Rekindled

Presley

Mama and Daddy went to church this morning, but I just wasn’t in the mood to go today. Not that I don’t attend church or anything, in fact we are members of a really great church in Houston. I just wasn’t ready to face half, if not all, of Brookpoint right now. I wasn’t ready to have to answer questions about my husband; how was he doing, where he was, and all of that; then when I tell them that he’s gone; I get the sympathetic looks and the constant apologies. The I’m sorry to hear about your husband, or the You poor thing, I’m praying for you and your little one comments. I was a little surprised when mama agreed to letting us stay home. Preston wasn’t too big on leaving my side these days either. He’s a strong little boy, but I still understand him wanting to stay close to me. He had already lost 1 parent; he was scared of losing another one.

Mama had taken out all the ingredients for her barbeque baked chicken, and had them lying on the counter. The chicken was thawed out, so I decided to go ahead and get dinner started. Mama taught me and Patricia how to cook when we were young; since she was a nurse at the hospital, there were days that she wasn’t home to make dinner, so it was up to me and Patricia to do it. We knew all of her receipts too, which were passed down throughout our family.

I got Preston up and made him breakfast. After breakfast, I let him go outside on the porch and read. He’s only in the second grade, but he reads on a fourth grade level. It’s hard as a teacher not to push your own child as hard as you push your students. When I finished cleaning the breakfast dishes, I washed my hands and got started on dinner. I smiled as the memory of me and Spencer’s first dinner in our new apartment. We had been dating just under a year when he suggested that we move in together. It made sense, we were spending a lot of time together, either he was spending the night at my apartment or vice versa. A smile crossed my lips at the memory

*********************FLASHBACK**********************

“Mmm, what smells good?” Spencer came into the kitchen, wrapping his arms around my waist. I was at the sink rinsing off some plates for dinner.

“Dinner” I giggled as his breath tickled the nape of my neck when he kissed it.

“Really? That much I could tell” he chuckled. That was one of the things that I loved about him, he was just as sarcastic as I was.

“Barbaque baked chicken if you must know smart ass” I flicked water off my fingers in his face.

“Oh yeah? Where’d you get it from? Because I know you can’t cook”

“I so can cook big head” I threw the drying off towel at him

“Since when? Every time we have dinner, you order take out” he caught the towel, then grabbed me around my waist, pulling me close to him

“Since forever! I’m a small town girl remember” I wrapped my arms around his neck “My mama raised me right”

“Well, I’ll be the judge of your cooking then ma’am” he leaned in pecking my lips before heading out of the kitchen “I’m going to go wash up”

I took the chicken out of the oven and began to prepare our plates. Out of the corner of my eye, I could see Spencer moving about. “ What are you doing Spence?”

“You’ll see. Just let me know when you’re done making the plates”

I continued making our plates as he continued doing whatever he was doing behind me, “I’m done babe” I called as I put the top back on the pot of fresh green beans.

“Ok, WAIT” he said before I could pick up the plates. He grabbed my waist with one arm, putting his other hand over my eyes. He turned me around, “I’ll get the plates” he said as he slowly lead me out of the kitchen. I could tell when my feet hit the carpet leading out of the kitchen and into our small dining room.

“Where you taking me?” I giggled

“Nowhere” he replied as my leg hit the table “be careful baby. Stand right here, but don’t open your eyes” he instructed. By the sound of his voice, I could tell that he was in front of me. “Here” he said grabbing my hand and pulling me towards his voice. He took me by the waist and turned me around so that he was behind me. He gently sat me down in a chair and scooted it up. “Ok, you can open your eyes now”

“Awww baby” I cooed when I opened my eyes and looked around. The candles were lit on the table on either side of a bouquet of tulips. “You got me flowers?”

“I saw them on my way home, and I thought of you” he smiled as he placed a plate in front of me, leaning over pecking my lips before taking a seat across from me.

“You are just a big ole teddy bear” I giggled as he grabbed my hands to bless the food.

“AMEN” we said in unison when he finished blessing dinner

“Stop saying that. I’m not a teddy bear” he protested with a smile, as he lifted a fork full of food to his mouth

“Well, I guess I won’t be cuddling up with you tonight then” I laughed, looking at him through my eye lashes

“Ok, maybe with and for you, I am, but that’s it” his green eyes smiled “Mmm babe….mmm Presley….this chicken is good…and these green beans…oh my gawd” he said between bites.

