this afternoon but no luck.”
She wanted answers, but taking a swing at Roy was also on
her mind. “The thing about that theory, though, is that he
and Iris never got along, but I don’t have anything better.”
She kicked at the grass. “But Occam’s razor applies. The
simplest explanation is usually the best.”
“Don’t you have a function tonight?” Margot sounded like
she was on the move.
“Yeah, but I don’t feel like going. If you don’t mind some
company, I was thinking of flying home tomorrow.” She
sighed, and Margot echoed it. “I’ll even come to the studio
and watch you work.”
“All I wanted was for you to make peace with your past,
and more importantly yourself, but if you want to come
home, I’ll be here waiting on you. What happened years ago
isn’t something you can blame yourself for, and I hope if
nothing else you can let all that go now and put it behind
you. I love you and I miss you, but stop and see your
grandmother before you leave. Tell her I can’t wait to meet
her.”
“Thank you. It’s hard. I never expected all this.” She
wiped her face, shocked that she was crying. She never
cried, but this all was too much. “I just want to leave. If that
makes me sound like a coward, I can live with it.”
“I know, baby, but that’s in no way you. If anyone in this
world should scare you, it’s Daddy, and yet you go into that
study every time.” Margot paused as if trying to find the
right words. “No one would’ve handled this without a lot of
confusion, so stop beating yourself up.”
“I might write a screenplay when I get home, and have
you star in the movie I have playing in my head.”
Margot laughed, and it sounded like a gift from the gods.
“I’ll be happy to convince you to give me the role on your
casting couch. I have to go, so let me know what you
decide.”
“I thought we decided,” she said, laughing.
“Don’t take this as me pushing you, but you’re there. Get
answers, especially now that you have even more questions
that’ll drive you insane in the coming weeks. I love you no
matter what, but I think it’ll make you feel better if you rip
the Band-Aid off and start demanding answers.”
“Babe, this is like a Band-Aid stuck to my pubic hair. It’s
going to be a bitch to rip off.”
“Ewww,” Margot said loudly. “That’s quite the mental
image. I can’t wait to get you home, but think about what
coming back early would mean.”
“Okay, you convinced me. I’ll go to the reunion, talk to
Roy even if I have to hunt him down, and finish the total
disaster this trip has been. Then I’m out of here.” She
exhaled and swatted a mosquito on her knee. It was time to
go in and order something to eat and watch some television
or something. Roy and Iris had been on her mind all
afternoon, and it was time to stop the infinite loop of
escalating thoughts.
“You don’t sound done, baby. I know you like to organize
your thoughts before you start talking, but I’m crushed for
time. Just this once can you cut me some slack?”
Margot had always told her being careful and not blurting
things out was an admirable trait she’d admired in her.
They’d had their arguments, but hurting Margot needlessly
was something she’d tried never to do. “I just wish there
was something I could do to help the kid. She looked so lost,
and no one seems to want to help her understand anything.
I’ve got experience with being the kid who doesn’t belong. I
guess that’s the best way I can put it.”
“You did a beautiful job, love. You have a way about you,
Jax, and it makes people feel cared for in your presence.
Sean has your number, so I’m guessing she’s feeling like
she’s acquired an ally right about now.”
“Thanks for saying that, but you didn’t see her. She’s as
skittish as she is lost. I doubt I’ll ever hear from her.”
“I’m just telling you the truth. So, what are you going to
do with yourself this evening now that you’re ditching Bert
and the rest of your classmates?”
She pulled the phone from her ear and looked at it. “Did
Bert call you?”
“You just said you didn’t want to go, so answer the
question, Lavigne, and leave poor Bert out of this.”
That answer meant the little shit had called Margot, who
was doing her best to keep him out of trouble. “I’ll see if I
can find Roy, then go and get something to eat. Since I
already talked to my mother, I’m not wasting time on that.
Maybe tomorrow I’ll take Eugenia out to lunch after I go and
visit Granny. If I see both of them, I can pin them down on
coming to visit us if you don’t mind. It’s time you finally met
them both.”
“I’m looking forward to that, but right now I’ve got to go
before one of these guys has a stroke.” Margot made
another kissing noise. “I love you.”
