“A little bit of both.” I laughed. “Are you not surprised?”
“The first time I met him he reminded me of a snake oil salesman. You know what I mean?”
“Can’t say that I do.”
“It felt like he was trying to promote himself. He was selling himself as this great boyfriend who would be careful with your heart, but I never fully bought it.”
“Why didn’t you say something?”
“Would you have listened?”
“I would have taken it under advisement.”
“Is Darla going to make an appearance?”
“I kind of left in a hurry. We didn’t have a chance to touch bases on next steps.” Normally Darla and I moved as a pair. So questions about her presence were expected. But I didn’t tell Darla I was leaving because I wanted to be alone, and I didn’t want her opinions to determine my verdict. I was mad at Chap now but maybe once we talked, I wouldn’t be. It’s easier to take your cheating boyfriend back when your best friend isn’t next to you calling you a dumb bitch under her breath.
And for the record I never said I was one hundred percent taking him back. But all relationships go through ups and downs. Sure, I didn’t think cheating would be one of the lows but maybe with time and therapy we could move past it. I deserved grace after all that transpired over the last forty-eight hours. My feelings for Chap couldn’t be turned off like a light switch.
“Can we keep the cheating bit between you, me, and these four walls?”
“I understand you have a decision to make and the less people that know protects Dylan from potential judgement.”
When she said it like that I felt stupid. Why should I care about sparing his feelings after he was so cavalier with mine?
“Well, you can stay here as long as you like.” She rose from the bed, trying to suppress a smile. Me being home made her happy. And if getting my heart smashed into a million little pieces was the catalyst that drove me back, so be it. It was obvious she was team fuck Chap, a sentiment that would have been nice to know years ago. Perhaps if she or anyone had pointed out the red flags, I was content on missing, my eyes wouldn’t be red or my nose raw from excess Kleenex use. “Get some sleep. We’re heading into town in the morning.”
The tripinto town consisted of a stop at the post office to collect the mail and packages in our PO box. Because the ranch was a ways from town, my parents just picked up their mail when they were in the vicinity. We hit up the bakery picking out donuts for Daddy and Oz. Momma returned some library books and allowed me to check out a book I was interested in reading.
At each stop the store clerk, postal worker, or librarian would gush over me. “If it isn’t Francesca Palmer. What are you doing back in Hume? I caught you and Darla onThe Tonight Show, you two did real good. Look at your hair. Are those purple highlights? You are too Hollywood for me.” It was a mix of praise and backhanded compliments. I think some Hume residents looked at folks who left as traitors.
Many believed I was too big for my britches and assumed I thought I was better than them because I was on the radio and sold millions of albums. None of that was true. I loved the people in Hume. Hume residents were like my extended family. I was either related to them by blood or connected to them through memories. Hume had a population of just under five thousand people, so no one was ever really a stranger.
Back in the car I mused over the noticeable changes. “I see Morton’s finally went through with the expansion.”
“He’d been talking about it for years. Most of us were sick of hearing about it. But he finally pulled the trigger. And it’s nice inside. You should check it out while you’re in town.”
“I don’t think I’ll have a need for a screwdriver or bucket while I’m here.”
“You could just stop in and say hello. I’m sure Kendell would appreciate it.”
“Maybe.”
“Maybe means no.”
“Just trying to keep it low key while I’m in town. I’m not looking for a feature in the newspaper like last time.”
“People are proud of you Fancy. You can’t pour cold water on that.”
“I’m not, but it’s weird being treated like a celebrity by people I grew up with. I come home to feel normal, not to become a main attraction.”
“When you chase fame you tend to become famous.”
“I didn’t chase fame. I just wanted to sing my songs.”
“Well, you got that. Billboards in Times Square, number ones on the country charts, your face on T-shirts.”
“That’s no different than the shirts Daddy made for the ranch.”