“Now, what were you saying about me not being able to cook?” I laughed

“I’m sorry baby, you did the damn thing” he stood up, kissing my cheek “you want a beer?” he said going into the kitchen

“Yeah babe”

“I’m going to have to call Mrs.Monroe and thank her for teaching you how to cook, because I love to eat” he winked as he set our beers down in front of us

*******************END FLASHBACK*******************

“Mama, Nanny and Gramps are home” Preston ran in the house. I was sitting on the couch watching the Texans vs Ravens game. The Cowboys game was coming on next.

“Ok baby” I chuckled as I got up to go check on the chicken.

“Hey baby” mama smiled coming in the kitchen “You didn’t have to cook” she kissed my cheek

“Oh it was no problem mama…you already had everything out, so it was no biggie” I smiled as I put a little more barbeque sauce on the chicken before putting it back in the oven. “I’m going to get Preston cleaned up for dinner. I told him to go read a book out on the porch, but I know my child; he couldn’t resist playing with Max and CoCo” I smiled.

“Ok, looks like you got everything done as far as dinner goes, so I’m just going to go change clothes and get started on dessert then” she leaned over hugging Preston who had just come in the kitchen. “I’ll be back in a few minutes”

I ushered Preston up the stairs to get cleaned up and his clothes changed. I decided that I would change clothes too, since I had just prepared dinner; I didn’t want to smell like raw meat.

“I’m done mom” Preston called as I heard him heading down the stairs.

I finished changing into a comfortable maxi dress and headed down stairs. Just as I reached the bottom step, the doorbell rang. “I’ll get it ma” I called as I headed for the door. I could hear daddy and Preston in the den watching the game. I knew it was probably Trica and the family since it was Sunday afternoon and as always, mama cooked dinner. I just wasn’t expecting to see them when I opened the door.

“Oh my God! Presley?!?!” Ms.Janey’s eyes were big and a shocked smile was plastered across her face, causing me to smile just as bright

“Ms.Janey?!? I wasn’t expecting you and Sherriff D” I exclaimed, opening the screen door

“Here David” she handed him the dish she was holding “Aww babygirl, I’m so happy to see you” she replied opening her arms for me to willingly fall into. “How are you baby?” she softly smiled pulling back to take a good look at me

“I’m getting through it” I smiled “you know, one day at a time”

“Well, it’s good to have you home” she smiled

“Hey, what am I? The scarlet fever?” Sherriff D chuckled

“Of course not” I laughed as he handed the dish back to his wife.

“You know we’re here if you need anything” he smiled as I fell into his arms. Sherriff D had been like a second father to me. He had become the Sherriff our senior year in high school, and Ms.Janey was the principal at John Adams Middle School.

“Yes sir, I know” I smiled as he pecked my cheek

“Where’s my lil man” Ms.Janey smiled as I stepped to the side to let them in

“He’s in the den watching the game with daddy” I nodded in that direction

“I’m gonna get Sadie for not telling me that you were here” Ms.Janey shook her head as she headed toward the kitchen

“I didn’t tell you because I wanted it to be a surprise” mama laughed coming out of the kitchen wiping her hand on a dish towel, then taking the dish from her best friend.

Kyle

“Did you pack our lunch?”

“Oh crap, I completely forgot daddy, I’m so sorry” Britt looked up from her phone

“It’s okay, we’ll just stop by Luke’s and grab some burgers. How’s that sound?”

“Sounds like a plan to me” she smiled brightly before going back to texting.

“So, who he is?” I chuckled

“What are you talking about dad?”

“You’ve been texting since we got out of church…and I know it’s not Princess, because you know how Grams and Aunt Sadie feel about texting at the dinner table…so…” I shrugged

“Nosey much dad?” she smirked

“Fine, don’t tell me, but you know I’m going to find out” I laughed as we pulled into Luke’s

“If you do, it won’t be from me” she laughed and went back to texting or whatever she was doing on her phone.