“I love you too, so go have fun. Don’t worry, and I’ll call
you tomorrow.”
“Honey, that’s my job. I love you, and I worry about you.
If you’re not used to it yet, work on it. And if you’re lucky
and I get off early, I’ll call you, and we’ll have phone sex. If
it’s on your bucket list, we’ll go ahead and check that off.”
Jax tapped her phone against her hand after they’d said
good-bye. She took a deep breath as she started to dial,
hoping she’d sound halfway coherent. Before she could
finish punching it in, her phone rang and she didn’t
recognize the local number. The urge not to answer was
strong, but maybe it was Sean.
“Jaxon?” It was a woman, but she sounded more mature
than Sean.
“Yes, can I help you?”
“It’s your grandmother, child. How can you not recognize
my voice? I got a new phone, so put this number in yours,
and don’t forget to use it.”
She had only one living grandparent, and that was her
father’s mother. Birdie Lavigne had lost her husband six
months before Jaxon was born, and in a mood of
sentimentality her father had named her after him. He’d
said the name fit even if she was a girl, and it deserved to
live on in honor of the greatest man he’d ever known. Her
mom’s parents had died long before, so Birdie had been her
one grandparent growing up.
“Granny, it’s so good to hear from you.” She actually
talked to her grandmother every couple of months. “I was
coming by tomorrow.”
“Jaxon, don’t try to sweet-talk me. I should’ve been your
first stop.”
“I’m here, and I wasn’t leaving without seeing you, I
promise. My class reunion is tomorrow, but I wanted to stop
by in the morning and have coffee with you.” It had been
interesting growing up with her mother and grandmother,
and it made her smile. If Sean thought her family dynamic
was strange, she had no idea.
Her father had been gone for months at a time, and the
only help her mother had back then had been Birdie. But
they couldn’t stand each other. Her granny had often
commented on the stick her mother had up her ass, and her
mother thought her mother-in-law was the spawn of the
devil. She and her brother knew, though, that no matter
what, Birdie would be there for them. She had deep pockets,
an open mind, and a loving heart. It was a great
combination in a grandmother.
She’d ignored her grandmother’s numerous calls the first
couple of years at LSU because she thought she was going
to pile on, but Birdie had finally driven down and sat in the
stands at one of her softball games. After the win, she’d
pulled her ear so hard, Jax thought it would detach. She’d
followed that with a long talk about acceptance. Her
grandmother thought she was perfect simply because she
was Jaxon, and what she decided to do with her life was
perfectly okay with Birdie. She’d offered to pay for the rest
of school, but by then it had become a mission of pride to
do it on her own, and Birdie had understood that as well.
“Uh-huh. You should’ve been here way before now. How
did it go with your mother?” Birdie wasn’t known for
subtlety either.
“How do you know about that?”
“Please, child. The gossips in this town are professionals.
I didn’t get the particulars, but I do know she found you in
the café.” Her grandmother stopped and let out a disgusted
sounding grunt. “I’ve talked until I’m blue in the face, but
but you’ve kept her waiting long enough.” Nancy kissed her
cheek and they walked out to the party that was now in full
swing.
“Hey, I’m glad you could make it,” she said, kissing
Daniel quickly on the lips. Adding a pissed-off Daniel on top
of Sean and Jaxon was too much to think about. “Would you
like a beer?”
“I’ll get it. You go ahead and mingle. I’m sure you’re
excited to see all your old friends.” Daniel winked at her and
smiled. “Some more than others.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?” This was getting
ridiculous. She wore his damn ring and slept in his bed
every night. “Never mind. I don’t want to hear it.”
“Calm down. I don’t want to cause a scene.” He took her
hand and led her outside. There were people standing
around, so he walked almost to the water. “What happened
today with Sean?”
“Nothing that I know of. You know what she’s been like
lately. We weren’t much different when we were young.”
God, she should’ve pressed Sean before she left the house.
The anger Sean had would only grow if Jaxon had told her
anything about what had happened. She doubted that, but
the thought of what Jaxon must’ve thought when she saw
Sean terrified her.
“Are you lying to me, Iris?” Daniel said sighing.
