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“Okay, sweets. I just want your big day to be perfect. You understand that don’t you?” She tilts her head to the side, speaking sweetly.
“Momma, the entire reason I chose a beach wedding is because I just want to marry Colton. I’m not concerned about all of the bells and whistles, all the charades. I want us to bask in the beauty of the ocean, the wild wind blowing through our hair as the warm summer sun looks down on us and smiles when we say our vows.” I pause, drawing up a sip of sweet tea. “I have a very busy life. I’ve become a momma to Heidi Jo, I’m pregnant with your grand-daughter, and I have a company to run. All of that in itself is enough stress to turn my pretty locks of brown to grey. One look at a wedding magazine and panic ensued. I don’t have time for panic. I don’t have time for stress. So please, order whatever flowers you like, my favorites are lilies, tulips and hibiscus. But leave me to enjoy my beac
h vacation with my family.”
Momma pats my leg and turns to Emma, quickly changing the subject from the wedding to their newly expected grand-daughter. Sighing in relief, I sit back and enjoy the evening, listening to the girls chatter about. The warm wind blows briskly through my hair and before I know it, the sound of the ocean crashing against the shore line lulls me to sleep.
The week flies by quickly. Colton and I wake up early each morning to watch the sun rise and the dolphins playing in the ocean. After breakfast, we take the kids down to the beach. Heidi Jo loves it here. She and Brailee have been hand in hand since we arrived, as if that’s a surprise. Even little Braden is having fun, shoveling sand in his Tonka truck and backing into the girls’ sandcastles. Little twirp is so rotten, but ya gotta love that snaggle tooth grin he shoots ya. The week has been relaxing, which is just what I needed.
I’ve just come up from the beach to get out of the blistering heat. Momma is sitting on the front porch reading a book. “Hey, Momma.” I say opening the screen door.
“Carly, do you have a few minutes to talk to me?” She asks, her voice laced with concern. Wonder what’s bothering her?
“Sure, Momma, let me run to the little girls’ room and I’ll be back down.” She nods. I hurry off to the bathroom, then stop in the kitchen to fill my glass with sweet tea. I pad out to the front porch, ready to plant my ass on the porch swing when Momma stands and walks off the porch.
“Come on, sweets. Let’s go for a walk.”
A walk? In hundred degree weather? I’m seven months pregnant. Is she stupid?
“Momma,” I call, trying to catch up to her. “Momma, it’s awfully hot out here. Can’t we talk on the porch in the shade?” She continues to walk towards the beach, waving me towards her. “Well slow down at least. Goodness I’m a waddlin’ duck here.” She stops, shooting me a deadpan glare as I trudge through the hot, white sand catching up to her.
“Momma, what’s bothering you?” I ask when I reach her side. She continues to walk, making her way to the warm water kissing the shore line.
“I’m worried about your sister. She just doesn’t seem like herself. She’s been cooped up in her room all day, hasn’t even eaten a bite of food.” Oh. “Have you noticed anything out of the ordinary with her?” She questions, searching my eyes for the truth. Shit.
Savannah’s on the brink of shattering. I can see it in her dimly lit eyes, the glimmer of all hope gone. She’s plastered on her mask all week smiling happily for everyone among her, too proud to show her pain. Yesterday evening as the kids searched for sea shells on the beach, she walked the shoreline in deep thought. Luke, being the broken soul with a loving heart approached her. Luke is empathetic. If someone around him hurts, he hurts with them. I brought the kids up to get them cleaned up and when Savannah came in, I could see that she had been crying. She said she had a headache and went to bed. I hate seeing her hurt, but only she can change the position she’s in.
“Momma, Savannah’s just struggling with some things that are a bit personal right now. Believe me when I say, if she needs you, she’ll let you know. But it’s not my place to tell her story.” Momma sighs, shaking her head. I know that’s not the answer she’s looking for, but I can’t break Savannah’s trust by telling Momma what she’s going through.
We walk in silence for several minutes, when Momma speaks up again. “You know my story, Carly; why I left you girls. I never wanted to tell you girls anything damaging about John, because I never wanted to taint your memory of him. But I can feel your strength, I can see it in your eyes. Savannah is weak. I don’t know that she can handle so many secrets being unleashed at once.”
“I agree. That’s why I haven’t told her about Drew yet. But I gotta tell her sometime, Momma.” I know that’s not what she wants to hear but I owe Savannah the truth as soon as I can find the strength to break her a little more. Poor girl has enough heartache to live with.
“Why, Carly?”
“Momma, Josh works for Drew. Drew has been a part of Savannah’s life as long as Josh has. He knows Savannah is his sister and so does Josh. They’re just playing a sick, twisted game with her. I’m worried about her. I’ve tried to find the courage to tell her for months now. I just don’t want her to hate me for keeping the secret."
Momma sighs, looking up at the clear blue sky. Not a cloud in sight today. “I never have liked Josh. He reminds me too much of your father. He always plays the perfect husband, but I can see the sinister look in his eyes. I’ve asked Savannah before if he’s good to her. I know she lies, hiding behind a mask. Acting like everything is perfect; hell, I did it myself.”
Linking my arm through hers, we walk back to the house. I don’t have to tell Momma what she wants to hear. She has known all along that Josh abuses Savannah, she was just hoping I’d confirm it.
Our night began with a romantic stroll along the beach beneath the moonlit sky. The wind whistles gently blanketing a cool breeze across my skin. Colton keeps his hand laced in mine, as we walk up the beach.
“Where are we goin’, baby?” It’s late, already after eleven, but Colton insisted we go for this walk.
“It’s a surprise.” He says kissing the top of my head.
Further into the distance we stop at a white netted tent anchored in the sand. A plush blanket and thick pillows cover the sand with small, battery operated candles scattered around the enclosed space. Colton sits down first, pulling me down to his side.
“You always talk about how beautiful the stars are over the ocean. I wanted to experience it with ya.” My heart skips a beat. He opens up a cooler and pulls out chocolate covered strawberries, chicken bacon ranch crescents and two bottles of sweet tea. We eat together in silence. After I finish the last crescent, Colton swipes a napkin across my cheek then rolls it in his hand tosses it aside. Reaching into the cooler he pulls out a container placing it in my lap, then sets two small bottles of chocolate milk on the ground. “You didn’t think I’d forget did ya, darlin’?” He winks with a devilish smile on his face. I unsnap the lid on the container and the sweet smell of peanut butter wafts through my senses.
I smile from ear to ear. It’s the simplest things that make me happy and Colton never ceases to amaze me. From the very first picnic he ever took me on, to this one tonight and every in between he always bakes peanut butter kiss cookies for me. The fact that he always remembers and reaches out to do something so simple but meaningful makes my heart smile. He pushes a cookie to my lips and I willingly take a bit, then he tosses the remaining half in his mouth. “You always surprise me. I really didn’t expect this.”
“It’s just cookies, baby.”
“No, it’s the same cookies you made for the first picnic you took me on.” I kiss him swiftly across the lips, then lean into his chest.
After we finish eating, we scoot further down the blanket so we can watch the twinkling stars in the night sky. Just as I did when I was a little girl, I pinch my eyes shut and silently make a wish on the first star I see. All of my dreams have come true, but I do it all the same. “How’d you pull all of this off? I’ve been with you all day.” I ask, trailing my finger across his chest.