I ordered our food and once we got it, I headed to see Kelly. We pulled into the gate and I parked the truck on the little side street. “I’ll get lunch and the drinks” Britt said as she put her phone in her purse

“I got the blankets and the flowers” I replied opening the back door and pulling the two blankets out the back seat that we kept back there for our Sunday picnics with Kelly, and the flowers that we stopped to get after church. I watched as Brittany headed up the hill to see her mom with our lunch and drinks in tow. I always try to give them a few minutes alone before joining them, then when we leave, Brittany gives me a few minutes alone with her mom too. I began to slowly make my way up the little hill.

“Don’t tell dad that I told you about him though” I heard Brittany giggle as I approached them.

“Are ya’ll keeping secrets from me?” I smiled laying out the blankets. Brittany began to take the food out of the bags. We held hands as I blessed the food. We chit chatted as we ate our meal, laughing at what had transpired over the week, and our plans for the weekend. Brittany explained how she was going to help Princess at the Pecan Festival in a few weeks since she was running for Ms.Brookpoint. She explained how excited she was about running in a few years herself, just like her mom. Thank God she’s a Hunter, because we’re known to win. “It’s getting late and a lil chilly out here, so we better go bunny” I smiled to my daughter.

“Well mom, I guess we gotta go. I have to get ready for school tomorrow and I haven’t talked to Princess all day either” Brittany smiled as she kissed her mom bye. “I’ll take the blankets to the car daddy” she smiled taking them out of my hand, giving me a few minutes alone with Kelly.

“Well Kelly, our little girl is growing up” I smiled as I watched my daughter walk away. “It hasn’t been easy with you gone, but we manage. I know she misses you and she’s at that age that she needs you. I just thank God for mama, Ms.Sadie, and Patricia” I pulled my knees up, wrapped my arms around them, lifted my heels and slowing began to rock back and forth.

“I know you may not want to hear this, but I can’t help but to think about what I did to Presley, or what you did to me. Don’t get me wrong, I love Brittany with all my heart and wouldn’t trade her for a thing in this world. And I don’t want you to get me wrong, she was made from love, I just wasn’t in love with you, and you and I both know it.”

I sighed. “I’on know if it’s the fact that I’m sympathizing with Presley right now because she just lost her husband or just reminising on days gone by, but I’ve been having this feeling that I need to come clean with her. I need to tell her the truth, I need to tell her everything. I love you Kell, and I always will, you know that, you’re the mother of my child, but I think this is something that I need to do for myself” I lowered my head. “It’s been 12 years, I think it’s time for me to move on. I haven’t seen another women since you left” I pushed myself up off the ground, “I’m going to have to talk to Britt first to see how she feels about it, but it’s time Kelly” I nodded once “it’s time for me to get on with my life. I won’t stop Britt from coming to see you, but I might not be with her all the time, but I’ll always be here, calling on you for direction with our daughter” I smiled and kissed her before walking away.

“Daddy, you’ve been quiet since we left mom, what’s up?” my daughter is very observant

“Nothing bunny, just thinking about something?”

“Well, you know you can talk to me, I’m a pretty good listener dad” she smiled putting her phone away.

“I know bunny, thank you” I smiled rubbing my hand down the back of her hair. “I do have a question for you though…I want to know how you would feel about something” I sighed

“What? You wanna know if I would be okay with you dating somebody?” she smiled bright

“What makes you say that?”

“Because dad, I think it’s time that you get back out there. I’m 14 now and I’ll be leaving for college in 4 years, I won’t be around to take care of you, it’s time that you find somebody that will. I mean, it’s going to take 4 years just to break her in” Brittany laughed “daddy, you’ve been taking care of me by yourself since mom died when I was 2, it’s time for you to move on”

“How did I get such a smart daughter?” I chuckled

“I think I got it from mom” she giggled

“So you would be okay if I started dating again?”

“Definitely!” she exclaimed “You’re a good looking man, you’re smart, some of my friends think you’re sexy, which is soo unacceptable” she frowned up her nose and shook her head, “you have probably the biggest heart of any man that I know, and you’re funny too; any woman would be lucky to have us” she continued with a smile

“You are something special, you know that?” I smiled, putting the truck in park after we pulled up to our house.

“Yep” she smiled, grabbing her purse and jumping out of the truck.