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“Fuckin’ Carsons,” I huff as I head off to get ready for the family breakfast I could really do without.
Everyone’s sitting at the breakfast table except for one person, and I’m starting to wonder if she’s gonna show. She’s probably feelin’ rough, add to that the fact Wade tells me she’s pissed off by my actions last night.
Pissed off that I tried to protect her.
It doesn’t help that Wade’s girlfriend has a big mouth. There was no need for Savannah to know I went back to that party.
“Great look for the campaign, boys.” Wade breaks the silence with a sarcastic comment as he looks between me and Dalton.
The kid who got a swing on me last night has left a bruise on my cheekbone, and my knuckles are scuffed, but Dalton looks a lot worse. His eyes are really swollen from where Jonah cuffed him. Seems Dalton has a lot to learn about being a Carson, the name doesn’t make you indestructible, it makes you a target. Jonah reminded him yesterday that respect has to be earned, you don’t get nowhere by throwing your weight around. That doesn’t mean Jonah didn’t get a firm fuckin’ warning about what happens to men who touch a Carson. It was just a warning that Dalton will never know about.
“Morning, hope I didn’t keep everyone waiting.” Savannah breezes into the room cheerily. Far too cheerily for someone who was in the state she was in, last night.
I glance up at her and when I see the tight, black tee she’s wearing that rides up her midriff, I almost choke on my breakfast. It has the wordsBITE MEwritten in bold, white letters across her chest, and the clever smile she’s wearing confirms that she’s fuckin’ with me. Everyone else sitting around the table is wearing their Sunday best, and they all stare at her as she casually takes her seat and reaches for the jug of orange juice.
“Is something up?” she asks, acting all innocent and naive as she pours herself a glass.
“Don’t you think maybe—”
“What's with the outfit?” Garrett stamps all over the tactful approach his wife was going with.
“Oh, this?” Savannah looks down at the far too-tight fabric that stretches over her pert round tits, emphasizing how sexy they are. “I went through the obligatory emo phase at college. I kept this one because I liked it.” She shrugs, purposely focusing her eyes on mine across the table.
“It’s a great top, Savannah, I remember it well. But don’t you think it’s a little inappropriate for church?” Maisie suggests awkwardly.
“I think it’s great,” Wade pipes up, earning him a nudge from Leia and a cold glare from me.
“Thank you, Wade. I agree. We are all God's children and He would like us to wear what we want to His house of worship.” Savannah shrugs.
“That’s a freeing thought, dear, but I don’t think the townsfolk of Fork River will agree with you. Garrett is trying to win an election here,” Mom reminds her. She isn’t fully trusted yet, so she has no idea that Garrett is being forced into this mayor thing and is guaranteed the position. She’s just proud that he wants to make a stand for his town.
“What doyouthink, Cole?” Savannah focuses on me, trying to goad me, and it rushes all the blood straight to my fuckin’ cock.
“You can wear what ya damn like, ain’t got shit to do with me,” I tell her before I get back to my plate. I can’t help notice the slight disappointment on her face and instead of making me feel triumphant, it makes me feel like an asshole.
Of course, she keeps the t-shirt on, Savannah ain’t the kinda girl to back down when she’s making a statement, and seeing how hot her curves look in the top that's way too small for her only makes me wish I’d bitten her a little harder. Hard enough to leave teeth marks on her perfect, untarnished skin. She rides into town with Wade, Leia, and Mom. I could have easily squeezed in with ‘em but I’d much rather be on my own. When we get to the chapel that sits on the green in the center of our town, the congregation is outside formed in their little groups, all happily lying to one another about how perfect their lives are. It seems the Masons have taken the same tactic as our family. All brothers apart from the one my brother hung by his fuckin’ throat are here to support their father and when Leia and Wade park up and cross the street, sly looks and whispers follow them. I can see it’s getting to Wade but he’s being cool about it for Leia’s sake.
He holds her hand tight as they enter through the chapel doors and Savannah pulls a face at old Mrs. Dudley as she follows behind them. It’s one of the things I like about Savannah, she’s loyal to her friends. She’s not known Leia very long but she’s become as equally protective over her as she is of Maisie.
Garrett does his duty making polite conversation with the people he, Maisie, and the babies pass on his way inside. It ain’t nothing new, us coming to church. We may not be all that holy in what we do, but we’ve always stuck with the tradition of it.That's what Fork River seems to thrive on. Tradition and corrupt fuckin’ politics.
Everyone eventually makes their way inside and since the only space left on the two pews our family has occupied is the one on the end next to Savannah, it’s the one I have to take. There's silence as the minister stands up to his podium and waits for Old Man Mason to be the last person to take his seat. He shifts himself up the aisle, relying on his stick and making sure he has the full attention of the congregation when he pauses and rests his hand on Leia’s shoulder, who’s sitting straight in front of me.
“I’ll make sure I say an extra special prayer for you,” he whispers under his breath, then lowering his voice and his head he adds something that he intends for no one else to hear, “Whore.” The old man’s final word has me and Wade up on our feet ready to strike him down before God and the whole damn town. Garrett stands up with us when he realizes something’s wrong, and just before Wade shifts to knock the old fucker to the ground Leia stands up and uses herself as a block.
“It’s fine,” she tells him calmly, before turning around to me and giving me the same shake of her head.
“No, it ain’t fine, Leia. I won’t have him—” Leia silences my brother when she calmly steps out into the aisle herself, passing Old Man Mason as she walks up to the front of the church where the minister is standing.
“If you don’t mind, I’d like to say a few words,” she requests and the minister looks a little shocked as he nods and steps back so she can take his place.
“I’m sure most of you have an opinion of me.” Leia addresses everyone in front of her bravely, and when I glance to my left and look at Savannah she’s nodding her head and wearing a real proud smile. Leia’s mother, on the other hand, makes a hugeoverdramatic huff and exits the church with a loud tap of her heels.
“I don’t really care what that opinion is. I’m happy. For the first time in a long time,I’m happy,” she repeats with tears in her eyes. “I’ll clear up any questions you people think you deserve the answers to, very quickly and very simply, so Mr. Fisher here can get to his sermon. I never loved my husband,” she admits, and the gasps and breath holds that surround us are nearly as dramatic as Veronica Walker's exit.
“My husband abused me from the day we got married until the day he died, and I’m very thankful to say that this child I’m having isn’t his. Wade Carson is the father of my baby, and yes it was conceived while I was still married to Caleb. Yes, I did have an affair. And no, I don’t regret it. I never wanted to marry Caleb, he blackmailed my father into making me ‘cause he thought he could gain something, and I did what I thought I had to, to protect my family. You can judge me for what I did and whisper behind my back, you can call me a whore like Mr. Mason just did. But it won’t stop me from being happy or make me have a single regret. That man…” Leia points to Old Man Mason, who is still standing in the middle of the aisle with a dumbfounded look on his face. “That man knew what his son was doing to me, he not only condoned it, but he encouraged it. Maybe, I’m not the one you should all be judging.” Leia smiles sweetly as she steps down from the altar looking like she just gave the valedictorian speech at high school.
“Good luck with the election,” she whispers under her breath as she passes Mason and takes her seat next to Wade again.