“I was at work, and she asked to stay at Adeline’s—that
was the extent of our talk. She’ll be there for the weekend,
so they can finish some assignments they have.” That was
the truth as she’d known it before she talked to Nancy. This
wasn’t the time to get into it.
“I can’t keep you from something you’ve wanted from
the day you left it behind, but I told you I refuse to let my
kid get in the middle of this cluster you’ve created.” His
voice was low and cold. “I wasn’t the brightest guy in high
school, and I waited for you to graduate because I wanted
you. When I saw Sean, I knew instantly she wasn’t mine, but
I didn’t care. I raised her, and she’s my daughter. My love
for her has nothing to do with DNA.”
“No one is saying otherwise.” She took his hand and
stepped closer to him. “To be honest, I do want to talk to
Jaxon before she leaves, but not for the reasons you think.”
“What do I think?” Daniel turned and stared at her as if
he could see right through her.
“That I want to rehash something that’s dead. I know you
well enough to think that’s what it is. What you can’t seem
to understand is I’m happy with my life. I love my family,
the family we’ve built together.” She didn’t touch him and
didn’t look away.
“You lie well, Iris. What you can’t seem to understand is
that she’s been here the whole time. From our very first
night together, Jaxon Lavigne has been there with us like a
ghost in an old house.” That last statement sounded like it
hurt to say. “That you’re so anxious to see her again cuts a
hole right through me.”
“Daniel, you’re an honorable man, and I respect you.
That you doubt that makes me sad, but what I’m doing isn’t
for me. It’s for Sean. She needs someone who isn’t either of
us to help her make that next step.”
He laughed, but it sounded bitter. “And you think Lavigne
is the answer? She’s got the counselors at the school and us
if she has any questions about school and her future. Over
my dead body, Iris. You do that, and you’re on your own. I’m
not sticking around to be humiliated again. I’ve been the
butt of every guy’s joke in this town, and I’m not reviving
the old rumors to make you feel better.”
“Daniel, it’s more than school. I know it hurts you, but
Sean is a lot like Jaxon, and she can help her because of the
experience she has with what comes next. I don’t want our
daughter to suffer if she doesn’t have to. I think that Jaxon
can—”
He put his hand up to cut her off. “Tell me you
understand, because I’m not fucking kidding.”
She hesitated but nodded. “I understand.”
* * *
The lazy current of the water moved pieces of debris like
it had for hundreds of years, but the sight failed to provide
Jax with any solace. She walked across the street to sit by
the water after Bert had left and was still there as the sun
started to set. The journal sat on the arm of her chair, but
she couldn’t get her thoughts together to put a word in it.
All she could think about was Sean and what her existence
meant.
Her phone rang before Jax had figured out how the hell to
approach things, and the ringtone left no doubt she’d
answer it. The sound made her think her plan to leave in the
morning was as sound as passing on the cocktail party
tonight.
“What’s wrong?” Margot’s question sounded as if she’d
put an exclamation point on the end.
Despite the day, Jax smiled and stretched out her legs.
“Hello, pretty lady, it’s nice to hear from you.”
“Honey, I don’t have time for niceties. After I talked to
you, all hell broke loose around here, ending in a fire. A fire
that unfortunately didn’t touch any of the furniture that
smells like Satan’s crotch. We’re having to work late now,
and the evil spawn who is our director is about to ring that
goddamn bell summoning us back to the set in a minute, so
tell me what’s wrong.”
“Ah.”
“And, Jax, honey, think very carefully before saying your
usual nothing. I know you like to work these things out on
your own, so I won’t worry about you, but let me warn you.
If that’s how you want to play it, that’s fine by me. But I
promise, I’ll set up a driving vacation for two weeks with
you, me, Mom, and Daddy. A trip where I’ll gladly sit in the
back and let Daddy give you directions for the three-
thousand-mile trip I’m planning in my head. If there really is
a world’s largest thimble, we’re going to see it.”
Jaxon stayed quiet but did do a full body shiver at the
image of being trapped in a car with Margot’s parents for
that long. “I went to teach Miss Landry’s class today.”
“Let’s dispense with the stuff I already know.”
She laughed. “You know, the two guest appearances on
that law show make you annoying at times.”
“Think how annoying I’ll be if you don’t start talking.”
Margot listened as Jaxson launched into the tale of her
day. The only interruption for the rest of what she had to say
was Margot uttering uh-huh a few times as if reminding her
she was still on the line. It was a bizarre situation, and there
weren’t words in existence that would make the situation in
any way plausible. Hell, plausible was living in a land far
away and was inebriated on drinks that came with fruit and
umbrellas.
“Of all the times for me to be stuck in this stupid trailer,”
Margot said as she sighed. “I’m so sorry, my love. That’s a
shitty thing to go through alone.”
“There’s nothing to be sorry for. I wanted to blame Bert,
but he swears on his life that he didn’t know anything about
this.”
“Why is she not talking to your brother? If she looks like
you, that has to be the answer.” There was some banging
from Margot’s end, and it signaled the end of their talk.
“Okay, I heard you the first time. Give me a minute,” Margot
yelled, presumably at whoever was banging. “For fuck’s
sake, you’d think we’re working on a cure for cancer.”
“I’d ask him that, but the shit’s not answering his phone.
Believe me, I called a few times this afternoon but no luck.”
She wanted answers, but taking a swing at Roy was also on
her mind. “The thing about that theory, though, is that he
and Iris never got along, but I don’t have anything better.”
She kicked at the grass. “But Occam’s razor applies. The
simplest explanation is usually the best.”
“Don’t you have a function tonight?” Margot sounded like
she was on the move.
“Yeah, but I don’t feel like going. If you don’t mind some
company, I was thinking of flying home tomorrow.” She
sighed, and Margot echoed it. “I’ll even come to the studio
and watch you work.”
“All I wanted was for you to make peace with your past,
and more importantly yourself, but if you want to come
home, I’ll be here waiting on you. What happened years ago
isn’t something you can blame yourself for, and I hope if
nothing else you can let all that go now and put it behind
you. I love you and I miss you, but stop and see your
grandmother before you leave. Tell her I can’t wait to meet
her.”
“Thank you. It’s hard. I never expected all this.” She
wiped her face, shocked that she was crying. She never
cried, but this all was too much. “I just want to leave. If that
makes me sound like a coward, I can live with it.”
“I know, baby, but that’s in no way you. If anyone in this
world should scare you, it’s Daddy, and yet you go into that
study every time.” Margot paused as if trying to find the
right words. “No one would’ve handled this without a lot of
confusion, so stop beating yourself up.”
“I might write a screenplay when I get home, and have
you star in the movie I have playing in my head.”
Margot laughed, and it sounded like a gift from the gods.
“I’ll be happy to convince you to give me the role on your
casting couch. I have to go, so let me know what you
decide.”
“I thought we decided,” she said, laughing.
“Don’t take this as me pushing you, but you’re there. Get
answers, especially now that you have even more questions
that’ll drive you insane in the coming weeks. I love you no
matter what, but I think it’ll make you feel better if you rip
the Band-Aid off and start demanding answers.”
“Babe, this is like a Band-Aid stuck to my pubic hair. It’s
going to be a bitch to rip off.”
“Ewww,” Margot said loudly. “That’s quite the mental
image. I can’t wait to get you home, but think about what
coming back early would mean.”
“Okay, you convinced me. I’ll go to the reunion, talk to
Roy even if I have to hunt him down, and finish the total
disaster this trip has been. Then I’m out of here.” She
exhaled and swatted a mosquito on her knee. It was time to
go in and order something to eat and watch some television
or something. Roy and Iris had been on her mind all
afternoon, and it was time to stop the infinite loop of
escalating thoughts.
“You don’t sound done, baby. I know you like to organize
your thoughts before you start talking, but I’m crushed for
time. Just this once can you cut me some slack?”
Margot had always told her being careful and not blurting
things out was an admirable trait she’d admired in her.
They’d had their arguments, but hurting Margot needlessly
was something she’d tried never to do. “I just wish there
was something I could do to help the kid. She looked so lost,
and no one seems to want to help her understand anything.
I’ve got experience with being the kid who doesn’t belong. I
guess that’s the best way I can put it.”
“You did a beautiful job, love. You have a way about you,
Jax, and it makes people feel cared for in your presence.
Sean has your number, so I’m guessing she’s feeling like
she’s acquired an ally right about now.”
“Thanks for saying that, but you didn’t see her. She’s as
skittish as she is lost. I doubt I’ll ever hear from her.”
“I’m just telling you the truth. So, what are you going to
do with yourself this evening now that you’re ditching Bert
and the rest of your classmates?”
She pulled the phone from her ear and looked at it. “Did
Bert call you?”
“You just said you didn’t want to go, so answer the
question, Lavigne, and leave poor Bert out of this.”
That answer meant the little shit had called Margot, who
was doing her best to keep him out of trouble. “I’ll see if I
can find Roy, then go and get something to eat. Since I
already talked to my mother, I’m not wasting time on that.
Maybe tomorrow I’ll take Eugenia out to lunch after I go and
visit Granny. If I see both of them, I can pin them down on
coming to visit us if you don’t mind. It’s time you finally met
them both.”
“I’m looking forward to that, but right now I’ve got to go
before one of these guys has a stroke.” Margot made
another kissing noise. “I love you.”
“I love you too, so go have fun. Don’t worry, and I’ll call
you tomorrow.”
“Honey, that’s my job. I love you, and I worry about you.
If you’re not used to it yet, work on it. And if you’re lucky
and I get off early, I’ll call you, and we’ll have phone sex. If
it’s on your bucket list, we’ll go ahead and check that off.”
Jax tapped her phone against her hand after they’d said
good-bye. She took a deep breath as she started to dial,
hoping she’d sound halfway coherent. Before she could
finish punching it in, her phone rang and she didn’t
recognize the local number. The urge not to answer was
strong, but maybe it was Sean.
“Jaxon?” It was a woman, but she sounded more mature
than Sean.
“Yes, can I help you?”
“It’s your grandmother, child. How can you not recognize
my voice? I got a new phone, so put this number in yours,
and don’t forget to use it.”
She had only one living grandparent, and that was her
father’s mother. Birdie Lavigne had lost her husband six
months before Jaxon was born, and in a mood of
sentimentality her father had named her after him. He’d
said the name fit even if she was a girl, and it deserved to
live on in honor of the greatest man he’d ever known. Her
mom’s parents had died long before, so Birdie had been her
one grandparent growing up.
“Granny, it’s so good to hear from you.” She actually
talked to her grandmother every couple of months. “I was
coming by tomorrow.”
“Jaxon, don’t try to sweet-talk me. I should’ve been your
first stop.”
“I’m here, and I wasn’t leaving without seeing you, I
promise. My class reunion is tomorrow, but I wanted to stop
by in the morning and have coffee with you.” It had been
interesting growing up with her mother and grandmother,
and it made her smile. If Sean thought her family dynamic
was strange, she had no idea.
Her father had been gone for months at a time, and the
only help her mother had back then had been Birdie. But
they couldn’t stand each other. Her granny had often
commented on the stick her mother had up her ass, and her
mother thought her mother-in-law was the spawn of the
devil. She and her brother knew, though, that no matter
what, Birdie would be there for them. She had deep pockets,
an open mind, and a loving heart. It was a great
combination in a grandmother.
She’d ignored her grandmother’s numerous calls the first
couple of years at LSU because she thought she was going
to pile on, but Birdie had finally driven down and sat in the
stands at one of her softball games. After the win, she’d
pulled her ear so hard, Jax thought it would detach. She’d
followed that with a long talk about acceptance. Her
grandmother thought she was perfect simply because she
was Jaxon, and what she decided to do with her life was
perfectly okay with Birdie. She’d offered to pay for the rest
of school, but by then it had become a mission of pride to
do it on her own, and Birdie had understood that as well.
“Uh-huh. You should’ve been here way before now. How
did it go with your mother?” Birdie wasn’t known for
subtlety either.
“How do you know about that?”
“Please, child. The gossips in this town are professionals.
I didn’t get the particulars, but I do know she found you in
the café.” Her grandmother stopped and let out a disgusted
sounding grunt. “I’ve talked until I’m blue in the face, but
